Gail Simone's Blog, page 1130

The Ormes Society

I talked about this a little bit, earlier. Here's some follow up, that I hope you will read through.

Basically, a lovely interview went up today featuring the great Digital Femme, Cheryl Lynn Eaton. Cheryl is a writer and commentator who is vastly knowledgeable about black female creators and characters in comics. A comics fan herself, she has had a predictably up and down relationship with the lack of diversity both in the comics and behind the scenes. She's been writing brilliantly about the topic for years, and is a real hero of mine.

But talking about it wasn't enough for her, so she formed the Ormes Society, named after the first known black female cartoonist in comics. The group promotes positive work by women of color, and featuring female characters of color. Like its founder, the group is smart, sharp, and fearless.  There's a website right here, which I strongly urge you to check out:  Theormessociety.com

Check it out, there's good information there that could always use some more exposure, like creators who are worth discovering and characters who deserve attention.  Right now, and I admit I had no idea this was the case, the current update on the front page features two of my own characters, The Ferocious Lindo Sisters, but take a bit of time and look around and explore, there's great information and a ton of important links.

This is both great information and wonderful activism, I love what the Ormes Society does to promote and encourage visibility. Really, go look. Spread the link around. 

Every year, I meet more and more women of color who want to make comics. The Ormes Society shows it can be done, and provides important encouragement by example. People like this are what will change the face of comics to match the readership, and I bless them for it.

Go look!  TheOrmesSociety.com

While I am at it, I somehow didn't notice that the interview was conducted by ANOTHER favorite commentator of mine, who also happens to be WOC, the great Erica D. Peterman, who has a great website I really love at:  Girls-Gone-Geek.com

Sorry, Erica, I don't know how I missed it!

The interview and both websites are all great reading. Please go enjoy, and then spread the word!  Thanks! And thanks to Cheryl and Erica, both of whom hung the moon, as far as I am concerned!

Would you ever write a book like Killer Princesses again? I would love to see you working with Lea again too.

Lea and I have both gotten very busy, I would say another project together is pretty unlikely (although there are a couple things we did together that are virtually unknown; a Simpsons Malibu Stacy Story that I'm very proud of, and a benefit mini-comic I wrote for her to draw at her request).  It's unfortunate, we get a lot of media interest in Killer Princesses, but the whole point of that book is very subversive, very much NOT what Hollywood is about.

I love the book, it is brutal, and mean, and nasty as Hell. The central theme is about entitlement, and how ignorant people have somehow managed to demonize and marginalize smart people. And how the people in the middle pretty clearly voted for the ignorant side. Why did they choose to do that? Why are they not only afraid of smart people, but actively angry at them?

It's a fun book, my first major work, and it was with a brilliant co-creator. Thanks for the kind words about it.

huntresstheitalianmafiaprincess:mafiaprinceza:A tribute to...

huntresstheitalianmafiaprincess:

mafiaprinceza:

A tribute to Birds of Prey Vol 2 Issue 6.
My Huntress cosplay, which I can never get enough of!

Photo taken on Dec 3rd by my friend Baldwin.

This is a touching tribute to a wonderful character and an indeliable moment in Birds of Prey few will ever forget.

**************************

Once again, proof that cosplay can be so much more than the bullshit labels that are applied to it by the deliberately ignorant. There's a story being told here—it takes art and courage and effort. It is a valid art form. Its practitioners are as varied and diverse as the span of characters they portray.

You don't have to be a fan of cosplay, comics, or the Huntress to find this moving, but if you are, it adds an entire new dimension to a scene in a comic story.

Absolutely lovely!

I just wanted to let you know that you are awesome. Your books are incredibly well done and seem super natural to me, in the way you portray all kinds of characters, plus I have so much fun reading all of your responses to everyone's questions. As a mixed

*********************

You are a doll, and this note came at the best possible time. Thank you so, so much.

Again, when I read something like this, all I can think of is that we have a long way to go and how many things I'd hoped to make happen that haven't come to pass yet. But it means the world that you would send such a kind note. It is vastly appreciated.

I just wanted to let you know that you are awesome. Your books are incredibly well done and seem super natural to me, in the way you portray all kinds of characters, plus I have so much fun reading all of your responses to everyone's questions. As a mixed

*********************

You are a doll, and this note came at the best possible time. Thank you so, so much.

Again, when I read something like this, all I can think of is that we have a long way to go and how many things I'd hoped to make happen that haven't come to pass yet. But it means the world that you would send such a kind note. It is vastly appreciated.

Would you like to see a book with a transgender lead?

I would. A lot. I'd like to see a trans person write it, in fact, and actually write about that experience, not let it just be window dressing.  I hope it's inevitable.

If you haven't already answered this elsewhere: How do you feel about the cancellation of Marvel books X-23, Ghost Rider, Daken, and Black Panther? With these cancelled, Marvel now has no books with solo female leads, no books with solo LGBTQ characters, a

This stuff is always painful on many levels. First, it's bad because poorly represented groups might only get a spotlight in one book, or a couple titles, so removing them leaves a gaping hole. Second, most of those are also really GOOD books, with good creative teams who really care about this stuff, so moving them to books with white, straight lead characters seems almost a double shame.

And finally, whenever this happens, it never fails that it perpetuates the problem because without fail, some people will point to these books and say, "See? Books with POC/lgbtq leads don't sell." And that makes it harder for the next group.

However, it's not just at Marvel, DC has the same problem. The reality is, ANY new non-icon lead book is a tough sell. There are dozens of straight white male lead books that get canceled and no one says, "Hey, see? Straight white males don't sell."

My understanding is that it's not that these books sold terribly, it's that they didn't have much optimism that sales would increase, so I guess they felt it was better to stop them before they became untenable.

In a way, it's just the market. Marvel wouldn't cancel these books if they sold. But on the other hand, they do represent at least an attempt to be less exclusionary. So what I HOPE is that they see the avid readers of those books and take note—put those characters to use elsewhere, so readers still get to enjoy them, and keep trying new titles with POC/lgbtq leads, give them time to find an audience.

So, it sucks, it always sucks when good books get cancelled, and even moreso when the few poc/lgbtq lead books disappear. But I do believe that the audience for such books continues to grow, we just need to find the right formula, the right mix of characters and creators that allows those books to find a big enough audience to survive.

If you haven't already answered this elsewhere: How do you feel about the cancellation of Marvel books X-23, Ghost Rider, Daken, and Black Panther? With these cancelled, Marvel now has no books with solo female leads, no books with solo LGBTQ characters, a

This stuff is always painful on many levels. First, it's bad because poorly represented groups might only get a spotlight in one book, or a couple titles, so removing them leaves a gaping hole. Second, most of those are also really GOOD books, with good creative teams who really care about this stuff, so moving them to books with white, straight lead characters seems almost a double shame.

And finally, whenever this happens, it never fails that it perpetuates the problem because without fail, some people will point to these books and say, "See? Books with POC/lgbtq leads don't sell." And that makes it harder for the next group.

However, it's not just at Marvel, DC has the same problem. The reality is, ANY new non-icon lead book is a tough sell. There are dozens of straight white male lead books that get canceled and no one says, "Hey, see? Straight white males don't sell."

My understanding is that it's not that these books sold terribly, it's that they didn't have much optimism that sales would increase, so I guess they felt it was better to stop them before they became untenable.

In a way, it's just the market. Marvel wouldn't cancel these books if they sold. But on the other hand, they do represent at least an attempt to be less exclusionary. So what I HOPE is that they see the avid readers of those books and take note—put those characters to use elsewhere, so readers still get to enjoy them, and keep trying new titles with POC/lgbtq leads, give them time to find an audience.

So, it sucks, it always sucks when good books get cancelled, and even moreso when the few poc/lgbtq lead books disappear. But I do believe that the audience for such books continues to grow, we just need to find the right formula, the right mix of characters and creators that allows those books to find a big enough audience to survive.

if you were still writing for black canary who could you see dinah having a really good relationship with? ollie not included.

Hmm.

I have to be honest and say that my first thought is that most of the matches that make sense in my head for her seem to be female. If I had to pick a guy, hmmm. Maybe J'onn, or Bronze Tiger, or…

Wow, this is tough.  There aren't a lot of guys that seem appropriate. But I could see her with Bronze Tiger, that fit makes sense to me.

angelophile: George Harrison 25th February 1943 - 29th...

angelophile:

George Harrison 

25th February 1943 - 29th November 2001

10 years without you, George.

We miss you.

My favorite Beatle. Thanks for the head's up, Angel.