A&A The Official John Ostrander Discussion Thread

>>I've been going through my old comics and it is incredible how many of them were written by John Ostrander.

Did you know he did Deathmate for Image-Valiant? <<

yeek!

The things that follow you!<g> To be fair, I wrote, as I recall, one small section on the Deathmate books, the one with the character I was doing at the time, Magnus.

But I HAVE been around for awhile. I believe I'm coming up on twenty years of comic book writing. Small forests have been felled by my writing.

With any luck, I'll be around a while longer. Definitely enjoying the SW work. I was a fan BEFORE the first movie (A NEW HOPE) came out. True. I came across the novelization, read it, and thought, "Wow! If they can get HALF of this up on screen, it'll be incredible."

And then, of course, GL got 150% of the book up on screen and we were all blown away. So now i'm not only writing some SW stuff but a character that I helped create shows up in the next movie. Pretty cool!

John Ostrander

 

>>So...what's next after Rite of Passage? Any special projects? Anything you can tell us about the arc AFTER RoP? <<

Hmmm. I'm usually guarded about saying things until they're announced elsewhere. Maybe I can tell you a LITTLE about the following arc. It's called HONOR AND DUTY and it moves the action up a little closer to AotC but still prior to it. Quin and Aayla are NOT in it but Obi-Wan and Anakin are. We focus also on two new characters who are Senate Guards. Jan Duursema is NOT drawing this one although she will be back after that. By the time 46-49 is finished, I'll have done 14 consecutive issues of the monthly which feels pretty good. And I think that's about all I can say right now.

John Ostrander

 

This is kinda funny...This very night I dreamed I was on a convention and met with no other than John Ostrander...and today I find this tread *grin* Cool!

Honor and Duty sounds great...then of course, anything with Anakin sounds great. *grin* Though I'll miss Quin...with the exception of Wrenga Jixton, he's my favourite EU character - a Jedi with a rouge edge! As a matter of fact, John, you and Jan Durseema do the best SW comics I've ever read, and I've read pretty much everything Darkhorse has done (with Star Wars, that is). I was a bit suspicious about Twilight, but it turned out to be just great. And Darkness...! Villie is kinda cool too, even though it took me q a while to get used to him. Picked up the Devorian Version just yesterday (takes it sometimes to get to Sweden) and it was very funny...So, after Honor and Duty, are you going to make more comics with Quinlan and company? He's far too cool to just give up...

 

another book I found was the first issue of an X-book call XSE starring Bishop.

 

"Hmmm. I'm usually guarded about saying things until they're announced elsewhere. Maybe I can tell you a LITTLE about the following arc. It's called HONOR AND DUTY and it moves the action up a little closer to AotC but still prior to it. Quin and Aayla are NOT in it but Obi-Wan and Anakin are. We focus also on two new characters who are Senate Guards. Jan Duursema is NOT drawing this one although she will be back after that. By the time 46-49 is finished, I'll have done 14 consecutive issues of the monthly which feels pretty good. And I think that's about all I can say right now."

That sounds very cool. I take you'll be sticking around for a while? I also take it that issue 50 is gonna be a big one?

 

>>So, after Honor and Duty, are you going to make more comics with Quinlan and company? He's far too cool to just give up.<<

Thanks for the kind words, Queengodess, and glad that you like Quin and Company. Jan and I are indeed working up my storylines for after Honor and Duty and, as now planned, they would feature Quin. However, we haven't submitted these to DH or LFL yet so all I can say is that we are PLANNING to do this. But I feel confident. Jan and i are making no small plans, either.

I'm fascinated that you get the comic in Sweden. My books have ways of going places that I've never been to!

All the best

John Ostrander

 

>>another book I found was the first issue of an X-book call XSE starring Bishop. <<

I'll be straight up with you -- that one wasn't one of my best. The PRIOR miniseries, called BISHOP, was cool. Carlos Pachecho did the art and he is wonderful. If you're interested, i can provide you with a list of past books I think are worth looking for and/or any info about other series I'm currently doing.

All the best

-- John Ostrander

 

>>I take you'll be sticking around for a while? I also take it that issue 50 is gonna be a big one? <<

Well, >I< plan on being around for a while longer. <g>And the folks at DH and LFL seem to like what I'm doing. So I'm hopeful.

Jan and I are making plans and, if everything goes well, issue 50 will kick off a major storyline. However, nothing's approved yet so we'll have to see.

All the best

John Ostrander

 

John...

Can you give us a heads up on who is handling the art chores on Honor and Duty.

If you can tell us

 

Hi, I just picked up "Rite of Passage # 1, and I really enjoyed it (Dooku!!), but I have a few timeline questions:

1) How long before TPM is the prologue set?
2) How long after The Devaronian Version is it?
3) You mentioned that the story is set a year after "Darkness" except that the internal timeline says its "30 years ABY" which is the same year as "Darkness." If not a year, how long after "Darkness" is it?

Great stuff!

 

Ooooh, list o' questions! Fun!


>>1) How long before TPM is the prologue set?<<

Hmm. Well, it's before the Stark Hyperspace War. aayla's about 1 and she would be about 20 now. At this point, we're about 3-4 years past TPM so let's say roughly 15 years before TPM? Sound right? Jan will correct me if she reads this and I'm wrong<g>.

>>2) How long after The Devaronian Version is it?<<

One week. Oh, you mean the action, not when was it PUBLISHED<g>! Couple of weeks, maybe a month.

>>3) You mentioned that the story is set a year after "Darkness" except that the internal timeline says its "30 years ABY" which is the same year as "Darkness." If not a year, how long after "Darkness" is it?<<

Figure it has to be at LEAST a year, but less than two. Aayla has since been retrained and been working with tholme. Quin has been out on the Rim and he and Villie split up somewhere. Maybe a year and a half. Sound right?

Of course, these are MY answers. If somebody has a better answer, feel free!

All the best

John Ostrander

 

Cool Thanks!

 

Hi Jon

Villiemace aka tom here

I have just got the first issue of Rites of Passage and it looks amazing! It is great to see Quinlan and villie back for some action again. I am going to see Attack of the Clones in two hours and am really excited! It is interesting to see Dooku in it at the end.

Anyway got to go.

May the force be with you and keep up the good work.

Tom

 

Hi John,

I'm a fairly new member here, and it's great that writers/creators/artists have their own threads.

I bought Rite of Passage #1 today and it was great!

I liked how you used a known creature (wampa) for Quinlan to get some lightsaber hacks at.

I don't want to spoil to much in case some people haven't read this book yet, but the story/time-cuts were well-laid-out in the beginning and the appearance of the "you-know-who-creatures" were great too. Any chance at seeing the "you-know-who-creature" Jedi (like the recently released figure, perhaps) in the near future?

The last page was also an eye-opener... So, uh, what exactly does Peedunkee mean anyway? Seems like a derogatory term...

Please keep up the great work, and give the rest of the art team a hearty "well done" from me!

Thanks,
- CGD

 

>>I don't want to spoil to much in case some people haven't read this book yet, but the story/time-cuts were well-laid-out in the beginning and the appearance of the "you-know-who-creatures" were great too. Any chance at seeing the "you-know-who-creature" Jedi (like the recently released figure, perhaps) in the near future?<<

I have to confess, I'm not quite sure WHO we're talking about. I don't want to spoil it for other readers, either, but I'm afraid you're going to have to spell it out for ME. My poor brain gets to be a bit like swiss cheese some times<g>.

>>The last page was also an eye-opener... So, uh, what exactly does Peedunkee mean anyway? Seems like a derogatory term...<<

It just means "boy" in Huttese, nothing more. I gave the Morgukai a smattering a Huttese words which I looked up in the STAR WARS GALACTIC PHRASE BOOK. For example, "Jeedai" is also Huttese for Jedi. The reason is that the Nikto home planet of Kintan was/is under the control of the Hutts so their language would permeate the Nikto. IMO.

Thanks for the kind words.

John Ostrander

 

Thanks for your reply!

Since you mentioned it, it was the Nikto I was referring to...

- CGD

 

>>Since you mentioned it, it was the Nikto I was referring to... <<

Yeah, i was talking to jan and she explained the reference to me. So, to ANSWER that question<g> -- No, no Nikto jedi in this storyline. Just the Morgukai. I think you'll find them pretty cool on their own.

John

 

John, have you seen episode 2 yet?

I'd like to dicuss the movie and how it relates to the comic series, but i don't want to spoil anything for you, lol.

Take care,

Joseph

 

>>John, have you seen episode 2 yet? I'd like to dicuss the movie and how it relates to the comic series, but i don't want to spoil anything for you, lol.<<

Saw it Monday but I'd already read the comics adaptation and the novel. Since we're planning further in advance than you're reading, I had to know. I was aware of a lot of it beofre that even. Still, had a great time and really enjoyed the movie. Feel free to ask what you want.

John

 

Good to know you've laid eyes on the movie.

The first topic, of course, would be a'sharad hett and anakin. Its fairly inevitable that they have some sort of confrontation, though how it is played out could take many paths, from simple anger, to an opportunity for Anakin to show some sort of remorse.

Perhaps Anakin would have to shield his thoughts from Hett, giving Hett only the impression that Anakin was holding something back.

I can also invision a story line where Hett is murdered, and the killer is unknown...but the wounds are from lightsaber. (or pehaps his poor larnyx was crushed, heh). Could the killer be Anakin? or perhaps Aura Sing, for revenge for her defeat in the 'Hunt' story line.

I think it would be more interesting for a tension to exist between Anakin and Hett. That is something I feel that is lacking between Jedi in particluar.


On another topic, there is of course the issue of lightsabers to deal with. In the movie, its been decided that we have blue and green, and perhaps purple. The comic, however, shows all the hues of the rainbow.

Now, the simple solution is not to mention it, and simply change the colors as needed. But a few lines from EP2, and the new visual dictionary suggest a fairly plausible solution.

First, the visual dictionary explains that sith lightsabers are red due to their use of artificial, synthesized crystals. Jedi are either blue or green due to the use of natural crystals.

Secondly, in EP2, Mace Windu mentions that the Jedi's power is diminished.

Perhaps the Jedi were using artifical crystals that allowed for every possible color, up to a few years before EP2. Then, as their power diminished, they are forced to switch back to the natural crystals, as a way to strengthen their weakening bond with the force.

Taking it a step further, in the Expanded Universe, the new order of Jedi again have lightsabers of all colors. Why? Because once again, their powers are returned to their former glory, their connection to the force strengthened.

This has gone a bit long, but once the idea struck me, it developed on its own. Food for thought, I hope.

If you sat through this lengthy post, thanks for reading.

Joseph

 

John, Loved Darkness. Looking forward to more of Passage.

Do you actually get to work with Jan who seems to have done art for your stories alot, or is it a seperated process?

 

Dammit. I got confused there for a second when I saw someone else with my icon!

 

Joseph

Thanks for the nice words. You have some interesting ideas. My current storylines don't bring in A'shard Hett but who knows what the future will bring?

As to the color of the lightsabers -- I think the colors will just wind up changed. We didn't expect to deal with that in the current storyline so we'll probably wind up with the approved colors now.

All the best

-- John

 

>>Do you actually get to work with Jan who seems to have done art for your stories alot, or is it a seperated process? <<

Jan actually lives about ten minutes away from me by car so you'd better believe that, on the stories we work on, we sit down and talk them out first! Jan (and her husband, Tom Mandrake) is a very good friend of mine of long standing and her passion for SW is as great as her talent and both are considerable. She is also just a very fine person.

-- John

 

That's quite reassuring to know for all the fans of you wonderful teamwork...