Comic book author Greg Rucka says his rebooted Wonder Woman character, one of DC Comics’ most iconic superheroes, has “obviously” had intimate “relationships with other women.”
In a lengthy interview with Comicosity, Rucka explains how Wonder Woman — known as Diana in her native Paradise Island/Themyscira, a land inhabited only by women called Amazons — emanates from a literary world where concepts like homosexuality don’t have meaning.
“This is inherently the problem with Diana: we’ve had a long history of people — for a variety of reasons, including sometimes pure titillation, which I think is the worst reason — say, ‘Ooo. Look. It’s the Amazons. They’re gay!'” Rucka said of his new Wonder Woman series for DC Comics, which launched in June 2016 as part of the DC Rebirth relaunch.
“And when you start to think about giving the concept of Themyscira its due, the answer is, ‘How can they not all be in same sex relationships?’ Right? It makes no logical sense otherwise.”
Rucka continued to explain how given that her homeland is inhabited by only women, it’s obvious that if Wonder Woman was romantically involved, that it would be with a woman.
“It’s supposed to be paradise. You’re supposed to be able to live happily. You’re supposed to be able — in a context where one can live happily, and part of what an individual needs for that happiness is to have a partner — to have a fulfilling, romantic and sexual relationship. And the only options are women,” he said. “But an Amazon doesn’t look at another Amazon and say, ‘You’re gay.’ They don’t. The concept doesn’t exist.”
“Now, are we saying Diana has been in love and had relationships with other women? As Nicola and I approach it, the answer is obviously yes,” Rucka said.
Over the course of her 75-year comic book run, Wonder Woman’s romantic story arc has been largely represented by her relationship with soldier Steve Trevor, who first met the Amazon Princess after he washed up on Paradise Island.
That romantic story arc is also the basis for DC Entertainment’s $150 million big screen adaptation of Wonder Woman, set to hit theaters in 2017. The film stars Gal Gaddot as the sword and shield-wielding heroine and Chris Pine as Steve Trevor.
“When we talk about agency of characters in 2016, Diana deciding to leave her home forever — which is what she believes she’s doing — if she does that because she’s fallen for a guy, I believe that diminishes her heroism,” he contends. “She doesn’t leave because of Steve. She leaves because she wants to see the world and somebody must go and do this thing. And she has resolved it must be her to make this sacrifice.”
Rucka also made it clear that DC Comics is wholly supportive of his take on Wonder Woman’s character.
“And I really don’t like the idea that there are people out there who might think DC is being mealy-mouthed about this. They’re not. No one wants to be taken out of context by ignorant people, but nobody at DC has ever said, ‘She’s gotta be straight.’ Nobody. Ever. They’ve never blinked at this,” he said.
Read Rucka’s full interview with Comicosity here.
Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter: @JeromeEHudson
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