A formerhairdresser who studiedtheater in college,[3][4] Simone first came to public notice throughWomen in Refrigerators, a website founded in 1999 by comics fans in response to a scene inGreen Lantern #54, in whichKyle Rayner's girlfriend,Alexandra DeWitt, is murdered and her corpse shoved in a refrigerator for him to find. The fans analyzed the treatment of women in fiction and concluded that they are often killed or harmed to advance the narrative of male characters.[4] The site brought Simone into contact with many people working in the comics industry.
Beginning in October 1999, her columnYou'll All Be Sorry! appeared weekly onComic Book Resources.[5] Topics ranged from short,satirical summaries of comic books ("Condensed Comic Classics") tofan fictionparodies.
Simone worked forMarvel Comics onDeadpool from 2003. AfterDeadpool was canceled and relaunched asAgent X, Simone continued as writer, but eventually left the project after a conflict with the series' editor.[6] Simone returned to write the concluding arc toAgent X after the series' initial cancellation.
Simone'sVillains United limited seriesspin-offSecret Six followed in 2005, which led to an ongoing series in September 2008, and multiple DC crossovers prior to the September 2011New 52 relaunch.
In 2007 Simone took over writing duties onWonder Woman from issue #14.[9][10] To date, Simone isWonder Woman's longest-running female writer. In 2010, she became the writer ofBirds of Prey.[11][12]
In 2011, Simone contributed toThe Power Within, aKickstarter-funded comic book that focuses on teenbullying.[18]
As part of DC Comics'New 52 initiative, Simone wrote a newBatgirl title starringBarbara Gordon, which debuted in 2011.[19] Simone introducedAlysia Yeoh, the first transgender character written in a contemporary context in a mainstream comic book.[20]
In 2012, news outlets reported that her exclusivity deal with DC had terminated and she was leaving theBatgirl title as well as DC Comics.[21] In 2012, Simone revealed that she was fired fromBatgirl by the book's new editor Brian Cunningham.[22] After fan protests, Simone returned toBatgirl as writer.[23] Simone was replaced in 2014 as writer forBatgirl, with significantretcons made to the character's backstory following Simone's departure.[24]
In 2013, DC Comics publishedThe Movement by Simone and artistFreddie Williams II, which Simone called "a book about power – who owns it, who uses it, who suffers from its abuse."[25] Also in 2013 Simone wrote a new ongoingRed Sonja series forDynamite.[26]
Also in 2013, Simone was listed first onIGN's list of the "Best Tweeters in Comics" for the "enthusiasm and thoughtfulness" of herTwitter posts.[27]
Oni Press published her graphic novelSeven Days with art by Jose Luis in 2020 as part of an initiative to launch a new Catalyst Prime superhero universe.[28]
In Nightwing #110,Tom Taylor introduced a bear named in her honor, Gail the Slayer, as a tongue in cheek reference to their continued mock feud.[29]
In March 2024, Simone was announced as the first solo female writer forUncanny X-Men.[30] In April 2025, it was announced that she will write aRebel Moon prequel series for Titan Comics featuring the film's cyborg sword master Nemesis.[31]
In July 2025, she was named a Special Ambassador for theInkwell Awards.[32]
Simone is notable for being one of the most influential women in the comic book industry.[39] Her blog "Women In Refrigerators" raised awareness of the representation of women in comics.[40] Simone believes most female comic characters are targeted at male audiences through oversexualization, and advocates for the creation of female characters that are as powerful, appealing, and commercially viable as male characters, something she strives to achieve in her own work.[39]
Eisner Award Winner: Tori Amos Comic Book Tattoo (anthology) 2009, Best Anthology (Group Award)[41]
Harvey Award Winner: Tori Amos Comic Book Tattoo (anthology) 2009, Best Anthology (Group Award)[42]
The Hypothetical Woman (with Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, Klaus Janson, and Sean Phillips, collectsJLA: Classified #16–21, January 2006 – May 2006, ≈134 pages,[57] softcover, January 2008,ISBN1401216293[58])
Warkiller (with Aaron Lopresti, collectsWonder Woman #34–39, September 2009 – February 2010, 144 pages, May 2010,ISBN1-4012-2779-1)[63]
Contagion (with Aaron Lopresti, Chris Batista, and Nicola Scott, collectsWonder Woman #40–44, March 2010 – July 2010, 128 pages, October 2010,ISBN1-4012-2920-4)[64]
Secret Six #1–14, 16–36, DC Comics, September 2008 – August 2011 collected as:
Unhinged (with Nicola Scott and Doug Hazlewood, collectsSecret Six #1–7, 144 pages, August 2009,ISBN1-4012-2327-3)
Depths (with Nicola Scott and Carlos Rodriguez, collectsSecret Six #8–14, 168 pages, April 2010,ISBN1-4012-2599-3)
The Darkest House (with Jim Calafiore, Matthew Clark and Ron Randall, collectsSecret Six #30–36 andDoom Patrol #19, written byKeith Giffen, 176 pages, January 2012,ISBN1401233627[67])
Birds of Prey vol. 2, #1–13 (DC Comics, July 2010 – August 2011) collected as:
The Death of Oracle (withArdian Syaf, Guillem March, Inaki Miranda, Pere Perez, Jesus Saiz, collectsBirds of Prey #7–13, February – August 2011, 200 pages, hardcover, October 2011,ISBN1-4012-3275-2[69])
Welcome to Tranquility: One Foot in the Grave #1–6 (with Horacio Dominguez, Wildstorm, September 2010 – February 2011) collected as:
Welcome To Tranquility: One Foot in the Grave (collectsWelcome to Tranquility: One Foot in the Grave #1–6, 144 pages, July 2011,ISBN1-4012-3175-6[70])
Batgirl2011 volumes 1–5, #1–34 (DC Comics, July 2012 – December 2014) collected as:
The Darkest Reflection (withArdian Syaf and Vicente Cifuentes, collectsBatgirl (The New 52) #1–6, September 2011 – February 2012, 144 pages, hardcover, July 2012,ISBN1401238149[71])
Knightfall Descends (withArdian Syaf andEd Benes, collectsBatgirl (The New 52) #7–13 and 0, March 2012 – October 2012, 192 pages, hardcover, February 2013,ISBN1401238165[72])
Death of the Family (with Admira Wijayadi, Vicente Cifuentes,Mark Irwin, Johnathan Glapion, Julius Gopez,Greg Capullo, Daniel Sampere, Ed Benes,Scott Snyder, and Ray Fawkes; collectsBatgirl (The New 52) #14–19 and Annual #1,Batman #17, andYoung Romance #1; November 2012 – Apr 2013, 224 pages, hardcover, October 2013,ISBN1401242596[73])
Wanted (with Derlis Santacruz,Fernando Pasarin, and Daniel Sampere; collected asBatgirl (The New 52) #20–26[74] andBatman: The Dark Knight #23.1; May 2013 – December 2013, 192 pages, hardcover, May 2014,ISBN140124629X[75])
Deadline (with Marguerite Bennet, Jonathan Glapion, Fernando Pasarin, andRobert Gill; collectsBatgirl (The New 52) #27–34 and Annual #2, January 2014 – August 2014, 256 pages, hardcover, December 2014,ISBN1401250416[76])
Clean Room vol. 1, #1-18 (Vertigo Comics, December 2015 – June 2017)
Red Sonja Vol 2[77] #0–18 (Dynamite Entertainment, February 2014 – October 2014) collected as:
Queen of the Plagues (with Walter Geovani, Adriano Lucas, and Simon Bowland, collectsRed Sonja Vol 2 #1–6, July 2013 – December 2013, 180 pages, softcover, February 2014,ISBN1606904817[78])
Art of Blood and Fire (with Walter Geovani, collectsRed Sonja Vol 2 #7–12 and 0, January 2014 – June 2014, 176 pages, softcover, October 2014,ISBN978-1606905296[79])
The Forgiving of Monsters (with Walter Geovani, collectsRed Sonja Vol 2 #13–18, July 2014 – May 2015, 160 pages, softcover,Unpublished,ISBN1606906011[80])
Legends of Red Sonja volume 1, #1–5 (Dynamite Entertainment, August 2014) collected as:
Legends of Red Sonja (anthology, collectsLegends of Red Sonja #1–5, November 2013 – March 2014, 152 pages, softcover, August 2014,ISBN978-1606905258[81])
