I am gonna miss the Dodsons, but Aaron is a perfect fit
http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=143911
we brought you word that artist Aaron Lopresti would soon be trading in his then-current gig as Ms. Marvel penciler for Marvel for something at DC, as he had signed an exclusive contract with the publisher. When we asked what, if anything he had his sights set on, Lopresti played coy – but now, he’s a little more willing to talk.
Following a fill-in on May’s Legion of Super-Heroes #41, Lopresti will be taking over as regular artist on Wonder Woman with issue #20, with Gail Simone writing.
We spoke with the artist about his upcoming gig on the Amazon Princess.
Newsarama: Aaron, back in November when we talked to you about signing your exclusive, you mentioned a lot of projects and characters that you'd like to draw, but Wonder Woman wasn't on the list. A little misdirection, or did this offer come in later?
Aaron Lopresti: Heh, heh. Well, I wouldn't necessarily say misdirection, but I didn't want to throw her in there and have someone figure it out. How about purposeful omission? But it is true that Wonder Woman was not what I signed up to originally draw. The offer came about two weeks later and I just could not turn down working on not only one of the DC icons but a pop culture icon as well. Now I can actually have a conversation with someone outside of comics and they will actually have heard of the character I’m drawing.
NRAMA: What went into your decision making for saying yes? Was there any hesitation at all?
AL: Actually, I did originally turn it down. I was looking forward to launching a new book that I could establish without any pre-existing expectations from the readers. However, the more I thought about it and the more people said "Are you crazy? Take it!" the more it became apparent that it was an unbelievable opportunity. Now I am excited beyond belief! I am drawing one of the big three!
NRAMA: What are your views on Wonder Woman - what is she to you? She seems to have this continuum of meaning and everyone has one or two places upon it that resonate with them...
AL: For me she is the perfect embodiment of what it means to be a super hero, male or female. In some ways she is like Superman or Captain America (when he was alive). She is a character that has character and it makes her stand head and shoulders above the rest of female
super hero community.
Most importantly, I don't feel I am drawing sexually exploitive material when I am working on Wonder Woman. Somehow she seems to be above all of that. At least in my mind.
NRAMA: That said, what are some of the keys to portraying Wonder Woman in the new century?
AL: I don't know that I will approach it any differently. I think Wonder Woman is timeless. I think Allan and Terry did a great job of establishing a "hipper" or perhaps more modern Wonder Woman but I still don't see her all that differently than I ever did. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
NRAMA: Have you been following what Gail's been doing? Thoughts on it and
you fitting in with it?
AL: I'm afraid I haven't read any of Gail's stuff on Wonder Woman - yet. Everyone I have talked to says it is great, so I am really looking forward to diving in. Which by the time this is published, I will have.
NRAMA: Anything you can offer as a tease as to what’s coming up in your issues that has you jazzed?
AL: I believe it may involve swords, which I am really looking forward to!
