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Posted: Aug 02 2011 07:40 pm

http://io9.com/5826557/how-batgirl-took-on-dc-comics-the-anatomy-of-a-pr-crisis

For the record, I was THERE at that panel, and there was a freaking reason we booed this idiot: because after making her initial point and getting an answer (which, as is noted, everyone, including the panelists, approved of), she would NOT shut up, and wouldn't let other people have a turn to talk. It was irritating as hell, and no one I was sitting near blamed the panelists for getting tired of it either.

Now, does this gal have a point? Yeah, maybe. Should it be the public relations shitstorm that it turned into? Hell no.

Here's an idea, lady: how about you encourage DC to just TELL SOME GOOD GODAMN STORIES and stop worrying so much about the gender of the hero (or even worse) the gender of the person writing it? A good story is a good story and should be told. Are women underrepresented in comics, both as heroes and creators? Sure. But I care about good stories a lot more than I care about demographic percentiles. And I sure as HELL don't want you sticking your irritating nose into what had until then been an excellent and entertaining panel.

ARG!

All in all, you're just another brick in the wall.

/rant

Posted: Aug 02 2011 08:29 pm

well said, SoldierHawk

Posted: Aug 02 2011 09:11 pm

@username: What the hell is that film?

Posted: Aug 02 2011 09:50 pm

i dont think its a film. i think its some home video of a street performer in hollywood fighting a tourist or something.

Wizard Joined: Jun 12 2009 Posts: 4209

You're kidding me, right? I don't understand how demographic percentiles are still such a large issue. Your argument towards "appreciate a good story and shut up" is something I agree with so strongly I almost cheered at my laptop while reading it.

Posted: Aug 02 2011 11:21 pm

username wrote:

i dont think its a film. i think its some home video of a street performer in hollywood fighting a tourist or something.

He's referring to the quote in your sig.

Mandrake, it's from The Adventures of Klimbatize Berblatz Across the 8th Dimension.

Posted: Aug 03 2011 01:22 am

Wow, way to put some spin on your article. I'd have figured that as a Stephanie fan yourself, you would've chucked a nearby fanboy's batarang at her head; either that or find the cosplayer who tried to clear a functional AR-15 past security.

Also, this article is the first time I've ever seen "bepenised" or "omerta'" in text.

Gallery 2 · Posted: Aug 03 2011 01:38 am

First of all, that rant of hers sounded awfully familiar; almost as if it came out from a cartoon...

OH WAIT IT DID (3:00):

Second, there ARE women in the comic industry, including writers and illustrators. Granted, the number's not mind boggling huge, but it's definitively increasing, considering what I saw hands-on at SCAD.

Third, good stories aren't defined by the gender of the writer, but rather by the talent of said writer.

Fourth, have this gal ever occurred to look elsewhere other than mainstream? If you were to look at foreign comics or the indie movement, you'd be amazed what would you find.

And finally, yes, she's a dumb-ass by thinking she stroke a killing blow to DC's ego.

Posted: Aug 03 2011 02:11 am

Yep. The real kerfluffle here is that, with the reboot and all the hiring and firing that went on as a result, the percentage of female writers employed by DC took quite a big nosedive. Which is not ideal, but then a shitload of men got fired or moved too.

You know the absolute worst part? In a PR panic, DC is gonna go hire a bunch of stupid people with boobs who can't write, just to shut people up. Their comics are going to suck, and I'm going to have to read them, and it's going to piss me off.

GOD I hate people like her. No, wait. I hate people who lionize people like her and try to use her as some kind of retarded figurehead or rallying point. GOD.

THIS IS WHY WOMEN CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS YOU *VERY UNLADYLIKE EXPLETIVE*

Posted: Aug 03 2011 03:30 am

SoldierHawk wrote:

Yep. The real kerfluffle here is that, with the reboot and all the hiring and firing that went on as a result, the percentage of female writers employed by DC took quite a big nosedive. Which is not ideal, but then a shitload of men got fired or moved too.

You know the absolute worst part? In a PR panic, DC is gonna go hire a bunch of stupid people with boobs who can't write, just to shut people up. Their comics are going to suck, and I'm going to have to read them, and it's going to piss me off.

GOD I hate people like her. No, wait. I hate people who lionize people like her and try to use her as some kind of retarded figurehead or rallying point. GOD.

THIS IS WHY WOMEN CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS YOU *VERY UNLADYLIKE EXPLETIVE*

I can't seem to find any video of her on youtube, but one of the castmates from the 5th season of The Real World, Sarah Becker, was an artist for Wildstorm.
Here's some of her work: http://www.comicvine.com/sarah-becker/26-54612/issues-cover/

Posted: Aug 03 2011 03:58 am

SH, I just trolled her on Twitter using your quote.

Posted: Aug 03 2011 04:26 am

The hell with those whiny people!

Posted: Aug 03 2011 10:34 am

Mandrake42 wrote:

@username: What the hell is that film?

Posted: Aug 03 2011 10:41 am

lol

Posted: Aug 03 2011 03:06 pm

SoldierHawk wrote:

Yep. The real kerfluffle here is that, with the reboot and all the hiring and firing that went on as a result, the percentage of female writers employed by DC took quite a big nosedive. Which is not ideal, but then a shitload of men got fired or moved too.

You know the absolute worst part? In a PR panic, DC is gonna go hire a bunch of stupid people with boobs who can't write, just to shut people up. Their comics are going to suck, and I'm going to have to read them, and it's going to piss me off.

GOD I hate people like her. No, wait. I hate people who lionize people like her and try to use her as some kind of retarded figurehead or rallying point. GOD.

THIS IS WHY WOMEN CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS YOU *VERY UNLADYLIKE EXPLETIVE*

It's unlikely they're going to hire a bunch of women to respond to this. As they answered, "We hire the best writers and artists available." This shows a commitment to hiring people worth a damn rather than filling quotas.

Posted: Aug 03 2011 10:30 pm

I'll let her helm my super hero...

Posted: Aug 03 2011 11:08 pm

@atomjacked : Thanks for the link Smile

Posted: Aug 03 2011 11:25 pm

Mandrake42 wrote:

@atomjacked : Thanks for the link Smile

You are welcome and thanks for the laugh at seeing the @ symbol in front of my name again, I do miss it.

Posted: Aug 04 2011 12:51 pm

Wizard Joined: Jun 12 2009 Posts: 4209

Is Dan Didio really like that?

Gallery 2 · Posted: Aug 04 2011 04:43 pm

Well, he's kinda obnoxious towards his (whining) fans, but he's not THAT obnoxious...

Also, read the author's comment in the issue, and I'm not quite sure he saw the whole picture, since he saw the whole thing as positive; a "step forwards" in fact.

Frankly, I agree on what SH said before, stating this is more of a "one step forward and two steps back" situation, because instead of looking forward to long term changes in the company that should benefit the talent pool, instead they'll rush over for quick fixer-uppers that could backfire in the long run just because one fan felt she had to rub her feminism into a somewhat irrelevant issue, i.e. "Screw character and plot, we need MOAR women!!1!!"

Posted: Aug 09 2011 07:01 pm

I think that it's hilarious people complain about DC when Marvel is just as, if not worse, than them in that respect. Gail Simone alone would count for about a half dozen of the female writers/artists/inkers/letterers/editors or what have you at Marvel. If they could get over worshipping Bendis (who, in my opinion, is absolutely the worst creative type Marvel has), maybe they could find better.

Or, you know, we could stop worrying about gender altogether and get Alan Moore back with DC for more false-snake-god-worshipping hijinks. Seriously, the man might be from another dimension, but he can write a f'ing comic/gn.

Posted: Aug 10 2011 11:37 am

aeonic wrote:

Or, you know, we could stop worrying about gender altogether and get Alan Moore back with DC for more false-snake-god-worshipping hijinks. Seriously, the man might be from another dimension, but he can write a f'ing comic/gn.

THIS. And Neil Gaiman too please!

The only reason this was particularly directed at DC was the big changeover that's going there that resulted in a lot of people (women included) losing their jobs. Both companies have dealt with this sort of thing before, it's just never blown up quite this big, because there hasn't been an idiot in a Batgirl suit bitching about it in the middle of my Comic-Con panel before. Evil

Posted: Aug 10 2011 02:01 pm

So whereas I can agree that it would be great for all comic companies (DC, Marvel, Dark Horse etc.) to have more female writers / artists and heroes, I want to know how many QUALITY female artists and writers have or do attempt to break into the comics industry (not saying there aren't many quality women who do either or both, but questioning the amount that have had or do have interest in working in the comics industry). Also, while I believe that more female readers exist today then before for comics, given the demographic of who BUYS more comics (both age and gender) from a business prospective does it not make more sense to cater toward the people that are directly and predominantly supporting your bottom line? An example of this for me is in sports, does female MMA exist, yes, do the majority of MMA fans both men and women have anywhere near the interest in that as they do men fighting in MMA, no, thus with a lack of demand, and quality fighters it is marginalized due to business. Personally I agree I want to see more quality writers and artists, either gender, at the helm across the comics industry. Now, if a legitimately qualified, talented female writer or artist is denied at DC, Marvel, or whatever, then ok that's a problem. Also, as many artists in music, clothing, comics, video games etc. have done, if you aren't seeing in the industry something that represents you, then fight your way into the industry and create your own, if it is quality, and you fight hard enough, then usually, you can get what you want then

Posted: Aug 10 2011 02:20 pm

King wrote:

So whereas I can agree that it would be great for all comic companies (DC, Marvel, Dark Horse etc.) to have more female writers / artists and heroes, I want to know how many QUALITY female artists and writers have or do attempt to break into the comics industry (not saying there aren't many quality women who do either or both, but questioning the amount that have had or do have interest in working in the comics industry).

Also, while I believe that more female readers exist today then before for comics, given the demographic of who BUYS more comics (both age and gender) from a business prospective does it not make more sense to cater toward the people that are directly and predominantly supporting your bottom line? An example of this for me is in sports, does female MMA exist, yes, do the majority of MMA fans both men and women have anywhere near the interest in that as they do men fighting in MMA, no, thus with a lack of demand, and quality fighters it is marginalized due to business.

Personally I agree I want to see more quality writers and artists, either gender, at the helm across the comics industry. Now, if a legitimately qualified, talented female writer or artist is denied at DC, Marvel, or whatever, then ok that's a problem. Also, as many artists in music, clothing, comics, video games etc. have done, if you aren't seeing in the industry something that represents you, then fight your way into the industry and create your own, if it is quality, and you fight hard enough, then usually, you can get what you want then

Fixed the wall of text.