Brian Truitt

USA TODAY

You don't need the Lasso of Truth to get to the bottom of this one: Wonder Woman is heading to the big screen, and she's getting a creative refresh on the comic-book front, too.

The husband/wife duo of artist David Finch and writer Meredith Finch take over as the creative team of DC Comics' Wonder Woman series with issue 36 in November, focusing on bringing humanity to the powerful Amazonian princess.

During the past few years, the comic book by writer Brian Azzarello and artist Cliff Chiang has focused on Diana Prince's connection to Greek mythology — Wonder Woman was revealed as a daughter of Zeus, and her family is a dysfunctional bunch of gods and demigods.

The Finches want to branch off and focus on who she is — her interpersonal relationships and her responsibilities to the Amazons and her fellow heroes in the Justice League.

"A big part of what Meredith wants to do is write a story about a woman who is trying to take on all of those different things and try to make them all work together," says David.

"We wanted to make her a little more flawed. She doesn't always necessarily have the answers."

Movie fans anticipate seeing Gal Gadot play Wonder Woman opposite Henry Cavill's Man of Steel and Ben Affleck's Dark Knight in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (due May 6, 2016).

It was another screen incarnation of her, however, that spoke to Meredith Finch. Lynda Carter, star of the 1970s Wonder Woman TV series, was the writer's first exposure to superheroes and represented a major shift for female characters in general.

"You had the mom roles but you didn't really have big heroic women saving the day back in the '70s," Meredith says. "Women were just transitioning into the workforce, and because of that she's been taken on as an icon for feminine power and empowerment."

The purity of Carter's portrayal appealed to her as a kid. Now she wants to continue the courage and heart Wonder Woman has shown in the comic book recently: "She lives what she believes, and she acts on it."

Wonder Woman appeals to a broad spectrum of people, says David. He sees more female fans at comic conventions than ever, so he's aware of the role-model aspect.

"With (superhero) movies being so popular and the audience that comics have,'' the artist says, "it's really the right time for Wonder Woman.''

The character has had mostly male writers since she was created by William Moulton Marston in 1941. A few notable women have taken her on adventures, however, including best-selling author Jodi Picoult.

"I love the idea that it's a woman writing a woman because we're trying to appeal to more female readers now,'' says David.

Adds Meredith: "it makes sense if you're going to try to attract that female market that you appeal to them on every level — your writing demographic reflects the demographic of your readership."

Upcoming story lines allow for a lighter tone and a more positive outlook for Wonder Woman. But while she might be a heroine, she's no angel, says Meredith.

"That's one aspect of being a female writer I can bring to her. Women tend to react in a different way, and I can bring some of that reactionary (thinking), going from your heart sometimes more than from your head,'' she says.

"I hope that between the two of us, we'll be able to bring that balance so she's got a really complex character as we go forward."