Absolute Wonder Woman, Vol. 2: As My Mothers Made Me

Absolute Wonder Woman (2024)

by Kelly Thompson, Hayden Sherman (Artist), Matías Bergara (Artist)

Not far from Wonder Woman’s adopted home of Gateway City is a mysterious facility known only as Area 41. Deep below it lies a prison maze full of untold horrors, watched over by the U.S. government’s ruthless custodian of dangerous secrets, the ambitious Veronica Cale.

When Diana, who has long believed herself the last of the legendary Amazons, is informed that one of her long-lost sisters could be stranded inside that maze, nothing in heaven or hell can stop her from going inside. But the terrifying sovereign of that maze has designs of their own for the residents of the labyrinth, and they’ve gathered an army of monsters to back them up. Once Diana enters the maze…nothing will ever be the same again!

Collects Absolute Wonder Woman #8-14.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Wonder Woman, Dc Comics, Mythology, Fantasy, Graphic Novels Comics

208 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 17, 2026

About the author

KELLY THOMPSON has a degree in Sequential Art from The Savannah College of Art & Design. Her love of comics and superheroes have compelled her since she first discovered them as a teenager. Currently living in Portland, Oregon with her boyfriend and the two brilliant cats that run their lives, you can find Kelly all over the Internet where she is generally well liked, except where she's detested.

Kelly has published two novels - THE GIRL WHO WOULD BE KING (2012) and STORYKILLER (2014) and the graphic novel HEART IN A BOX from Dark Horse Comics (2015). She's currently writing ROGUE & GAMBIT, HAWKEYE, and PHASMA for Marvel Comics and GHOSTBUSTERS for IDW. Other major credits include: A-Force, Captain Marvel & The Carol Corps, Jem and The Holograms, Misfits, Power Rangers Pink, and the creator-owned mini-series Mega Princess.

Kelly's ambitions are eclipsed only by her desire to exist entirely in pajamas. Fortunately pajamas and writers go hand in hand (most of the time). Please buy all her stuff so that she can buy (and wear) more pajamas.

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional.



Diana enters Area 41's Maze in search of another Amazon, but only finds Ferdinand protecting a young siren instead.
At least, at first.
Introductions to the Absolute versions of Queen Clea and her fish-men, Io, and even another of DC's favorite magic users at the very end, all add up to another amazing volume.



I've been reading this as single issues on DC Infinite, and I've already reviewed those. If you're interested, I've left links to the individual issues at the bottom. If not, just know that this is one of, if not the best Wonder Woman comics I've ever read.
Kelly Thompson is an excellent storyteller, and she's managed to get to the heart of what makes Diana so special & why we love this character.



Highly Recommended.

Absolute Wonder Woman #8
Absolute Wonder Woman #9
Absolute Wonder Woman #10
Absolute Wonder Woman #11
Absolute Wonder Woman #12
Absolute Wonder Woman #13
Absolute Wonder Woman #14

[Scott Rhee · Rating 5 out of 5]

So far, the best series in DC's Absolute reboot series is Kelly Thompson's Absolute Wonder Woman. It's truly awesome, and Diana is a badass with witchy powers, thanks to her adopted mom, Circe. The second volume, "As My Mothers Made Me", continues the awesomeness as Diana: battles Dr. Poison; discovers an underground facility called Area 41 which is an ancient labyrinth; meets a minotaur named Ferdinand (cute); finds Poseidon's trident; meets another Amazon and learns that her Amazonian sisters and real mother, Hippolyta, are alive and well.

My vote for Best New Comic Book series of 2025.

[Oscar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolute Wonder Woman!!!

[natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jesus (Absolute Zatanna) was seen i just fainted

[Lashaan Balasingam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kelly Thompson nails it once more, further developing the lore behind this version of Wonder Woman and her more mystical ties with Greek mythos. The artwork is completely complementary with the narrative, and the larger questions surrounding her character's role in this world is brilliantly handled. The constant addition of unpredictable character-inclusion surprises is also entertaining. Can't wait to see how the Absolute universe is going to finally merge together in the near future.

[Shaun Stanley · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 rounded down to 4⭐️

Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 2 As My Mothers Made Me collects issues 8-14 of the DC Comics series written by Kelly Thompson, art by Hayden Sherman and Matías Bergara, and colors by Jordie Bellaire.

Learning that an Amazon sister may be trapped in an expansive underground labyrinth underneath a secret American military complex named Area 41, Diana springs into action only discover it’s a prison filled with many horrors and secrets.

Absolute Wonder Woman continues to be the best series of the Absolute titles and one of DC Comics best ongoing titles. I especially loved a flashback issue in which a very young Diana stands up to a Goddess. Wonder Woman’s resolve, strength, compassion, and wisdom are all showcased and she is a symbol of hope in the world we currently live in. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s Wonder Woman, not Superman, who is the beacon of humanity and heroism in the Absolute universe, and if the current books are any indication, she absolutely deserves to be that torch bearer.

[Maja · Rating 4 out of 5]

The plot of this volume didn’t grip me as much as the first but I continue to love Diana as a character. Genuinely this is just such a good version of Wonder Woman’s character, I couldn’t love her more. And I’m EXTREMELY excited for the rest of the story now that we got Zatanna in the mix. I will read the issues immediately to catch up because I’m too impatient to wait for vol3 trade to come out. I will get it when it does though anyway 🙂‍↕️

[Paul W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this version of Wonder Woman. Just as brutal and noble but also thoughtful and giving. Very sweet and incredible.

[Dani Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Your heart shines so bright, it puts even the gods to shame.”
Such a beautiful story that holds up with each new issue. We should all aspire to be a bit more like Diana.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now firmly ensconced in Man's World with her supporting cast, Absolute Wonder Woman finds herself deep within a maze beneath Veronica Cale's Area 41, host to a number of magical creatures and, most importantly, one Amazon warrior.

Thompson's plot is tight, with each of the issues of the titular storyline introducing a new wrinkle to the maze rather than just having Diana face a different monster in quick succession. The growing plot surrounding Veronica Cale intrigues me, as does the introduction of Zatanna and the Absolute Suicide Squad. I still don't understand how Hayden Sherman managed to draw all of these issues AND 12 issues of Batman: Dark Patterns without a break, but who am I to ask when it looks so damn good?

The second story here, The Price, is a little weaker on both plot and art, but it's only two issues, and 'a little weaker' still puts it head and shoulders above a lot of other books. It's fun seeing Mattias Bergara here and comparing some of his character choices to the ones he drew most recently in Coda as well.

Yet another fantastic Absolute volume. This seems like it's going to be a pattern.

[Nikki Rossiter · Rating 5 out of 5]

kelly thompson does it again!!! this series oozes sincerity and cool, and that’s a tough combo to pull off!

[Renato · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a recap : Absolute Wonder Woman takes place in a world where Diana of Themyscira is stolen from the Amazons as a baby, and put into the care of Circe. Diana grows up in the underworld (on Wild Isle in Hell) and develops the strength of magic first and foremost. (Sure, she can still dole out some physical intimidation, but this is mostly used as a secondary strength).

Because all rivers eventually find the sea, Diana escapes the underworld and decides to become a great champion for humanity, declaring Gateway City as her new home.

This 2nd volume deals with two story arcs:
a) one where Diana gets word that another Amazon is stuck in the middle of maze under "Area 41" (which is a agency that is being set up as a militaristic antagonist to Diana).
b) one where Area 41 releases a magical adversary to opppose the effect that Diana is having on the world (arataZ annataZ)

Both arcs serve to further develop Absolute Wonder Woman's raison d'etre in this series, and the artwork is pretty defining (I get my most favourite depicition of a primordial force in this volume):


My only qualm is that it appears that they are rushing to get these Absolute DC heroes into the same series. This volume does not only reference events from Absolute Superman, but also the next AWW issue is supposedly going to be called "The Batman". Not everything has to be an interconnected universe (blegh).

[A Serious Firefighter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Also update to date with this series! Excited for the WW/Batman crossover next 🫡

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Diana is good and she makes other people want to be good.

[Dylan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This reimaging of Diana is a gift that keeps on giving. It really does make for an interesting contrast to the mainline comic of the character with Tom’s king polarising reinterpretation; to call it character assassination is being kind. Diana’s journey and character stand out in this absolute universe influenced by Darkseid energy, where society is crueller to its heroes. It’s due to that aspect her goodness and altruism are so wonderful. The main bulk of this volume covers the story "As My Mothers Made Me", which was wonderful, where we encounter a menagerie of mythological creatures. From the good-hearted Minotaur named Ferdinand and many others. Hayden Sherman's artwork complements the story it tells, but more impressive, I find, is Hayden's panel layout and composition. The story of this arc was well done, though I do find the side characters to be very unwritten in comparison. The second arc is amazing. Matías Bergara is the guest artist for issues 13-14, one of the best working artists who is currently working. Dynamic colours, incredible contrast, iconic imagery – he does it all, and it helps this delve deeper into Diana's magical roots and its cost. I'm excited to read the main story arc and the Batman crossover.

[Dudley Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where do I even start?

Themyscira is still a thing? Diana isn’t the last Amazon? That reveal alone had me sat forward. I love that this universe keeps flipping what we think we know without undoing what made Vol. 1 great.

And ZATANNA???

Zatanna is already one of my favourites, so seeing her show up in the Absolute universe made me stupidly happy. I really hope she doesn’t stay positioned as an antagonist long-term because she’s too good a character for that. If she ends up part of whatever this Absolute Justice League becomes, I’ll be fully in.

The confrontation with Bast is one of my favourite moments in the volume. The design is incredible. imposing but elegant and, when Diana says:

“Don’t worry, Mama. I’m not afraid of gods.”

That’s Wonder Woman. Confident, grounded, fearless without being arrogant.

I also loved the way Diana talks about how she saw Themyscira as a child. That part was surprisingly sweet and human. It balances out the mythic scale of everything else going on and reminds you that she’s not just a warrior, she’s someone shaped by love and memory.

The final two issues really stood out as well. The shift in art style worked for me and made everything feel bigger, like the world is expanding beyond just Diana. The teases of the rest of what looks like the Absolute Justice League? I’m ready. Immediately.

Vol. 1 is still my 10/10, but this is a very strong follow-up.

Solid 8.5/10.

[Gabe Carvalho · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5

Wonder Woman’s characterization in this series is amazing, I can’t get enough of how compassionate, determined, and confident she’s portrayed. Thompson really understands the character and her interactions with her friends and foes make the book what it is.

I do think we’ve barely scratched the surface of potential storylines here, and I’m excited to see how they start involving more of Diana’s usual rogues gallery

[Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still one of the best Wonder Woman comics out there. This time, Diana gets trapped in a mythical maze, looking for one of her Amazon sisters. As always, she shows how much better of a human being she is than any of us.. The redesigns are all very cool, and I'm excited for a full look at Absolute Zatanna ! And we've got a Batman/Wonder Woman crossover coming up next ? Sign me up

[Pip · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

Still absolutely adoring this run. The labyrinth was very cool and Diana's battle with compassion and violence was great to read. The art is absolutely divine. I cannot wait to read more of Absolute Zatanna!

[Andrew Kline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought I was enjoying Absolute Batman for the most part, but Absolute Wonder Woman blows Batman away. Despite WW being raised in the Underworld, her eternal compassion and optimism are indelible. She is now a powerful sorcerer as well, and they are setting up Zatanna as her next foe!

[Luke Gelfman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great continuation of the story as it sets the stage. Gives Wonder Woman great agency and reaffirms her as one of the central heroes of this line. The paneling and composition is also fantastic as always.

[Frank-Intergalactic Bookdragon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the labyrinth in this, wish we got even more of it. Ferdinand my beloved. Love Diana's arc throughout this and how she must balance compassion and violence. Zatanna was cool but trying to read her spells made my head hurt.

This volume doesn't come out until February but all the issues are out so I'm reviewing this instead of all the individual issues.

[Pruett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Basically comics perfection

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Women named Kelly are so talented and funny and smart

YESSS fortress of solitude and chosen fam 🫶🏻

[David Dalton]

I love this series. I am collecting the big 3 Absolute heroes (Superman and Batman).

[Scott A. Love · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably my favorite current on-going comic.

[Lyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

ZEUS GIVE US MORE ZANTANA AND MY LIFE IS YOURS

[Poppy Boulter · Rating 5 out of 5]

again, loved it!!!! unfortunately i will have to wait for volume 3 but very excited for absolute zatanna (those spells were hard work to read) and absolute batman team up !!!!

[Bertazzo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main storyline keeps getting better and better. But The Price was kinda disappointing (not because Matias Bergara, of course).

[André Habet · Rating 5 out of 5]

With this volume, Wonder Woman has officially risen to be my favorite of the DC trinity. But I think it’s all because she embodies the qualities I most admire: compassion, curiosity, and courage.

May we all rise to the challenge and recognize that sometimes bargain is our most effective weapon.