Absolute Wonder Woman (2024-) #16

Absolute Wonder Woman (2024) #16

by Kelly Thompson, Hayden Sherman (Artist)

The Season of the Witch arc begins here! After her exploits in the Area 41 maze, Diana has resolved to not let her personal mission overwhelm the one she was sent to the surface world to fulfill. But a new threat has emerged in Gateway City, and it turns out the best thing to send to kill Wonder Woman is…another witch! Zatanna is here, and Diana’s life will never be the same!

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics, Wonder Woman, Superheroes, Fantasy, Mythology, Action

Kindle Edition

Published January 28, 2026

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

[MrGlassWontBreak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diana dreams of Aphrodite in the past and feels it’s a premonition of something bad coming. Steve speaks at a Senate hearing, where he defends his decision to help Diana instead of following government orders. Veronica Cale and some scientists implant parasites into some creatures she intends to send after Diana. She uses the parasites so she can control these creatures and get them to do her bidding

Diana attends a public event organized by Barbra at the National History Museum. After being adored by her many fans who “love a strong horse girl”, Diana passes out and dreams of a battle/conversation she had with Artemis in the past, before briefly seeing Aphrodite again. She wakes up with the same bad feeling as before, then Zatana and the Absolute Suicide Squad crash the event looking for a fight. It’s revealed that Zatana now has full control over Diana’s magic, due to the binding spell she placed on her in an earlier issue.

Wonder how Zatana is going to use Diana’s abilities and how Diana is going to stop her and get them back. The Suicide Squad here consists of Zatana, Cheetah, Giganta, Dr Poison, and what looks like the Queen of the fish people Diana found in the maze. Another strong, well-written issue.

[Cheyenne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolute YURI🔥🔥🔥🔥

[dusty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolute Wonder Woman is truly on a generational run!! Every issue feels like a showstopper.. consistently standing out among current ongoings and almost NEVER missing.

I knew this would be a major issue, especially with a new arc beginning and Zatanna becoming more deeply involved in the larger narrative. Kelly Thompson continues to strike an impressive balance: keeping the energy and stakes high while still allowing the story room to breathe, evolve, and grow naturally from arc to arc.

What really stands out to me about this run is how invested I feel not only in the unfolding magic and mythology, but also in the grounded, human elements of these characters.. and how those personal moments inform the larger story being told.

Zatanna, in particular, comes across as completely confident yet delightfully unhinged at the same time. The state of Diana’s magic and the specific predicament she now finds herself in feels like the setup for a powerful conflict, one that will test her physically, mentally, and perhaps even spiritually! I also really appreciated the subtle nod and introduction of the Suicide Squad, and I’m excited to see how that team factors into the run moving forward.

Overall, as usual, the bar is set incredibly high.. and this issue meets it effortlessly. I can’t WAIT for what comes next.

[Machiavelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished Absolute Wonder Woman #16. I really liked the flashback work here — it adds emotional and thematic weight without feeling like filler. Steve is excellent in the present-day scenes, grounding the issue and giving the political tension some real bite. The Zatanna introduction was fun and intriguing, and I like how it opens the door to a much bigger magical direction. This feels very much like a setup issue, but a confident one that’s clearly building toward something larger. 4.5⭐️

[zachariah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Too many large, beautiful women in this comic my wife says I can’t read them anymore

[Zoey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This world is so geared against goodness that even those who actively benefit from Wonder Woman and her protection try their best to indict her and label her a ‘dangerous immigrant’. The parallels to our own world are haunting.

[nat · Rating 5 out of 5]

reading it on the day it dropped yes lord. cliffhanger 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ diana looked so nice in her dress. artemis was so cool and so was aphrodite.

[Colin Post · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helluva start to a new arc. It really feels like we’re into this book, past the opening salvos now. Diana’s world feels real, rich, and complex with Steve testifying before the Senate and a whole troop of supporting characters populating the hieron. Plus, the reveal of the absolute universe Suicide Squad! That was a hell yeah! moment for sure.

[Cybernex007 · Rating 5 out of 5]

PEAK! ZATANNA! PEAK! EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS! PEAK!!! Such a fantastic start, and is it just me or upon reading the name of this new arc “season of the witch” does anyone else have the song constantly playing in their head? I trust this creative team completely and this is a generational run and every issue further proves it. But what’s curious is that this issue actually starts with a warning. Out of all the goddesses that came to visit Diana, one of them seemed to visit her way less than the rest, only coming to her at the beginning when she was still a baby…none other than Aphrodite. Once again, I have to proclaim my love for the character designs. Aphrodite is a figure that I was immediately pretty scared of, especially based on Circe’s reaction to seeing her. She appears as a normal woman but with a sheet covering her from head to toe down the midsection so you can’t really get a good look at her. But as she approaches Diana what you feel immediately is love. I do t know how they did this, but the love is radiating off the page and even though Aphrodite only appeared to Diana in her youth, she left an impression on how powerful and destructive love can be. Now in the present day as Diana dreams of Aphrodite, she wakes up near the Hieron to the feeling that Aphrodite just gave her a warning of something to come. Hmmmm, Zatanna showing up and the power of love being the answer? Yeah, in sensing a character flipping sides in our future, lol.

As Diana heads over to the Hieron, she meets Ferdinand and Petra outside. All of the other maze refugees have been resettled and they are the only two left, but as Diana assures them the Hieron can be their home for as long as they wish and I really hope it’s for a long time. But what else is in the news today? Oh nothing much Diana has to concern herself with, just Steve appearing and talking before the Senate. But unlike most Senate hearings this was not boring. The basics of the hearing is that a colonel Sanders look a like is claiming Steve betrayed the oath of his country by teaming up with this “Wonder Woman” (one of her many names, as they seem to like to cherry pick the “Princess of Hell” name instead) during the events of gateway city. Steve is quick to point out that his job is to protect and serve the American people, the only person there that understood how to save people was Diana, and they didn’t loose anyone that day because of Wonder Woman. They can’t even claim he disobeyed orders from a superior officer because there were no orders to follow, nothing was given. Even his superior determined Diana had a better grasp on the situation. Steve then went on to explain that following the events of gateway city, he proposed himself as liaison between Diana and the US military. This shocked the man he was speaking to as they didn’t hear about him in this position. You know why? Because Steve couldn’t stand by while the government saw Diana as little more than a weapon. He immediately recused himself from the position he created then resigned his commission!

“No man can truthfully serve two masters, and if the US government wishes to oppose Wonder Woman, then they are on the wrong side of history. And I’ll be on the correct side of it. Where Diana will also always be. I have tried, my whole life, to be allied with Justice. If the United States of America is against Wonder Woman, then in my view, it is no longer on the side of Justice.”

What a mic drop moment, Steve stormed out of the hearing and claimed that if they need to speak to him again they need a subpoena. THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT!

But trouble is brewing elsewhere as Veronica Cale is down in area 41 devising of ways to make Diana’s life…well…hell…on Earth anyway. At the moment that involves taking the monsters she still has down in Area 41 and surgically implanting what appears to be STARRO parasites into their body. This does not allow Veronica to control them, but it does put a ticking time bomb in their body that will degrade and mil them if they don’t carry out the mission she has set for them. And at the moment that includes destroying Diana and her name in the eyes of the public who absolutely adore her. And the perfect chance for that is coming tonight at a mutual wing opening.

On a happier note, Diana’s presence in gateway city has invigorated the cities love for myth, allowing Barbara to get a whole wing dedicated to her research and collection. I don’t know who Diana got to make her dress, but she showed up on Pegasus to the ribbon cutting ceremony absolutely stunning. She even had a little purse made with her WW logo on it. What I also about this scene is Diana acknowledging how dangerous and tempting the adoration she gets from all the people who came there just to see her. That acknowledgement is a very self reflective sign that she will not fall into it, that’s my WW for sure. Diana follows Barbara inside and even though the museum is packed, Steve, Etta, and Gia are already there waiting. But first Diana basks in the exhibit Barbara has curated. She thanks Barbara for allowing her to feel the closest she has ever felt to her lost Themysciran home, aside from the time she spent with IO of course. As the two look around at the exhibits, Steve is able to meet up with them. Diana notices a section that isn’t Greek but is somewhat familiar. It’s a set of engravings depicting the men-fish from the maze, one depicting their queen. But suddenly Diana feels as though something is wrong and collapses to the ground in Barbara’s arms. Diana is suddenly thrust back to the wild isle where she remembers training with Artemis (who also has an amazing character design). The training is tough and just further showing proof of why Diana is such a good combatant and why Sherman’s paneling is above everyone else. But as they fight Diana only has one thought in her mind, why does Aphrodite never come to see her anymore? Artemis can’t help but to make a comment questioning Diana on why she would think she would know why Aphrodite does what she does. But the two make a deal, if Diana can beat Artemis then she will answer Diana’s question. The deal is agreed to and immediately Artemis shifts into a Tiger, Ram, Snake tail hybrid to launch Diana away. But this is Diana we are talking about, she is able to grab the snake tail before it lunges at her and she is able to drag Artemis in close to deliver an absolutely crazy beat down until Artemis was defeated and in a position to answer Diana’s question. Artemis couldn’t believe Diana could ask a god any question and wasted it on asking why Aphrodite doesn’t see her anymore, lol. Artemis surmises that Aphrodite may not have anything else left to teach Diana. But this doesn’t make sense to Diana, her earliest memories are of Aphrodite making it clear bag love is more powerful and more dangerous than anything on earth. Artemis of course doesn’t agree with this sentiment, but the gods never agree with each other as they all believe themselves the best and most dangerous. Diana can agree with this but she can also agree with the knowledge Aphrodite imparted on her. This continues to weigh on Diana as she feels unprepared and she feels like she has more to learn from Aphrodite. But suddenly as the dream of the past comes to an end, the image of Aphrodite appears once more telling Diana to wake up.

Diana wakes up next to Barbara as she was barely out for the moment it took for her to hit the floor. Another warning from Aphrodite but this time something feels wrong and suddenly Diana realizes what it is…she can’t access her magic. But she isn’t cut off from it, if she was her arm would disappear. Which means something bad is about to happen. Diana orders Steve and Barbara to get Etta and Gia out of here right as a burst of blue magic explodes at the top of an ancient structure on display in the museum. It’s Zatanna and she is surrounded by Doctor poison, Giganta, the queen of the men-fish, and someone with a very cheetah like attire. The queen of the men-fish is who we saw Veronica overseeing the operation on to inject the starro parasite into. I’m sure most of the people here are setup that way as Zatanna introduces her group as the suicide squad. YEAH, WOW, that makes sense. I mean they don’t just have bombs in their necks, but parasites eating them away, set to kill them, if they don’t complete the mission. Diana immediately recognizes Zatanna from a few issues before when she appeared on another plane of existence. Diana remembers back to what Zatanna said and suddenly figures out that Zatanna was talking backwards. Zatanna bound Diana’s magic to herself when in her presence. Zatanna is currently controlling Diana’s magic which is why she is cut off. Zatanna claims that Cale may of underestimated Diana, but she didn’t. At this moment, I think the power of love is the only thing that can truly triumph. But I swear if we don’t keep Barbara AWAY from whoever is cheetah right now, I’m going to be so pissed, lol. Amazing series.

[Neil Pearson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 3rd "absolute" book I read the week of Jan 28 and was partly due to the appearance of the character in "Absolute Batman" #16.

This is the start of a new story arc and has a slow, deliberate pace, almost like a deep breath or calm before the storm. I was a little lost regarding the celebrity status of Wonder Woman and I'm curious as to how this occurred. I recognised some of the supporting cast (it was kind of the artist to have Trevor Steven resemble Chris Pine) but I was a little confused with Barbara, who due to the red hair I have assumed is Barbara Gordon. If it is, that's an interesting spin, using a bat character as a supporting character and has me wondering how she'll evolve. If she isn't Barbara Gordon, it may have helped to distinguish who this Barbara is.

The writer did a decent job of recapping how this Wonder Woman has a strong magical aspect and working the revelation of her tattooed arm into the narrative without feeling like exposition (I'm curious as to how she" lost" the arm). The appearance of some foes at the end was ok, although at this stage it seemed a bit too easy how one of the foes are manipulating Wonder Woman (it's a standard problem with this character's powers). Hopefully the next issues will do more to clarify this and hopefully we'll see the other antagonists in action.

The art is spectacular - there seems to be a deliberate attempt to evoke ancient greek pottery art and it looks great. The panel layouts also reflect this and in general they make many pages unique. I don't know if this is an "absolute" thing (It was also used in Absolute Batman #16) but I find the use of multiple small panels really refreshing. There is a fight depicted in this issue that has 15 plus panels and it genuinely feels like the fight is being animated due to the small impact panels. It's like a fusion between American comics and manga and I like it a lot as it allows dense storytelling and compelling action. If the writer has a part in this, they also deserve credit.
Where the art was slightly lacking was in some of the "new" character designs. Regarding the antagonists that appear, most of them felt too much like their regular counterparts, while the most drastic redesign doesn't work for me. The Zatanna design is classic for a reason and attempts to modernise may be more contemporary but pales in comparison. I'd tinker rather than overhaul that design. It might be down to editorial or other artists designing but it falls flat for me. Although I appreciate how I accused the other antagonist designs of being too conservative which aI guess highlights how tricky it is to find the right balance. I generally find the "Absolute Batman" approach of going crazy eg maybe have Zatanna resemble the wicked witch so that she is completely different but still fitting a magic stereotype. I think they went for the "street magician" style (David Blaine, etc) that's understandable but is just a bit dull for the comic page. That's not to say the art isn't otherwise superstar level.

While this isn't as accessible as Absolute Batman, the quality is high and left me wanting to get up to speed with the title. I think it may work better over multiple issues but I like the greek mythology vibe and the artwork, panel design is outstanding.


Overall = 3/5
Writing = 3/5
Art = 5/5

Will I read the next issue? Yes

Did I need to read previous issues/series? Not essential but there were some characters I didn't recognise.

Will I read previous issues? Yes, in trade format

[AviChaim Snyder · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a solid opening issue for the new arc, even if it was not the strongest Absolute Wonder Woman issue so far. At times, the pacing felt a bit sluggish. That may have been more of a personal reaction than a flaw in the issue itself, but there were several dialogue-heavy pages where my attention started to drift and I had to push myself through them, especially the scenes featuring Veronica Cale.
That said, the Senate sequence was a standout. Despite also being dialogue-driven, it moved quickly and felt engaging in a way that really worked for me. I am genuinely intrigued to see how this arc develops, particularly with Zatanna being positioned more as a villain rather than her usual heroic role.
My prediction about Cale serving as this universe’s version of Amanda Waller and assembling a Suicide Squad ended up coming true, and I enjoyed that reveal. It was especially cool to see the team made up primarily of Wonder Woman villains. One lingering question I have, though, is the identity of Cheetah. Since Barbara is already aligned with Diana as part of the main team, who exactly is this version of Cheetah?
Overall, I really enjoyed the issue and would recommend it. Grade: B+

[Declan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an incredibly weak issue and, apart from some Wild Isle depictions, there is no outstanding art to make up for it.

The key points are as follows:

•Wonder Woman has premonitions of Aphrodite.
•Wonder Woman Thinks back to a Conversation with Artemis about Aphrodite.
•We have a "surprise" appearance of Zatanna in a slutty, 80s, rock chick outfit, which isn't really a surprise AT ALL seeing how she's on every cover for this issue.

That's it. And let's not forget, over a third of this book is dedicated to promoting other stories.

If this is the standard going forward, I'll finish at the end of this five-book arc.

[David Dalton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished reading Absolute Wonder Woman Vol 1: issues #1 to #7.
Then read issue#15 and now #16 due to the crossover with Absolute Batman!
Will now go back and read issues 8 to #14. Love the Absolute heroes!

[Annemarie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This issue felt more as a setup issue, a bit of an in-between one. I liked the backstory, I think Diana's tone in hell was really interesting. Super hyped for the next issue. Zatanna and the suicide squad, I'm interested to see what they can do.

[Juliano Stefani · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s so good when you are surprised by each page that you turn… this Diana is tough, but vulnerable. She wants to understand her place while fighting for justice. She has a great group helping her and is willing to face all that go through her way. Loving this series!

[Ushnav Shroff · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid start to a new arc!

[Xaanua · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arte como siempre sublime. y qué maravillosa esta Diana: que empática. El flashback de pequeña preciosa, y para rematar la introducción de Zatanna y de Suicide Squad. Necesito el siguiente ya

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid start to new arc. I feel Wondy about to get into some trouble.

[Raymond Paquette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love is the most precious and the most dangerous weapon any person could wield. Diana is just getting started. Loved the introduction of her rouges gallery. Zatanna is in the house.

[Abbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing fantastic showstopping wtf I love it I love it I cannot wait a month to read the next issue.

[Joseph Crook · Rating 3 out of 5]

I sometimes find the stuff on earth a bit muted but I love the scenes with the other gods and goddesses.

[AJ Easterday · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kelly Thompson made Steve Trevor likable for once! It is honestly so rare that we get a good Steve Trevor who is clearly so loyal to Diana. I love it.

[Frodo · Rating 5 out of 5]

grazas, cómic, por lembrarme que esta muller mide 2 metros vinte

[Lizzy DeMarco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! I love anything witchy and this new 5 part arc "season of the Witch' didn't disappoint. Zatanna, so flashbacks to Diana's youth all in one issue. Can't wait for parts 2-5!!!

[scarlet♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

ZATANNA MY BELOVED

[Andy Waldron · Rating 5 out of 5]

continues to be the best absolute book, which is saying a LOT. man i just adore sherman’s art.

[Craig Schorling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a lot of frontloading takes place in this issue. The introduction of Absolute Zatanna is great and I am very stoked to see where this goes.

[belle · Rating 5 out of 5]

“hey cutie” GASPED AND COVERED MY MOUTH FOR REAL

[Roland Baldwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is still the best Absolute book

[Richard Burley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always awesome!!