Update: 5/25/09

Nothing much to say about myself really. I'm a doctor doing my senior residency in India, who just happens to love comic books. I'm a DCU fan, and as is fairly obvious from my writing, Superman and Wonder Woman are up there at the top for me.

I'm just a writer who LOVES the concept of Clark and Diana together, or as stand-alones. They're my two favourite characters hands down, and IMHO, belong together, Lois and JLU nothwithstanding.

Why do I love this pairing? The reasoning's pretty simple really-

First, there's this tender, sweet relationship they share in the comics, built over the years on mutual respect, understanding, admiration, and a sense of loyalty. Not meaning to encroach on the 'R' word, but the possibilities are endless, and this one's completely natural and doesn't just come out of the blue like some others (cough JLU's bm/ww cough)

Then,there's that whole two demigods thing going for them. The epitome of male and female perfection in all ways, and yet I can't grudge either of them that.

The two commonest complaints(which sound ill-informed to be frank) I hear against the pairing are that they're too similar, and male-female versions of each other, or on the other extreme, too far apart. The 'too far apart' argument holds true for her and Batman, not for her and Kal. As for too similar, again, not true if you actually understand both characters at their core.

Think Clark and Diana have nothing in common besides strength? Just consider this-

1.They're both aliens in a new world, her culturally, and him literally.

2.They're both kind, virtuous, compassionate, noble, and stand for the never-ending battle. They understand all of each other's aspirations, and even share many of them.

3. They're both each other's true spiritual and physical equal. If they came together, talk about fireworks. Lois can't give him what Diana can, and Bruce wouldn't be able to survive an all-out night with her, lol. I don't want to elaborate on that, since my fics will take care of that bit.

Furthermore, Clark's not a naive farmboy as the comics and doubters like to paint him, he's rustic- big difference. It implies a man who enjoys the simple things life has to offer.

He also inhabits both worlds- human and metahuman, god and mortal. He'd be perfect for helping her fit into Man's World, wouldn't be intimidated by her. Awed yes. Reverential, most definitely- she's a Goddes after all. But threatened? No chance.

Want to argue that they're too alike then? Wrong again-

She's a regal, even imperious warrior princess while he's a laidback, good humored and good natured reporter who doesn't take himself too seriously. And my idealized version of Clark/Kal/Superman is in line with Alan Moore's writing and even the peerless Chris Reeve's portrayal- a brave, moral and unpretentious man who oozes majesty and natural charm without even trying. And I'm not talking of the Bruce Wayne-Don Juan-Casanova type of charm, but Chris Reeve-Superman's charm- compels you to believe in him, to trust him, and accept him. And my idealized Diana is an amalgam of Perez, Jiminez and of course, the incomparable Lynda Carter.

Aside from my love and respect for Clark and Diana, there's also my dislike and cynicism towards Tom and Lois. Lois in particular. The way she's written today is a far cry from the pioneering woman who captured Superman's heart and became his soulmate. Now she's pushy and too domineering for my tastes. Diana's warrior spirit balanced with her gentility is far more appealing to me.

As for Batman, he's a fantastic character, but I notice a trend where people tend to downplay every instance of SMWW interaction in the comics, no matter how significant, while simultaneously playing up even the slightest bmww moment. He's the best at what he does, but to think that Diana would be ready to throw it all away to move into the mansion is honestly speaking, quite silly. They're also way too incompatible, even without considering their different lifespans. Sure, they say opposites attract, but it's become a cliche and is pretty hollow beyond that. Really, fans tend to forget that she's unique, not like any other woman, and her mission is about changing the world, not one man. Batman as he's written today is dark and gritty, and while I like this direction and the Nolan films in particular, his is a world grounded in realism and Diana, with her mythological background, would be a gross misfit in his world, severely undermining both characters. And his mission is Gotham. Secondly, they say she can save him from himself, but I don't think he needs saving at all. As the Joker so rightly observed in TDK, Batman's incorruptible. If anything, he's the one that can save Catwoman, who would be inspired by his mission to heed her conscience and discard her life of crime. She's morally ambigious, not evil per se, and it's been demonstrated amply in the comics and even Timm's Batman the Animated series that she's capable of good and of selfless acts at the end of the day. And it's undeniable that she genuinely loves him, and he, her, not to mention that they've sizzled together regardless of the incarnation.

Other than Selina Kyle, the only other person I can imagine fitting in with Batman is Zatanna. I find their chemistry quite intriguing when Dini writes them together, and the way she puts him in his place without being antagonistic is adorable.

As for JLU, I disliked Bruce Timm's characterisations of both SM as well as WW. He seemed unwilling to let Clark be cool in any way and to let him shine to his full potential, and of course, played up Batman's importance at Supes' cost. And his WW was little more than extra muscle who seemed more intent on dating Batman than on improving the world or spreading the Amazons' message. And it was all out of the blue the way it was done. I find it odd that any true WW fan would celebrate a version of the ship that had her more eager to make eyes at Batman than to focus on her mission. She also displayed none of her trademark wisdom and innocence that I love her for, instead showing only aggression and rigid arrogance at times. Not the real Wonder Woman that I know and love. I'm just writing some fics here to rectify the mistakes with their portrayals on the show.

My best friend since the 5th grade, and also my co-author and beta, Angelic Enchantress is over here too, and is starting out in the world of SMWW fanfiction, and dare I say, doing a fine job on her solo debut. Only her first solo fic, and she's already done a far better job with Clark's character than most of the pros these days(Geoff Johns and Alex Ross are great, but Robinson's way off-target with his characterisation and dialogue). Do check out her work, it's posted here on my account. And of course, SMWW fans need no introduction to my other good friend and one of the best, if not the best SMWW authors around, Hellacre. Her brilliantly inventive writing is what got the wheels turning in my head in the first place.

Of course, no discussion on SMWW is complete without Djinn, who started it all, and David Schock, the Godfather of SMWW fanfiction. Not to forget our resident Sith Lord Ronnie K, the fiendish genius of our group, and Arcadia, the one woman able to match him in evil brilliance, lol. And of course, our newest SMWW writer at the group, Ben. He claims to be quiet, but his writing speaks for itself, I assure you. And he's anything but quiet.

I hope you enjoy my fics, and feel free to visit my artist's account at Deviant Art that's linked above. I do some Clark/Diana fanart to go with my writing and post it there. You might recognize the pic on my JLA Unlimted author's page, since it's from there. And don't forget to visit our special shrine to the Ultimate Couple over at http://www.supermanwonderwomanfanarchive.com/. It's also got two great galleries and a link to our SMWW group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Superman-n-WonderWoman/ that's always brimming with life and some lively and er... "thought provoking" discussions. Join the group and you'll know what I mean, lol.

Other than comics, I do enjoy movies of various genres. Sci-fi and fantasy predominate of course, with LOTR Return of the King and the first Matrix movie in my all time fave list. And I'm one guy who feels you can never be too old to enjoy cartoons. I love the classics, such as Aladdin and Lion King, but JLU was a pet peeve with its undermining of Superman's character in order to make Batman look good. That series showed a glaring lack of basic understanding and respect for the Man of Steel on the part of the producers. To me, X-Men Evolution came off as much more balanced, given that Cyclops and Wolverine were both treated quite well at no expense to each other (a gripe of mine when it comes to the X-Men movies). Superman Returns and Smallville would be the final nail on the coffin if that sort of characterisation were to continue. I need a mature, charming and heroic Superman, not a super-stalker or a whining teenager.

I'm also a video game freak, and used to be inseperable from my PC and PS2 till a few years back. That'll never completely go away though. I play multiple genres, whether it's extreme action a la the Devil May Cry series, Prince of Persia Sands of Time Trilogy, Heavenly Sword and God of War, or RPGs like NWN and Diablo or strategy games like the superlative Starcraft and Warcraft series. You might find some influence of that creeping into my writing as well.

Have fun, and stay cheerful.

With Regards,

Cael