Absolute Wonder Woman boasts the same strength that fellow comics Absolute Batman and Absolute Superman have in that it is fascinating to see new interpretations of classic characters and villains. Absolute Wonder Woman’s Zatanna Zatara, for example, was treated to a magnificent and understated redesign, and Circe being Diana’s adoptive mother in the Wild Isle of Hell, rather than an enemy, has been one of its greatest narrative reimaginings.
The marriage of Absolute Wonder Woman’s mythological lore and Diana’s unique upbringing make for an intriguing story as readers continue to learn more about the gods, beings, and witches Diana encounters, and there are still plenty of popular comic book characters that have not been adapted to this particular Elseworlds canon. By the end of this summer, however, one of Wonder Woman’s best villains is making a grand entrance.
Meet Absolute Ares, Absolute Wonder Woman’s Upcoming Villain
As revealed on the cover of issue #23, releasing this August, Absolute Wonder Woman is set to debut this universe’s iteration of the Greek god of war, Ares. Absolute Batman has taken advantage of how few restrictions this publishing line’s canon demands in how characters are depicted or how zany their designs are, but Absolute Wonder Woman has not necessarily pushed the envelope with character designs as much as Absolute Batman’s Joker and Poison Ivy have, and Ares is further proof.
Ares’ design is striking yet simple, as a figure in blue Olympian armor. Absolute Ares maintains this aesthetic in Hayden Sherman’s god-like artwork and concept, though the armor he wears is more distinct, and possibly reserves secret functions that we cannot be aware of in a single static picture. Interestingly, Diana and Ares’ poses are paralleled on the Absolute Wonder Woman #23 cover, and that alone could mean there is a lot more baggage or history we may discover between them in this continuity.
ABSOLUTE ARES IS HERE — AND THE EPIC HERETIC ARC BEGINS! Back from the underworld, Diana returns to Area 41 with more than justice on her mind. What she finds is not what she expected, but neither is life in Gateway, as a new threat is rising. Unfortunately, Diana recognizes this particular threat…the gods themselves have come to Gateway City!
There Is A Long Way To Before The Gods Come To Gateway
Before Ares and other gods arrive, Diana’s plate will be full. Indeed, in Absolute Wonder Woman #19, Gateway was under attack, Barbara Minerva was kidnapped by Giganta and taken to Veronica Cale, Diana’s battle with Giovanni Zatara quickly resulted in them both being freed from the crossroads by Zatanna, and the cliffhanger ending saw Diana standing alone against the Iron Maiden, which Zatara described as “a torture chamber as much as a prison.”
Absolute Wonder Woman #20 revealed that Cale successfully captures Diana and draws a sample of her blood before Diana was whisked away, unceremoniously, to spend another month in Hell. Thanks to covers and solicitations for Absolute Wonder Woman issues #21 and #22 also being released, we know that her visit to the underworld will conclude with a battle against Absolute Scylla alongside Circe.
Absolute Wonder Woman solicitations are decidedly light on spoiler-rich details, and yet it is easy to perceive Ares as a villain due to his traditional role in DC comic book source material, and Ares being explicitly described as a “threat.” Either way, it will be neat to see what compels the god of war to visit Gateway.
Absolute Wonder Woman #23 is scheduled to be released on August 26, 2026.
- Created By
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William Moulton Marston, H. G. Peter
- First Appearance
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All Star Comics
- Alias
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Diana Prince
- Alliance
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Justice League, Justice Society of America, Justice League Dark, Justice League International
- Race
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Amazon-Olympian
Wonder Woman is the superhero identity of Diana, Princess of the Amazons. Created on the island of Themyscira, Wonder Woman is a super-powered demi-goddess with extreme physical strength who utilizes magical gifts (like her famous Lasso of Truth) to defeat her foes. As mighty as her fellow heroes Superman and the Justice League, Wonder Woman is unmatched in her compassion and virtue.