Wonder Woman 2026 Annual: Wonder War—The Matriarch Special #1 Review

 

Wonder Woman 2026 Annual: Wonder War—The Matriarch Special #1 Review

Writers: Stephanie Williams & Leah Williams

Artists: Eduardo Pansica, Júlio Ferreira & Belén Ortega

Colorists: Romulo Fajardo Jr & Triona Farrell

Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Cover Artist: Daniel Sampere & Tomeu Morey

Variant Cover Artists: Kyuyong Eom, Guillem March & Leirix

Editors: Marquis Draper & Brittaney Holzherr

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $5.99 US/Variant $6.99 US (Card Stock)

Release Date: September 30, 2026

 

Her mother, Emilie, battled Diana for the right to represent Themyscira on the world stage. Her father, the Sovereign, quietly ruled the United States behind the façade of democratic institutions. Lyssa succeeded her father as the Matriarch of the United States. And then she killed everyone who opposed her.

 

How did the girl Diana raised become such a brutal killer? And what happened after Diana defeated the Matriarch in the Temple of the Moirae? Let’s leap into Wonder Woman 2026 Annual: Wonder War—The Matriarch Special #1 and see!

 

Story

After Diana’s fist hurled her through a stone pillar, Lyssa awakens in a boat. Unlike Steve Trevor and Elizabeth, no Ferryman steers her course. And instead of gliding along the River Styx, her wooden vessel floats on the bloody currents of the Phlegethon.

 

While no one travels with her, Lyssa is far from alone in Wonder Woman 2026 Annual: Wonder War—The Matriarch Special #1. As the boat carries her toward Tartarus, shades of the heroes he killed rise to meet her. And as in life, Lyssa must decide how to confront them.

 

Stephanie Williams and Leah Williams intersperse Lyssa’s journey through the Underworld with key events from her past. These scenes chart Lyssa’s journey from her childhood on Themyscira to grasping for something that Hippolyta warned Diana she must avoid. But by the time she reaches adulthood, deviating from her Amazons’ code of conduct has become the rule of Lyssa’s life.

 

She may have lost her power ring. Still, Lyssa has someone who travels with her. It’s someone she has not listened to as much as she should have. Instead, this person has become a stranger to her. But after crashing through the barrier of death, this still small voice regains its strength. And unlike in life, Lyssa can no longer repress her conscience in Wonder Woman 2026 Annual: Wonder War—The Matriarch Special #1.

 

Art

When she awakens in the boat, no ring adorns her gloved hand. As she rises, Lyssa stands in the middle of the boat between two lamps to light her way. Like Diana in the Colosseum, Lyssa dodges projectiles. When her journey grows rough, Lyssa clings to the boat instead of a Kanga. As dark figures arise, red streams down their heads and backs. Yet when Lyssa meets this test of her strength and skills, no red trickles from her palm when she clenches her fist. Yet as Lyssa remembers how her path diverged from the Amazons, one person reaches out to help another when she falls.

 

As Eduardo Pansica, Júlio Ferreira, and Belén Ortega show Lyssa in black and white on a red river, Romulo Fajardo Jr. and Triona Farrell adorn the Matriarch’s past with a vibrant palette. Red mixes with violet and lavender when Lyssa and Elizabeth's paths diverged. The colors return later to convey how far apart they have grown. Blotchy red borders frame gray, brown, and green panels of love and loss. Yet, orange tinges more tragic memories of how Lyssa demonstrated her worth in Wonder Woman 2026 Annual: Wonder War—The Matriarch Special #1.

 

While Lyssa sees the Underworld as she viewed the Earth, her uppercase white thoughts appear in black narrative boxes. She cannot vanquish small, lowercase white letters in black boxes. Black uppercase dialogue in white balloons grows bold to convey inflection and shrinks when voices lower. While Clayton Cowles’ sound effects may be few, Lyssa’s dialogue grows progressively larger as the trials grow more difficult. Still, beige uppercase letters in blue boxes force Lyssa to remember the needless pain she has caused. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Every decision we make empowers us. Yet no matter how much they help us accomplish, our decisions also limit us. As Lyssa looks back on her life choices, she measures the narrative she has spun. But if she wishes to act "so that all that will be might not be again," Lyssa must cut the threads binding her to her former life in Wonder Woman 2026 Annual: Wonder War—The Matriarch Special #1.

 

Rating 9.4/10

To look inside see Wonder Woman 2026 Annual: Wonder War –The Matriarch Special#1 Preview.

For Steve Trevor and Elizabeth's return to Themyscira, see Wonder Woman #37 Review. 

For the second half of Steve's story about falling in love with Diana, see Wonder Woman #36 Review.

For the first part of Steve's tale, see Wonder Woman #35 Preview. 

For Diana's battle with Lyssa in the Temple of the Moirai, see my review of Wonder Woman #34.

For how Diana, Steve, and Elizabeth enter the Underworld, see my preview of Wonder Woman #33. 

For Tammy's interview with the Matriarch, see my review of Wonder Woman #32. 

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

 

Wonder Woman 2026 Annual: Wonder War –The Matriarch Special #1 Preview

 

Her mother, Emilie, battled Diana for the right to represent Themyscira. Her father, the Sovereign, quietly ruled the United States behind the façade of democratic institutions. Lyssa succeeded her father as the Matriarch of the United States. And then she killed everyone who opposed her.

 

How did the girl Diana raised become such a brutal killer? And what happened after Diana defeated the Matriarch in the Temple of the Moirae?

 

Here's all the info from DC Connect: 

 

 

Wonder Woman 2026 Annual: Wonder War –The Matriarch Special #1 Preview

Writers: Stephanie Williams & Leah Williams

Artists: Eduardo Pansica & Belén Ortega

Cover Artist: Daniel Sampere

Variant Cover Artists: Kyuyong Eom, Guillem March & Leirix

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 48 Pages

Price: $5.99 US/Variant $6.99 US (Card Stock)

Release Date: September 30, 2026

 

 

Matriarch’s Inferno!

 

 

After the shocking events of Wonder Woman #34, the Matriarch must crawl her way through Hell and back to the land of the living to stop Steve Trevor and Trinity from changing the past. The only thing that stands in her way is a river filled with the souls of heroes and villains alike that perished by her hand. Retribution is coming for the Matriarch. Will she survive it, or is she doomed to fate?

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

For Steve Trevor and Elizabeth's return to Themyscira, see Wonder Woman #37 Review. 

For the second half of Steve's story about falling in love with Diana, see Wonder Woman #36 Review.

For the first part of Steve's tale, see Wonder Woman #35 Preview. 

For Diana's battle with Lyssa in the Temple of the Moirai, see my review of Wonder Woman #34.

For how Diana, Steve, and Elizabeth enter the Underworld, see my preview of Wonder Woman #33. 

For Tammy's interview with the Matriarch, see my review of Wonder Woman #32. 

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

 

Wonder Woman #36 Review

 

Wonder Woman #36 Review

Writer: Stephanie Williams

Artist: Clayton Henry

Colorist: Pedro Estouco

Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Cover Artist: Jeff Spokes

Variant Cover Artists: David Nakayama; Aco; Carlo Pagulayan; Jason Paz; Elmer Santos

Editors: Marquis Draper & Brittany Holzherr

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99/$5.99 Card Stock

Release Date: August 19, 2026

 

When Diana died, her daughter locked herself away behind a wall of grief. So, as they traveled back through the Underworld with the Ferryman, Steve Trevor told Lizzie a story. It was a story Diana had told him when she was determined to investigate every aspect of the world beyond Themyscira. It concerned Hippolyta's decision to tell Diana about her time with the JSA. Both mother and daughter shared a desire to make the world a better place. Yet Hippolyta's experiences filled her with despair, while Diana would go on to find hope in the most hopeless situations.

 

But now, Diana lies dead. Like her mother, Elizabeth Marston Prince must choose her own destiny. What will Lizzie take away from Steve's retelling of her mother's journey? And how will the Fates react to Lizzie's life choices? Let’s leap into Wonder Woman #36 and see!

 

Story

Steve Trevor and Elizabeth are on a journey together. But in Diana's absence, what kind of trip they are taking together seems very much in doubt. This time, Steve is traveling back to the world above, and a final goodbye with Diana seems unlikely. And in her grief, Elizabeth forgets that she was once Wonder Robin, a girl who would do anything to find her father.

 

Amid the tension on the boat in Wonder Woman #36, Steve remembers being an unwanted visitor to Diana's island home. Despite his expertise as a soldier, Steve felt overwhelmed by the Amazons' battle prowess. Hippolyta had proclaimed a contest to return Steve to the outside world and serve as Themyscira's emissary there. Still, the Queen's life would be less complicated were an accident to befall him.

 

As he fondly recalls his earliest remembrances of Diana, Steve methodically paces his story. He wants to maintain his daughter's interest. Yet, he also wants to give Elizabeth sufficient time for the implications of his story to sink in. Emelie is there, but Diana's bout with her is a small part of the contest. After her time with the JSA, Hippolyta realizes an emissary needs more than swordcraft to succeed.

 

In Stephanie Williams’ story, Hippolyta becomes a tragic figure. With a throne awaiting her back home, she could never commit herself to the outside world. Yet as Diana competes with her contemporaries, Hippolyta watches, knowing that her daughter’s fondest desire is to leave her in Wonder Woman #36.

 

Art

Amid glimpses of the hooded Ferryman, the wooden boat carrying Steve and Elizabeth seems to float through space instead of across water. Clayton Henry shows the colosseum rise below it, the arena floor filled with Amazon training equipment. Hippolyta sits in the royal box, her thoughts clearly inward, while the women seated to either side look away. As the competitors line up for her inspection, one wears a mask.

 

Streaks of violet adorn the indigo sky of the Underworld, while the River Styx mirrors the glittering sky above. Steve Trevor wears green, while Elizabeth’s blue, gold, yellow, and red echo her mother’s costume. As Pedro Estouco crowns Wonder Woman #36 with warm tones and vibrant colors, golden statues line the upper walls of the colosseum. Steve's blond hair links him with the Kangas, while one animal's browband evokes the color and design of Diana's later tiara.

 

Clayton Cowles fills white dialogue balloons with black uppercase letters. Words shrink for lowered voices and grow bold for intonation after the trials have finished. Block letters emphasizing diagonals locate us in time and space. Steve’s blond uppercase narration occupies green boxes. Sound effects enhance trials that make Steve forget he is an unwanted intruder on a woman-only island. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Diana, Hippolyta, and Elizabeth are Amazon heroes. Despite their desire to help others, they all know their limitations. As Steve Trevor returns to the outside world with Elizabeth, he doesn't want to lose her to grief. So, just as the ancient Greeks told stories about gods and heroes, Steve tells his daughter a story to help her make sense of her new reality. Because, in a world without Diana, someone must arise to take her place in Wonder Woman #36.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To look inside see Wonder Woman #36 Preview. 

 

For the first part of Steve's tale, see Wonder Woman #35 Preview. 

For Diana's battle with Lyssa in the Temple of the Moirai, see my review of Wonder Woman #34.

For what happened before that, see my preview of Wonder Woman #33. 

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

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

 

Wonder Woman #36 Preview

 

When Diana died, her daughter locked herself away behind a wall of grief. So as they traveled back through the Underworld with the Ferryman, Steve Trevor told Lizzie a story. It was a story Diana had told him, when she was determined to investigate every aspect of the world beyond Themyscira. It concerned Hippolyta's decision to tell Diana about her time with the JSA. Both mother and daughter shared a desire to aid the world. Yet Hippolyta's experiences filled her with despair., while Diana would go on to find hope in the most hopeless situations.

But now, Diana lies dead. Like her mother, Elizabeth Marston Prince must choose her own destiny. What will Lizzie take away from Steve's retelling of her mother's journey? And how will the Fates react to Lizzie's life choices?

Here's all the info from DC Connect: 

Wonder Woman #36 Preview

Writer: Stephanie Williams

Artist: Clayton Henry

Cover Artist: Jeff Spokes

Variant Cover Artists: David Nakayama, Carlo Pagulayan & Aco

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 32 Pages

Price: $4.99 US/Variant $5.99 US (Card Stock)

Release Date: August 19, 2026

 

 

Champion of the Amazons!

 

 

The tale of Diana’s origin continues as she enters the Contest, where only one Amazon emerges victorious and is granted passage to Man’s World as Wonder Woman. The fate of Themyscira hangs in the balance as their princess finds herself at a crossroads, much like her own daughter, as she prepares to take down the Matriarch once and for all.

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

For what happened last time see Wonder Woman #35 Preview. 

For Diana's battle with Lyssa in the Temple of the Moirai, see my review of Wonder Woman #34.

For what happened before that, see my preview of Wonder Woman #33. 

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

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

 

Wonder Woman #35 Preview

 

Diana defied Zeus and the order of the Underworld to reach the Palace of the Moirai. Then, as Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos watched, she confronted the Matriarch. Steve Trevor and Elizabeth wanted to help. But Diana had begun this journey alone. She would end it that way. It was a battle between a God Killer sword and a Green Lantern ring. But it was also a battle between someone who never sought power, and someone who fought each day to retain it. 

Now, the battle is over. The Fates offered Diana victory. But like so often in the past, Diana said, "No, thank you." How will the world recover from the Matriarch's domination? And what has Diana's sacrifice secured?

Here's all the info from DC Comics:

 

Wonder Woman #35

Writer: Stephanie Williams

Artist: Clayton Henry

Cover Artist: Jeff Spokes

Variant Cover Artists: David Nakayama, Miguel Mercado & Niko Henrichon

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 32 Pages

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

Release Date: July 15, 2026 

 

 

The Fates Defied!

 

 

After a tragic sacrifice to the Fates, Steve Trevor and Trinity race through time to reach the Matriarch before she starts her bloody campaign. Although the journey is a long and arduous one, there’s always time for a story. Witness the origin of Wonder Woman as you’ve never seen it before, told through the eyes of the man who loved her! Could Diana’s past hold the key to saving the future?

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

For Diana's battle with Lyssa in the Temple of the Moirai, see my review of Wonder Woman #34.

For what happened before that, 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. 

 

New History of the DC Universe: The Dakota Incident #1 Preview

 

In last year's New History of the DC Universe series, Barry Allen proved an entrancing storyteller. As he regaled readers with the rise and fall of heroes, villains, gods, and demons across the ages, Barry also charted the ups and downs of his career as the Flash. But the DC Universe is vast, and its story could never be fully explored in four issues. What history will this new series uncover? And what secrets will it reveal? 

Here's all the info from DC Connect:

New History of the DC Universe: The Dakota Incident #1 Preview

Writers: Joseph P Illidge, Stephanie Williams, Morgan Hampton & Nikolas Draper-Ivey

Artists: Carlo Pagulayan, Valentine De Landro & Edwin Galmon

Cover Artists: Diego Olortegui; Denys Cowan & Dan Jurgens; Yasmine Putri; Carlo Pagulayan

Foil Variant Cover Artist: Joshua “Sway” Swaby

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length:  Pages

Price: $5.99/$6.99 Card Stock

Release Date: February 25, 2026

 

A Can’t-Miss New History of the DC Universe spin-off to celebrate Black History Month!

 

Spinning out of the pages of New History of the DC Universe, uncover an untold moment in DC history, where a murder leads to an all-out war between the heroes of Dakota City and the U.S. government! As their home becomes a battlefield, what must Static, Rocket, and the others sacrifice to keep their loved ones safe? But as heroes fall in the past, the stage is set for their return in the present…

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

Wonder Woman #30 Review

 

Writer: Stephanie Williams

Artist & Colorist: Jeff Spokes

Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Cover Artists: Jeff Spokes, David Nakayama & Christian Ward

Valentine’s Day Variant Cover Artist: Chrissie Zullo-Uminga

Black History Month Variant Cover Artist: Taurin Clarke

Editors: Marquis Draper & Brittany Holzherr

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99/$5.99 Card Stock

Release Date: February 18, 2026

 

Diana has defended her Amazon sisters in the United States and across the globe. Every step along the way, her fellow Amazons offered to help. As the Themysciran who paved the way for Amazons to embrace their world, Diana felt responsible for turning things around. Yet Steve Trevor's death weighs on her soul.

 

Helping the inhabitants of Moray Island once again led Diana into conflict with the world community. Feeling overwhelmed, Diana hoped a respite in Themyscira’s Meditation Groves might help her see the forest for the trees. Instead, her fellow Amazons fight with each other. Worse, Diana's daughter, Elizabeth, seems a catalyst for the chaos spreading through Themyscira. Can her Amazon sisters root out the source of evil afflicting their sacred isle? Or will this evil spread to infect the world that Diana has devoted her life to safeguarding? Let’s grab our lassos, leap into Wonder Woman #30, and see!

 

Story

In Diana’s absence, her sisters fight to demonstrate their worth. Each Amazon senses that she is not good enough to protect Elizabeth from the dangers that will threaten her. Even Nubia, charged with caring for all the Amazons, worries that no one else can care for Diana's daughter. Perhaps Philippus senses best that someone is inflaming her sisters' fears. But she knows there is a difference between suspecting a problem and uprooting it.

 

While showing how the Amazons interact with each other, Stephanie Williams also reveals their thoughts. While worry, doubt, and insecurity plague them all, three of the women started this fight to ease Elizabeth's distress. When the world turned against the Amazons and made Wonder Woman their target, Yara, Donna, and Cassie sought to fight beside her. Diana didn’t want their help. Worse, she “created” Elizabeth, who will eventually replace them. So, in Wonder Woman #30, as the women who have carried the title of Wonder Girl fight, each seeks to demonstrate her superiority.

 

Stephanie Williams' story is a sequel to the 2023 "Amazons Attack" series. It forms a crucial bridge between America's war with the Amazons and the upcoming "Wonder War" storyline. Yet it is also a reminder of where doubt springs from, and how the double-edged sword cuts through our lives.

 

 

Art

While the Amazons stand together, most adopt a fighting stance. A few emulate a Klingon disowning a family member. As Eris lurks between cracked and broken columns, the roots surrounding her evoke a serpent in the garden. While Jeff Spokes occasionally works across pages, most pages follow a descent of panels with insets, or diagonal slashes from the Amazons’ weapons. Diana’s sisters leap toward and away from each other, their weapons clashing amid the damaged and broken fluted marble columns in Wonder Woman #30.

 

Adorned with robes, costumes, and gold and silver armor, the women battle amid serene surroundings. The white coliseum links with Bia’s dress, hinting at the purity of her protection, as the Amazon clutches Elizabeth to her chest. Yellow and orange light fills the sky, often crackling with white energy. While purple-skinned Eris seems a world apart, her gold necklace links her with the battling Amazons. When the god of discord savors a golden apple, storm clouds fill the air, casting the women into shadow. The Amazons' black, white, blue, and yellow-orange portraits evoke a film negative in Wonder Woman #30.

 

Clayton Cowles fills white dialogue balloons with black uppercase letters that grow bold for intonation. Block letters emphasizing diagonals locate us in time and space. When Eris speaks to the women, her yellow words warp in black balloons. The Amazon’s yellow thoughts likewise roll on gentle waves in Old School black clouds. As the sounds of battle highlight the power of doubt to sow rivalry and hate, Elizabeth's large, purple cries point to the snake in the garden. Until their color changes, peace cannot return to Themyscira. Thanks to DC Comics for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Navigating our way through doubts and using them to fuel our journey through life requires thought and determination. As Wonder Woman #30 takes us inside the minds of the Amazon community, we learn what troubles them and how their leaders face their fears.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Wonder Woman #30. 

Wonder Woman #30 Preview

 

 

Little Elizabeth has endured much in her short life. Yet she nestled against her mother as Diana braved gangs of enforcers, waded through rat-infested waterways, and battled a corrupt ruler. Now, her mother is gone. Who will care for her in Diana's absence? And why does Elizabeth suddenly seem so unhappy?

Here's all the info from DC Connect: 

Wonder Woman #30 Preview

Writer: Stephanie Williams

Artist: Jeff Spokes

Cover Artists: David Nakayama, Dustin Nguyen & Christian Ward

Valentine’s Day Variant Cover Artist: Chrissie Zullo

Black History Month Variant Cover Artist: Taurin Clarke

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99/$5.99 Card Stock

Issue Length: 32 Pages

Release Date: February 18, 2026

 

Trouble in Paradise!

 

With Wonder Woman on the mend, the Amazons have taken charge of her child and future heir to the throne of Themyscira. But when conflict breaks out over Trinity’s future, Queen Nubia struggles to keep the peace. Who or what could be sowing these seeds of discord? Find out in the thrilling finale of this two-part tale!

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.