Harley Quinn author Stephanie Phillips has a PhD in rhetoric and composition, a master’s in English, was a aggressive Muy Thai fighter, and loves comics. But for a very long time she felt like she did not actually ‘get’ Ponder Woman.
Phillips has usually found Speculate Female as a “symbol of toughness,” but the human facet of Diana Prince was a hard thing for her to grasp on a personal amount. Soon after a journey to recognize Wonder Woman’s humanity for herself which led to her applying Surprise Woman in her Muy Thai battling prep, Stephanie Phillips is now placing the character on her personal path to knowledge her have humanity in Wonder Woman: Evolution.
Debut November 16, Ponder Woman: Evolution groups Phillips with artist Mike Hawthorne, inker Adriano Di Benedetto, colorist Jordie Bellaire, and letterer Tom Napolitano as they acquire the Amazonian warrior to a cosmic court to act as Earth’s representative when its crimes are place on demo.
Newsarama spoke with Phillips about the forthcoming series, her acclimation to being familiar with Wonder Female for herself, and subsequent the character by way of a re-examination of her individual id.
Newsarama: Stephanie, the subtitle ‘Evolution’ leaves open up a globe of risk. What does it necessarily mean in phrases of you and Mike’s tale?
Stephanie Phillips: When I was to begin with tasked with a Speculate Lady story, I begun to assume about what interests me about this character. Due to the fact her inception, I feel Question Woman has been this incredibly symbolic character, often steeped in mythology and lore. I like that about her, but I understood that I didn’t sense like I experienced a good handle on Diana personally, like getting her a phase past her symbology I want to know who she is.
So, on the a single hand, ‘evolution’ symbolizes my desire in viewing Diana evolve by way of her very own history and arise out the other aspect of this demo as a altered man or woman – evolving into a little something unique than we’ve witnessed from Diana in previous stories.
Second, ‘evolution’ right here also refers to a a lot more particular story be aware that Diana is standing demo for humanity since we’ve developed over and above evolutionary requirements and now use these new technological abilities to damage the world and every single other.
While Diana is evolving all over this tale, we’re also thinking about the cost of evolution more broadly as perfectly.
Newsarama: So this cosmic entity that whisks Diana off – who is it, or who are they?
Phillips: They’re a little bit mysterious. They have god-like capabilities and provide as arbiters, presiding around a sort of neutral floor wherever they choose the a lot of species in their universe. Their work is to keep all the different planets and species in test – when one particular receives a small too much out of line and poses a threat, they intervene. At the moment, they see humanity as posing a probable threat not just to Earth by itself, but to the cosmos.
The story will explore how they serve to make their determination about humanity and why Diana is the picked out proxy.
Newsarama: Who its it that has picked Diana as Earth’s proxy in a demo to choose all mankind’s worthiness to exist?
Phillips: Our god-like aliens particularly find Diana for the demo. Element of this tale will be about comprehending why Diana is selected.
Newsarama: This has shades of vintage Greek mythology, but also the a variety of cosmic superhero trials. What are you aiming for below?
Phillips: Individually, I am aiming for an exploration of Marvel Girl by way of her relationships, precisely to the Justice League, the Amazons, and even to humanity as a entire. I truly like this foil as a chance to inquire questions about Diana’s priorities, her ethical compass, and even her knowledge of her have identity and sense of belonging.
I would also say there’s a little bit of a Platonic dialogue occurring in this e book. As Diana is remaining to assume about how she defines failure and achievements, as very well as how she interacts with the numerous diverse worlds she’s a component of, she will have various ‘guides’ for these discussions. I consider the men and women Diana converses with will, at factors, be a minor shocking to Diana (and readers!), and I’m truly excited to see that unfold.
Newsarama: What does Diana believe about all of this?
Phillips: Like the hero we know her to be, Diana originally rises to the obstacle. Earth requirements a hero, and that is her work. But the demo is far more than just swinging a sword at oncoming enemies, and it will quickly force Diana in techniques she was not anticipating.
Newsarama: What are this challenges that Diana is up versus?
Phillips: This is tough to answer devoid of supplying far too considerably absent, but I will say that the trials are not what Diana expects. She is all set with a sword to deal with oncoming alien enemies, but there is a large amount more to this obstacle than Diana was anticipating, and the struggles will acquire a quite drastic psychological toll on our hero.
Newsarama: How does this in good shape within just the continuity of Wonder Female we see in the latest Speculate Female comedian? Is this very same Wonder Woman, or a single from a unique universe in the DC Multiverse?
Phillips: The miniseries really does stand on its very own and readers really do not have to go through any other Wonder Girl stories to bounce in. We do touch on her earlier pretty a bit, showcasing the Amazons and even the Justice League, but we have deliberately produced some thing self-contained that can be go through as a standalone Wonder Lady experience.
That becoming stated, the current ongoing sequence by Becky Cloonan, Michael Conrad, and Travis Moore is great and I would unquestionably stimulate everyone to decide it up!
Newsarama: You began this 12 months as element of the Sensational Wonder Girl book, and now you are heading into the final months crafting a solo sequence, following seriously coming into your own with the Harley Quinn e-book. How does it really feel to be below?
Phillips: I see creating these characters as a obligation and a privilege. I have a duty to the characters that I really like deeply and grew up looking through to do ideal by them, and it is these kinds of an honor to be dependable with their stories. I have the coolest task in the environment (aside from… you know… essentially getting Question Girl, because that appears to be really interesting!).
Newsarama: How do you look at Diana, and the function/mantle of Speculate Woman individually?
Phillips: Back again when I was battling, I really applied to attend weigh-ins with Question Woman apparel on. Prior to fights I would even look at or read Wonder Girl combat scenes and just sense motivated by this character who can be ruthless, empathetic, and robust although producing all of those factors gorgeous.
But the very first time I was requested to write Diana I realized that, in my mind, she was this symbol of energy and not someone I was connecting with on a human degree, so this story seeks to definitely concern that humanity in a quite substantial way – pushing and tough Diana in ways she is actually uncomfortable with. And, with any luck ,, we’ll see some thing awesome arise on the other aspect!
Newsarama: You’re doing the job with artist Mike Hawthorne, who is returning to DC soon after years at Marvel. I know its early on, but what is actually it like functioning with him?
Phillips: Just extraordinary. The phrase that straight away comes to brain about my collaboration with Mike is ‘respect.’ I appreciate Mike’s function and I try to do my most effective to generate a assortment of scenes and then allow Mike do his point, mainly because that ‘thing’ is currently being exceptionally gifted!
Doing the job with Mike, inker Adriano Di Benedetto, and colorist Jordie Bellaire… what a workforce! Tom Napolitano is lettering the sequence, which I’m also thrilled about. It is just actually the most effective group of folks I could question to collaborate with and I actually imagine that demonstrates in the conclude product.
Newsarama: Massive photograph, what do you hope folks get out of Speculate Girl: Evolution?
Phillips: This story is incredibly personalized and variety of raw for me. I’m inquiring a lot of thoughts that I may not have the answers to (nor does Diana), but I think that is the place some of the electricity will come from. Examining your existence, choices, id, and belonging to ideally allow for us to see Diana in a way that we haven’t witnessed her just before. The location might feel really grand and sci-fi with aliens and distant planets, but this is actually a quite human tale and I’m fascinated in that juxtaposition. We have to go to a further earth and face a committee of aliens in get to locate Diana’s humanity.
Surprise Woman: Evolution is joining a various tapestry of Diana Prince adventures. Listed here are our advisable greatest Wonder Female stories.