Writer Stephanie Williams confirmed that Wonder Woman's home of Themyscira has trans Amazons and that one of them will play an important role in Nubia & the Amazons.In a series of tweets, Williams confirmed the popular fan theory that the character of Bia is a trans woman. In her own words, "The answer to your burning question is yes. There are trans Amazons. One of the newest Amazons is a Black trans woman." This news coincides with the celebration of Wonder Woman's 80th Anniversary and comes only days after the launch of Nubia & the Amazons #1, which featured Bia's first appearance. In that issue, she is one of five new Amazons to be introduced to Themyscira after being reborn through the Well of Souls.
Williams, who is herself a queer Black woman, explained that Bia's creation came out of conversations with co-writer Vita Ayala, who is trans non-binary. Together, the two set out to create a series that would be welcoming for all women and realized the Well of Souls could be used as a way to introduce new characters. In Wonder Woman lore, the Well of Souls is the gateway through which women are brought to Themyscira and become Amazons. Williams reassured fans that Bia will be an important part of the franchise moving forward, saying, "Bia will have a role on Themyscira beyond just existing – she isn’t set dressing, she isn’t a box to tick, she is a fully fledged character that is important to her community."
Nubia & the Amazons is written by Williams and Ayala and drawn by Alitha Martinez, with inks from Mark Morales and colors by Emilio Lopez. The book explores and expands upon the legacy of Wonder Woman by examining Nubia's tumultuous origin as Diana's long-lost sister. This is the first starring role for Nubia, who was created over 40 years ago and was recently crowned the Queen of the Amazons.
The creation of Bia is the latest in a series of moves from DC to include more diverse sexual representation in its stories. Over the summer, longtime Robin Tim Drake came out in Batman: Urban Legends #6 as the first bisexual member of the Batman family. It was also announced that future issues of Superman: Son of Kal-El will feature Superman's son Jon Kent in a bisexual relationship with a young reporter named Jay Nakamura.
Nubia & the Amazons is also the first step in the march toward Trial of the Amazons, a crossover event that begins in 2022. In it, Wonder Woman, Artemis, Hippolyta, Yara Flor, Nubia and the Amazons find themselves at odds over the future of Themyscira. The epic storyline will feature both Williams and Ayala as writers, as well as Becky Cloonan, Michael W. Conrad, Joelle Jones and Jordie Bellaire.