Absolute Wonder Woman # 16 introduced a new version of the Suicide Squad with completely different members and an unexpected leader. The latest story of the Absolute Universe changed everything in the DC Comics' Universe after it revealed a brand-new take on Task Force X with a female twist. G.A.T.E.S. director Veronica Cale, who serves as Amanda Waller's replacement in this universe, assembled and eventually deployed a new Suicide Squad tasked to eliminate Wonder Woman once and for all.
The new version of the Suicide Squad in Absolute Wonder Woman #16 has Zatanna as its surprising leader, alongside strong members such as Giganta, Doctor Poison, Cheetah, and the mysterious Queen of Kappa (a presumed underwater kingdom).
The Absolute Suicide Squad was formed as part of Veronica Cale's efforts to kill Wonder Woman and prevent her from disrupting the operation of G.A.T.E.S. Unlike previous versions of the Suicide Squad, the members of this new squad have parasites injected into their bodies rather than bombs.
Zatanna is a formidable leader of the Absolute Suicide Squad, as the latest issue proved, because she can stand toe to toe with Diana. She used her magic to rob Diana of her powers, mainly due to a prior binding spell that she used against her in Absolute Wonder Woman # 14 (while she was in astral form).
What makes this version of Task Force X quite unique is the fact that their leader, Zatanna, is a former Justice League member. In this world, she is considered a witch who counters Diana's Amazonian and magical nature.
Why Zatanna & Her Suicide Squad Is Terrifying for Absolute Wonder Woman
Zatanna, as the leader of a twisted version of the Suicide Squad, is definitely not on anyone's bingo card in 2026, but this proves the endless storytelling possibilities of DC's Absolute Universe.
While Zatanna has yet to appear in James Gunn's DCU, this latest issue of Absolute Wonder Woman offers a preview of how powerful and dangerous the magical user would be if she ever turned evil.
What makes Zatanna even more terrifying is that she has a whole team of rogues under her command, making it even harder to defeat her.
As an exponentially more powerful threat, Zatanna's direct control over Diana's powers is only the tip of the iceberg because she also exhibits reality-warping abilities that have limitless potential, especially now that she has turned to the dark side.
All in all, it's worth noting that this version of the Suicide Squad, with Zatanna as its leader, has what it takes to come out on top on any given battle, which spells trouble for Absolute Wonder Woman.
