I just wanted to give everyone a heads up on things happening here so there was no confusion when the DC April 2013 solicitations went public.

DC has decided to go in a different direction with Birds of Prey and it’s been decided that I won’t be the writer on board the series after all.

Obviously I’m disappointed, but I also know this isn’t any kind of personal judgement about me, it’s a business and creative decision that came late in the process. I’ve been working in and around the comic industry for the past ten years and know it can be a wild ride. This is still a step forward for my career, just not as big of one as I’d hoped.

I want to thank the DC editorial staff who worked with me over the past few months as we developed stories, characters and plot lines: Mike Marts, Rachel Gluckstern and Rickey Purdin. I want to give a special thank you to Bobbie Chase for asking me to pitch on Birds of Prey and championing my approach. I knew I was a bit of a dark horse going into the race and she gave me a chance to show what I could do.

Thank you also to the writers who helped make me feel a part of the DC creative family: Ray Fawkes, Scott Snyder, Justin Jordan, Gail Simone, James Tynion IV and Charles Soule.

Even though this didn’t work out the way I planned, I feel fortunate I was able to put my best foot forward. I’m hopeful about other writing opportunities to come in 2013 and am optimistic about comics as a whole.

Thank you for your support and encouragement. It means everything and keeps me plugging away looking to the next goal.

Jim

So, how was your day yesterday?

Man oh man… I was not prepared for the incredible response from the announcement that I’m now writing for DC Comics, taking over fan favorite title Birds of Prey starting in March with issue #18.

Friends, family, fans and a wave of new readers came out of the woodwork to congratulate me and wish me well. It was unbelievable and heartwarming. I was really nervous about the announcement and worried that people would make assumptions about my story plans or assume I was a bad fit, but that wasn’t the case at all. Lots of people telling me they’ll pick up the series and give it a try, lots of encouragement and excitement. I actually had to shut my internet off in the afternoon so I could get my page count for the day done (finishing up my 2nd Birds of Prey script, ironically enough) because the messages from well wishers were bombarding my email inbox every minute or two.

So incredible. Thank you, everyone.

For anyone who hasn’t heard of Birds of Prey, it’s a monthly DC comic book centered around a team of (almost always) female superheroes. It chronicles their triumphs and failures, their missions and personal moments. It’s a series that’s been around, in various incarnations, for over 15 years. It has a loyal and dedicated fan base who have grown to love the characters and their adventures.

As I covered in the interview yesterday, it’s a big challenge and one I’m really enjoying digging into. Working for DC, one of the “Big Two” of the North American comic book industry, is a real step up in terms of the profile, audience size and legitimacy of my work. It’s the sporting equivalent of moving from triple-A into the major leagues.

Although I can’t reveal everyone on the team for my run just yet, here are the characters that are public knowledge so far:

BATGIRL: The genius crime-fighting prodigy of the Dark Night detective.
BLACK CANARY: A top-notch martial artist who can emit a powerful sonic scream called the “Canary Cry”.
STARLING: A trouble-making and sassy marksman who specializes in espionage and information gathering.
STRIX: A mute assassin who escaped from a nefarious cult-like organization called the Court of Owls.

I’m working with well established DC mainstays, evolving the story for current characters and developing new heroes and villains to introduce into the series. It’s a really exciting time for me and I can’t wait until the first issue of my run arrives in stores. If you haven’t read a superhero comic before, or have lapsed from reading them, I’d be thrilled if you considered picking up Birds of Prey #18 in March or, if you want to jump in with both feet, let your local comic shop know you want to subscribe so they can hold a copy for you every month.

2013 looks like it’s going to be a really exciting year.