Mariko Tamaki announced as new Wonder Woman writer

[kjn]

Hmm, so she says Etta will be the only supporting cast member besides JL guest stars. I guess that means Steve Trevor won't be part of this run. And she also confirms editorial told her to put Max Lord in the book. So just like the last few WW runs after Rucka, editorial is still inserting their own ideas into the run.

In fairness, I think part of an editor's job is to insert ideas into runs and make sure DC can continue to hold onto and develop its IPs. That might require requesting certain topics or characters to be written. It is a part of the job of being an editor, together with managing schedules (a huge thing), selecting and supporting creators, improving stories, and so on.

In a way, I think the issue here rests on two things. First is that editors think too much like fanfic solicitors—I want a story that involving X and Y that scratches itches A and B, and have the role to make it stick for everyone else. Second is that it seems that too often they have bad ideas or bad takes on the characters.

(Note that this isn't limited to comics editors. During the 50s it was well known among sf authors that you had a much better chance to get stuff published in Astounding if you wrote about psionics. Once John W Campbell quit as editor, that slant disappeared.)

[Frontier]

S-s-s-s-syngergy .

[Vordan]

Hmm, so she says Etta will be the only supporting cast member besides JL guest stars. I guess that means Steve Trevor won't be part of this run. And she also confirms editorial told her to put Max Lord in the book. So just like the last few WW runs after Rucka, editorial is still inserting their own ideas into the run.

I've got a sad feeling this will be another short lived run till the post death metal relaunch.

Sure feels like this just filler until they can get someone “big” on the book. Not to insult Tamaki but this is giving me Robinson vibes, editorial getting someone who is willing to just fulfill editorial mandates. It really sucks because you’d think DC would’ve realized by now that WW’s editors don’t have a clue what people find appealing about her.

Is she still under Bateditorial or is she back under Supereditorial?

[Gaius]

Still giving this a chance but interview kinda confirmed a lot of what I suspected back when this first got announced

S-s-s-s-syngergy .

Now I'm just worried DC will mandate more Max stuff whenever the film actually does come out

[Last Son of Krypton]

Is she still under Bateditorial or is she back under Supereditorial?

Back to the Supereditorial since the 2nd half of Wilson run. But the new editor of SM/WW/GL is Jamie S. Rich who was the Bat editor till a few months ago.

[kjn]

Sure feels like this just filler until they can get someone “big” on the book. Not to insult Tamaki but this is giving me Robinson vibes, editorial getting someone who is willing to just fulfill editorial mandates. It really sucks because you’d think DC would’ve realized by now that WW’s editors don’t have a clue what people find appealing about her.

I don't want anyone "big" on the book, at least not if it means one of the established big DC names. I want a writer who understands Wonder Woman with a strong sense for story.

To take an example from another character, I want someone who can approach and write Diana in a similar way as Stjepan Sejic approached and wrote Harley Quinn in Harleen: with a deep understanding of the character and at the same time a readiness to bring a different perspective on them. And an editor who understands their role visavi the writer is to take a good story and make it better.

Remember, while Pérez was established as an artist when he got Wonder Woman, he was still quite young as a writer, and it was his first true writing gig. Similar holds true for Alan Moore on Swamp Thing, or Frank Miller on DKR.

[Tzigone]

S-s-s-s-syngergy .

I'm surprised with keeping Etta and not Steve in that context. Mind you, I've only seen a little info, since I wasn't looking to be too spoiled (not actively avoiding spoilers, so I have heard a thing or three from comments, but not seeking out info).

[DragonPiece]

I don't want anyone "big" on the book, at least not if it means one of the established big DC names. I want a writer who understands Wonder Woman with a strong sense for story.

To take an example from another character, I want someone who can approach and write Diana in a similar way as Stjepan Sejic approached and wrote Harley Quinn in Harleen: with a deep understanding of the character and at the same time a readiness to bring a different perspective on them. And an editor who understands their role visavi the writer is to take a good story and make it better.

Remember, while Pérez was established as an artist when he got Wonder Woman, he was still quite young as a writer, and it was his first true writing gig. Similar holds true for Alan Moore on Swamp Thing, or Frank Miller on DKR.

I think when people say we want someone big for Wonder Woman, we just mean someon DC will give creative freedom to do big things that pushes Diana's story forward and ramins true to the character. These past few runs just felt like they've been stringing us along and not intending to make any big waves. Out of the current "big" writers DC has currently, I also wouldn't want any of them writing Wonder Woman. But I have to imagine someone out their can give the character a solid direction.

[Tzigone]

I think when people say we want someone big for Wonder Woman, we just mean someon DC will give creative freedom to do big things that pushes Diana's story forward and ramins true to the character.

I think I'm less enthusiastic on "big." Certainly big creators get to do things with less editorial oversight. Unfortunately, in recent years that's seemed more to me to a writers writing the story they want to tell, with no regard for the actual characters or prior characterization. I'm not big on "big" stories, anyway, I admit. Usually they tend to have shock value, try to make massive changes to status quo (usually, but not always, ones I don't like), jettison supporting casts (I get attached to supporting casts as much as the title hero, quite often) and make things grimmer and more depressive or bloodier and try to play with gray areas of morality for the heroes. Oh, and rewrite history to add characters or personal connections to villains into the past. Or keep trying to make the title character more powerful and more special and above others of their kind (Amazons for Diana, of course, and it is so common with Green Lanterns) really irritates me. None of that shines for me.

I'd like more, smaller stories with fewer world-shaking, city-destroying, character-rewriting events. Just good stories and good relationships with allies and less story decompression. Nowadays, it's like as soon as one big thing/story finishes, another starts (or has already started). Feels like big events/changes strung together with some padding instead of just good, solid, non-shocking or even episodic issues that just are made to be enjoyed without having to change directions/have events every other story.

World-building for Diana's city, whatever it is, would be nice, though, I gotta say. I want Etta and Steve, and I do think a steady supporting cast (and man's-world-location) would benefit her, but that'll take a long while to be cemented, if it's even possible at this late date. I'm markedly less interested without Etta and especially Steve. It's not like Superman, which I flatout would not read a run without Lois, but it'll take a lot more interesting-sounding material to get me to read without them around that it would with them.

[Frontier]

I mean, ideally I think we should have a writer who is invested in Diana as a character and major enough to be left alone to develop her stories and world in whatever way they see fit.

[WonderLight789]

I mean, ideally I think we should have a writer who is invested in Diana as a character and major enough to be left alone to develop her stories and world in whatever way they see fit.

As long as that writer truly cares about the essence of the character. Otherwise it'd be azz all over again. And i don't like that direction.

[Pinsir]

I'm not even sure what Wonder Woman's character even is anymore. Does she like to party? Is she a vampire? Maybe some author someday will explore these themes.

[phonogram12]

As much as I like Tamaki, I was kind of uninterested, quite frankly. But now that I know that Michael Janin is the artist? I'm going to give it at least a few issues.

[Tzigone]

As long as that writer truly cares about the essence of the character. Otherwise it'd be azz all over again. And i don't like that direction.

Thing is, a writer can truly care, but have opinions on the essence that I deeply disagree with. And no matter how much they care, I'm unlike to read if I disagree on the fundamentals. Neither opinion is necessarily right or wrong (the characters have been through so many different versions), just matters of opinions.

and major enough to be left alone to develop her stories and world in whatever way they see fit.

I've actually, paradoxically, in some ways, become much more fond of editorial control in recent years. Not of them wrenching storylines off-track for events - hate that. But I absolutely do think editorial should have a role. Someone needs to enforce continuity of characterization across books, and really needs to set up what's canon and enforce it somewhat. It is extremely frustrating to have different writers of different books give contradictory histories (usually each referencing different versions of the past). Or rewriting a character's history in way that dramatically affects other characters. Or just completely contradicts what the last writer told us. In a shared universe, or one that's going to continue after the current writer leaves, editorial needs to make sure that shared universe makes sense, that the current writer's story makes sense with the last one's, and that they don't burn down the "world" in a dramatic ending story that leaves the next writer with either a mess to clean up or no city/characters/etc. left to work with.

[Vordan]

The frustrating thing is we’ve gotten “smaller” stories like in the brief runs after Rucka, and we’ve gotten “big” stuff from Wilson, Robinson, and Orlando. But the smaller stories were boring and meaningless fluff, and the big stuff either dealt with stuff that editorial cared about more than the fans (Jason, Grail) or felt hamstrung by editorial (Orlando). None of it has really felt important. It doesn’t feel like anyone has a long term plan for where they want Diana to be five months from now, let alone a year. You may not like their plans but both Tynion and Bendis feel like they’ve got an endgame in mind for the characters.

I mean, ideally I think we should have a writer who is invested in Diana as a character and major enough to be left alone to develop her stories and world in whatever way they see fit.

Yeah that would be ideal, but I can’t really think of anyone who qualifies.