Synopsis: A Harbinger is but a messenger. It is The Tetracide that you must fear, for The Tetracide leaves nothing behind. Diana’s true enemy has been revealed—and it will take everything she has to save Gateway City from oblivion!
The Story
Wonder Woman urges the authorities of Gateway City to evacuate immediately, warning them that the Tetracide is no laughing matter. Through flashbacks, we learn that Diana sacrificed her own arm to power a magic spell that allowed Steve Trevor to escape from Hell. In the present, Wonder Woman faces the Tetracide in an intense first battle, losing the magical artificial arm she and Circe crafted to replace the one she gave up for Steve.
The Artwork
Hayden Sherman continues to deliver solid artwork throughout this book. I particularly enjoyed the panels depicting Wonder Woman’s battle with the Tetracide. Equally strong were the scenes showing Diana sacrificing her arm to conjure the spell that will bring Steve Trevor home. One of the standout images late in the book features Wonder Woman gazing across the beach at the massive, monstrous Tetracide.
Overall
Kelly Thompson continues her Wonder Woman story with a fantastical tale that showcases Diana’s capacity for love. I really enjoyed the rousing speech at the start of the comic, where Wonder Woman describes the Tetracide’s five stages of death and the many ways it will kill you.
The sequence where Wonder Woman sacrifices her arm to help Steve escape from Hell was a standout. It’s a powerful reminder that all magic comes with a cost, something that’s often overlooked in other books and comics where magic seems to appear without consequence. This grounded approach to magic really works.
Overall, this book remains my favorite from the Absolute range, and I’m excited to see where the story goes next.
- Covers9.5
- Story9.8
- Artwork9.8
- Lettering9.4
- Colours9.8
