Wonder Woman Gets a Super Girlfriend in Dark Knights of Steel

Fans and comic book creators have long acknowledged that Wonder Woman’s bisexuality is canon. Even so, we never get to see Diana of Themyscira in a romantic relationship with a woman, but Diana finally gets a super girlfriend in the Elseworlds twelve-part miniseries Dark Knights of Steel.

Written by Tom Taylor, who gave us bisexual Jon Kent in Superman: Son of Kal-El, with art by Yasmine Putri (The Hellblazer, Avengers: No Road Home), Dark Knights of Steel finds DC’s heroes in a fantasy world where Superman and Batman are brothers.

We also meet Superman’s sister, Princess Zala-El, who lives on Themyscira and is in a romantic relationship with Diana. In the second issue, Diana comforts Zala when they find out that Jor-El has been murdered.

It’s exciting to see Diana’s sexuality, which has largely been relegated to subtext and winking nods, addressed in the comics. The Wonder Woman films don’t acknowledge it, and likely won’t for the foreseeable future. While DC features several queer characters on television via the Arrowverse, queer superheroes are still making their onto the big screen.

Marvel’s Eternals gave us their first onscreen gay superhero with Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry) and his husband. But despite landmark representation, Phastos and his husband are relegated to a handful of small scenes that aren’t integral to the plot, making them easily removable for international distribution in countries that ban queer content.

I’ve been really enjoying Dark Knights of Steel, which imagines a world where Jor-El and Lara are able to escape Krypton with Kal. On Earth, the Els rule a medieval kingdom, where they contend with a rival kingdom, the Kingdom of Storms, led by Black Lightning. It’s a fun spin on classic heroes, with smart writing and truly gorgeous artwork from Putri.

In a 2016 interview, comics creator Greg Rucka confirmed Diana’s bisexuality was canon, saying, “And when you start to think about giving the concept of Themyscira its due, the answer is, ‘How can they not all be in same sex relationships?’ Right? It makes no logical sense otherwise.”

Rucka continued, “It’s supposed to be paradise. You’re supposed to be able to live happily. You’re supposed to be able — in a context where one can live happily, and part of what an individual needs for that happiness is to have a partner — to have a fulfilling, romantic and sexual relationship. And the only options are women. But an Amazon doesn’t look at another Amazon and say, ‘You’re gay.’They don’t. The concept doesn’t exist.”

We’re excited to see where this relationship goes, and hopefully Diana and Zala will stick together and become the DC power couple of our dreams. Between this revelation and the just-announced Wonder Woman game, Diana fans are THRIVING.

(via PRIDE, image: DC Comics)

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Chelsea Steiner

Chelsea was born and raised in New Orleans, which explains her affinity for cheesy grits and Britney Spears. An pop culture journalist since 2012, her work has appeared on Autostraddle, AfterEllen, and more. Her beats include queer popular culture, film, television, republican clownery, and the unwavering belief that 'The Long Kiss Goodnight' is the greatest movie ever made. She currently resides in sunny Los Angeles, with her husband, 2 sons, and one poorly behaved rescue dog. She is a former roller derby girl and a black belt in Judo, so she is not to be trifled with. She loves the word “Jewess” and wishes more people used it to describe her.

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