The Spectre by John Ostrander: Yay or Nay?

[victorxd1999]

Don't forget Hawkworld!

I know, I know... everyone does...

And Firestorm and Grimjack and pretty much everything by him

[Nomads1]

Don't forget Hawkworld!

I know, I know... everyone does...

Hawkworld had everything to be a series that I hated. It was a continuity mess, full of, at first sight, largely unnecessary retcons with the main characters written completely out of character (Katar was always the angry, short tempered one, Shayera was the rational calming influence), and I hated those paramilitary uniforms sans the feathered wings. It's a testment to John Ostrander's skill that I actually did LOVE Hawkworld, just didn't get to mention it. You can include in the "I could go on, and on, and on..."

Peace

[marshal99]

Ostrander is a very underrated writer , has been around since the late 80s and never quite get the acclaim others does. His spectre run is one of the best and yet not much of it was collected.

[FanboyStranger]

Ostrander is a very underrated writer , has been around since the late 80s and never quite get the acclaim others does. His spectre run is one of the best and yet not much of it was collected.

It's being collected now. The first 12 issues were released in a tpb called Crimes and Judgements last month, and the second volume collecting the next eleven issues is to be released in January 2015.

DC's been pushing Ostrander collections over the past year. We've had the Deadshot volume, a Martian Manhunter volume (with the second solicitied for September), and a Spectre volume. Hopefully, DC will follow through with the Spectre and MM series, and perhaps publish further Suicide Squad volumes. The best way to insure this is to pre-order the tpbs.

I wish Marvel would collect Heroes 4 Hire in their new epic format (which is large enough to include the relevant Quicksilver issues.) Also, a new printing for Blaze of Glory and Apache Skies is necessary, especially if it could be done in one volume.

[SJNeal]

DC's been pushing Ostrander collections over the past year. We've had the Deadshot volume, a Martian Manhunter volume (with the second solicitied for September), and a Spectre volume. Hopefully, DC will follow through with the Spectre and MM series, and perhaps publish further Suicide Squad volumes.

Now that you mention it, there have been a lot of Ostrander collections recently! Makes me wonder what happened with the solicited/canceled second volume of Suicide Squad a few years back, since DC obviously feels that his work will still sell. And with the recent reprint of Truman's Hawkworld mini, my hopes are high that we'll get collections of Ostrander's run sooner than later. 2-3 larger trades should collect his 32 regular issues, annual #1 (the only relevant one to the larger story), and the first 6 issues of Hawkman '93.

The best way to insure this is to pre-order the tpbs.

Yes! This can't be stressed enough. I know people are on budgets, and many are wary of pre-ordering something they may not like, but doing so not only helps ensure the books actually see print, it saves us money in the long run as pre-order prices are much less than MSRP!

*Steps off soapbox*

[FanboyStranger]

Now that you mention it, there have been a lot of Ostrander collections recently! Makes me wonder what happened with the solicited/canceled second volume of Suicide Squad a few years back, since DC obviously feels that his work will still sell. And with the recent reprint of Truman's Hawkworld mini, my hopes are high that we'll get collections of Ostrander's run sooner than later. 2-3 larger trades should collect his 32 regular issues, annual #1 (the only relevant one to the larger story), and the first 6 issues of Hawkman '93.

I've been wondering about that second SS volume as well. My guy feeling is that they cancelled it so it wouldn't take attention away from the New 52 SS series, but it may also have to do with royalty disputes. The higher royalty rate for '80s material is what lead to the solicited Showcase Presents... volume being cancelled. Most of the 'newer' stuff that has been collected came after the royalty contracts had been revised in the early '90s. As I understand it, the first collection should very well, which made its cancellation a head scratcher.

I'd love some Ostrander Hawkworld collections, too. And Firestorm. And Manhunter. Oh, hell... everything.

But most of all, Wasteland!

[SJNeal]

But most of all, Wasteland!

Is that the late '80's horror anthology (which I didn't realize Ostrander was a part of!), or was there another series by that name?

[FanboyStranger]

Is that the late '80's horror anthology (which I didn't realize Ostrander was a part of!), or was there another series by that name?

No, that's it. Ostrander and Del Close were the writers, and the artists included David Lloyd, William Messner-Loebs, and a few other greats.

[SJNeal]

No, that's it. Ostrander and Del Close were the writers, and the artists included David Lloyd, William Messner-Loebs, and a few other greats.

Cool. If FanboyStranger endorses it, it just jumped from my "Maybe" list to "Must Read"!