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.

[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.

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.