"We are each other's shelter from the storm."
SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN #6

One day I walked into a library and my eyes fell on a book called Kingdom Come. I picked it up and to my surprise it was a comic book...or rather as I later learned, a graphic novel. But I saw beautifully painted panels and heroes that I recognized from my childhood who seemed ...well, grown up. I borrowed that book and I was moved and fascinated by, not only the story of men and women who are great heroes, but by they way they showed their humanity. They suddenly were not two dimensional people who just fought bad guys. They were deeply complex. I love books and reading on the whole and I guess getting into the comic genre as an adult woman was a case of serendipity. It led me to finding DC comics and the heroes I grew up with on TV and saw in movies and newsprint. It led me to finding Clark Kent or as he is known by his other name, Kal-El, and Princess Diana. I fell in love with them and am obsessed with all things Amazonian and Kryptonian now. I love their relationship. I love what they stand for. I love the contrasts of the princess/farmer's son; reporter/ambassador; pragmatic warrior/idealistic protector and empathetic teacher/enforcer of justice. A girl born of the earth and a boy who fell from the sky. The first daughter of Themyscira and last son of Krypton. And it surprised me to find that there were many fans like me, who adore them too.

DC rebooted their universe in 2011 and my favorite pairing is now canon!!! Yay.



Disclaimer : Superman and Wonder Woman are the property of DC comics.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

First Date : Action 600


                                               It starts with a kiss.




                                                               It is a passionate kiss.



                                                      It goes on and on and on                    

Least on Superman's part. Wonder Woman looks like a deer caught in head lights. She is stunned. Experiencing new sensations. She is not sure what the heck to do. This is her first kiss. She certainly did not expect it.






Fortunately, the son of Martha and Jonathan Kent remembers his manners and he backs off. He apologizes."Sorry...I...guess that was out of line." Clark, you are just such a sweet dork at times and that is why we love you. I guess that is why Diana let you get off without clocking you one. You're not only cute but to see the great Superman so endearingly awkward. How can you not realize that his apology is sincere?





So Diana's reaction to all this? Well, she is not indifferent but she is new to it all and not quite ready to move so fast. Clark once again tells her how much she has been on his mind.






Eventually the two decide to just go flying and talk and get to know each other better. Wise. But they barely get to talking about who they are and what they represent, when Hermes appears and tells Diana that Olympus had been invaded and her help is needed. She tries to go alone but Clark is not having any of it. I love the decisiveness Clark shows here. It shows that although he might be moving a little too fast, he knows what he wants. It's refreshing to see.




They reach Olympus and turns out old granite face Darkseid had imprisoned the Gods and it was up to Clark and Diana to save Olympus. Darkseid, with the aid of his lackey and master torturer,Desaad, tries to manipulate the mind of the heroes. Interestingly, Clark's mind is full of fantasies of Diana. Who said Superman never was attracted or wanted Wonder Woman again?









There are some super fight scenes between Superman and Wonder Woman. They are both quite powerful and it was Darkseid's plan to have them destroy each other. The heroes end up outwitting Darkseid and defeating him. And saving Olympus. That was a given, right? And they get sent back to the spot they were when they were on their "date".







And then Superman, after all that, does a one eighty. "You're out of my league," he tells her. "I really am just a boy from Kansas." Really, Clark? What does that mean in this day and age? I would have thought the intelligent reporter and gentleman from Kansas,bred by Martha Kent, would have given a lady some time and space to get use to her new situation and her feelings. To take things slow and see if they really could have dated. I guess dating Lois on the sly as  Superman,  ( who has what is akin to rock star/demi-god status, by the way)was better, huh? Not a farm boy then, Clark? So if he really really was drawn to Diana so much, how was he able to turn his feelings off like a tap? I'll say for Diana, at least naivety was her excuse. And it was plausible. But, DC, you were lazy. One issue dedicated to saying Superman and Wonder Woman would never work? Now that is ludicrous. I would have respected them to say timing was off and they were too young. But the whole premise of different worlds? Oh please. Isn't Clark Kent as human as they come?And who is perfect for Diana? Steve Trevor, a human man, who has nothing in common with her world? Sticking to tradition is one thing but trying to shove some shaky rationale down readers throats is a little stupid. Would it not have been really interesting to see Clark deal with a young woman who was like nothing he ever had seen?  To really really work for someone who is not chasing after him for scoops? Who could take him on physically, stand toe to toe with him and watch his back? Wow, DC, could you ever handle that?

By now everyone must know that Superman hooked up with Lois Lane in the 90ties, post the Lois and Clark TV show. A huge mistake DC made in comics to try to tie in with the show when Lois and Clark's relationship in comics was not all that great. Anyway, that's water under the bridge but it is inaccurate for anyone to suggest Clark was never into Diana nor she him. One thing that is for certain, the comics has had unresolved sexual tension between these two since 1986, long before he went on to Lois Lane, and even after he hooked up with her.

Action 600 was DC's excuse to push the different worlds concept between the two as the reason they can't be a couple. Lois has no more in common with an alien farm boy other than she works in the same building with him. And Diana and Clark shares the same ideals and goals and work in the JLA to better the world and both are compassionate, generous and know the sacrifices it takes to be a hero.So that accounts for nothing, I guess.

Anyway at least he felt he could trust her enough with his secret. One so called "date" and he was telling her what he could not tell Lois.  She says,"I hope we can be friends...if only you will please call me Diana..." Well, look at that. She already is showing that status does not mean all that much to her. He says, "Deal...if you will call me Clark..."





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