Warning: contains major spoilers for Wonder Woman 80th Anniversary 100-page Super Spectacular #1!
The armor Wonder Woman wears in Kingdom Come is one of her most iconic and coolest outfits and in Wonder Woman 80th Anniversary 100-page Super Spectacular #1 the Goddess of Truth brings it back to handle an Amazon tradition in her own way. What she does with it isn’t what her mother or sisters would expect, but it’s definitely what’s right.
Every year the Amazons face warriors from the planet Saturn. In a new story celebrating Wonder Woman’s 80th anniversary, Diana meets up with her mother and Amazon sisters to discuss this annual event, known as the Saturnian Invasion. Hippolyta and Artemis have both faced it. To their knowledge, Diana hasn’t and it is her turn to do so. “Saturn Rising” – the story that provides history and context for the invasion – has the creative team of Steve Orlando, Laura Braga, Romulo Fajardo Jr., and Becca Carey. Diana surprises everyone when she reveals that Hippolyta has the dates wrong and she has already confronted the threat – and she did it in style – though not in the way anyone expected her to. And it turns out the Saturnians aren’t as bad as Hippolyta and Artemis have been led to believe.
There were two main Saturnians that Wonder Woman had faced in the past: Saturnette and Mephisto Saturno. Both make appearances within “Saturn Rising,” which gives the planet a new future in DC Comics canon. Although her previous encounters were eventually erased by Crisis on Infinite Earths, now they’re written anew. During the Saturnian Invasion, Artemis faced Mephisto Saturno and Hippolyta faced Saturnette, when they each wore the Wonder Woman mantle. Now, Diana reveals the truth about Saturnette and her home – they were forced to fight the Amazons or else face the wrath of their Emperor.
By figuring out the truth using her lasso, Diana is able to flip the event on its head. Instead of fighting off an invasion by the people of Saturn, Wonder Woman dons her Kingdom Come armor and joins forces with Saturnette. The two fight side by side, leading a rebellion against the Emperor of Saturn that forces him to give up his seat of power. Not only has Diana freed the Amazon’s former foes from their evil overlord, she has forged a new alliance – making Saturnette an official ambassador for her planet. This Saturnian warrior was given the choice of becoming an Amazon by Hippolyta during their past battle. The Amazon Queen believed her refusal of the offer to be a slight. Diana reveals it was purely allegiance to Saturnette’s own home and family.
This story excels at doing a few things. It rewrites DC history, adding additional lore to the multiverse and bringing older elements back into canon. It also solidifies Diana’s place as the best Wonder Woman. She is capable of seeing past the traditions of the past when they are no longer deemed necessary. Additionally, it brings back Wonder Woman’s iconic Kingdom Come armor, complete with the star-spangled scarf, in a brand new mission. Kingdom Come was a battle for the future of Earth as a result of too many superheroes running amok. “Saturn Rising” is a battle for the future of Saturn as a superhero steps up to do the right thing.
This story also briefly explores the dynamics between the most elite warriors of the Amazons – Hippolyta, Diana, Artemis, and Nubia – all of whom are Wonder Women that will soon be sharing the spotlight in DC’s upcoming Trial of the Amazons.
