FIVE WONDER QUESTIONS with J. TORRES!

[Gail Simone]

Most Wonder readers are aware that there were some problems with the relaunch of the book in Volume Three. Some terrific writers were brought aboard, but being ridiculously busy people, they knew their schedules would not easily allow for on ongoing monthly. So after Heinberg and Picoult, they were looking for a regular writer and chose me, which I'm very happy about.

In between my run and the end of Jodi's, DC was looking for a good writer who could fill in some gaps while Terry Dodson and I prepared our run. I was ecstatic when I heard that J. Torres would be that writer.

I've been a fan of J's, for some time, particularly of his wonderful all-ages books for Oni Press, like Alison Dare and Jason and the Argobots. He did excellent work adapting the Ninja Scroll stories, and is currently one of the best writers of all-ages material for several companies.

His 'fill-ins' proved surprisingly popular (to people who didn't already KNOW what a good writer he is), and his Wonder Girl mini did a rare thing by making even people who aren't WG fans love the character.

I'm pleased to do our first FIVE WONDER QUESTIONS session with this talented writer!

[Gail Simone]

1) What attracted you to the Wonder assignments you did recently--had you been a fan of Wonder Woman or Wonder Girl previously?

I think I've been a fan of Wonder Woman and Wonder Girl for as long as I've been reading comics. I suppose it began with the Super Friends cartoon and/or the Lynda Carter TV show. When I was a kid, New Teen Titans and Justice League of America were my favorite series and Wonder Woman and Wonder Girl were a big part of why they were my favorites. Of course, I loved George Perez's Wonder Woman, which helped redefine Diana but also cemented everything we already loved about her. Kind of like what you're doing now, Gail!


2) Your Wonder Woman issues were unfairly labeled as fill-ins, and yet were very well-received. Did you have a particular goal you wanted to accomplish with Diana?

It was really about filling in some gaps and telling stories that fit within the context of Amazons Attack. For Diana, I was asked to get her from point A to point B so I was limited with what I could do, so I just tried to keep her in character and be creative with the plot elements I was asked to include (e.g. the missile). With Cassie, it was more about the aftermath of the attack, both in terms of recovery and damage control for the rest of the world and perhaps more importantly Cassie's emotional and psychological recovery after the events of the past couple of years. The first draft of #1 read like an episode of "In Treatment" and my editor said it was "too slow" and I needed to throw in a hydra or something, so I just reworked the whole thing and it read much better. Okay, maybe that's not exactly how it went down, but thank goodness for editors!


3) I LOVED your Wonder Girl mini, I thought it was one of the best handlings of the character ever. What is it that you think makes Wonder Girl such a compelling character?

First of all, thank you. That is high praise coming from you, Gail.

What I like most about Cassie is that she acts very much as you'd expect a teenage girl to act. And anyone who knows me and knows my work, knows that I love teenage girls. Er, I mean love WRITING teenage girls whether it's in my creator-owned series Sidekicks or something like the Degrassi graphic novels. Anyway... I like how Cassie acts like a real teenage girl. No, that's not always a good thing but that's where the drama comes from. She idolized Wonder Woman the way some girls idolize Gwen Stefani, but instead of busting out the Harajuku styles or auditioning for Idol, she put together a make-shift costume and went superheroing. Although I'm not the biggest fan of the jeans, it's very much what a teenager might do under the circumstances. How many girls want to wear what mom wears to work? She questions authority, sometimes leaps before she looks, she can be your BFF or your worst enemy, and then there's that temper - all great material to work with!


4) What is your dream Wonder story?

I would love to do something that not only involves Diana, Donna and Cassie but also their relatives or "closely related" characters from the DCU like Hercules, Olympian, and of course other Amazons and gods. Something epic with monsters and magic like a Ray Harryhausen film with some kind of cool quest. I enjoy the attacks by gods and villains on the earthly plane, man's world, the island, etc. just as much as the next fanboy, but I think it'd be fun to take the gang on a road trip to Greece or Hades or Atlantis. Maybe it starts with the dying words of a thief that spark a madcap race to find stolen money buried under a "W"... oh, wait. That's already been done. Can I get back to you?


5) And finally, can you tell us what current and upcoming projects you're working on now?

I'm doing a lot of all-ages work right now. I'm helping launch Boom's new Wall-E series. I'm writing four issues, the first of which is solicited in this month's Previews and debuts in November. I'm also contributing to the Batman: The Brave and the Bold comic book and I think my latest issue just came out (the one with the Great Ten). Lastly, I've got a new graphic novel coming out from Oni in the fall called Lola: A Ghost Story, which is a story loosely based on creepy stories about my grandmother in the Philippines as well as creepy stories she used to tell us when we were kids. Oooh...

Thanks for including me, Gail!

J.

[Gail Simone]

Check out J.'s blog for lots more info:

http://www.jtorresonline.blogspot.com/

[J. Torres]

Thanks again, Gail!

[Gail Simone]

Thank YOU. I had somehow forgotten that you wrote Teen Titans Go, which is my nephew's favorite comic.

I had also forgotten our crazy Wildstorm dinner where you introduced me to John Woo's people!

[Free-Man]

Thanks again, Gail!

Hey Mr. Torres! FRICKIN LOVED Ninja Scroll! I wish more american comic companies tried thier hand at manga adaptations.

[shanejayell]

LOVED Sidekicks.

:)

Any chance of more?

[ScottyQuick]

I'm doing a lot of all-ages work right now. I'm helping launch Boom's new Wall-E series.

ZOMG!

Why wasn't I informed of this?

[4PointOh]

I would love to do something that not only involves Diana, Donna and Cassie but also their relatives or "closely related" characters from the DCU like Hercules, Olympian, and of course other Amazons and gods. Something epic with monsters and magic like a Ray Harryhausen film with some kind of cool quest. I enjoy the attacks by gods and villains on the earthly plane, man's world, the island, etc. just as much as the next fanboy, but I think it'd be fun to take the gang on a road trip to Greece or Hades or Atlantis.

Just to let you know, I would pay $100 for this comic. No, I'm serious.

[DeltaBadhand]

I also loved the WG mini. I am saddened that your Olympian character and specifically where you left off --introducing him as a an every day presence in Cassie's life-- was never followed up on anywhere. Here's hoping some wonder writer (no names) can make that happen to some degree.

[J. Torres]

Hey Mr. Torres! FRICKIN LOVED Ninja Scroll! I wish more american comic companies tried thier hand at manga adaptations.

Thank you!



LOVED Sidekicks.

:)

Any chance of more?

Never say never!



ZOMG!

Why wasn't I informed of this?

More info here:

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=22764




Just to let you know, I would pay $100 for this comic. No, I'm serious.

Thank you!



I also loved the WG mini. I am saddened that your Olympian character and specifically where you left off --introducing him as a an every day presence in Cassie's life-- was never followed up on anywhere. Here's hoping some wonder writer (no names) can make that happen to some degree.

Me too :frown: But not just the part about them being housemates! What about the backstory? Olympian was charged by Zeus to "watch over" Helena while she was preggers with Cassie! And something else happened. Rowr. It's like "The Bodyguard" but with hydras!

J.
would like to make it happen himself

[RealWonderman]

Thank you!




Never say never!




More info here:

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=22764





Thank you!




Me too :frown: But not just the part about them being housemates! What about the backstory? Olympian was charged by Zeus to "watch over" Helena while she was preggers with Cassie! And something else happened. Rowr. It's like "The Bodyguard" but with hydras!

J.
would like to make it happen himself

Sooooooooooooooooooo...maybe you could do a follow-up...Wonder Girl: 2? I LOVED your mini!

[J. Torres]

Sooooooooooooooooooo...maybe you could do a follow-up...Wonder Girl: 2? I LOVED your mini!

Of course I would LOVE to, but it's not up to me :redface:

J.

[DeltaBadhand]

Well, I'd buy it. Hell, I'd buy an ongoing if it was an extention of the mini! Who do we have to tell?

[ChrisDonaghy]

Just wanted to tell you that my 8-year-old daughter loved the B&B Great Ten story, Mr. Torres...

Do you know if there is a trade on the Cassie mini-series? It might be a good read for her as she gets more in to this, I'm thinking.

[OBrianTallent]

The Wonder Girl mini was and is one of the best mini series that DC has put out in quite a while!
As for that potential Wonder family story...HECK YEAH! Here's hoping you get something approved! (I would also love to see a follow up with Olympian! Whether it be in a Wonder Girl v2 or even an Olympian mini series!)

[md62]

Just wanted to tell you that my 8-year-old daughter loved the B&B Great Ten story, Mr. Torres...

Do you know if there is a trade on the Cassie mini-series? It might be a good read for her as she gets more in to this, I'm thinking.

On sale for 10.75 at mycomicshop.com....

[J. Torres]

Thanks for the kind, kind words, everyone!

Here's the info for the trade:

http://www.dccomics.com/dcu/graphic_novels/?gn=9551

And that's a great price for it at MyComicShop!

[Gail Simone]

Bump for a good deal on a great book!

[J. Torres]

Ha! Thanks, Gail :)

[Gail Simone]

Just write some more Wonder Girl and I'll be happy, J.

[RealWonderman]

Just write some more Wonder Girl and I'll be happy, J.

Yes....PLEASE!!!!! Is there anything planned? (sorry if you've already answered this...I haven't checked this thread for a few days) PLEASE say there's something planned!!!
9one SMALL request if there is something in the works...can this one have a non-Johnny DC art style? I'd love to see this all in a "realer"(is that a word...or even close?) art style.

[Shurato2099]

I also enjoyed your work in the Teen Titans/Outsiders Secret Files back in '05, J. It was the last time that Duela Dent was written well before the character was axed (to my mind the Titans East story-line doesn't quite count). And the homage in Teen Titans Go! was hilarious in and of itself.

[Free-Man]

Hey Mr. Torres, any chance you sell your old scripts?

[J. Torres]

Yes....PLEASE!!!!! Is there anything planned? (sorry if you've already answered this...I haven't checked this thread for a few days) PLEASE say there's something planned!!!
9one SMALL request if there is something in the works...can this one have a non-Johnny DC art style? I'd love to see this all in a "realer"(is that a word...or even close?) art style.

Sorry, I'm not actually working on anything for DC at the moment.



I also enjoyed your work in the Teen Titans/Outsiders Secret Files back in '05, J. It was the last time that Duela Dent was written well before the character was axed (to my mind the Titans East story-line doesn't quite count). And the homage in Teen Titans Go! was hilarious in and of itself.

Thanks :biggrin:



Hey Mr. Torres, any chance you sell your old scripts?

Sorry, no. I actually feel kind of self-conscious letting people (other than my editors and collaborators) read my scripts. It makes me feel... naked? I can't explain why. Maybe it's like letting people see behind the curtain?

"Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!"

J.