James Harvey
11-27-2001, 11:01 AM
Paul Storrie has released official information on his upcoming mini-series Gotham Girls:
Writer Paul D. Storrie, whose first published work for DC Comics was the recent Batman Beyond #23, returns to the shadowed streets of Gotham with a five issue mini-series called GOTHAM GIRLS. If the title sounds familiar, that's because it is also the name of the popular DC Online webtoon.
Storrie had this to say about how the project came about:
"As I was finishing up my second issue of BATMAN BEYOND, one that didn't see print because of the book's cancellation, I started kicking around ideas for a new DC project. One day I was checking out the DC Online website and the link to the Gotham Girls webtoon link caught my eye. They're short Flash animation stories featuring the female characters from the BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES cartoons: Batgirl, Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn. I remembered watching a couple of them when they first started up and liking them a lot, so popped over and checked out some more. Fun stuff. So, I said to myself, 'DC should be doing a comic like this!' Then I fired off a proposal to Michael Wright, the Associate Editor at the Bat-Office with whom I worked on BATMAN BEYOND saying just that. He completely agreed."
"Only thing was, the Batman Animated books had just been handed to Joan Hilty, editor of the Cartoon Network comics. Michael passed the proposal on to Joan and her reaction was pretty much the same as his -- 'Why aren't we doing a series based on this?'"
Storrie describes the series as a fast-paced caper / chase with all the lead characters scrambling to get their hands on a very special item. The writer went on to explain that each issue of the series will spotlight one character. A quick glance, however, shows that equation doesn't add up. Four Gotham Girls, five issues.
"Although she wasn't in my original proposal, I soon realized there was an unsung Gotham Girl I really wanted to include. I decided to have her in the background of the four issues focusing on Batgirl, Catwoman, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy. Joan, in her infinite wisdom, insisted that the character deserved her own issue. Who was I to argue?"
The character in question is Detective Renee Montoya of the Gotham City Police. She doesn't
appear in the Gotham Girls webtoons but she was created for BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES. Later, she was added to the regular Batman titles and became an important member of the supporting cast.
"I'm having a great time writing Renee Montoya. She was an interesting character in the cartoon but we never learned a whole lot about her there. This series provides the opportunity to explore her a little more in depth."
The artist on GOTHAM GIRLS will be Jennifer Graves. Her previous work for DC includes ROBIN #34, BATMAN CHRONICLES #3 and a Birds of Prey story in SHOWCASE '96. Currently she is working extensively in animation.
"I've seen some of Jennifer's samples and they're terrific. She has a tremendous grasp of the Animated Series style and a real fluidity and grace to her characters. I think the readers are going to be blown away."
Storrie is also the writer of December's JUSTICE LEAGUE ADVENTURES #2, based on the new hit show on the Cartoon Network.
Stay tuned for more developemnts on this interesting project!
Writer Paul D. Storrie, whose first published work for DC Comics was the recent Batman Beyond #23, returns to the shadowed streets of Gotham with a five issue mini-series called GOTHAM GIRLS. If the title sounds familiar, that's because it is also the name of the popular DC Online webtoon.
Storrie had this to say about how the project came about:
"As I was finishing up my second issue of BATMAN BEYOND, one that didn't see print because of the book's cancellation, I started kicking around ideas for a new DC project. One day I was checking out the DC Online website and the link to the Gotham Girls webtoon link caught my eye. They're short Flash animation stories featuring the female characters from the BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES cartoons: Batgirl, Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn. I remembered watching a couple of them when they first started up and liking them a lot, so popped over and checked out some more. Fun stuff. So, I said to myself, 'DC should be doing a comic like this!' Then I fired off a proposal to Michael Wright, the Associate Editor at the Bat-Office with whom I worked on BATMAN BEYOND saying just that. He completely agreed."
"Only thing was, the Batman Animated books had just been handed to Joan Hilty, editor of the Cartoon Network comics. Michael passed the proposal on to Joan and her reaction was pretty much the same as his -- 'Why aren't we doing a series based on this?'"
Storrie describes the series as a fast-paced caper / chase with all the lead characters scrambling to get their hands on a very special item. The writer went on to explain that each issue of the series will spotlight one character. A quick glance, however, shows that equation doesn't add up. Four Gotham Girls, five issues.
"Although she wasn't in my original proposal, I soon realized there was an unsung Gotham Girl I really wanted to include. I decided to have her in the background of the four issues focusing on Batgirl, Catwoman, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy. Joan, in her infinite wisdom, insisted that the character deserved her own issue. Who was I to argue?"
The character in question is Detective Renee Montoya of the Gotham City Police. She doesn't
appear in the Gotham Girls webtoons but she was created for BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES. Later, she was added to the regular Batman titles and became an important member of the supporting cast.
"I'm having a great time writing Renee Montoya. She was an interesting character in the cartoon but we never learned a whole lot about her there. This series provides the opportunity to explore her a little more in depth."
The artist on GOTHAM GIRLS will be Jennifer Graves. Her previous work for DC includes ROBIN #34, BATMAN CHRONICLES #3 and a Birds of Prey story in SHOWCASE '96. Currently she is working extensively in animation.
"I've seen some of Jennifer's samples and they're terrific. She has a tremendous grasp of the Animated Series style and a real fluidity and grace to her characters. I think the readers are going to be blown away."
Storrie is also the writer of December's JUSTICE LEAGUE ADVENTURES #2, based on the new hit show on the Cartoon Network.
Stay tuned for more developemnts on this interesting project!