REFLECTIONS: Tony Bedard

[andy khouri]

Tony Bedard talks to CBR's Robert Taylor about “Birds of Prey,” having Barbara Gordon and The Joker meet for the first time since “The Killing Joke,” and looks at “Countdown to Final Crisis” in retrospect.

http://comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=16669

[Magneto Rocks]

Bedard's a pretty talented guy, it's interesting to see what he has to say. His issues tended, by and large, to be not-as-bad as the rest. I don't think it's a coincidence that he wrote 5 issues back-to-back around the time Countdown wasn't actually *bad* anymore, or that it sank to it's lowest depths after he was done on it after 13.

That said...

Because of the way the book was set up, it was not as collaborative as I would have liked. I got to collaborate with [head writer Paul] Dini a lot one-on-one. It was mostly each of us hashing out our particular part with him, rather than everyone in the same room figuring out the whole tale.

...Am I the only one who thinks this wasd very obviously a MONUMENTALLY bad way to coordinate?

[Drumore]

I think this is their first face-to-face encounter since “The Killing Joke,” even though they had a confrontation in earlier issues of “Birds of Prey,” but filtered through a computer screen and her Oracle persona.

FYI: In BOP #15-17, Barbara and Joker faced each other while he was captured in the back of the van. She opened the window to show him they were in New York where his bomb would go off. He called her "wheels" and wondered if he was the reason she was in the wheelchair.

[reflecto]

I'm so pleased to see how happy and motivated Bedard is with regard to BoP. I love that he keys into what Gail Simone set up so well during her run that he's able to craft an effective continuation of it.
My hope is that this Joker scenario gives the book a nice sales boost, so that all the doomsayers can move on to another target.

[del gorky]

Bedard immediately is making two big mistakes with this title. First moving the book quickly to a third locale and then it being a completely new one to the DC Universe.

Birds of Prey under Simone had a very connected to the rest of the DCU feel and would often bring in lots of guest stars and well known locales within the DCU. Bedard is seemingly isolating the group in an environment with no real history and thus making it an easier one he can control as the writer. It smells a bit of him trying too hard to make the book his.

The second big mistake is playing the big Joker card as a gimmick and a way to goose sales and attention. If Chuck Dixon and Gail Simone could resist using this, he should too. Immediately, people will compare it to Killing Joke and I don't think Bedard can handle the scrutiny. Maybe within a year he can kill a Bird of Prey, that'll boost sales; hell, why not go all the way and have her raped and tossed in a refrigerator. Cheap stunts don't build readership. Solid issue after solid issue will. Dixon and Simone left plenty of toys to play with; I'd like to see what he could do with those before being force fed his special city and his special characters which will no doubt follow: Mary Sue joins the Birds of Prey.

It won't take much to make me quit buying this book, it's had instability at writer recently and it looks like the art team is changing too. I'm not thrilled about getting a new writer who can't even be bothered to get Connor Hawke's mother right.

[reflecto]

The second big mistake is playing the big Joker card as a gimmick and a way to goose sales and attention. If Chuck Dixon and Gail Simone could resist using this, he should too. Immediately, people will compare it to Killing Joke and I don't think Bedard can handle the scrutiny.

Should Barbara and The Joker be kept apart forever? I can't think of a single good reason why Bedard should be criticized for a story we haven't even read yet. The idea is a good one-- emotionally charged and connecting to DCU history.

[Drumore]

The second big mistake is playing the big Joker card as a gimmick and a way to goose sales and attention. If Chuck Dixon and Gail Simone could resist using this, he should too. Immediately, people will compare it to Killing Joke and I don't think Bedard can handle the scrutiny

Valid point, although Dixon did use Joker in BOP #15-17, where Barbara looked him eye-to-eye. Dixon was also wrote JOKER LAST LAUGH, although it was Black Canary who dealt with him, not Oracle.

[reflecto]

Valid point,

I disagree that it's a valid point. Why would people compare a 20-year-old Batman vs. Joker story to a current tale where Joker goes up against the Birds of Prey? Granted, the upcoming story will deal with an event that is portrayed in the earlier one, but it's a loose end that desperately needs tying up Beyond that, I don't see where the two stories would necessarily be comparable in any way. Bedard is a talented writer and I have every confidence that he'll provide readers with a meaningful, thrilling tale.

[Alexx1]

I disagree that it's a valid point. Why would people compare a 20-year-old Batman vs. Joker story to a current tale where Joker goes up against the Birds of Prey? Granted, the upcoming story will deal with an event that is portrayed in the earlier one, but it's a loose end that desperately needs tying up Beyond that, I don't see where the two stories would necessarily be comparable in any way. Bedard is a talented writer and I have every confidence that he'll provide readers with a meaningful, thrilling tale.

And not to mention the encounter between Babs and Joker in earlier BoP's was very anti-climatic. It was almost a waste of an encounter, IMO. It left this BoP fan wanting and waiting for the day these two would cross paths again. It's also nice that it will have to envolve Huntress, seeing as the Joker shot her in NML. There is so much potential for this story. I have high expecations for this encounter and don't believe Tony Bedard will dissappoint.

[I am MODOK]

I hate to say it, but Countdown was so bad that I'm kind of avoiding the writers' work on other titles now. I used to follow Bedard to everything he wrote, and I was intrigued by McKeever, but now I'm pretty wary...

[WorstThingUS]

And not to mention the encounter between Babs and Joker in earlier BoP's was very anti-climatic. It was almost a waste of an encounter, IMO. It left this BoP fan wanting and waiting for the day these two would cross paths again. It's also nice that it will have to envolve Huntress, seeing as the Joker shot her in NML. There is so much potential for this story. I have high expecations for this encounter and don't believe Tony Bedard will dissappoint.

Yeah, this is a long overdue meeting, but I do like Dixon's idea that The Joker murders and maims so many, Barbara doesn't even register to him. Only what he's done to Batman matters, which is why he remembers killing Jason Todd.

My real problem with Tony right now his this desire to work with Ed Benes. God, no! We just got his soft-core porn work off this book and I have no desire to see it return. I left before because of him and I'll leave again.

[carabas]

Yeah, this is a long overdue meeting, but I do like Dixon's idea that The Joker murders and maims so many, Barbara doesn't even register to him. Only what he's done to Batman matters, which is why he remembers killing Jason Todd.

That makes no sense because the whole point of tormenting the Gordons was getting to Batman and proving to him that all anyone needs is One Bad Day.

[reflecto]

I do like Dixon's idea that The Joker murders and maims so many, Barbara doesn't even register to him. Only what he's done to Batman matters, which is why he remembers killing Jason Todd.

That makes no sense at all considering that Gordon and his family are well-known associates of Batman and high-profile citizens of Gotham. The more I learn about Chuck Dixon, the more I wonder what the hell he's doing writing comics.

[Alexx1]

I hate to say it, but Countdown was so bad that I'm kind of avoiding the writers' work on other titles now. I used to follow Bedard to everything he wrote, and I was intrigued by McKeever, but now I'm pretty wary...

To be fair, Countdown as a whole was a total mess, from the bottom to the top. I'm not sure that should be laid at Bedard's feet. Once again, I think he did the best he could with the circumstances giving him. I think Bedard is one of the very few writer's that make the most of CRAP giving to him. With some of his steller past work, especially his team orienated titles: Negation, Exiles...I can't see anyone holding Countdown against him. If DC gives him free rain over BoP, I can't see it not being a terrific, plot/character driven read month in and month out.

[Usernamessd]

I hate to say it, but Countdown was so bad that I'm kind of avoiding the writers' work on other titles now. I used to follow Bedard to everything he wrote, and I was intrigued by McKeever, but now I'm pretty wary...

DC Editorial,don't shoot the messenger.