But take a look at The Castro in San Francisco, the “Boy’s Town” of West Hollywood or Christopher Street in New York, and you’ll find an equally dedicated, but perhaps less marketable fan base. There’s little doubt: Wonder Woman is wickedly popular among…gay men.

Does it seem strange? That a character would find two such disparate audiences, with seemingly nothing in common? It may be. But that’s likely because Wonder Woman is the strangest of all comic book characters.

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George Pérez tried to address the feminine. Pérez wrote Wonder Woman for a celebrated five-year run from 1987-92. He thinks a one-size-fits-all mentality, when it creeps in, is problematic.

“I think one of the problems that comics has in dealing with superheroines is that they try to hard to make them superheroes,” he says. “All they’re doing is the same thing that men do. Just the idea that they’re no different that men, except in how they look, always seemed a bit off to me. The difference between Superman and Wonder Woman is not strength, or power level, or origin, but the fact that she is a woman.” 

Pérez set out to make Wonder Woman a book that women would like…and hopefully everyone else as well. “At the time I started, not a single woman at DC Comics liked the book,” he says. “I insisted on having a female editor to police me, and police the book. I figured if I could please her, and make her proud of the character, then I was doing a good job and providing a proper role model.”

Pérez was lucky in that Karen Berger, one of comics’ all-time top gun editors, got the book. The title flourished under their direction. So much so, that a young Phil Jimenez read and enjoyed the book, developing an artistic style very close to Pérez’ own.

“I think there are two definitive versions of Wonder Woman: The Lynda Carter version and the George Pérez version. Those two versions have defined Wonder Woman for the past 30 years,” Jimenez says today. “I think she became a gay icon with Lynda Carter.”

Culled from various eras and locales in world history, the heroines of Sirens strike upon Pérez’ diverse love of fiction and also a little support from friends and family – the writer/artist is basing virtually all of the characters in Sirens after people he knows, including his wife Carol. Unlike other projects of Pérez’ in recent memory, Sirens strikes home as it’s the beginning of a new era outside of Marvel and DC and on his own creations.

Newsarama: George, what excites you about doing Sirens?

George Pérez: Well, the chance to write and illustrate my own stories is definitely a big plus, but I think the greatest thrill for me is using so many of my friends, fans and even family members as cast members. This makes it more of an artistic challenge for me and the idea that is causing so much personal excitement for so many others is a real thrill. I tried it once with the unfortunately short-lived Crimson Plague PLAGUE in the late 90s, but that was a book I was financing myself. This time BOOM! is handling all the marketing and promotion stuff. I can just sit down and be as creative as my imagination and ability will allow.

[ Read more SIRENS Call to Legendary George Perez for Creator-Owned Series at BOOM! ]

Pérez spent most of his weekend chatting with fans, drawing sketches, and being one of the nicest people at the entire convention. He was able to spare some time on Saturday morning to speak with Comics Bulletin reporter about a wide range of topics. Below is their conversation about healthcare, royalties, theater, working at BOOM!, and a whole lot more.

Read more [ George Pérez: "I Get to Do What I Wanted to Do When I Was Five Years Old!" ]