Not a lot of reviews this week, I’m afraid. I got tied up with some things. Going away this weekend. Yadda yadda yadda. I just wanted to knock out this Absolute Wonder Woman review because it’s the final chapter of a really great story.

Comic Book of the Week goes to Absolute Wonder Woman #20 for a nice finish to the story. Not great, but still good.

Meanwhile, I’m still very much enjoying Crimson Desert. I’m trying to stretch this game out all summer if I can, so expect to hear about it in each of these meanwhiles…or maybe I should stop. We’ll see. I started up Spider-Noir the other night and it’s great so far! It’s a ton of fun! And I’m going away this weekend to finally see The Mandalorian and Grogu. I have high hopes.

Comic Reviews: Absolute Wonder Woman #20.

Absolute Wonder Woman #20
Writer: Kelly Thompson
Artist: Hayden Sherman
Colorist: Jordie Bellaire
Letterer: Becca Carey

This big witch storyline comes to an end. The ending isn’t as strong as the beginning, but it’s still solid comic bookery.

Wonder Woman battles Veronica Cale’s prison robot and is quickly captured. She’s brought to a cell and tortured, only to be rescued when Persephone intercedes on her behalf. Wonder Woman must return to Hell for one month every year. Persephone asks Hades to do that one month right now, which allows him to just reach into the cell and pull Wonder Woman out. But now she knows that she’s stuck in Hell for a month, unable to return to her friends or, more importantly, save Barbara Minerva!

Comic Rating: 8/10 – Very Good.

The prison robot feels a bit like a cheat. It comes out of nowhere in this finale and easily defeats Diana within a couple of pages. Why would Cale have anything else when she’s got this prison robot? Why even have that entire Suicide Squad of misfits? Why bother with the mind control starfish and capturing powerful magicians when she has this super awesome robot? But that’s neither here nor there. The real meat of this issue is Wonder Woman finally in Cale’s clutches, though that doesn’t last either. I loved the fix. I love that the gods are characters as well, and they can just reach their hands into the world and free Wonder Woman. That’s fun. But then Hades is my favorite god from Greek myth, so seeing him help out is nifty.

Honestly, the more I think about it, the more I don’t think this issue holds up on its own. The prison robot came out of nowhere and defeats Diana with relative ease. Zatanna and her father, the highlights of the story, teleport away without helping. Wonder Woman is finally captured by Veronica Cale, but it lasts half an issue before she gets away. Stuff only half happens in this issue, and the Suicide Squad is long gone following their awesome debut. The strongest part of the issue is the ending, with Diana freaking out at the realization that she’s stuck for a month and can’t save Barbara, but it seems a little too easy for the evil Veronica Cale to convince Barbara that her beloved Diana has betrayed her…but I’m more than willing to see how that plays out.

TL;DR: While still a very enjoyable and entertaining issue, with continuously phenomenal artwork, this final story chapter cuts and runs with a lot of the major story elements.

The comics I review in my Hench-Sized reviews are just the usual comics I grab from Comixology any given week, along with a few impulse buys I might try on a whim. So if there are any comics or series you’d like me to review each week, let me know in the comments.

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