Superman / Wonder Woman Annual #2 Preview / Discussion

[Will J.]

I won't be able to read this until Friday, but from I've read here, it sounds like my frustrations with this book and relationship won't be alleviated by this annual.

I'm getting real damn tired of how his character's been written over the course of this thing.

[DragonPiece]

I won't be able to read this until Friday, but from I've read here, it sounds like my frustrations with this book and relationship won't be alleviated by this annual.

I'm getting real damn tired of how his character's been written over the course of this thing.

Yeah, it's tiring, and honestly, I feel like this will keep happening as like Tomasi keeps writing. I miss Charles Soule so much, I feel like he would have handled this better.

[GuiltyPleasure]

I won't be able to read this until Friday, but from I've read here, it sounds like my frustrations with this book and relationship won't be alleviated by this annual.

I'm getting real damn tired of how his character's been written over the course of this thing.

Unfortunately, this annual will do nothing to alleviate any frustration about the future of the pairing you may have. In fact, it may add to it. For me, I just feel disappointed and kind of angry at the mishandling of something that could've been really well done. I felt the same way with how Marvel dealt with the Storm and Black Panther marriage and eventual end. Contrived issues and betrayals came out of nowhere, before Marvel finally axed the couple. Right now, it seems as if DC is doing the same thing, but with less blunt trauma.

[Will J.]

Yeah, it's tiring, and honestly, I feel like this will keep happening as like Tomasi keeps writing. I miss Charles Soule so much, I feel like he would have handled this better.

Well, I always got the feeling Soule preferred writing Diana more than Clark, but you're right. He probably would've handled this a hell of a lot better and without undercutting either character's characterization.

[Will J.]

Unfortunately, this annual will do nothing to alleviate any frustration about the future of the pairing you may have. In fact, it may add to it. For me, I just feel disappointed and kind of angry at the mishandling of something that could've been really well done. I felt the same way with how Marvel dealt with the Storm and Black Panther marriage and eventual end. Contrived issues and betrayals came out of nowhere, before Marvel finally axed the couple. Right now, it seems as if DC is doing the same thing, but with less blunt trauma.

Sorry to hear that about Storm and Black Panther.

I was on a break from Marvel at the time, but from what I know of both characters, there was a lot of potential there, much like this one.

As far as Clark and Diana go, I really shouldn't be surprised. Movie synergy seems to be where they want to go, assuming that's the case, and I just think that's lazy creatively.

[NYCER]

Yeah, we'll just have to see how things go. I really just want it to be March and be done with this Clark hating Diana era. And yeah, I can't really say what Clark is doing is out of character since he has only really been in one other long time relationship, but man, it just sucks to see.

Agreed. I tire of this bipolar and almost schizophrenic Superman/Clark/Kal. Guy is ALL OVER THE MAP.

I must have missed this but in The New 52, what other long term relationship has Clark been in? With Lana in high school?

[DragonPiece]

Agreed. I tire of this bipolar and almost schizophrenic Superman/Clark/Kal. Guy is ALL OVER THE MAP.

I must have missed this but in The New 52, what other long term relationship has Clark been in? With Lana in high school?

I meant with Lois pre52, but I guess this is Clark's first (at least longterm) girlfriend in the new 52. Interesting.

[NYCER]

Wasn't that bad had some good moments though still peeved because I would like more SMWW & Aquaman/Mera stories. It really showed they, especially Clark has a lot of growing up to do. That big of a decision, way to early to make. I get that. But that also means keep working on the relationship because it's a process.

True. And we are dealing with a 27 year old Superman here. I forget the age of the pre FLASHPOINT Clark when he proposed to Lois. And Diana is only 23. Maybe it's Clark's midwestern upbringing that led him to the idea of proposing early because that's not the trend in urban areas. Anyway, yes, there's a lot of repair work to be done as in any relationship. I still don't fully understand why Clark went ballistic at Diana freeing his Smallville peeps. Because she "disobeyed" him? Now, that's a problem.

[NYCER]

I meant with Lois pre52, but I guess this is Clark's first (at least longterm) girlfriend in the new 52. Interesting.

Thanks for the clarification. So yeah as far as we know this is Kal's first serious relationship...with a woman.

Bruce is his BF in waiting. Just kidding.

[misslane]

Annual #2 is definitely a love AND hate (as opposed to love OR hate) issue for those of us who love Diana and Kal together. I agree that Johns is pimping out Steve Trevor big time in anticipation of the Gal Gadot film, which would've been ok with me had Johns himself not outright declared Wonder Woman and Superman as DC's "power couple" and that their romantic relationship would be "the new status quo" as of JL #12 thus making my decades-long hopes for Diana and Kal's romantic pairing to become canon finally come true.

I don't get it. Saying something is the "new status quo" doesn't mean anything other than something being, for the present moment, the current state of things. When Clark and Diana began dating, their new status as a couple became the new status quo. It means nothing about how long that status was going to last, and the mere fact that it did beyond an issue-long whim satisfies your becoming "canon" requirement. Superman and Wonder Woman going through a rough patch or breaking up doesn't nullify either of those things.

Anyway, about the issue, and this is a question for anyone: when did Diana become God of War? Because, according to this, Clark was ready or thinking of proposing before he even knew that had happened to Diana. As far as I recall, Diana told Clark she was the God of War in the last issue of Soule's first arc (before "Doomed" and before Diana even told Clark she loved him). How does the timeline or continuity of this annual align with previous storytelling, particularly Soule's? Does it really seem logical or okay that he would have been ready to propose to Diana that soon?

ETA: This was the scene I was thinking of (from SM/WW #7):

click image for bigger picture

[MosSuperman]

Clark proposing would be too soon and whoever wrote this had not read Soule's run or more specifically sm/ww #7.

[juan678]

Yanick Paquette
Although un-credited in SUP/WW ann.2, I produced the layout for it.Check out this page deemed too sexy for Print
https://twitter.com/YanickPaquette

[misslane]

Yanick Paquette
Although un-credited in SUP/WW ann.2, I produced the layout for it.Check out this page deemed too sexy for Print
https://twitter.com/YanickPaquette

Too sexy? That's strange. Lois/Clark have had sexier scenes than that, and there was even a shower scene in Smallville: Season 11 that wasn't all that different. I wonder why this was considered excessive. Curious.

[juan678]

Superman/Wonder Woman 5YL, unused story pages 7 and 14. and

https://twitter.com/BartSears

[friendly-fire-press]

Anyway, about the issue, and this is a question for anyone: when did Diana become God of War?

It happened during Azzarello's run ... I think it was WW #23

Too sexy? That's strange. Lois/Clark have had sexier scenes than that, and there was even a shower scene in Smallville: Season 11 that wasn't all that different. I wonder why this was considered excessive. Curious.

It's truly ridiculous and more than a little insulting (just like last time when they censored one of Tony Daniels "too sexy" images from SMWW #4).
They've also shown "sexier" images with Batman/ Catwoman, Green Arrow/ Black Canary and other characters ... why discriminate against Superman and Wonder Woman? It doesn't seem very fair
The only theories I can think of for this absurd decision is: 1. To deliberately stir up some internet outrage 2. Some internal machinations at the DC offices who may be struggling with some personal bias regarding the SMWW relationship 3. Bit of both?

(Of course the irony is: Censorship serves no significant purpose nowadays anyway thanks to the internet ... Everyone can see the image whenever they want, they pretty much already have ... and the world hasn't come to an end ... DC are just making themselves look timid and out-of-touch)