Kelly Thompson, Hayden Sherman, and Jordie Bellaire have been doing something truly special with Absolute Wonder Woman, and issue #16 kicks off the “Season of the Witch” arc with the kind of high-stakes energy that reminds you why this is a flagship title of the Absolute line. Things are really heating up in this chapter. It introduces a fresh batch of villains and does a great job juggling dry political maneuvering with the wild, explosive magic we’ve come to expect from the Princess of the Wild Isle.
The Mystery of Aphrodite and Washington Politics
The issue opens with a flashback to a dream or a memory of Aphrodite on a beach with a young Diana. I love Aphrodite’s look here; the veil is such a cool, godly touch that manages to be both beautiful and slightly creepy. It sets a mystical tone that contrasts sharply with the political drama unfolding in Washington, D.C.
Speaking of D.C., we get a sequence featuring Steve Trevor testifying before a Senate hearing. While Thompson’s dialogue is sharp, this Steve Senate hearing subplot is probably the weakest part of the chapter. I’m not sure why we should care about the U.S. military as a threat when Veronica Cale has bio-weapon supervillains at her disposal. Unless Thompson is planting seeds for a much later arc, at the moment, Steve’s side of the story feels a little undercooked compared to the magical chaos. That said, I have to give a shout-out to the character design: whoever decided to make Senator Whyte look exactly like a white-suited KFC Colonel is a genius. It looks hilarious, especially for a character who clearly has a very specific old-school agenda.
Diana in Gateway City: A Collision of Art and Sabotage
The heart of the issue, though, is Diana’s public appearance at the Gateway City Natural History Museum. Putting Diana in a plain black dress is a choice (maybe not one I would have chosen for her), but I continue to love how she towers over everyone. Even in a simple dress, her sheer scale makes her stand out as something grand. She’s there to support Barbara Ann Minerva, who has been building a collection of artifacts for years, including what appear to be the Kappa Men-fish from the Maze. However, the issue quickly turns dark. Veronica Cale is proving once again that she is a truly evil woman, coordinating an attack designed to destroy Diana’s image while she’s surrounded by civilians.
Hayden Sherman and Jordie Bellaire: The Visual Powerhouse
Hayden Sherman’s art continues to be the engine that makes this book move. There is so much to be impressed with, especially during the dream-sequence fight with Artemis. As Artemis shifts forms, eventually becoming a chimera-like creature, the action is fierce, beautiful, and brutal. Sherman hits it out of the park with these sequences. That said, there was one panel with Barbara (the one where she’s frantically checking if Diana is okay after she faints), where her face looks a bit meme-worthy. But everything else? Spectacular. Sherman’s ability to lay out dense, multi-panel pages without losing the flow of the action is a rare gift.
Jordie Bellaire’s colors are, as always, essential. The shift between the hazy, pink-hued dreamscapes and the cold, clinical grays of the military and museum settings helps ground the reader in the story’s alternating realities. Becca Carey’s lettering also deserves a nod, particularly for the backward-speech spellcasting that is not the easiest to read at times.
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The Shocking Debut of the Absolute Suicide Squad
The issue ends on a massive cliffhanger with the arrival of Zatanna and the Absolute Suicide Squad. It’s a total showstopper. We get our first look at Cheetah, and it’s a haunting design where it looks like her human skin is actually mixed in with the fur. Doctor Poison is also there, with a sleeker, more modern design, alongside Giganta, who is sporting some serious big-hair energy, and a mysterious Kappa fish lady.
I’ll admit, I fully expected Diana and Zatanna to start hurling spells at one another, so the Suicide Squad’s debut caught me completely off guard. It’s a fantastic opener that expands the Absolute corner of the DC Universe in a way that feels both organic and surprising. The Aphrodite subplot remains the most intriguing element, as I suspect “love” will be the recurring theme of this arc. I can’t wait to see what Thompson has in store for Zatanna’s backstory. Knowing this creative team, it will likely be as emotional and heartbreaking.
Final Verdict
Overall, Absolute Wonder Woman #16 is a strong start to a new chapter. Even with a slightly slow-moving subplot in the Senate, the combination of top-tier art and a genuine “what happens next?” ending makes this an easy recommendation.
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‘Absolute Wonder Woman’ #16 “Season of the Witch” Begins
Absolute Wonder Woman #16 is a strong start to a new chapter. Even with a slightly slow-moving subplot in the Senate, the combination of top-tier art and a genuine “what happens next?” ending makes this an easy recommendation.
