Written by: Kelly Thompson
Art by: Hayden Sherman
Colors by: Jordie Bellaire
Letters by: Becca Carey
Cover art by: Hayden Sherman (cover A)
Cover price: $4.99
Release date: January 28, 2026
First Impressions
This issue hits differently than its predecessor because it finally trusts the story to breathe. The opening sequence with Aphrodite is genuinely unsettling in a way that makes you feel Diana's dread, and the shift from intimate mythology to a brutal government hearing gives the comic real thematic weight. Thompson balances intimate character moments with massive political stakes, and the result feels urgent and dangerous in ways that issue 15 completely fumbled.
Recap
Issue 15 opened in Gateway City with Veronica Cale and Grimm discussing how to turn Diana and Batman into symbols they could weaponize. Diana and Batman met in Gotham and bonded over a murder investigation involving her symbol, the Mark of Hecate. They discovered someone was building an Anthroparion, a magical construct, but the real trap was designed to mind-control Diana into attacking Batman. Batman used a talisman Diana gave him to break the spell, they destroyed the construct, and the issue ended with them building genuine rapport as both realized a larger network of superheroes existed. Diana emerged wounded and suspicious but alive.
Plot Analysis (SPOILERS)
The issue opens with a domestic scene at Diana's sanctuary, the Hieron, where Aphrodite appears in her dreams warning that something catastrophic approaches. Diana wakes troubled, and her companions Ferdinand and Petra assure her that the last of the refugees from the Maze have been resettled. The scene is deceptively peaceful; Diana feels premonition in her bones. Meanwhile, Steve Trevor appears before a Senate committee where he faces aggressive questioning about his loyalty, his role with Diana, and whether serving alongside Wonder Woman constituted a betrayal of his military oath. Trevor's testimony is fierce and uncompromising; he resigns his commission, declares the government wrong to oppose Diana, and walks out with moral authority intact.
In a secret facility called Area 41, shadowy figures prepare a weapon called the Parasite while discussing their plan to strike Diana at a public event. The mastermind reveals the goal: kill Wonder Woman and destroy her reputation in the process. Diana arrives at the Gateway City Natural History Museum for a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating a new wing Barbara Minerva has curated. The crowd worships Diana openly, chanting her name and touching her, and Diana notices the intoxicating power of that adoration while remaining deeply uncomfortable with it. Inside the museum, Barbara shows Diana her collection, which includes artifacts from Diana's past, including the creatures from the Maze. Diana momentarily accesses a memory of training with Artemis on the Wild Isle, where she was desperate to understand why Aphrodite stopped visiting her.
During the ceremony, Diana suddenly collapses and realizes her magic has been severed or bound somehow, though her magical arm remains intact. Before she can process what's happening, the museum erupts in an explosion. A woman named Zatanna appears alongside members of the Suicide Squad, revealing that someone has bound Diana's magic to Zatanna herself. Diana realizes she's been trapped; her powers are now controlled by the person orchestrating the attack.
Writing
Thompson's pacing in this issue is aggressive and purposeful. The opening feels ominous because the dialogue between Diana and Aphrodite uses rhythm and repetition to create unease. The Senate hearing sequence is the emotional spine of the issue, and Steve's testimony carries genuine weight because his dialogue sounds like an actual human being taking a moral stand, not a walking exposition machine. The contrast between his honesty and the politicians' self-serving questions makes the scene crackle. Thompson trusts the reader to understand the stakes without spelling everything out, a massive improvement over issue 15. The plot structure mirrors Diana's ignorance; we see threats assembling while she exists in a false sense of security, creating real dramatic irony. The dialogue varies in tone effectively, moving from intimate to confrontational to threatening without feeling jarring. One weakness: the Area 41 conversation about deploying the Parasite relies on some vague terminology that could confuse casual readers unfamiliar with what a Parasite is in this context.
Art
Sherman's artwork in this issue is demonstrably sharper than issue 15. The opening dream sequence with Aphrodite uses softer linework and muted tones to create dreamlike disorientation, and when Diana wakes, the shift to crisp, defined lines immediately communicates clarity and dread. The Senate hearing uses panel variation effectively; Sherman breaks away from standard grid layouts to emphasize moments of emotional intensity, particularly when Steve makes his declaration. The museum sequence benefits from Sherman's improved spatial awareness; the crowd scenes feel genuinely chaotic and overwhelming.
Bellaire's coloring is a particular strength here. The Hieron interiors use warmer earth tones that feel welcoming but tinged with shadow, and when we shift to the museum, the color palette becomes brighter and more aggressive, almost neon in its celebration. Diana's dream on the Wild Isle features lush greens and bronze tones that feel mythic and elemental. The explosion sequence uses color to convey chaos effectively. The one area where the art falters slightly is in the Area 41 scenes, where the clinical lighting feels generic and doesn't distinguish itself visually from standard government facility aesthetics.
Diana's characterization here is her strongest in the series so far. We see her as genuinely vulnerable for the first time, caught between being a symbol and being a person. Her discomfort with the crowd's worship feels authentic because Thompson writes Diana as aware of the danger in being idolized. The flashback to training with Artemis reveals Diana's emotional core; her desperation to understand why Aphrodite abandoned her makes her feel real, not mythical. Steve Trevor gets substantial development by resigning his commission and choosing a side. His testimony is principled but not preachy, and his willingness to sacrifice his career for Diana suggests a relationship built on genuine respect. Zatanna's brief appearance positions her as someone who understands Diana but isn't necessarily her enemy; she's being deployed. The antagonist at Area 41 remains unnamed and shadowy, but their dialogue reveals them as calculating and willing to accept collateral damage, which makes them a concrete threat. Barbara Minerva exists primarily as a facilitator in this issue, but her enthusiasm for her museum and her admiration for Diana feel grounded.
The "Season of the Witch" arc begins by positioning Diana's greatest vulnerability not as a physical weakness but as her magical signature, her connection to the divine. Binding her magic to another person is a clever trap because it neutralizes her primary advantage while forcing her into close contact with her captors. The concept of Diana being publicly celebrated at the exact moment she's being attacked is strong; it emphasizes the gap between symbol and reality. Thompson's choice to have Steve Trevor publicly defend Diana before she's attacked gives the Suicide Squad's assault additional dramatic weight. The originality here comes not from novelty but from execution; team-up attacks on heroes are familiar, but framing Diana as isolated while surrounded by admirers is sharp. The inclusion of Zatanna as an enforcer rather than a hero suggests a morally complicated world where magic users serve different masters. The twist that Diana's magic is bound is solid, but the mechanism remains slightly unclear. Is Zatanna acting willingly or under duress? The issue hints but doesn't commit.
The standout strength of this issue is Steve Trevor's arc. His Senate testimony is the most human moment in the entire run so far because it allows a male character to define his own values rather than react to Diana's presence. His choice to resign his commission and commit to Diana's side creates genuine stakes and answers a question readers have had since issue 15; where does his loyalty lie? Additionally, the opening dream sequence with Aphrodite is genuinely unsettling in ways that elevate the comic beyond simple superhero storytelling. Thompson uses Aphrodite's cryptic warning and Diana's vulnerability to create real dread. The art improvement is measurable and significant; Sherman's linework is crisper, compositions vary more effectively, and Bellaire's color work distinguishes scenes through palette rather than repetition. The plot structure is efficient; we understand the threat before Diana does, creating dramatic irony that issue 15 lacked entirely.
The major weakness is the vagueness surrounding the Parasite weapon and its function. The Area 41 dialogue suggests it's a form of fear-based control, but the mechanics remain unclear. The reader doesn't fully understand what Diana's facing until the final page, which could frustrate readers seeking strategic clarity. Additionally, the book glosses over how someone was able to bind Diana's magic to Zatanna without Diana's knowledge or consent. The spell was apparently cast before the issue begins, but the execution of such a powerful ritual deserves explanation. The Area 41 scenes, while narratively necessary, lack visual distinctiveness; they feel like generic government facility interiors without character. Finally, Zatanna's appearance is compelling but underdeveloped. She arrives as a revelation without setup, leaving readers unfamiliar with her history confused about who she is and why she's working with a suicide squad. A single line of dialogue establishing her magical expertise would have solved this.
Character Development
Diana's characterization here is her strongest in the series so far. We see her as genuinely vulnerable for the first time, caught between being a symbol and being a person. Her discomfort with the crowd's worship feels authentic because Thompson writes Diana as aware of the danger in being idolized. The flashback to training with Artemis reveals Diana's emotional core; her desperation to understand why Aphrodite abandoned her makes her feel real, not mythical. Steve Trevor gets substantial development by resigning his commission and choosing a side. His testimony is principled but not preachy, and his willingness to sacrifice his career for Diana suggests a relationship built on genuine respect. Zatanna's brief appearance positions her as someone who understands Diana but isn't necessarily her enemy; she's being deployed. The antagonist at Area 41 remains unnamed and shadowy, but their dialogue reveals them as calculating and willing to accept collateral damage, which makes them a concrete threat. Barbara Minerva exists primarily as a facilitator in this issue, but her enthusiasm for her museum and her admiration for Diana feel grounded.
Originality and Concept Execution
The "Season of the Witch" arc begins by positioning Diana's greatest vulnerability not as a physical weakness but as her magical signature, her connection to the divine. Binding her magic to another person is a clever trap because it neutralizes her primary advantage while forcing her into close contact with her captors. The concept of Diana being publicly celebrated at the exact moment she's being attacked is strong; it emphasizes the gap between symbol and reality. Thompson's choice to have Steve Trevor publicly defend Diana before she's attacked gives the Suicide Squad's assault additional dramatic weight. The originality here comes not from novelty but from execution; team-up attacks on heroes are familiar, but framing Diana as isolated while surrounded by admirers is sharp. The inclusion of Zatanna as an enforcer rather than a hero suggests a morally complicated world where magic users serve different masters. The twist that Diana's magic is bound is solid, but the mechanism remains slightly unclear. Is Zatanna acting willingly or under duress? The issue hints but doesn't commit.
Positives
The standout strength of this issue is Steve Trevor's arc. His Senate testimony is the most human moment in the entire run so far because it allows a male character to define his own values rather than react to Diana's presence. His choice to resign his commission and commit to Diana's side creates genuine stakes and answers a question readers have had since issue 15; where does his loyalty lie? Additionally, the opening dream sequence with Aphrodite is genuinely unsettling in ways that elevate the comic beyond simple superhero storytelling. Thompson uses Aphrodite's cryptic warning and Diana's vulnerability to create real dread. The art improvement is measurable and significant; Sherman's linework is crisper, compositions vary more effectively, and Bellaire's color work distinguishes scenes through palette rather than repetition. The plot structure is efficient; we understand the threat before Diana does, creating dramatic irony that issue 15 lacked entirely.
Negatives
The major weakness is the vagueness surrounding the Parasite weapon and its function. The Area 41 dialogue suggests it's a form of fear-based control, but the mechanics remain unclear. The reader doesn't fully understand what Diana's facing until the final page, which could frustrate readers seeking strategic clarity. Additionally, the book glosses over how someone was able to bind Diana's magic to Zatanna without Diana's knowledge or consent. The spell was apparently cast before the issue begins, but the execution of such a powerful ritual deserves explanation. The Area 41 scenes, while narratively necessary, lack visual distinctiveness; they feel like generic government facility interiors without character. Finally, Zatanna's appearance is compelling but underdeveloped. She arrives as a revelation without setup, leaving readers unfamiliar with her history confused about who she is and why she's working with a suicide squad. A single line of dialogue establishing her magical expertise would have solved this.
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
Follow @ComicalOpinions on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TwitterThe Scorecard
Art Quality (Execution & Synergy): [3/4]
Value (Originality & Entertainment): [2/2]
Final Verdict
Absolute Wonder Woman #16 rights the ship and proves that issue 15's problems weren't terminal. This is a comic that understands the difference between setup and execution; it plants threats while Diana remains oblivious, it develops character through action rather than exposition, and it trusts readers to piece together danger without being told. The book isn't perfect. The Parasite remains vague enough to confuse, the magic-binding mechanism needs clarification, and Area 41 feels visually generic. But the improvements are substantial and measurable.
8/10
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