Absolute Wonder Woman #23 Review – Diana Goes Berserker Mode

Absolute Wonder Woman #23 (DC Comics, 8/26/26): Writer Kelly Thompson & Artist Hayden Sherman begin a new arc when Diana goes on a rampage to rescue Barbara Minerva when the gods decide to visit Gateway City. Tighter, more focused, and dramatic, this may be one of the better issues in the series. Verdict: A strong start to a new arc.

• Writer: Kelly Thompson
• Artist: Hayden Sherman
• Colorist: Jordie Bellaire
• Letterer: Becca Carey
• Cover Artist: Hayden Sherman (cover A)
• Publisher: DC Comics
• Release Date: August 26, 2026
• Comic Rating: Teen
• Cover Price: $4.99
• Page Count: 28
• Format: Single Issue

Covers:

Analysis of Absolute Wonder Woman #23:

First Impressions:

I’ll be the first to admit that Kelly Thompson is a very hit-or-miss storyteller. As Forrest Gump once stated, “You never know what you’re gonna get,” but I was thoroughly pleased to read the start of an arc with direction and intent that invites the reader on a journey with minimal pontification and fluff.

Recap:

In Absolute Wonder Woman #22, Barbara succumbed to Urzkartaga’s appeal to her insecurity and ambition, accepting his offer to become his avatar and transforming into the new Cheetah. Meanwhile, Diana battled Scylla to free Circe, eventually receiving unexpected aid from Manticore, Circe, and Hecate before the goddess intervened to save her from the killing blow. Diana’s lack of gratitude toward Hecate hinted at her knowledge of the goddess’s role in Circe’s kidnapping, setting the stage for Hecate to become an enemy as the story returned to the Wild Isles.

Plot Analysis (SPOILERS):

In Absolute Wonder Woman #23, Diana solicits Circe’s help to re-arm (literally) herself with a new right arm that is responsive to voice commands and can perform all kinds of cool abilities. The arm is named Ceda Six, presumably after Griffin Ced, creator of “ceda” or the Ced Tradition, a lineage of British Traditional and heretical witchcraft established in the United States. Diana then teleports to Area 41.X to search for Barbara Minerva and lay waste to Dr. Minerva’s facility. Finding the lab empty, Diana activates “wrecking mode” and tears the place down.

Later, Diana roughly barges into Dr. Veronica Cale’s office and threatens her to reveal Barbara’s whereabouts. Every defensive countermeasure Cale activates is useless. Cale proclaims truthfully that she doesn’t know where to find Barbara, so Diana tears apart Cale’s office and smashes her way into a hidden lab below. There, Diana finds Cale’s daughter, who was turned to stone when she accidentally touched Cale’s cursed hands. The issue ends with their conversation interrupted by Zeus arriving in the skies over Gateway City.

How is the story in Absolute Wonder Woman #23?

Kelly Thompson’s issues have been meandering and unfocused of late, but this issue is a marked improvement. In short order, you’ll understand what Diana wants, why she wants it, and how far she’s willing to go to get it. Zeus’s arrival adds a higher level of conflict that may or may not be a distraction for Diana, but Zeus’s depiction is legitimately awe-inspiring to make the cliffhanger exceptionally strong.

To be fair, Thompson still diverts from the issue’s momentum with a diner chat between Barbara Gordon and Etta Candy, but the conversation is brief enough not to pull you out completely.

How is the art in Absolute Wonder Woman #23?

Credit where credit is due. Hayden Sherman’s art style for this series gets better and better. One of the criticisms of Hayden Sherman’s early work on the series was the overabundance of squiggly linework and near-cartoonish anatomy details. Here, Sherman’s lines are cleaner, tighter, more refined. They give the characters (especially Diana) more solidity and depth.

Furthermore, Jordie Bellaire’s coloring is better. There’s less reliance on over-saturated colors that take over panels and excessive use of muddy palettes. In fairness, the colors still lack vibrancy and pop, but at least it’s not off-putting.

Characters

Diana is the central force to be reckoned with in this issue. She displays a single-mindedness to save/rescue Barbara through escalating force. Throughout the first 20+ issues, Diana used force only as a last resort, opting instead for diplomacy and courtesy whenever possible. Here, Diana is just short of a bulldozer against Veronica Cale, which feels like an evolution of her character.

Originality & Concept Execution

It’s too early to tell how original this arc will be because the crux of the story is only hinted at in a brief prologue between Ares and Zeus and Zeus’s dramatic entrance on the last page. Presumably, the arc will focus on the consequences of Diana’s rebellion against the gods’ machinations, so we’ll see. Regardless of how the arc turns out, this first issue is a hype generator.

Pros and Cons

What We Loved

• Much improved art
• Wrecking Ball Diana is the best Diana
• The cliffhanger is a “Whoa!” moment

Room for Improvement

• The coloring is improved but still lacks pop
• Ares’s fate in the prologue is confusing
• The diner scene was pointless

Art Samples:

The Scorecard:

Writing Quality (Clarity & Pacing): 3/4
Art Quality (Execution & Synergy): 3/4
Value (Originality & Entertainment): 1.5/2

Final Thoughts:

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Absolute Wonder Woman #23 finds Diana going into Berserker mode to find Barbara Minerva. Kelly Thompson’s script is tighter, focused, and more energetic than recent issues, and the art team’s visual delivery shows significant improvement.

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