CBR: THE BAT SIGNAL: Swierczynski Discusses Crime, Batgirl & "Birds Of Prey"

[CBR News]

Writer Duane Swierczynski spoke with THE BAT SIGNAL about his approach to DC Comic's preeminent all-female crime fighting team, the "Birds Of Prey."



Full article here (http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=36637).

[shingi70]

I'd be down for a starling mini or at least back-ups centered on her.

also will birds be in night of the owls?

[FHIZ]

I'd be down for a starling mini or at least back-ups centered on her.

also will birds be in night of the owls?

So would I, but it probably won't happen

Yes, it's one of the titles that ties in.

Also, Batgirl isn't the center of the universe!? ...oh, this should be good

[BrotherUnitNo_4]

Also, Batgirl isn't the center of the universe!? ...oh, this should be good

I can already taste the fan disappointment there. :smile:

I like his attitude about it though. This is the only book for the other four characters. They need to spotlight much more than Babs.

[FHIZ]

Yep. I'm looking forward to whenever we can get something centered around Katana. I feel like Swierczynski doing a yakuza story is just too perfect.

[shingi70]

on the note of this team and I'm the only one who is dissapointed huntress wont be in the book after eariler teasing. I really don't give a **** about earth two mutiverse bull crap. not sure why they just couldn't have two versions of the character.

[Desaad]

This book is so surprisingly good.

Loving it.

[StDumas]

To me, Birds of Prey was primarily a vehicle for Oracle, Black Canary, and Huntress. Now, we're down to Black Canary. Katanna is interesting enough and Poison Ivy's inclusion is ... I guess what we have to expect from comics nowadays. Starling, however, is redundant as a cast member, boring individually, and emblematic of this titles problems. BoP strikes me as a book with theme but not direction. I see a need for it, yes, but I can sum it up in a word: Dinah.

Even as a Batgirl fan (Babs and Stephanie, not so much Cassandra), the idea that Swierczynski will keep Batgirl at a distance is good news to me. The presence of Batgirl on BoP is icing on the cake but the cake is getting too sweet and I'm not sure what the occasion is anyway. You don't always need to be eating cake. If I had my dithers, I'd scuttle the BoP title and hand Black Canary over to Gail Simone as a recurrent supporting cast member of Batgirl, which would improve that title. I think Dinah is strong enough to eventually spin off into her own book but she needs a launch pad. BoP is not that.

I know that this post isn't going to earn me many friends but I think BoP is kind of a "pink ghetto" (obviously for characters, not creators) at the moment.

[BatSignal]

Cool read. I like his thoughts on writing the team aspect of the book. Katana has had pretty short shrift so far, I'd be interested in learning more and seeing a Yakuza story later. That all has to wait for now though, we don't really know too much about any of them yet. Ivy's sounding a bit more like she wasn't planned as just a short-term member of the team so she may be sticking around for a while. So this deal she has going may not be as simple as some excuse to have her betray the team and get thrown out and go back to full-time villainy. I want to see how her agenda plays out.

[motteditor]

Tried issue 1, but after Gail's Birds, just couldn't get into it. No Oracle, no Huntress ... and Starling just irritated me.

She feels like she's forced in. Mary Sue's not the right word, but she kind of reminds me of Poochie (from the Simpsons), in that she's kind of this Johnny-come-lately addition to the title.

Shame, since Birds used to be one of my favorite titles, but just couldn't get into the relaunch (though honestly that's true basically of everything in the DCU for me)...

[Little MY]

Gail Vs Duane, in an alleyway. With some one playing the Kill Bill soundtrack.

[Little MY]

For all those who have dropped Birds of Prey after issue one, you need to come back and read the first five. if it still aint interesting then drop it free of any guilt.

[SJNeal]

I didn't want to like this book, out of loyalty to Gail Simone and the old status quo, but I can't help it. Swierczynski is knocking it out of the park!

Starling felt forced for me too at first; I think that was just a result of my resistance to change. She's really being developed nicely and I'd totally pick up a mini or one-shot devoted to her origins.

[theXfactor]

This new book is so much better than the last one, it's almost unfair to compare.
I agree that the old line-up (minus Hawk & Dove) was a little better (on paper only, not execution), because I liked Oracle and Huntress, but I absolutely LOVE Starling and Duane has managed to make every character interesting even if they wouldn't be my first picks as member of this team.
Katana deserves a little more panel time, I wish she'd star in an Outsiders spin-off written by Duane. That would be awesome.

[StDumas]

She feels like she's forced in. Mary Sue's not the right word, but she kind of reminds me of Poochie (from the Simpsons), in that she's kind of this Johnny-come-lately addition to the title.I totally agree. At three issues, this may not be the fairest shake -- but so far, so trite. Not good if you're just trying to be trendy.

[Gail Simone]

I have nothing but positive things to say about Duane, who seems like a great guy and a terrific writer. I wish him and the Birds every success and a new level of wonder.

[batGRRRl4ever]

Interesting interview and I agree with his approach to the book; Batgirl already has her own solo title and I'm only wanting to see her in BOP as a part of the TEAM, not the central focus, I already have a book for that.

It works in that Batgirl is the one team member with no criminal issues (other than being a vigilante of course!) and I can totally see her in the Justice League watchtower hacking their GPS so the Leaguers can't get a fix on the BOP'ers to bring them in.

Looking forward to finding out whether or not Katana is crazy or if she really does have a mystical sword, looking forward to getting more background on Dinah, Starling, & Ivy in the new universe. This book is all good for me :smile:


I have nothing but positive things to say about Duane, who seems like a great guy and a terrific writer. I wish him and the Birds every success and a new level of wonder.

Gail, will we ever see Barbara thinking about or making comments about Dinah in her solo boo....338! 338! I need 338!.....Now why did I just say that? :wink:

[Gail Simone]

It's a little weird, I did request Dinah in an upcoming issue, Duane was fine with it, so Dinah appears. But I wanted to have a Starling cameo with it, that got nixed.

I'd like the books to have closer continuity, really, it just makes snese.

[FHIZ]

But I wanted to have a Starling cameo with it, that got nixed.

Huh, that's odd.

[Gail Simone]

They want Barbara to develop her own supporting cast in her own book, that's fine, it makes some sense. But I would have liked to have included Starling!

[FHIZ]

I mean yeah, that makes sense to develop the supporting cast, but whats the harm in a little cameo? Especially when it could be used as cross promotion in a sense. Oh well.

[Free-Man]

They want Barbara to develop her own supporting cast in her own book, that's fine, it makes some sense. But I would have liked to have included Starling!

That sucks. Is the Black Canary thing just a cameo or like a team-up?

[Gail Simone]

It's a nice little scene, not a cameo or a full team-up.

It made me miss writing Dinah even more though, holy crap. That girl needs her own book BAD.

[batGRRRl4ever]

Oooooh, this conversation just has me itching for the official Batgirl #6 Preview/Spoiler/Discussion thread to come out already! C'mon Gail, give us a kernel to bite on as to what is coming in issue #6 of Batgirl to tide us over for the next week!

[StDumas]

It's a little weird, I did request Dinah in an upcoming issue, Duane was fine with it, so Dinah appears.That's great news.
But I wanted to have a Starling cameo with it, that got nixed.And that's great news, too.

Seems to me that EV is the Babs-replacement for Dinah's friend-who-is-a-foil. And now what some corners of the internet once read as smoldering innuendo has a new, literal edge with a butchy (for mainstream comics) bad girl who's actually out. As a side note, if Starling's presence accomplishes anything in comics, I hope it will show that not all women are just a panel away from being gay. Seems like Batwoman could handle that, however.

Anyway, I'm glad to hear that Starling won't be an obstacle to some great scenes between Babs and Dinah. If there's one thing on my wish list for this title, I feel like it's a decent friend for Babs. I confess to being one of those people who does not like Alysia and Babs dodging Alysia's big secret kind of drove me nuts (mission accomplished).

[StDumas]

That girl needs her own book BAD.Agreed. I think that's mutually exclusive with BoP, however, unless you're only talking a mini-series.

[Quinnhop]

It's probably that they don't want to confuse people who aren't reading Birds of Prey (although a cameo? That seems pretty harmless). I mean, Batgirl has a history with Dinah. I think most Batgirl fans are probably somewhat familiar with her relationship with Black Canary, but Starling is someone completely new. Meh, I dunno, that's weird.

But...


They want Barbara to develop her own supporting cast in her own book, that's fine, it makes some sense.

This.

Barbara needs her own corner of Gotham, not just spatially but thematically. Starling (and even, to some degree, Black Canary) don't really do anything for rebuilding/repopulating the Batgirl mythos.

[StDumas]

Barbara needs her own corner of Gotham, not just spatially but thematically. Starling (and even, to some degree, Black Canary) don't really do anything for rebuilding/repopulating the Batgirl mythos.I'd hope that Dinah would be a cornerstone of that project, actually. Babs and Dinah's friendship is a big part of whatever happened between Killing Joke and now, post Flashpoint. Being buddies with Black Canary also gives Babs some nice distance from the Waynes. The worst thing that could happen to the relaunched Batgirl is that she could become a satellite title for Bruce's books.

[Little MY]

It's a nice little scene, not a cameo or a full team-up.

It made me miss writing Dinah even more though, holy crap. That girl needs her own book BAD.

Gail please do a Black Canary book I’m begging maybe you can team up with Greg Weisman (who also loves Black Canary to death, he’s doing his best to get her noticed on Young Justice).

She deserves her own book, the previous mini she had after she left birds doesn’t really count because she basically was still with Green Arrow.

When will Black Canary get a chance to shine all on her own? She’s come a long way since she was tortured and gutted in the early nineties. I don’t want her trauma with Green arrow to be the pinnacle of her legacy.

[theXfactor]

BC's cameo in the Batgirl book should be interesting. :)

[SJNeal]

When will Black Canary get a chance to shine all on her own? She’s come a long way since she was tortured and gutted in the early nineties.

This actually happened to her in the late 80's; what happened to her in the early 90's (Byam's series) was much worse by far. :cool:

[Godlike13]

LoL, I bet the knife fight in an alleyway was over Jesus Saiz :cool:

Anyhoo, interview sounded good. Books been a blast so far.

[Shimarenda]

I'm glad to read that Swierczynski is keeping a watch on himself with Starling. I really like the character, but I wouldn't want it to become her book.

[Free-Man]

Interesting to hear Lady Blackhawk almost made the cut.

[Hyperion322]

Right now, Starling is my least favorite character, but I love the entire lineup and I'm especially glad Batgirl will remain a member. Sometimes Starling seems -- I dunno, forced on us. Hopefully I'll warm up to her soon. ~ Hype

[Godlike13]

Right now, Starling is my least favorite character...

http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100217032652/unanything/images/f/f9/Dramatic-Prairie-Dog.gif

[X-23_1977]

Anyway, I'm glad to hear that Starling won't be an obstacle to some great scenes between Babs and Dinah. If there's one thing on my wish list for this title, I feel like it's a decent friend for Babs. I confess to being one of those people who does not like Alysia and Babs dodging Alysia's big secret kind of drove me nuts (mission accomplished).

Maybe when Cassandra is unbenched and brought into Inc we can see her and Babs form a friendship, considering they will be closer in age in this reboot as none of the past Oracle or previous Batgirls seems to have happened.

But Cass as a off and on Character in BG would rock.

And since we have an Earth 2 Huntress we need our Earths Huntress to show up sooner Bertinelli needs to be our Earths Hunty.

[StDumas]

Maybe when Cassandra is unbenched and brought into Inc we can see her and Babs form a friendship, considering they will be closer in age in this reboot as none of the past Oracle or previous Batgirls seems to have happened.Do you really think they would be friends? On what basis?

[Agent_Dark]

Starling is one of the best characters around :0. Since they're seemingly gutting the Helena Bertinelli character, Starling steps up and fills that "bad girl" role awesomely.

[FHIZ]

I want to meet Starling's Uncle Earl so badly. I wonder when that Perez inventory issue with him is gonna come out. I'd think the issue after the Night of the Owls cross over would probably be the most ideal time.

[Power Torch]

It's a nice little scene, not a cameo or a full team-up.

It made me miss writing Dinah even more though, holy crap. That girl needs her own book BAD.
Oh, yes, and you need to write it! It needs to be done!

I can not wait to see you writing Black Canary again! (Not that I don't like Swierczynski's way of writing her lol) Even if its just a nice little scene.

I would love to see you write Starling too, so sad that they said no, it makes no since.


Anyways, I am loving Birds of Prey, and Swierczynski's writing and his story, and as always I can not wait for the next issue.

[X-23_1977]

Do you really think they would be friends? On what basis?

Nothing behind it, I just enjoyed the previous friendship, and think if Fail and crew built up Babs and Cass this younger Babs with likely similar aged Cass could become good friends is all.

[Zorkel567]

Having just read an article by a fan theorizing about Earth 2 and guessing Black Canary is from Earth 2, and then reading this article saying Dinah's backstory is to be delved into next arc, right around the lead up to and introduction of Earth 2, it makes me wonder if Black Canary really is from Earth 2...

[Famousringo]

No wonder this book is so fun. It sounds like the author is having an absolute blast. I love that even he isn't quite sure where he's going with some of this stuff.



It made me miss writing Dinah even more though, holy crap. That girl needs her own book BAD.

Part of me wants to agree mightily, but then wouldn't she have to step aside as the leader of BoP? I mean, if Babs can't be the leader because she's on her solo book, and Dinah can't because she gets a new solo book, and Helena's off playing in another dimension...

Starling could maybe hold it down, but she seems too new to be the lead. Ivy's too evil, Katana's too crazy.

Vote Scandal Savage for leader of the Birds of Prey! :biggrin:

[theXfactor]

I see no reason (beyond sales) why Black Canary couldn't star in her own book AND lead the Birds of Prey.

[StDumas]

I see no reason (beyond sales)That's like saying "I see no reason (beyond gravity) why I shouldn't jump off a building."

[theXfactor]

That's like saying "I see no reason (beyond gravity) why I shouldn't jump off a building."

The poster above me made it sound like she wouldn't lead for story-related reasons. Like getting a new book would make her leave the team for some reason.

[Godlike13]

That's like saying "I see no reason (beyond gravity) why I shouldn't jump off a building."

Hey, given a bungee cord or parachute, jumping off a building can be a blast :cool:.

[Rakzo]

I love all the characters and the direction of the title, although I don't know why they have'nt mentioned Helena yet, I thought she was going to be on the team.

It's a shame that Gail could'nt write Starling on Batgirl, I would like to see what kind of dialogue Gail could implement with her.

[vampiric_cannibal]

Why would an editor nix someone having a teammate briefly pop up in their solo book? New characters need exposure, it's practically oxygen.

[Famousringo]

The poster above me made it sound like she wouldn't lead for story-related reasons. Like getting a new book would make her leave the team for some reason.

In the linked interview, it's explained that one of the reasons Barbara isn't the focus of BoP is because she has her own solo book where she's the focus all the time. I'm extending that logic to a hypothetical situation where Black Canary also has a solo book.

[theXfactor]

In the linked interview, it's explained that one of the reasons Barbara isn't the focus of BoP is because she has her own solo book where she's the focus all the time. I'm extending that logic to a hypothetical situation where Black Canary also has a solo book.

I get your point, but those are different situations. In Batgirl's case, it would feel like she was stealing the other character's thunder, because she joined later on isn't very confortable ith the team's m.o, so having her as a central character wouldn't feel very organic. Black Canary's would be a different case, she's already the "leader" or at least co-leader, so she shouldn't leave her current position because of a solo. Just my two cents ;)

[Doctor Voodoo]

Right now, Starling is my least favorite character

http://www.3sigma.com/wp-content/uploads//2011/11/cain-smile-frown.gif

[paulski]

Right now, Starling is my least favorite character...

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dcdi--LdAeQ/Sa1sWd8j4pI/AAAAAAAAEBg/BGX_vc32JHc/s400/wtf.jpg

[StDumas]

I don't get what's so hard to understand about Starling being less interesting than BC, Kat, and Ivy.

[paulski]

Less interesting than Katana? Really?

I'm wondering if we're reading different titles. :wink:

[StDumas]

Less interesting than Katana? Really?Let's see, '50s pin-up who's a :gasp: lesbian or a woman-samurai that may or may not actually be in communion with a sword possessed by her dead husband's sword? Not such a tough call for me.

[Agent_Dark]

Let's see, '50s pin-up who's a :gasp: lesbian or a woman-samurai that may or may not actually be in communion with a sword possessed by her dead husband's sword? Not such a tough call for me.

Starling is a 50s pin-up? :confused:

[paulski]

Not as far as I can tell.

[StDumas]

Starling is a 50s pin-up?Considering the P-08s she carries around, maybe I should have said 40s? Ah, it must be the tatoo that's confusing you. So edgy.

[Little MY]

Whilst I originally found starling annoying, I have grown accosutmed to her just like how I have grown to accept Black Canary’s new outfit. Starling to me is more of an exaggerated anime character that has to make a scene wherever she goes, its just part of her personality and I'm pretty sure that deep down there is more to her than what've seen so far.

[StDumas]

I'm pretty sure that deep down there is more to her than what've seen so far.Undoubtedly so but please also consider that we've seen more of Starling in the first five issues than anyone else, including BC. I get that she's being introduced, yes. What I mean is that even getting the lion's share of characterization isn't totally helping. On the contrary, I expect this is why folks feel the character is being forced on them. It's probably why folks who like the character love the title.

[T Hedge Coke]

Let's see, '50s pin-up who's a :gasp: lesbian or a woman-samurai that may or may not actually be in communion with a sword possessed by her dead husband's sword? Not such a tough call for me.

"Gasp"? Really?

The importance of that scene was that she has someone she goes to quietly, reluctantly, as opposed to her loud presence otherwise. Not, that the person she goes to is a woman she probably had sex with.

Overreaction is overreaction.

Anyhow, while I'm happy with what we're getting, I am a bit annoyed that a team with Ivy on it is treating Katana as the crazy one. Between that and her redesign I'm a bit meh, though she's been cool enough it doesn't bug me much.

[StDumas]

The importance of that scene was that she has someone she goes to quietly, reluctantly, as opposed to her loud presence otherwise. Not, that the person she goes to is a woman she probably had sex with.I was just trying to cover all my bases with Starling. I didn't want to say "she's a pin-up girl" and then have someone yell "how dare you say diversity is boring!" I've seen the scene interpreted around the net as another positive step in that regard and it seemed unfair not to mention it.