Gail Simone's Blog, page 678

You know, it's funny, you said the other day that your Teen Titans comics weren't as good as they should have been. I just... I wanted you to know that THOSE comics were my introduction to comics in general. They were on my very first pull list. That run

Well, I only wrote two, and you bring up a good point.

I felt really bad about how those issues came out. I had wanted to write the Titans for a long time, Geoff had been killing it on the book, it was really popular. And when he needed a short break to work on something else, he asked me himself to do two issues. It meant a lot to me.

I worked hard on the scripts, but I don’t feel they came out as good as I would have liked. So I used to actually feel bad when people would bring them up to me to have signed.

Finally, one day, a young guy, maybe twelve or thirteen, brought them up for me to sign, and I, joking, said, “I apologize for these."

He looked up at me and his feelings were clearly hurt, and he said, “These are my favorite comics."

I felt about two inches tall. What a jerk, what a condescending creep I was being. Here this kid really liked this book, and I managed to act like a jackass AND insult his taste at the same time. It wasn’t HIS fault I didn’t think the issues came out as nice as I had hoped.

So that was a hard lesson and I resolved never to do that again. Tastes are different. Something that may not have worked for me may have been hugely meaningful to someone else. I have no right to be a jerk about it.

There’s no instruction manual for any of this stuff, you make mistakes along the way…hopefully, you try not to repeat them.

I am glad you like those two issues, there’s stuff in there I really liked. I will read them again someday and see if I have been overly harsh.

Can I just say something, as a straight male myself I'm a bit embarassed that some of the obviously hetero male askers in your inbox don't seem to grasp the concept of male privilege. We live in male privilege you guys, most of the stuff that's published i

We do live in a world of all kinds of inequity.

But I’m not immune to any of this nor do I consider myself particularly enlightened or even particularly informed. I’m straight, cis, able-bodied and white, most of the world is pretty much open to me in ways that it is not for a lot of my readers and friends. 

I think it’s understandable that many people aren’t aware of their privilege. You can be raised in a way that never forces you to address it, let alone correct it.

What galls me is the automatic shutting down when it’s pointed out. The scoffing, the kneejerk denial, the rote excuses, the minimizing.  If you can’t listen, if you WON’T listen, you’re an asshole.

I don’t think anyone expects anyone to be perfect. But not even listening, that’s pretty inexcusable.

Hello, Gail. Just wanted to say that I love you, and that your writing always makes me feel good when I read it, especially when I feel depressed.

AW!  Thank you!  I love your webshow!

Hello again, Ms. Simone. Thank you for taking the time to read another of messages. I know that you can't read incomplete comic scripts for legal reasons, but what about other works in progress, such as prose or movie scripts? I'm a novelist, but I'm also

It is absolutely not possible, I am sorry.

First, I can’t possibly read all that material that is offered to me, but the biggest thing is that I can’t read unsolicited material featuring licensed characters under any circumstances.

Sorry.

Hi Gail, just read last ask you published, from the dude in Brazil, where you said he should get something published. Does it necessarily need to be in print? I'm creating a web comic which will be fairly big in scale, and will be released on tumblr... Doe

Some people do get noticed on the web, absolutely. I did.

The key is, produce the material at a very high quality and KEEP YOUR PROMISES about when the stuff will go online. Editors notice delays!

Never thought straight men would be mad at the idea of more women being included in anything.

Well, again, I feel kinda bad because it really is not the majority here. It’s just a small minority who hasn’t caught up yet.

Hello, Ms. Simone! I want to start saying that you are truly my favorite comic writer, as a person and as a creator. One of the people that inspire me in my dream of being a writer. You're awesome. I live in Brazil and it's almost impossible to be a comic

Thank you for the kind words!

First, being outside of the US is no longer much of an impediment. There are tons of people making Western comics from all over the world, and Brazil has many, many fine comics artists in particular, like Joe Bennett, Ed Benes, Joe Prado, and many more.

I can’t tell you where to send your ideas. That’s not really how it works. What you need to do is get something published, whether it’s self-published or for someone else. Get a book in print. Then a lot more doors are at least partially open.

Here’s my brutal advice for breaking in. Good luck!

http://gailsimone.tumblr.com/post/4654769851/brutal-tips-on-breaking-into-comics-warning-long

theeletterj:THE MOVEMENT FANARTI drew Virtue from Gail...

theeletterj:

THE MOVEMENT FANART

I drew Virtue from Gail Simone’s new DC series, The Movement. I haven’t read it yet but i do have it in my pull list at my LCS.

Can’t wait to read it, she was super fun to draw!

Oh, I love this!

And once you air your frustrations about sexism in any media once, you can never mention it again even. THAT'S THE RULES.

I would respond but I CAN’T!

I know a girl who read a comic once and liked it! Obviously that means comics aren't sexist and need more work to include better diversity...

Right!

Wait.