Invader Zim and other voice work

Simons was the color designer for the animated TV show Invader Zim, and also voiced the robot character GIR.^[1] Show creator Jhonen Vasquez wanted someone with no experience in voice acting to play GIR, to reflect how broken and messed up the character is.^[2] Vasquez was disappointed with actors who auditioned for GIR, saying they were "good actors" who just did a "stock crazy robot voice". Simons was Vasquez's friend and was working on I Feel Sick with him, and he asked him to try to audition for GIR, saying he "couldn't screw it up anymore than anyone else".^[3]

Simons did a few different voices for his audition for GIR, including one where he was trying to imitate his mother-in-law, but decided it was too "shrieky". He then remembered when he used to play with hand puppets with his father as a kid and tried to do one of those voices. Vasquez said he gave Simons the part of GIR because he was "bad at it", and that fit the character.^[4] When voicing GIR, Simons' voice was edited to make it sound higher-pitched and metallic. While Simons eventually learned to perform the voice without the high-pitch editing, the metallic quality still had to be added. Unedited versions of Simons' voice-overs can be heard in voice recordings for the unfinished episodes.^[5]

Simons said in a 2004 interview that he approached the role of GIR "by pretending (which didn't take much effort) that it wasn't a job... A lot of people comment that I sound like I was just making things up on the spot. That's partly true, but I'm not a voice actor... while I did the voice-actor thing of taking his direction on inflection and I read the lines provided, I was really having the best time ever just yelling and screaming and being stupid."^[1]

Simons reprised his role of GIR in a number of video games and in a 2019 film, Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus.^{[6][better source needed]} In 2011, Nickelodeon approached Rikki Simons, the voice of GIR, about doing some animated shorts revolving around GIR. While Simons was open to reprising his role, nothing ever came of these shorts for unknown reasons.^[7][2] During an Invader Zim panel at Long Beach Comic Con 2019, Simons said the reason why these GIR shorts never went anywhere might have been because "It's kinda weird to do GIR by himself. I don't know what that would be."^[8]

Simons was also involved in the Invader Zim comic series; he was credited as a writer in issue #0 of the Invader Zim comic series as well as a colorist for two issues.^{[citation needed]}

Simons has gone on to other voice acting roles, including on the cartoon Mighty Magiswords and the 2021 video game Psychonauts 2.

Comics and writing

Simons has written multiple novels and comics. Many of these are illustrated or co-illustrated by his wife, illustrator Tavisha Wolfgarth-Simons.

Acting

Unless otherwise noted, all roles below are voice acting.

Colorist

• I Feel Sick (comic book series,1999–2000)^{[citation needed]}
• Invader Zim (TV show, color designer, 2001–2006)^[1]
• Invader Zim, comic book series, colorist for issues #0 and #3^{[citation needed]}
• Jackie Chan Adventures (2002–2003) – color stylist for 15 episodes of the TV series^{[6][better source needed]}

Writer

• ShutterBox (writer, co-artist) (2003–2005)
• Super Information Hijinks: Reality Check! (1995–2002) - comic book series, illustrated by Tavisha Wolfgarth-Simons^{[citation needed]}
• Ranklechick and His Three-Legged Cat (2006) - novel, with illustrations by Tavisha Wolfgarth-Simons^[11]
• Trinkkits - webcomic^{[citation needed]}
• Hitherto a Lion (2011) - novel, with illustrations by Tavisha Wolfgarth-Simons.^[12]