Gail Simone's Blog, page 878
November 3, 2012
I've never read anything featuring Cassandra Cain, but after the annual came out I've seen a lot of comic readers online calling Talon Mary an expy of her. Do you think they're especially similar, or is this like when people said New 52 Barbara was just l
People saying Barbara is just like Steph don’t know their history at all, wow. The voices are not similar. If we have a model, it’s Batgirl: Year One and I think that’s pretty clear to anyone who has read that book. Believe me, I love Steph, I love Barbara, comparing them is a dead end every time. They’re different characters entirely. I am amazed anyone thinks their voices or MO’s are the same. The tone is different, it’s a different book. But, being two of the only young women with optimistic viewpoints in Gotham, I can see how people would latch on to that, but it’s pretty superficial. I can’t see Barbara having Steph’s adventures or vice versa, can you? They just don’t fit at all.
The thing with Mary (soon to be called “Strix,”) is that she was based on true stories of young children traumatized by bombs in WWII, something no country really wanted to talk about. The main difference is that Cass’ silence was due to her upbringing. Mary is physically unable to speak at all, period, ever.
The silence is the main thing that is similar, Mary’s not a martial artist in the traditional sense. She’s got the Talon abilities and is an astounding acrobat, very fierce, very feral in combat. And of course, Cass eventually was able to speak (in a very moving series of stories). And Mary lacks Cass’ complicated backstory and body reading abilities.
I also think it’s fair to say that Cass has had a conscience for a long time, something that Mary is only just discovering. When you’re writing the characters, things like that just seem immense, huge, like a vast character gulf.
When Mary was created, we wanted to give a moving background to a Talon, to make her different from all the rest. She’s a thousand times more in common with the other Talons than Cass…but if she reminds people of Cass a little bit, from Cass’ early days, I think that’s lovely, too.
Scott Snyder absolutely loved her in the original script and outline, and he is the one who first asked that she not die or be frozen. Then the reader response was so high that we got the opportunity to flesh her out a bit more. As her character grows, I think we’ll see very little similarity…but that bit IS out of my hands a little, as Duane is working with her in Birds of Prey. But he’s been great and I’m convinced he’s going to make her a wonderful addition to that book.
I love her, I think there’s tremendous potential.
Whilst your in Belfast do you wanna just pop on over to London? It is only a 50 minute flight! Pwetty pwease
Aw, I would love to, but I was just in London a scant year ago (had the best time ever).
We are enjoying Belfast TREMENDOUSLY. People are friendly and very non-formal, it’s lovely!
smitt-and-horuss-otp:
Me and a few buddies met Gail Simone today and we spent about forty minutes...
Me and a few buddies met Gail Simone today and we spent about forty minutes discussing Batgirl, the new 52, Lots of batman and DC, whether the incredible Hulk could lift Thor’s hammer, One More Day, whether the Hulk or Thor would win in a fight, A friend’s Torchwood role-playing game, British comedies, Sonic the hedgehog, cross-dressing cosplayers, and Power Rangers.
Was fun.
It was great to meet you guys…but that one guy REALLY LIKES THE POWER RANGERS. :)
fire-and-diamonds:
Can I please marry Ricky?
Man, alive, did...
Can I please marry Ricky?
Man, alive, did we get lots of requests for more Ricky after this.
It’s funny, because first, my notes from editorial said, “Why is Batgirl being so kind to this guy?” in his first appearance.
After the annual, it’s like, “We need more Ricky!”
HA!
November 2, 2012
Last Signing In Belfast
…is tomorrow, November 3rd, from 2:00-4:00 at Forbidden Planet Belfast!
I hope some of you guys come to say hi. I’m happy to sign however many books you bring, there’s no charge, and I would love to meet you. Looking forward to it, I am LOVING Belfast so far!
This is something everyone should see and DEEPLY UNDERSTAND.
This is something everyone should see and DEEPLY UNDERSTAND.
And then Gail Simone's twitter was nightwing's ass
Because everyone needs an #AssVoucher from Nightwing!
A Question For People from the UK
My husband and I are in Belfast right now, it’s absolutely beautiful and the people could not be lovelier. We felt the same way about our visits to England last year, as well.
Some small thing happened as we were getting off the plane and I’ve been wondering about it a little.
Our plane landed in Dublin, I’d spoken with several people who lived in the Republic and they were absolutely wonderful and helpful.
As you get off the plane, the signs are in English, but also in Gaelic. It’s Dublin, no big deal, right? That’s what I thought, it’s a beautiful language to look at though I can’t speak a word of it.
As we got off, a woman with what I think was a London accent was very angry and quite loud about the signs having Gaelic translations on them. She griped loud enough for everyone nearby, including airport employees, to hear. She said, quote, “That is NOT the King’s English. That should NOT be on the signs in a public space.”
Now, we have this in America all the time, when signs have Spanish translations or Chinese translations because of a large community from those countries in one area. I still think it’s a goofyass thing to complain about, but this is in DUBLIN, it’s their own language, right?
So my question is, there’s something going on there that I am unfamiliar with, precisely. Is this woman’s attitude common? Why would she have an objection to Gaelic on signs in a country where that language is still spoken? Is it part of some larger sense of entitlement or colonialism or what? Is this actually an ongoing controversy?
Pardon my ignorance, I know something odd was going on, but the exact nature escapes me, not sure of the context.
Edited because I actually somehow said the signs were in “Mexican,” not “Spanish,” for God knows what goofy reason. Sorry!
girlslovesuperheroes:
Rachel writes: My 3 year old daughter,...
Rachel writes: My 3 year old daughter, Georgia, as Batgirl for Halloween. She LOVES Batgirl!
Oh, my god. THE CUTE.
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