News dropped this morning that I’m taking on the writing duties on Wonder Woman for DC Comics as part of the Rebirth story-slash-initiative.

People have questions. I will now offer some answers. Keep reading… if you dare!

Q: Is it really, really true, and not some cruel joke by the fates (or Fates), and you’re honestly going to be writing Diana again?

Yes, it’s true, I’m writing Wonder Woman. The book is shipping twice a month, and for the first six months or so, we’re pursuing two independent – but related – storylines. The intention is to write at least 24 issues of the series.

Liam Sharp is drawing the “odd” numbered issues. His story is set in “contemporary” continuity, and is called Wonder Woman: The Lies.

No, I’m not going to tell you what the lies are, because then there’d hardly be a point in you reading the book. Suffice it to say, for now, that Diana discovers that some of the facts she’s taken as truth are…brittle under closer examination. She sets off to separate the lies from the truth.

Here’s one of Liam’s pieces:

Please note that Diana is smiling.

Because she does that.

The “even” numbered issues are set “ten years ago” – using the malleable and (frankly, problematic) timeline of a shared DCU. When is less important than what in this instance. This story is called Wonder Woman: Year One, and is being drawn by Nicola Scott.

Here’s one of Nic’s pieces:

Please note that Diana is smiling.

Because she does that.

Q: But how can Nicola draw Wonder Woman: Year One in the even numbered issues, and also draw Black Magick? Is she using actual witchcraft?

While I will neither confirm nor deny Nicola’s ability to alter reality with her will, I will say that yes, it’s too much work for her to do both.

For this reason, Black Magick is going on hiatus until we get through the Year One story. We’ve talked with Jeanine – our editor on the book – and revised the schedule, and Black Magick #6 will be on the stands in April 2017. If we can get it back sooner, we will, but it will not be later than April ‘17.

This was not a decision we came to lightly, and it is one that we agonized over, if I’m perfectly honest with you.

Both Nic and I are committed to Black Magick, to Rowan and Alex and Morgan and Anna and to telling the entirety of their story as we’ve conceived it. But the opportunity to tell this Wonder Woman story, to tell Diana’s year one, is something that Nic and I have honestly pursued for over a decade. This is the story we’ve wanted to tell since we first met.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for us. It really came down to that.

If you read Black Magick, you know that we’re on trade-break right now, following the completion of our first arc, “Awakenings.” It seemed to both of us that, if we had to step away from Rowan for a bit, this was the time – rather, say, in the middle of the next arc.

Q: What about Lazarus? What about Stumptown? What about Lady Sabre?

Lazarus and Stumptown will be continuing as planned.

The Lazarus Sourcebook Vol. 1: Carlyle will be out in April, the Second Collection HC will be out in May, and Lazarus 22 will be on the stands in June.

Justin is drawing Stumptown 10 right now – well, all but the last page, which is vexing me currently, and which I am trying to lock down – and will continue to do the impossible juggling trick he does of diving his time between Stumptown and The Fuse and however many other projects he’s working on at any given moment. The guy doesn’t sleep, I swear.

Lady Sabre is delayed – still – but this is entirely on me, and I will be addressing this in the next week. We’ll be resuming the Epilogue of Book One, and then going into Book Two. We are discussing the best way to proceed with the next Kickstarter.

Q: I thought you hated DC. You’re a terrible hypocrite, and I will never read anything you write ever again.

I never hated DC. I had enormous problems with my relationship with them for a long time, ultimately bruising enough that I didn’t work for them for seven years (not counting a short-story for American Vampire, as Scott Snyder’s request, and writing Kate, Renee, and Helena for two issues in Convergence). I feel they did badly by me. I am certain they feel I did poorly by them.

When I was offered this job, I discussed it extensively with my family, and I discussed it extensively with the people at DC I would be beholden to and working with. The result of all those conversations was such that I felt sufficiently assured to try again. Everyone is trying to make right.

And they were offering me the chance to write for Diana.

I am 46 years old, and have learned the hard way that making absolute declarations often leads to having to eat your words somewhere down the line. If the fact that I have changed in the last seven years, and that DC’s relationship with me has similarly changed, does not seem a fair reason to return to write stories for Diana… I do not know what to tell you other than you are entitled to your opinion, and I think you’ll be missing out on some good comics.

Q: What about Etta? Steve? The Zeus thing? The God of War thing? That other thing? Are you doing a thing about the thing you did that other time you were writing the thing?

Etta, yes. Steve, yes. Everything else, wait and see.

This is not a “continuation” of my previous run. I think attempting to do so would be a massive mistake, honestly, if for no other reason than it’s been seven years and the character has changed. But that run is part of continuity – as are other runs – and where it is appropriate and where it helps the story, it will be acknowledged. But the previous run is not a requisite for reading (and hopefully enjoying) this new one.

And yes, I’m trying to figure out how to get Ferdinand back into the story.

Q: Were you really wearing a Hamilton sweatshirt during the livestream event today?

Yes, I was, because HamTrash, and not nearly enough of you noticed.

Shame on you.