Superman has Lex Luthor, and Batman has the Joker. Now, it’s finally time for Wonder Woman to have her own arch-nemesis. As DC enters its latest era, known as the Dawn of DC, Wonder Woman is also embarking on a new phase as her ongoing series gets a fresh start with issue #1 scheduled for release in September.
In anticipation of Daniel Sampere and Tom King’s Wonder Woman #1, which is set to debut on September 19, Popverse has received intriguing details about this upcoming storyline from the creative duo.
In this upcoming narrative, Wonder Woman will confront a completely new adversary, tentatively referred to as “Sovereign” by Popverse. Although neither DC nor Tom King has officially confirmed this name, it does provide significant room for speculation based on King’s previous statements. In an earlier announcement, this enigmatic villain (regardless of his eventual name) has been hinted at as the most formidable obstacle Wonder Woman has ever encountered in her superhero career.
A New Antagonist Awaits Wonder Woman This Autumn
In a prior press release promoting the new Wonder Woman #1, Tom King unveiled that the series will introduce a fresh villain who will be “on par with Lex Luthor or The Joker.” King went on to emphasize that this mysterious antagonist is acutely aware that the Amazonian warrior cannot be easily defeated by a mere monster or foreign object. “He has a plan to strike at the heart of our hero. How Wonder Woman responds, how she withstands this formidable challenge and continues to fight, forms the core of this narrative.” The press release refrains from disclosing the villain’s identity, hence the use of the name “Sovereign” remains unverified. Furthermore, the press release provides no additional insights into this antagonist, except for establishing his introduction in the upcoming series.
This Novel Antagonist Could Positively Impact Wonder Woman in Much-Needed Ways
One particularly intriguing aspect of this fresh adversary lies in the fact that he appears to pose a psychological menace rather than a physical one. The majority of Wonder Woman’s adversaries tend to fall into the latter category. Given that very few can measure up to the formidable might of the Amazon princess, they have often failed to leave a lasting impact. An arch-nemesis capable of challenging the daughter of Hippolyta on an intellectual level holds the potential to inspire captivating narratives and contribute to the redefinition of Wonder Woman as a heroic figure.
Batman and Superman each possess a set of iconic arch-enemies that have come to define the medium of comics. This is an accolade that Wonder Woman’s rogues’ gallery has yet to claim. None of her adversaries enjoy the same level of name recognition as Lex Luthor or The Joker. This upcoming villain could be a transformative force in Wonder Woman’s life, in multifaceted ways. What lends intrigue to characters like the Joker and Lex Luthor is their ability to engage their respective heroes on emotional and intellectual battlegrounds. Recently, Insomnia’s Knight Terrors event even probed the morality underlying Wonder Woman’s innate killer instinct. Providing Wonder Woman with an adversary capable of challenging the very core of her character represents precisely the rejuvenation she requires.