Wonder Woman: A New Era Begins

As the only solo female superhero to have an uninterrupted publishing history for over 70 years, Wonder Woman has long been considered an American icon. However, she has also long been celebrated as icon among the LGBT population.

For many queer fans, Wonder Woman represents strength and compassion as well as standing up and speaking out against those who would deem her as less than the other heroes. The Amazonian Princess is the embodiment of power, equality and peace -- all the while unapologetically working a stellar one-piece outfit, tiara, lasso, and bullet-deflecting bracelets.

Today, Wonder Woman is hotter than ever, with an upcoming appearance in the Superman v. Batman movie, and the announcement of her first solo feature film, scheduled for 2017. A new era for the comic book adventures of the Amazing Amazon kicks off this month as well with the new husband and wife creative team Meredith and David Finch take over the monthly series.

The Advocate recently sat down with the duo to talk about the beloved character and their plans for their run on the comic.

The Advocate: Do each of you recall your introduction to Wonder Woman and what impression she made on you?
Meredith Finch: The TV series featuring Lynda Carter was the first time I ever saw Wonder Woman. It was on around the same time as The Bionic Woman, 1975 to 1979, and I just remember loving how strong and empowered those women were. The '70s were really the start of seeing strong female leads on TV and in the movies.

Dave Finch: Wonder Woman didn't make an impression on me until Adam Hughes's work on her covers. I'm a huge fan of everything he does, and his Wonder Woman work is arguably his best. Brian Azzarello's stories really made me want to work on her book, though. Brian was able to make Wonder Woman a character that I rooted for and cared about on the page.

What excites you the most about adding to Wonder Woman's rich history?
M.F.: I think, for me ,there are just so many possibilities to explore. Coming onto this book as one of a very small pool of female writers who have actually written Wonder Woman, I feel like there is just so much about her we still don't know. She's a very complex character.

D.F.: This is an opportunity for us to add to Wonder Woman's history. I never take for granted that everything we do could be quickly forgotten if we don't make it as special as we can. I'm excited, yes, but the truth is that I'm focused on my goal of what I hope this book can be.

Throughout Wonder Woman's publishing history, the same-sex nature of many of the Amazons on Paradise Island has been hinted at and mentioned but never deeply explored. Any plans to delve into the sapphic side of the Amazons?
M.F.: I am incredibly fortunate to be coming into comics at such a progressive time in the industry. All of the publishers, and DC especially, seem to be really aware that the material should reflect the diversity of the readership. It's important to me that any story we do be respectful of that.

D.F.: We have no current plans, but we've only just begun our run.

Wonder Woman is a character with a large LGBT fan base. Is that something you were aware of before you starting working on the book?
M.F.: I really wasn't aware of the strong attachment the LGBT community had to Wonder Woman prior to coming on to the book, but it's wonderful to have such a great built-in fan base. I really hope that we can tell a story that honors the character and at the same time connects with all of our readers.

D.F.: Yes, absolutely.

Many gay male fans in particular have a deep love and devotion to Wonder Woman. Any plans on including a gay male element to the cast?
M.F.: Our first arc has been planned since February, and at the time I really wasn't aware of the affection the gay community has for Wonder Woman. So I will say that while our story doesn't have a gay male element in the cast as of yet, there are still more issues left to write. You just never know what might happen.

D.F.: It's certainly something to consider.

Can longtime Wonder Woman fans expect to see Donna Troy, Diana's little sister, soon? She is missed in the new DC 52 comic book universe.
M.F.: The New 52 has really tried to turn what you know of your favorite heroes' past on its ear. We are definitely going to be bringing some familiar characters to our arc, but they may not be whom they once were.

Wonder Woman #36 hits comic shops and digital devices tomorrow. Get an exclusve sneak peek at a double-page spread from the issue below. (Click to enlarge the image.)