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John Ostrander Facebook Q&A Transcript

This afternoon, veteran comic book writer John Ostrander chatted with Star Wars fans on Del Rey's Star Wars Books Facebook page. Ostrander, whose Star Wars work includes the Republic, Legacy, Agent of the Empire, and Dawn of the Jedi comic series, recently made the jump to Star Wars prose with a short story in Star Wars Insider that ties into Timothy Lebbon's Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void novel. Below is a transcript of fans' questions and Ostrander's responses.

Q: What character would you like to do a story for but haven’t yet?
A: I don't think I've done a Han solo story. That could be fun.

Q: Do you see Cade making a comeback?
A: Always a possibility -- he's still out there.

Q: I was wondering if you had ever thought about adapting any of the EU novels to comic form?
A: Nothing has been said so far as I know. Adapting a novel to a comic, or a film for that matter, is very tricky.

Q: Regarding Dawn of the Jedi, do you feel like the proponents of the dark side have a legitimate point of view and do you hope to express this point of view in future Star Wars works if you have the opportunity?
A: They wind up if a Force War against one another. That might suggest their view isn't completely sound.

Q: So you feel the Je'daii are wrong to balance the two sides of the force then?
A: They've done it for a long time. But Yoda always said that one you've started down that path it would always mess with your future. Do we think he (and the Jedi) are right?

Q: Do you ever hope to fill in some of the blanks for the Jedi that lived to see Legacy (like K'Kruhk)?
A: Not in the plans at the moment.

Q: Star Wars: Legacy seems to be almost universally loved and respected by the fan base. However, it is one of the works most likely to be affected by the coming of the Sequel Trilogy. What's it like as a creator to have you work caught up in this interesting mix? Will changes of continuity affect your views of the work?
A: Not something that I can control. The books however are out there and will remain so. This is true of my work at other companies like DC and Marvel as well. You do good work and if you don't own the characters, you're content to do good work.

Q: At the end of Republic, Quinlan Vos had a son. Is he going to be making an appearance anytime soon? Or have we maybe already seen him/his descendants? Also, who would win in a fight, Aquaman or K'Kruhk?
A: No current plans for Korto Vos. As for who would win? Trident vs. lightsaber. Well, K'Kruhk has been "killed" so many times -- who knows?

Q: The Legacy series was a fantastic run! How does somebody get into the Star Wars comic industry?
A: That's really tough. As with the book, you have to already have a track record in the field. They want people who are experienced.

Q: So how does someone start in comics then?
A: That's a pretty involved answer. The key is to get published SOMEWHERE, including online. Then you have something to show a publisher and/or editor.

Q: What led to the concept of the beginnings of Dawn of the Jedi?
A: We'd already been doing LEGACY which was set BEYOND the current era so our first thought, after Legacy finished for us, was to go back and see how the Jedi started.

Q: I'm still pretty green to Star Wars comics as a whole, have you ever worked with your longtime collaborator Tom Mandrake on a Star Wars series, and if not, do you think you guys will sometime?
A: Actually, I'm currently working with Tom's wife -- Jan Duursema. I love working with Tom and would do it in a heartbeat but we haven't done it on Star Wars thus far.

Q: How do you think Disney will deal with the comic license now?
A: I don't know that the books ARE leaving Dark Horse. And what Disney decides to do is what they decide to do.

Q: Which Star Wars movie is your favorite?
A: Nothing will ever beat my first Star Wars experience, which was the original film, aka Episode IV. I was blown away by the opening moments and I still don't think I'm recovered!

Q: What are your favorite and least favorite characters to write?
A: As a writer, I have to find something of myself in ALL the characters that I write. The characters I find myself most drawn to are the ones who are not perfect, who have defects -- true in all of my writing, not just Star Wars.

Q: When it comes to writing, which EU era is your favorite?
A: My favorite era is the one that I'm writing in at the moment. This week it’s Dawn of the Jedi. When I was doing Agent of the Empire, it was that one.

Q: Why did Dark Horse decide to discontinue Agent of the Empire?
A: Old story -- sales were not robust enough. I loved doing it though.

Q: Was this your first foray into non-comic Star Wars fiction? Also, any chance we'll see more? Perhaps a novel, maybe featuring Cade Skywalker... or Villie?
A: First time in Star Wars prose, yes. I would love to do more prose in general. Cade or Villie would be fun!

Q: In Legacy, what was your inspiration for a Jedi on drugs? What would you say is the main theme of your run on the series?
A: Cade wasn't really much of a Jedi for most of the series; he rejected his legacy and the Jedi. So I can't say he was really a Jedi on drugs. He was a Skywalker on drugs -- scary enough!

Q: Is there a relationship between the Tho Yor in Dawn of the Jedi and the Mortis monolith seen in the third season of The Clone Wars?
A: Ah, that remains to be seen, isn't it?

Q: Is the Dawn of the Jedi before or after the comic series? Are there any characters from the comic in your new novel?
A: Tim Lebbon did the novel and it takes place roughly at the same time as the first arc of the comic. I did a short story in the back that actually precedes the events in the main story and does have one of the characters from the comic.

Q: Vilmarh Grahark is one of my most favorite characters. Is there any chance he can make an appearance again, perhaps in Agent of the Empire?
A: Villie was always one of my faves. He always threatened to take over any story he was in. Alas, no current plans to bring him back. And no more Agent either.

Q: Is there any chance that some of your (and Jan Duursema’s) characters will appear in Star Wars Rebels?
A: I have no idea. Quin and Aayla appeared in TCW so it's a possibility.

Q: Do you have any conclusion in mind for Quinlan Vos?
A: I have no further conclusions for Quin. I like to think he's around somewhere.

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