Raised in Hell, Built for Compassion: Absolute Wonder Woman

This week, we dive headfirst into Absolute Wonder Woman — a reimagining of Diana raised in hell by Circe — and we can’t stop talking about how good this book is. We break down why this version finally captures the heart of Wonder Woman, why compassion is her real superpower, and why this heavy-metal redesign absolutely works. Along the way, we detour through Conan, grindhouse cinema, crocodile cult horror, and Peter’s descent into AI-powered app building. It’s a wild one — but mostly, we’re here to say: go read this comic.Show NotesOpening Catch-Up🌦 Weather & Fire SeasonIdaho dryness vs East Coast snow extremesBrush fire near town, melted vinyl fences “like a Salvador Dalí painting”The looming dread of wildfire seasonWhat We’ve Been Checking Out🎵 Peter’s Music PicksNew album The New Flesh from Sylosis — melodic death metal with thrashy energyRevisiting Wrath and Ruin from WarbringerWhy thrash metal continues to be politically and socially consciousVocalists that require an “acquired taste”📚 Dungeon Crawler CarlPeter finally reads Dungeon Crawler CarlWhy it’s perfect “palate cleanser” reading after heavier sci-fiAudiobook praise — standout voice actingThe joy of litRPG that “goes down smooth”🤖 Peter’s AI Dashboard & App Rabbit HoleFrustration with task management tools fot creative projectsBuilding a custom creative dashboard using Claude Code, GitHub, Vercel, SupabaseCreating a personal album art app (“Cover Hunter”) to replace Windows-only toolsEden’s extremely justified skepticism about giving LLMs terminal accessWhy all AI logos look like buttholes🎬 Movie Nights & Schlock Adventures🎥 Grindhouse PlansSeeing The Thing at late-night cinemaUpcoming screening of Red Sonja🗡 Conan Double FeatureHosting Conan the Barbarian and Conan the DestroyerDivisive reactions from friends and spousesThe eternal question: Is Conan high art or just schlock perfection?🐊 The Most Unhinged Double Feature EverThe Devil’s SwordThe Boxer’s OmenCrocodile goddesses, tantric monks, cursed boxersPossibly the grossest wizard ritual ever filmed“I’m not recommending it… but what a show.”🦸 Main Event: Absolute Wonder WomanContext: The Absolute UniverseDarkseid infects a parallel DC universeCore heroes reimagined from the ground upWorking-class BatmanKrypton-raised SupermanA more mythic, more brutal, but emotionally sharper universeThis Diana Is DifferentRaised in Hell by CirceNot shaped by Themyscira — shaped by survival and magicStill fundamentally compassionateThree lassosHeavy metal redesignAquiline nose stays consistent (important!)The robot arm forged by HephaestusBig Buster Sword energyWhat Makes This Version Work❤️ Compassion as Core“Do not harm who you can disarm.”Diana constantly tries mercy firstLabyrinth arc: befriending the MinotaurOffering enemies a chance before destroying them🔁 Flashback StructureFlashbacks to her upbringing used elegantlyNot cheap exposition — emotionally earned contextCirce’s influence woven into present-day decisions💀 The Tetracide & The LabyrinthMuting an entire city to stop mass hysteriaSacrificing her arm to save Steve TrevorPunching holes through reality to send enemies homeGaia acknowledging the world is already brokenArt & DesignHayden Sherman’s definitive redesignArmor that feels functional, not fetishizedSize and presence emphasized — she’s physically imposingStrong character consistency across rotating artistsPainterly and sketch-heavy guest styles that still fit toneWhy This MattersThis is why Wonder Woman belongs in the TrinityA corrective to bad portrayals (looking at you, Injustice)A great entry point for new comic readersAbsolute line is bringing new readers into shops