Another Gail Simone link for today … I think she’s taking over the world. Talking to the New York Times, the former hairdresser covers a lot of ground, from Wonder Woman to other creative pursuits to her college years:
At the University of Oregon, which she attended for two years in the early 1980s, her majors were creative writing and theater. She credits the theater studies with improving her craft. “You had to know your character inside and out, from the time they were born, even if you were only playing five minutes of their lives,” she said.
In 1999, during what she described as “a rough patch,” she was advised to try something creative. She went down a list: “I can’t draw. I can’t really sew. Well, I used to write.” This led her to create “Women in Refrigerators,” an online chronicle of the suffering experienced by female comic-book characters. The site (unheardtaunts.com/wir) garnered attention, which led to a modestly paid humor column on comicbookresources.com, a Web site that was read by many industry professionals. Still, she didn’t give up her day job.
“I was broke and starving and basically needed to figure out a way to make a living,” she said. “Hairdressing was still a creative type of career.” Growing up poor taught her to have a backup for artistic pursuits that would not earn her enough money.
November 27th, 2007 at 8:33 am
the former hairdresser?
I’m sure we’d write the same thing about a dude. If BKV was a former gardener, I’m sure that’d be in the lede.
No, I’m not. That’s lame.
November 27th, 2007 at 8:38 am
The article was primarily about the career path that led her to her current job. She only stopped being a hair dresser a couple of years ago, so it was relevant.
I’ve seen many famous men refered to former waiters, former dancers, or former carpenters (Harrison Ford, for example). They’re just emphasizing the cool job she does now by mentioning the less cool job she used to do.
November 27th, 2007 at 8:55 am
The hairdresser background is an engaging juxtaposition to her current career. Just like how early bios of Mark Millar mentioned his past movie gigs as best boy grip and fluffer. (Yea I am joking with the whole Millar line…)
Seriously, how you pay the bills while you try to become a published author is often a “go to” story aspect for many pieces like this one.
November 27th, 2007 at 10:53 am
What I’d like to know, Peter, is what’s wrong with being a hairdresser? Is there some sort of negative connotation that goes along with it that I’m apparently not aware of?
November 27th, 2007 at 11:39 am
Keith Giffen has worked as a hazardous material handler. NOTHING beats that!
Doubt it?
http://www.mikejozic.com/giffrespage/meanwhileinterviews3.html
He mentions that in all his interviews…
Hunter (Pedro Bouça)
November 27th, 2007 at 11:44 am
Great article…thanks for the link. I’m a big supporter of Gail Simone, and I couldn’t be happier for all of her well-earned success. She’s one of the more pleasant personalities out there in Comic Land who isn’t afraid to mingle with the “common folk” on various message boards, blogs, etc.
November 27th, 2007 at 1:20 pm
JK Parkin: No, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with being a hairdresser.
Sociologically, it’s consider domestic and feminine, though. Right? I’m not accusing anyone of being sexist, I’m just a big mystified by the focus of this lede and the article itself– the heroic ascent of a lowly woman in her womanly job to a full-fledged member of the boys club (comic book writer).
I’m really not foaming at the mouth. I’d just like to read about Gail Simone and her feminism (which I find very interesting) without reading the subtext about how remarkable it is that this great writer was once a hairdresser.
FAST FACT: Marie Curie was a seamstress before she became a scientist.
November 27th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
I dunno, Gail’s interest in hairstyling has come up on the YABS board now and again so it’s nice to see where that comes from. (She usually has great hair when she’s photographed, I notice- especially in that Superman doc from ’06.)
November 27th, 2007 at 5:29 pm
So… mentioning that she ever had a job before comics is somehow degrading?
Peter, if they’d said, “Gail Simone the former postal carrier,” would that have been better somehow? And if so, why is hairdressing something to be ashamed of?
Just the simple fact that it’s an industry dominated by women doesn’t make mentioning it sexist.
November 28th, 2007 at 12:23 am
Parkin with a dash of Bryant wins the kdb award on this round…
December 3rd, 2007 at 5:13 pm
Going from Hairdressing to comics writing, particulary through the fan-activist-humorist route she took, is certainly an interesting story.
They were once a humble “insert profession here” is pretty standard in profiles of creators of both genders, really.
July 29th, 2010 at 12:41 pm
Anyone have any updates on this? Desire to know more.