Gail Simone (2017)

There is no recovery from Olicity. I knew a guy who had Olicity and his butt fell off.

It's interesting, I like to sort of add to characters, rather than simply reboot them. And I took a couple small hints from Chuck Dixon's work on the character...for example, Chuck had Bane 'court' Black Canary, and I found that interesting, that a big dangerous killer would also have a gallant side. So I just extrapolated that. It was fun, DC did not quite understand the concept at first but then jumped right in. Only one scoop of ice cream, Scandal!

HA!

Twitter is a lot of fun for me. People think I sit and tweet all day long, but actually, I am almost always doing something else and just tweet nonsense when I spare a sideways glance. I'll be writing, am stuck for a moment, tweet something ridiculous and go back to writing.

I like Twitter. I am amazed at some of the things that have happened on my timeline. You can tell heartbreaking stories, you can make people laugh til they cry, you can discuss serious issues, and you can post nonsense shit, which is my favorite of all.

The most upsetting thing for me was the killing of Ryan Choi to make Deathstroke seem like a badass. It was a lousy scene for a lousy story, and I still haven't really forgiven anyone involved. I thought it was a genuinely mean-spirited thing to do to an optimistic, happy character that a lot of people loved, for a series NO one loved. So I'm grumpy about that still. And no, most writers don't really talk to previous teams, I think it's bad manners, but most don't.

Oh, this is a tricky one and both companies handle it differently.

I have to say, DC in particular has been very good to me with the characters I have created.

Basically, it works like this, generally. If your character is completely new, you sign an equity agreement and you may get paid a fee if your character is used in the title of a book or on a tv show or whatever. If the character is a spin-off or legacy character, then it is much less likely. So if I create Fungus Girl, I will participate in equity. If I make a new Element Lad, I won't.

Without question, it would be Birds of Prey. I think the time is right, people are hungry for cool female heroes, and I think the idea of a female buddy cop-style story is still very fresh. Plus, I love those dames. Black Canary needs a chance to shine, and Huntress and Barbara are just amazing characters. I choose BOP!

I am having a great time, this is way more fun than I thought, thanks!

Brian Bendis had an excellent resource for new creators, can someone help me out with a link?

And Floyd's is better because his mustache is an E ticket.

Hoo boy. This is tricky.

Okay, first, I don't watch very much television, so I don't know Joss Whedon's work outside of a few movies and the first episode of Buffy. I like what I have seen.

I know there's a whole personal issue and it's sad to contemplate.

At the end of the day, I want a great movie. A great Batgirl movie would mean so much to so many. It could build on Wonder Woman.

I feel like the correct answer is that I ALWAYS have concerns about these movies, because the characters are precious to me, and I know that's true of a lot of readers.

Hollywood, don't fuck this up, please!

ALF.

YAY!

He needs a bustier.

It takes a week of planning and several days of writing. I have to have a couple projects going at once.

No, I would DEFINITELY include Zinda!

Wonder Woman and Zatanna.

The problem is, I kind of like porgs and would have a hard time pushing them off a cliff.

Cyclops, it's a different story.

I thought we were doing easy questions first!

This is a tough one. I didn't like replacing Cass, but that had already happened, it was a done deal by the time I came aboard. But taking Babs from Oracle to Batgirl is something they were going to do, with or without me. I thought the entire DC line-up was going to be made younger, closer to their origin times, but that didn't end up happening.

I do wish there had been a way to keep Oracle and have a different Batgirl, for sure. I am proud of what we did, but I feel Oracle is a necessary part of the DCU and an important character for many reasons.

Oh, I'm sorry, I am terrible at these because I don't watch tv and don't keep up with actors. So...let's see.

Carrot Top...Barbara Gordon
Debbie Harry...Black Canary
Stephanie Beatriz...Question
Harry Styles...Misfit

I DON'T KNOW.

1. I think it's Savage. Knockout doesn't really have a last name, I don't think, and Liana would choose Scandal's last name, even though her dad is a massive turd.

2. This was completely an accident and I wasn't even aware that I was writing that many redheads until it was pointed out. But I can't help it! Knockout, Sonja, Oracle, Batgirl, Astrid...the reds got that cool!

The people. I think about them every day.

I was just at CCXP, and every signing I had had to be ticketed, and people came up in tears, or couldn't stop hugging, and it was very emotional, they just treated me like family.

I miss Brazil already and I just got back!

The second best thing is picanha.

Huh.

This is a tough one, because I feel the difference keenly, but it's hard to express. Greg is one of my two or three favorite WW writers, but he writes a sober, more somber Diana, and I try to give her a bit of a whimsical side.

I wanted to be more respectful to Greg's run in my run, but he asked that I not use Veronica and DC asked that I not use his versions of the gods, so it didn't seem as connected as I would have liked.

Greg Rucka is badass and writes a KILLER Diana. I think mine is a little more light-hearted.

I am returning to superheroes, yes. I missed them.

It's not a big diva move, I just wanted to try some other things, and had some real struggles during the New52, with the tone of how superhero comics were going. I felt they were getting too monochromatic. I like dark stories, but it can't ALL be that or it's just really boring.

So I stepped away to do some other stuff, and have really enjoyed it. But I have superheroes in my blood somehow. So watch for cool announcements soon!

I do not.

1. Spider-man
2. Red Sonja, Black Canary, Deadpool
3. Impossible to say, so many! But Nicola Scott and I have a real brain-meld.
4. Catwoman, Lois, Steve!

It's mostly the classic line-up, but add Zatanna and Plastic Man.

I haven't gotten to write either much, but I love Wally.

And no. :)

She-Hulk. Could not do it in the time allotted.

I definitely think it's MORE female, but my thing has never been 'I only want comics for girls,' I just feel that's a terrible path to go down. I want comics for everyone. I want everyone to be able to make comics, I want everyone to have comics they want to buy.

I certainly don't want talented male creators to be pushed aside. I want there to be more room for new voices, is all.

And the last whole new comics team I did sold about eight copies. :) But I took a break from superhero comics for a bit and have been missing them a lot, so...maybe!

This is a perfectly fair question, but it also makes me a bit sad because I hate to have people's creativity messed with, regardless of gender.

I would say, just try to write people unlike yourself as human. That seems to be a good first step. I write all kinds of people who are not like me, a straight, white former hairdresser who lives in the boonies. I do ask for advice from friends sometimes, about what they feel is missing from comics. That gets in the mix.

Try to write people, it usually works.

ACK. This almost happened.

I said on Twitter that I wanted to write a story about Leia running an army of wookies as their general, and Lucasfilm and Dark Horse got really excited about that. We were about to start, and Disney bought Star Wars and all DH books were canceled.

So it didn't happen. Someday. I loved Last Jedi!

I do!

I have a couple dream projects, for sure, things that I could never have imagined happening.

The biggest blessing in my career is that readers have supported me enough that if I say, "Gee, I'd like to write a Godzilla story, just one great Godzilla story..." that there's a good chance I can actually DO it. All these wonderful publishers have characters I loved, and I like to get to play in those very special sandboxes.

It's a blessing.

I love doing creator-owned, but sometimes things I love are offered, and I am fortunate enough that I can take them.

I'm not writing Godzilla, by the way, it's just an example.

My favorite graphic novel of they year was Bingo Love, by Tee Franklin. It's her first gn, and it had me in tears, big sobbing baby tears. I can't recommend it highly enough.

I love Mister Miracle. I love Monstress. I love anything by G. Willow Wilson.

Those are the first things leaping to mind.

SPIDER-MAN.

I will be in California for sure, but can't say where yet!

I am a huge fighting games fan, I have every single character in Injustice 2 leveled to their max.

So I can't even explain how fun it is that they chose to use RYAN CHOI, whom I created, in their game as the Atom. They even used my dialogue in spots.

Just a huge honor, and he's a blast to play.

I am a huge fighting games fan, I have every single character in Injustice 2 leveled to their max.

So I can't even explain how fun it is that they chose to use RYAN CHOI, whom I created, in their game as the Atom. They even used my dialogue in spots.

Just a huge honor, and he's a blast to play.

Maybe, I love her, but she might be harder to fit in.

I see a lot of potential in the Mad Hatter. I love writing him.

I also feel like there's a lot of unexplored territory with Medusa.

Yes.

Listen, I have a story quickly. Charles Schulz used to doodle to learn to draw, and he purposely drew everything three times, exactly the same. When he was done the third time, he knew how to draw that thing forever. His notebooks are full of it, three hands, three trees, three shoes.

Writers are the same. Observe, observe again, and observe one more time.

Sure, I think 'believable' isn't really necessarily the goal, anyway.

Sure it's justified, comics is a small business. But if a pro is being a douche, I think it's fair to expect them to be called out.

I think, out of kindness, you try to give people a chance to explain or clarify what they've done, assuming it's something simple. If it's a situation where there's harassment or something, I feel like the gloves are off.

Yeah, I want to do a cosmic DC story sometime. And LEGION!

And I like pineapple on pizza! The salty and sweet, baby!

I don't think so, again, he's a legacy character and those are generally not compensated. If I'd called him Little Dude, I would. It's weird, but I get it.

I am actually trying to get the rights to Tranquility back for myself and Neil Googe, and if we do, there will be more Tranq stories!

And I asked about WW/S, I don't think it's happening right now. :(

I love KHO, the only GL I think I created. I keep begging GL writers to use her!

I am behind on GL, but I heard it's great!

KHO!

I hope so.

I think there are others who write her better, I would want them to write her so I can just be a fan!

Oracle, and Plastic Man.

Well, they did have a series.

I hope for a bop movie. The time is right. And yes, I would hope to be involved.

I wanted All-New Atom to keep going. It was constantly getting affected by weird outside things, the artist changed quite a bit, and it was a struggle to be allowed to tell optimistic stories.

But it was a chance for a real breakout book, and a non-martial arts Asian lead who was charming and fun and loved science.

After I left, they did a drastically different take and I think it just made it hard to keep up.

I don't know, but we almost had a LEGION relaunch happening. Sad it didn't go through.

I love MONSTER. I haven't watched a lot of anime lately. I like Attack on Titan, though!

If I remember correctly, Scott's amazingly funny and talented wife, Kulap Vilaysack, mentioned me on her wonderful podcast, Who Charted?
I wrote back and said thank you, and we ended up becoming friends. As a treat, I made Kulap a character in Batgirl, and she ended up putting me in her movie.
Other than that, I am a huge fan of both of them, especially Comedy Bang Bang, Bajillion Dollar Properties, and Between Two Ferns.

I actually don't, I have to have complete silence.

As an experiment, I started listening to the CONAN movie soundtrack while writing Wonder Woman/Conan. It worked okay. But silence is best for me.

And Cyclops loves plain spam, cold from the can.

It made me aware that tone is important, and variety of tone is vital.

I hate comics that never change their tone.

Oh, mostly by saying characters are not supposed to only be mouthpieces for my opinions. If I'm writing Punisher, I'm going to write the goddamn Punisher, you know? I don't want Frank Castle spouting my theories on gender issues, I want him terrifying weirdo killers.

Deadpool is a strange case because as fucked up as he is sometimes, he also has compassion at odd moments.

No justification needed!

No, I don't think so, I am terrible at that stuff, I like to tell stories.

I like her compassion, it sounds hokey, but it's true. She'll kick your ass and then go get you a bowl of soup.

I love that, it makes her unique.

I talk about this often, but Kate Bush and David Bowie, and perhaps the Who, were as big an influence on my comics as Grant Morrison and Steve Gerber and people like that.

It's a matter about bravery, and insisting on having your own voice.

The very first editor who wanted me to work at DC (he's not there anymore) told me, "Don't do anything too interesting." Seriously, that was his advice.

I like creators who have an inner voice and express it, no matter what.

Any Kubert, Bill Sienkiewicz, Denys Cowan, there's a bunch!

Okay, first. Let's take a step back.

When you hit a wall, don't keep banging your head against it.

You are allowed to take a step back and regroup.

Second, don't worry about what MAY happen. You can do everything right and have a project fail, or everything wrong and succeed. The future is a big black mystery. So let's take it off the table.

As for Imposter Syndrome, almost every good creator I know has it. It's not unusual. People succeed with it all the time.

What you need to do is give yourself smaller goals, things you can finish. Say, today I write a page, today I write a scene. Then finish that. That's what builds confidence and momentum. Don't worry about the HUGE PROJECT, worry about the small goals.

You can do it.

For me, it's dogs. I am allergic to cats, but we still ended up with one, somehow.

It's dogs, dogs, dogs. Specifically, greyhounds. ROOOOOO!

I love almost all of them but it's definitely Diaz.

Smarts. That's it, I think she's the smartest in the bat-family.

Good question!

Hmm.

Cyclops, Cyclops, Cyclo--

No.

Storm, Outlaw, Rogue, Kitty, Cannonball, Sunfire, maybe?

Oh, man, that's a good question, and all the way from Argentina!

I might do Margaret Atwood, in that case. Gloria Steinem.

Shonda Rhimes. Lynda Carter. Carrie Fisher.

What can I say, I'm a huge nerd.

Any smart person goes for both, ask Archie.

I don't remember anyone being really rough about it. It was my last issue of Batgirl, I think, and I believe they wanted to let me go out on a high note of my own devising.

It was fun, fun issue. Would love more League of Batgirls!

Don't punish your artist, try to give them things they like to draw.

Starfire!

I once decorated our whole house with roses when my darling hubby was returning from a long business trip.

I am very lucky, I have a husband I adore and he adores me and I know not everyone has that. We try never to take that for granted.

It happens all the time, it was that way with Wonder Woman/Conan.

Neither, in that scene she was pierced by an arrow made from the gods. Godly weapons can always pierce her flesh and some even get past her bracers.

He's a great writer.
He's no Fonzie.

Yeah. You know, sometimes you create a villain that even YOU truly hate. For me, even Junior had some sympathetic moments.

Dwarfstar, no. I flat out hate that guy. It's fun to write him getting punched.

One never knows!

I think they are doing Chuck's BOP first, they might do mine after. And I have heard rumors of WW being reprinted.

It's very tough to know at DC, even editors don't know in advance what gets reprinted.

We are in very early days, but we have an awesome team working on it. I can't wait.

Both of those things! Spreading the word about a book you like is HUGE! Thank you!

THE CIRCLE, my first Wonder Woman story.