Gail Simone's Blog, page 976

mouzas:Gray scale marker drawing of Gail Simone and Lea...

mouzas:

Gray scale marker drawing of Gail Simone and Lea Hernandez’s Killer Princesses. (Rated 15/18+(the comic, not the drawing) depending how sheltered the person is.)

Heavy reference used. And I still suck at foreshortening. First time doing actual “action-y poses.” The clothing of most of the girls I draw nowadays are heavily inspired by 2NE1 or sometimes just complete rip-offs (because they are awesome.)

Edit: Light colors do not scan well on my scanner at all. :(

THIS IS SO COOL.

I love it!

Why can't Babs grow up?

zaataronpita:

You know, I’m not a fan of Batgirl right now.  It has less to do with Gail Simone specifically and more to do with Babs’ demotion.  She isn’t a leader.  She isn’t a woman.  She’s a girl stuck in a sidekick role forever, never allowed to grow up.  Batgirl.  The Batgirl role should be like Robin, something to eventually grow out of and pass on (hello, Cass and Steph), but DC isn’t letting her.  A twenty something year old character should have a future as something beyond Batgirl.  It isn’t Batwoman, Kate has that role.  It isn’t Oracle, not any more.  Babs is stuck.

Can you imagine Dick Grayson, who should be around Babs’ age, being called Batboy?  No.  Because he’s no longer a boy.  He’s a man.  He’s no longer Robin.  He’s Nightwing.  He’s grown up and out of his childhood vigilante identity.  So why can’t Babs?  Well, she did, way back when, before she became Oracle.  She retired the mantle of Batgirl, not because she was sick of vigilante-ing, but because she said she had outgrown it.  She wanted her own identity, separate from Bruce, and separate from girl, which she no longer was.

I had the opportunity to ask Gail Simone, writer of Batgirl, about this when I visited her booth at Emerald City Comic Con.  I was excited.  Gail Simone wrote Babs as the hero I loved in Birds of Prey.  I loved that title and I loved Secret Six.  I’m a huge fan of her Tumblr and the way she responds to fans.  So I had so much hope for the conversation. Unfortunately, I received the brush off.  

I started out telling Gail Simone the things I always wanted to say to her:  That Birds of Prey was one of my favorite comics of all times.  That Oracle gave me hope for women in leadership positions in comics.  That I loved her writing and her characters.  But when I started voicing curious concerns about what I’ve written above, she turned cold.  I don’t think she wanted to have this conversation at all.  I asked about Babs’ age and how that would relate to her current title, I was told she was barely twenty-one, she has many years of Batgirl ahead of her. As if that makes it okay for her to be only girl and not woman, stuck in this sidekick role.  When I asked about her future, if she had any other plans, I got the same answer.  Finally, as I was leaving, I got a joking answer about how she used to be interested in criminal psychology.  But that isn’t the stuff of comics  No, she was Batgirl and she would stay Batgirl.  

I’m going to give Ms. Simone the benefit of the doubt.  I am sure she gets a lot of flak from a lot of fans, and I’m sure many are less than respectful when they confront her.  Maybe she was expecting that from me and was trying to fend it off.  I don’t know.  But I left the booth very unsatisfied, just as I leave Batgirl comics.  Because Babs is a girl again, even as she ages.  She isn’t a leader, she isn’t a genius, and she isn’t a woman.  She’s a bat with a smile and a high kick.  And she’s never going to grow up.

What the hell?

jondaly:Classic Gelman at #SDCC Comedy Bang Bang show. At this...

jondaly:

Classic Gelman at #SDCC Comedy Bang Bang show. At this point i think he was “fucking the audience with his truth.”

Just saw this show tonight and these three guys STRODE UPON THE EARTH LIKE IMMORTALS.

kajedheat:I saw the Secret Six movie last night at the drive-in. AMAZING.I bet all you people who...

kajedheat:

I saw the Secret Six movie last night at the drive-in. AMAZING.

I bet all you people who watched the Avengers feel like schmucks now.

I’m so sleepy I actually believed this for a moment.

Books You Should Buy At the PRISM COMICS BOOTH

Prism Comics is THE resource for lgbtq comics of all kinds, they have been doing great work for years, and they publish fantastic books to appeal to all types of readers.

They publish comedies, dramas, love stories, erotic stories, fantasies, they do it all, and by some of the most talented people in the business. Sadly, they often get labeled a niche publisher, and their best books are often not covered in the press at all. You don’t need to be lgbtq to love these books any more than you need to be gay to enjoy AGE OF BRONZE or BITCHY BITCH or any of a thousand other wonderful works by gay creators.

I highly recommend, if you are at sdcc, that you drop by and check out some of the stuff I got this weekend that I already love.

THE POWER WITHIN, a great anti-bullying book by Zan, with tons of guests (including me!).

MAHOU SHOUNEN FIGHT, a super-colorful and gorgeous high school series, FULL of magic, awesome!

REIGNBOW AND DEEVA, a super colorful, fun romance, slice of life comedy, like Archie for grownups!

LEGEND OF BOLD RILEY, a stunningly beautiful graphic novel adventure…an absolute gem. You want! Seriously, YOU WANT THIS.

If you are at Prism, wander by, let them know you appreciate their hard work, and let them suggest a book or two for you. You will thank me!

comicbookwomen:Carmine InfantinoVery Serious Female...

comicbookwomen:

Carmine Infantino

Very Serious Female Problems, number 1 in a series.

So if skipping the title won't help, what will? We've seen how DC reacts to being asked about her at cons, you've said in the past that they usually don't care about mailing campaigns...what's left? How should fans get the message across that we want to re

I don’t really know, but I don’t think I ever said that about letter writing campaigns…my experience is that they DO pay attention to such campaigns,

The two writers I know who have tried the hardest to bring Steph back are bqm, who got a version of her in Smallville, and myself. At this time, it doesn’t seem to be happening. But it does feel a little weird people calling for a boycott that would affect exactly two writers at DC, Bryan and me.

People have the right to buy what they want, and object in the manner they feel is right. But I do feel it sends an odd message. Just my opinion.

fuckyeahqueersuperheroes:Villains United #5It’s a...

fuckyeahqueersuperheroes:

Villains United #5

It’s a fair question!

By the way, this is the big reveal of Scandal’s sexuality. No news stories, no stunts, no ‘my, aren’t we progressive?’.

I think I like this way better. ;)

pixystitches:aaaannnd done. Because nothing says cute old lady...

pixystitches:

aaaannnd done. Because nothing says cute old lady crafts and lace, like Peter Merkel, Jr. Or something. 

No.

I refuse.

I REJECT the notion that something this awesome exists.

I’m sorry, I must insist that it CANNOT!

Oh, Good Lord

The 25th Gays In Comics panel at SDCC was A-FRICKING-MAZING, guys.

I can’t even explain. It was two hours long, and this is the 25th year SDCC has has this event, and this year,  they had something like 25 guests, each doing a brief discussion of what the panels had meant to them and the current state of lgbtq in comics.

SO MANY OF MY HEROES!  Seriously, Wendy Pini, Phil Jimenez, Eric Shanower, Paige Braddock, Trina Robbins, Joe Phillips, Ed Luce, Steve Englehart, Dan Parent, Jon Macy, Chip Kidd, Sean Z, Alison Bechdel, Zan Christiensen, just on and on and on, people I have admired and looked up to for SO LONG. I was so honored to be included at all, it’s ridiculous.

But the main thing to be remembered and appreciated is that one guy started all this and stayed with in through two and a half decades.

Andy Mangels.

When he started, a Gays In Comics panel was almost a crazy notion. And it’s become bigger and bigger and harder to ignore every year. Now there are Gay comics panels in cities all over the world. I was on three myself just this con! And a huge chunk of the credit for that goes to Andy and all the remarkable people who have helped him make this happen every year.

Andy is stepping down as moderator of this panel starting next year. He’s done enough, it’s time for others to carry this wonderful idea. We will miss you, Andy! WELL DONE, SIR!

Amazing panel, people teared up many times. Phil made ME cry. The panel was sometimes rowdy, sometimes bawdy, often funny (Chip Kidd is the funniest guy ever, holy crap!), and always sincere.

Hearing Dan Parent talk about how creating Kevin Keller has changed Riverdale and comics forever was incredibly moving. Hearing Trina Robbins talk about creating the first lesbian comics strip was a piece of living history. And hearing the other creators talk about the underground movement that continues to this day and represented some of the first honest portrayals of gay life in ANY media…well, dang it, this was a once in a lifetime event.

I am going to remember tonight forever.