Courtesy of DC Comics
With the Absolute Power tie-in coming to an end, both creators are excited to return to the core storyline that’s been quietly building over 14 issues. King, in particular, is happy to be back. “I’m happy to be back. These tie-ins have been fun to write, and there have been a lot of cool moments and jokes with Damian, but the book works better when it’s focused on Wonder Woman rather than a big crossover event,” he says. For King, this storyline is a return to what the book was intended to be, and focusing on Wonder Woman’s legacy is really at the heart of the story.
For Samper, returning to the main storyline was similarly fulfilling. After taking a short break to work on the DC All-In special, he was excited to re-enter the world of Wonder Woman, and the timing couldn’t be better. “It feels like coming home,” says Samper. “We’re having the best time on this series, and this issue is very important to us.” Both King and Samper see Wonder Woman #14 as a turning point not only for their work on the series, but for Wonder Woman’s future in the DC Universe.
The heart of this issue is the introduction of Wonder Woman’s daughter, Trinity. King considers this to be the biggest moment in the series’ history, even more important than issue #1. “This is the biggest issue of the series. I think it’s bigger than issue #1,” King explains. For him, the first 14 issues were just a prologue. Now, with the birth of Trinity, the real story begins.
“The first 14 issues have set the stage for us to some extent. Now it’s time to get serious about writing what will hopefully be the most epic Wonder Woman story of all time,” King said. Trinity’s birth, with all the complications it brings, will likely propel the story forward over the next 100 issues and establish her as a central character in the Wonder Woman mythos.
When asked about the emotional weight of creating Trinity, both King and Sampere acknowledged the deep connection they feel to the character, with King drawing parallels to the introductions of Damian Wayne and Jon Kent, two characters who redefined their respective legacies in the DC Universe.
“I think Damian is an absolutely essential pillar of the DC Universe now, and I think John gives a new generation’s perspective on what a superhero is,” King explains.
King hopes Trinity offers Wonder Woman the same kind of legacy-making potential. For King, who says he’s spent much of his career reinventing existing characters, the chance to create a new character of such importance is deeply personal: “Adding a new character with a big personality and a major role is very important to me and is part of the legacy of my career.”
Courtesy of DC Comics
Sampere also feels a strong emotional bond with Trinity, joking that he and King are like Trinity’s “moms,” but emphasized the seriousness of the character’s creation. “We created her, we care about her, and we hope this character will be an important character in DC Comics in the future,” Sampere said. As longtime fans of the DC Universe, both creators see Trinity as a character that has the potential to leave a lasting mark on the Wonder Woman world and the broader DCU.
The creative process for Wonder Woman #14 presented a unique challenge for King, who described it as a “puzzle box,” having to balance multiple key moments in one issue: Trinity’s birth, the reveal of her father, and her father’s fate.
“I knew it was going to be a challenge to do all of that in one issue and have all that emotional content as well,” King explains. His editor initially told him he couldn’t fit everything into one issue, but King went along with it, tweaking the script until it all worked. The result, King says, was the most difficult yet rewarding script he’s ever worked on. “It was hard to write, but when it was done it was beautiful, and I was just so proud of it when I finished it.”
It’s also a challenging issue that couldn’t have been written in the Dan Didio era: “I grew up in the Dan Didio comics era, and Dan would yell at me for writing a comic like this, because Dan Didio’s philosophy was always to drag things out — if there was a big moment, he’d make it a miniseries. And there are three big moments in this issue,” King said.
An interior page from Wonder Woman #14.
Credit: DC Comics
For Samper, the challenge was just as daunting, especially in capturing the emotional depth of the story. He’s used to illustrating epic, action-packed scenes, but this issue presented a different kind of challenge.
“I had to pay close attention to my acting, my facial expressions… trying to capture the emotion, the really painful feelings,” says Samper. Despite the lack of action, he considers it one of the most powerful issues he has ever portrayed. “It’s very peaceful, but at the same time very powerful. That was another challenge for me,” Samper explains.
The script’s emotional impact even moved Samper to tears: “I read the script for the first time while on a train returning from a small convention in Spain. Some parts of the issue brought me to tears and I had to hide behind my sunglasses,” Samper recalled. Writing such an emotional issue was an intense experience for him, but he believes it will resonate deeply with readers.
King noted that Trinity’s appearance will also tie into the Sovereign storyline, which concludes in Wonder Woman #19. King hinted that while the Sovereign storyline will conclude, its influence will ripple through the rest of the series. “Aspects of him will recur and his influence will continue into the future,” King explained.
An interior page from Wonder Woman #14.
Credit: DC Comics
While he doesn’t want to drag out any one villain’s story for too long, some of Sovereign’s legacy, especially as it pertains to Trinity, will continue to influence Wonder Woman’s journey.
Beyond Trinity’s origins, another big focus will be the dynamic between Trinity, Damian Wayne and Jon Kent. In a backup story with Belen Ortega, King established the trio’s brotherly bond. “They’re almost a trio, very ‘The Three Stooges,’ they’re brother and sister in the best sense of the word,” King says.
An interior page from Wonder Woman #14.
Credit: DC Comics
King said he hopes to portray the sibling dynamic in a way that will resonate with readers, drawing on his experience as a father of two boys and a girl. “Just as my daughter couldn’t exist without her brothers, Trinity couldn’t exist without Damian and Jon,” King adds, referring to the energy and youthful fun that has made Super-Sons such a beloved series.
With Wonder Woman #14, King and Samper have produced a pivotal issue in their series, laying the foundation for the future of Wonder Woman and the DC Universe. As they continue to develop the character of Trinity, they’re poised to explore new depths in Wonder Woman’s legacy while simultaneously introducing the DC Comics universe to a new generation of readers. As King says, “Now it’s time to get to work and write the most epic Wonder Woman story of all time.”
This is an edited version of the interview. You can hear an extended and unedited version of this conversation on the AIPT Comics podcast in October.
