Absolute Wonder Woman (2024-) #12

Absolute Wonder Woman (2024) #12

by Kelly Thompson, Hayden Sherman (Artist)

Be careful what you wish for, Diana, as you just might get it. With a surprising but not unwelcome ally, Diana makes her final moves inside the maze. But even in winning the day, there will be devastating losses to bear.

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics, Wonder Woman, Fantasy, Superheroes, Comic Book, Graphic Novels

Kindle Edition

Published September 24, 2025

About the author

KELLY THOMPSON has a degree in Sequential Art from The Savannah College of Art & Design. Her love of comics and superheroes have compelled her since she first discovered them as a teenager. Currently living in Portland, Oregon with her boyfriend and the two brilliant cats that run their lives, you can find Kelly all over the Internet where she is generally well liked, except where she's detested.

Kelly has published two novels - THE GIRL WHO WOULD BE KING (2012) and STORYKILLER (2014) and the graphic novel HEART IN A BOX from Dark Horse Comics (2015). She's currently writing ROGUE & GAMBIT, HAWKEYE, and PHASMA for Marvel Comics and GHOSTBUSTERS for IDW. Other major credits include: A-Force, Captain Marvel & The Carol Corps, Jem and The Holograms, Misfits, Power Rangers Pink, and the creator-owned mini-series Mega Princess.

Kelly's ambitions are eclipsed only by her desire to exist entirely in pajamas. Fortunately pajamas and writers go hand in hand (most of the time). Please buy all her stuff so that she can buy (and wear) more pajamas.

Reviews

[Jadyn❀ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolute Wonder Woman continues to be the hopeful breath of fresh air needed amongst not only the Absolute line but of so much of comics right now. Diana is always true to the morals and ideals at the core of Wonder Woman, including her willingness to forgive and provide second chances. Clea's Atlantean heritage brings with it exciting implications, as does the character introduction on the final page of the issue. Well done as always from Kelly Thompson, Hayden Sherman and the team behind Absolute Wonder Woman.

[MrGlassWontBreak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diana finally gets everyone out of the maze after the scientist within gave her a flash drive, including Clea, but the moment IO steps out of it, she is inexplicably teleported to Themyscira where it is revealed that all the other Amazons are alive. Also, fucking Absolute Zatana.

But this only brings more questions than answers, like what actually happened between Zeus and the Amazons, are the Amazons unable to leave their island home, and where the actual fuck is Themyscira? Guess we’ll have to wait for subsequent issues to find out.

Another fantastic issue, AWW keeps going strong

[Mia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing conclusion to this arc

[Zoey · Rating 5 out of 5]

She’s going up against Zatanna???? Please, dear God, give me the next issue now.

[dusty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so relieved to see Ferdinand and Petra make it to safety in this chapter. Wonder Woman’s plan to free them while distracting Clea was incredibly smart, especially since she already knew how to escape the Maze. Looking back, she even hints earlier in the issue how an Amazon could get out, but I completely missed it in the moment. That payoff worked really well!

Clea being from Atlantis was such a cool reveal too. I genuinely did not see that coming until it was stated outright. I also really appreciated how Wonder Woman chose to show Clea compassion, recognizing her as a prisoner driven mad by isolation and separation from her homeland. That empathy felt very true to Diana’s character.

I had a feeling something big was going to happen when Io escaped the Maze, but I never would have guessed the actual outcome. Sending her to Themyscira to inform Diana’s mother that she’s alive was a perfect way to close one chapter of the story while opening up an entirely new path.

Absolute Wonder Woman is quickly becoming known for its wild closing pages, and I love it! I thought we might circle back to Cale and Doctor Poison, but that Zatanna reveal completely caught me off guard. I genuinely lost my mind at that final page and cannot wait to see what comes next with Zatanna!!

[Machiavelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Big, mythic action with Diana’s compassion at the core — Thompson closes this arc on a strong note. The maze setting adds tension and dread, and the character work shines, especially in how Diana’s resolve contrasts against Clea’s darker choices.

Sherman’s bolder lines paired with Bellaire’s colors bring energy and mood to the action. Some panels feel a little stiff in anatomy, but overall the art captures the scale and emotion of the story well.

A sharp, character-driven finish that balances myth, action, and heart.

[Kastie Pavlik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome. Phenomenal. Fantastic. I can't praise this enough. It's another excellent Wonder Woman comic, but an amazing Greek Mythos story with highs and lows and higher highs, and then...


Dun, dun, DUNnnnnnmn.... ಠಿ⁠_⁠ಠಿ

Zatanna! Yes! This is going to get even more freaking epic!

[James DeSantis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another banger.

Finishes up the Maze arc, which I enjoyed a lot. Sets up the next arc. And some hopeful moments for our Princess!

[John Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

A phenomenal conclusion to the "As My Mothers Made Me" arc, as Diana inches ever closer to finding Themyscira. Hayden Sherman continues to show why they're one of my favorite artists in comics right now, because the action in this issue is laid out spectacularly. On each page, my jaw was to the floor because of how beautiful the artwork was. The fight between Diana and Clea was brutal and satisfying, and the way Diana wins is completely in character for her. Being compassionate for Clea's plight of being lost from home, but warning her to never do this again. We get our first brief glimpse of Absolute Themyscira, and it was really satisfying to see Hippolyta's reaction to the news that Diana is alive. I can't wait to see them reunited. The finale of this book was something that was spoiled before the book even came out (thanks, internet), but this issue is the first appearance of Absolute Zatanna. I'm really curious how the inevitable confrontation between the two will go!

[Carly · Rating 5 out of 5]

ITS SO GOOD WTF?!? ALSO HOW CAN YOU END THERE?!? I GOTTA WAIT ANOTHER MONTH?!? 😭😭😭

[sam banach · Rating 5 out of 5]

HELLO???? need the next issue stat.

[Gavin Peterman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This comic is just cool. perfect finale to the arc and I'm hype for the rest of the run and Absolute Evil next week!

[Colin Post · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The names we will give things to make them seem reasonable.” Thompson drops perfect kernels like that in the midst of a story that has it all: bad ass fight scene, friendship between a Minotaur and a Siren, a sick reveal of a new absolute character.

[Luca Mendes · Rating 5 out of 5]

That ending I can’t wait to read the next issue.

[luz · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5 // diana, you are so special to me!! lovedd the reveals

[Riley Pilgrim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved how Thompson concluded this arc. We got so many teases of things to come and where the story will go. This series is so good.

[nat · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLY FREAKING SMOKES. THEMYSCIRA!!!! ZATANNA!!!!!

[Celina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't wait to see the other Goddesses, the art is absolutely magnificent.

[Cybernex007 · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD, it’s happening! Everyone stay CALM! NEVER MIND, SCREW THAT, YES!! YES!! YES!! This is what I’m talking about, this was so peak! Diana is peak! This entire world is peak! The art is peak! The storytelling is peak! Everything is just beautifully PEAK! I love it so much! There is just such a proper understanding of this character while ripping our hearts out while we ask for more. YES!! We pickup this issue directly from the last as Diana faces off against Clea with the newly reformed trident of Poseidon, a fully water based tool that has a mind of its own, and part of which was trapped in Clea’s staff. All the while, Io, the Amazon Diana found down in the maze, is leading the other prisoners out and back to Diana’s HQ. The action is phenomenal and while Diana is tough, she still struggles at moments to handle all of the men fish and Clea’s strength. But Diana still has everything in order, while she can’t excuse some of the heinous things Clea has done, she can understand the effect imprisonment has on someone. Especially if Atlantis and an entire world exist out there waiting. In the midst of the fight Diana took a rock and used the last of her magic to imbue the order to go to Io and close the door once she exits. She also orders Ferdinand to follow after this rock and get to safety. Ferdinand is apprehensive about leaving her alone, but who says she is alone! After all, she has all these men fish, lol.

As Ferdinand follows the rock through the winding halls, he eventually meets up with Io who is still worried about Diana. Ferdinand hands her the stone and the order it has to close the door once she enters. There are still a few more beings she has to make sure gets through before she can, but Ferdinand is able to go through freely. Ferdinand takes this freedom with a great stride, before he met the siren he never dreamed, and if he did it was only of the maze as that was the limit of his imagination. But now it feels right to head into the world to face both its treasuries and horrors. One figure that still strikes me as odd is the scientist locked down there. He was standing behind Io as Ferdinand went through. I’m sure he went through as well at one point, but what’s his deal? He forget to turn off the coffee machine and Cale throw him down there? Either way, when Ferdinand gets through he doesn’t find a good situation at the hieron. Everyone is falling to their knees in pain from a wail in the facility. It’s Petra, she is scared and using her powers to defend herself the only way she knows how. Ferdinand fights through the pain before eventually reaching her and embracing her, immediately allowing her to calm down and slump into his arms. It’s all okay now, they are free.

The fight continues between Clea and Diana. Suddenly the tone of the fight shifts as water begins to surround them. Clea is thrown back by this, and Diana expresses that Clea may see her as her enemy but really she is salvation. She has brought Clea freedom. She has flooded the entire maze by digging a hole to the sea. It’s so funny seeing the men fish prance and dance around in the water for the first time in a long time. And as the water continues to rise the weight of the situation really begins to hit Clea, all she must do is follow Diana to freedom. And then all Clea has to do is return to whatever home she lost when she was trapped here. Diana is taking a chance on her, that she isn’t the same monster she is within the maze as she is outside of it. But Diana warns her that she will be less accommodating if Clea remains a monster when given freedom. Diana then jumps into the water and uses the glowing watery trident to lead the way as Clea and the men fish follow close behind.

As the water rises it soon reaches Io’s location and with everyone out she passes through herself…only to be immediately struck by lighting and disappear to the shock of Diana’s crew. Io was stuck in there since the amazons disappeared, it seems the gods have finally noticed her.

As Diana springs from the water in Gateway city harbor, she watches in as Clea and the men fish swim on to hopefully a better path. Diana returns to the hieron with the trident still in hand, immediately wanting to see her sister. But the towhees have to break the bad news about what happened. Diana falls down to her knees where Io disappeared and prays for a sign that she still lives. In the most insane move ever, an actual dove carrying an olive branch swoops in and delivers it to her. Io is safe, and we see where she is teleported to. In a flash of light she is suddenly in a hall full of Greek architecture and a statue of Athena in the middle. And there to welcome her is none other than Hippolyta, Queen of the amazons! She has Diana’s eyes. She embraces her sister, fearing she was lost forever. But Io comes bearing news, she has seen Diana, she is alive. There is a moment of shock on Hippolyta’s face before she runs outside to the balcony. She yells out for the bells to be rung! “SHE’S ALIVE! DIANA LIVES! DIANA LIVES!” The streets of Themyscira are flooded with cheers and love. I love how open this comic is with the lesbian relationships on Themyscira. There are still a lot of WW comics I need to read, but that’s is such a given.

If the last section didn’t leave you crying I don’t know what’s up with you. But we aren’t done yet! Suddenly we are back in Area 41 as Cale is ripping into Doctor Poison about how much their renovation to save the maze will cost them and it’s all her fault. Poison doesn’t care, they need them and they want a new suit. They know they won’t throw them in a containment cell because if Cale wanted to do that they would have already, plus the day Cale does is the day Poison promises she dies. As Cale returns to the operator of Poison’s housing unit, she allows the allocation of a new suit. The operator thinks this will help with some of the tougher projects anyway. But Cale mentions she is moving Poison to something called “Project SS-1,” which puts a blank expression int he operators face. According to Cale this will anger Poison quite a lot. We then see Cale walk to Project SS-1, which appears to be a cell block chalked full of characters to unleash on Diana. There is an alligator woman, sometime maybe named Zuel in a unit that looks like it has hamster cage style tunnels. One cell just off frame looks to have a cheetah person, we know Minerva is safe for now, lol. But the issue ends with one huge surprise, the next person Cale is sending after Diana. In a cell is a prisoner strapped up like Hannibal Lecter, where her mouth is even sealed shut. If you want to fight fire with fire, why not send a witch to kill a witch. Welcome to the fray: ZATANNA!!

[Alexis Moreno · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the metaphor that was played out with the Petra and Clea. they both have known very little except and impossible maze and as a result they are suffering from it but taking it out in different ways. In petra’s case she is crying and lashing out when she finally sees the outside world and some water. All she has known is bad so not seeing it is destabilizing. Clea is much more developed and older so she knows what life was like before this place. but now that she is powerless in a lot of ways, she uses what she has to be tyrannical so as to not be confronted with her inadequacies. Diana sees this and understands this so she offers a chance to not be shackled and see what she does with it. Essentially, when someone who has only known helpless and horrors brought onto them, they aren’t the themselves. Diana has compassion and strength to allow them to try again under different context but it’s still challenging to her. I enjoyed this issue.

[AviChaim Snyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great conclusion to this arc! First of all, spoiler warning, finding out that Clea is an Atlantean got me incredibly excited. I love Aquaman and Atlantis, so this was an absolute (pun intended) blast. Seeing Diana fight with the Trident of Poseidon was fantastic, and I hope it is leaving clues for what we can expect to see with Absolute Aquaman. Personally, I think the Aquaman in the current mainline book may actually be the Absolute Aquaman, but only time will tell.
This conclusion was just pure fun, which is something that, as much as I hate to say it, feels like it is missing from a lot of comics these days. Watching Diana reason with a foe who was simply too strong for her added an extra layer of excitement. This entire arc, and the series as a whole, is absolutely killing it, and I cannot wait to read more. I could not recommend this enough.
Grade: A

[RubiGiráldez RubiGiráldez · Rating 4 out of 5]

La verdad es que resulta una conclusión INCREÍBLE para este micro arco argumental de revitalizar la clásica historia del laberinto del Minotauro. Kelly Thompson está aprovechando la oportunidad de resignificar toda la mitología y estilo de historias épicas del personaje donde una representante Atlante puede ponerle las cosas crudas a Diana al punto de esta emplear el legendario Tridente del Rey de los Mares. Por supuesto las dos grandes revelaciones del final del número dejan un nuevo espléndido panorama para esta cabecera.

[Abbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

ANOTHER BANGER BY KELLY THOMPSON AND CREW.
We love to see a good run continue to be good. I like the little glimpse we got at the amazon and I feel bad Diana doesn't know her sister Io is fine. Overall a crazy good issue, Kelly really nails the balance between the human and the kickass in this Wonder Woman issue.

[Jerry Aguirre · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great comic. I mean this series doesn’t miss. They are out of the maze. Themyscaria is a place! And what an epilogue! This series is the one where I can’t wait to read !

So is that how Wonder Woman and Batman meet? Because just like Ark M, area 41 is doing testing that is not human! What the heck is going on !!!

[Jason Holtzman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great conclusion to the arc, propped up not only by Diana’s continuing focus on kindness, but also by the overall feeling of hope that flows through the story (especially with this issue’s ending).

[Annemarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good conclusion to this arc. Hippolytha looks so stunning. excited for the next issue too. I hope Diana will find Io again. The friend part was again a bit of a let down, but so short it barely matters.

[Arch Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

They are going absolutely crazy with the writing.

Io getting back home to the other Amazons and noticing Hera of the existence of Diana, while also saving every single being in that maze. Wonder Woman might be the goat. This shit is astounding.

5/5 issue.

[Raymond Paquette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. They had passion, pain, a new beginning and joy all together in one big package. The payoff worked and left us excited for the next stage.

[AJ Easterday · Rating 5 out of 5]

*4.5 stars

Wow! So much happened in this issue! So many big reveals! This makes me even more excited to continue following the series. The hype is so well deserved.

[Siegfried · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a thing of beaty, as always.
And by the end? Zatana? Holy fuck!