The launch of the New 52 meant new stories, new backgrounds to some popular and timeless characters, and the reintroduction of characters many of us grew up with into this new DC Universe. The result was often interesting (and at times a bit controversial). One of the most interesting re-introductions into the new DCU had to be Orion's. Orion is a classic DC character, and one that will always be regarded as one of comic creator Jack Kirby's greatest creations. He is one of DC's greatest and fiercest warriors, so it made some sense why his first New 52 appearance happened in WONDER WOMAN #12: a series all about warriors, champions and will. The result was what some consider a fantastic dose of entertaining and witty banter shared between two characters, and an interaction that made some of us wonder whether it is these two that should be together and not Superman and Wonder Woman -- and for good reason. Together they are funny, and the tension has been exciting -- a very different sort of relationship than the one we've seen shared between Diana and Clark.

If you have been reading writer Brian Azzarello's WONDER WOMAN you may have noticed that the series has sort of kept to itself, for the most part. While other comics have experienced some cross-over: Nightwing and Batgirl cross over into BATMAN, for example, and the most recent SUPERMAN story arc (H'el On Earth) featured the entire cast of JUSTICE LEAGUE, we haven't seen that in WONDER WOMAN at all. Like anything else, there are advantages and disadvantages of having characters cross over into other series. While it can sometimes lead a series to feel cluttered when you have too many characters in a book, crossover of characters from one book into another does give the feeling that the current story we are reading is happening in the "here and now," so to speak. It gives readers the sense that not only is the story being told happening in the present, but it gives this feeling of a unified continuity: all these characters have shared the same or similar experiences at the same time.

Since the start of her relaunch, Diana (in her own series) hasn't interacted with any of her teammates, at least not in her self-titled series. While she has had plenty of interactions with other characters, most of them are secondary characters to her series and are somehow affiliated with Olympus and the Greek mythology (which is at the very root of her character). And although she and Superman are considered to be romantically linked, Clark has yet to make a first appearance in her series and he likely won't anytime soon, at least according to the series' writer Brian Azzarello. In a recent interview Azzarello revealed that Superman won't be appearing in WONDER WOMAN in the near future, but that Azzarello has every intention of creating a bit of drama between Diana's character and Orion, and so far he seems to have done a pretty good job.

CV: Any plans to bring any other DC characters into this series?

BA: Like who?

CV: Like Superman?

BA: No. Superman's got enough face time in other books so he doesn't need it in this one.

CV: So you don't plan on exploring...

BA: I'll be exploring other relationships. As far as other DC characters, yes, but they happen to be from New Genesis and we're going to expand on what we're doing with Orion at that point.

The decision to focus more on Orion and his relationship with Wonder Woman is an interesting one, and although Superman won't be making an appearance in WONDER WOMAN, both Orion and Diana will be appearing in issue #18 of SUPERMAN. While the solicit for the upcoming issue doesn't really make any mention of Orion's appearance, he is certainly all over the previews: slaying dragons and riding his A4. It does, however, seem strange that Azzarello has no real plans for Superman's appearing in his series, doesn't it? In fact, it doesn't seem to bode very well for their relationship, does it? If this relationship was something that was really going to stick, then wouldn't there be some plans in place for some crossover at this point?

I, for one, would love to see Orion and Diana together, at least for a little while. The two come from similar backgrounds: both have a familiarity with omnipotent relatives, both are considered "Gods." More importantly though, there seems to be a very interesting dynamic between these two characters. Orion says things and acts in a way that gets under her skin, and it will be interesting to see this dynamic explored. Meanwhile, Superman's relationship with her is a bit different: the two connect because they have super powers and are members on the same team, but that seems to be where their similarities end. What do you think? Do you think Orion and Wonder Woman would make an interesting couple? Are you looking forward to Orion's appearance in SUPERMAN #

I think putting orion (who's kind of a pig) with wonder woman would be interesting for a while, but it would probably piss a lot of people off. Then again her relationship with superman is pissing a lot of people off, but if their relationship is the cause of the trinity war, than maybe johns will break them up after the event is over.

Love the redesign by the way.

Supes better get his house in order and let Orion know Diana is off limits. But no, I like the Superman/WW relationship. If she's not gonna be with Supes I'd then my second pick is Steve.

I do think that Orion and Wonder-Woman are a good match (especially if it means that Superman can finally go with Lois) but Orion is supposed to be married to another character, Bekka and although she was not that interesting in Kirby's Hunger Dogs, she was just AWESOME in Superman/Batman : Torment.

It took me a while to actually think about Orion and Wonder Woman together but I like it. It's hard to see a more enduring relationship between Kal and Diana. Not because of the character themselves, they can work together, but what it means to the continuity. It's much easier to handle it in alternative realities.

Diana and Orion though... it might be easier to work. And they do have chemistry.

I personally wish they pursue one of them. It's interesting to see such powerful character getting together. I wonder which couple children would be more powerful.

I think you are fishing. I think we know your Lois/Clark bias as well and seems to me you pushing to get Diana out of the way of Lois and Clark.. Orion just met Diana.He is written as a sexist pig and treats Diana as pretty much no self respecting woman ought to be treated or would want to put up with. But yet you like that. Weird.

I hope DC does not go in this direction because Diana left a fairly decent man Steve for Clark , who is another great guy, and the idea she would go for this asshole is a baffling. Plus with all due respect, it's not up to you but the writers and the readers who seem to quite like the sm/ww relationship explored.

Superman and...Orion >:D

Eh, one can dream right? XD

OH YEAH!!!!

Forget both of them WW belongs with Batman....heck all women belong with Batman, reel in the Marvel girls.

Wonder Woman and Orion forever. <3

Either Wondy & Orion, or Wondy & Batwoman.

IDK about these characters.

BUT I do love the redesign of the CV

I think we all know that the only reason Clark and Diana are together is to create conflict and pressure on the team when they inevitably break up.

For there to be a love triangle Diana has to want to be with Orion or have feelings for him. I frankly don't see it at all.I do see guy who is written with the depth of Guy Gardener and not very good characterization of the Dog of War. Disappointing actually.

He inappropriately touched the character gets her dna.(rolls eyes) Newsarama's interview with Azzarello, he admits did not let Diana slap Orion right away for it because he just wanted people talking. So the whole scene was weak anyway. Of course, Diana would/should have put him in his place. Orion could have gotten it from her back or shoulder but hey that's not sexist enough is it and what a great way to force tension...dickish behavior. But then I would have thought any woman would react like Diana so not sure what is so special or entertaining there. Being called Legs, smirked at, spoken down to, ass grabbing...Wonder Woman wants that? Secretly sort of digs that? I doubt it. Not the WW I have been reading or the empowered strong woman I am a fan of. But then I don't know what Azz is thinking. Maybe he thinks otherwise.

Orion and Wonder Woman are the least likely to work because end of the day Diana is a character whose mythology is not solely about Gods, god chasing or godly politics...but a young woman finding her place in our world and learning to live and adapt to it and be one of us even while protecting us. Azz's WW works as a single story after the dust settles here the character needs and will to get back to her super heroics. Orion is out. He's just here for high jinks. Clark and Steve are the only serious and worthy contenders for her affections.

THANK YOU. Seems you and I are the only ones who remember her. Apocalypse's War Dog belongs with New Genesis's Sex Kitten.

Hahaha orion.. slap dat ass

I'm looking forward to the issue, but I still think Orion's transport looks utterly ridiculous...

This is the first article I've read since the site reboot. Looks great, Sara.

The fact that Superman and Diana's interactions are so limited is why I can't take the relationship seriously and still see it as a publicity gimmick. What's the point of putting the two together if they never interact outside of catastrophic events? Being a couple is about doing things together or keeping in touch. It's someone you 'want' to do things with in your free time. It wouldn't even surprise me in the least if we learned that Azzarello was never even told ahead of time that Supes and Diana were hooking up in the other series.

It's always interesting to see how so many writers struggle to actually write characters in a relationship.

You seem a bit biased on the whole Superman and Wonder Woman pairing which really makes your analysis void. That being said, I'm for Superman and Wonder Woman all the way.

I agree with Brian Azzarello's decision to keep superman out of wonderwoman's series because Supes does appear in a lot of other issues, and 'cause he'd probably get his butt kicked by demigods/Olympians since Kal is vulnerable to magic and Diana has a ton of (magically based) enemies who want to hurt/kill her.

@ultrastarkiller

Great Minds think alike

Wait, people actually think the Supes/WW thing is more than just a publicity stunt/tired plot device that will most likely end after Trinity War? That's funny. At any rate, I agree that Orion is too much of a pig for Diana. I'm really not a fan of how they're writing him right now honestly. And I'd rather not see Diana with any man. At all. I feel like it goes against her character. If she has to be with a man though, the part of me that grew up with Bruce Timm's Justice League will always want her to be with Batman

Honestly I hate the Superman, Wonder Woman couple so it will be a blessing for me if Azzarello planted the seeds for them to break up with Orion. I mean this was never well thought out to get them together in the first place and they have had very few moments together in the months since so why hold onto them as a couple?. I am a sucker for the classic Lois and Clark pairing so the sooner Orion makes Superman jealous and they break up the soon we can get back to Lois and Clark!

Super-bore? Naw. Let Azz do his thing and let's see what happens with Orion.

I love how New 52 has been treating Wonder Woman like a slab of meat that the guys just pass around. Seriously is under like 20 issues of Superman she is already paired with two guys, give it another 50 and everyone on the freakin team will have already gotten with her.

Glad to see New 52 Superman written so well.... i'll just go back to Batman and Flash comics.

I don't think Azzarello has that kind of power anyway. It's Johns and co. who decide where their relationship will go.

Orion is just having fun, I doubt he has any serious feelings to pursue Wonder Woman.

Honestly nothing has been done to make me like Orion (Except for protecting the blind dude)

No thanks! I actually want Superman with Wonder Woman and Lois away from Supes as much as possible.

@mr_holmes: Honestly I do not even think Johns is into this pairing. I mean it was an editorial decision to get them together and it was a sales grab. I mean look at the numbers there books were starting to go down after the big bang the New 52 brought in. I am starting to think John's was not even into the idea of the new 52 I mean look at the books he got Green Lantern there was no change same with Aquaman other then the Justice League which was supposed to be the flagship title for the new 52 what has John's willingly changed?

I think Orion and Diana have good, fun flirty chemistry, but I don't think that would translate well into a relationship, even a short-lived one. Wonder Woman just strikes me as too sophisticated to slum it with a guy like that. I'm happy to see her stick with Superman for the time being, or go back to Steve Trevor,

Either way, I don't think Steve nor Kal should be shoe-horned in the story that Azzarrello is telling. It's a book about gods, new or old, and I'm fine with that.

@br_havoc: I think he at the beginning he liked the idea but now I agree he is not into it at all. It is just not doing what they thought it would that is bring in sales. I seriously think that if the Trinity War does not create interest in the pairing DC will end it.

Eh, Johns basically is editorial at this point. He makes most of the shots now, and Trinity War looks to be his brain child. His books didn't get changed because he has enough power to say that he doesn't want to change what he was doing before. Not to mention his books were the most successful, so it stands to reason not to change what is working.

Also Azz's Orion is kind of lame. Orion is supposed to be a man torn by his nature and nurture dichotomy. He has a rage that the motherbox masks and tames. The guy in the Wonder Woman book is just a Hal Jordan wannabe.

No, no, no! Orion and Wonder Woman do not work. Orion called her 'legs', he slapped her rear, and actually said "You're cute when you're mad." All of this is an EPIC FAIL!! I'd really rather have Wonder Woman and Batman if we have to ship her with somebody.

I think that, because of their clashing personalities, Diana and Orion would make a compelling match. I wouldn't want it to be an actual relationship though. I'd rather it be something akin to the pre-Hush Batman/Catwoman dynamic where the two flirt while being at odds with one another.

Also, I just want to point out that I really like that Azz is keeping Wonder Woman separate from the clutter of crossovers. I understand that people enjoy the nods to the bigger universe as a whole, but if a cameo by Superman doesn't suit the story, why include him? I think that Azzarello is doing a great job telling a stand alone Wonder Woman tale. And I think that, when all is said and done, we'll be thankful that he hasn't injected fan-service cameos or mentions of events that are unrelated to the story at hand.

Here's another thing to consider: the Batman titles are just as guilty of this, they just mask it better because there's 13 of them. Has there been mention of Throne of Atlantis or H'el on Earth or even Rotworld in any of the Batman titles that acknowledges a larger DCU outside of Gotham?

Orion is gonna get his ass handed to him...........again lol

Sigh.

If WW goes for Orion,.. we'll have the Stereotype I NEVER expected out of wonderwoman.

The one where a good woman will "just be friends" with a good man, (Steve Trevor), Be luke-warm with a great man, (Clark Kent), but will love the dirty drawls of a bad man who treats her like crap.

WTH????

I HOPE they don't go there,.. WW is supposed to be more than "meat".

@darkwingdan: Also and most importantly Batman sells better.

Good article! I hope that what ever transpires in this Superman title that it will be a total misunderstanding.

EDIT: ugh se la vi.

@mr_holmes: Isn't saying that just proving that Johns was never in full support of the new 52? I mean maybe he just wanted to do soft reboots on all the characters like he did with Aquaman.

@darkman61288: I actually agree with you and the sole reason Trinity War has been pushed back and pushed back is that they are weighing there options. Ether sales have to grow higher or they will use the Trinity War as an excuse to ether reboot the reboot or they will give birth to a new multiverse with one of the earths being the old universe so they can keep both like an ultimate universe.

I wonder if Orion is still all fugly underneath the motherbox mirage.

One of my favorite characters. Not too sure if I'm stoked on the personality shift from hotheaded warrior to chauvinist bro.

Wow, I can't believe Sara wrote this, well Orion is a pig so NO. I am a woman and I think most women would agree with me that if Orion ever slapped me in the behind, I don't care if his the most handsome man alive or a freaking God his going to get slapped and then some.

@dark_guyver: Agreed .....

I'm all for Orion sticking around in the WW book. Diana and him make a good/hilarious team but I wouldn't want them dating. Orion's too much of a pig, he needs to learn some manners first.

And we haven't gotten full gain of the Superman-Wonder Woman relationship yet. The New 52 already skipped Diana and Steve, wouldn't want the same to happen to Diana and Clark.

I think that Dian & Clark have a lot more in common than people are giving them credit for. At this point (with the exception of Kara & Zealot) both of the them are the last of the race. Pre-52 they both have a similar outlook on life in personal code of ethics and practice . . . except for that whole Maxwell Lord mess.

The hook of the pre-Crisis era for both Superman & Wonder Woman was that neither Lois nor Steve ever knew the true identity of focus of their obsession. (correct me if I'm wrong) It stands to reason in my mind that Clark & Lois or Diana & Steve were never really meant to be together. While that plot device became cliché and the post-Crisis era made an effort to resolve that in a more sophisticated way for both characters, it's something that that released the theme of old for a more modern era, just as this new relationship for them is doing.

If you really want to spice this up, let's get the return of Maxima. . . . LOL

I don't like that th writers seem like they are putting the new Power Couple to test already by adding in a new love interest...i want Supes and WW to last at least 2 years

@grand_supremor: Sometimes these things happen just like in real life . . . but we have no idea what's going to transpire in this issue.

Honestly I dont appreciate the whole orion being a pig, sure being a jerk but that was kinda in his character flaw that made him one of my favorite Dc characters and New Gods, yet Im willing to let alittle change into the granduer of things. the fact that the new gods are being introduced into the plot for Wonder Woman is great, Ive always thought the new gods shouldve beeen apart of the wonder woman story to begin with, being alien gods replaciong the gods of earth bringing a divine battle. take supes outta the whole equation with this possible relationship, keep him with that whole h'el on earth thing

lol do the new god like slaping wonder woman ass cause that happen b4 in JL animated series