Hey Gail, I'm curious about the relation between writers and visual artists for comics. I've read a few comics for which I love the storyline/writing, but the art is just really not doing it for me. (This happens to me with Wonder Woman a lot where I love

This probably sounds a little cliche but it’s true, no two teams work the same way, and it often has a lot to do with the editor, but not always.

Some editors want to be the conduit through which all information flows, so the artist and writer don’t speak directly. I hate this method a lot. It works sometimes, sometimes it’s a huge pain.

Most editors just want a great book and whatever works is how they handle it. I prefer to speak to the artist directly, so I can ask them what they like to draw and hate to draw, for one thing.

We don’t always get a say as writers in who the artist will be but in general we are at least consulted. There’s a lot of stuff done in a panic in comics because the deadlines are so tight, or the writer (me!) is running behind, or the artist is ill and needs a fill-in. 

If you have a bit of a name, you can ask for an artist, or you can make approval part of your agreement.

I generally put it right in the scripts if we are trying to avoid cheesecake, for example. Sometimes, you get it even if you ask NOT to have it. It happens.

Most artists want to do the best book they can, but some really love drawing their version of pretty women or ‘sexy’ shots or whatever. I don’t mind comics being a little unseemly, it just has to fit the scene and the character. Sometimes you WRITE a scene of Black Canary being badass, but you get BACK a bad scene of Black Canary’s ass.

I do feel that almost all publishers are being more aware of it, we are seeing some changes as we go.

I don’t object to cheesecake or sexy art or erotic art or whatever on its own merits at all. All of that is fine, and I don’t think people should feel bad for liking it. It’s just a question of fitting the scene and character, for me, anyway.  If Tumblr didn’t have sexy images, there wouldn’t be much Tumblr left!

Oh, and I like it to be inclusive, I like there to be stuff for lots of people to like. 

:)