We’ve just seen the end of the first arc in SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN by Charles Soule and Tony Daniel. So far, the series has mixed high octane action along with character development as we see the two heroes find their way in the world as heroes and as a couple. With the huge ending of the arc, we took the chance to ask Soule about the issue as well as what we can look forward to in the coming issues.
COMIC VINE: We see the two get a brief moment to discuss whether or not being together is affecting the way they work. Is that conversation over or will they touch upon it again later?
CHARLES SOULE: What I was trying to do with the end sequence of issue #6 was to try to put an end to that conversation. They know there are things they can do better together than apart. When push really came to shove, they came through. It was only something they could have done together. I don’t want to keep rehashing issues that they’ve already talked out. I mean, that can happen in actual relationships, but I think it would get boring for readers. They will have plenty of new challenges which to discuss, but that one I think is done.
I think, in a general sense, the first arc has been kind of about them feeling each other out and understanding who each other are. Then the second arc will be more about them changing and growing and having a relationship. It’ll be them seeing how they can still be together even though they’re changing and growing.
CV: We get to see some new armor from Hephaestus. Can we assume he’s responsible for the Invisible Jet as well?
CS: Yeah. I thought I made that very clear. He made them the sky chariot, basically, that they used. It was something that he had and used from time to time. He lent it to them so they could sneak up on Zod and Faora.
CV: Okay, I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t just assuming.
There’s been some confusion, in the New 52, over what has or hasn’t happened with Doomsday. We’ve seen him in this series and he’ll be in the upcoming crossover, how involved are you with fleshing out who Doomsday is in the New 52?
CS: Considering I’m one of the writers doing that event, I would say I’m pretty heavily involved. We are working on an event that is huge. We’re going to do a lot of innovated stuff. It’ll tell you who he is and what he’s been doing. You’re going to get a lot of that in the upcoming one-shot, which I believe is on sale in May. If you’re looking for Doomsday, that’s where you’re going to want to look.
CV: The word “love” comes up finally. Have you had this scene in your mind since you first started writing these two?
CS: Yup. I had the entire scene basically from when they get thrown into that abandoned nuclear plant, I knew everything that was going to happen before I started writing issue #1. Which is great. When you can build to an ending… It’s never easy writing a series like this with it all being as interconnected as it ended up being. But I knew that was how we were going to end. I’ve been looking forward to it for months and months at this point. It’s great to have people finally be able to read it to see what I was building towards. And Tony Daniel, you can’t discount Tony’s execution of that moment. He made it look exactly like I thought in my head, or maybe even better. The whole team just knocked it out of the park in this series.
CV: This first arc has been pretty epic. They’ve had to fight a powerful threat and we got a crazy ending. Do you plan to keep the momentum going or allow the two a moment to catch their breath?
CS: It’s one of those things where urgency was always the watchword on the first arc. We wanted to make sure they felt they were having a hard time catching a breath. That’s one of the challenges Superman and Wonder Woman face as a couple. There’s always something going on. They don’t really get that many quiet moments together. But, at the same time, I love writing the action. I also love writing character moments. So I’ve made a point of putting in some really strong character beats for them in the next few issues. I love that kind of writing. I think these books are like songs. If a song is just loud and in your face all the time, it’s not that enjoy—well, I mean thrash metal is fine, but I like something that has some loud moments and some quiet moments. It adds up to a more enjoyable whole. That’s what I’m trying to do with SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN.
CV: If they survive everything going on, will we see Superman vs Apollo, Round 2?
CS: That is something that is certainly in the back of my mind. You saw some of that with Strife, with what she talks about with Apollo, just before he unleashes the massive blast of sun that powers up Zod and Faora. She’s like, “If you do do this, it could start up a huge war between the gods and all these superhumans, and that’d be fine with me, because I like that stuff.” It’s a plot point that I’m aware of. Certainly, they’re not pals and that could be something that would be fun to do in the future. It wouldn’t be right away. I think we’ve seen Apollo for the time being. Maybe we’ll see him again but it might not be anytime soon.
CV: Do you plan to bring in any other Justice Leaguers in future issues?
CS: Yeah, absolutely. I don’t want to spoil it too much though, but an even like Doomed, with a threat as big as Doomsday, many different heroes are going to get involved. It’s not just going to be Superman and Wonder Woman. Although, of course, they would be the focus, in my title. The Doomed event, it touches pretty much all corners of the DCU. It’s going to be really cool.
SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN #6 is now on sale. SUPERMAN: DOOMED begins in May.