Superman/Wonder Woman Unites Action With Romance

[Fanghawk]

Superman/Wonder Woman Unites Action With Romance

DC's latest New 52 book is about a relationship between two popular, well-established superheroes.

Just about every film version of Superman, <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/the-big-picture/7449-Superman-Revisited>from Donner's original to <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/escape-to-the-movies/7521-Man-of-Steel>Man of Steel, addressed the relationship (or non-relationship) of Clark Kent and Lois Lane. In the comics however, Superman never had a shortage of prospective dating partners, including fellow superhero and occasional goddess, Wonder Woman. In fact, DC's New 52 line took the partnership further by depicting a romantic subplot in the pages of Superman and Justice League. But instead of bringing the relationship to a close after a few story arcs, DC will place it front and center for a new ongoing series. Superman/Wonder Woman, written by Charles Soule with art by Tony Daniel, will launch this October, and features epic action sequences alongside at least one sensual cover.

"I think in the entire DCU, maybe you've got a hundred people who actually can fly, and Superman and Wonder Woman happen to be two of them," Soule told Newsarama. "So there are things that only the two of them can talk about. So it's great to be able to write those conversations and have them do the things that only the two of them can do, while also learning all the things that are different about each other."

Soule is quick to add that Superman/Wonder Woman won't skip over day-to-day superheroics in the name of romance. "No, it's not the next Before Midnight movie. The book is, at its heart, a huge, epic, action-filled story," Soule confirms. "The stories will be written on a scale that befits these characters."

I have to admit, as bizarre as the idea sounds, Superman/Wonder Woman has the potential to become a surprise hit. Romance happens to be <a href=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romance_novel>the most popular literary genre in all of North America, but it's a field woefully under-represented in superhero stories. (This is probably why Smallville was so popular for so long.) More importantly, this marks a significant shift in how DC historically treated these characters. Whenever previous writers toyed with this relationship, DC would usually wipe the slate clean by saying "it was an alternate timeline" or "they're just friends". Now, the publisher will develop and maintain a canonical, long-term romance between two popular, well-established characters. That's a unprecedented action on DC's part, and while it may ultimately prove too ambitious, I'm morbidly curious to see how it turns out.

Source: <a href=http://www.newsarama.com/18138-soule-daniel-superman-wonder-woman-to-mix-epic-with-personal.html>Newsarama

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[Owyn_Merrilin]

So deos this mean that lois is gonna have a "oh shii---!" moment at some point? I mean when supes is superboning wonder woman i kinda think he will be busy not hearing lois lane crashing into^something ^^

Considering that Superman and Wonderwoman once had such enthusiastic sex that it literally leveled mountains? Yeah, he's not gonna be able to hear anything coming out of poor Lois' mouth.

 

[Shamanic Rhythm]

"I think in the entire DCU, maybe you've got a hundred people who actually can fly, and Superman and Wonder Woman happen to be two of them," Soule told Newsarama. "So there are things that only the two of them can talk about.

Classic comic book logic and sophistication right there.

If it was me, the burning question I'd be striving to answer is what happens when two people with telepathy date. Imagine writing those conversations.

 

[Zhukov]

Is this supposed to be making me think about what kinds of things two lovers who can both fly could get up to?

Because that's totally what it made me think about.

Aaaaaaand now I imagine we're about to have the they-always-pair-wonder-woman-with-superman-because-they-can't-swallow-the-notion-of-her-being-in-a-relationship-with-a-guy-who-isn't-at-least-as-powerful-as-herself conversation.

 

[O maestre]

So deos this mean that lois is gonna have a "oh shii---!" moment at some point? I mean when supes is superboning wonder woman i kinda think he will be busy not hearing lois lane crashing into^something ^^

Considering that Superman and Wonderwoman once had such enthusiastic sex that it literally leveled mountains? Yeah, he's not gonna be able to hear anything coming out of poor Lois' mouth.

I'm tempted to say pics or it didn't happen....

seriously though where did that come from?

OT: I have always wondered why these characters were not closer, they are essentially both aliens to a world that for them must feel like cardboard. Especially since this decades Clark is portrayed as still in conflict with his alien side. Speaking of which I think that while the new 52 have made super man a lot more interesting it has also made Clark Kent very irrelevant. I don't even think there is any romance between Clark Kent and Wonder Woman, but rather a romance between Superman and WW, while this is a fresh interpretation I kind of miss CK being the real personality. I hope what i said makes sense.

 

[LongAndShort]

I expect I'm not the only one who read about about this and immediately thought 'aw, poor Batman'.

Aaaaaaand now I imagine we're about to have the they-always-pair-wonder-woman-with-superman-because-they-can't-swallow-the-notion-of-her-being-in-a-relationship-with-a-guy-who-isn't-at-least-as-powerful-as-herself conversation.

At least it tends to be a little cleaner than the why-does-she-have-to-be-interested-in-a-guy-at-all? conversations. Those can get get ugly.

 

[Hagi]

Heh, pretty interesting. No idea how it'll turn out but could be good.

I do hope they don't spend all their time as their superhero identities though, I think it'd might just be more interesting to see how Clark and Diana interact.

Then again, this could also turn into a complete disaster...

 

[Arawn]

I've seen so many incarnations of Wonder Woman, but I have yet to read the "New 52" so don't know what's going on. WW has been everything from a navie princess cooped up on her island getting culture shock in visiting the world of man, to a fiery amazon that could care less about romance and only sought to prove herself on the field of battle. I'm guessing it's going to be a mixture of both.In a sense WW is a female version of Superman. Truth, justice, and all that. You'd think the makings of a perfect couple, but seems too easy. Superman in comparison has always been a boy scout. A rather simple upbringing of his human parents made him a down to earth easy going guy. I'd dare call him a courteous cowboy sans the hat.
As Clark he plays the fool, but a simple man otherwise. The whole Lois Lane thing got old quick imho. Kinda like the MJ and Spiderman. I guess with the 52, they're trying to put new dynamics. Didn't they do Aquaman and WW for a while there? Then Batman and WW. Surprised they didn't just do like the rest and she finds a normal human she dates hiding her secret identity. Did she have one? I mean she didn't wear a mask or anything.Nor does Supes, but no one seems to recognize him when he puts glasses on....

 

[Vrex360]

Ever since Phasmal brought it up in a previous thread I can't stop thinking about it either:

They look SO MUCH ALIKE in these pictures and makes me a little uncomfortable looking at them.

Aaaaaaand now I imagine we're about to have the they-always-pair-wonder-woman-with-superman-because-they-can't-swallow-the-notion-of-her-being-in-a-relationship-with-a-guy-who-isn't-at-least-as-powerful-as-herself conversation.

*Sigh*

You actually beat me to what I was going to say but yeah I am still annoyed about that. Anyway in the interest of avoiding a flame war let me just state my opinion quickly and get it out in the open.

This may not have been DC's INTENT but it is the message they are sending. In the original comic run Steve Trevor WAS rewritten out of Wonder Woman's comic for EXACTLY THAT REASON and while DC may have just preferred a pairing of Wonder Woman and Superman because of fan demand the fact that they brought Steve Trevor back only to have him still not be Wonder Woman's love interest only helps to CONTINUE that trend and in the process CONVEYS the message that a female character cannot be in a relationship with someone physically weaker than her. It may not be INTENTIONAL but I still DO NOT LIKE IT, and would prefer STEVE TREVOR TO BE WONDER WOMAN'S LOVE INTEREST in the name of being progressive because sadly the UNINTENDED SEXIST SUBTEXTS within this situation still exist and while I do NOT in fact think it was an evil anti woman conspiracy, SEXIST SUBTEXTS DO NOT NEED TO BE INTENTIONAL and can be problematic and even if WE LIKE COMIC BOOKS we should still be MINDFUL of such subtexts and at least CONSIDER them when writing a story.

Hopefully this post will not result in angry flaming. I hope I have made my detachment a little bit clear as just objective discussion and not a hostile attack.

Also as far as this whole 'romance' thing goes, I guess I can be hopeful but given that DC's New 52 apparently considers fodder for female characters and relationships has examples that look like this:

Spoiler

And this:

Spoiler

I'm going to remain.... cautiously optimistic to say the least.

 

[Bat Vader]

Superman and Wonder Woman seems kinda like a stereotypical coupling of the two. I wish they would have done what the Justice League cartoon was doing and trying to pair Batman and Wonder Woman together. I think that would be a cool couple to see.

 

[K84]

So Supes is doing so badly in the new52, they have to team him up with a character one of their better selling books?
Why not Batman?

And call it: SupermanXBatman !

 

[Shoggoth2588]

Question to actual comic fans (I try but...anyway); Isn't Superman and Wonder Woman getting together romantically the BIG sign that the stories we're reading are taking place in a world that is neither Elseworld or...the real one?

Question 2: What about Dick Grayson and Starfire? Were they ever an item in the New 52?

 

[Max Pritchard]

I can't help but think that this story was already done to great effect in Kurt Busiek's Astro City - with a romantic date between Samaritan and Winged Victory. It worked because it contrasted a small-scale intimate question of relationship between man (alien) and woman with the action-epic superheroics. If they even get close to that - they'll be doing well. Good luck to them.

 

[gibboss28]

and all I can think of is that short conversation in Mallrats

 

[elvor0]

ehhh, I'm not sure what to think about this, on the one hand Lois and Clark have always been the most stable and classic comic book couple but on the other... it was impossible for them to actually have any form of sexual relationship for obvious reasons. While Supes and WW haven't exactly got the best chemistry, it makes a lot more sense, given they'd actually be able to get together properly and eliminates the problem of "they'd hurt you to get to me" as shown in this clip.


Though I still think Bats and WW make the better couple, it just gives the problem in reverse. WW would likely crush Batman mid orgasm.

 

[1337mokro]

Really? Another Strongest Man x Strongest Woman match up? It just ends up as a Lois Lane with super powers. Not to mention that it will probably get retconned as soon as possible.

I was much more a fan of the animated series where we had WW and Batman going at it. Strangely enough the cartoon for kids handled the relationships between characters much better with more sophistication. In the comic books it generally comes down to sexual tension, more sexual tension and sex. Not much of a relationship at all and when they do finally get into one they have no idea what to do with the partner unless it's a superhero.

If I had ever gotten into comics as deeply as some people (a casual reader at best right now) I would be letting out a big sigh and saying "Here we go again!".