Jodi Picoult writing Wonder Woman? Weird.

[brdgt]

Finally, DC Comics has recruited a bestselling female writer to write Wonder Woman.  The five-issue run by novelist Jodi Picoult, author of fourteen novels including Plain Truth and My Sister’s Keeper, debuts tomorrow on Wonder Woman #6. 

DC teams Picoult with current artists Terry and Rachel Dodson, and Drew Johnson, who also worked on fan-favorite Greg Rucka’s Wonder Woman run.  The anticipation among Wonder Woman and Picoult fans alike is palpable, so it was a real treat when Picoult made time in her busy schedule to answer a few questions about the Wonder Woman we all know and love.

BROKEN FRONTIER: What brought you to writing comics?  I know you had a graphic novel section in The Tenth Circle.  What inspired you to write that? 

JODI PICOULT: I created a character in my novel The Tenth Circle who was a graphic novelist—and his art was the one way he could explain his feelings to the reader.  His graphic novel was about Dante's Inferno, which is tailor-made for comics, because it's so visually written. 

As a writer, I wanted to explore all the different ways we tell stories—not just with words, but also with images.  It was after the novel was released that an editor at DC Comics, Matt Idelson, contacted me and asked if I'd be interested in writing Wonder Woman.

BF: Is writing comics different from writing novels?  Superhero comics have to be very concise, and Wonder Woman is very action-oriented.  Does this put different demands on your writing process?

JP: In a novel, you have as many pages as you need to tell your story.  In a comic, you're reigned in to 22 pages.  There's more description in narrative novels, and more internal narrative.  The way I see it, writing a comic book is like distilling everything you need to get across into the smallest package possible - the catch is that you have to do that and make it exciting at the same time. 

The coolest part about writing a comic book, however, is that it's not a solitary process, like writing a novel.  The vision of the artists is critical, as they bring your words to life.

BF: You are skilled at exploring subtleties and complexities in relationships, yet, Wonder Woman is an action figure.  Is there much room for subtlety in comic books?

JP: Oh, I think there's a great deal of room for subtlety—also sly humor and incisive political and social commentary.  That's the fun of a comic book—it's not just about the action figure.  There are so many subtexts to the words you write in a comic book, and the situations you create. 

As for the complexities of Wonder Woman and her personal relationships, well, to be honest, I think that's what's been missing for Wonder Woman.  She's often so busy saving the world she's forgotten who she really is.  The interesting thing about Wonder Woman, to me, is that—unlike Batman, for example, who's human and becomes a superhero when he puts on the mask—she is not human, and has to disguise herself as one to fit in (much like Superman).  There's got to be an emotional component to being a champion for humans, but knowing you'll never really be one of them.

BF: Wonder Woman has been in print for over 60 years.  The continuity issues must be nearly maddening!  How do you cope?  Is there a team at DC that vets your stories and keeps them within continuity?  Or do you have all the freedom you need to develop your stories?

JP: Thank goodness for my editor—he's the one who catches my mistakes.  It is hard to remember everything that's come before, on Wonder Woman runs, because as you pointed out, she is nearly eligible for AARP benefits.  [Laughs] 

The hardest part of the process for me, though, has been writing a five-issue run on the heels of someone else's run, and knowing someone will take over after me.  It's a little like being given a puzzle with one piece missing and being told that whatever you do has to fit the dimensions of that one puzzle piece.  

BF: Do you have any input into Wonder Woman's appearance?  I know I wish I looked like her!  What do you think of her look?  Is she a good role model for young women?

JP: As soon as I found out I was writing Wonder Woman—and that I was only the second woman to write her—I lobbied for breast reduction surgery.  I mean, honestly, any woman will tell you that fighting crime in a bustier is not only uncomfortable, but impractical... However, I was soundly voted down by DC Comics.  [Laughs]  Wonder Woman's appearance is iconic.  She's an Amazon warrior—tall and strong and beautiful.

In terms of body image, well, who wouldn't want to look like her? And yet I take comfort in the fact that she has powerful thighs and probably has a hard time fitting into jeans.  But what makes her a great role model for young women is not her measurements, but her mind; she is smart, determined, and loyal.

BF:  Is it daunting to work on a story that so many women feel possessive about?  In a way, the superhero's story is everyone's story, because so many of us keep a secret part of ourselves tucked away in order to keep it safe. 

Wonder Woman is a special story for so many women, because we put our amazing Goddess-selves away in order to fulfill our necessary roles in the real world, as workers, and as caretakers.  But we often think of the "magic lasso" that we've hidden in our purses.  How will you handle this duality?  Will you give it fullness by exploring family relationships, which are such an important part of a woman's life? 

JP: We've all grown up with Wonder Woman.  She's part of our culture and even our cultural vocabulary: moms talk about how they have to be "Wonder Women", doing it all and making it look easy.  The truth is, of course, we can't do it all and part of my take on Wonder Woman is that whether or not she realizes it, neither can she.  Not physically—she is still the most powerful woman around, and fierce in battle—but prowess comes at a cost.  You can be physically limitless, and still have doubts about the things you feel and the people you feel them for. 

BF: Wonder Woman has been a role model of women's strength and independence, at least in theory, for over 60 years.  What does it mean to you to be a strong and independent woman?  How will you express that in your run on Wonder Woman?

JP: I think every ordinary woman, eventually, becomes extraordinary at some point in her life.  There's something you are truly excellent at doing—it might be motherhood, making creme brulée, doing a closing argument in court, running marathons, or in Wonder Woman's case, kicking bad guys' butt. 

In my issues, Wonder Woman has a great sense of humor, looks fantastic, and is a tower of strength...but she, like the rest of us, also struggles with what she owes to her family versus what she wants for herself; she finds herself matched up against other equally strong women. 

For the past sixty years Wonder Woman's been so incredibly sure of herself that it's hard, sometimes, for real women to relate to her... but I think putting a chink in Wonder Woman's emotional armor will not only make her more understandable, but will in the long run make her an even greater force to be reckoned with... and what woman can't relate to that?!

Jodi Picoult’s run on Wonder Woman begins with Wonder Woman #6, on sale March 28. For more info about her work, visit the author’s website at http://www.jodipicoult.com.

Comments

[davidgallaher1.livejournal.com]

There is totally some sap to her writing, but never under-estimate the power of a good editor. DC takes pride in Wonder Woman, and to have Jodi writing it is a big deal for them. It's certainly worth a read, if for nothing more than to satisfy my curiosity.