Slowly but surely, the new Absolute Universe has been adapting more characters from the DC Universe. The latest issue of Absolute Wonder Woman has continued this trend, introducing a new incarnation of the Suicide Squad. However, this new team’s membership includes some surprising DC villains.
Written by Kelly Thompson, with art by Hayden Sherman, Absolute Wonder Woman #16 centers around a new museum exhibit devoted to the lost Amazon culture. It is a big event for Diana, and her archeologist friend, Barbara Minerva. Unfortunately, Area 41 commander Veronica Cale is determined to spoil the big day.
Using a strange magical parasite, Cale intends to send out a team of inmates from her prison for extranormal individuals. The parasite cannot control them, but will kill them without treatment. This is reminiscent of the classic “brain bombs” used by Amanda Waller to control the DC Universe Suicide Squad. However, Cale has a more callous attitude toward civilian casualties, caring only about making Wonder Woman look dangerous to the public.
Who is in the Absolute Suicide Squad?
The party is crashed near the end of Absolute Wonder Woman #16, with the Suicide Squad led by the Absolute Universe version of Zatanna. The rest of the team’s membership is largely made up of Wonder Woman villains. These include Doctor Poison (who was introduced earlier in the series) and Giganta. There is also a turtle woman and a creature who resembles a shedding variant of Cheetah.
It is these last two characters that hold the most interest. The turtle woman seems to be referenced earlier in the issue, as Diana and Barbara examine an exhibit depicting aquatic men. Barbara says they think it shows the Kappa – the turtle men of Japanese myth – and their queen. How she came to be imprisoned in Area 41 and enslaved to the Absolute Suicide Squad has yet to be explained.
As for the Cheetah, it is her presence independent of Barbara Minerva that is most interesting. In most modern interpretations of Wonder Woman, Barbara Minerva is transformed into the Cheetah by a magic curse. It remains to be seen if the same fate will befall Wonder Woman’s friend in the Absolute Universe.
Absolute Wonder Woman #16 is now available at comic shops everywhere.
