Absolute Wonder Woman (2024-) #17

Absolute Wonder Woman (2024) (Single Issues)

by Kelly Thompson, Hayden Sherman (Artist)

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics, Wonder Woman, Fantasy, Superheroes, Comix, Comic Book

Kindle Edition

Published February 25, 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

[Neil Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last month I started reading monthly comics for the first time in several years and Absolute Wonder Woman jumped straight into my pull list, thanks to a strong guest appearance in Absolute Batman and excellent art in the main title.

This issue delivers the pay off to the previous issue's build up and I have to say I was surprised by how things went down with Zatanna - I didn't see that coming, especially not so quickly. I also like how the suicide squad are being kept in line in the absolute universe - almost a nod to James Gunn's "the suicide squad".

The meat of the issue is a knock down with Giganta and even though I read an impressive fight between them in Tom King's Wonder Woman, this takes it to the absolute level by making use of this Wonder Woman's magical powers. It's destructive and very physical.

A new character is introduced towards the end that I didn't recognise my initial guess was "Absolute Ghost Rider" and I wasn't sure if this was an existing member of the suicide squad or the reserve member that was mentioned within this issue.
Let's just say there's more death in this iteration of the Suicide Squad.
Speaking of deaths it may explain why some of the designs were a little "lazy" as some of them were disposable.

The art is excellent. I didn't notice any particularly clever panel design this time but they are still more curved and unconventional than in a standard comic. What stood out this issue were the cool thick, hazy outlines of characters or specifically their limbs when delivering massive blows - it really gave a sense of impact/strength and reminded me a bit of "Super Sayan" or "nine tails" mode from anime/manga.
I also realised that Hayden's set reminds me somewhat of Frank Miller but at almost a stage ever so slightly before he became Sin City/DK2 which makes for great art while retaining mainstream appeal. I hope he can stay this side of stylised.

Credit to the colorist for depicting action in the dark that is still light enough to enjoy the action fully, it would have been a shame to bury this in authentic dark hues.

The second part of this arc has me realising Thompson is more than happy to subvert expectations making each issue unpredictable and enjoyable. It also gives enough payoff within an issue to justify reading as a monthly and I enjoy reading it without any spoilers slipping through.


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

Will I read the next issue? Yes.

Wait for the trade collection? This will probably make a nice collection and is clearly part of an arc, however this was so fun, I personally enjoyed having the fight space to sink in for a month rather than dive into the next part.

Did I need to read previous issues/series? It would help to know how this fight started but because it's essentially a big fight you could enjoy it as is.


Will I read previous issues? I plan to read the first two trades soon.

[Jadyn❀ · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s so fun how each issue builds anticipation for the next. I wasn’t expecting the way that the Suicide Squad are kept in line in the Absolute universe, but it shouldn’t have been so shocking in the aftermath of a pretty recent crossover event! I love to see how Diana will creatively rise to every occasion.

[Nightwing’s Thiccness · Rating 5 out of 5]

“YEET” IS BACK BABYYYY. INSTANT 5 STAHS.

[Mia · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You're fun" absolutely true.

[Machiavelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolute Wonder Woman #17 continues to strike that balance between brutality and compassion that makes this version of Diana work.

The action is big and physical but it never feels empty. There’s a clear emotional current underneath the punches. This isn’t fury for the sake of spectacle; it’s conviction.

Sherman’s art carries weight in every pose, and Bellaire’s city palette gives the whole issue a grounded intensity that keeps it from drifting into pure bombast.

This run understands that Wonder Woman can be unstoppable and principled at the same time. And when those things collide, it’s compelling.

All said fun issue!

[Craig Schorling · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absolutely fantastic fight between Giganta and Wonder Woman fills the pages of this issue. Diana shows her toughness and unwillingness to give up. Then the stakes are raised a lot in the final page. More great stuffy from the series.

[Celina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gotta say Kelly is really hitting it with this comic. Back to back, just like Scott with his Absolute Batman.

[Colin Post · Rating 4 out of 5]

Similar to the Mortal Thor issue for this week, this is basically an all-out fight issue but done super well. Hayden Sherman drawing anything is great, but I love how they depict Diana’s rogues.

[Roland Baldwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This continues to be the best book out there. Excellent take on the villains. Zatanna was amazing

[Meetee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolute Wonder Woman continues to be one of the best comics and best Wonder Woman story that I have ever read! How do you make a Wonder Woman who is raised in hell by Circe, but manages to keep her morals and be more of a badass than the original Wonder Woman is truly chef’s kiss! Every issue is hit after hit! I’m loving this setup between her and Zatanna! Kelly Thompson needs to write Wonder Woman stories for as long as she lives!

[zachariah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A giant woman fights a gigantic woman and as their battle progresses they become increasingly larger. It can make one think; why don’t all comics centralize their stories on women fighting each other and growing in size over time? A question that can only be answered with an answer.

[Cybernex007 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This issue had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Hayden is killing it as always and just every part of that fight brought me pure joy, but woah what a twist at the end. We immediately jump into this issue from the last as Zatanna leads the literal suicide squad under Cale’s orders to take Diana on. I say literal because all of them have been infected with the Starro parasite, slowly killing them of they don’t complete the job in time for it to come out. Zatanna found a way to bind her magic to Diana’s a bit back by binding their voices together, putting Zatanna in complete control of Diana…but also giving her an out from whatever control Cale has over her voice as Diana is technically the one speaking the magic instead of Zatanna. Allowing Zatanna to pull a really nice trick to invoke her own name (which means calling on her father Giovanni and her mother Sindella, last of her people) to ultimately free Zatanna from the parasite and purge it out of her system. And it completely worked, and with a last ditch effort to escape Cale successfully pulled off…Zatanna teleported out of there immediately, leaving the rest of the suicide squad to deal with Diana themselves.

Cale immediately went into emergency mode , they need to get a witch back out there immediately. One tech suggests Cuca, the crocodile woman, but they don’t have a way to control her…which means they will have to use HIM. But apparently he is more powerful and they can’t use the parasite and their other way is broken, but he doesn’t know they don’t have control which means he is there only option as long as he doesn’t call their bluff. But it will still take time for them to deploy him and Diana is now free. Dr poison immediately backtracks, this was not her idea, lol, and Diana shows her mercy…opting to pull out a magical bubble to grow and trap Doctor poison in…and then literally launch her into the atmosphere like a baseball. Hahahah. But this doesn’t slow any of the other squad members down, Giganta immediately slams Diana in the ground, who responds by tossing Giganta and then cheetah away. Giganta runs back with a fury and punches Diana down, giving Cheetah and the men-fish queen, Ara, the chance to hold Diana back. But before Giganta can deliver another punch, Pegasus bursts through the ceiling with a flaming fury as he sends the group scattering. So much for the museum exhibit opening, lol. But Giganta pushes forward and punches Diana down, actually managing to knock her out and drag her outside. Suddenly Diana woke up in Giganta’s hands, giving her the chance to grab a piece of Giganta’s hair to then use a spell to match Diana to her size! Diana immediately delivers a punch that literally flips Giganta mid air and into the wall.

Diana then gets a moment to breathe and focus on the evacuation efforts her team is leading. Gia is not with them because she ran back to the candy shoppe to grab something Diana has been working with her on…season of the witch baby!! We need all the help we can get. With the squad regrouping, Barbara can’t help but notice cheetah…stay away from that! Diana users her team away right as Giganta comes in for another attack, growing bigger and stronger. At this point the other squad members can’t get close without being swatted away. But Diana also immediately recognizes how perilous a situation she is in fighting large around so many civilians. But she has a plan, she leads Giganta into a corner and gets a moment to once again match her height. This causes Giganta to grow even larger and for Diana to use the last bit of her spell to once again match Giganta to the point they are having a one on one kaiju fight in the middle of the city! But that's exactly how Diana intends it, as with one strong uppercut Diana sends Giganta flying out of the city and onto an unpopulated field on another nearby island. Diana flies over and starts doing things the old fashioned way, putting Giganta into a headlock and forcing her to pass out to end the fight. I do have to wonder if the effects of the parasite loose their effect with Giganta growing that large, but that part of the fight is over anyway.

Things are heating up elsewhere as a mysterious person with fiery vision approaches the downed cheetah, now confirmed to be Priscilla Rich (which just makes sense) as the figure suddenly stabs her in the stomach, freeing her from her form and taking a bit of her power to boost their own. Diana returns to her normal size and flies back to the city, after hitting Giganta with a sleep potion, only to find Cheetah dead. She immediately recognizes the magic used as blood and demon magic, suddenly meeting the figure responsive for it, as a flaming skeleton of a man (his human form only somewhat visible through the flames) approaches her. At first I thought this was Jason Blood or maybe even Constantine (with the demon magic explanation for both) but suddenly the figure used backwards magic to cause Zatanna to burn and taking her magical arm down immediately, possibly confirming this as Giovanni. It would make sense with him usually being dead and all, but it would be really nice if Zatanna popped back over around now.

[AviChaim Snyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

This issue absolutely had me hooked from start to finish. I really appreciated that the conflict between Wonder Woman and the Suicide Squad was not wrapped up neatly in a single chapter. Instead, it feels like a layered, ongoing threat that will unfold across multiple issues. While this is clearly a Zatanna and Giovanni Zatara focused arc, the Suicide Squad still come across as a legitimate danger, even if some members stand out more than others. Cheetah and Ara felt somewhat underutilized here, but the larger dynamic of the team remains compelling.
The use of Starro as a mind-control weapon under Cale’s direction was especially intriguing. I have always enjoyed Starro as a character, and seeing him reimagined in this way adds a fresh layer of menace. Zatanna cleverly outmaneuvering Cale and channeling Diana’s magic to escape was a strong moment, though I would have loved to see a bit more direct confrontation between them. That tension feels like it is building toward something bigger.
The heart of the issue, however, is the showdown with Giganta. Watching Diana try not only to overpower her physically or magically, but to strategically outthink her when backed into a corner, made the fight feel dynamic and high stakes. Giganta came across as genuinely formidable, and under different circumstances, it felt believable that she could have defeated Diana.
The moment that truly stole the issue for me was the introduction of this universe’s Giovanni Zatara. His design is wild in the best possible way, and his presence immediately signals that he will be a major force moving forward. I am incredibly curious to see how he fits into the larger narrative.
Overall, this was a thrilling, character-driven installment that balances action, strategy, and long-term storytelling. I wholeheartedly recommend it. Grade: A

[Duncan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still have little clue what's going on. But there is fighting between WW & Giganta, that's easy enough to follow. I like the art of Absolute WW well enough but still not a fan at all of skeletal Pegasus or that prominent schnozzola on AWW, what's up w/that? I ask you, faithful readers of my comic book reviews, please tell me. Yeah, that's what I thought, you didn't know either. My guess is they don't want WW looking too pretty, that awful male gaze of 80% of the readers is just too much to cater to. Still, this issue is bursting w/BBW's so there's that. Toxic male gaze FTW!

[Alexis Moreno · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is closer in form to peak Thompson. Diana is kinda and caring even when inflicting violence and the manner in which see chooses to do. Away from others so as to not cause more damage and panic, mindful of not trying to be destructive. and the dialogue is really funny in such small ways, I love Thompson.

[Todd davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grand comic with lots of punching

Giganta.... one of my favorite DC villians. I adore this version both visually and story telling.

I hope Absolute Wonderwoman goes in fkr 100 issues.

[Nicolo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Giganta is the kind of physical threat where Dian can go all out with fisticuffs. Of course, Diana is not above to using magic to level the playing field, but she enjoyed all of those uppercuts to the giantess' face.

[Raymond Paquette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zatana did a double cross and Diana grew to the size of a building, but was that Constantine at the end? Can’t wait for the next issue.

[Ushnav Shroff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely fun!

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gigantic Kaiju level battle with two hotties? Sign me up!

But for real, a very fun issue, showing Wonder Woman never backing down.

[Ally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woow loved how resilient ww is, she quickly adapted to gigantica and made it seem like a breeze

[David Dalton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the Absolute heroes, especially the big 3: Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman! Great stories and art. Love the retelling of these heroes with a new off beat approach.

[Andy Waldron]

PEAK!!!!

[Lizzy DeMarco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great second issue to this new arc 'Season of the Witch.' SO good. Love the Absolute Zatanna, Giganta, and Cheetah too.

[Sadiel Giron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite issue of the series for me.

[scarlet♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

is that Giovanni Zatara?!?

[Xaanua · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cada número me parece mejor que el anterior. la relación de Bárbara con Diana es preciosa. me encanta esa empatía y preocupación de Diana por los suyos.

[Riley Pilgrim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really fun issue. I loved the little moment with Diana and Barbara. I also feel like Zatanna is gonna come back to help Diana in some form.

[AJ Easterday · Rating 4 out of 5]

I NEED to know who that was at the end!!!!

[Abbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My only wish is for more Zattana in the absolute universe she NEEEDS a comic.