Letters to New Outsiders #6

Tragic, moving, giving a message that is strong yet doesn't take over the book. This is a masterpiece Brian, I've said it before about your work and I'll say it again... You write the book so amazingly, giving emotions to characters, showing depth that others would gloss over with a witty remark or what not. You show humanity behind the masks, give personality to characters who, as of yet on this site, haven't been given one. I think Speedy, so far on this site, has been neglected, sidelined in the lastest arc of Teen Titans and given a bit of good exposure in the original one... But it's just... Wow. You feel for the characters, and you're shown what's happening in a brutal punch to the teeth kind of way. I really can't express how your stuff makes me feel as a writer and as a reader, but just... Wow. This is one of the best issues of the site, and once again, you're my best of the week. Keep it up, else I'll hunt you down.

Very moving story, spotlighting on Green Arrow and Black Canary, (and Speedy) allowing emotional depth that's harder to capture when writing about the whole team. We see Ollie as a human being, and a messed up one at that. Usually superheroes are depicted as archetypes of virtue (well, maybe not Batman) and seeing them in a different light like this allows me to feel for and care about them a little more. I like Green Arrow because of his attitude and yes, his failings, and this story beautifully touched on what makes him tick. Though if I were Ollie I wouldn't let Batman see me cry like that.

Wow, thanks guys! I'm speechless, not sure what to say other then thank you, from the bottom of my heart. It means a lot that it touched you guys.

I do want to take a second for anyone who wants to read this and say that the character of Annie in this story is based off of a young woman that I met almost ten years ago when I was volunteering at a homeless shelter in Toledo, Ohio. When I met her she was around 19 or 20, and like Annie, had an addiction. Hers was crack. She, too, had been moved from foster home to foster home and what happened to Annie, happened to her. She took to the streets and ended up in LA when she was 15. She too got involved with what Annie did to make money for her addiction, and after a few years, went back to her home town of Toledo, where she lived on the streets and hooked to get the money she needed. She came to the shelter on a semi regular basis, and many people knew her. She was a very nice, very cheerful person. Never apologizing for how she was or what she did. But when I met her and got to know her, she didn't look 19 or 20. Her eyes, her face, the way she carried herself, all came from a woman who had seen too much and grew up way too fast. Eventually I stopped volunteering when my own children came and life took me in a different direction, but I did stop there once, about two years later, and nobody had seen her in a good long time.

I've told her story to my two girls (foster kids who had a tad of a rough time themselves) because now they are 13 and 11, and getting into that "nobody understands me" and "I have life so rough," stage. I know, I did it too at that age. I will eventually tell my two boys who are now to young to really understand. But by telling them the story of this young woman I hope to show them not only that there are truly kids who are in desperate situations, but that no matter what the problem is, no matter how dark or grave they think their life is, that somewhere out there is a person who will help them, save them, be their hero. They just have to hold on, and never, never, give up hope. And personally I pray that I can be that person.

So I guess this story is for Julie. I hope she held on and found a hero.

Peace,

Brian

OK, I never see any of the Outsiders tales. What should I do?

Wow. That opening image will stay with me for some time. Annie on the bed and Superman in the background. Wow. The story was consice yet loaded with characterization. Everyone behaved exactly as they should and for the right reasons. Doesn't really matter if you can bend steel in your bare hands or shoot arrows with unerring accuracy if your reason for doing it isn't right. I was really sursprised Annie didn't make it. Pleasantly surprised and sad, if that makes sense. Sad that she didn't, but from a story standpoint it surprised me.
This series is constantly moving the characters forward, and that's why I keep coming back to it.
Thanks.

I don't care if Batman sees me, I'm crying right now.

Seriously, Brian, both the story and your reason behind it have moved me to tears. This is the sort of story you could show to anyone, fanboy or regular schmoe, and they would be hard-pressed to not be affected by it. I knew what was coming in some respects, but it was how it came out that got to me. This was the best New Outsiders story yet, and I agree with Circle, it's one of the best on DC2 period. You now have A LOT to live up to after this, because we're all gonna want you to keep giving us such high-quality fics.

right, that confused me too, but from what i hear it will be explained in further stories. great issue brian. i had the great pleasure in reading this in advance and i have got to say it rocked/

Ramon is right (and thanks for the kind words Ramon), Skorpio will return and we will find out much more about him. I would have loved to touch on it more this issue, but thought it would pull away from the focus of the story. Glad you enjoyed it Dr.!

Great cover, Ramon. It really captured the mood of the story.

Awesome work.

I was just wondering... how were the members chosen?

Well, I guess the only answer I can give is that this particular combination felt right together. I'm a big fan of Gail Simone's BOP run, and was hoping to capture a little of that dynamic, mixed with a harder-edged team-feel (thus Green Arrow, Vigilante)--- and Zatanna is a character I always felt should have more exposure.
Another, perhaps subconcious reason, may be that with most every other title we started this site with, we were staying pretty close to traditional presentation, and perhaps I wanted something that was uniquely DC2, while at the same time staying true to the stuff we love about the DCU. I really believe this team should exist in the DCU!

Thanks for the kind words, Apprentice. And thank you very much for letting me borrow Mr. Harper. Personally, what you are doing in Titans is incredible work and you have a lot to be proud of. Yours is the first story I turn to in our forth week, and I've been throughly entertained every time. And I'm really looking forward to that thing that we're doing after the IXE. You know, that "special" thing.

actually Ramon, I always save Powers as my last read. Usually late at night, after a few tequila shooters.

This was a powerful story. It could have been cheesy but it wasn't. It felt personal and after reading your real life inspiration I understand why! You are truly a talented writer. I have always felt that not everyone that can write, should. You can and should OFTEN!! If but only once in your life you can tell a story that begs to be told, you have added something to the world that no one can take away!
If I had to place a safe bet, I would say that you are a wonderful Father and person in the "real world". Thank you Brian!