Is Gail Simone overrated?

I just read Batgirl #3 a few days ago... it was awful. The dialogue was extremely painful ("Grr, so very grr." SERIOUSLY?! No one talks like that, especially Babs.) and the story beats feel out of place or altogether missing. Yet, everywhere I go people say how great Gail Simone is. The only series' that I have read of hers are Birds of Prey Vol. 2 (most of the first arc and only because I love Ed Benes) and the New 52 Batgirl, so I'll give Secret Six the benefit of the doubt, but everything I have read is either mediocre or downright bad (with a small number of decent issues mixed in, I'll admit).

Does anyone agree, or do you think I'm wrong and deserve to be brutally chastised for my thoughts?

Prepare for an angry mob.

This is what you just did.

Also, you try writing a book about your favorite character and making her progress through emotional, metaphorical, and physical change. Only that the company you work for decided to press the reset button forcing you to write the character you put your blood, sweat, and tears to revert back to what she was.

Her work on Secret Six was truly amazing, if you like your comics filled with darkness and humor. Her work on Birds was second only to Chuck Dixon, in my opinion.

On the other hand, her new Batgirl series does seem to be getting some mediocre reviews. Her collaboration on Firestorm is also getting hit with some bad reviews.

Not sure why, as I do think that she is a great writer. Could just be that she wasn't given the opportunity to write the kinds of comics that she is best suited to as part of the relaunch. Hopefully this will change.

I'd be happier with her if she was writing Cassandra Cain as Batgirl with Barbara mentoring her as Oracle....

Im not a fan and i haven't enjoyed anything i've read written by her, but that doesn't meen she's over rated it just meens she's not my thing.

Her Secret Six is f*cking awesome!

wait for the women of CV.
BB

@aztek_the_lost: Her writing hardly sucks, but everyone is entiitled to their own opinion, even if it is wrong.

She has the potential to be, but I don't think she is. I've enjoyed whatever I've seen her write, but I wouldn't say any of those things were spectacular, though I liked her Birds of Prey/Secret Six. Her Deadpool/Agent X was actually an underrated gem, still is really. I liked her Wonder Woman.

I wouldn't say she's overrated, but I don't think she's churned out any legendary runs enough to be put up there with those who have. I do feel a lot of people are both scared to say anything negative, and feel forced to say positive things, because she's a woman. I don't personally give a crap whether man or woman. Write great stories and I'll praise you. I just feel there's a lot of that. I feel there's a lot of, "We don't have many female writers as it is. Let's be nice to the one prominent one in the mainstream."

For example, Frank Miller had one of the best runs on any character ever (Daredevil). In terms of both story and how much he altered the character from then on. He also wrote The Dark Knight Returns. Now, those are big deals, but...does that overpower all the garbage he's done?

Simone is consistently good from what I've seen, with glimpses of greatness. Anything else is overrating her, in my opinion, but I don't see anyone doing that. I haven't read her run on Firestorm so far.

I adore Gail Simone's work. Like any writer, she can have her rough moments... but on the whole I find her work fantastically engaging. Her Secret Six work was spectacular throughout... her takes on Wonder Woman, while not necessarily chart lighting were really cool ideas and have been some of my favorite WW stories... her humor can be pointed and gut-wrenching while her take on perversion can be hauntingly disturbing...

If you DO need someone to 'overrate' her, or need members of a 'rabid fanbase'... you can count me in that number. However, I'd like to think that this membership comes with a rationale and does not qualify me as a mindless drone to be dismissed.

She may get a little boost in popularity and people caring about her because she is one of the few women writing comics. Hoping she does well etc.

I have not read her Secret Six but her run on Bird of Preys were abysmal at is best. She seems to be a fan of reinventing(some would call it bad characterization) well established character for no reason. And there was that Huntress vs Shiva thing last year... no one want to remember that.

Anyway in this age everything is Underrated/Overrated check any imdb board.

All very good points, and the only reason I said overrated is because I have noticed a super loyal fan base in the past (or when 'women' and 'comics' are mentioned together she is ALWAYS regarded in a positive light). But based on the lack of people questioning my sexuality I'd say I might be wrong... It's kind of nice.

I like Gail but I don't know what's up with her writing batgirl, she writes way TOO MUCH inner dialogue and barbara's emotions are so random. She needs to be reminded what many animator's are told and that is to show not tell, she doesn't leave anything for the reader to figure out we literally read every thought that's in barbara's head. Not to mention that creepy moment after she assaults dick she gives him his hair so randomly

I'm hoping she levels out batgirl's persona soon or I might have to drop the title which I'd hate to do

I COMPLETELY forgot about the hair until now! It must have been so traumatizing I blocked it out. I decided to drop it after this past issue but will gladly pick it back up if it starts to get good.

Nope.

I haven't been digging her work lately

WHAT? I haven't read Batgirl #3 yet but if you haven't checked out her other stuff that's not quite a fair opinion/assessment. I really like her work on Secret Six, absolutely amazing stuff there...she made Bane even cooler. I've only read the 2nd volume of Bird's of Prey but it was still a great series (though The Death of Oracle was kind of meh). What little people realize is Gail Simone wrote #65-69 of Deadpool which is one of the best Deadpool arc's ever. She also wrote the fantastic yet underrated Agent X spin off series. But if you don't like her fine but check out her other stuff.

                   

WHAT? I haven't read Batgirl #3 yet but if you haven't checked out her other stuff that's not quite a fair opinion/assessment. I really like her work on Secret Six, absolutely amazing stuff there...she made Bane even cooler. I've only read the 2nd volume of Bird's of Prey but it was still a great series (though The Death of Oracle was kind of meh). What little people realize is Gail Simone wrote #65-69 of Deadpool which is one of the best Deadpool arc's ever. She also wrote the fantastic yet underrated Agent X spin off series. But if you don't like her fine but check out her other stuff.

                   

               

I believe batgirl as babs in the new 52 was generally a horrid choice for DC. They should have kept on with stephanie. All of Gail Simone's work other than the new 52 batgirl has been grande.

The only stuff of hers i have read is firestorm and batgirl. Im not sure how much of fire storm was her but some of its dialogue made me cringe. Batgirl on the other hand was one of my top five number one issues, however 2 and 3 were just ok imo.

Simone is just fine I think but everyone has their bad moments and hard times in the comic world, her included. Haven't read Batgirl but I know from her time on Secret Six that she has done great things thus far. Its all a matter of opinion really.

I think with any writer their reputation precedes them, and with Gail she is known for some very solid writing in the past. I think it would bve hard to always maintain the same level. Better to be John Byrne I guess, then no one expects anything out of you.

Haven't been reading the new Batgirl book, was one of the ones that I was going to pick up later. Think I will leave it alone now lol

For her to be overrated she would have to have a rabid fanbase, I know of none. People like her comics but I don't feel like she gets enough love to be "overrated", even if she does suck.

FTBB is dead on. Gail is a wonderful story teller but when it comes to research on the power levels of characters she is sorely lacking.

I think Gail Simone is great and, while I would never argue she's incapable of fault, I think she's doing as best she can with the editorially mandated new status quo in Batgirl.

From what I've read of her secret six series i love that, and from what I read of her birds of prey series near the i thought that stuff was just ok. So between those two things i guess i can say i like her work. Haven't read any of her new 52 books though.

just out of curiosity how bad is firestorm?

I truly think she is best suited to writing team books. Her characters develop best in a team setting where she can explore their relationships.

Her Hypothetical Woman arc in JLA Classified was at least as good, if not better, than all of the "major league" writers who also wrote arcs early in the series. All the heroes were given a chance to shine, instead of the norm where Batman and/or Superman dominate the story. She developed a very unique villain who was able to effectively challenge the League.

Her original run in Birds was great, but the revamp under the Brightest Day banner was not up to par. I think she got saddled with Hawk and Dove and did the best she could with the title.

Secret Six is a work of art. I wonder if she will be writing Bane as the next Batman movie approaches.

After thinking about it for a while , does DC have other female writers than Gail Simone?

@Yumulu: Ann Nocenti is taking over Green Arrow starting with issue #6.

Honestly I picked up batgirl to date but I haven't read it but her Birds of Prey and Wonder Woman runs were awesome. Like most authors, she has had her dull moments too but she's a good enough writer where she usually pulls it together.

I wouldn't say she is overrated, imo she earned all the respect she gets as a writer :)

Gail Simone is so overrated that she's underrated.

I am not that big a fan of Gail Simone. I look up to her for a being a strong creative woman who broke into a male-dominated business. But there are things that I just don't like about her.

I liked the fact that she finally gave Wonder Woman a proper boyfriend and there were some tender moments her stories that is lacking in current Wonder Woman stories. But the her ape lackeys were gimmicky and her interaction with Etta Candy seemed forced. I just wasn't on the edge of my seat to read what was next.

Her first run in Birds of Prey was awesome and is my favorite BoP comic to date. I loved the interactions between the characters and Barbara's portrayal. Then I hated her second run where everyone thought she was going to walk again and just faked her death which seemed moot with the impending "New 52."

But now to Batgirl: WHY GAIL! WHY! You are destroying a character that Bruce thought of as his intellectual equal according to "Batman: The Road Home." Gordon knowing that his daughter was Batgirl was a staple in almost every continuity. She was cutesy in her original appearance in the 1960s which was fun and fit campy atmosphere at the time. But the humor mixed with the seriousness just isn't meshing in this story.

I will finish this rant later there is another story that I liked that I don't think many people know of.

No I don't think she is overrated, unless your taking some extreme message board comments as gospel or something. I enjoy her team books. I thought this run on Batgirl was a little underwhelming, but it happens.

@TheGoldenOne said:

Nope. Grant Morrison is overrated.

blasphemy!

I know this a late post, but I feel like giving my two cents. I find her to be really overrated. An example is the current Batgirl series, which I find to be good, but not nearly as amazing some say. Other than Batgirl, Birds of Prey and Secret Six, I haven't read anything from her that has particularly impressed me. Yet, people still shout from the rooftops about how great she is. So yes, to me, she is overrated. Her fans, at least the ones I've encountered, will rabidly defend her and have trouble accepting legitimate criticism of her work. My big problem with her is her dialogue. It sounds incredibly awkward and unusual most of the time.

I am not impressed by Simone's work. Her writing is neither creative or intelligent enough to interest me. I received WW: Ends of the Earth, as a gift, but couldn't get through the first few pages. Same with her recent Batgirl arc. The first person narrative is played out and the same lame vigilante scenarios are just boring. It doesn't help that she is paired with these 90's Image lite artists. They all look like they took the Jim Lee How To Draw Stiff Figures course. The bigger problem that DC insists on this middle of the road stuff. they sergEllll It's safe and the fAns like it. I'm just not a fan.