You recently released the different stages of a page in Batgirl, but in what format do you first see it? Do you explain the concept of a page, then it gets penciled, then do you review it before that becomes the final page to get the lines and then colour?

This varies a lot, some artists don’t like you to see the work until it’s done, some do the pages out of order, there are lots of different ways to do this.

With me, I write a full script. That describes every panel, all the choreography, all the dialogue, captions, all that stuff. Then the artist is allowed to put their spin on it, and their contribution and ideas are most welcome.

I am not a hugely collaborative writer at the script stage. I don’t find a lot of blabbing or editorial interference remotely helpful at this point in the process,  it slows things down and waters down the story. AFTER the script is written, those things can be very helpful in improving the story. BEFORE, not so much. The best editors by far are the ones who spot what’s wrong and have ideas to help after the script is in, I’m fortunate enough to be working with a bunch of this type of editor and I love them to bits.

After the script is in, the editor gives notes. I have been lucky to work with mostly amazing editors who really care and want to make the story better. Some of them are just awesome at finding where your script is weak. These people are a blessing. You may not enjoy hearing their thoughts but when they’re right, they’re right. A great editor is like a Christmas gift and I have been lucky enough to work with a bunch of them.

Then the artist gets it. Some artists follow the scripts exactly, others offer their own input. This is always, always welcome. If you are a writer and you’re smart, you listen when the artist tells you there’s a better way to do something. I try never to squash an artist’s instincts unless it’s absolutely necessary for something later in the story.

Some artists send each penciled page as they complete it, some send them in batches, some wait the entire issue. We all look at it, editors are great at spotting things that need correcting, the artist makes revisions. The pages go to inking. Same process.

Then coloring, same process. Most of the artists I am working with now send a page a day, in all three stages, so I am getting art to look at all day long pretty much every day.

It’s a very, very fun part of the job. When a beautiful piece of art comes in, my heart does a little dance.