So, by now everyone’s heard that the wonderful Allan Heinberg will be off of Wonder Woman after the fifth issue.
Who’s going to follow him? According to Rich Johnston, it’s novelist Jodi Picoult.
I’ve never heard of her, and judging by the initial response, I’m not the only one drawing a blank. This post (linked through the Girl-Wonder thread) is particularly interesting. I’m not sure how reliable it is, but it does make an interesting claim, that the proposed writer has never read an issue of Wonder Woman before.
I can already see people getting defensive about this, however, it could be a good thing. A brand new writer with a fresh viewpoint and an open mind that is using her own son as a consultant.
It almost sounds too good be true.
Ms. Picoult’s website says nothing to confirm or deny this rumor, so I emailed her for confirmation. She answered back that indeed she would be writing issues 6 to 10. She did not elaborate on how familiar she was with the character.
July 4th, 2006 at 8:07 am
You really need to read more Lying In The Gutters. From February….
http://www.comicbookresources.com/columns/index.cgi?column=litg&article=2389
July 4th, 2006 at 8:45 am
Wasn’t Heinberg’s arc supposed to be six issues?
July 4th, 2006 at 9:44 am
12 issues I think…
July 4th, 2006 at 10:09 am
I read on Broken Frontier or someplace he was only on for the initial five issues. Huh.
July 4th, 2006 at 10:10 am
The Pulse’s Jen Contino got an interview with Picoult, most probably done without DC’s knowledge (this is the article quoted in its entirety in one of the links above). It’s quite amusing, I especially enjoyed seeing her mention that Heinberg’s first issue didn’t make any sense to her, and that she proposed a breast reduction for Wonder Woman.
http://www.comicon.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=36;t=005303
July 4th, 2006 at 10:34 am
The way I skimmed the article, it wasn’t necessarily a breast reduction but that she wanted to write her out of costume (i.e., without the bustier), which DC nixed because, I presume, you actually want to see the protagonist of the book in her costume. I’ve never had a problem with WW’s costume, particularly after Lucy Lawless showed an armored bustier could be workable and even practical (leaves the hands and shoulders free to swing that sword or lasso, doesn’t it?).
July 4th, 2006 at 10:39 am
My Sister’s Keeper by Ms. Picoult is a haunting book. Told briefly, it’s about a girl who was born to save the life of her sister - spare parts as it were.
My daughter was glued to the book for the three days that it took her to read it on a vacation trip. She’d have consumed it in one sitting if we’d allowed it.
The ending is haunting.
I think she’ll add a lot to the WW story.
July 4th, 2006 at 1:23 pm
She is an incredibly talented writer (and hugely popular, even if comics readers haven’t heard of her). I am really excited about this, even though I’ll miss Allan on the book.
July 4th, 2006 at 1:40 pm
Boy, DC really milked the publicity mill (if you can milk a mill….) for Heinberg’s 5-issue story. They made it seem like he was “the” writer, not just someone passing through.
July 4th, 2006 at 2:45 pm
I don’t know… considering Wonder Woman’s history of bad portrayals, I can’t think it’s anything but a positive thing that the new author hasn’t read her before…
July 4th, 2006 at 3:21 pm
I don’t know. This worries meeh to no end. I’ve heard of the other, though I have never read a single word she’s written. The fact that WW Vol 3 #1 made no sense to her worries the hell out of me, because it shows she isn’t familiar with Diana’s history, something you need to be to be able to write the character with all the justice she deserves.
July 4th, 2006 at 4:08 pm
Well, IIRC Heinberg was “The” writer, but Rich J had posted rumors that he could only stick around for five issues- the guy’s on Grey’s Anatomy now, I believe, and one of the highest rated shows in the country pays a lot better than WW or Hulkling. And Marvel’s willing to take YA off the schedule until he’s ready to come back, something DC might not be willing to do with WW, since she’s a bigger ticket.
I welcome Picoult on WW- it sounds like she has a better idea of how to handle the Max Lord situation than Greg Rucka.
July 4th, 2006 at 11:03 pm
I dunno; seems like 1/3rd of DC’s Big 3 is now being done by stunt writers, starting with what’s supposed to be a significant relaunch. Two in a row five issue only writers, with the second certainly not seeming to have any particular desire to write this character as opposed to trying some comics writing, at least initially.
July 4th, 2006 at 11:58 pm
I recently read her novel The Tenth Circle when it came out a few months back. It’s a drama about a comic book writer/artist whose teenage daughter is raped at a party, and how everyone deals with that fact. It’s told from multiple points of view (the daughter, the comic book creator father, the mother, the accused, and the cop investigating the case). I really can’t recommend the book, as it didn’t really feel “finished” to me, and the ending was totally flat. There was a lot of fluff that didn’t really add anything to the overall story.
One cool thing is the fact that you actually see the father’s comic book story play out over the course of the novel (it’s presented a few pages at a time at the end of each chapter). Picoult wrote the story of the graphic novel-within-a-prose novel, and the artwork (I can’t remember the artist’s name right now, I regret to say) was pretty damn good.
July 5th, 2006 at 12:00 am
One more thing I forgot earlier: Rich Johnston, I hear is a big fan of Picoult’s work as he gets name dropped in The Tenth Circle. Not sure how much input, if any, he had on the scene wherein the comic book creator checks out Lying in the Gutters, but from what little I’ve read of that colum, it really felt like the genuine article.
July 5th, 2006 at 12:25 am
Actually, from what I understand, Heinberg wants to do more. His schedule is a pain. It is possible that he’d come back for another run…maybe try to alternate with writers. Or it could be that he’s signing soon with Marvel for exclusive or something.
July 5th, 2006 at 6:04 am
I wouldn’t say I’m a big fan, and I had no input into Tencth Circle at all. I was only made aware of it after the book had gone to print. She got me good though, huh?
I think Jodi will do wonders for the public image of Wonder Woman however.
July 5th, 2006 at 7:04 am
Rodrigo — Thanks for the link to that intervkiew, I was looking on the Comic-Bloc Thread and I missed it. Was so annoyed.
Rich — Well, I wasn’t at this blog in Februrary to post the link then, was I? Come to think of it, this blog wasn’t here then.
July 5th, 2006 at 9:51 pm
This isn’t going to be good. I work at the world’s largest bookstore. I used to shelve Picoult’s books. All of which pretty much have the exact same plot. someone dies, is dead, or is dying. they’re all pretty formulaic. And someone, maybe johnson, said if she brings in half the readers of her books to the comic WW will be the highest selling comic. So, how many 40+ yr old women do you think are going to go scrambling to a comic shop to pick up WW? yeah, none. And most of her fans think Tenth Circle suck. why? cuz it deals with comic books. And who ever said the art in it was good, must have looked at the wrong book. And if anyone at dc had bothered to read the book, specifically the graphic novel bits, they might have realized here ‘comic writing’ is pedestrian at best. But we live in an age where comics are ashamed of themselves, which leads to the thought that a ‘published writer’ or ‘a tv writer’ has to be better than any of the hacks we have.
July 5th, 2006 at 11:24 pm
Regarding DC putting WW on the shelf to wait for Heinberg to eventually return: “a perpetual agreement with Marston’s estate stipulates that a Wonder Woman comic book must be regularly published in order for DC to keep the rights to the character”. WW can’t be put on the shelf.
July 6th, 2006 at 12:49 am
Steve — Then please explain the February-June hiatus, as the rumor I heard was “Every month” and that the agreement was over.
July 6th, 2006 at 3:50 am
His fifth issue?
Really? After all that ‘Oh boy Oh boy I always wanted to write Wonder Woman hoorah!’ talk in his interviews?
He must be one busy guy.
July 7th, 2006 at 3:16 am
I really enjoyed #1, and I’ll give Picoult a shot but I’m not holding out my hopes. A non-comics writer, who doesn’t read the book? C’mon DC. To me, part of the reason Heinberg’s #1 worked so well was because I had previously read of his love for the character, how writing WW was a dream of his and all.
If he could only do a short run why bring him on? Why not wait until he had the time to do a 12-issue run or more? There’s certainly many capable writers in DC’s stable who could handle the series for the time being.
July 12th, 2006 at 7:22 pm
why the hell didn’t they ask gail simone? she is a female, has written comics for a long time and oh yes she has been begging to do wonder woman (and she knows the character! she dosen’t need help getting info on wondy!)! This just seems like DC dosen’t at all care about the book.
July 13th, 2006 at 3:32 am
rob — I love Gail’s writing, but she’s on three books already and there’s no need to spread her so thin when there’s a wealth of talent available.
Also, being female (which is an adjective, not a noun) is not the most important requirement for writing Wonder Woman. That said, I hate to see so few women writing comics, so I’m fine with seeing an established writer who is getting a lot of work passed over for a shot at an unknown (to this industry) talent.
This woman has never written a comic book before. That’s no reason to assume it’ll be any good, but still no reason to assume it will be terrible.