Happy Birthday: John Ostrander
Born in 1949, ComicMix creator/columnist John Ostrander loved comics from early on but initially followed a different love: religion. Raised Roman Catholic, Ostrander wanted to become a priest and attended a year of seminary before deciding it wasn’t right for him. Instead he turned to acting.
Ostrander was part of a Chicago theater company in the early ’80s, and in addition to acting he co-wrote a play called Bloody Bess with William J. Norris. ComicMix Editor-in-Chief Mike Gold was starting First Comics at the time and had seen and liked the play—he knew Ostrander was a big comics fan and invited him to try his hand at writing comics. Ostrander wrote several stories for First’s Warp series before creating the character of GrimJack.
By the time First Comics closed in 1991, Ostrander was working for other comic companies as well, and he continued to do so. He has written The Spectre, Firestorm, Justice League of America, and Wasteland for DC, X-Men, Heroes for Hire, and The Punisher for Marvel, Lady Death for Chaos!, Eternal Warrior for Valiant, Star Wars: Republic for Dark Horse, and many many others. Ostrander has also written audio plays and short stories, and he currently writes for ComicMix, producing both a regular column and new issues of GrimJack and Munden’s Bar.
Many more happies, JO! I didn't realize we were practically twins.
Happy Birthday, John. It's my daughter's 4th birthday today as well! :)
Happy belated, John! Missed you at the con!
Actually, John and I went back about a decade before First Comics, although we met through the Stuart Gordon connection. He's a fine stage actor and a great playwright; their loss is truly comics' gain.
Many hugs, big guy! We were in Charleston with our extended family in Ireland.I turned 50(!!!!!!) last week.I know, whiner.
Ah, you're a pup! A PUP!
OKAY, Arf! Arf!You and Martha!I get no pity.Anywho. The FIRST gang is special to me, I cut my teeth there.I cherish the miles we have together. There are only a few people who follow me through almost the WHOLE mess.More big hugz, bud.
First Comics? Never heard of 'em. What kinda name is that anyway? (I'm still trying to convince people that "gargantumima" is much funnier than "ginormous".)
I'm still waiting for the trades of Starsluggo and Alter Eggo.
One year on, and tomorrow John hits the big six-oh.Many happy returns and let's hope for at least another 40 years of material!Cheers