PHOTO: Devin Grayson, a trailblazer in the comic book industry, continues to inspire with her compelling storytelling and groundbreaking characters.
Exploring Themes of Identity, Magic, and Heroism
Devin Grayson discusses her creative process, inspirations, and the impact of her work on comics and literature, highlighting her unique storytelling approach.
Devin Grayson stands as a luminary in the realm of mainstream comics, having carved a niche with her profound storytelling and pioneering spirit. Her creation of the beloved character Yelena Belova for Marvel and her historic role as the first woman to launch and write an ongoing Batman series with “Batman: Gotham Knights” for DC are testaments to her trailblazing journey. Grayson’s narratives are not just tales of heroism but are imbued with psychological depth and cultural resonance, offering readers a rich tapestry of themes that challenge and inspire.
Her graphic novels, such as “USER” and “Rewild,” delve into pressing social issues, from gender identity to the climate crisis, showcasing her ability to weave complex narratives that resonate on both personal and universal levels. Beyond comics, Grayson’s versatility shines through her novels for Marvel and DC, adaptations of young adult literature, and contributions to gaming narratives, all of which underscore her multifaceted talent.
In this interview, we delve into the mind of Devin Grayson, exploring the inspirations behind her works, her unique approach to storytelling, and her invaluable contributions to the comic book industry. Her insights offer a glimpse into the creative process of a writer who continues to redefine the boundaries of the medium, making her a beacon for aspiring authors and a cherished voice in contemporary literature.
Devin Grayson is a visionary storyteller, redefining comics with her innovative narratives and profound character development.
In your graphic novel Rewild, what inspired the environmental themes and the collaboration with artist Yana Adamovic?
Rewild was born in the confluence of two conflicting events: the joyous occasion of meeting Yana at the Barcelona International Comic Con in 2019, where we instantly became fast friends, determined to work together, and the devastating California wildfires that brought the urgency and grief of the climate crisis to my door. Yana’s ability to infuse realistic, contemporary scenes with expressive magic and our shared interest in classical literature and fairytales inspired me to frame the story of the climate crisis in magic realism, giving the natural world a voice.
“Rewild was born in the confluence of two conflicting events…” – Devin Grayson
‘Omni’ introduces a superpowered doctor tackling global crises. How did you approach blending superhero elements with real-world issues in this series?
Superhero comics were born of real-world issues, with classic characters like Superman created in response to, in the words of Siegel himself, “hearing and reading of the oppression and slaughter of helpless, oppressed Jews in Nazi Germany.” Comics are a visual medium, so what I was most interested in with ‘Omni’ was finding a way to redefine and illustrate super-intelligence. We have a tendency in comics to think of intelligence specifically as analytical, à la Sherlock Holmes. I wanted to examine different kinds of intelligence and what it might mean to bring them together in one person.
As the first woman to launch and helm a monthly Batman series with ‘Gotham Knights’, what unique perspectives did you bring to the Batman universe?
Unlike most of my colleagues, I didn’t grow up reading comics, so the references I brought to my work came from outside that ecosystem. I had a lot of fun researching and catching up with the histories of the characters—which, by the time I got to them, had been shaped by decades of continuous publication and the talents of many creators—as well as expanding those histories with cultural references to which they had not previously been exposed.
Your series User delves into online role-playing and gender identity. What motivated you to explore these themes, and how was the collaboration with artist Sean Phillips?
User remains the most personal work I’ve created to date. I know that many writers use themes and details from their personal lives, but for me, the impetus to write fiction has always been about inhabiting lives I couldn’t access any other way. User was the one time I did put many of my personal experiences onto the page, with the “virtual” part of the story being almost entirely true. It was editor Joan Hilty’s idea to split the real and online world between two separate artists, and watching Sean Phillips and John Bolton bring characters I had spent so long living with to life on their pages took my breath away.
In ‘Matador’, you introduced a strong female protagonist in a crime thriller setting. What challenges did you face in crafting this narrative?
“Matador’ was a true collaboration between artist Brian Stelfreeze and me. He had the ideas and central themes of the story percolating in his head before he approached me, and we brewed up the final form of the story together in a flurry of “okay, but what if—” emails. The “strong female protagonist” trope was already on the verge of overuse, so we worked hard to let Izzy be a well-rounded character whose emotions, intuition, insecurities, and constantly contested social standing all factored into her failures and her successes. Brian’s artwork has so much impact, and he’s such a good visual storyteller that the main challenge for me was pulling the narration and dialogue back enough to let his work speak for itself.
Having written for both DC and Marvel, including titles like ‘Nightwing’ and ‘Black Widow: Breakdown’, how do you adapt your writing process for different characters and universes?
Working with well-established, globally adored, corporate-owned characters is always a privilege, a minefield, and a labor of love. Those of us working in mainstream comics talk a lot about “playing in someone else’s sandbox,” which requires a willingness to follow both long-standing and arbitrary orders from multiple levels of stakeholders. The process is, in many ways, antithetical to creative expression, but we do it because we love the characters and learn to love finding ways to be true to ourselves within the given constraints. And sometimes, we even get to leave pieces of ourselves behind. Watching Florence Pugh bring Yelena Belova—a character I created for Marvel with artist JG Jones—to life onscreen is pure magic.
Your novel ‘Doctor Strange: The Fate of Dreams’ explores the psyche of the Sorcerer Supreme. What drew you to this character, and how did you approach his mystical world?
The combination of Western medical knowledge and Eastern philosophical training in Stephen Strange’s origin story led me to think about magic as an intersection between advanced science and existential philosophy. I’m always looking for ways to explore and express connection in my work, and I found the mystic underpinnings of Stephen’s world so ripe for that. The boundaries between reality and imagination are dissolved, theoretical concepts can be anthropomorphized, and the microscopic becomes macrocosmic. Writer Alan Moore talks about the practice of writing deriving from the practice of magic. While working with Doctor Strange, I found that writing about magic returned me to the fundamental underpinnings of writing: identifying a distinct, personal point of view and amplifying the universal within it.
What advice would you offer to aspiring authors looking to break into the comic book industry?
Educating yourself about the realities of the industry and the medium’s specific strengths is vital. I think it’s a mistake to want to be a comic writer—what you should aim for is to be a writer who is comfortable identifying when a story would benefit from being told in this particular medium.
