New Side-Project: Strangers In Paradise - A Superman/Wonder Woman Story

I know I just started work on X-men Supreme Volume 5: Dark Truths, but X-men Supreme is not my only project. There are very few days where I don't contemplate other stories. Most of those stories don't make it to the first chapter, let alone a complete idea. But for the first time in quite a while, I've come up with something that is sufficiently awesome to pursue.

I've already revealed in previous posts on this blog that I have a soft spot for the Superman/Wonder Woman romance. I've also revealed that I have my own unique perspective on romance in comics, namely that it shouldn't suck. There are a long list of romance stories in comics that sound good on paper, but end up sucking because there isn't an effort to actually develop the relationship in a meaningful way. It often leads to stories and relationships that end badly.

Case and point.

But I think DC Comics has done a great job of developing the Superman/Wonder Woman relationship. On paper, it sounds next to impossible because Superman has spent the last 70 years linked to Lois Lane. And I've got no problem with that relationship. It's definitely one of the most epic comic book romances of all time. But Superman/Wonder Woman bring something different to the table. They're both heroes. They're both in the same line of work. They were teammates before they became lovers. They understand their struggles in being Earth's greatest heroes while dealing with all sorts of complex personal issues. This allows them to relate to one another on a powerful level. And in the past few years that DC has actually put the energy into developing this couple, it has become one of the best in all of comics.

Also, it's pretty damn sexy.

This has helped inspire me to create my own story, which I call "Strangers In Paradise." This is a story I never could have told without the impact of the New 52 because it incorporates elements from the New 52 into the setting. I've tweaked a few things, giving the DCU my own little twist in the same way I did with X-men Supreme. But I didn't change much. I only used this setting to tell a Superman/Wonder Woman story from a very different perspective.

The base of this story comes down to this: what if Superman and Wonder Woman met when they were younger? In the New 52, their early lives before they became members of the Justice League are explored. In Wonder Woman's solo series, as well as the relaunched Action Comics series, we see that they too went through a phase that involved them being young and dumb. It's actually pretty telling when even Superman and Wonder Woman aren't immune to the irrational influences of youth. But in this story, I take it a step farther.

In this story, Superman is 21 years old and still wearing blue jeans when he's wearing the cape. Wonder Woman is only 17 and hasn't even left Themyscira yet. They're young and horribly uninformed about the world as a whole. So what happens when their paths cross by accident? What kind of relationship develops when they meet each other at this vulnerable age when they're still surrounded by all these crazy influences? And keep in mind, some of these influences have godly powers. It's a story that develops the Superman/Wonder Woman relationship in an entirely new way and I hope it will resonate with fans of Superman, Wonder Woman, romance, and awesome stories in general.

Superman and Wonder Woman: Strangers In Paradise

Also, I want to make clear that pursuing this story will in no way affect the update schedule for X-men Supreme. That will still be updated on a biweekly basis unless I announce otherwise. Updates for this story were be less frequent. I don't have an update schedule at the moment. It depends on the amount of feedback I get and the amount of time I can spare without disrupting X-men Supreme. As always, I strongly encourage everyone to provide feedback on this and every other story I write. I really hope Superman/Wonder Woman fans enjoy this and I hope it leads to more awesome stories. Nuff said!