Gail Simone's Blog, page 341

Does DC do writer retreats like Marvel does?

No. I think the retreats are a great idea, but people say they can be BRUTAL.

DC does ‘summits,’ which are like smaller groups of people working in one franchise. Like a Bat-summit, Super-summit, that sort of thing. They are less formal, but much more specific, and they happen when a bunch of creators happen to be at the same con, rather than an invited private event.

who's your favorite batman villain?

Mad Hatter, Penguin, Poison Ivy (I like the ones that are underrated)!

Do you have a contract with DC?

Just for Clean Room.

queenofthedorks:One of the many reasons why if you’re not...

queenofthedorks:

One of the many reasons why if you’re not following gailsimone on Twitter then you should be.

The James Franco gordita puppet is ADORABLE.

If full script is the Marvel method, what is the DC method? Also, since you have worked with other companies like Dynamite, I was just curious if they have their own approaches to that sort of thing that are unique to them.

No, it’s the other way around. DC method is full script.

Marvel method is, the writer comes up with a plot, and sometimes breaks it down by pages. Then the artist breaks down the story into pages and panels, and THEN the writer writes dialog over top.

It’s supposed to be a time-saving measure, but for me, it takes twice as long and I never like the results. I much, much prefer full-script.

The Old Guard

The Old Guard:

gailsimone:

We often tend to think of Othering as something that is always right on the surface, and easy to spot. When someone is blatantly saying women are lesser, that’s a relatively easy problem to avoid.

The truth is, there is also a pernicious brand of Othering that is much sneakier,…

I LOVE YOU, TAMMY PIERCE.

Hi Gail! Did you saw the new Spider-Woman/Jessica Drew costume? I'm feeling that a trend is happening in female super-heroes redesigns and i'm loving it! What do you think?

I like this new outfit A LOT.

My favorite new outfit is the Gwen Stacy one, I just think that one is gorgeous. 

I don’t want to see the same design elements, though, I don’t want a jacket with zippers to become the unnecessary pouches of new costume designs, you know?

People need to be looking at new things all the time.New design ideas. Once something works, don’t remake it, do a NEW thing.

When you write full script, how detailed are you? For example do you say "Victorian mansion library" or do you get to the minute points of the furniture, books and the wall sconces?

No, I don’t do that, and it’s not laziness, it’s because I mostly work with pro artists and I don’t want them to feel smothered.

Famously, Alan Moore can take a page to describe a park bench, and he’s a genius, it works for him and his artists, apparently. While Grant Morrison’s scripts tend to be downright minimalist, with little detail at all (I am told). Both methods are valid.

I want the artist to feel part of the process, so I tend to give the important details and choreography.

The Old Guard

We often tend to think of Othering as something that is always right on the surface, and easy to spot. When someone is blatantly saying women are lesser, that’s a relatively easy problem to avoid.

The truth is, there is also a pernicious brand of Othering that is much sneakier, and more subtle. Often, the people who are in a circle will want to keep new people out, be it a fandom, a career, or an industry. And they will likely not reveal their racism, sexism, and homophobia in obvious ways.

What I find meanest about these people is that they don’t just dislike you for who you are, they want YOU to dislike you for who you are. They want you to stammer, to apologize, to stumble, and to fail. And when you do any of those things, it simply reinforces their mean, petty stereotypes.

They stick out their umbrella for you to trip on while carrying all the dishes on a tray, and then when you fall, they say, “Oh, I TOLD you she couldn’t do it.”

When you see the umbrella and avoid stumbling, that doesn’t actually break down their message, it just makes them resentful. You chose not to be part of the mean little world they have created. And resentment grows, and a new opportunity to make you trip will always be hotly anticipated.

I feel like that’s the Old Guard. The gatekeepers. And I want to say plainly, age has nothing to do with it, there are always people who are deeply entrenched yet who still welcome new people and different voices, which makes the intolerant even more inexcusable. And being a new member of the Old Guard is no guarantee that someone is welcoming and supportive of other new voices.

My advice is, DO NOT WASTE A MOMENT WORRYING ABOUT WHAT THESE PEOPLE THINK OF YOU.

Seriously. Not a MOMENT.

Your competence, your talent, and your dedication are not at issue. You will never convince them and even trying is playing their game on their board.

I say, redefine the board. 

Learn to recognize that the truth alone is not going to change their minds, and changing their minds gets less and less important every day. 

Seek your OWN approval.

Yes, some of these people wield undue influence. But they don’t have to influence your opinion of yourself, and fewer people of importance listen to them every day. Part of their anger comes from knowing that you represent the end of their inarguable dominance. 

Don’t give these people the satisfaction of making you doubt yourself. 

Do that thing you love. 

You're coming to Mexico next year! I haven't gone to a local con in years, it might be time to correct this if I want my The Movement issues signed (the comic that brought me back to collecting comics, so there...) :D

My first con in Mexico ever!

I speak no Spanish, I am embarrassed to say. But I am excited!