“The Multiverse will never be the same.” DC Entertainment gave its readers this promise after the lauded release of the DARK NIGHTS: METAL event. Though primarily a Batman story, all of DC’s main heroes played a part. However, Wonder Woman’s role became expressly important for the plot. One of the few heroes left on a dying Earth, she stood alone as a symbol of hope in the DC Universe. Now, in this exclusive preview of WONDER WOMAN #46, the consequences of that battle come full circle. With the Source Wall shattered, Diana must face all the danger that comes with this sudden change. However, all of Wonder Woman’s primary foes have also come out of the woodwork to test the hero’s resolve in this exclusive preview.

The issue opens with a brief flashback to one of Wonder Woman’s greatest Rebirth battles. Her former friend, Barbara Minerva (AKA Cheetah), attacks Diana. Over this brawl, Diana gives a brief monologue, foreshadowing a greater battle to come with this iconic villain. The scene then shifts to Empire Industries, home of Veronica Cale and Doctor Cyber. Based on what they discuss, we learn that Cheetah has escaped her holding cell. After nearly dying at Cheetah’s hands, Cale decides to use all of Empire’s resources to find and capture the villain. Meanwhile, in Dr. Poison’s lab, we see that Cheetah hasn’t gone far. In the midst of Poison’s experiments and seeming torture, Cheetah has fallen into a deep coma and lies on the verge of death.

How does Cheetah tie into the mysteries surrounding DARK NIGHTS: METAL? This question doesn’t get answered in the preview of WONDER WOMAN #46. However, the groundwork is definitely there for the upcoming story arc. The tag-line on the cover reads: “The Dark Gods,” signaling the intrinsic connection to the recent event. We still know very little about how these two stories connect, but the pieces are all there. Diana’s former conflicts with Earth’s many deities have always led to some of the best action in comic books. Adding a new batch of science-fiction elements in the wake of METAL can only intensify her narratives. I do find it strange that the title heroine has (so far) made no appearance in this story outside of the first page, but I have a lot of hope in the creative team of James Robinson and Stephen Segovia.

WONDER WOMAN #46 hits shelves May 9th. Until then, check out ComicsVerse’s exclusive preview below!

WONDER WOMAN #46 Preview Gallery