Steve Orlando recently started a 5-issue stint on Wonder Woman, a title he has always wanted to write. The runs starts with a one-shot featuring Wonder Woman and Mayfly on a path to rehabilitation. It’s a beautiful comic that Orlando says is, “a single-issue story that I wrote that I thought would really set the tone. And if you wanted one story that shows who Diana is, this is who she is. This is the thesis statement in many ways.“
This comic directly follows a more extensive run by James Robinson, and the 5-issue run is meant to help bridge the gap until G. Willow Wilson and Cary Nord become regulars on the title this December. There will also be a crossover between Wonder Woman and Justice League Dark, called “The Witching Hour” and written by James Tynion IV, taking place after Orlandos issues.
Wonder Woman has always been a character Orlando was interested in and want to write, citing George Perez’s run as part of his inspiration. Now, after this one-issue “overture,” as Orlando puts it, the four-issue “blockbuster” begins. Orlando had this to say about the next four issues:
“Once we know the strength of Diana’s compassions, we need someone who will test her and show the strength of her convictions. And that’s what’s going to be happening in the final four issues of my run.”
Joining Diana on this mission will be Aztek an Artemis. Aztek is a character Orlando is very familiar with, as he revived her in his Justice League of America run. Orlando thought they would mak a great pairing saying,
“I wanted to assure her place in the DC Universe after bringing Aztek back in Justice League of America. And I would have killed for more time to work with her on that book. So when I had the opportunity to tell this story and bring together items and concepts from Wonder Woman’s past, looking at Wonder Woman’s relationship with Tezcatlipoca, who she fought before Crisis on Infinite Earths, right toward the end of her original run… that was almost too much to pass up.
We needed a way to justify Aztek being in the book and this was it, a villain from Wonder Woman’s past that could also use a fresh coat of paint.
And also, this just shows the influence that Diana has on up-and-coming heroes. I made a point of this in Supergirl too, where Supergirl herself is a hero, but she looks up to Diana and brings her up during one of her arguments with Cat Grant to show that even in a world of heroes, Diana’s someone that other heroes look up to.
So I think having Aztek, who’s relatively new to this field, is the perfect counterpoint for that.
Steve Orlando is able to convey his passion for characters he loves through his writing and I, for one, am excited to read his take on Wonder Woman. How do you feel about this short Wonder Woman run? Let us know in the comments!
