Absolute Wonder Woman: The Last Amazon (Comics) | Review

Paradise Lost has never felt more literal than in Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 1: The Last Amazon. Kelly Thompson (Captain Marvel: Re-Entry, Hawkeye: Go West) doesn't just re-imagine Diana Prince– she strips away everything that made Wonder Woman recognizable and rebuilds her from the ashes of Themyscira itself.

This isn't the Amazon princess raised on an island of warrior women who taught her about love and justice. This is a survivor forged in the literal fires of Hell who learned about compassion despite being surrounded by creatures designed to destroy it.

What emerges isn't just another Wonder Woman variant but a complete philosophical shift within DC's ambitious All In Saga that challenges every single assumption about what makes the Amazon Princess work as both compelling character and enduring cultural symbol in modern superhero comics storytelling today's market.

The Absolute Universe doesn't simply strip away Wonder Woman's paradise or supporting cast - it fundamentally alters the very foundation of her moral worldview, creating a version that speaks directly to anyone who's ever had to find light in the darkness of their circumstances.

The Last Amazon opens with a devastating cosmic betrayal that completely reshapes the entire Wonder Woman mythos from the very ground up. In this twisted dark reality, Apollo takes the infant Diana away from Themyscira and brutally erases the Amazons from history completely, leaving her as literally the last of her kind.

But instead of being raised by loving adoptive parents on Earth, baby Diana is cast into Hell itself, where she becomes the unlikely ward of Circe, the infamous sorceress who serves as both mother figure and moral guide in this twisted version of Paradise Island.

Thompson's brilliant subversion becomes clear as the story unfolds: this Diana wasn't raised on teachings of peace and love– she was raised by a woman who understood that survival in Hell requires both fierce determination and unexpected compassion.

Circe's parenting methods involve exposing Diana to Hell's worst monsters while teaching her that love can exist even in places specifically designed to destroy it. The result is a Wonder Woman who wields dark magic alongside her traditional abilities, forging weapons in Hell's fires rather than receiving blessed gifts from the gods.

The present-day storyline follows Diana as she emerges from Hell to face an apocalyptic threat called the Tetracide– a devastating world-ending crisis that only someone raised in literal damnation could hope to understand and effectively combat against all odds.

This Wonder Woman doesn't fight with the naive optimism of someone who grew up in paradise; she fights with the fierce desperate determination of someone who knows exactly how bad things can get and absolutely refuses to let it happen to others.

Every act of heroism feels earned rather than expected because it comes from someone who had every reason to become a monster but chose compassion instead. The storyline balances intimate character moments with larger mythological implications through every issue.

Thompson also explores how isolation shapes heroism in ways traditional Wonder Woman stories couldn't touch. This Diana doesn't have sister Amazons to fall back on or a homeland to protect– she has to create her own moral framework from scratch while navigating a world that sees her as either a dangerous savior or a threat.

Steve Trevor's relationship with Diana carries additional weight because he represents her primary connection to the human world she's trying to protect. Their romance feels more urgent because it exists against the backdrop of potential universal destruction and Diana's fundamental isolation from her own kind.

The mythological elements get a complete overhaul that respects source material while creating something genuinely fresh. The Greek gods appear not as distant benefactors but as active threats who destroyed Diana's people and continue manipulating events from shadows.

This creates a Wonder Woman story where the traditional power structures of DC mythology become obstacles rather than support systems, forcing Diana to forge her own path through a hostile universe without divine assistance or guidance from her people.

Artwork by Hayden Sherman (Mary Shelley: Monster Hunter, Old Man Logan: End of the World) captures the hellish beauty of this Wonder Woman reimagining. His Hell feels magnificent and terrifying, with landscapes showcasing twisted elegance of damnation while maintaining wonder that makes Diana's survival miraculous.

The visual contrast between Hell's grandeur and Earth's struggles reinforces themes about finding light in darkness. Sherman's character design balances familiarity with reinvention, showing Wonder Woman who earned authority through survival rather than birthright.

The action sequences have visceral, desperate quality distinguishing them from typical superhero fantasies. Every battle carries genuine stakes against forces that could destroy everything Diana protects. Bellaire's coloring reinforces the emotional journey, with Hell's warm reds suggesting destruction and comfort.

Thompson's writing maintains mythic scope while grounding stories in emotional realities. Her dialogue feels natural and urgent. The world-building creates a DC Universe where support systems have been dismantled, showing how determination restores hope.

Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 1: The Last Amazon succeeds because Wonder Woman's appeal was never about living in paradise but choosing to be better despite experiencing the worst existence offers. By giving Diana Hell experience, Thompson created a version urgently relevant to anyone finding strength in impossible circumstances.

This collection works as an entry point for new readers and revelation for longtime fans. It's Wonder Woman as survivor, as the last of her kind, understanding that heroism isn't about having advantages but using whatever circumstances you're given to help others.

The Last Amazon establishes some thematic foundations that feel sustainable for long-term storytelling while delivering immediate emotional impact. Emerging from DC's All In initiative, this series proves that radical re-imagining can honor a character's core appeal while making them feel completely fresh and relevant.

If this represents what the Absolute Universe can accomplish when creators are given freedom to completely re-conceptualize iconic characters while maintaining their essential heroic spirit, then DC has created something that could redefine superhero comics entirely.

Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 1: The Last Amazon is collected in both trade paperback and Absolute hardcover editions across Amazon. Digital editions are available for readers through ComiXology, Kindle and DC Universe Infinite platforms.