DC gives Wonder Woman her own version of the biggest X-Men storyline ever

James Gunn swore that DC Studios is hard at work on a new Wonder Woman moviewritten by Ana Nogueira (writer of DC’s “Supergirl” next year). While waiting to have more news, in particular on who could be the next actress to play Wonder Womanthe Princess of the Amazons does tons of it in the pages of DC Comics.

The current “Wonder Woman” series, written by Tom King and drawn primarily by Daniel Sampere, revealed a dark future in issue 25. Twenty years from now, a rogue Amazon named Emelie will have brought America to its knees; she rules the ancient United States as its matriarch and executed the nation’s superheroes. Emelie took control during an event called “The Wonder War” and, according to DC previews for 2026that’s exactly what King & Sampere’s upcoming “Wonder Woman” arc is about.

The synopsis for “Wonder Woman” issue #31, arriving March 18, reads: “The matriarch begins her crusade to rule the DC Universe. As heroes and villains fall to her insurmountable power, Wonder Woman and her daughter Trinity must come together to save all that they hold dear. Time is up for the princesses of Themyscira, and the Queen of America will not rest until they die. will bend to his will.”

Superheroes trying to prevent a dark future where villains rule is a fairly common story arc; the NBC series “Heroes” even used such a story for its first season. The defining story in this vein is the 1981 “X-Men” arc “Days of Future Past” by Chris Claremont and John Byrne. King & Sampere’s “Wonder Woman” began with a story of Amazons banned from American soil under an “Amazon Safety Act” after Emelie killed men who sexually harassed her. This kind of allegory of discrimination against superheroes is very “X-Men.”

For such a large story arc, “Days of Future Past” is surprisingly brief: it takes place over just two issues, “X-Men” #141-142. In a dystopian future, mutant-hunting robots, the Sentinels, rule the United States, guarding mutant citizens in concentration camps with collars that inhibit their powers. The surviving X-Men send Kitty Pryde back in time, possessing the body of her younger self, to stop the Sentinel-dominated future before it happens by preventing the assassination of Senator Robert Kelly. (It’s probably It sounds like “The Terminator,” but “Days of Future Past” did it first.)

“Days of Future Past” remains one of the most influential “X-Men” stories. The 1992 cartoon “X-Men” and the short-lived “Wolverine and the X-Men” built their first seasons around the story. In 2014, it was adapted loosely (albeit loosely) as the seventh “X-Men” film. Even later, “X-Men” comics often exist in the shadow of “Days of Future Past,” including the 1995 storyline “The Age of Apocalypse,” where the eponymous, all-powerful mutant rules over a dystopia.

Since “Wonder War” seems to focus on a single super-villain dictator, “Age of Apocalypse” might be the best point of comparison. “Wonder Woman” #25 depicted several heroes, from Batman to Martian Manhunter, hanged by the Matriarch’s regime; which evokes memories of the famous cover of “X-Men” #141, showing wanted posters labeling the X-Men as “Killed” or “Apprehended.” And as for positioning this super-villain dictator, King spoke about his ambitions for the matriarch. at New York Comic-Con 2025: “We were trying to create a Lex Luthor or a Joker for Wonder Woman.”

“The Wonder War” isn’t the only Wonder Woman storyline coming in 2026. There’s also the excellent “Absolute Wonder Woman,” written by Kelly Thompson and drawn primarily by Hayden Sherman. The “Absolute” universe is a fresh start for DC’s greatest heroes and turns many of them around. This version of Diana is a witch, raised in the underworld by Circe apart from her Amazonian sisters. But while She looks like she came out of Wonder Woman’s ‘Berserk’, ‘Absolute’ maintains Diana’s classic optimism and compassion.

“Absolute Wonder Woman” #15, the final issue of 2025, is a crossover with “Absolute Batman,” marking the first time two “Absolute” heroes meet face to face. (Diana returns the favor by appearing in “Absolute Batman” #16 in January.) After that, the third major arc of “Absolute Wonder Woman” kicks off with her facing another witch: Zatanna, the retrograde wizard, sent to destroy Diana by U.S. National Security Advisor Veronica Cale (part of this world’s evil Justice League). Coverage for “Absolute Wonder Woman” #17 also indicates that Diana will face a classic villain: the size-changing Giganta.

Whether it’s corrupt politicians, giantesses, witches, or dystopian futures, Wonder Woman will surely meet the challenge with courage.