Kelly Sue DeConnick’s Eisner Award-winning Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons, with artists Phil Jimenez, Gene Ha, and Nicola Scott, didn’t just retell the origins of the Amazons; it reframed their very existence as an act of deliberate creation and resistance against a flawed, often cruel, pantheon of Olympian gods. This exploration of mythology, divine betrayal, and the birth of a unique female society set the stage for Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman’s Absolute Wonder Woman, paving the way for Diana to challenge or completely dismantle the established divine order of the Greek gods. WARNING: Spoilers for Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons below.
Wonder Woman Historia doesn’t shy away from the messy, often brutal, story of how the Amazons came to be. It depicts a group of goddesses creating powerful women to counter the impulsive and unchecked power of the often male gods. In this version, the Olympians aren’t good guys; they’re complex, driven by ego, jealousy, and the desire for control. The Amazons’ creation, their later enslavement by Hercules (with the gods’ blessing), and their escape to Themyscira are all the results of divine plotting. Historia makes it clear: the relationship between the Amazons and the gods is inherently tense, shaped by a history of manipulation, betrayal, and their fight for freedom and sovereignty.
Absolute Wonder Woman takes the familiar idea of gods interfering in mortal lives and gives it a radical twist. Forget Paradise Island – this Diana is seemingly discarded by Apollo to Circe and grows up surrounded by the harshness of Hell itself. Yet, even in that environment, her true nature shines through. Her compassion, strength, and drive for justice remain untouched. Far from being corrupted, Diana begins to transform Hell around her, even forging a maternal bond with Circe, who started as just a begrudging guardian.
Her appearance and abilities are just as unique: she’s clad in intimidating armor, carries a giant buster sword, rides a skeletal Pegasus known simply as The Pegasus, and uses witchcraft with ease. She also wields the Nemesis Lasso, a crimson rope forged in hellfire that burns hotter based on the sins of whomever it binds. Her path is immediately marked by conflict with the gods – first by being their unwanted “gift,” then by openly defying Hades. She is a force of nature created outside the expected divine order, powerful in her own right and clearly headed for a major clash with the established gods.
Understanding why Zeus and the Greek gods might fear Diana requires looking at the events of Wonder Woman Historia. The story details the Amazons’ struggle for freedom against the gods, which culminated in an uneasy compromise: the creation of their iconic and isolated refuge, Themyscira.
While a sanctuary for the Amazons, this outcome might have deeply undermined the gods’ sense of authority. Given their demonstrated history of suppressing powerful women, the existence of an independent and powerful Amazon society likely fueled paranoia in Zeus and others, possibly leading them to consider destroying the Amazons entirely. Leaving only the newborn Diana alive. We don’t know the answers yet but now consider an older Diana – possessing immense power and raised free from Olympian meddling. From the gods’ perspective, she represents a loose thread and an even more terrifying prospect: retribution.
And then there’s the Nemesis Lasso, which feels specifically designed to hold the gods accountable—after all, who has committed more serious sins over the millennia than the often cruel and self-serving gods themselves? While the Historia Amazons simply sought safety, ‘Absolute’ Diana appears ready for a fight, potentially challenging the idea of divine authority head-on, rather than merely escaping it.
So, to summarize, Wonder Woman Historia masterfully establishes the Amazons’ origins in a struggle against divine, godly patriarchy and its whims. Absolute Wonder Woman builds upon this thematic groundwork by radically reimagining Diana’s beginnings and abilities. Forged in Hell and armed with unique gear like the Nemesis Lasso, ‘Absolute’ Diana’s is potentially the Amazon’s absolute defiance in the face of the gods. In Thompson and Sherman’s hands, Diana could be the harbinger of a new godly age, finally holding the ancient gods accountable for the injustices that so powerfully started it all.
Editor’s Note: If you’re looking for a truly epic and visually stunning take on the Amazons’ origins, definitely give Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons a read!
