Gail Simone's Blog, page 214

OMG You're coming to Brazil for FIQ! Not a question, just wanted to say I'm beyond excited I'll get the chance to meet you in person and thank you for all the years of wonderful comics! :)

THANK YOU!

I am so excited!

Did you see the December solicitations for DC Bombshells? There appears to be a team of Batgirls based on the one that appeared in your Future's End issue.

I am very excited about that, especially with Marguerite writing it! LOVE her!

How do you feel about DC's treatment of Batwoman ever since the team with JH Williams III on it left?

I haven’t read it, but for me, JH and Greg Rucka really own that character, it’s hard for me to read her with anyone else helming.

When I used her, I deliberately went for her voice as written by those guys.

I do think she needs a book. I had heard rumblings, but I don’t know what is going on there at all. 

likebirdsofprey:Birds of Prey vol.1 #86This story!So,...

likebirdsofprey:

Birds of Prey vol.1 #86

This story!

So, Bruce Timm wrote me some very kind notes about Birds of Prey. 

Bruce Timm is one of my heroes, I couldn’t believe it, especially since he has a rep for calling out substandard work even from brilliant artists.

He OFFERED to draw a short story for us. I am still amazed. This was at the very height of his success, too. I built an issue around it, even though I hadn’t yet gotten approval from the editor yet, I was terrified he would change his mind, so I whipped out a script immediately. Sneaky me!

Months later, he sent a page of the original art. He draws pages on paper much smaller than most artists, just a little bigger than the comic itself, and he had notes about all the pop culture references (he didn’t get them, so I took them out).

I have the best job.

Just to let you know, sadly the comic that the last person who sent you an ask was talking about was just photoshopped and Wonder Woman isn't canon trans in the comics :( As awesome as it would be if she WAS

I’m sure that’s true, I haven’t seen the panel they were referring to, but I hadn’t heard anything like that from DC.

I was wondering if DC had any issue with Secret Six being a mostly LGBTQ book? I'm so happy this book exists, it fills a huge void. I hope they are happy with the response the book is getting.

DC’s policy on this, as far as it goes with my work, is that they leave me alone on these topics. I think they know representation is important both to me, and more importantly, to the readership. Dan DiDio cares about lgbtq representation a lot, and Bob Harass feels representation of POC is vital, so one of the nice things is, they don’t require a bit sales pitch, and they don’t act like we deserve a medal for having characters that reflect the real world a little bit more. 

I used to debate this topic all the time. Readers, especially teachers, would say there was a big value to them in having us make a big noise about having diverse characters. I’ve heard many times that they felt that it helped people who were struggling with their identity or that it was worthwhile to know that the company that publishes Batman has gay heroes, for example. 

And I get that. I certainly see that point. 

But with time, my feelings have evolved, and I can’t help feeling it’s better not to treat it like some kind of award ceremony. I think that works against presenting these characters as people, it seems (to me, others will disagree) to support the idea that these people aren’t ‘normal,’ aren’t part of the default human profile. 

In a perfect world, it wouldn’t BE news to have a POC character in an iconic suit, or a woman leading a team, or an lgbtq character even existing in a fictional work.  So my feeling is to put it out there, treat all the characters with respect and love and care, and leave the news sites for whatever ridiculous stuff is news that day in the comics world.

I’m not 100% sure I’m right on this. I still think a lot about people who have said that if we don’t publicize it, then they might not even know it’s happened. But it feels like the cost is making a display out of the very people and traits you are trying to present as merely human. I don’t want the message to be, “HEY! LOOK HOW PROGRESSIVE WE ARE!” 

I am kind of sick of that message. I would rather have characters that are representative without waiting around for cookies and USA TODAY blurbs.

Anyway, I like our team, and I am happy so many people are on board with our little cast.  :)

I think they are happy!  Sales dropped some when we had delays up front, but have picked up as the book got permanently back on track with its new artists. I have been very, very fortunate, because I don’t think there’s another book out there quite like it. Retailers have been great, bless them!

Hey! Seems like you have a little Q&A going here, so I thought I'd pop in. Is Wonder Woman canonically transgender? I saw a scan of a page that revealed she was, but it seemed awfully photoshopped to me, but in a culture of magic and clay babies and combin

That’s an interesting question.

I am not sure what the evidence would be. I don’t know her current origin that well, but what I do know of it, it could happen. In her past origin, her mother made her out of clay and she was given life by the gods, I don’t know where the wiggle room is for her to be trans in that version of the story.

I guess I would have to know where the idea came from, canonically? 

I can see the potential of Amazons to be trans but I’m not sure what pieces of information might lead one to think that was the case with Diana. Not saying it’s not there, but I am not aware of the foundation of that theory.

Why is it that heroes beating up things for in formation always works in comics? Since in real life torturing people for information has low success rate. Like why doesn't a thug just lie to Batman, he's not going to kill them.

This is a really interesting point, and I’ve dealt with this many times in my comics.

I feel like the THREAT of a beating, okay, that’s within the realm of fair game. A ‘hero’ beating a guy up for information, that really IS a form of torture (if it’s a normal human against, say, Batman), and that’s pretty fucking NOT HEROIC.

I’m sure I’ve probably written scenes like that in my career, though none leap to mind. In general, I think there has to be a way to show our hero getting the information without being a scumbag.

would you be willing to write new 52 wonder woman solo? idk if its normal for writers to write for character twice like that but id love to see you write ww's solo again

I don’t think I would write her ongoing title again. I had my shot, I think we had a lot of successes and some flops and now it’s time for someone else to take their shot.  

Some books, I can see going back to, but some it feels like it would be greedy to approach again. And I don’t really love the new Wonder Woman history in the same way, so I’m not sure it would even feel the same. 

But specials, guest appearances, minis, that sort of stuff, I’d love it. :)

Hi, Gail, any chance you'll be making an appearance at Rose City Comic Con this year? If not RCCC, any Oregon cons in the near future?

I probably will not be at ROCC this year, and I don’t believe I am doing any cons in my home state this year. Sorry! Maybe next time?