ALMA MATTERS
EXTRAORDINARY ALUM John Ostrander
• BA ’71 • Comic Book Writer
barbarian”—Legends (with Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman), X-Men, and Wolverine. He has also penned numerous Star Wars tales for Dark Horse Comics.
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Give as good as you get • I was a great reader and wanted to give back some of the pleasure I got—and still get—from reading. Knowing my interest in comics and having co-founded First Comics, my friend Mike Gold wanted to see what I could do with the medium. He gave me a shot and paid me to do it. The ability to make money at something you love should never be discounted as a strong motivator.
Recasting Batgirl • [In Batman: The Killing Joke, the Joker cripples Barbara Gordon, alias Batgirl. Ostrander and his late wife, Kimberly Yale, reinvented Batgirl as a new character, Oracle, a computer expert and information broker. This move received praise from both fans and organizations involving the disabled.]
COURTESY OF DC COMICS
“The ability to make money at something you love should never be discounted as a strong motivator.”
To be honest, we felt that Batgirl was treated badly and discarded. So we reinvented her as Oracle. We wanted to show that, even bound to a wheelchair, Barbara was still a hero.
How much input does George Lucas have when you’re writing Star Wars comics? • I write an overview of a given arc and that goes into Lucasfilm Licensing for
approval. They say “yes” or “no,” send notes, and then I write a full script, which also needs approval. I’m told (Lucas) reads the comics but I never had any direct contact with him myself.
Art and craft • There are some very good writers out there and I just try to keep up. One thing I try to do is keep one
foot in reality as I craft a fantasy. I want the reader to identify emo- tionally and psychologically with the story and the characters. I do a lot of outside reading and that al- ways influences my work. I simply don’t know as I’m different from any other writer in that regard.
On fandom • I’m a fan before I’m a writer and I appreciate all the support and kind words fans have given me over the years. I will never take that for granted.
ince 1983, John Ostrander has written comic books for DC and Marvel Comics, among others. His comic books include the creator-owned GrimJack—a “hardboiled
38 LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO
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