Interview – Gail Simone and Nicola Scott

When the chance came to grab quick interviews with Gail Simone, Nicola Scott and Dan Slott at Armageddon Expo, I jumped at it.  But a bit inspired by a friend’s effort and feel cognizant of the fact that they get interviewed all the time, I tried to think up something a bit on the unusual side.  They were all asked the same questions, and these are their answers.  Today is the Simone and Scott edition, tomorrow we’ll deal with Dan Slott.

Name a three character team up you’d like to write (or draw in Nicola’s case) – but it can’t be characters you’ve written before:

Gail Simone: The magic characters would be fun.  Captain Marvel, Zatanna, Dr Fate

Nicola Scott: Donna Troy – I’ve never drawn Donna and I would love to.  Wally West, I’ve never drawn Wally and I would love to as well.  There are a lot of characters I’ve only drawn a couple panels of that I’d love to draw more.  I’m a big fan of Lois Lane, I’m a big fan of Superman, I haven’t drawn either of them very much.

If you can send the team you’re working on now through time to any time period, where do you send them?

GS: (Birds of Prey) Lady Blackhawk’s time.  It would be amazing to see their costumes, and the attitudes back in that time period.  Especially the vehicles, the cool retro motorcycles, the planes, the hats matching their costumes.  (Gail has since on her tumblr referenced this question and said she’d like to send them back to Neo-Victorian England.  I vote for both!)

NS: (Teen Titans) Norman Rockwell 1950’s.  Very cute little Rockwell era 50’s Teen Titans.

Who’s the most overrated villain:

GS: Can’t really say that.  Depending on who’s handling them and how they’re written, they can go from being not that much to being great, like with Mad Hatter.  You can take him and make him one of the most disturbing villainous characters ever.  They all have potential.

NS: There are also great villains that do get used a lot, but they aren’t always used that well, so you feel over-exposed to them.  Then suddenly somebody writes a good Joker story and you think ‘That’s why he’s a badass’

GS: The same with Penguin as well.

Rule 63: For every male character there is a female counterpart, and vice-versa.  If you can take one male character and make them female, or female and make them male, who would you choose?

NS: It would be interesting to see a female Bane

GS: I’d like to see a female Deadshot.  And maybe a male Giganta.

What project would you love to see the other write/draw?

NS: I would love for Gail to be writing Dick Grayson Nightwing and for me to be drawing it.

GS: Butt shots!  [laughter from both]

GS: I like it when Nicola creates new characters the best.  So whatever new character I’m going to create, she gets to create half of it.

Finally, your favourite Disney Princess

GS: Mulan

NS: Pocahontas.  I loved the design.

Nicola Scott and Gail Simone with our Intrepid Interviewer, cunningly disguised

And that wraps up our interview!  I know, no secrets about new books, the Wonder Woman discussion of epicness or any of the things I’m sure you expected to be reading, but we like doing things a little bit differently here.