Broken Frontier

On June 7th, Allan Heinberg and Terry Dodson take over Wonder Woman for a five-issue run that will reintroduce the female member of DC’s Trinity to the world after a one year absence—in comic book time anyway.

Heinberg took a break from his busy schedule to talk to BF about his plans for the arc, called “Who Is Wonder Woman?”

BROKEN FRONTIER: Your story arc is called “Who Is Wonder Woman?” There’s been a lot of buzz out there about who will don her mantle in the One Year Later DCU. Personally, it doesn’t really matter if it’s Diana, Donna Troy, or Two-Face after some heavy plastic surgery; rather, it’s what the character stands for that’s most important. So, who is Wonder Woman? What makes her unique?

ALLAN HEINBERG: As Wonder Woman’s newest writer, I find it’s been less productive to talk about what she stands for than it is to try to get inside her head and discover what she thinks, how she feels, what makes her laugh—that sort of thing.  Any discussion about what Wonder Woman stands for tends to make her more of an icon and less of a three-dimensional character.  So, in undertaking WONDER WOMAN #1, it’s been essential for Terry Dodson and me to go beyond what she stands for (truth, justice, compassion, education, etc.) to attempt to explore her psychology and emotional life just a bit.

BF: What will take place in the story besides a revamp for the next generation?

AH: “Who Is Wonder Woman?” is actually not so much a revamp as it is a slight refocusing of the book and the character.  After Greg Rucka’s incredibly rich, insightful, political epic, Terry and I had no choice but to take the character in another direction.  So we’re aiming to take the book back to its pre-Crisis roots just a bit -- to have some good, old-school, four-color fun with the character.

BF: Have you constructed it in a way that it feels like Wonder Woman is kind of getting the All-Star treatment, without actually being part of the line?

AH: No, we’re making great efforts to respectfully build on everything that has come before—and to hopefully tell a surprising, worthwhile story in the process.

BF: The character is also often considered to be the weakest or, at least, the most slept-on of DC’s holy trinity—not that many people will pick her to win a duke-it-all-out fight with Superman or Batman. Are you going to try to change some of that perception during your run?

AH: No, ours is a much more personal story.  Though there are plenty of fun guest stars in “Who Is Wonder Woman?”, the focus will be squarely on Wonder Woman herself.

BF: Will the focus of “Who Is Wonder Woman?” be more on the ‘Wonder’, her status as a godlike, mythical individual, or on the ‘Woman’, the human side of the character?

AH: The story definitely has mythological elements, but Terry and I are mostly concentrating our efforts on illuminating the human, relatable side of the character.

BF: It’s a totally generic and easy question I most often try to avoid in interviews, but tell us, what’s it really like working with Terry?

AH: It is a complete and total pleasure working with him.  We’re on the phone with each other several times a week, collaborating on every element of the book.  And I won’t write a single panel description without having consulted him first.  Between working with Terry and Jim Cheung on YOUNG AVENGERS, I am the happiest, most fortunate man in comics.

BF: He’s obviously known for drawing beautiful women—it seems Terry possesses that quality to give a scantily-clad female like Wonder Woman an edge, to surpass the cheesecake stuff. I mean, he’s drawing her in a way that all eyes aren’t immediately directed at the Wonder-bra, if you know what I’m saying… [Laughs]

AH: I agree.  In addition to being beautiful, Terry’s Wonder Woman possesses uncommon grace, a fierce intelligence, and soul.

BF: Since you’ll be on Wonder Woman for five issues only, who’s going to replace you as of issue six?

AH: I honestly don’t know.  But there are plenty of wonderful writers I’d love to see write the character at some point:  Grant Morrison, Neil Gaiman, Joss Whedon.  The list goes on and on.

BF: Although there’s a one-year gap and the fact that the series starts off with a new #1, you’re essentially following in the footsteps of Greg Rucka, who had a long, memorable run writing the book. Did you agree with some of the more controversial things he pulled off?

AH: I’m a huge fan of Greg’s, both professionally and personally, and I have enormous respect and affection for his run.  Taking the character over from Greg has been humbling and intimidating, I have to tell you.

BF: What about your favorite Wonder Woman era overall? Do you, like many readers, consider George Pérez’ legendary run to be the vintage one?

AH: Mr. Pérez’s run on the book is the definitive modern one, absolutely.  But William Messner-Loebs, John Byrne, Eric Luke, Phil Jimenez, and Greg Rucka all contributed extraordinary, memorable chapters to the character’s post-Crisis history.

BF: All humbleness aside, do you consider the fresh start you and DC are giving her to be in any way akin to what Pérez did in 1987?

AH: No.  Not at all.  Terry and I are simply building on the incredible foundation Mr. Pérez, Greg Potter, and Len Wein built in 1987.  And we’re borrowing heavily from the fun, free-spirited tone of Wonder Woman’s earliest adventures as recorded by her creators, William Moulton Marston and H.G. Peter.

BF: Finally, just to make sure, you’re not bringing back that silver-age invisible plane that popped up for a second in Infinite Crisis, right?

AH: Nope. [Laughs]