Hello, Gail. I want to know how you deal with the nitpickers and whiners who say you insult them with having Barbara back in the cowl. I've heard so many people criticize you and DC for basically getting rid of Oracle. I do miss Oracle, but I grew up wi

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No one believes me when I say this, but I just don't see this in those terms. People loved Steph, they loved Oracle, it doesn't make them whiners. Or they think Barbara regaining her mobility is a bad idea, it doesn't make them nitpickers.

I have to say again, on the whole, I think people have generally been very fair.  Some were immediately down with the idea, some were skeptical but open, and some were and are dead set against it. I understand all those reactions, I have some of all of them myself.

I often feel strong reactions to story elements about characters I love. Sometimes, someone would make an attack that I felt was unfair—just today I read something from a poster I really like that deliberately and completely made up a bunch of quote-like statements I never said. That's hard to face, I just don't get the point of that. But it's not like it's isolated to this discussion.

But that's rare.  Most everyone's been pretty straightforward. Lots of people gave the book a chance because I was writing it, that's pretty wonderful, really. Some like my work and still won't try it. That's understandable, too.

I just don't see it as whining. Some people feel this was a bad mistake, it's not like they're being dishonest, most aren't even being personal at all.

I guess I just don't see it as whining, it seems more like passion to me.