By: Patricia Peraza
Finally, Earth’s strongest superheroes have come together in their own graphic novels to form one of the most powerful couples in comic book history. I am, of course, speaking of Superman and Wonder Woman. New 52: Volume 1 Power Couple, written by Charles Soule and artwork by the incredible Tony S. Daniel, explores the fledging relationship between these two supernova powerhouses in a way that can be most described as muy caliente! Gone are the days of relationships with humans, and in swoops the superhero coupling. Justice League: Volume 2 The Villain’s Journey revealed the removal of Steve Trevor and Lois Lane from Diana and Clark’s prospective love life and instead brought together Diana Prince and Clark Kent to explore their existence as superheroes who struggle with having normal lives. And it’s no wonder with the job they have, consistently saving the world that they would feel a bond that would later lead to an intimate relationship. But why bring together Superman and Wonder Woman? Maybe because it’s one of the most anticipated and compatible combinations for comic book heroes. Not only do their superpowers mirror one another, with super strength and flight, but also their moralistic philosophies seem to merge into a dynamic that works. Clark’s laidback farm boy persona seems to really temperament Diana’s Greek feminist strong woman attitude. Together they un-movingly believe in the greater good and the potential for mankind to be saved from the evil it sometimes creates.
Following the introduction of the very sexy first kiss in Justice League: Volume 2, Clark and Diana, in Superman/ Wonder Woman: Volume 1, begin their relationship with some very normal humanistic worries. Diana is having a hard time keeping their relationship a secret while Clark doesn’t want their newborn intimacies publicized to the rest of the world. Both characters voice their worries to their close friends and the central conflict starts off as: should their relationship be kept under wraps? While both have very good reasons for their worries, the graphic novel reflects the cause and effect of being in a superhero relationship. The reader can see how quickly Superman is ready to protect Wonder Woman from any harm in their line of work. While he trusts her to do her job, he also worries that her jump first attitude will likely cause her more harm than good. Wonder Woman is put off by this lack of trust but evidently succumbs to Superman’s perspective because it is actually endearing. One of my favorite moments is when Clark gives Diana an exotic kryptonian flower that he believes reflects her. The playful banter displayed exemplifies both characters ability to casually joke with one another in their new relationship. All of these things seem to work for the super couple that can be very different at times in their individual perspectives. Beyond the fighting with Diana’s half siblings the Greek Gods and Clark’s foes General Zod and Faora, they really learn to rely on one another and trust in each other’s power to overthrow their enemies and go home at the end of the day to deal with their relationship becoming exposed. Volume 1 really focuses on the relationship between these heroes and thankfully, it isn’t overshadowed by the fighting sequences.
Volume 2, however, seems to take a different approach to Diana and Clark’s storyline. The opposite is in effect where the fighting sequences seem to overwhelm the relationship with Superman’s transformation into a beast-like mutation of Doomsday. Diana has no idea where Clark has been since the exposure of their relationship to the media and doesn’t even think to look for him at his apartment where he eventually has been the entire time. All of these little agitations are the reasons why their relationship is less believable in Volume 2 and maybe it’s the writer’s indication of their relationship coming to an end. Without further detail this Volume was a huge disappoint for me as a reader who specifically reads this to get the Diana and Clark dynamic together as a unit. I do not want to read that they haven’t seen each other in god knows how long and they have some sort of weird long distance relationship while Clark deals with the Doomsday mutation in space. On a side note, the presence of Lois Lane who ends up being a bad girl character infected by Brainiac instead her regular journalist persona is really irritating. Plus, she dated one of Superman’s most difficult enemies Metallo that was also the ridiculous cherry on top of this crap pie. I understand changing things up for the sake of trying to make a storyline believable but this to me was not believable. The Lois Lane-Clark Kent-Diana Prince triangle was more effective in the animated movie, Throne of Atlantis, when Lois was asserting her close work relationship with Clark while simultaneously interrupting Clark and Diana’s date. But, of course that is also a loose interpretation of Diana and Clark storyline.
To conclude, Volume 1 of Superman/ Wonder Woman: Power Couple is a yay and Volume 2 Superman/ Wonder Woman: War and Peace is a nay when it comes to a realistic relationship progressing. But, like I said it is possible the writer is trying to implicate the dissolution of the relationship between these beautiful beings as another failed superhero coupling. Here’s to hoping their relationship survives another Volume!
The Comparative Literature Undergraduate Journal 
