Stephanie Williams - Comics Writer "Nubia, Queen of the Amazons" and more!

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We're all living in a world Gone Geek.

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Here's your host, Grounded Geek.

Jeff: 00:00:14

Hey, everybody. Welcome to a brand new episode of World Gone Geek. The podcast is real because here we are.

I'm Jeff, AKA Grounded Geek, and I'm solo right now because due to some technical difficulties, the actual intro and outro that we record recorded can't be used in this episode for some reason. So here I am doing the intro outro without my good friends and confidants, Utah and Aaliyah.

They are not here, unfortunately, but they are in this interview that you're about to see. So don't worry, they're still here and they'll be back in future episodes.

But for tonight, I'm recording the intro and outro so that we can get this episode out to you. This great interview with none other than the iconic Stephanie Williams, writer for DC and Marvel. You're going to love this interview.

You're going to want to check it out.

Before we do that, I do want to thank Sony Pictures for helping bring this episode to life with a new movie that they've got out called One of Them Days. Now. It is certified fresh and verified hot on Rotten Tomatoes right now, and it's available in theaters and on digital.

Kiki Palmer and Sza stars best friends and roommates Drew and Alyssa, and they find themselves in a comical race against the clock after Alyssa's boyfriend blows the rent money. With eviction looming, they'll do whatever it takes to stay afloat and keep their friendship intact.

You don't want to miss One of Them Days from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment on Digital Now. Rated R. And we're going to try to give away a copy of that.

All you have to do to get a digital copy of that or at least be eligible to win a digital copy. Go to our Instagram page, scroll through the profile when you see Kiki Palmer and Sza in one of the pictures there. I didn't take that picture.

That's not a. That's not a normal Instagram picture. It's actually the poster from this movie. I don't know them, so I never took that picture.

But it is available there. You're going to see it. Click on that picture like and comment.

And that is where we will draw a winner from to decide who's going to get that digital copy. So go check out that film today.

Check out our Instagram at World Gone Geek like and comment and you have a chance to win the Movie, one of them days from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

Another thing I want to make sure that we mention, as most of you know, if you followed us at all, you know, world gun geek, really, really passionate about using our powers for good. Right?

We want to do charity work, we want to do other types of philanthropy things that we can use our geek passions to, to make a difference in the world. And last time we did that was back in November.

We did extra life 24 hour video game marathon to raise money for Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital. Well, in just a few days on March 7, I will be for the 14th time shaving my head in honor of St. Baldrick's Day. And that's the St.

Baldrick's Foundation. Foundation that raises absolutely crucial funding for pediatric cancer research.

You will be surprised that how little federal money goes to pediatric cancer research. The cancer research is very important across the board and there is federal funds that are taking care of that.

But our most vulnerable group of patients are obviously children and they unfortunately get the least amount of funding. And so it's crucial that St. Baldrick's and some of these other organizations are raising funds that are actually finding treatments and cures.

And if you've watch the show at all or listen to the podcast or know me personally, you know that we dealt with that during the pandemic. My daughter was diagnosed with cancer. Thank God she is cancer free today.

And that is really because there are treatments that exist because of the type of funding that St. Baldrick's is involved in. So March 7th, shaving my head for St. Baldrick's. You can be a part of that two ways.

One, if you're in the Cleveland area, love for you to come out to Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital. You can sign up, shave your own head, raise some money and, and in solidarity with the kids there, you know, go bald for a cause.

That's what I'm going to do. If not, you can donate and we'll have that in the show notes, a way for you to donate to that cause to see the hair go.

Probably doing most of the beard too. If, if we can raise enough. I am taking bids. If somebody wants to bid on the beard.

I'm interested to see how much we can raise just to get rid of the whole beard. Actually, I take it back. There's no way my wife would let me do the whole beard, but I can get rid of most of it. Like, we'll go down really far.

This is my beard grown out for Santa over the December month. It's time. It's time for it to go. If you donate, we could. We could. We could see that happen. So March 7St. Baldrick's, check it out. Show notes.

There's a link. You can donate there or coming out to Rainbow and join us for that great event. I'll be emceeing again.

14 years in a row that we've done this, and I'm not going to stop. I'm not going to stop until there's no hair up there left to shave, which right now, it's crazy. I mean, look at this. It's. It's going crazy.

You guys got to donate so that hair goes away. So please do that. But I'm going to keep shaving it as long as there's hair to shave or until there is no more cancer, whichever comes first.

So we'll see what happens there. But it's a great cause. Check it out. All right, let's get right into this episode because I'm so excited to present it to you again.

It's Stephanie Williams, and it's going on right now.

Today, we're thrilled to be joined by comic writer Stephanie Williams, whose groundbreaking work at DC Comics has breathed new life into beloved characters. Mythologies.

Known for her compelling work on Nubia and the Amazons and her contributions to the Wonder Woman universe, Stephanie has established herself as a vital voice in modern comics, bringing fresh perspectives and rich storytelling to the Amazonian mythology.

From her start in indie comics and becoming a prominent voice in mainstream comics, she's helped reshape and expand the DC universe in exciting new ways. Please welcome Stephanie Williams. Welcome to the show.

Stephanie: 00:06:11

Hello. That is one hell of an intro. Thank you.

Jeff: 00:06:14

No. Hey, I am so grateful and so excited. I've been so pumped.

In fact, one of the main reasons I told you we canceled this interview before and pushed it out because two. Two reasons. One, I had some stuff going on, but also both of them couldn't make it.

And I wanted them to be here for this because I think this is going to be. I think you're one of the coolest guests we've ever had on the show.

And I'm really excited to talk to you and get to know more about you for a little. For a little backstory, a little history for these folks. So I bumped into you at Fan Expo Cleveland here, and you were. You were.

Had copies of Nubia, Queen of the Amazon.

Yuta: 00:06:55

Yeah.

Jeff: 00:06:55

For sale here, and you were nice enough to sign it. So I got a little signed copy. This little. My YouTube usually just show and tell that today I get to do it.

Yuta: 00:07:03

Yeah.

Jeff: 00:07:03

It's your turn, Stephanie. But if you notice, also Jay Lee.

Stephanie: 00:07:06

Yeah.

Jeff: 00:07:07

Because that artwork is phenomenal. Is that not just, like, a gorgeous cover?

Stephanie: 00:07:11

It is like, my very first, like, big, Big Con was Emerald City, and I was sitting next to Jay Lee, and this is. I think I only had, like, maybe one anubia out at the time, and he was just such a sweet guy.

And I remember exchanging information with the woman that was working with him, and I was like, yeah, if he's ever interested in a cover, not thinking that anything would actually happen. And then something happened. I was like, oh, thank you so much, Jaylee, for making this beautiful cover. He's. He's an amazing artist.

Jeff: 00:07:39

He sure is. Even better than one of my favorites. He's truly one of my favorites. One of the guys. I got tons of autographs.

I got other stuff from him as well when I was there, so it was fantastic to just combine. I got to talk to you and. And find out about this new comic. So let's start from the beginning, though. I want people to kind of get a sense of.

Of who you are. Obviously, you're. You're working. You write independently. Beads. You're doing some stuff for DC in. Not just anything in dc, but one of the top three.

The big three.

Yuta: 00:08:10

Yeah.

Jeff: 00:08:11

Of the DC universe. And I guess that's the big three, right? Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman.

Yuta: 00:08:18

Yeah, those are the big.

Jeff: 00:08:20

There are others that are, you know, people think are cool, but that's. Those are the three. Everybody knows. I mean, Green Lantern, Marvel fan.

Stephanie: 00:08:27

Never been a huge fan.

Jeff: 00:08:29

I don't wanna. I'm gonna make people mad. I've never been a huge fan of Green Lantern. It's just. I don't know what it is. I like him. I just. The power is weird to me.

Like, he could just make anything with a ring anyway. But the big three, I love those guys. And so.

But I have not been hugely familiar with Wonder Woman until actually meeting you and finding out what you're doing with the comic and the directions that you've taken it. And then I went through and read, like, the. Your. The entire run that you've done for that.

Also found out that you wrote one of the stories and one of my other favorite comics, which is the Alien franchise. Oh, amazing. What? Blood. Sorry to say. Blood, Sweat and tears.

Stephanie: 00:09:12

I mean, it could be, but white and red. White and blood.

Jeff: 00:09:16

Red. That's what it is. Red, white and blood. Thank you. It's my. It's one of My favorites. And I couldn't think of the name of it. I mean, the Alien franchise.

Not that particular, but yeah. And so literally after I got home from fan expo, I, you know, I realized that you were in that comic too.

And I should have brought that to have you signed. So I was like, dog, that's all right. Anyway. But you got into comic writing in a fairly unique way.

Tell people what you were doing before all of this started happening for you.

Stephanie: 00:09:46

Yeah, so I was an electron microscopist. Some big science title name, but. Exactly. We worked alongside pathologists and other researchers.

And basically you came in for like a biopsy or, um, let's say clinical trials were like being ran. Then, you know, I would get your tissue and then do all this amazing stuff in this micro, in this machine called an ultra microtome.

So very hand eye coordinated type of thing. And then I would take pictures. Uh, so I was an artist before I was a writer.

Um, there was a lot of medical pictures, uh, and I actually took some pretty damn good pictures too. So Duke, I was doing that and then slowly transitioned to freelance writing on the side.

So writing for like Syfy, Wire, Nerdist, IGN and all those places. Like, I would literally read, like read and also write in between experiments, which was a nice thing. And eventually I ended up leaving that job.

As much as I loved it, my boss sucked and she was not retiring anytime soon. So it was either me or her. And I was like, well, I guess it's gonna have to be me.

So I ended up leaving and just really trying to focus on the freelance writing as much as I could.

ke fully funded at the top of: 2020

And the next thing I knew, by the end of the year, Marvel had finally knocked on my door and said, hey, do you want to take part in this anthology for Black History Month? I was like, I absolutely do. So I wrote a two page Monica Rambeau story.

And then I think the week that that came out, I actually spoke to the editor at DC about Wonder Woman and had no idea that I would be writing Nubia. I just thought I was doing like an anthology thing.

And yeah, next thing I knew, doing like a whole comic series, which was quite the transition because before I were doing a lot of, a lot of one to four page comics. Nothing that was like 20 pages or anything like that. But the little stuff did pay off.

Jeff: 00:12:03

That's. That's awesome. And before we get. I mean, obviously I want to talk about Wonder Woman, but tell. Tell people about Living Heroes.

Stephanie: 00:12:09

Oh, yeah, yeah. Sorry. Daddy just kind of glossed over that.

Living Heroes was something that came to me while I was smoking a little weed and rewatching Living Single and reading the Phoenix saga at the same time.

So all of this is going on, and I got to the part where Misty Knight and Jean Grey like their roommates, but Jean Grey dies, and the Phoenix Force, like, the Phoenix Force isn't paying rent, and rent is expensive, even back then. So I thought about where would Misty live? And I remember Storm had ties to Harlem thanks to her father. So I was like, what if she owned a brownstone?

And then Misty moved in and then it just all kind of came together. And of course, because she. Hulk is so very obviously Maxine because they're both lawyers and they both eat a lot too, so that made sense.

And next thing I knew, I hit up Aaron O'Neal Jones to see if she would be interested in putting this together, and she was. We put out one page. It did very well. Uh, we put out a second page at the top of the new year in 20. Yeah, 20. 20.

And then next thing I knew, I was putting together. Putting together a Kickstarter campaign.

I didn't know what the hell I was doing, but I just knew I was hoping that people would fund the project, and they did.

Jeff: 00:13:29

So are you. Are you. Are you basically waiting for the call from Disney now for the animated?

Stephanie: 00:13:33

You know, I have tried to pitch Living Heroes since now working with Marvel as like an infinity comic or something, and so far, no, But I'm hoping one. Or I'll just take the idea and like, you know, just do something different with it. Get rid of their characters and just. And, you know, insert my own.

Because I think the. The appeal there for a lot of folks is just this meeting of two different worlds.

So, you know, this very popular black sitcom and characters that they're familiar with. So I can always create new characters and they'll still have that familiarity of Living Single.

Jeff: 00:14:08

Yeah, yeah, that's really good. But. And I imagine there's rights involved.

Stephanie: 00:14:11

Absolutely.

Jeff: 00:14:12

If they did want to do a.

Stephanie: 00:14:13

Show like that, I mean, Disney owns everything, so they. They own Fox, which has Living Single, so I. Someone could figure something out. It's true.

Jeff: 00:14:22

You're right. So it's.

Yuta: 00:14:23

It would be so easy. It be so easy for somebody.

Jeff: 00:14:26

It's all coming together. You know, I'm, I'm, I'm. I got my hopes up for you. I think that would be hilarious.

Stephanie: 00:14:31

Thank you.

Jeff: 00:14:31

Fantastic. But would it be live action or would be animated?

Stephanie: 00:14:35

I would love animated. That's always. Yeah, you could just get away.

Well, not get away with anything, but I just feel like for the physical comedy that I would like to see in this animation would be best.

Jeff: 00:14:48

What if you got some of the original actresses to voice the characters?

Stephanie: 00:14:51

That would be amazing.

Yuta: 00:14:53

That'd be incredible.

Stephanie: 00:14:55

Erica Alexander, like, voicing she Hulk, like. Yes, give me that. Queen, like Tifa voicing Monica Rambeau. Yes, give me that. Yes. I want it. I want it now.

Yuta: 00:15:06

We need to all. We need. We need to all speak it and manifest it, because this is hilarious.

Jeff: 00:15:11

Yeah, well, you know, once this episode airs and then everybody in the world will know and get the correct. Nobody watches this. But. But no, that's fantastic. But yeah, so I can't. And it's just. To me, it just blows my mind.

Like you, you know, you're literally writing a couple of pages for Marvel and the next thing you know, Wonder Woman is now. And tell me a little bit about how that felt. Let's go even further back.

Stephanie: 00:15:37

Yeah.

Jeff: 00:15:38

So obviously, like, when did you. Thanks, Utah, for the demonstration. You're welcome. When did you first start getting into comics? Like, was Wonder Woman some. Some.

Something that you read back in the day? Like, what was your first entry in the comics?

Stephanie: 00:15:51

So my entry into comics was actually the Sunday funnies and then from there the Dollar Tree used to sell actually really good quality books. They kind of do now, really.

You could find anything from like these little books that they would have, like all the Jurassic park dinosaurs, they would have like X Men, all the heroes, all the villains, and they also would have these compilation. These like compendiums of Sunday funnies. And Hagar the Horrible was one of them. I don't like seven.

So I, I just picked this up just randomly just to get something and I, I just read it, but none of the jokes landed. I was. Why would I know these things? But I just knew that I like looking at it. So from there, then came some Marvel stuff.

And again, not even at a comic book store. This was at a thrift shop that I picked this issue up at. And it was like Avengers 371 or 361, but in it we're in the middle of.

I don't know what they got going on, but there's the Black Knight, Cersei and Crystal, they got, like, this throuple thing going on because Black Knight is supposed to be with Cersei, but that's really just a thing that they're doing because he really loves Crystal. Vision is there, and he's been set to factory reset the factory mode.

So he's white and sad, or doesn't know that he's sad, but he's trying to process these feelings because, oh, Vision, him and Wanda are, like, not together anymore. It's a mess. But I bring it up because I think that was the moment that I saw superhero comics.

And I was like, oh, this is kind of like the soap operas that my grandmother and my mom enjoy, but they're wearing spandex. Like, I can. I know what this world is like. So that got me on board.

And then finally, Archie Comics sealed the deal for me because they had the Archie Digest at the front at the grocery store, and it was easy for me to just pluck it and put it in between the eggs and go about my business. So that's kind of how I ended up getting into comics.

Yuta: 00:17:53

Location, location, location.

Stephanie: 00:17:55

Never at a. Never at a comic book store. It's funny, I didn't actually start shopping at comic book stores until I was in my 20s and, like, late 20s at that.

Jeff: 00:18:04

So when they offered you Wonder Woman, like, how much of that mythology did you already know? Like, did you have to go back and, like, read tons of, like, what was your preparation for that?

Stephanie: 00:18:14

I read so much, and I didn't just read DC stuff.

So I started, of course, with Joyce Perez, because I felt like that was the transition from the Amazons looking pretty homogenous and by that very white to we're finally seeing some more, like, color diversity on that island. Also, just George and his team, they just had just such a beautiful understanding of the Amazons and who they are. And I.

And I figured if I was going to have to write something about Nubia, that I didn't want her to be a carbon copy of Diana. So I need to find out, like, well, who are the Amazons at their core? And I felt like his run best depicted that.

And then, of course, on to Greg Rucka. I did read some John Byrne, because I know. But, man, that guy and his art. And when it comes to fashion, it just pulls me in every time.

So a little bit of that. And then outside of comics, Madeline Miller's Cersei. That is something that I cannot praise enough.

That is a book that was recommended to me by A friend named Aaron Reese. And he's like, I just think that you should read this because you will find some way to, like, apply this to what you're working on.

And I did, because in that book, the women are, you know, protagonists, antagonists, everybody in between. And I knew that for Nubia and her Amazons, like, this story was gonna take place all in Themyscira.

So what does the story look like that includes Greek mythology where women are the center of that story. And Madeline Miller Cersei just really drove that point home for me.

I also watched 300, not for any inspiration, but I think just to kind of, like, I don't know, get myself in the mind frame of that. I watched Troy for the first time. I had never seen Troy, so that was an interesting watch. And, you know, what's his name? Oh, wow.

Why am I forgetting his name? He used to be married to Jennifer Aniston. Mr. And Ms. Brad Pitt. Red Pit. Yes. Wow.

Yuta: 00:20:18

As Achilles.

Stephanie: 00:20:19

Really, really hot in that. So that washing. Because of that.

Yuta: 00:20:24

He was a good Achilles.

Stephanie: 00:20:25

Yeah, yeah, he was a good Achilles. And I think, like, I reminded me of playing Hades. I probably went back. I'm pretty sure I had my. My husband redownload, God of War. So, like, I.

I love that. I just absorbed as much as I could.

And, of course, I don't ever need an excuse to watch Justice League or Justice League Unlimited, but that gave me an excuse to go back and rewatch those episodes, specifically the ones that, like, really focus on Diana. So it was a lot of me doing whatever I could to just kind of take as much inspiration as I could and apply it to Nubia and the Amazons.

Jeff: 00:21:02

That's awesome. So I guess, you know, obviously, one of the great things about Nubia is it does provide. You talked about how homogenous Wonder Woman used to be.

Not just Wonder Woman, let's just face it. Comics.

Yuta: 00:21:17

Comics. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Jeff: 00:21:19

So what does it mean to you to know now that this character is so prominent in D.C. for young girls now that maybe when they were 7 that they can reach out on a thrift store shelf and maybe find media now?

Stephanie: 00:21:33

It is great, because I just found it fascinating that she was a character that was introduced so long ago and really could have been this premiere character for dc, and then they just kind of moved on to Vixen and whoever else. So to, like, have her come back, the goal there was to have her not go back on the shelf. Because I'm like, we're not gonna put in all this work.

Just for her to get shelved again. So it means mission accomplished. And that, you know, it wasn't too crazy.

The ideas that we had and the direction and how to write Nubia was the correct one. And it was to not make her like just Diana 2.0. Like, we already have a Diana. She's amazing.

So there can be other women that are just as important, as amazing as her, that come for the mascara. And I think Nubia is an excellent example of that. So hopefully we'll get some more, you know, Artemis, Donna, Troy.

Hell, I want to know more about Philippus, so more of them, more prominence outside of just, you know, the women that live on the island that Diana comes from.

Yuta: 00:22:37

Right, right, right, right.

Jeff: 00:22:39

And in that. That run that you did, therefore, you actually introduced a new Wonder Girl as well. Yeah, and she's. She.

Several weeks ago, but she's like, Brazilian or something like that. Yeah. Was that.

Stephanie: 00:22:56

So that Yara Floor is Joelle Jones creation. So she, you know, so during the time when I took over or started writing Nubia, like Yar Fl. Her, I think her.

Her run was just kind of like, really getting going. And the same thing with Becky and Michael, who were writing Wonder Woman, the main title at the time.

So I don't know, like, it all just kind of weirdly worked out that Nubia got kind of shoehorned in into, like, these newer Amazons that are being introduced, because the exposita where Yara Flor comes from, that's all brand new. And I think it was really great to see that. Hey, there are Amazons that are not just want the mascara.

Of course we have the Von and Migdal who have always been. But to have the escosita there, and, like, they're on a whole nother continent that. I don't know. Like, I thought that was really cool.

We're really broadening things up and showing that, you know, it's. There are Amazons and they're everywhere, so you should be careful.

Yuta: 00:23:54

Yeah, I like that.

Jeff: 00:23:56

And that was news to me, too. Like, I. Like I said, I mean, I'm a Marvel guy through and through. Like, just from beginning, make my Marvel. Always love Marvel 100%.

But I've always loved Batman. Yeah, he's the one DC character that's just like, I'm obsessed with. So it's Marvel and then there's Batman and then Superman, sort of.

Because, I mean, I love Christopher Reeve. I was. I mean, I was a kid when that movie came out, so I'm, you know, Utah and I are old. If you haven't noticed we're older than Nubia. We saw that.

Exactly. Actually, you're right.

Yuta: 00:24:30

Yeah. Nubia. I didn't realize this. 73.

Stephanie: 00:24:33

Yeah,: 1973

Yuta: 00:24:35

I had no idea she was around for.

Jeff: 00:24:36

No idea that there were. I mean, like, I didn't know much about Wonder Woman at all.

And so reading your run in the comics kind of gave me this whole new education on who these characters were. It was, I thought, a great entry point for folks who have never really dealt with Amazon.

Stephanie: 00:24:54

Yeah, thank you.

Jeff: 00:24:55

You're introducing a ton of characters at once. So I was a little like, oh, my gosh. Yeah, we're all these people.

Stephanie: 00:25:00

There's so many more.

Jeff: 00:25:02

Yeah. But you did such a great job of, like, by the end of it, like, I knew, like, what. Who the factions were and how they felt about each other and then.

And I watched them sort of kind of come together because of the. I don't want to spoil things for people. I'm ready yet because of the, you know, the events that are taking place and.

And, you know, they have to stand together for certain things. And anyway, yeah, I thought it was great. As someone who, again, admittedly, is not necessarily.

I mean, I started to say I'm not a Wonder Woman fan, but, man, I love Lynda Carter. Wonder Woman back in the day. Well, I mean, but that was Wonder Woman. To me, that's that TV show. I wasn't into the comics, but now. Now I'm interested.

Like, there's a. There. That's a world I didn't know was so deep and, like, just full of mythology and lore. It's really cool.

Stephanie: 00:25:49

And hopefully I feel like D.C. is continuing to, like, give focus to that area, especially with absolute Wonder Woman.

And, like, what Kelly Thompson is doing with that, what Count Tom King has been doing with the current Wonder Woman run, and the fact that every time I see, like, a new random page posted from DC Comic, I see Nubia in it. And it's not just Wonder Woman comics. Like, I think she popped up in Green Lantern once.

Flash, all these other spaces, which I'm like, yes, this is what should be happening.

Jeff: 00:26:18

Yeah. And will that be harder, though, now that she's Queen like, that she's got responsibilities back on the island.

She won't be able to wander around the world.

Stephanie: 00:26:26

Like, well, it could be for a few of the. That I pitched to D.C.

and how to continue and show her kind of balancing that and taking inspiration from Colts run of Black Panther and just the way that that character's been treated yes, There are many things that she could get into even though she's queen.

And I don't know, eventually I see that maybe not her, well, her remaining queen, but like other things happening where she gets something similar to like a Wonder Woman title. Okay, it'd be nice. We'll see. I don't want to spoil something I haven't written yet. But, you know.

Yuta: 00:27:04

Or has she written it?

Stephanie: 00:27:06

Or has she. Yes.

Allea: 00:27:07

I'm curious. So like, what is your writing process?

You know, we've spoken to a lot of authors on this, like throughout our podcast, and they all have different things. Like they might wake up at 5 o'clock in the morning and just, you know, exercise. Exercise their writing brain.

But yeah, I'm curious, like, what is your writing process? How and how did you kind of get into that? Have you always been writing?

Stephanie: 00:27:33

So I've always been writing, but it was like as a fun on the side thing. Like I was somebody who was doing fanfic before I knew it was fanfic.

And I mean, like, I really didn't know, like December to remember commercials, where the car commercial. I think I wrote a fanfic once about one of the families. I was like, well, what are their lives? Like, so random than writing on the side.

But because I didn't, I don't know, like one, it was a hobby and two, I didn't really think it was something that I could make a career out of because it was something that was not stressed to me that you could make a career out of it. Um, so I went throughout. I love science, so I just went that route.

And I would have to write things for that, but it's more like, you know, rigid and logical. So. So it was, I was still writing, but in a very in the box way. Uh, so when I finally started writing writing, it was actually after having my son.

I was like, oh, you know, like, let's get back to the creative writing. I was like, you've brought life into this world so you can absolutely go back and do this other thing while you're working full time.

Uh, so my writing process then was chaotic. It was whenever I could. Um, so sometimes it would be a 3am thing or me waking up early or again, like me writing at work.

And then when I left my job and I started doing full time writing, it was still chaotic. Cause I hadn't learned my lesson yet and I was still writing whatever.

But the last year and a half, two years now my process is pretty much I start the day listening to lo fi music. I don't know why. Like, it just gets me where I need to go. Um, I do work out sometimes in the morning. So on those days that I do, like, I try to.

I try to write as soon as I get back home to kind of use those endorphins to get me through. But I don't work the weekends anymore. At least I try not to. But my first three years I worked, I think I even worked on my birthday.

I just could not get away from my keyboard. But now it's just more of a.

I know that I'm not always gonna feel like doing it, but because deadlines need to be met, bills need to be paid, I gotta figure out how to, like, create a muse. And sometimes that muse is literally, girl, this has to be done. So finish it. And knowing that the first draft is gonna be ugly.

So now it's just like sitting down and just writing as much as I can. And if I finish it and it looks ugly, that's fine. That's why my editors are there and.

Or even I go back through myself and reread it and edit before I send it off. So it's a lot more. There's a little bit more of a strategy now than just all willy nilly.

Like, it was like sometimes I would write while I was cooking. It was just whenever. Oh, yes, don't do that anymore. Not recommend.

Yuta: 00:30:25

Not recommend.

Stephanie: 00:30:26

No.

Jeff: 00:30:29

So what has been your experience? I mean, obviously I got to meet you at Fan Expo. What. What has that experience for you been like? I know that you've been on a lot of shows.

I've been, you know, I follow me on Instagram. I see that you, you know, you're going to these different shows and stuff. What is, you know, meeting the fans have. What has that been like for you?

Stephanie: 00:30:47

It's amazing because it helps on the days where I'm just kind of like, f this, I don't want to do it anymore. Because, like, what am I doing this for?

Because I don't know, like, I'm dealing with somebody being a jerk on the Internet or just frustrating period because, like, rejection.

Yuta: 00:31:05

I'm sorry.

Stephanie: 00:31:06

Yeah, right. No, it's okay. But like, you know, rejection is the name of the game here. So sometimes you're wondering, like, well, damn, do I suck?

Or like, like, is, am I, Am I all right? But going out and going to the cons is a nice reminder that 1. People are reading my work.

And even if it's just one person that comes up to me and says, hey, like, I really love what you did or like, this literally changed my life. Like, that, to me, means so much.

And I try to, you know, so that on the days where I'm just like, I do not want to do this, I'm like, no, it is a blessing to be here. I've worked hard to get here, and it's worth it. Also, it's just really cool to be out and talking with folks who.

This year, I made a bigger deal about walking around the cons. When I'm there, a lot of times I just sit at the table because I don't want to miss anyone.

But I made a conscious effort to be more, I guess, active at the con, which was great because I got to walk around and, like, meet other creators, buy their stuff.

I don't, like, I just actually get the con experience because before I was writing professionally, I like to go to conventions and, like, just be there. And now, because it's a working thing, a lot of times I'll kind of forget that.

So it's been nice to just kind of get around and just connect with people and actually be in community, which, I don't know, like, I feel like that's what conventions are supposed to be.

Yuta: 00:32:31

Yeah, 100%, totally.

Jeff: 00:32:33

Yeah. Yeah. And you mentioned, you know, jerks on the Internet, so. And I feel like, you know, I want to bring that up because one of the things that.

That we believe here at worldgun Geek, like, what we're trying to promote is positivity in the community. You know, there are going to be things that we don't agree on. We don't have to all, like, the same things.

But, you know, fandom should be about celebrating the things we do, like, together, not just not joining together to denigrate the things we don't like. What is that? That's not fandom. That's the opposite.

And so I wonder, like, you know, obviously, you know, you just said you have dealt with, you know, idiots on the Internet. What kind of reception?

Or how do you deal with the folks out there who apparently think that, you know, behind the keyboard, they can say whatever they want about whatever it is and share that kind of, you know, vitriol on the Internet?

Stephanie: 00:33:31

Most of the time, I ignore it. It's like block and go.

But every now and again, like, you'll come across something that just either catches you on a bad day or just kind of hurts your feelings because you're human.

And in those times, like, I'll just either screenshot, show a friend to my husband or whoever and just kind of talk about it that way instead of going off on the Internet or kind of giving that person the attention that they're seeking. Because that doesn't really serve me.

It serves them because now, you know, they got eyes on them, and they can continue to say whatever it is they're saying. But I often try to remind myself that, well, if they could do it, then they would be doing it, but they're not.

And I don't mean that in, like, a cocky sort of way, but, like, you have no idea how hard it is to get one single issue of a comic out. And this thing that you're nitpicking is, like, low on the totem pole and also insignificant.

And if you only knew just how difficult it is to just get one story out, let alone many of them, you would probably. I don't know, like, you would have a little bit more respect. But I think that's asking too much of anybody today.

Yuta: 00:34:45

On today's Internet, especially online.

Stephanie: 00:34:48

Yes. Actually had a guy who.

Over at Harold's Kind, I was on a panel with Jean Ha and Colleen Duran and learned that her name was not Duran Duran, both me and Jean Ha. But anyway. And he. It was a Wonder Woman. It was a Wonder Woman panel, whatever.

So we talked, and I talked about Nubia and, like, my inspiration and everything. So the very next day, the guy comes to my table, and he's like, you know, I have to tell you that you completely changed my mind about Nubia.

And, like, I want to get some books. And he was like, you know, I'm not.

He's like, I'm a little embarrassed to admit this, but when DC announced that this book was happening, I just kind of thought it was a cash grab. And I'm like, well, they're a business, so anything they do is a cash grab.

Yuta: 00:35:34

Everything's a cash grab.

Stephanie: 00:35:35

I get what you mean. And you thought. And he also thought that it was just like, a black woman, a black Wonder woman or Diana 2.0 situation.

And then after listening to me talk about the character and just inspiration and all these other things, he was like, oh, well, like, I didn't know any of that. And like, well, of course you wouldn't have known any of that because you didn't take the time out to actually find that.

But I'm glad you were able to get that that got through to you during, you know, the panel or whatever. He ended up buying, like, almost everything off of my table, which was pretty phenomenal.

Yuta: 00:36:10

But that's incredible.

Stephanie: 00:36:11

Yeah.

And I told him, like, you know, I appreciate your honesty and like, I feel like it'd be nice if we could have more conversations about this because while I think you could have done your due diligence to like not make that assumption, I do understand why you did make that assumption.

Because, you know, we're having conversations today about how some of the anthology for the anthology stories that come out through in different heritage Munch. So you know, your black history, your aaip, you know, Latin heritage, all of those, all of those that come out even during Pride Month.

And we don't see these creators again after they've been tapped for these anthologies and they just kind of disappear and it's like, wait, I thought this person was like really, like really talented, but they go disappear just like those characters of color. So I get it. I get why you would think this was a non serious thing. But I'm glad that I was able to change your mind.

And you show improved with your wallet and that means everything, right?

Yuta: 00:37:09

Well, also, you got, you got, you got.

I've got to give him kudos to owning up to it too because very often you're going to get these people who don't admit that they're wrong or learn something. And the fact that he came up to you face to face.

Stephanie: 00:37:27

Yeah.

Yuta: 00:37:27

Actually had that conversation. I think it means a lot to me hearing it. So, I mean, the fact that you're changing minds that way, even if a one by one, that's fantastic.

Stephanie: 00:37:36

Yeah. It's some of the folks that come up to me sometimes and tell me how much they like enjoy my work or nubia. I'm just like, wait, really?

Because I'm also in the south, so like I'll do some conventions in like South Carolina and there's one that I do called Power Comic Con and it's a Florence, South Carolina, really nice city. But like there are a bunch of trucks outside that are lifted. We got flags on them and all of that.

And like you have these big burly white guys and they'll come up to me and they'll be like, yeah, I really love your work on Newbie. I'm like, oh, well, all right. Well, thank you. That is good to know. But like, pleasant surprise. Yeah, a little surprise.

But if anything that is just show improved to me that people just want a good story.

And if creators are allowed to and given the support to like deliver that product and get it out to the masses and explains and let the masses know, like this is what it is, then there could be so much more success for A lot of these books that end up not doing well because they're not Batman. They're not. And I don't mean no shade. They're not Batman or they're not Iron man or, or Thor or, you know, or whatever. Like, people want.

People just want good stories. Yeah.

Jeff: 00:38:52

Yeah, I love that.

Stephanie: 00:38:54

And I love Batman.

Jeff: 00:38:56

Yeah, right. Who doesn't? He's amazing.

Yuta: 00:38:58

He's the best in dc.

Stephanie: 00:38:59

Yeah.

Jeff: 00:39:00

The. The crazy thing about what you just shared there, though.

To me, what I think is the, the real, you know, like a real important thing was that you had an, an actual conversation.

Allea: 00:39:12

Yeah.

Jeff: 00:39:13

You know what I mean? There's just not enough of that.

You know, like, we get on the Internet, like I said there, people are behind the keyboards and say whatever they want. They can go on, you know, Twitter and Instagram or whatever, and they can comment and say all the things they would never say to your face.

You know what I mean? And I just. That's, that's where I think most of the issue. I mean, everybody's leaving Twitter and a lot of it's political to me. It's.

It's not even political.

Stephanie: 00:39:38

It's just you can't talk to anybody.

Jeff: 00:39:40

Do. Yeah. Is argue or, or post memes. Like, there's no conversations taking place over there anymore.

So that's kind of why I'm not really posting as much over there, things like that. But I love that, like you literally had a face to face conversation with someone and it went exactly as I would expect it to. If it's face to face.

Right. You can actually share. You see expressions, you understand context and clues. And I love that. I think it's amazing.

And that's again, I think why conventions are so important.

Stephanie: 00:40:14

They're so great. You just never know who you're going to meet. And I don't mean that in a celebrity way.

Like, of course you don't know that, but it's just the regular everyday people who are just like you and they just tell you, hey, like this one thing you did, this random thing you did, like, it got me through my day. And like that, that is something that I will never take for granted.

And the ability to, like, go out and connect with those people is something that I always cherish. So if I get invited to a con, I am almost always going because I live for those moments.

Yuta: 00:40:47

Love it. Love it.

Jeff: 00:40:50

years. Although, like I said,: 1973

But now we're starting to see a little bit more of that. And as someone who's helped contribute to that evolution, how do you see the industry changing or. Or what steps do you think still need to happen if.

If there are for the industry to kind of, you know, get over that hump and be more inclusive?

Stephanie: 00:41:30

I think it's just so many different layers.

Yuta: 00:41:36

Where to start?

Stephanie: 00:41:39

Well, I mean, of course, inviting diverse voices on to talk. I mean, to write characters other than the ones that they can most identify with. Um, you know, I think, I don't know, like an N.K.

jemisin writing Batman. I would love to read something like that. Um, but, you know, just for.

For these main characters, because a lot of times, you know, you get brought in and you're scared. Like, are they only going to call me for Black History Month, or are they only going to call me to write this one black character? Brian Stelfries.

I've been on several panels with him. Stellar guy, amazing artist.

But I remember one of the things that he said that he didn't become the black artist until he worked on Black Panther, which I found fascinating because he's right.

Everything that Brian had did prior to that, if you didn't know that Brian stuff, Freeze was a black guy, you just would have just assumed something else because of the diversity of different things that he's worked on. And then after Black Panther, he was like, yeah.

That's when I started getting called up more specifically for to do, like, to draw this black character or to work on this book with a black cast and things like that. I'm like, well, yeah, like, that's. That's pretty. Pretty real.

And for a lot of us, that's the experience you're wondering, because I know for me, like, writing Nubia, it was like, is, will Nubia be the only thing that I write? Or will I, like, will I go like, I want to write Vixen? Do not get me wrong, but will it just be Nubia? Will it just be Vixen? Will it just be Storm?

Or whatever? And thankfully, it hasn't. I have gotten a chance to write those characters, but it hasn't just been that.

And to me, that is a sign that if myself preachy Preeti Chibar, she's written Spider man novels and I think is, like, right now doing an Agatha Harkness infinity comic right now on Marvel. Like, nice. And she is a woman of color. Like, more of that. Please, like, is Tom King, you know, doing what he's. What he is in Wonder Woman?

Yes, and no shade to Tom, but it'd be nice if there was, you know, someone else writing Wonder Woman who was a woman and preferably like a woman of color to just kind of give this other perspective on these. On this character.

So I'm not saying that, like, you know, let's get all the old white guys out because some of them are really cool, Greg Rucker included. And I hope that he does not hear this and me referring to him as old guy, but, you know, just whatever is for Greg Rucker is amazing.

But more just put us on books that are not what people are expecting. I think Justina Ireland is going to be taking over for Amazing Spider Man. Like, I think she's the first black woman to ever write a spider man.

Well, not a Spider man comic, but like an ongoing thing. So that's pretty cool.

Allea: 00:44:35

Yeah, I love what you said, too. It's like, it's not to replace these.

These people, but it is like you said it is to give a different perspective because there are some things that specifically women of color can just touch on that I mean, even men of color might not.

Stephanie: 00:45:00

Yes.

Allea: 00:45:01

Give a good perspective on. You know, it doesn't necessarily have to just be, you know, white women or white men, but, you know, any side, really. So I love that.

Just giving a different perspective. Some. Sorry.

Stephanie: 00:45:18

I mean, thank you for the cat.

Jeff: 00:45:21

Was like, just like, yeah, I agree.

Yuta: 00:45:24

That's right. Shout out by Genesis. Excellent.

Stephanie: 00:45:28

But no, and, like. And I've had conversations with. Been in the room with some of these guys that I consider greats, too.

And, like, some of them will even tell you, like, yes, like, you know, I've had my time in the sun. It's time to let some other fresh voices in.

So those guys I really appreciate because they do either step to the side or, you know, suggest and say, hey, I know you want me to write this thing, but I know this other creator who would probably be better and, you know, more fresh voice. So, like, let me bring them in. Mark Wade did that for me for the Batman Superman World's Finest anthology. Well, it was.

Ended up being an anthology, but it was the annual. So I got to write Bumblebee's origin story in that or a new one for.

And also for the Absolute Power, because Mark was like, I don't know what to do with these Amazons, so bring Stephanie, which I appreciate it.

Jeff: 00:46:24

I love that. That's fantastic.

Yuta: 00:46:27

The first step to recovery is you know, recognizing that you have a problem.

Stephanie: 00:46:31

So.

Jeff: 00:46:31

Yeah, so I don't know what to do with these things.

Yuta: 00:46:34

I love it. That's great.

Jeff: 00:46:36

One of the things that I love about following you on Instagram threads and stuff is that you share a lot of this kind of behind the scenes thoughts and feelings about being, you know, a freelance writer and stuff like that. So, I mean, if anybody's out there listening and wants to be a comic writer, you know, the. What is it? Blue sky has your starter list now.

It's like, I think Stephanie should be on there for. If you're trying to be a comedy writer, she should be one of those on the list. But comedy writer.

Stephanie: 00:47:04

Well, also.

Yuta: 00:47:04

Yes, hold on a second, hold on a second. You know, I mean, Living Heroes is pretty common comedy.

Jeff: 00:47:09

Exactly. I. But I didn't want to limit it to just comedy because obviously comic is what I'm gonna say. But anyway.

But I love some of the stuff that you've shared on there. So if, if there, you know, are people out there who. Aspiring comic writers, what kind of advice would you give them?

What do you think would have helped you back when you first started? I noticed you share a lot of books and things like that that helped you and writers and stuff like that.

Stephanie: 00:47:37

I mean, it's just the most unsexy thing ever. But like actually write the thing. You can't just, you can't think a thing into existence.

And as simple as that sounds, you would be amazed at people not doing what it is they want to because they, they're. You're thinking about the whole time. The whole entire time. I mean, I still do that. Um, but my advice would be to write it down.

I don't care how ugly it is. It's better that it is ugly and out than stealing your mind and objectively pretty, because we don't know. It's just in your mind. Like it's.

That's the echo chamber right there. So it's like, get it out and just kind of go from there. Because you can only get better also by doing the thing. And you have to actively do it.

And if you're a writer who can't draw, like myself, I can draw some things, but not enough to like do a comic. And you want to pair up with an artist. Like, understand, like this is work that they're doing, so they should be compensated fairly.

So figure out what that is, is. And if the thing is, is that you, you know, you can't afford it. Well, no, of course you can't afford a 20 page book.

But maybe you can afford a page or two pages or three.

One that makes it not such a huge commitment for that artist and also not such a huge commitment for yourself because, I don't know, you're fresh into this. You might wake up one day and you say, you know what, I don't want to write this 300 page epic anymore. And you're 100 pages in. Then what?

Yuta: 00:49:08

Simple, Then what?

Stephanie: 00:49:09

It is okay to start small. It is okay to start simple and then build to complexity if you want to do that. But you know that one page story, you never know.

Like you do 20 of those and then look, now you got a whole, like a whole zine you can put together and you can present them, present them at comic conventions, show them to editors. All of these things you need to have work there so people can actually know that you can do the thing. You just don't think you can do the thing.

Yuta: 00:49:42

Yeah, that reminds me, I forget who said this, but I remember there's a quote that I always think back to when I'm starting something. It's like you don't know how good something is until you actually try it, actually do it.

And I think that a lot of times, you know, people have fears as to it's not going to be good. I don't think anybody's going to care. But you don't know that until you actually do the thing.

Stephanie: 00:50:07

No.

Yuta: 00:50:08

And then have something to show.

And so, yeah, I think, I think that's a big first fear, first step for a lot of people than to hear someone in your position say, look, you just gotta just do it.

Jeff: 00:50:19

Yeah.

Yuta: 00:50:19

And find out.

Stephanie: 00:50:20

You just have to find out. Like, you would be amazed at the stuff that I've done where I literally had no idea what I was doing.

I just had an idea and a dream and a pen and I like kind of made it, kind of made it happen.

Because even like with living, Living heroes, again, like I had never ran a Kickstarter before, I didn't know what I was doing, but I knew that what I could do is go look at other Kickstarters that were successful, kind of see like what they did if I was able to like contact that person, ask them questions. So that's the other thing. Like we live in an age where you can probably easily find answers to your questions.

And it's about asking the right questions, um, to get the answer that you want. And that just requires you doing the work, which again is not sexy. But it is so important.

Jeff: 00:51:12

It's A truth. Yeah, yeah.

Allea: 00:51:14

And one of the big questions that I.

I think I have, and it probably ties into what you're saying, but you know, imposter syndrome, you know, even like fear, doubt, things of that nature.

Stephanie: 00:51:27

Right.

Allea: 00:51:27

Failure.

Stephanie: 00:51:28

Like. Like. Yeah.

Allea: 00:51:30

Can you speak a little bit to that for anyone that's listening as well? Because they're all real things.

Especially when you're absolutely a writer or even just an artist, creative in general, and then people trying to take your art, wanting people to take your art seriously.

Stephanie: 00:51:44

I'm so sorry. No, it's okay.

Yuta: 00:51:48

Don't apologize for your cats.

Stephanie: 00:51:50

No, don't ever apologize for your cat.

Yuta: 00:51:52

Never apologize.

Stephanie: 00:51:53

Literally. Okay.

Allea: 00:51:54

Right.

Jeff: 00:51:54

This is at mom is. I'm gonna list Genesis as one of our co hosts.

Yuta: 00:52:00

I think we. I think it's about time. I think she's saying something.

Allea: 00:52:04

Every time I talk. She's right there.

Stephanie: 00:52:06

But anyway. Yeah. I would say, unfortunately, that imposter syndrome is probably never going to leave you. Like, there'll be some variation of it.

I still deal with it and I've gotten better about managing it. And it's the whole damp. You do damp you don't.

So either I'm going to beat myself up about not doing the thing, or I'm gonna do the thing, and then people will try to beat me up for actually doing it, but at least it's done. And imposter syndrome. Look, especially for comics. Yes, let's take comics serious.

But also coming from a job where I actually literally had to do, make sure I did my job right or somebody's life, you know, hung in the balance of it. This isn't that. It is make believe. And we should be having fun with our make believe stories. So that imposter syndrome, you're feeling like.

No, like it's a. It's. It's make believe. So work past that. And I know that's easier said than done, but, like, you literally just have to put it out there.

And if people boo you, then they boo you. But, like, at least they have something to boo. Right?

Jeff: 00:53:18

Right.

Yuta: 00:53:19

At least you did the thing.

Stephanie: 00:53:20

You did the thing. And like, you'll hopefully, if you decide to stick around, you'll get better at it, but you just won't come out the gate. Perfect.

I don't think anybody has ever come out the gate perfectly. Maybe there's a couple, but we don't talk about those. Maybe, bro, like, they're sitting by themselves. Maybe, bro, they're sitting by themselves.

Jeff: 00:53:44

So, looking ahead, what kind of stories do you still wanna tell I know you said Vixen was one you'd love to write on. Are there any dream projects or characters you're hoping to work with?

Stephanie: 00:53:55

Yeah, Big Barda and Mr. Miracle will be at the top echelon of that. I got to write Barda briefly in the story that I wrote with Nubia for the Pride anthology.

But, like, I love big Barda and Mr. Miracle, so I would love to write something, either a miniseries or whatever, with them. Justice League of Antarctica.

Which is silly, but I discovered how funny they are for a book that I wrote where, like, I cover all this. Well, as many strange and unsung all stars of the DC Multiverse. So, like, peacemakers in it, King Shark, Creature, commandos, all of that.

But I want to write some Justice League of Antarctica. Nort is the leader of that team. They get shipped off to Antarctica. Penguins, of course, are what the big bads in that. But I want to do something new.

They don't have to go to Antarctica, but I just kind of want to put together this ragtag team, you know, led by Nord, and it's like these failed superhero slash villains. And then lastly, that would be iconic, the thing. The other thing that I want to write. I actually might end up writing that.

I'm supposed to get an answer back this week. So when this podcast episode goes up, I'll send you the little asterisk. Like, remember that thing I couldn't mention?

Well, I'm actually doing it now, so. Yes.

Yuta: 00:55:20

Yeah.

Jeff: 00:55:21

Gotcha. Very cool. Yeah. All right. Well, and it's funny you say all those kind of unsung characters.

You know, the guy running the DC film universe right now, James Gunn.

Yuta: 00:55:34

James Gunn.

Stephanie: 00:55:35

I know he wrote the Four. Four. My book. Before anyone even knew he was. I didn't even know he was going to be. Just kind of worked out.

Yuta: 00:55:43

Well, how about that?

Stephanie: 00:55:44

So almost. So, like, with Kite Man. Kite Man's in that book. Kite man has his own show. Go Lighter is in the. In the show with him.

She's also in that book, Creature of Commandos, of course. Like, they got their own thing. And, like, that's so funny. Yeah.

There's been a bunch of other characters from this book that are showing up now in the DC movie universe. So James Gunn, if you're listening to.

Yuta: 00:56:07

This, let me send it right to him.

Stephanie: 00:56:11

Yeah, send it directly to him.

Yuta: 00:56:14

I'll DM him.

Stephanie: 00:56:15

Thank you.

Jeff: 00:56:16

What is it? Justice League of Antarctica coming.

Stephanie: 00:56:19

It might be happening. I have talked to as many editors at DC about this. To the point now, like, they thought it was A joke. But now they know that I'm serious.

So Doc Schneider. I got Doc on board. He said he would. He would draw it if I ever got a chance to do it. I just want to. That's all. I.

Just let me do that, and I'll leave it alone for a little.

Yuta: 00:56:42

I so. I so want this to happen. This whole Justice League of Miss. I think it's gonna end of Misfit island and Arctic. Oh, my God.

Stephanie: 00:56:48

I'm gonna. I'm gonna. I'm very close. There's one more. One more editor I gotta like. It's like the Pokemon thing where you gotta go through.

Yuta: 00:56:55

You gotta catch them all.

Stephanie: 00:56:59

So one. One more.

Yuta: 00:57:01

Oh, that's fantastic. Oh, I'm so looking forward to this.

Jeff: 00:57:05

So if people want to follow you, you know, I mentioned already that you have Instagram and threads and stuff. Tell. Tell folks how they can get in touch with you or follow you or find more information about you.

Stephanie: 00:57:15

So, of course, Instagram threads. Steph. Underscore. I underscore. Will I have a website. Ystuff.com. so that's W-H Y-S-T-H.com. i'm on Blue Sky.

I don't know what that long handle is, but if you search Stephanie Williams or Stephen Williams, you should find me. I'm pretty sure I've been added to some of the comic starter packs.

And don't hold me to this, but by the time you listen to this, dear listeners, I should have a newsletter out, but if I don't, just no procrastination. Got the best of it for sure.

Allea: 00:57:55

She said no comprehension.

Jeff: 00:57:56

Yeah, you've got a lot of important things to write about. Justice League of Antarctica. You know you've got more newsletters. The last thing we expect you.

Stephanie: 00:58:05

Yes, yes, that. On. On top of that. And my kid is out of school all this week, so.

Yuta: 00:58:11

All week. Oh, man.

Stephanie: 00:58:13

They get the entire week off. So I.

Yuta: 00:58:15

All of Thanksgiving.

Jeff: 00:58:17

Wow.

Stephanie: 00:58:17

Yeah. I gotta go see Wicked, Moana 2 and probably go to Alley. Yeah.

Yuta: 00:58:23

And Gladiator 2.

Stephanie: 00:58:24

Gladiator 2. Yeah. There's going to be a busy week from Mario Kart.

Jeff: 00:58:30

I just saw Wicked last on Thursday Is fantastic.

Yuta: 00:58:34

We're going to see it. We're seeing it next week.

Stephanie: 00:58:36

Yeah, I am. I don't want to see it. My father started my son on musicals, which is just so random. He took him to see the Wonka movie last year. And then Lao.

Lao Crocodile. And that's who I should get to see. Yeah, that's who I should Make. Take him to see wicked. I said 2 hours and 40 minutes.

Allea: 00:58:54

Yeah.

Yuta: 00:58:55

It's a long First. First half.

Stephanie: 00:58:57

It's only the first half of the.

Yuta: 00:58:59

Well, of the. Of this. Yeah. They're coming out with part two, and in the musical, part two is a shorter one, so I don't know how they're gonna make a whole movie.

Stephanie: 00:59:08

Yeah.

Allea: 00:59:09

And then Hamilton will be back in June.

Stephanie: 00:59:11

No, no, I don't wanna. I'm trying to keep him away from him.

Allea: 00:59:15

Listen, I saw it for the first time this summer. I cried literally from start to finish.

Yuta: 00:59:20

He's not gonna throw away his shot.

Allea: 00:59:22

Yeah, just bring him.

Jeff: 00:59:24

You can't keep him away from Hamilton. That's. That's at least.

Stephanie: 00:59:27

No, I think a friend of mine is very close to introducing him to Hamilton. I just said, okay, well, if you do that, I'm shipping them off to where you are.

Yuta: 00:59:36

If you do that, you're taking care of him.

Stephanie: 00:59:39

Yeah. Because only on so many musicals I can. I can go. I can withstand. So, yeah, so I'll be. Be seeing Wicked.

Yuta: 00:59:51

Okay.

Jeff: 00:59:54

So resigned.

Yuta: 00:59:58

That's the best.

Stephanie: 00:59:59

That's. I felt.

Yuta: 00:59:59

That's like the. I think that's a. I mean, pretty.

Stephanie: 01:00:02

Sure I'll have a good time, but it's just the, you know.

Jeff: 01:00:05

Yeah.

Stephanie: 01:00:05

I don't want to be there.

Jeff: 01:00:08

Stephanie, thank you so much for hanging out with us tonight. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate it. I've been looking forward to this interview and it's just been a joy to spend time with you.

Yuta: 01:00:18

Yeah.

Stephanie: 01:00:18

No, thank you all again, so much for having me.

Jeff: 01:00:21

And that was our interview with Stephanie Williams. We were so excited to have her. She's amazing. We're gonna have her back again.

Especially since, I don't know if you noticed, she talked about whenever this episode comes out that she hoped to have a newsletter ready to go. Well, that's available. We're gonna have that in the show notes too. You're gonna be able to figure out how to go and subscribe to her newsletter.

It's awesome. There's two of them have come out already. It's a great, great newsletter. She has lots of cool insights. You're gonna love that.

You can also follow her on socials, as she said in the. In there. And you can also find the newsletter through that as well. But another cool thing is coming up this month here in Cleveland is fan Expo.

That's March 21st through the 23rd. We're going to be there. Some of us are going to be wandering around getting some video interviewing some folks, so we'd love to see you.

If you see a World Gone Geek T shirt, make sure you stop by and say hello. Stephanie is going to be there as well. She's got a booth. Make sure you go there, meet her, get her to sign some comics.

Again, you just saw the interview. You can go see her in person right there at Fan Expo. It's going to be a great time, so make sure to go check it out if you're in the area.

Want to thank you guys for watching this episode or listening if you're on the podcast. We are so grateful for you guys if you're not already. If you're new to our podcast, you're hearing this for the first time.

Make sure you follow us at WorldGungeek. Pretty much all the places that are going on right now. So Blue sky, we've got Tick Tock.

Don't post a ton but we're trying to now Instagram, Facebook, that's all for this episode. We but we're so appreciative of you guys. Please follow and subscribe everywhere that you can. We will see you guys next time. Take care.