Letters to All-Star #16: Birds of Prey

Because I feel like the feedback I sent Don after reading this issue pretty much encapsulates my feelings towards this story, I've trimmed it a bit and removed the insults, and decided to post it here:

I've just read one of the most concise and perfect "fight issues" on site in this story. I mean, Christ Don, this stuff is great-- you never lose track of whose fighting who, there's a genuine menace from the Mortallas and SPIDER because this isn't the Justice League, this is freaking... Jonni Thunder, Zenobia, Hawkgirl and Manitou Dawn-- these people don't have to survive the issue because, to be fair, and no offence to you, but they're nobodies, and it's amazing to have that sense of wonder and fear for characters in a superhero fight, right? Loved this issue. . Halo's transformation was... strange. Almost physical, almost like you can see her transforming from Gabrielle into Halo, but at the same time, a completely inward change, but the way it's written, very tight, very full of wonder, and it'll be tres interesting to see where that goes over the issues. Liked the idea of Zenobia's sanctuary, and every line of dialogue from her mouth was a delight. One of my favourite "original DC2 characters", as it were.

Thanks a lot, Charlie and Boris. It's greatly appreciated, as always.

Charlie, I'm glad you enjoyed the fight scenes. I usually enjoy plotting them out, and I have to admit, this one was so very tough for obvious reasons: keeping the three Mortallas straight and making them a match for Zenobia.

Sam was wholly responsible for the writing on Halo's storyline as the entity and Gabrielle's journey to the ship, and the final merging, and her wordplay on the matter was most excellent. So I'm glad you could feel it, makes it all worth it. As to where we go next, just hang on and see.

And I love Dawn too, so never fear, she'll always get her moments to shine. They all will, we have a great cast coming up, and we'll be back in February, so hang on tight, everyone.

And as for the cover, Boris, you're so right...Steve struck a grand slam with this one, and Sam and I are so honored he put this work in for our title. Thanks a ton, Steve!

Take care
Don

I wouldn't say he's stealing the characters. He's making them prominent by using them. Who else was using Halo or Dawn or Zenobia right now? Correct. Nobody. So I'm HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPPPPPPPPY he's using them.
And I wouldn't call Wonder Woman and Doctor Light scraps
There are so many heroines. Introduce and use them.

Thanks for the support, you guys It has been a lot of fun getting to work with some more obscure characters, if only for having a bit more of a blank slate to go on. If the characters don't always precisely line up with how they were in the comics...no one'd ever heard of Mortalla anyway XD

I'm really glad the Mortalla storyline made sense and worked out, I spent a lot of time trying to get that all just right. the birth of Halo took a lot of thought too, and a lot of timing within the fight scene (which was almost all Don's wonderful work, of course.)

Co-writing and co-creating has become one of the sheer delights on this site, and it's lovely to see it happen once again on a brilliant title. I know you've both written together before on the DC3, or something of the like, but this is the first time we've seen it from you on the DC2 and it does not disappoint. Some of my best stuff has come out of collaboration! Mainly because I don't have to take the full blame for it ;D