DC Comics reviews 7/22/26 – JLU 21, Absolute Wonder Woman 22

Absolute Wonder Woman 22

Diana has to face off with Scyilla in the Underworld to rescue her mother, Circe, who she captured and has her displayed as her prize trophy. Writer Kelly Thompson crafts this battle as compelling as usual with Diana using her cunning to battle against a very formidable opponent. Scyilla is not a chump, which makes Diana’s efforts more impressive.

Thompson understands that having Wonder Woman easily defeat every villain wouldn’t make for a compelling read. These tougher outs for Diana provide significant challenges and Scyilla is definitely a worthy foe. In the issue’s other key plot, Barbara is still in Veronica Cale’s holding cell with the dead body of Priscilla, the former Cheetah. Now, she’s being propositioned by Urzkartaga to take Priscilla’s place and become the new Cheetah. Urzkartaga appeals to Barbara’s vanity, which is enough to finally break her and chase a new destiny — one where she’s not looking up at Diana, but seeing her as an equal.

Regular artist Hayden Sherman had a break this issue so Dillon Snook filled in. Snook’s style is similar to Sherman albeit with a bit thicker linework and a tad stiffer character movement. Snook does craft some impressive pages showing Wonder Woman in action and the final temptation of Barbara. Colorist Jordie Bellaire weaves in her colorful mastery specifically in the sequences involving Barbara while letterer Becca Carey does fantastic work with the spells and changes in font styles for the various gods and demigods.

This wasn’t the most game-changing installment of the series, but Thompson seems to be setting up the inevitable clash with Cheetah and Wonder Woman. This issue makes that confrontation imminent just as the title is set to conclude its second year.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10