DC’s new Absolute Universe completely took over superhero comics upon launch in 2024, and while Absolute Batman absorbs the majority of attention, I’ve been debating whether Absolute Wonder Woman is actually the best of the universe. Reimagined by Kelly Thompson, Hayden Sherman, Jordie Bellaire and Becca Carey, Absolute Wonder Woman finds a Diana who was raised in literal hell by Circe and a chorus of Greek gods, in this darker DCU born under the thumb of Darkseid.
Related Reading Orders:
Kelly Thompson has been proving her superhero expertise for years now across Hawkeye, Birds of Prey, and Captain Marvel (not to mention Jeff the Land Shark!), so the revelation is Hayden Sherman, making a case (alongside their incredible work on Batman: Dark Patterns) as one of the best artists in both DC and superhero comics. Whether it’s Diana’s epic hell princess warrior designs, or Sherman’s mastery of unconventionally fluid layouts, Absolute Wonder Woman assures that DC’s Absolute U is where serious artists go to bring their visions to life.
As I write this, Absolute Wonder Woman is approaching two full years of comics, 25 issues, plus a crossover with Absolute Batman and various relevant one-shots. The accessibility of the Absolute Universe is massively appealing, but a little guidance can help make sure you have all the Absolute Wonder Woman story in the right order.
How Can You Read Absolute Wonder Woman?
There are three easy ways to get Absolute Wonder Woman in front of your eyeballs right now.
- Issue by Issue via your local comic book store – That’s right, print magazines! Like a common old-timer! This is definitely the most die-hard comics fan approach, and with each individual issue running $4.99, it’s also skewed the most towards the collector’s mindset (the below options are much better values just for reading the story!). That said, if you love comics, or want to really start, there’s something magical about a store dedicated to nothing else!
- Trade Collections via your LCS or local book store – Trades are just books that combine a series of monthly comic book issues into one place, usually breaking apart sequential story arcs. Think “graphic novels” but as a part of an ongoing series that will continue. Right now the paperbacks retail between $16 and $20 (USA), and the hardcovers are closer to $29.99. For those keeping score, this means waiting for the paperback saves you around $15 compared to buying each print issue one by one.
- Digitally via DC Universe Infinite – This is the best value since a monthly standard subscription is just $7.99 a month, and you can read all the Absolute Wonder Woman comics your tier allows (the standard sub releases issues 6 months after they’re available in print, and the ultra sub releases just one month after). Best bang for your buck by far. The only downside is if you don’t like reading on a tablet or phone!
What Should I Read Before Absolute Wonder Woman?
Let’s be clear, the appeal of the Absolute Universe is you do not need to read years of continuity prior to starting. That said, I do think some focused reading on Diana’s greatest, most relevant, hits can help new readers understand what Absolute Wonder Woman launches in opposition to. Put another way, if the premise is Diana pulled from Paradise Island to Hell, what did it look like when she simply hailed from Paradise Island?
Wonder Woman vs Circe in George Perez’s “The Witch on the Island” — Wonder Woman (1986) #17 to #19
Kelly Thompson writing Diana in Birds of Prey —Birds of Prey (2023-) Vol. 1: Megadeath
Hayden Sherman going bananas — Into the Unbeing Volume 1
Or you could always just check out Comic Book Herald’s full Wonder Woman reading order.
Absolute Wonder Woman Graphic Novels Reading Order
Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 1: The Last Amazon
Collects: Absolute Wonder Woman #1 to #7
Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 2: As My Mothers Made Me
Collects: Absolute Wonder Woman #8–14
Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 3: Season of the Witch
Collects: Absolute Wonder Woman #15, Absolute Wonder Woman 2026 Annual #1, Absolute Wonder Woman #16 to #20
Weirdly, the Absolute collections do not include the other half of Wonder Woman and Batman’s crossover. Absolute Batman #16 would go after Absolute Wonder Woman #15 here.
Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 4: Heretic
Collects: Absolute Wonder Woman #21 to #26
All Absolute Wonder Woman Story Arcs In Order!
“The Last Amazon”
- Absolute Wonder Woman #1 to #5
A sprint of an opener from Thompson and Sherman that reintroduces basically everything you thought you knew about Wonder Woman’s world with a fresh, feral edge. Diana comes to “man’s world” for the first time to stop the threat of the monstrous Tetracide threatening her new stomping ground of Gateway City. We get a zombie-boned Pegasus, Medusa, Circe, Steve Trevor and Barbara Minerva reintroduced for a new world!
“The Lady or The Tiger”
- Absolute Wonder Woman #6 to #7
Mattia De Iulis takes over art duties for this two-parter, and the shift in tone is immediate and gorgeous. Persephone and Hades enter the picture here, dragging Diana into Underworld politics that confirm the heavy presence of the gods in the Absolute Universe.
“As My Mothers Made Me”
- Absolute Wonder Woman #8 to #12
- Absolute Evil #1
This is the arc where we finally get to Themyscira and Hippolyta, filling in the gaps of Diana’s origin.
Absolute Evil is a broader full universe one-shot, but for Wonder Woman it gives good visibility into the import and character of Veronica Cale, and her quest to stop Diana.
“The Price”
- Absolute Wonder Woman #13 to #14
Matias Bergara steps in for this shorter arc, and if you’re a fan of artists flexing their range across this line (see: Marcos Martin on Absolute Batman), this continues to solidify Absolute as an artist’s paradise (island).
“The Mark of Hecate”
- Absolute Wonder Woman #15, Absolute Batman #16
- Absolute Wonder Woman Annual #1
The Annual fills out the Hecate mythology while these two icons collide for the first time.
“Season of the Witch”
- Absolute Wonder Woman #16 to #20
Giganta and Zatanna get pulled into Diana’s orbit here, as Zatanna in particular continues building out the Absolute Universe roster in compelling ways. Some early Cheetah teases sprinkled throughout make this the most significant arc since the opener.
“Friends & Neighbors”
- Absolute Wonder Woman #21 to #22
Welcome to Gateway City, Dillon Snook.
“Heretic”
- Absolute Wonder Woman #23 to #26
TBD…
For More:
Comic Book Herald’s Absolute Universe reading order!
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