John Ostrander: Pop Culture Politics

John Ostrander

John Ostrander started his career as a professional writer as a playwright. His best known effort, Bloody Bess, was directed by Stuart Gordon, and starred Dennis Franz, Joe Mantegna, William J. Norris, Meshach Taylor and Joe Mantegna. He has written some of the most important influential comic books of the past 25 years, including Batman, The Spectre, Manhunter, Firestorm, Hawkman, Suicide Squad, Wasteland, X-Men, and The Punisher, as well as Star Wars comics for Dark Horse. New episodes of his creator-owned series, GrimJack, which was first published by First Comics in the 1980s, appear every week on ComicMix.

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7 Responses

  1. George Haberberger says:

    “We don’t do well with more nuanced declarations. Easy to say, easy to remember, and you don’t have to think. That’s ‘Murrica right there, that’s what that is.”

    That kind of non-thinking happens a lot with other issues also. “My body, my choice.” is a good example. Planned Parenthood and the abortion lobby are just as intractable as the NRA.

    • John Ostrander says:

      I don’t see it as the same thing. “My body, my choice” actually makes sense as it makes it point. Whose choice should it be especially regarding health issues such as abortion?

      • George Haberberger says:

        “My body, my choice.” is exactly the kind of short-hand, simplistic, bumper-sticker ideology that refutes any other views. And the “point” it makes is: the value of a life is entirely dependent upon someone else’s convenience.

        • John Ostrander says:

          I’m sorry that you see it that way but I don’t agree. “My body, my choice” is a simple statement that makes a good and, so far as I’m concerned, valid position. I’m assuming from what you’re saying is that you are anti-abortion. If so, that’s your view but certainly not mine. And your categorizing a woman’s choice to have an abortion is for their own “convenience” really indicates to me that you don’t know any woman who has has one. I’ve known several and in each case it was the most difficult choice they had made.

          • George Haberberger says:

            I’m not saying it is not a difficult choice. I’m saying it is the wrong one. And I know personally two women who have had abortions. They regret them.

          • mike weber says:

            Don’t bother arguing with George. He is completely doctrinaire, and i have never seen him concede a significant point in any discussion, even when he was clearly in the wrong.

            He can be quite pleasant to discuss things that aren’t political issues you disagree over with.

  2. Mindy Newell says:

    Absolutely terrific and–if you’ll excuse the expression–“on target” column, John.