A Beautiful Friendship Begins

So after their first failed "date", or rather first meeting that ended in fighting Darkseid and Clark chickening out, what then? Well, they move on with their lives and team up often to help each other, inspire each other and even give the other a kick up the behind if need be. Diana, it is to be said, still was unclear about what she needed or expected from him and the male of the species in general. She judges him by his public persona than as a man. He may have the looks and power of a demigod, Diana, but he does not act like one. He is as good a man as you will ever find.

As we will see this naivety will come back to haunt her when she really grows to learn who this man is.But then that was DC's doing, wasn't it? Two flagship characters, an alpha male and female, apparently are tough to write as a couple who can be equal and even vie for equal panel time. Boy, the world really has not moved on has it, if a powerful male has to be threatened by a powerful female and vice versa to keep his/her relevance. The real test would have been that they could.I guess at least Kingdom Come, when they hook up, older and wiser, proves that but will DC even chart this relationship in canon that way? Remains to be seen if they will or cop out.The way DC have been treating the two characters individually these last few years, it seems Superman and Wonder Woman are floundering in stagnating story lines or wandering with no sense of purpose or direction.

Anyway Clark will continue to be there for Diana at the most important times in her life. Here we see Diana at her embassy, (WW#8 Vol2) preparing to meet the public and she is nervous. It is the start of many dropping ins by Superman throughout the years. "Need some help?" he asks. Diana is surprised to see him. He thinks of her at this important event.

More than any other man, Steve Trevor, Aquaman, Batman, Trevor Barnes, Tom Tresser, men she has been attracted to, it is Clark who is able to claim being Diana's rock in current canon. He will be there when she needs him. They will be there for each other in their hours of happiness and doubt. They have inadvertently even caused each other pain. Isn't that how the greatest loves are built anyway? Love that is not asking of anything itself? Unconditional. Challenging. Evolving over time to give each other what they may need? And here they speak of something they have in common. The burden of the limelight. Don't you just love him pinning her cape for her?

It's a wonderful moment. She blurts out, "Thank you,Clark.I'll always love you for this." It's innocently said and indeed she means it and he receives it in the spirit that she gives it. He kisses her cheek. In time to come Diana will not know how telling those words will become. He salutes her with words of utmost respect,"May the Glory of Gaea be with you."

Covers Page Added

Superman and Wonder Woman Covers. See on right tab list under Pages.

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..."

Adventures of Superman #440 : Superman and Wonder Woman meet alone

Yes, Superman is very happy to rendezvous with Wonder Woman for their date. You can tell just by his exclamation and expression.

Oh now, that's quick! He grabs her and kisses her. It looks all romantic, doesn't it? I think DC always was going to throw a spanner in the works, and working on the premise these two were only just getting to know each other, that made sense for things not to go smoothly. But as we will see in Action 600, DC got lazy and unimaginative.

Why Superman and Wonder Woman

Just a little something I was asked to write for the Superman Wonder Woman Fan Archive.

http://www.supermanwonderwomanfanarchive.com/whysmww.html

I want to say that the web masters Imfanci and WonderCat who run this site are Wonder Women themselves and it is because of generous folks like them, David Schock (RIP) Djinn's Lair, the SM/WW Yahoo Group that this couple is finally getting the attention they deserve. Superman and Wonder Woman, unless you read comics, had no way of ever being highlighted in other media. Lois was pushed everywhere , even at her worse in stuff like Superman Returns, and up to even Batman came out of nowhere as a love interest for WW in the JL/U cartoon. Bruce Timm's adoration of the Batgod gave Wonder Woman batgroupie status and Superman was the dumb jock in the series. It was annoying and unfortunately spilled into comics to the detriment of Diana's evolution as a strong, and confident woman. Sending the message that Wonder Woman fancies emotionally closed off, paranoid men who can be jerks to to their allies.

The fans had little chance to bond with people who cared for Kal and Diana and had no forum to share their love and thoughts. Well, all that has changed in the last few years. For anything to flourish, it needs to be given a chance. Kingdom Come did that to some extent but clearly is not enough for fans who have been waiting for decades for DC to commit something to this couple. Not force feed us rubbish that for even Superman to look at Diana, Lois would have to never be around or he can't live without her. That clearly is ludicrous and contrary to what Superman is supposed to stand for. It has been sites like the Archive and Yahoo Group and Deviant Art and Fan Fiction.Net that has done much to make people take notice of Superman and Wonder Woman, not only as a romantic couple or allies who have a deep and respectful bond, (because DC is messing up their friendship too) but as individual heroes.

Making A Date

Diana's publicist Mindi Mayer has gotten wind that Diana might like to get to know Superman better. So she tries to land a PR coup by getting the couple together via some networking with reporter, Clark Kent.

Diana speaks to Superman on the phone

Little does she know who Clark Kent really is. But she thinks she can coax him into allowing cameras to be there to get footage of the super-couple and they can make a mint off them.

Diana is very excited to see Superman again

  
So a date is made and Mindi is furious because Clark says Superman will not give away any details. While she rants Diana runs off and I guess Kent drops the phone and blurs out of his office too. What I wouldn't have given to see his face.

The Lovers

This beautiful piece was done by the artist archangelgabriel and his work can be found here. 
http://archangelgabriel.deviantart.com/art/Lovers-II-149354889

It is such a romantic piece. I love how they are breaking through the clouds and under the light of the moon. It is done in a way that only they can. The way he holds this strong Amazon is almost reverential and yet so sensual. Firm yet gentle. Very Kal. And Diana is surrendering willingly to his touch.

How Did It Start Between Superman and Wonder Woman?

When we speak of Kal and Diana as a couple, the skeptics often like to hurl at us that they are only friends or see each other as brother and sister or she digs the guy in the cowl. Well,that is incorrect. They currently are just "best friends" now but before Clark hooked up with Lois Lane in current continuity, he was smitten with Diana first.

DC relaunched the Superman and Wonder Woman titles in 1986. These became the new origins for the heroes. Man of Steel was written by John Byrne and Wonder Woman was written by George Perez. Superman's powers were limited and there was a lot more emphasis placed on the Clark Kent aspect of his persona to try to make him more relatable. Fandom is often split about this version of Superman who seems a little too passive and weak and not enough balance is given to his Kryptonian heritage. The reluctant hero is okay but two decades later on it makes a devolved Superman. Kal-El/Clark is supposed to be a man able to straddle two worlds and, as he matures, he embraces that he is something unique and larger than life and with it comes real responsibility and real sacrifices. His willingness to keep connected with Earth and its people and stay humble is what makes him so special. But he is a man with a deeper destiny than only Clark Kent, farm boy turn reporter.

Wonder Woman was a young, immortal, Amazon prodigy. She was molded from the earth and blessed with life and gifts by the Olympian gods. She no longer had the traditional crushing on Steve Trevor, the first man she sees, as the motivation for her to leave her home and become a hero. It was her own desire to use her gifts to better the world. In my mind it was more realistic and respectful and empowering. Her gifts, youthfulness, enthusiasm, even innocence, made her the best person to come out to the world as oppose to her immortal sisters, whose vision of men and the world had been tainted by their painful past. She becomes a woman who straddles two worlds as well. Only she will have a lot to learn as she has much to teach.

When Diana and Clark met I think Diana must have been about eighteen and I expect Clark was in his early twenties. Both still very young and figuring their way in the world as people and heroes. There, however, was an instant and deep attraction on both their parts. They begin to think and dream of each other.

Superman #5 Vol2

Clark dreams of Diana.

Wonder Woman #15 Vol2

Diana dreams of Clark.







Diana grew up surrounded by her mother and numerous doting aunts in paradise. But which, in fact, was an isolated, matriarchal, albeit enlightened society, with no men. So I guess as beautiful as Diana was, flirting and reading cues between the sexes were not exactly her forte. The synchronicity in the art of them dreaming of each other is clever . There is an eagerness shown on Clark's part and a tentativeness on Diana's. He wants this. She is not sure. It is all evident from their hands touching, both just about to kiss and they then wake up stunned at the intensity of their dreams.

Diana is confused by her feelings for Superman.                                           

Clark is ready to embrace this attraction.

The interesting thing in all this is that they both don't know much about each other. They know they are heroes and fighting for the same thing but they really don't know anything personal about one another as yet. And they do hail from different backgrounds and are at a time in their lives where they are still finding their place. So I guess the lesson that is waiting to be learned here is, even if you are really really attracted to someone, you kind of need to get to know them first. Clark is willing though. But is Diana ready? Oh, and is Clark just about as sexy as you would ever see him getting out of bed after a hot dream about Diana? Byrne did some nice penciling and we all know George Perez is the master. So will our young heroes have a chance to pursue this attraction? We shall explore how that went.