Why Wonder Woman Needs Romance in Her Life (According to Her Writer)

Summary Romance is an essential part of Wonder Woman, adding depth to her character and making her more relatable.

King emphasizes that love is a fundamental human experience and how incorporating romance into his Wonder Woman run helps make her a more well-rounded character.

Steve Trevor's role in Wonder Woman's life is significant, serving as an anchor in times of trouble and fortifying her strength.

Tom King is famous for leveraging romance and relationships in the various titles he has worked on, and his current Wonder Woman run is no exception, as it heavily features the romance between Diana Prince and Steve Trevor. In a recent interview with Screen Rant, King shed some light on why he believes it’s vital for Wonder Woman to have romance featured in her storylines.

King's approach to romance for Diana boils down to treating her like a person with real-life experiences in the world—including the joys and heartbreaks of love.

Unsurprisingly, romance was a main topic of discussion in Screen Rant’s full interview with Tom King. This led to Screen Rant asking a question that undoubtedly burns in the minds of many fans: “What's the role of romance in Wonder Woman's story and character? Especially as, in this run, you're kind of establishing her as almost stubbornly independent.”

King's deeply insightful answer will undoubtedly change how many fans view his emphasis on romance in his stories. In short, he explained that part of writing Wonder Woman involves making her human, and part of being human is falling in love.

Wonder Woman Needs Romance in Her Life Because Falling In Love Is Part of Being a Human Being

In response to Screen Rant's question about romance in Wonder Woman's story, King quotes fellow comic writer Kelly Sue DeConnick. When asked how she writes such compelling women, DeConnick offers a simple but powerful insight: "The first thing I do is pretend they're human." King expands on this, stating his belief that romance is a fundamental part of the human experience for most people worldwide and that partners become deeply integrated into our lives, essentially becoming "a part of your existence and your soul." Therefore, incorporating romance into Wonder Woman's storyline contributes to making her a complete character and person.

Kelly Sue DeConnick has a great line that I quote all the time. People ask her, “How do you write women so well?” And she says, “The first thing I do is pretend they're human.” And I think, just to be alive, for many, many people, romance is part of your life. With whoever that partner is, the person you find who you love becomes a part of your existence and your soul. And I think to make Wonder Woman a complete character and a complete person is to give her that dimension.

King clarifies that Wonder Woman's romance with Steve Trevor isn't her defining characteristic, but rather an integral part of her. He also highlights Steve's special role as someone who was "right at her origin," playing a pivotal role in opening her eyes to the world beyond Themyscira when his plane crashed on her island. Essentially, King's approach to romance for Diana boils down to treating her like a person with real-life experiences in the world—including the joys and heartbreaks of love.

Tom King Shines a Spotlight on the Depths of Diana Prince and Steve Trevor’s Relationship Wonder Woman #9

The timing of King's interview with Screen Rant couldn't be more perfect, considering the recent release of Wonder Woman #9, which heavily features Diana and Steve's relationship. In this issue, Wonder Woman is captured by The Sovereign and is being held in solitary confinement. To combat this torture, Diana mentally escapes to dreamscapes of various places. Yet these fantasies all have one thing in common–Steve. Despite not being real, Steve acts as Diana's anchor, sustaining her through torture and fortifying her. Here, Tom King beautifully illustrates Wonder Woman's deep bond with Steve Trevor and how he is a pillar of strength for her.

Not to make [her relationships] all of her! Because there are times in history where [her title has] been treated as very much a romance comic or something. That's not all of who Diana is, but it's part of her. It's a part of her, and it's right at her origin. Because, you know, part of her story starts with Steve crashing that plane and opening her world. So to me, it's part of what Kelly Sue [says]. It's treating Wonder Woman as a human being, as a person who exists in the world, and people who exist in the world fall in love and both derive joy and sadness from that.

Wonder Woman #9 is available now from DC Comics!

WONDER WOMAN #9 (2024) Writer: Tom King

Artist: Daniel Sampere

Colorist: Tomeu Morey

Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Cover Artist: Daniel Sampere & Tomeu Morey

Source: Screen Rant