Gothic-Cowboy writes...

Mr. Weisman, my question pertains to Talia al Ghul. Namely, that fact that, while I can ascertain that she's intended (not just in Earth-16, but generally) to be a sympathetic villain, I have never been able to muster up any sympathy for her whatsoever. I mean, I'm a fan of, and greatly respect, the work of Neal Adams and Dennis O'Neil, but, where Talia's concerned, they weren't trying very hard. In her original appearances, she doesn't have much of a personality to speak of, she's just a clich-ridden knock-off of similar characters like Fah Lo Suee (i.e., the exotically beautiful daughter of the "Yellow Peril/Fu Manchu" mastermind who's loyal to her father, but feels torn by her attraction to her father's nemesis). I never got why she was in love with Batman. She'd met him once, she can't've possibly known him very well. Plus, from Batman's point of view, here's this woman he barely knows. Her clearly mentally unbalanced Father shows up, offers her to him, and she's calling him "Beloved" and trying to get him to marry her. Most men would flee from that, as if pursued by hounds. Sure she's beautiful, but this is a comic book universe. Gorgeous women are the rule, it's not even exceptional. She seemed more like a crazy stalker than a geniune suitor. Why would he have feelings for her? I actually prefer her in more recent comics, were she's been more like her Father, a villain (or, at leat, a well-intentioned extremist). At least she has a personality that way.
On Earth-16, when we first meet her, she's actively helping her Father in his efforts to murder billions of people. This kind of limits the sympathy I can feel for her. The fact that she claims to have misgivings means exactly nothing. Her misgivings aren't going to make any of the people she kills any less dead. She doesn't shoot Batman because of her attraction to him, not because she realizes that what she's doing is wrong. Then she gets into a huff because her Father and Batman's lives don't revolve around her and I'm forced to agree with Alfred: she's a crazy stalker with Daddy issues and an international terrorist. Who cares what she thinks? Then we find out about what she did to Matt Hagen. Batman sensibly tells her they can't be together while she's trying to murder billions of people, and she acts like the victim. Like her Father and his insane "compromise," she thinks he's being unreasonable. She gets a new boy toy, one whom she believes is beneath her, because he seems to fit into the immature fantasy she has about the love life she thinks she needs, then effects what she believes to be a slow,lingering death when she becomes convinced that he was just using her to get access to the Lazarus Pit in order to cure his terminal cancer. She comes across as immature and more in love with the idea of being in love than actually being in love with someone.
As I said, I've never really grasped why Talia was supposed to be sympathetic. At best, I see her as more of a tragic character (although I guess I may be splitting hairs). It's kind of like Demona, she's a tragic character, but much of that tragedy has been driven by her own actions, and it does nothing to change the fact that she must be opposed when her actions threaten lives.
In a larger sense, I've never understood why some fans get all bent out of shape whenever anyone comes up with the idea of exploring the idea that Batman could be paired up with a woman who isn't either terrorist stalker or a selfish, amoral thief. Someone with whom he could actually have a relationship with. Someone who isn't obviously wrong for him. Why are we locked down to Catwoman or Talia, when it couldn't be more obvious that it can't work out? I'm sorry if I'm rambling, but I just don't get it.
Thank you for your time.

Bryan writes...

Hello Mr Weisman,

In the recent Young Justice episode Misplaced I was just curious as to why Red Tornado was not in both universes/worlds/realms. Since he is not a flesh and blood person like all the other heroes. And all the other objects and appliances seemed to be unaffected by Klarion's spell and inhabit both realms, for example Dr. Fate's helmet. So I guess my question is, why was Red Tornado in the world with all the people over 18 years of age and not in the universe with the individuals under the age of 18?

Anonymous writes...

Quick Question:

Are there any trains or airports in Happy Harbour?

Anonymous writes...

Hi Greg, first off I want to say thanks to you and the talented team you work with for making YJ such a good show.

I have a couple questions pertaining to Robin that I hope you can answer.
1. As the show progresses and the characters get older, being the youngest on the team, can we expect Robin to go through any noticeable height changes or for his voice to get deeper? I would imagine he's getting hit by puberty a little bit harder than the others right now.
2. In the comics, Dick is known as something of a playboy with the ladies, or at very least a pretty boy. Will the YJ version have anything in common with the comics in that regard as the show goes on?

Thanks for taking the time to read and hopefully answer these.

anon writes...

I don't mind Superman avoiding Superboy and get why he feels violated. It's great seeing Superman face something his strength and charm can't deal with. The way it has been shown has resulted in Superman coming across as unfeeling though. Even more so when other members of the League have accepted the boy. If being one sided was to generate debate, then you got what you desired. It has caused a lot of debate and Superman sure gets a lot of heat for it. We get to see Batman's perspective on stuff, might have helped see one little scene with Superman even expressing to someone he feels close to and has to keep no secrets from (I am guessing Wonder Woman or Martian Manhunter would fit that role best)why he can't offer the boy what he needs. Unless there is something else going on ...I get it but wondering if the payoff would be worth it? ie It has dragged on so long it would lose the emotional resonance? The long breaks has not helped, I guess. But many people who are rooting for Superboy want to see that resolved and in a way I almost feel like if I were Conner when Superman comes I would feel so angry I would not want to listen to what he has to say. Does that make sense?

Where has Wonder Woman been in all this? Is she an Ambassador or does she have the secret ID?

btgr writes...

Barbara Gordon aka "Babs" questions ( The last question is NOT a YJ question because I want to joke around.)

1. In YJ how long has Barbara lived in Gotham City or was she born in Gotham?

2. In YJ for the record, was Barbara born with blue eyes or was she wearing blue contact lenses and that she was born with green eyes?

3. In YJ, when did Barbara start wearing earrings?

4. Would you say that Barbara Gordon is "the Kim Possible of DC Comics"?, even though Christy Carlson Romano has never voiced her. I'm going to be very very honest with you Greg, if it wasn't for "KP", "Babs" here would never have been one of my most favourite DC heroines in the first place!

Foxwolf writes...

Hi Greg

I've been looking forward to new episodes for months and loved Misplaced this morning. It's amazing how you make some episodes feel like mini-movies. Fitting both a compact story AND characterization for so many characters on screen is no easy task, but you guys pull it off wonderfully.

I wanted to ask you if were able to fill in the blanks for some characters who did not have credited voice actors?

1x09 - Bereft
- Scientist #1 (moustache and glasses)
- Scientist #2 (beard and glasses)

1x11 - Terrors
- Belle Reve Guard Hart
- Belle Reve Guard Cooper

1x13 - Alpha Male
- Hunter (who hunts with Mayor Hill)

1x17 - Disorder
- Norman
- Norman's Mother

1x18 - Secrets
- Museum Curator

1x19
- Commissioner Gordon (I think it was him who spoke to the adult crowd)
- Amber
These might be too minor to have a credited actor
- Girl on street who lost her mom who was sitting on the stairs
- Man in car who lost his son
- Man who yelled at man above
- Kid who said Artemis sang the wrong song

Thanks again for your help on these and for such an awesome show. Not since Avatar The Last Airbender have I looked forward to a new episode in a series as much as I do for YJ. I also hope the quality in animation never changes. To me, the overall quality (esp. character shadings) was better than the recent Justice League Doom, which used the same designs by Phil Bourassa.

Gothic-Cowboy writes...

In "Misplaced," Robin initally starts to say Watchtower, but awkwardly changes mid-word, seemingly because Zatanna is present. Was he deliberately keeping it from Zatanna, or am I just seeing things?

Gothic-Cowboy writes...

Mr. Weisman, after the events depicted in "Misplaced," who's Zatanna's legal guardian? For that matter, although I suppose "John Jones" is the guardian for "Megan Morse," who's the technical legal guardian for "Conner Kent."