Originally an actor in theOrganic Theater Company inChicago, Ostrander moved into writing comics in 1983.[4] His first published works were stories about the character "Sargon, Mistress of War", and appeared in theFirst Comics seriesWarp!, based on a series of plays by that same Chicago theater company. He andTimothy Truman co-created the characterGrimjack, who originally appeared in a backup story in the First Comics title,Starslayer, before receiving his own title. Just prior to entering the comics industry, Ostrander had a supporting character named for him inThe Daring New Adventures of Supergirl series. His friend, writerPaul Kupperberg, incorporated him into the Supergirl storyline in 1982.[5]
Ostrander made hisDC Comics debut by plotting the miniseriesLegends, which was scripted byLen Wein and penciled byJohn Byrne.[6] A new version of theSuicide Squad was introduced inLegends, including the team's leader,Amanda Waller.[7] The character has been substantially adapted into animated and live-action media and is portrayed byViola Davis in the 2016 filmSuicide Squad and the 2021 filmThe Suicide Squad. FollowingLegends, Ostrander and artistLuke McDonnell launched the Suicide Squad into their own title in 1987 and developed several characters for the series.[8][9] Later that same year, he and actor/writerDel Close created theWasteland series with a rotating roster of artists.[10] He and Close had previously worked together on Munden's Bar backup stories inGrimjack.[11]
From 1987 until her death frombreast cancer in 1997, Ostrander frequently co-wrote with his wifeKim Yale including on theManhunter series.[4] It was while working together onSuicide Squad that they recastBarbara Gordon, the formerBatgirl, into the information and computer specialist Oracle.[12]
Ostrander has been a frequent collaborator with artistTom Mandrake. They have worked together onGrimjack,Firestorm,TheSpectre, andMartian Manhunter.[13] Ostrander's in-depth explorations of morality were used in his work writingThe Spectre,[14] a DC Comics series about the manifestation of the wrath of God. His focus on the character's human aspect, a dead police detective from the 1930s namedJim Corrigan, and his exploration of moral and theological themes. In issue #54 (June 1997), the creative team introduced the character Michael Holt as a new version ofMister Terrific.[15] Following the end ofThe Spectre series, they moved onto aMartian Manhunter series.[16] In December 2006, a story-arc titled "Grotesk" by Ostrander and Mandrake appeared inBatman issues 659–662.[17]
In 1990, Ostrander launched an ongoingHawkworld series which followed Timothy Truman's limited series of the same name.[4] In 1993, the title was cancelled and relaunched asHawkman with art byJan Duursema.[18]
Ostrander contributed to theSilver Age Sentinels short story anthologies fromGuardians of Order.[22] He was nominated for theComics Buyer's Guide Award for Favorite Writer in 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000. In 2010, he co-wroteSecret Six issues 14–18 with writerGail Simone.[9] Ostrander maintains an online presence on the World Famous Comics Network[23] and writes a weekly column on the ComicMix site.[24] Ostrander made a cameo appearance as Dr. Fitzgibbon in the 2021 filmThe Suicide Squad.[25]
Ostrander suffers fromglaucoma. To help cover the costs incurred by his treatment for it, a benefit auction was organized for the 2009Chicago Comic Con.[9][26]
^Mitchell, Brian John (January 2005)."John Ostrander Interview January 2005".QRD. Archived fromthe original on February 6, 2012. RetrievedFebruary 23, 2012.I was raised [Roman Catholic] and even thought of becoming a priest, to the point of going to the seminary for a year.
^Ostrander, John (September 18, 2008)."Economic Fundamentalists". ComicMix. Archived fromthe original on March 7, 2012. RetrievedFebruary 23, 2012.If I'm an agnostic about deities, I might as well doubt economists, too.
^Manning, Matthew K.; Dolan, Hannah (2010). "1980s".DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. London, United Kingdom:Dorling Kindersley. p. 221.ISBN978-0-7566-6742-9.DC's next big crossover showcased John Byrne's pencils on all six of the miniseries' issues. EntitledLegends, this new limited series was plotted by writer John Ostrander and scripted by Len Wein...By the series' end, the stage was set for several new ongoing titles, including...theSuicide Squad, as well as theJustice League.
^Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 228: "Writer John Ostrander gave the new Suicide Squad its own series, having brought the team to life in 1986's Legends miniseries...With the team's own title, Ostrander was helped by artist Luke McDonnell."
^Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 239: "Barbara [Gordon] set herself as an information guru...Called Oracle, Barbara was recruited by the Suicide Squad in the pages of issue #23 of the Squad's comic, written by John Ostrander and Kim Yale, and pencilled by Luke McDonnell."
^Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 255: "The crime fighter from beyond the grave, the Spectre, was back in a new series by writer John Ostrander and artist Tom Mandrake."
^Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 279: "The Spectre ongoing series was nearing its end, but that didn't stop writer John Ostrander and artist Tom Mandrake from pooling their creative forces to create one of the DCU's newest shining stars...An inspired and reborn [Michael] Holt then picked up the mantle of Mr. Terrific."
^Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 285: "The fan-favorite team of writer John Ostrander and artist Tom Mandrake, fresh off their lengthy run onThe Spectre, were ready to take on another caped powerhouse withMartian Manhunter.
^Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 260: "Chicago had a guardian angel with armored wings in Hawkman's latest adventures by writer John Ostrander and artist Jan Duursema."
^Watson, Polly, "Makin' History With John Ostrander", Published inThe Marvel Comics July 1998 Catalogue, Dated July 1998
^ab"The Inquisitor Returns!".Doctor Who Magazine. No. 341. Panini Comics. 31 March 2004. p. 6.
^"Exclusive! Gary Russell Reveals the Future of the Eighth Doctor Audios - Final McGann 'Season'".Doctor Who Magazine. No. 343. Panini Comics. 26 May 2004. p. 4.
