Writer and artist extraordinaire Daniel Warren Johnson (Extremity, Murder Falcon) is making his DC Comics debut with Wonder Woman: Dead Earth, a four-issue prestige format Black Label series starting in December, as revealed by io9. Johnson is joined by frequent collaborator, colourist Mike Spicer.
Dead Earth focuses on Diana as she awakens from a centuries-long slumber, only to find that the world of man that she swore to protect has been ravaged by a nuclear war. Diana seeks to protect the last surviving city from monsters while also uncovering what caused the world to go to hell.
“I like the audacity of an immortal hero saying to a human, ‘I do this because I love you.’ That line is in the first issue, actually,” said Johnson. “I was thinking, what better way to explore how much a character loves a maybe undeserving humanity than to really test the limits of where that love goes, when confronted with the harsh reality of what humanity is capable of? Within this world, humans are doing their best to survive, and when humans are trying to survive, a lot of times the worst parts of ourselves come out. So that’s on full display here in Wonder Woman: Dead Earth.”
The Beat spoke to Johnson earlier this year about his inspirations and upcoming projects, and Dead Earth seems like the kind of book he promised he would make; a little bit different in terms of tone, but with that Daniel Warren Johnson flavour that his readers will love.
Diana’s long sleep somehow affected her powers, so she’s now taking a bit of a different approach when it comes to combat. Johnson explains, “Because her changed powers are limiting her ability, it allows for more of a down and dirty feel. In the first issue, she has a bar fight — she kicks a table into a bunch of warlords. I’m really excited about that concept of this very elegant figure getting down in the dirt.”
Wonder Woman: Dead Earth #1 hits shelves and digital stores this December. Check out Johnson’s cover below, as well as some unlettered preview art.
