DC's New Wonder Woman Is Here, And She's Badass

DC introduces a new Wonder Woman, who wears a very different costume and wields very different weapons from her usual self. The DC Multiverse is filled with alternate versions of iconic heroes and villains that push familiar characters into radically different genres and historical settings. Batman is among the most reimagined characters in the comic book medium, with memorable reinventions like the nightmarish Batman Who Laughs, Flashpoint's tragic Thomas Wayne, and the Victorian-era Gotham by Gaslight Batman. As the face of DC Comics, Superman has received equally dramatic reinterpretations across the multiverse, ranging from Kingdom Come's seasoned icon to Injustice's tyrannical ruler.

Wonder Woman may not lead the same number of high-profile alternate-universe storylines, but Diana of Themyscira has also accumulated an impressive collection of alternate incarnations. Kingdom Come famously presents an older, battle-hardened, armor-wearing Justice League legend who embraces a firmer approach to justice. Flashpoint reimagines Wonder Woman as the leader of a militaristic Amazon empire locked in a devastating war with Aquaman. In Injustice, Wonder Woman is Evil Superman's closest ally and one of the regime's strongest advocates. Other memorable versions include the vampire Amazon from DC vs. Vampires, Bombshells' World War II Wonder Woman, and Diana's Earth-11 counterpart Dane of Elysium a.k.a. Wonder Man.

Two of DC's latest reinventions of Diana Prince are Dark Knights of Steel's medieval Wonder Woman, who marries Zala Jor-El and becomes part of Superman and Batman's royal family, as well as the Absolute Universe's radically reimagined Diana of Themyscira, whose magical abilities, massive sword, and towering physique distinguish her from her Earth-0 counterpart.

Manchester Black Introduces A Badass Version Of Wonder Woman

Superman #40; Written By Joshua Williamson; Art By Dan Mora

One of Kal-El's many alternate selves is completing his path toward redemption in the pages of Superman. Superboy-Prime, whose awareness of the comic book medium itself elevated him into a uniquely metafictional villain, wages one of his fiercest battles against Manchester Black, who also possesses a level of self-awareness that allows him to play with reality. While discussing the comic books they exist in, Manchester Black speaks into existence a timeline where a scarred Wonder Woman wields futuristic dual guns in a jungle, wearing an eyepatch, a single shoulder pad, pants, and a bandana.

Nothing else is known about this version of Wonder Woman, who at the moment only exists in the form of a cameo. However, this Rambo-inspired Diana of Themyscira now exists somewhere out there in the universe, and the circumstances that led her to abandon her traditional Amazonian armor and melee weapons in favor of guns and tight-fitting combat clothes could provide the basis for a bold new story. Wonder Woman has always been the member of the Trinity with the smallest number of starring titles across all media, so giving her a new Elseworlds comic of her own might suit her, especially after the success of Absolute Wonder Woman.

DC's Absolute Universe May Have Opened The Door To Other Bold Character Reinventions

The DC Multiverse Unapologetically Embraces Manchester Black's Edginess

In Joshua Williamson's Superman, Superboy-Prime and Manchester Black clash due to their opposing takes on comic books, with Superboy-Prime resisting Black's "edgelord" and "grimdark" nature. While the era of genuine grimdark comics is long gone, DC has recently embraced edgy aspects that would probably have crossed a line in the 1990s and would probably have been deemed overdone in the 2010s. DC's Absolute Universe presents a hopeless world with impossibly muscular heroes, terrifying villain redesigns, and brutal battles, all of which have transformed titles like Absolute Batman into comic book gold for DC.

The Absolute Universe isn't concluding anytime soon, but DC doesn't have to conform with its resounding success. Other self-contained Elseworlds continuities could adapt the Absolute line's sincere grimdark tone in their own way, perhaps introducing their own takes on more rugged versions of Wonder Woman, Superman, and Batman. After Absolute Batman introduced an axe-wielding, eight-foot-tall Dark Knight, a gun-toting Rambo Wonder Woman would be par for the course.

Which alternate-timeline Wonder Woman is your favorite?

Superman #40 is available July 22 from DC Comics