Wonder Woman #34 Review

 

Wonder Woman #34 Review

Writer: Tom King

Artists: Daniel Sampere & Bruno Redondo

Colorist: Alejandro Sánchez

Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Cover Artists: Daniel Sampere & Tomeu Morey

Variant Cover Artists: David Nakayama; Inhyuk Lee; Annie Wu

DC Pride Cover Artist: Fatima Wajid

Editors: Marquis Draper & Brittany Holzherr

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99/$5.99 Card Stock

Release Date: June 24, 2026

 

Discovering Steve Trevor on Themyscira should have overjoyed Diana. Yet she had battled and slain soldiers to reach the secret prison. Worse, the Matriarch's male soldiers guarded her sacred shores. So, while Elizabeth hugged the father she knew only from her Corgi-chasing trips through time, Diana held back. Then, defying the Gods that allowed the Matriarch to murder her friends and defile her homeland, Diana used Lex Luthor's God Killer sword to carve open a passage to the Underworld.

 

The Gods dislike it when their subjects defy their omnipotence. So, when Diana, Steve, and Elizabeth enter the Palace of the Moirai, the Fates invite another guest to the impromptu party. Can Elizabeth and Lyssa rediscover their childhood friendship? Or must Wonder Woman and the Matriarch fight to the death in Hades? Let’s leap into Wonder Woman #34 and see!

 

Story

The Matriarch smiles, not realizing that the sword stored in her White Palace is a copy. When Diana shatters her sword, the Matriarch is as surprised as when she went too far torturing Superman. But as the Fates debate the origins and meaning of myths, the Matriarch claims that there are more powerful things than gods and their swords. Then she uses her power ring to summon a hard light construct.

 

As the Matriarch confronts Diana in Wonder Woman #34, she recalls how she secured the power ring and what she has done to keep it. While the two warriors fight, Lyssa recognizes that she faces the pride of Themyscira. Diana defeated her mother to become her island's emissary to the world. So, after slaying other superheroes and becoming a world leader, Lyssa regards killing Diana as the final act in securing her domination.

 

While Tom King ponders how we relate to others, he focuses on how we judge our worth and determine what will make us happy. Lyssa may not clothe herself in chains to celebrate her victories. Yet she values strength. As the Matriarch, Lyssa has devoted her life to enduring pain to become the ultimate oppressor. Diana defines herself in different terms. Lyssa thinks she must have everything to be happy. But even amid her greatest trial, Diana protects others and takes only what she needs in Wonder Woman #34.

 

Art

Amid arid terrain, a Green Lantern corpse on the road evokes extraterrestrial events in another reality. As the power ring rises from the still hand in this ravaged future, the red surrounding her eyes defines what drives Tomar-Lyssa. Despite taking place two decades hence, Daniel Sampere and Bruno Redondo adorn the two Amazons in armor that recalls a brutal past, when the strong took whatever they wanted, and might equaled right.

 

As the absolute ruler of the United States wields her hard light sword, the Matriarch’s grayscale hair and armor contrast with Diana's red, white, and blue uniform. The Princess of Themyscira adorns her head, heart, and shoulders with gold in Wonder Woman #34. Yet the scarlet running down their faces defines their anger at what each other represents. While Alejandro Sánchez paints the God Killer sword brown, its organic shape and color link it with the Green, as Diana battles a leader who will destroy everything and everyone to get what she wants.  

 

Clayton Cowles fills white dialogue balloons with black uppercase letters that grow bold for intonation and shrink for lowered voices. As block letters emphasizing diagonals locate us in time and space, offscreen dialogue in colored boxes provides divine commentary. Balloons become clouds with wavering arrows when a speaker digs deep to summon extraordinary willpower. Sound effects enhance a battle before disapproving gods who wonder how the combatants will determine their future. Thanks to DC Comics for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Diana defied Zeus and the order of the Underworld to reach the Palace of the Moirai. Like Steve Trevor, Diana has sinned against the Fates. As she battles the daughter of a woman she sought to rescue, Diana must determine how she will face Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos' judgment in Wonder Woman #34.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Wonder Woman #34. 

 

For what happened last time, see my preview of Wonder Woman #33. 

For what happened before that, see my review of Wonder Woman #32. 

For how The Wonder War story arc began, see my preview of Wonder Woman #31. 

 

Absolute Wonder Woman #21

 

After Zatanna Zatara weakened Diana, Giovanni Zatara attacked her. With Veronica Cale's attack squad wreaking havoc in Gateway City, Barbara Minerva watched the woman she idolized flee. After regaining a measure of strength at the Hieron, Diana returned to the fighting. Still, the Amazon she admired couldn't prevent Giganta from capturing her. 

Even if she fled the fighting once, Barbara believed that Diana would rescue her from Cale's clutches. But as she lay on a torture table, Veronica Cale tells Barbara that Diana escaped from Area 41 without rescuing her. Again. How will the woman who celebrated Diana's return to her world with a museum exhibit react to Cale's announcement? And bound in the Underworld by her deal with Hades, what can Diana do to aid Barbara?

Here's all the info from DC Connect:

 

Absolute Wonder Woman #21

Writer: Kelly Thompson

Artist: Dillon Snook

Cover Artist: Hayden Sherman

Variant Cover Artists: David Nakayama, Terry Dodson & Giuseppe Camuncoli

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 32 Pages

Price: $4.99 US/Variant $5.99 US (card stock)

Release Date: June 24, 2026

 

 

A harsh reality comes to light!

 

 

Diana’s worst nightmares come to light. The Hieron finds a new host. Barbara faces a harsh reality. Cale loses control.

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

For what happened last time, see my preview of Absolute Wonder Woman #20.

For what happened before that, see my review of Absolute Wonder Woman #19.

For how this story arc began, see my preview of Absolute Wonder Woman #16. 

 

 

DC W.I.P.: Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #1 Preview

 

After she lost her homeworld, Kara Zor-El had to bid goodbye to everyone she ever knew in Argo. She currently calls Midvale home. Yet Kara has had many adventures, and made friends wherever her feet touched the ground. 

Like Kara, Ruthye has suffered loss. She may lack Kara's Kryptonian abilities. Still, Kara senses a strength in the girl that her older brothers lack. But can Kara give Ruthye what she needs? And how much will Kara's kindness cost her?

Here's all the info from DC Connect:

 

DC W.I.P.: Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #1 Preview

Writer: Tom King

Artist & Cover Artist: Bilquis Evely

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 32 Pages

ISBN: 7-61941-39189-2

Price: $14.99

Release Date: June 24, 2026

 

 

A look at the stunning Supergirl Epic

By Tom King and Bilquis Evely!

 

 

Step into the world of comics like never before with DC W.I.P. Get up close and personal with the stunning original artwork from one of comics’ greatest artists. Featuring the original art of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow from Bilquis Evely! The brilliance of Evely’s work can be seen like never before in this massive oversize presentation. Don’t miss your chance to own this incredible, one-of-a-kind piece of comics history.

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

For more on Kara Zor-El's history, see my review of Summer Of Supergirl Special #1. 

Bizarro: Year None #2 Preview

 

Perry White thinks the Daily Planet is the greatest news organization on Earth. And Jimmy Olsen agrees. Still, he has some reservations about the Planet's direction. Sadly, Perry White's not interested in how the coffee boy would modernize his beloved institution. But when Bizarro abducts them via the breach created by Dr David Dalton's duplicator machine, Jimmy points out, "In space, no one can hear you scream 'seniority.'" 

Now, they're on an alien planet. Bizarro has placed Jimmy in charge of his version of the Daily Planet. Will Perry White get Jimmy his daily coffee and cruller? And how stable is this new reality Bizarro has created?

Here's all the info from DC Connect:

 

Bizarro: Year None #2 Preview

Writers: Kevin Smith & Eric Carrasco

Artist & Cover Artist: Nick Pitarra

Variant Cover Artists: Martín Morazzo & Ibrahim Moustafa

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 32 Pages

Price: $4.99 US/Variant $5.99 US (card stock)

Release Date: June 24, 2026

 

 

Goodbye, Bizarro World!

 

 

Trapped on a backward planet of backward doppelgängers doing backward versions of everything they would normally do, the extremely frontward Jimmy Olsen and Perry White find themselves wondering: Will we ever get home again? At least their host—a backward version of Superman—seems to be accommodating of their stay. But if everything is backward on this planet, then what’s the opposite of accommodating? Uh-oh.

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

For how this series started, see my review of Bizarro: Year None #1.

For more Bizarro fun, see my preview of Batman/Superman: World's Finest #43. 

Swamp Thing 1989 #3 Review

 

Swamp Thing 1989 #3 Review

Writer: Rick Veitch

Artist: Tom Mandrake

Colorist: Trish Mulvihill

Letterer: Todd Klein

Cover Artist: Rick Veitch

Editors: Alex Galer & Chris Conroy

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99/$7.99 Foil

Release Date: June 24, 2026

 

While exploring the wonders of the multiverse, Swamp Thing yearns to return to his beloved Abby. But when three Magi summon a demon, Swamp Thing follows the disturbance in the time stream to Israel 2000 years ago. After preventing Belial's efforts to subvert Earth's history, Swamp Thing once again gets drawn into Earth's past. But along the way, he encounters someone who can carry a message home.

 

When John Constantine receives a dire summons, he abandons his home in London to visit King Arthur's birthplace along the rugged Cornwall coast. There, he meets a knight who arrived on a flying horse. Are Sir Justin's suspicions about Swamp Thing's inability to return correct? And as the momentous event draws nigh, can her friends in the bayou help Abby deliver Swamp Thing's child? Let's leap into Swamp Thing 1989 #3 and see!

 

Story

Many seek to reach the Source. Yet Swamp Thing is chosen. He may stand before it as a stranger. Still, the Source greets him as a friend. And when it senses Swamp Thing's pain, it counsels him. The Source urges him to push past all the concerns that make him Alec Holland and seek the Still Point that binds all of reality together. Then, the Source asks if he would like to remain here, connected to all life, all time, and all places.

 

As Alec ponders his future, Rick Veitch weaves John Constantine into Swamp Thing 1989 #3. Just as Alec yearns to return to Abby, John seeks to help his friend. So, he touches base with Jim Corrigan, hoping the Spectre can help John achieve what Sir Justin proclaimed impossible. And as the supernatural investigator seeks to rescue a friend who has traveled back to before time began, Anton Arcane seeks to leave another realm from which escape should be impossible.

 

As Alec Holland, John Constantine, and Anton Arcane embark on journeys, all roads lead to Abby Holland. Having seen Dr Hubert Sax exploit his position to corrupt the healing arts, Abby has eschewed modern birthing methods for a midwife in the Bayou. As she struggles against the pain, Abby knows the magnitude of what she is attempting. Yet Livie is not the only one who senses the dangers swirling around the unborn child. As they ponder the mysteries of the universe and the Human heart, danger threatens all the scattered protagonists in Swamp Thing 1989 #3.

 

Art

As Swamp Thing stands on a rocky plain, a hand traces words on a black stone slab. Swamp Thing sits cross-legged, his eyes shut as he pictures his recent travels through the infinite worlds filling the multiverse. When the hand reaches out, touching his chest, seven wheels overlay his body. And before Alec vanishes, the Eye of Horus appears on the stone.

 

As Tom Mandrake propels readers on this cosmic journey, Trish Mulvihill pays homage to the four-color era in Swamp Thing 1989 #3. The Avatar of the Green stands beneath a sky streaked with violet and indigo, while the stone glows violet and orange when an orange hand inscribes yellow letters. As Swamp Thing's thoughts revolve around love, yellow, orange, and red dominate a chamber dedicated to hatred and misery. As John Constantine seeks to aid his friend, a yellow coat and blue slacks signal his fears of failure and his hopes for success.

 

Todd Klein places black uppercase letters in white dialogue balloons. Swamp Thing's dialogue appears in orange polygons, while his thoughts reside in melting yellow boxes. The narrator charts Alec’s cosmic journey via green boxes. As the letters grow bold with intonation, red words in black balloons signal danger. After Rich Handley’s introductory essay sets the issue in context, Todd Klein and Trish Mulvihill discuss the challenges of emulating the original letterer, John Costanza, and original colorist Tatjana Wood. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Swamp Thing can have anything he wants. Yet what he most desires is a life of service and love, even if that includes pain, danger, and uncertainty. As he undertakes a new journey to protect others, others seek to control him to increase their separation from others, and feast on the things that divide us in Swamp Thing 1989 #3.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Swamp Thing 1989 #3.

 

For what happened last time, see my review of Swamp Thing 1989 #2.

For how this series resumed, see my review of Swamp Thing 1989 #1. 

Absolute Superman #20 Preview

 

Teth-Adam wears a cloak of Egyptian dust. The red dust of Krypton protects Kal-El as a cape. Yet both hear the world scream, and wish they could make it a fairer, safer, and better place to live. As they battle over how best to accomplish this, John Henry Irons tries to keep up with the gods who defied the villain who stole his future. 

Then, there's Hawkman. He thinks he knows better than anyone else. Kal-El and Lois Lane might not like him. Still, Hawkman has been protecting the planet his way for 80 years.

Can Superman do what Ra's Al Ghul believed impossible, and reason with King Shazam? And can anyone prevent Talia Al Ghul from burning the entire world?

Here's all the info from DC Connect:

 

Absolute Superman #20 Preview

Writer: Jason Aaron

Artist & Cover Artist: Rafa Sandoval

Variant Cover Artists: David Nakayama, Juan Ferreyra & John Giang

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 32 Pages

Price: $4.99 US/Variant $5.99 US (card stock)

Release Date: June 24, 2026

 

 

Absolute Superman’s Greatest Battle Yet!

 

 

It’s Superman versus King Shazam versus Hawkman versus [REDACTED] in the greatest battle the Absolute Universe has ever seen! But who is their mystery challenger?

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

For what happened last time, see my review of Absolute Superman #19. 

For what happened before that, see my preview of Absolute Superman #18.  

For more on Hawkman, see my previews of Absolute Superman #16 & Absolute Evil #1. 

Summer of Supergirl Special #1 Review

 

Summer of Supergirl Special #1 Review

Writers: Sophie Campbell, Gail Simone & Mark Waid

Artists: Belén Ortega & Cian Tormey

Penciller: Emma Kubert

Inker: Sandra Hope

Colorists: Tríona Farrell, Trish Mulvihill & Alex Guimarāes

Letterers: Becca Carey, Ariana Maher & Steve Wands

Cover Artist: Belén Ortega

Variant Cover Artists: Pablo Villalobos & Tula Lotay

Supergirl Movie Variant Cover Artist: Mahmud Asrar with Mike Spicer

Editors: Jillian Grant & Brittany Holzherr

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $5.99 US/Variant $6.99 US (cardstock)

Release Date: June 24, 2026

 

When the weather turned cold amid the holidays, Kara Zor-El started to feel down. How could Kara enjoy time with her new family and friends when all the people she knew in Argo City are dead? Yet, life has its rhythms. And even though Kara has taken a few beatings, when trouble shook the miniaturized Kryptonian city of Kandor, she arrived to save the day.

 

After Lesla-Lar offered Kara a means of regaining what she lost in Kandor, Kara also discovered something that could give her more power than before. But when she interrupts Lobo during his first job following his self-imposed isolation on Azzplaque Major, Supergirl's fate seems to intertwine with the newly reinstated bounty hunter. Will they frag each other into extinction? Or will Supergirl, Lobo, Krypto, and Dawg team up for an extraordinary mission together? Let’s leap into Summer of Supergirl Special #1 and see!

 

Main Man’s Best Friend: Story

After sitting in a jail cell, Lobo, Kara, Krypto, and Dawg attend a hearing. As they face the judge, Lobo pleads innocence, while Kara Zor-El contends they are both guilty.

 

When fate separates them, Dawg returns to Midvale with Kara and Krypto in Summer of Supergirl Special #1. Lobo’s best friend even helps as Kara uses her powers to aid others. But Dawg misses his master. And unlike Lobo, he doesn’t understand the reasons for their separation.

 

As Sophie Campbell examines the bond between a pet and its owner, she also illustrates how Kara’s attitude influences the people around her. Lobo remains the petulant child who didn't want to conform to rules on Czarnia. Yet a little love can go a long way in encouraging good behavior, turning enemies into friends, and helping make the world a better place.

 

Main Man’s Best Friend: Art

As a judge sits beneath an enormous seal, Lobo raises his chain-wrapped forearm. Beside him, Kara smiles at Lobo’s antics. As Kara’s counsel hovers before the judge, his dispassionate discourse infuriates Lobo. Yet as Krypto, Dawg, and Leegra follow Kara’s lead, Lobo’s counsel slumps and supports his head on the table.

 

As Tríona Farrell adorns Belén Ortega’s cheery art with a bright palette, blue creeps into the green courtroom as Kara makes her case. Red tinges Lobo’s retelling of events, and the evening sky on Plinko Astra. Yet as Crush’s red attire seems linked with her father’s antics, stars twinkle in the violet air when she meets Leegra in Summer of Supergirl Special #1.

 

Becca Carey fills white dialogue balloons with black uppercase letters, while Kara’s thoughts fill white clouds. White offscreen dialogue appears in colored boxes. Sound effects accompany more property damage than the night of Clarissa Giltedge’s No Beer New Year party, while enlarged yellow letters help Kara appeal to Lobo’s deeply buried good side.

 

Lost Girls: Story

Taking an exercise break is a great way to relieve stress. But when Brad uses the company mascot to make a statement, Supergirl worries that it will hurt others. Yet instead of getting a good workout, Kara discovers she may have bitten off more than she can chew. When another hero arrives to help, Supergirl still wants to blow off steam. But by sharing her struggles with a like-minded person, Kara’s tension lessens, helping her reconcile with her painful past and look toward the future in Gail Simone’s story.

 

Lost Girls: Art

When a futuristic female robot tears through a concrete wall and a chicken-wire fence, guards brace to fire, while a fireman warns people of danger. As they gaze through a window, Brad’s coworkers look concerned and aghast, while his expression makes an unintended comparison with a supervillain. After Supergirl’s face reflects off the robot’s smooth metal face, Emma Kubert and Sandra Hope combine a tilted silhouette scene with a close-up of the robot’s attack.

 

When the gold robot induces fear, the guards respond with yellow-and-orange gunfire. While the red in her costume links Supergirl with the emergency responders, her gold belt suggests empathy for the robot’s plight. As Trish Mulvihill adorns this ten-page story in vibrant colors, Supergirl shares two colors of her costume with the hero who comes to her aid.

 

As Ariana Maher fills white balloons with black uppercase letters, the robot speaks in a machine font. Small black letters in a yellow banner locate the reader in time and space. Kara begins her tale by sharing her white thoughts in blue boxes. But her narration gradually disappears as Kara interacts with the similarly minded hero.

 

Who Is Supergirl: Story

Having regained a physical form, Red Tornado’s consciousness no longer inhabits the Justice League Watchtower’s computer systems. So, when he needs to recheck the data in the personnel files, Red Tornado asks Conner Kent to review the Super-Family archives. In Mark Waid’s story, Jon Kent finds Steel helping Conner with his assignment. Yet while both belong to the Super-Family, they are puzzled by contrasting entries. Jon may enjoy teasing Conner about living in the past. Yet as he recognizes Conner and Steel's concerns, Jon realizes he can help them understand Kara's place in the Super-Family.

 

Who is Supergirl: Art

As Jon enters the immense room, Kara's numerous costume changes fill a wall monitor in Summer of Supergirl Special #1. A white-and-indigo hologram showcases her origins, while a color photo displays Kara's arrival on Earth. Alex Guimarāes adorns Kara’s early choices with yellow, orange, and brown. But as Kara takes on more color, Cian Tormey’s blue line drawing of all the people who helped Kara appears behind her. 

 

Steve Wands introduces characters and the location with black uppercase letters in yellow boxes. Black uppercase dialogue fills white balloons as they debate Kara’s position in the Super-Family. Offscreen dialogue in white and colored boxes helps the trio realize the breadth and depth of Kara’s contributions to the people around her. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Kara Zor-El may always feel like an outsider. Yet her vibrant spirit and positivity help her make friends wherever she goes. Lesla-Lar’s memory lingers as Kara protects Midvale while advocating criminal reform. And as friends bond over similar interests, histories, and food, Superman's son helps encapsulate Kara's rich history in Summer of Supergirl Special #1.

 

Rating 9.7/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Summer of Supergirl Special #1.

 

For how Lesla-Lar offers to help Supergirl power-up, see my review of Supergirl #14.

For Supergirl's encounter with Lobo, see my preview of Lobo #4. 

For Clarissa's No Beer New Year party, see my review of Supergirl #9. 

For the latest entry in DC's Elseworlds Universe, see my review of Supergirl: Survive #1. 

 

Detective Comics #1110 Preview

 

Some people see Artificial Intelligence as a blessing. Others regard it as a curse. But while an AI company attempts a hostile takeover of Queen Industries, whistleblowers waiting to testify against Klep Corp die from "natural causes." With corrupt cops like Lieutenant Davis tasked with protecting Nico Muniz, Batman, Green Arrow, and Black Canary believe the last surviving whistleblower will be safer with them than the Gotham City Police Department. 

After Oliver Queen refused to hand his company over to Richard Klep without a fight, the girl who visited Prion's grave reappeared in his office. And she wasn't there for a friendly chat. How is she associated with their late friend? And can Batman, Green Arrow, and Black Canary prevent her from killing Nico Muniz?

Here's all the info from DC Connect:

 

Detective Comics #1110 Preview

Writer: Tom Taylor

Artist & Cover Artist: Mikel Janín

Variant Cover Artists: Kevin Nowlan & Dave Johnson

DC Pride Variant Cover Artist: Angel Solorzano

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 32 Pages

Price: $4.99 US/$5.99 US (card stock)

Release Date: June 24, 2026

 

 

Innocent Girl…

Or Deadly Assassin?

 

 

Black Canary thinks she has granted shelter to a lost, scared little girl. But Batman and Green Arrow know the truth. Dinah has unknowingly taken in a trained assassin. As the Dark Knight and the Emerald Archer race to warn Black Canary, the question isn’t who the girl is but rather, can they get to Dinah before it’s too late?

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

For what happened last time, see my preview of Detective Comics #1109. 

For what happened before that, see my review of Detective Comics #1108. 

For how this story arc started, see my preview of Detective Comics #1107.