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Watch our interview with former Batgirl writer right after the jump!
Back in 2011, Gail Simone was hired, fired, then quickly re-hired to write Batgirl.
From the sounds of some of her answers it looks like there may have been some creative differences from the beginning. In the interview Mike-EL asks writer Gail Simone about her interpretation of the Batgirl character and she seems very adamant about maintaining the original continuity (Barbara Gordon gets shot in Killing Joke, becomes Oracle) while creating new and FRESH stories to really challenge and enhance the character! Funny, that sort of sounds like integrity, which seems to be lacking at DC as of late. Recent developments and announcements like, Hellblazer being moved from Vertigo to DC, Editor Karen Berger leaving Vertigo in March, Snyder and Paquette ending their run on Swamp Thing, and now this: Gail Simone is fired from Batgirl … by email???
I for one was glad to hear that Simone was genuinely concerned about keeping Barbara Gordan’s past INTACT! Superheros ARE and should REMAIN some of the most diverse characters in literary history, human and alien alike. The idea that Simone was not going to take Barbara out of her wheelchair from the start is groundbreaking, even though it shouldn’t be. When one thinks of super powered beings, one generally does not think on the disabled –but Gail Simone DID, and she wrote it VERY WELL! Not only that, but comics may have seen their first mainstream TRANS-character in the pages of Batgirl. Unfortunately that storyline is going to die with Simone’s legacy, EVEN THOUGH SHE’S ALREADY WRITTEN THE STORIES!!!
Gail Simone’s run will end at issue #16 with Toronto’s own Ray Fawkes stepping up to write the fill-in issues. Though DC has made no official statements about the situation yet, chances are high (according to Gail’s Tumblr) that Fawkes will not be picking up the story where Editorial forced Gail to leave off.
We’ll end this with one last thought… not only about Gail Simone, but about DC Comics in generally. This comes to you from Mike-EL:
While far lesser talents continue to thrive under the current editorial regime at DC (A company which benefited from a huge sales bump due to last year’s New 52 Reboot), they have successfully alienated Grant Morrison, Paul Cornell, George Perez, Karen Berger and even Rob Liefeld.
How bad does DC have to f*** up to piss off Rob Liefeld?!?!
As always, complaints and comments go in the section below! 😀
Its sad to see a list of great people like that leaving or unhappy with the direction of DC, it’s even sadder to Liefeld included in a group of people like that
apparently DC has even more ‘fun’ things planned for us readers… I can’t wait to let these cats out of the bag! *rollseyes*
And the interview has what to do with the story???
We spoke to Gail when she was first announced on the project and everything seemed to be hunky dory, but it’s clear from some of things she mentions (ie. Barbara Gordon’s backstory and her fight for it to remain in tact) that there were going to be creative differences … differences that ultimately culminated in her being fired.
Obviously she’s not talking about her current situation in the interview, but it is interesting to watch interviews (not just ours) from creators at a time when they SHOULD be excited about new projects that they are working on.
I’m suprissed they didn’t fire her via Text Messenger. I gave up after Issue #6 of Wonder Woman understanding DC, the New 52, and will have to rely on the past rather then the future. This i just another nail in the coffin for sanity.