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In the overwhelmingly male comic book industry, it has been a challenge for some editors and readers to see the ever growing number of talented women currently trying to make a name for themselves. With that in mind, ComicsAlliance offers Hire This Woman, a recurring feature designed for comics readers as well as editors and other professionals, where we shine the spotlight on a female comics pro on the ascendance. Some of these women will be at the very beginning of their careers, while others will be more experienced but not yet “household names.”

This week we’re talking to comics and animation writer Mairghread Scott, who is best known for her work on the Transformerss property both at Hasbro and at IDW Publishing, where she became the first woman to write an official Transformers comic.

ComicsAlliance: Tell us about your process.

Mairghread Scott: I always break out my outlines on paper before I type the actual script in my computer, then I go back to paper, breaking the script back into an outline during my revision process to see if/where I may have strayed from the original plan. Digital writing is wonderfully easy to edit, but the physical act of writing with a pen gives me the time I need when I’m thinking through a story as a whole. Of course, I can also use only one of three pens to write with or nothing works, but that’s another story.

[...]

CA: What projects have you worked on in the past? What are you currently working on?

MS: In television I’ve written for Transformers Prime, Rescue Bots, Kaijudo and several other shows that haven’t aired yet because animation takes so long. In comics I’ve co-written Rage of the Dinobots and Transformers Prime Beast Hunters. I am currently writing Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs for Lion Forge (yes, it is about an intergalactic law enforcement officer on a robotic horse), and the Transformers Windblade miniseries for IDW with the fantastic Sarah Stone. I’m also pitching my first original graphic novel with Sarah and… between you, me and the Internet… it’s awesome!

Orin_Thomas wrote:Would have given this series a shot if I hadn't originally become aware of the series and the author because they attacked another author I'd been reading and enjoying for more than 25 years. For the most part I like to keep politics and comics about a bunch of made up robots separate - but by wrapping the made up robots in the byzantine politics of gender, I've been put off before I've read a single panel.

Orin_Thomas wrote:See - and now you've attacked the same writer, making the author of Wingblade even MORE toxic for me as a reader.

Sabrblade wrote:

Orin_Thomas wrote:See - and now you've attacked the same writer, making the author of Wingblade even MORE toxic for me as a reader.

There's a difference between "attacking a person" and "criticizing one's behavior". The latter is what I did. No one did did the former.

cybercat wrote:I don't think she 'attacked' Furman, and I certainly find Furman's response to be entirely ridiculous, but I just want to say to BOTH of them: it's not cool to say negative things about a coworker's work. If you heard your coworker ragging on something you did, years ago, you'd probably be pretty pissed off, too, even if what he/she was saying was entirely accurate.

cybercat wrote:The fan was stirring for trouble by asking the question to begin with, but there's a classier way to answer it than Scott did.

cybercat wrote:And yes, her implication that her magical girl's origin would 'erase' all the problems with Arcee's is patently offensive. It's like saying 'oh this one girl got raped, but here's this other girl who didn't get raped and therefore, rape isn't a problem'.' It's appalling.