John Ostrander Loses It

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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5 Responses

  1. George Hagenauer says:

    John , an interesting thing is while the movie Dunkirk obviously will attract a lot of WW2 history buffs, my guess is a lot of the everyday people who just go to watch it won’t know how it ends. I have done background research for max Allan Collins historical novels. When people meet me they often ask me what do I do- my day job helping the child care system stay afloat and helping improve conditions for children is often of no interest but my other work – the comics and art stuff, the historical research well that is of interest. And during the Kennedy books, well lot of the people I knew under 40 didn’t know much other than Kennedy got shot. No Knowledge of even Oswald’s name! So there will be a lot of folks in suspense at how Dunkirk ends! And this is also why so many people are not real upset at American Nazis and the dialogue is so much driven by contemporary views- the issues the Nazis want us to discuss. I had two uncles at the battle of the Bulge (and who didn’t know each other was there) one came back in a coma the only survivor of his squad sent on one of those suicide missions against a tank that you know Sgt. Rock always wins. To me the Nazis are the enemy like Al Quaida but to many Americans they are just another group like the Kiwanis but carrying funny flags. Most Americans know little about history and have no interest in it which is why we do such stupid things.

    • Ed Catto says:

      John – another great article and I appreciate you putting it into perspective like this. And a note to George – man, I love those novels and you guys do a great job! I usually know the broad strokes but not the details. Especially with a thriller like this last one with Bettie Page and the Rosenbergs. Great stuff.

    • Mindy Newell says:

      Remember when Jay Leno would do those “walkabouts” and ask people on the street questions about politics, politicians, news of the day, etc?

      Now I know that those segments were edited, and those who answered correctly were usually edited out, but the sheer dumbness of some people was never really funny to me–it was horrifying.

      But I do take issue with one thing that you wrote, unless I’m reading it wrong….”the issues the Nazis want us to discuss.”

      Nazis DISCUSS things? You mean like at the Wansee Conference?

      Aside from that, I didn’t know that you work within the child care system and with Max Allan Collins (one of my favs!) I’m proud to know you and to call you my friend

  2. Mindy Newell says:

    Jesus, John. Twenty years since THE KENTS came out? I remember you working on it like it was last week!

  3. Mindy Newell says:

    Brilliant column, btw! :-D!!!!