The following contains spoilers for Lazarus Planet: Revenge of the Gods #1, now on sale from DC Comics.
Wonder Woman and the Amazons have always been some of DC's toughest warriors, a secret nation trained in the art of war from an early age. They've always been blessed with secrecy, even after Wonder Woman's presence in man's world confirmed their existence to others. But now, that perk has been lost to them, even as their most famous champion gets a serious boost.
Lazarus Planet: Revenge of the Gods #1 (by G. Willow Wilson, Cian Tormey, Jordie Bellaire, and Pat Brosseau) is a big game-changer on multiple fronts for Wonder Woman and the Amazons. While Wonder Woman gets a massive power boost (and a new costume), it could radically alter her role in the coming conflict between humanity and the gods. At the same time, the Amazons have been depowered in a surprising way, leaving them uniquely vulnerable in a time of unpredictable turns.
Wonder Woman Undergoes a Serious Change In Lazarus Planet
Lazarus Planet: Revenge of the Gods #1 sets off the next stage of the conflict in the DC Universe, with numerous people across the world suffering, courtesy of the ancient gods who have regained their power and are lashing out at humanity. This includes Hera and her new ally the Wizard Shazam. Seeking potential peace, Wonder Woman approaches Hera and discovers that without worship, the old gods are dying out -- and that if they do so, so shall the Amazons. Hera offers to spare the Amazons this fate by accepting Wonder Woman into their fold. Using her newfound power, Hera imbues Diana with a sudden burst of magical power that transforms her into a new god form, complete with a different costume to match.
This is quietly a massive transformation for Diana, recalling previous storylines from the Post-Crisis DC Universe where Wonder Woman is given the chance at divinity. It also potentially opens up the chance that Wonder Woman will be forced to confront a united humanity that either willingly or unwittingly has been dooming supernatural deities with their lack of faith. It's a test that's already challenging Diana in ways she's never expected, as she already considers her decision to take any help from Hera to be a mistake. But Diana's decision seemingly also has a big impact on the Amazons, and not in the way she wanted.
The Amazons' Fate in Lazarus Planet: Revenge of the Gods
The issue's back-story "The Stranger" (by Beck Cloonan, Michael W. Conrad, Alitha Martinez, Mark Morales, John Livesay, Alex Guimaraes, and Becca Carey) shifts focus away from Olympus and to Themyscira itself, where it is revealed that the spells protecting the island from the rest of Man's World have been lifted. Initially, it's only two live-streamers who discover the island (and are quickly dispatched) by a mysterious warrior before the footage can be released. But as the man notes, it's only a matter of time before the world leaders, aware of Themyscira's potential, will likely try to "annex" the island. Further complicating matters is the discovery that the Amazons have officially lost the protection of the gods as well as their immortality.
The Amazons have had ages to train and prepare themselves for battle, meaning that they enter almost any conflict with the advantage of experience and training. But the durability and confidence afforded by their immortality was also a useful tool. Now, with the conflict between the gods and the humans looking to expand and escalate, the Amazons find themselves more vulnerable than they've been in some time. They could even be used as a bargaining chip to control Wonder Woman's decisions going forward, keeping their fates at the front of Diana's mind. Both developments place an unexpected amount of pressure on a group of characters who can usually brush off even the greatest of dangers. The Amazons have always been capable, and Wonder Woman has remained one of DC's most prominent heroes across numerous reboots. But with their magical protections lifted, they may find themselves tested in ways they've largely been able to ignore.