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DC debuts a new Joker-level villain in September's Wonder Woman #1

Diana's got a brand new bad: DC is creating the arch-nemesis Wonder Woman deserves

Wonder Woman #1 cover
Image credit: Mikel Janin (DC)

Batman has the Joker, Superman has Lex Luthor, and Wonder Woman has... who?

Wonder Woman #1
Image credit: Daniel Sampere (DC)

No offense to Ares, Cheetah or the other members of the Wonder Woman rogue's gallery, but Diana has arguably never had a villain truly in her league - at least to the level of her compatriots in the DC trinity.

Former Batman and Superman writer Tom King has noticed this as well, and is going to do something about it in his new run on the book with Daniel Sampere starting in September 2023.

"Wonder Woman is extremely powerful. She’s the greatest warrior in a world of warriors. She’s myth in flesh. This is not someone you can defeat with a big monster or a shiny rock," says Tom King. "The new villain we’re introducing in Wonder Woman #1 — a villain on par with Lex Luthor or The Joker — is well aware of this reality. He has a plan to strike at the heart of our hero. How Wonder Woman responds, how she takes this incredible blow and keeps fighting is the story of this book."

Who is the villain? DC and Tom King aren't talking, but Popverse has heard - albeit without confirmation - that the villain's name is Sovereign. That name has been used by two alt-universe versions of Superman, and was also the name an alt-future version of Hippoylyta, Wonder Woman's mother, used as a villain.

To help pre-orders for the book, DC has shared advance copies of the first two issues of Wonder Woman with comic book stores.

For more, watch Tom King's interview on Wonder Woman from Enter the Popverse.

Wonder Woman #1 goes on sale September 19.


Wonder Woman is to become the center of the DC Universe, according to series writer Tom King.

Chris Arrant

Chris Arrant: Chris Arrant is the Popverse's Editor-in-Chief. He has written about pop culture for USA Today, Life, Entertainment Weekly, Publisher's Weekly, Marvel, Newsarama, CBR, and more. He has acted as a judge for the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, the Harvey Awards, and the Stan Lee Awards. (He/him)

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