Warning: Spoilers for Absolute Wonder Woman #1In the 83 years since Wonder Woman creation, writers created a variety of different origin stories to explain how the Amazon came to be in DC lore. A common problem with certain interpretations of her story is that men are the focus, when Wonder Woman should be a product of women first. Now, Absolute Wonder Woman’s new origin story pays homage to Diana’s feminist roots by prioritizing matriarchy over patriarchy.
Absolute Wonder Woman #1 by Kelly Thompson, Hayden Sherman, Jordie Bellaire and Becca Carey introduces Diana to DC’s Absolute Universe with a new backstory to fit this darker continuity. Apollo arrives in Hell, where the witch Circe is trapped in isolation, and gives her a baby. He explains that the baby, Diana, is the last of the Amazons and was sent to Hell as punishment from the gods. Circe is tasked with taking care of herbecoming the only parental figure in Wonder Woman’s life.
With Circe raising Diana in Hell, This version of Wonder Woman’s origin centers motherhood and matriarchy in her upbringing. Therefore, it addresses the common problem of men taking control of Wonder Woman narratives, subverting them in a unique way.
Absolute Wonder Woman #1 Gives Diana a New Female-Led Origin Story
Wonder Woman’s updated story is devoid of patriarchal influence
Although Circe is initially wary of baby Diana, she grows fond of the girl and becomes her mother. As Diana grows up in Hell, Circe narrates that “raising a child is how you fall in love.” The image of the run-down cave being lit up with colorful decorations as the years pass is a beautiful representation of the bond that forms between Circe and Diana. What was once a prison for the witch becomes a home like Circe raises Wonder Woman as her daughter, and this motherly love guides Diana on her path to becoming a hero.
What makes this rewritten Wonder Woman origin work is the fact that it centers Diana’s mother. Being raised by a caring mother gives Wonder Woman an example to learn fromas she becomes a gentle but fierce warrior in the present day. Furthermore, it states that a woman can be a fighter without a man teaching her. The weapons and powers that Wonder Woman uses in battle are gifts she received not from a father, but from her mother. The theme of women shaping Wonder Woman into who she is is based on the most beloved interpretation of her origin.
Wonder Woman’s Best Origin Stories Center the Women in Her Upbringing
The Origin of Fan-Favorite Clay Shows How Women Shape Wonder Woman
Of all the Wonder Woman origin stories, the most definitive would have to be its iconic clay origin. Wonder Woman Story: The Amazons #3 by Kelly Sue DeConnick, Nicola Scott, Annette Kwok, and Clayton Cowles tells the story of Wonder Woman’s clay “birth,” as Hippolyta forms a baby in the sand in desperation for a child. The gods have cursed Themyscira, revealing the evil of the world of men, and Hippolyta needs hope. The goddesses then descend and answer their prayers, bringing the clay to life with their blessings. With their gift, Wonder Woman is born to her mother.
This backstory resonates deeply with the essence of Wonder Woman’s character because of its focus on women. There is no male influence present during Diana’s birth, physically or biologically. It is not conceived through reproductive methods between a man and a woman, and instead is formed only by the hands of his mother. The fact that the goddesses channel life into their being is also crucial, as it shows women elevating it early in their history. Unfortunately, later stories that attempt to rewrite Wonder Woman’s history neglect the importance of these aspects rather than male-dominated changes.
DC’s New 52 reboot tied Wonder Woman to the Patriarchy in controversial move
Wonder Woman’s clay origin is replaced by the influence of Zeus
The most shocking change to Wonder Woman lore comes in DC’s New 52 reboot. In the New 52 Wonder Woman series by Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang, Diana’s origin undergoes a major overhaul when it is revealed that Hippolyta lied about her being molded from clay. In this continuity, Hippolyta had an affair with Zeus, and Diana is the product of that affair. Therefore, Wonder Woman is the daughter of Zeus in this revised version of her origin. Naturally, this radical change has proven controversial among Wonder Woman fans because it prioritizes a man in her story.
Wonder Woman being the daughter of Zeus is a sexist change that exists to make her more palatable to male audiences.
Wonder Woman being the daughter of Zeus is a sexist change that exists for make it more palatable to a male audience. For this audience, it is more believable that Wonder Woman’s power is transmitted by men rather than cultivated by women. Writers don’t often try to “fix” Superman by suggesting he’s only special because his father is a god, but for Wonder Woman, this kind of revision has become commonplace.
Furthermore, this review suggests that it “makes more sense” for Wonder Woman to come from a traditional birth, as opposed to a queer, female-led ritual. This and other origins deal with these misogynistic shortcomingswhile Absolute Wonder Woman challenges them.
Absolute Wonder Woman’s origin stays true to Diana’s feminist essence (with a dark twist)
Wonder Woman is forged by matriarchy, despite being raised in hell
The Absolute Universe updates Wonder Woman by giving her a more brutal upbringing with Circe. Unlike in the main DC continuity, Diana is cursed by the gods rather than blessed by the goddesses when she is banished to Hell. She lost her Amazon sisters, separating her from the matriarchal community she can normally rely on. Although these circumstances may seem dire, Wonder Woman rises above them and maintains the qualities that make the original a prominent feminist icon in pop culture. The lack of Amazons in her life does not deprive her of their influence, as she follows in their footsteps even in their absence.
The Absolute Wonder Woman has the same compassionate heart as the original beneath her hardcore costume, fueled by her mother’s words upon inheriting the Amazons’ mission to protect the innocent, proving that no matter what changes are made, as long as the women who love her play a pivotal role, Wonder Woman is recognizably herself. DC Comics has now retconned Wonder Woman’s New 52 origin by returning to her claymation origin, and the Absolute Universe continues its dedication to upholding its feminist foundation. This latest matriarchal reimagining of Wonder Woman it sets a precedent that all interpretation must follow in the future.
Absolute Wonder Woman #1 is now available from DC Comics.