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Anonymous writes...
Dear Mr Weisman i have some Young justice questions for you 1.How old is Jason Blood and how long have he and the Phantom Stranger known each other? 2. I noticed some vary familiar looking artifacts in Mr blood's home that he told Mary not to touch. Have he or Etrigan ever traveled to any other universes outside of Earth 16 and the Dc multiverse including a universe where '' One thousand years ago superstition and the sword ruled'' to claim the artifacts ? 3. How long have Zatanna and Etrigan known each other ? 4. Did you consider hiring Dee Bradley Baker for the role of etrigan before hiring David Shaughnessy for the role instead ? P s thank you for giving my alien theory about the driver and kids on that school bus that Zatanna and her students avoided in the previous episode some footing
Greg responds...
1. Jason Blood was born @500 A.D.
1a. Long time.
2. I doubt it. But you never know.
3. A while.
4. Not that I recall. Love Dee. But I thought David - whom I worked with on Star Wars Rebels - would give us an amazing version of both Blood and Etrigan.
Michael Broder writes...
Is Henchy an original character, based on someone from the comics, or both?
Have you ever thought of doing a motion comic where the actors read the whole comic?
Greg responds...
1. He's more-or-less original. He's based on a model created for the Green Arrow Showcase short and a specific voice that I love, which actor Steve Blum has used for me in multiple series: Raythor (W.I.T.C.H.), Blackie Gaxton (The Spectacular Spider-Man), Zeb (Star Wars Rebels).
2. Yes. I'd love to do that. But there's no budget for it, generally. The YJ Wiki did a few using volunteer labor and volunteer voice actors. Here's one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42QKFkSy4DU
Oh, and what the heck, here's another: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8N3Z2b-UlTE
Michael Graves writes...
Huge fan of your work. I've seen both Gargoyles and Young Justice, and I 'm working my way through the SW Rebels Blu-Rays I recently bought. Anyway, I'm aware your book Rain of the Ghosts is based on a pitch to Dreamworks that didn't end up going to series. Have you ever considered trying to pitch it to Netflix or Amazon and see if it can be realized as a series? Hopefully not too invasive of a question. Thank you in advance.
Greg responds...
I've pitched it all over town. No one's bought it, I'm afraid.
Marvelman writes...
I don't know why you did not continue on as story editor on season 2 of Rebels, but I think it is unfortunate. The show would have been better with you on it. The animation is spectacular but I find the characters boring.
Greg responds...
Um... noted.
James writes...
Hey Greg!
I have some questions about Star Wars Rebels.
1. What was it like to work with Star Wars legends like Anthony Daniels, James Earl Jones, Frank Oz, and Billy Dee Williams?
2. Do remember any of the characters that you created the idea for? Which ones were they?
3. Did you read A New Dawn in preparation for either Rebels or the Kanan comic?
4.How did you get the job to work on Rebels? (My dream job is to work on Star Wars someday).
5. Did you work with Jason Fry on the Servants of the Empire book series since one of the books adapts "Breaking Ranks", one of the episodes you wrote.
Thanks for answering all these questions, I really appreciate that you make time like this for fans, it means a lot to me at least. The Force will be with you....Always.
Greg responds...
1. Anthony Daniels was great. Spent quite a bit of time with him, when we recorded up at Skywalker Ranch. Even took a long - and somewhat harrowing car ride with him. But unfortunately, I wasn't present when Misters Jones, Oz and Williams recorded their parts (which to me was a minor Geek Tragedy).
2. When I came aboard, the five leads and the Inquisitor were already part of the package, but I believe I helped flesh them out. I gave them all last names, for starters, and created Zeb's curse word: "Karabast!" Nearly every other character that appeared in Season One was a group effort between myself, Dave Filoni, Simon Kinberg, the writing staff and the rest of the Lucasfilm brain trust.
3. Not in preparation. I was asked to read it to give feedback in order to make sure that we were all depicting the characters and their histories consistently across all media.
4. I interviewed for it multiple times at Lucasfilm and Disney. (I assume they read some of my writing beforehand, and I know they had my resume in front of them when we spoke.)
5. Nope.
James writes...
Hey Greg,
I have some questions about Star Wars Rebels.
1. Can you go through the process of making a complete episode of Star Wars Rebels?
2. What was your role while working on the show?
3. How long did it take to complete a whole episode?
4. Did you make any voice cameos in the show like Dave Filoni has?
5. What is Dave Filoni like, and what was it like working with him?
Greg responds...
1. Um. Sure.
In the broadest terms, we broke the stories together.
Writers went off and wrote outlines.
I edited the outlines.
I got notes on the outlines.
Writers went off and wrote scripts.
I edited the scripts.
I got notes on the scripts.
I revised the scripts.
We recorded the dialogue.
Design work, which began off of us breaking the stories above, continued with more specificity based on the scripts.
Storyboard artists began storyboarding based on the scripts and the dialogue tracks.
Directors turned the storyboards into animatics for review.
Animation was done overseas.
Footage came back, which was edited in post-production.
Music and effects were added.
There's way more to it than that, but that covers the basics.
2. I was the story editor on Season One. I also wrote a few of the episodes myself. And I even voiced a couple of Storm Troopers. As a producer, I was involved in casting, and many other aspects of the series. And I ran the writer's room where we broke the stories.
3. About a year.
4. Yes.
5. Dave's great. We had a blast.
James writes...
Hey Greg,
1. Did you see Rogue One? If so what did you think of it?
2. Are you excited for Episode VIII?
3. Have you been following Star Wars Rebels after leaving the show once season 1 was done? If so, what are your thoughts on the show and where it is going.
Greg responds...
1. Yep.
1a. Generally, liked it.
2. Yep.
3. I watched season two and thought it was great. Have DVR'd everything since, but I've just been too swamped to watch it yet.
Marvelman writes...
I'd like to offer an apology.
As you may recall, I was the one who asked why you are no longer working on Rebels. I wouldn't ask someone in real-life why they are no longer working at such-and-such a place, so I shouldn't ask questions like that in an online forum either. I hope that you will accept my apology and won't hold my rudeness against me if we ever meet in person. Believe it or not, I am usually considered a very polite person. I will try in the future to remember that there is an actual person responding to our questions and not a machine.
Now, how old is Zatanna? :)
Greg responds...
1. No worries. Honestly.
2. She was 14 during season one.
LogicMeister writes...
I'm asking this due to the fact that you're no longer working on Star Wars Rebels.
Where should fans of Star Wars Rebels go to ask questions about thing post season 1?
Personally I want to ask about The Bendu
Greg responds...
Don't know. Sorry. Check with Lucasfilm, I guess.
W. Jend writes...
Hello Greg,
I am a Film and Video Production student writing a paper about Star Wars Animation and I wanted to know...
1.What is it about computer animated television that fits Star Wars so well?
Greg responds...
1. I don't know. What?
Seriously, I think a great Star Wars show could be done with cell animation. But there's a certain synergy to doing Star Wars in CGI, given that so much of the live action movies is done/enhanced with CGI, including characters, effects, ships, monsters, etc.
NoOneSpecial writes...
1.This is something that has always bugged me about the first episode of Rebels. When Kanan catches Ezra with the lightsabre in his room, he tells him to give it back, yet for some reason he doesn't check to see if Ezra had taken anything else, even though Kanan clearly left the Holocron in same drawer as his lightsabre and Ezra ended up taking it anyway, so why didn't he check to see if the Holocron was still safe? I mean, if you leave a gun and some money in a drawer and you catch someone with your gun, you're not going to check your money is all there?
2.In Idiot's Array, what was the point of losing Chopper in a bet to Lando? I mean, I don't see how its extra incentive to make the Ghost crew do Lando's job, since they needed money and Kanan was planning to speak to Lando about his offer. And Lando was going to pay them the money anyway (we find out later he didn't have it, but he still ended up giving them some fuel). Just feels like the episode could have been done without the bet even happening, since it wasn't necessary to start the plot, the risk of actually losing Chopper never feels that high and it doesn't seem to speak as a lesson about the crew learning to appreciate Chopper(well expect for Zeb maybe)
3.You've said before that you really liked Ahsoka's character (as do many). Do you regret the fact that you left Rebels after Season 1 before having the chance to work with her character? One of my biggest gripes with Season 2 is Ahsoka's minimal appearances. She doesn't really do anything major until the end. I personally would have loved to have seen Ahsoka go on a mission with the Ghost crew, but for the most part, her role feels like nothing more than a background character
4.What're your thoughts on Darth Maul? In Episode 1, he was pretty much a blank slate, with no real depth, backstory, or even dialogue in general, making him feel totally wasted, which says something about the prequels in general, since he still somehow ended up being one of the BEST parts of it. Obviously, Lucas felt the same way seeing as how they ended up reviving Maul in Clone Wars. Though his survival is a huge, HUGE, cop-out, it certainly feels worth it, as his character was fleshed out into one of the best in Star Wars, while he and Opress have some the best storylines that Clone Wars had to offer. His return in Rebels made the finale ten times better and he's already making Season 3 look promising
5.Was the Grand Inquisitor's backstory something that had been decided on in Season 1? During the final battle between him and Kanan, the Inquisitor gives Kanan a salute (the Makashi salute, I think it's called?) which Kanan returns with some surprise. It feels almost like an intentional show of respect on his part. Later we learn that the Inquisitor was a former Jedi. Was this something you always knew about the character when he was created?
Greg responds...
1. He knew Ezra had taken it. It was part of the test.
2. Well, you're entitled to your opinion, but I think it raised the stakes considerably. Plus, you know, COMEDY.
3. She was NEVER supposed to be a lead. She was a lead in Clone Wars. Not in Rebels. I loved that we brought her in, but if she had taken precedence over the crew of the Ghost, I would have been disappointed. But again, your mileage may vary.
4. I haven't seen season three yet, and of course, I didn't work on the character in Season One or Two. So I have no personal affinity for him. But he's got a cool look, and I like what they did with him in Season Two.
5. No.
Zergrinch writes...
Hypothetical question.
ALL of your past and present projects have been renewed, and you have been asked to help them all. Which one would you prioritize, and why?
Greg responds...
Well, as many regular readers of this site know, I'm not big on hypotheticals. Reality is so much more complicated, but I'll give it a shot:
GARGOYLES first, always. We're trying to get another comic book version now. Tweet the hashtag #WeLiveAgain!
YOUNG JUSTICE, second. Season Three is real. It's here. I'm working on it.
I'm also working on the second book in the WORLD OF WARCRAFT: TRAVELER series, THE SPIRAL PATH, and recently completed co-plotting work on THE FALL AND RISE OF CAPTAIN ATOM, w/my old Captain Atom partner Cary Bates.
The third book in the RAIN OF THE GHOSTS series, MASQUE OF BONES, which I still plan to get back to as soon as I possibly can.
Everything else falls into the category of it's just too hypothetical to differentiate. But I'm very fond of THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN, W.I.T.C.H., ROUGHNECKS: THE STARSHIP TROOPER CHRONICLES, STARBRAND & NIGHTMASK, anything with the STAR WARS REBELS characters [especially STAR WARS KANAN], 3X3 EYES, DISNEY'S VILLAINS and many others.
And I'm sure Edmund Tsabard would love to finish Last Tengu in Paris.
LONG BEACH COMIC CON
Hey gang,
Heading off to yet another convention. This time it's...
LONG BEACH COMIC CON
Long Beach Convention Center
300 East Ocean Blvd.
Long Beach, CA 90802
I'm there this Saturday and Sunday. Here's my schedule:
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2016
09:30am - 03:00pm - I'll be at my table, which is "ANIMATION ISLAND 13". (Well, the con opens at 9:30am, but I'll be driving down that morning to Long Beach from Los Angeles, so I'll get there as close to 9:30am as I can manage it.) I'll be signing and selling copies of my novels RAIN OF THE GHOSTS and SPIRITS OF ASH AND FOAM for $10 each. If you buy both, you get a free RAIN OF THE GHOSTS art print, illustrated by Christopher Jones. I'll also be selling CD sets of the RAIN OF THE GHOSTS AudioPlay for $30 This is an unabridged four hour production with 20 actors (including Brent Spiner, Marina Sirtis, Ed Asner, Vanessa Marshall, Jim Cummings, Steve Blum, Thom Adcox and more), a full original musical score (by the composers of YOUNG JUSTICE and THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN) and sound effects. It's like a four hour movie in your head! Buy the CD set and you also receive a free print. If you ONLY want the print, it's $20. Plus I'll also be selling original Christopher Jones art prints of YOUNG JUSTICE and GARGOYLES for $20 each. Finally, I'll be selling copies of my animation scripts (from series including GARGOYLES, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN, YOUNG JUSTICE, STAR WARS REBELS and many others) for $20 each. All transactions are cash only. Signatures - if you bring something of your own for me to sign - are FREE!
03:00pm - 04:00pm - The Star Wars Perspectives
Join Greg Weisman (Star Wars Rebels), Craig Miller (Director of Fan Relations for Lucasfilm from 1977-1980), Brian Miller (Star Wars artist), and Mike Mayhew (Star Wars comic book artist) as they discuss the different aspects of Star Wars that they have been involved in. Unique perspectives and experiences are brought to the table in this can't-miss panel! Moderated by Blair Marnell, Q&A to follow.
04:00pm - 07:00pm - I'll be back, signing & selling, at my ANIMATION ISLAND 13 table.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016
10:00am - 01:00pm - Signing & Selling at ANIMATION ISLAND 13.
01:00pm - 02:00pm - Young Justice: Panels to Pixels
Greg Weisman, Peter David, Todd Nauck and Kevin Hopps discuss everything Young Justice from the comics to the animation. Moderated by Ken Rolow, Q&A to follow!
02:00pm - 05:00pm - Signing & Selling at ANIMATION ISLAND 13.
Hope to see you there!
Mr. Chesley writes...
Hello Greg,
1) Chelsey here. Just wanted to congratulate you on Star Wars Rebels, huge fan of it. Were you a fan of the Clone Wars prior to Rebels?
2) I am disappointed to here your thoughts on ROTJ. Haha, I think you're a bit crazy for it(I kid). I get your critique on the Ewoks but the scenes in the Emperor's Throne Room....I am not sure how you could have done that any better. The Emperor is using the second death star as a trap to lure the Rebels to zap them one by one, not sure what's so bad about that. Also, the reason why Darth Vader is character he is who he is today is because of Return of the Jedi.
3) Were you a fan of the Kevin Conroy Batman animated series in the 90's?
Greg responds...
1. I wasn't actually. Hadn't seen it or not much of it, really. When I got the gig, I began watching it and became a fan, particularly of Asohka.
2. I believe the scene with the Emperor is poorly edited and written. If the Emperor just keeps his mouth shut for five minutes, Luke turns to the dark side and the Empire wins. But the Emperor insists on gloating out loud, and it's that very gloating that keeps Luke from turning. Not once. Not twice. But three times. I don't mind the ewoks, by the way. Don't love everything about how they were used in the movie. But they're not my issue with that lukewarm film. I also really hate that Luke and Leia are siblings. I will go to my grave thinking that was not the original plan, and that it was an unnecessary and wrongheaded addition to the canon.
3. Of course. Huge fan. Still am.
Anonymous writes...
Okay, first of all, I am really looking forward to Masque of Bones. I was more ambiguous on Rain of the Ghosts, but Spirits of Ash and Foam has really, really got me interested. Congratulations on your story and on the audioplay!
Second, a Star Wars Rebels question. Were there any LGBT+ characters that were slipped past the radar? Sure, general animation has been doing it since the 90s, but there's been a lot more attention to it recently and I was curious.
Greg responds...
I don't feel I can answer that, as Lucasfilm controls those characters, and I'm not even on the series anymore. Plus, I signed an N.D.A. I have my own opinions, but they may or may not be shared by Lucasfilm.
Just A Nerd writes...
This message comes to you in three parts.
Part the first: a story. When I heard Marvel was publishing multiple new Star Wars comics, I realized that, if I allowed them to, these new books would consume all of my income. So I resolved to only read Star Wars and Darth Vader monthly, and get the rest as trades. That is, until I heard you were writing Kanan. I thought, three a month isn't much worse than two. So I went for it. And it has been amazing, even though I haven't watched any of Rebels because my TV service doesn't include Disney XD. It has been interesting even without the context of the show, and is just as great as everything else you have been a part of.
Part the second: Names. Thank you (both personally and as part of Marvel/LucasFilms) so much for creating a pop culture character with my name. There are so few Calebs in... anything, really. There's the Israelite spy from the Bible (not really pop culture, but I'm counting it), and Tris' brother in Divergent, and now Kanan pre-Order 66. It's incredibly cool to open a comic or a movie and see/hear YOUR NAME be part of the action. This probably just makes me a massive nerd... but I'm okay with that.
Part the third: a question, NOT to do with Kanan. In the Invasion storyline of the Young Justice comics, is there a reason you did not include Troia, Sgt. Marvel, and Lt. Marvel? If the original comics are any indication, they should have been strong enough to draw Kylstar's attention. Is there some reason (in- or out-of-universe) they weren't included?
Thank you for your time.
Greg responds...
Part the first: Thank you. But honestly, you should find some way to watch the Rebels. It's worth it.
Part the second: I can't take credit for using the name Caleb. My original name for him was Caine. The folks at Lucasfilm changed it to Caleb. (Not sure why, but maybe it was for you.)
Part the third: The answers would amount to spoilers.
Hector writes...
Hi Greg,
How did you come to a decision for Kanan's(Caleb) master in the comic? I'm looking forward to see the character of Depa Billaba come to life. As it was somewhat obscure up until now.
I wish you much success.
Greg responds...
It was a group decision while we were making the first season of Star Wars Rebels. I was initially pretty unfamiliar with the character, so it probably came from Pablo Hidalgo and/or Dave Filoni.
Of course now, Pepe Larraz and I absolutely ADORE Depa Billaba. We want to do a Depa mini-series!
Windona writes...
I've been a fan of yours since Spectacular Spider-Man, then to YJ, and then to watch Rebels. (And the fact that hearing you were working on Rebels got me to watch the Star Wars movies again and TCW series which led to me becoming a major Star Wars fan means I have something else to thank you for!) After watching the Rebels finale, I have a few questions.
1) Now, Rebels was destined to be different from TCW; different eras in the Star Wars universe, the Ghost crew debuting in Rebels versus TCW having a few main characters like Padme Amidala from the movies. However, is there anything in particular that you directly influenced?
2) What research did you do for your job on Rebels? Like DC and Marvel comics, there's obviously a lot of material on Star Wars out there that can be drawn from, but there's also a much more official level of 'this is canon' versus 'this isn't' due to the movies and the Disney reboot, so I'm curious if you chose to draw from the Legends continuity at all.
3) Maketh Tua- she seems really into the Empire, willing to do under the table things for it, and makes a casual reference to the Lasat genocide. Yet she seems extremely horrified when the Inquisitor executes Aresko and Grint, and appears to be the most shocked of them all. Is that the first time she witnessed the violence of the Empire versus just hearing about it?
4) And the most controversial question of all: what was your opinion on the Star Wars prequels?
Thank you for answering! I can't wait to read the first issue of the Kanan comic; he's become one of my favorite characters fairly quickly, and I doubt that feeling will lessen any time soon!
Greg responds...
1. There's a lot I influenced in Season One. Not in a vacuum or by myself. But as part of the team of producers and writers.
2. I rewatched all six movies and started to work my way through Clone Wars - though the difficult schedule on Rebels interrupted that process.
3. Probably.
4. I'm a big, BIG fan of episodes IV and V. The rest don't thrill me quite as much, which is not to say I didn't like them.
Anonymous writes...
To Mr. Greg Weisman,
Thank you for bringing Ahsoka Tano back in Star Wars Rebels! She has been deeply missed since her departure in Star Wars: Clone Wars Season Five. Here's to hoping to seeing more of her in action as well as anticipating what her reaction to Darth Vader might be. Also, let's hope that other past characters will pop up and surprise us!
Greg responds...
You're welcome, but the lion share of credit for that should really go to Dave Filoni.
DJ writes...
Hello! I know that you're going to be working on the upcoming Kanan comic series and I can't wait for it! We all know Kanan as this sort of space cowboy who offers up plenty of quips to his foes as well as the guy who's in the lead and who knows what he's doing most of the time, so I'd like to ask:
Did you find it challenging to go backward in Kanan's timeline and explore his Padawan years after seeing what all he's done and how he's acted in Rebels, or was it relatively easy to work backwards from who Kanan is now to who he was in that period of time?
Greg responds...
I'm not sure 'easy' is the word I'd use, but it was a joy. And it wasn't a problem. We had most of this stuff worked out as we developed the series.
ryan writes...
What was your favorite arc in star wars the clonewars?Also who was your favorite charcter?
Greg responds...
My brain doesn't really work that way.
I don't have a favorite arc, per se. And I still haven't seen all of clone wars. But Ahsoka popped for me.
NoOneSpecial writes...
So these questions are related to Star Wars Rebels, which is great series by the way. Now I'm aware that you are no longer working on the show, so I'll try and keep things to Season 1
1. When you were working on the series, did you have to verse yourself a bit more into the whole Star Wars lore, than what you already knew?
2. When working on season 1, did you meet or work with anyone who had previously worked on the Clone wars series?
3. Why does Darth Sidious allow the Inquisitor to exist? From what I understand, the Rule of Two means that there can only be two Siths at a time, until the student destroys his master or vice versa, so why does Sidious allow Vader to have an appritence?
4. Are the Stormtroopers that the Lothal Rebels fight in show, the same Clone troopers from the Clone Wars? I'm not an expert and I'm not sure if this has been retconed , but from what I've heard, when the Empire was formed, Sidious stopped the production of clone troopers and all the remaining clones were reorganised into the Strom troopers. Any new troopers that came after that were just regular recruits, so is this still the same case in Star Wars Rebels?
5. Now this is probaley the greatest mystery in all of Star Wars. The fandom has debated and speculated this for years, decades even and even today it still baffles them to no, but I would be interested in hearing your answer to this great and terrible question.................Why do the Stormtroopers have such bad aim?
Sorry but I really have to ask, especially after watching Droids in Distress. During the fight in hanger, the trooper could not hit Zeb once, even though he was quite literally three fight in front of them. I mean their aim seemed incredibly awful as they were missing by a wide margin. So in regards to the context of Star Wars Rebels, why are they such bad shots?
Greg responds...
1. Yes. Although (a) some of it was just refreshing myself and (b) I also relied on Pablo Hidalgo and Leland Chee at Lucasfilm a LOT.
2. Almost everyone, starting with fellow executive producer Dave Filoni, who was supervising director of Clone Wars.
3. The premise of your question is incorrect. The Inquisitor isn't Vader's apprentice.
4. No, they're not clones. Did you see the episode where Ezra went undercover?
5. Um... helmets offer poor visibility?
Raphael writes...
5. It seems like you say books and TV sort of go atop everything else as far as entertainment goes. I'm sure it's been asked before, but I'm interested in what you're watching right now (or when I wrote this), specifically within the realm of animation. The animation I'm watching right now would be Korra, Gravity Falls, and, well Star Wars Rebels. Do you have any interest or attachment to any of these (aside from SWR of course)? I'm particularly interested in your thoughts on Avatar because I connected to it hugely when I must have been only seven or eight so I have a huge attachment to it. But I would be interested to hear about what TV you watch in general, at the time I wrote this, or when you answer this, whichever you want to answer. Perhaps just from recent months?
Thanks a bunch, I'm really interested to hear your responses to these questions.
Greg responds...
I loved Avatar, The Last Airbender. Watched it with my son. I want to see Korra, but my son is now in college, so it'll have to wait until his vacations.
I keep up with Star Wars Rebels, and I still love the series, even though I have nothing to do with the second season.
I still watch the Simpsons.
I'm watching the first season of Shimmer & Shine, though I'm only working on Season Two. But I want to see what they did.
And that's pretty much it, animation-wise. I think because I work in animation all day, every day, I'm a bit burned out on it. So I'm mostly watching only live action stuff.
Long Beach Comic Expo - 2016
Here's my schedule for this weekend's Long Beach Comic Expo at the Long Beach Convention Center:
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2016
11:30am - 12:30pm
DOWN TO NERD: INVADER ZIM AND GARGOYLES: CONQUEROR VS PROTECTOR
Thunderdome (Seaside Pre-Function) w/RuthAnn Thompson (moderator), Dave Crosland, Greg Weisman.
Description: Some come from another time to protect, another from a different planet to conquer- but both hold a special place in our hearts! Gargoyles VS Invader Zim. We will focus on the first 5 episodes of the TV series Gargoyles with writer/creator Greg Weisman and the first 5 issues of the Invader Zim comic books with Dave Crosland. What are the differences and similarities do these creatures out of space and time have? How will they fit in on modern day earth? Casual Fans and Hard Core Nerds alike join host RuthAnn Thompson and be "Down To Nerd"!
01:00pm - 02:00pm
THE ART OF STAR WARS & THE FANDOM BEHIND IT
Danger Room (S1) w/Ben Paddon (moderator), Terry Dodson, Craig Miller, Cat Staggs, Greg Weisman.
Description: Cat Staggs has been working for the Star Wars / LUCASFILM family since 2004, for which she has illustrated short fiction for starwars.com, produced sketch and trading cards, exclusive prints for Star Wars Celebrations III, IV, Europe, Celebration V, and Celebration VI. Terry Dodson is an American comic book artist who penciled the Dark Force Rising comic series in 1997. He has also provided art for Mark Waid's Princess Leia limited series. Moreover, Dodson has drawn the Books-A-Million variant cover to the first issue of the Shattered Empire miniseries, and the CBLDF variant to Star Wars: Vader Down, Part I. Greg Weisman is the writer for Star Wars Rebels - "The Machine in the Ghost", "Art Attack", "Droids in Distress", "Breaking Ranks", "Gathering Forces" and Star Wars: Kanan: The Last Padawan. Craig Miller was Director of Fan Relations for Lucasfilm from 1977-1980. He created and oversaw the Official Star Wars Fan Club as well as having edited and written virtually all of the first two years of Bantha Tracks. He was the producer of the Star Wars Sesame Street episodes in addition to operating R2-D2's head in the episodes, as well as being Producer for Lucasfilm on commercials such as the ones for licensee Underoos.. He was also responsible for creating the 800-number telephone hotline for The Empire Strikes Back that allowed fans to call up to receive more information about the movies and characters.
02:30pm - 03:30pm
DWAYNE MCDUFFIE AWARDS
Creator's Lab (S5)
Description: Long Beach Comic Con is proud to announce the commencement of the Second Annual Dwayne McDuffie Award. This one of a kind award will be granted on February 20, 2016 to an American comics work, published in print or digitally in 2015, deemed by the Selection Committee to promote diversity. In the spirit of Dwayne McDuffie, "promoting diversity" can be judged as either broadening the range of characters portrayed in comics, or adding to the variety of creators contributing to the medium.
04:00pm - 05:00pm
THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN PANEL
Danger Room (S1) w/Greg Weisman (moderator), Victor Cook, Kevin Hopps, Kelly Hu, Josh Keaton, Pamela Long.
Description: In 2008, a new version of everybody's favorite friendly neighborhood Web-Slinger - dedicated to recreating the feel of the original Stan Lee & Steve Ditko and Stan Lee & John Romita, Sr. comics - hit the air. Come hear the creative talents behind The Spectacular Spider-Man talk about what went in to making this classic take on a classic character. Panelists include Victor Cook (Director-Producer), Kevin Hopps (Writer), Kelly Hu (voice of Sha Shan Nguyen), Josh Keaton (voice of Peter Parker/The Spectacular Spider-Man), Pamela Long (Color Stylist) and Greg Weisman (Writer-Producer)!
06:00pm - 07:00pm
GETTING ANIMATED WITH TOP ANIMATION EXPERTS
Rumble Room (S4B) w/Ray-Anthony Height (moderator), Chris Copeland, Greg Weisman, Dean Yeagle.
Description: Top animation experts Greg Weisman (Gargoyles, Spectacular Spider-Man), Dean Yeagle (Caged Beagle Productions), and Chris Copeland (Marvel/Disney Animation) discuss how they broke into animation, their work and a Q&A with the audience!
I'll also have a table a on the show floor, specifically table AN-11 in "ANIMATION ISLAND" between Ellen Jin Over and Amy Mebberson, and near Dino Andrade, Michael Bell, Keith Coogan, Chris Copeland, Matt Doherty, Loren Lester, Tiffanie Mang, Joey McCormick, Chuck Patton, Peter Paul, Sara Richards and Aaron Sparrow. I'll be there between panels on Saturday and all Sunday morning until noon. (Not as sure about Sunday afternoon. We'll have to see.)
I'll sign and personalize anything you put in front of me, but I will also be selling copies of my two novels, RAIN OF THE GHOSTS and SPIRITS OF ASH AND FOAM ($10 each), CD sets of the RAIN OF THE GHOSTS AudioPlay ($30 each) and RAIN OF THE GHOSTS prints, drawn by artist Christopher Jones ($10 each, but free with a purchase of the AudioPlay and/or both RAIN and SPIRITS). In addition, I'll be selling animation scripts from series including GARGOYLES, W.I.T.C.H., THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN, YOUNG JUSTICE, STAR WARS REBELS and others, ($20 each). Finally, I'll be selling script copies of a couple of the special one-off convention radio plays we did, i.e. THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN MEETS GARGOYLES and GARGOYLES MEETS THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN MEETS YOUNG JUSTICE ($20 each). All purchases are cash only.
I hope to see you there!
Andres writes...
Greg you work for Disney again and are doing Star Wars I am curious I was looking at work for an Indiana Jones animated project artist Patrick Shoenmaker did that never came to be. My questions is if Disney ever produced an animated series would you be interested? Were you a fan of the Indiana Jones films? Did you ever read or get exposed to the comics either Further Adventures or Darkhorse run? The writing in those seem up your ally long archs I think it would be awesome if u are ever offered that opportunity what do you think?
Greg responds...
Well, I'm no longer working on Star Wars Rebels or at Disney - unless you count the work I'm doing at Marvel Comics, writing Star Wars Kanan and Starbrand & Nightmask.
But this is really just a hypothetical question anyway, so it doesn't really matter where I'm working.
Anyway, I loved Raiders of the Lost Ark. Didn't love the second or third movies as much and haven't seen the fourth. I loved the television series about Young Indy (though I can't remember it's exact title at this moment). Haven't seen any Indiana Jones comics.
But I have tremendous fondness for the franchise and would of course leap at the chance to work on it.
Marvelman writes...
Hi Greg. Can you explain the behind-the-scenes reasons for your departure from "Rebels" after only one season? Or, would it be considered unprofessional for you to comment on this?
Greg responds...
Mostly it would be considered NONE OF YOUR DAMN BUSINESS, whether the reason was benign or malevolent. Probably unprofessional, as well. And that's not even counting the fact that I signed a Non-Disclosure Agreement with Lucasfilm.
But mostly, it's just the first reason. I'm happy to answer questions about process and about the show (as long as its not a spoiler). But I feel like on general principle this question crosses a line.
Windona writes...
Hi! I've been a fan of Spectacular Spider-Man, Gargoyles, and Young Justice, but now it's time to ask about the latest show you worked on: Star Wars Rebels.
1) What was it like working on the production team? After all, many of the creative team on Rebels worked together on The Clone Wars, but there's some new blood like you.
2) Related- how much creative input did you have compared to other projects? Obviously you had less than you did in your books, given the dichotomy of working with a team versus working on a novel, but compared to other animated series and adaptations you did, was it more, less, or the same?
3) Now that you've left the production team for season 2 onwards(if that is just a rumor, my apologies for propagating it), what are you looking to doing?
Obviously, it's not a lot because at this time only the first three episodes have aired and asking questions about the season's progression would be like asking for plot points of a movie that's currently running. However, chances are I will be back with more questions after the season. Have a good day!
Greg responds...
1. It was a lot of pressure, but it was also a lot of fun.
2. It's hard to measure this stuff quantitatively. I had two producing partners (Simon Kinberg and Dave Filoni) on the first season (as opposed to one on most of the series I've done), and there's no doubt that Dave was the senior partner, i.e. the guy that George passed the torch to on the animation side. Plus the Lucasfilm Story Group was very involved and Disney XD had input. So I was less autonomous, certainly. But that's not to imply anything negative. It was a grand collaboration, and the writing staff was great too.
3. Earn a living, mostly. :)
But if you haven't already, check out my novels RAIN OF THE GHOSTS and SPIRITS OF ASH AND FOAM. You can also download and purchase the RAIN OF THE GHOSTS full-cast unabridged AudioPlay at Gumroad.com/RainoftheGhosts. Vanessa Marshall (Hera) and Steve Blum (Zeb) are both featured among a stellar cast that includes many actors from Spectacular Spider-Man, Gargoyles and Young Justice.
Christopher Rosa writes...
Hello Greg Weisman this is Christopher Rosa and I have another question for you,
1. I was wondering before you start work on Star Wars Rebels were you a Star Wars fan, did you watch the movies, the tv series, and the now non canon books, and if so does that influential you in writing Star Wars Rebels?
Greg responds...
1. I was a huge fan of the original two movies and of the galaxy far, far away, in general. I had seen the other movies and a handful of episodes of Clone Wars, and I had read Splinter of the Mind's Eye. But I was not familiar with most of the expanded universe. But Episodes IV and V were my major influence for Rebels, which suited Lucasfilm just fine.
Jacob writes...
Why is it that Rebels is including so many characters from the movies in the show? The pilot featured Obi-Wan Kenobi, Droids in Distress featured R2D2 and C3PO as well as Bail Organa, and the trailer for Season 1 showed Luminara? Is this supposed to be a fun little nod to the movies or way of getting views? Ex. tune in to next week's Rebels episode to see R2D2 and C3PO.
Greg responds...
All of the above - but MOSTLY it's because (a) it's one cohesive universe, so it makes sense to include familiar characters where appropriate and (b) how cool was it for us to get to work with Artoo, Threepio and Antony Daniels?!
Clark Cradic writes...
Wanted to let you know I'm pumped for Star Wars Rebels! :) Can't wait to see it! I know you and the rest of the cast and crew shan't disappoint.
Greg responds...
Hoped you liked what you saw and are picking up Star Wars Kanan!
Alex Marcy (Aldrius) writes...
So Greg, today I was privileged enough to get to see the Star Wars Rebels premier at Fan Expo in Toronto. This was actually a pleasant surprise for me as just before I left for the convention I checked the website and saw that they were advertising the premier. Obviously, as a fan of pretty much every show you've ever done I was excited.
So at 1:30 today I got lined up for the premier. Fan Expo is actually fairly well organized so I managed to get in the theater in a timely manner. Immediately I noticed Steve Blum chatting with some people in the front. I knew I was in the right place right away. The way they were seating people, I got a nice seat in the third row very close to the front.
After about 10-20 minutes Mary Franklin came up and introduced herself, handed out some prizes to some people in the audience and then Steve Blum came up. He told us about going to see the first Star Wars film in 1977 and despite how he'd been involved in a lot of Star Wars projects, this was the first one that really struck him in the same way Star Wars did back in the 70's. Afterwards there was a quick pre-recorded message from Dave Filoni, which was cool.
As the premier began I was pretty struck myself. There was no opening and the show jumped straight into the action. I actually knew nothing about the show prior to this except that Vanessa Marshall was in it (due more to lack of time, not lack of interest).
Everything just felt so fresh really. The show's focus on a good ensemble cast was nice, and I liked that pretty much all of them were... well, rogues. None of the characters are exceptionally soft or generous or kind. They have good ends, but the means they achieve those ends at this point at least seems to be a little shady.
I also enjoyed the action. The empire felt very threatening and callous (calus? not sure on the spelling) was a cool bad guy. And the main cast were a good unit. The audience FREAKED THE HELL OUT when Kanan pulled out his lightsaber. And laughed really hard at the 'hairless wookie' bit. (So much so I couldn't hear any of the dialogue for about 30 seconds afterward)
Voice acting was really cool. I liked Ezra a lot. I thought Vanessa Marshall was great. Steve Blum was great. Everyone really fit their characters, it was awesome. Looking forward to seeing more.
Had a lot of fun at the convention and seeing such a great premier was just the cherry on top.
Greg responds...
Ah, I'm jealous. Never got to see it with a crowd. That would have been cool.
And, just for the record, it's Kallus.
btgr writes...
In Star Wars Rebels, what other actors did you considered casting for the role of Kanan? Freddie Prinze Jr. recently claims that back in 2010 he almost gave up on acting because he had a bad experience working with Kiefer Sutherland on 24.
Greg responds...
Um, is that a non-sequitor? Or... oh, I see. If Freddie had given up on acting in a parallel universe, who would we have used, right?
But that's just a big hypothetical, and as readers of this site know, those don't interest me much. In THIS universe, Freddie auditioned and secured the role.
Which brings us back to your original question. The honest truth is, I can't off the top of my head remember who else auditioned. But even if I did remember, I wouldn't say. I think it's uncivil to reveal who lost a given role. It's uncivil to that person, because few people like to see their failures enumerated. And it's uncivil to Freddie who then has to live with internet speculation about what it might have been like Comparisons that exist only in the imagination and cannot be tested.
btgr writes...
I thought up a Star Wars Rebels drinking game in order to celebrate the famous Han Solo line "Don't get cocky":
1. Take a drink everytime someone acts cocky (Two drinks for Ezra Bridger)
2. Take a drink everytime someone smirks (Two drinks for Sabine Wren) &
Someone told me this one:
3. Take a drink everytime someone fails due to overconfidence (Two drinks if they are a darksider)
Greg responds...
Seems very subjective. But then again, I don't drink.
btgr writes...
Would permission be required from you, if Seth Green and Michael Senreich wanted to use Chopper, Kanan, Ezra, Zeb, Sabine and Hera in their animated comedy series "Star Wars Detours"?
Greg responds...
Not from me, no. I have NO control whatsoever. Heck, they wouldn't even need permission from me if they wanted to use Goliath, Elisa and Xanatos in Star Wars Detours. I DON'T OWN THIS STUFF.
Great Big Beautiful Podcast
I'm on the Great Big Beautiful Podcast. Check it out here:http://geekdad.com/2015/04/gbbp-5-greg-weisman/
WONDERCON 2015
I am fortunate enough to have been invited to be a spotlight guest at WonderCon this year at the Anaheim Convention Center in California from Friday April 03 - Sunday April 05. Here's my schedule for WonderCon 2015:
FRIDAY, APRIL 03, 2015
SIGNING
ARTISTS ALLEY - Table A-31, 11:30am - 12:30pm.
As usual, I will sign anything you bring for free. But I will also be signing and selling copies of my two novels RAIN OF THE GHOSTS and SPIRITS OF ASH AND FOAM. ($10 per book, cash only.) If you purchase both books (signed and personalized for $20 cash total), you get a FREE copy of Kuni Tomita's original development artwork designs from when we developed RAIN as an animated series back at DreamWorks in the '90s. I will also be signing and selling copies of my animation and radio play scripts (from GARGOYLES, MEN IN BLACK, STARSHIP TROOPERS, TEAM ATLANTIS, W.I.T.C.H., THE BATMAN, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN, DC SHOWCASE: GREEN ARROW, BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN MEETS GARGOYLES, YOUNG JUSTICE, BEWARE THE BATMAN, GARGOYLES MEETS THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN MEETS YOUNG JUSTICE and KIM POSSIBLE). Each signed and personalized script is $20 cash. I'll also be giving away #RainoftheGhosts AudioPlay postcards for free!
WORKING IN THE STAR WARS UNIVERSE
Room 207 04:00pm - 05:00pm
I'm moderating this panel with panelists: Kevin J. Anderson, Sam de La Rosa, Braden Lamb, Mike Mayhew, Rebecca Moesta & John Ostrander.
SIGNING
ARTISTS ALLEY - Table A-31, 5:30pm - 07:00pm.
SATURDAY, APRIL 04, 2015
SPOTLIGHT ON GREG WEISMAN
Room 213, 11:30am - 12:30pm
Gary Mierianu interviews me about Gargoyles, Young Justice, The Spectacular Spider-Man, Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars Kanan: the Last Padawan, Rain of the Ghosts (novels and AudioPlay) and more. Plus we'll open it up to an audience Q&A at the end.
SIGNING
ARTISTS ALLEY - Table A-31, 1:00pm - 02:30pm.
SIGNING
Mysterious Galaxy Booth 908, 03:00pm - 03:45pm.
MARVEL: NEXT BIG THING
Room 300AB 04:00pm - 05:00pm
I'll be talking about Star Wars Kanan: The Last Padawan, but other panelists will include Sam Humphries, Will Moss & Rick Remender, talking about their stuff.
SIGNING
ARTISTS ALLEY - Table A-31, 5:30pm - 07:00pm.
SUNDAY, APRIL 05, 2015
WARNER ARCHIVE MORE THAN SIDEKICKS!
Room 300AB 01:00pm - 02:00pm
I'll be talking Young Justice and other sidekick stuff with J.M. DeMatteis, D.W. Ferranti, Loren Lester, Gary Mierianu & Matthew Patterson.
SIGNING
ARTISTS ALLEY - Table A-31, 2:30pm - 05:00pm.
That's it. If you're in the area, stop by and say hello!!!
Kelley writes...
1) Do you ever grow tired or weary of writing and working on only super hero type of shows? I'm assuming working on this new star wars series must of been a breath of fresh air for you?
2)When it comes to the projects you create and produce how do you pick the correct voice director for the project? Do you have a process you go through or that type of thing out of your hands?
Greg responds...
1. They're not that different. And I love super-heroes. It's a bastard genre born from every other type of genre fiction, which allows me to do almost anything.
2. Well, when it's up to me, I tend to go with Jamie Thomason, who's both amazingly talented and a good friend. We have our rapport down to a science, and so it makes the process both fun and phenomenal. But sometimes it's not my call. And then there are a number of other great directors I've also worked with, in particular Ginny McSwain, but also Andrea Romano, Curtis Koller, Dave Filoni, Sue Blu and others. I also enjoy voice directing myself, so if schedules permit, I'm game.
Richard writes...
What is you're favorite starwars space battle and why?
Greg responds...
Is this a quiz?
Dave Newman writes...
Hi Greg,
I want to ask you a question in regards to Star Wars: Rebels. I've very much enjoyed previous shows you have worked on such as Gargoyles, Spectacular Spider-Man and the various productions you have worked on for DC Entertainment and I'm interested in checking out Rebels later this year.
My problem is that I'm worried that not being an ardent Star Wars fan may stand me in poor stead to watch Rebels. I've watched the six big screen "episodes", the Genndy Tartakovsky Clone Wars series and the later Clone Wars movie and the first season of that Clone Wars series. Enjoyed almost all of them but can't say I'm a massive expert on the show. I can name and identify the main characters but couldn't run off the names of all the bounty hunters beyond Boba Fett without risk of error or tell you what the bald guy who works for Lando Calrissian is called, for instance.
My question is; what am I best advised to watch or brush up on in preparation for Rebels so that I'm not TOO behind, or is it being produced as a show that new fans can step aboard with and now be too confused?
Thanks for taking the time to read my question, look forward to your answer. All the best of success to you with this show and all the projects you work on.
Ta!
Dave
Greg responds...
Rebels is absolutely being produced as a show that could easily be your first and only introduction to Star Wars. Obviously, the more you know and have seen, the more you'll appreciate certain aspects of it. But there is literally NOTHING you NEED to have seen to enjoy Rebels.
But if you're looking for recommendations, the canon six features and the Clone Wars television series are good bets. Also John Jackson Miller's novel, A NEW DAWN. Plus, keep an eye out for my STAR WARS KANAN comic book series due out in 2015.
Alexandra Harenberg writes...
I have been following the updates about Star Wars: Rebels, the new television series premiering on Disney XD in November, for a long time now; and I am very excited about the release. The fact that you, Dave Filoni, Simon Kinberg, Steve Lee, Stewart Lee, and all the other awesome people at Lucasfilm and Disney are producing this new series is wonderful. I was hoping for the return of Star Wars after the Clone Wars was canelled!
My question for you, Mr. Wiesman, concerns one of the main characters of Rebels: Zeb Orrelios. When I heard the directing team would be using Ralph McQuarie's original design for Chewbacca, I was totally excited. But it was only after I saw Zeb's completed look that I was blown away.
So here is my question. Are you going to explore his particular species (what Wookieepedia has defined as a Lasat) even further? I have been attempting to imagine what a female of his species would look like, and I will probably be designing concept art for a female Lasat soon enough. Also, are you going to give Zeb Orrelios a love interest at some point in the season? I have been thinking, and I believe that would prove to be an interesting element in the storyline.
One final question. I read that the series was inspired by Hayao Miyazaki's art. Is this true? Because, either way, I definitely can see it in the designs.
Thank you so much for your time, Mr. Weisman. I will be keeping up to date with the show!
~Alexandra
Greg responds...
I love Zeb too!
But there's not much about your question that I can answer. If it takes place in Season One, then, well: NO SPOILERS. And if it takes place after Season One, then, well: I'm afraid I'm not on the series anymore, and I don't know.
I will say that we all know that Zeb is a terrific character, so I can't imagine his background remaining unexplored for long.
And, yes, Dave Filoni did take some inspiration from Miyazaki.
Star Wars Bookworms Podcast
I was on the Star Wars Bookworms Podcast. Had a great time. You can find it here:
http://www.starwarsreport.com/2014/11/06/greg-weisman-interview-swbw-34/
Star Wars Rebels: Kanan
This weekend at New York Comic Con, Marvel and Lucasfilm announced the new monthly on-going STAR WARS REBELS: KANAN comic book. I will be writing the first five-issue arc, THE LAST PADAWAN. I'm very excited. More info in an interview I did here: http://www.coffeewithkenobi.com/with-new-kanan-comic-marvel-set-to-explore-more-star-wars-lore/
Anonymous writes...
The "Star Wars: The Force Unleashed" video game series (in which the major events takes place during the the last three years before Episode IV) showed how the Rebellion started, thanks to the unintentional parts of Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine, as well as the efforts of the games' protagonists Galen Marek/Starkiller and his supposed clone (due to lack of evidence to fully support that he is actually a clone or his real self in the second game). Will the events of "Star Wars: The Force Unleashed" video game series be canon in the Star Wars Rebels timeline (even though the TV series will start in 5 BBY)?
Greg responds...
As I understand things, canon starts NOW. And the only things that are guaranteed canon from prior to now are the six films and Clone Wars.
But to be clear, this is not my call. Please don't rail about it here or to me.
ION CANNON PODCAST
I did another PodCast, this one with more of a focus on STAR WARS REBELS: http://www.solosound.net/ioncannon/4042/
I'm A Fan writes...
Hey Greg! I've watched and absolutely adore the work you've put into both Spectacular and YJ. You're an amazing producer who definitely respects the franchises that you have worked on and deserve more than second-season cancellations :P
Fan appreciation out of the way:
1) How is creating Star Wars Rebels' story and characters compared to YJ's and Spectacular's, considering those were in alternate continuities rather than part of official canon?
2) (If you're allowed to answer this) How much input is there from the higher-ups in Disney/people in control of the Star Wars franchise for the show? (I'm saying this because I was disappointed with Ultimate Spider-Man, also controlled by Disney, which had many good names attached to it, but ultimately felt forced and plainly interfered with by corporate executives who wanted the show to pander to kids.)
I'm looking forward to rebels and hope you have enough creative freedom to work your magic! Thanks for answering!
Greg responds...
1. It was very different. But it's impossible to discuss without spoiling. Ask again after the first season airs.
2. I have no opinion on Ultimate, which I haven't seen. But rest assured, Lucasfilm was calling the shots on Rebels.
J.J. writes...
Hey Greg, have a few questions on the business side of things:
You've said that Cartoon Network and Warner Bros. insist that Young Justice is NOT cancelled, just not picked up. Even if they do pick it up how would that work?
1. You've obviously moved on to work on Star Wars: Rebels along writing Your Rain of Ghost series. If they were to approach you on continuing the show would you be able to? I mean you've said that you and the production team created a bible of sorts for future story lines and character arcs, so you wouldn't have to start from scratch… but that is a lot of work.
2.Would you continue on doing Star Wars Rebels while someone else worked on the show?(The Goliath Chronicles) Or would you still be allowed to juggle both shows? (As unrealistic as that sounds)
I ask this because unlike Spec-Spidey, which was cancelled for legal reason, YJ had no real reason to end. I'm sure most of us would have been more than content with a continuation of the comics set during season 3.
Lighter stuff:
3. Now that you've finished Spirits of Ash and Foam, are you planning out and writing book 3 currently or are you waiting on the sales numbers on the first two books to get the go ahead and get seriously started?
Thanks for the time. Don't have Disney XD so I'll have to wait to catch Star Wars: Rebels online.
Greg responds...
1. It is a lot of work, so it would all depend on timing. I often have windows of availability, and when these windows open, I'm usually at one or more places trying to get something going on Young Justice or Gargoyles, etc.
2. This is all too hypothetical to answer. I can generally do a comic or two while working on a series, if the schedule isn't too brutal on one or the other (or both). But I can't answer these questions in a vacuum.
3. I probably should wait, since the third book has not been ordered. But I have begun doing the research for Book Three of Rain, i.e. Masque of Bones.
Wookiehunter writes...
Is it possible, that Rebels doesnt end at the beginning of a New Hope and will go further to tell us more storys?
Greg responds...
SPOILER REQUEST. NO COMMENT.
simone writes...
Do you think if I call cartoon network on a regular and complain about how unfair they are for taking down YJ before we was able to have a 3rd/4th/5th season but yet they have all these other shows like bakugan still coming on.? Im not trying to down play them but seriously. ?! Why that play all the time but yet there is never a rerun of YJ .?? It came on on Saturday and Sunday morning. ..that's it.! I wouldn't blame the ratings if its so low.. who really wakes up at 8 or 9 to watch that show (could have came on at 10, not sure since it been so long) unless they know it was going to play that time.?
And that's another thing.. how is anybody suppose to know is there was gonna be another season if y'all don't advertise it.? I realized that y'all didn't do that for the 2nd season or if you was gonna have one (unless I looked it up on Google or something). There was times were I didn't know if a show was coming on that Saturday morning and I would have woke up for nothing ... just upset and sad.. I think that's another reason why y'all did not have that many ratings... we never really knew when it would come on unless we look it up. Please answer ... I really wanna know
Greg responds...
I've lost track of exactly what question you "really wanna know" the answer for. So I'll try to comment on what I can.
I think we can all agree that the series didn't receive as much promotion as we might have liked. Frankly, no show I've ever worked on has ever received as much promotion as I would have liked. None. (Although Star Wars Rebels may be the exception. Lucasfilm has quite the machine up and running to create buzz.) That's just the way things go in a business where promoting an animated series is an additional expense that most networks have decided they can't afford.
Whether you like Bakugan or not, keep in mind it's an acquisition, not an original series. It's considerably cheaper because the U.S. network doesn't have to pay for production, only for a license fee to air it in America.
Calling CN to complain daily does NOT sound like a good plan. Imagine if someone did that to you?
Geek Cave Podcast
Did a podcast at the Geek Cave, where we discussed everything from Gargoyles to Star Wars Rebels to Rain of the Ghosts.
Find it here: http://geekcavepodcast.com/post/85018863882/geek-cave-podcast-episode-43-greg-weisman-the
Or you can download it directly here: http://thegeekcave.podbean.com/mf/web/tm4wd9/GC43.mp3
Richard writes...
What was you're favorite star wars space and why?
Greg responds...
My favorite "star wars space"? I'm sorry, I'm not sure what you mean. My favorite movies were Episodes IV and V.
paulo oliveira writes...
Hello!
I am the responsible for the official star wars fan club in Portugal and I wonder if is it possible to Mr Greg Weisman grant us an interview.Could be by e-mail?
Best regards:
Paulo Oliveira
http://swccpt.blogspot.com
Greg responds...
Hi Paula,
I'd be happy to. But all Star Wars related interviews have to be approved by Lucasfilm and Tracy Cannobbio. I'll tweet this and let her know.
Feedback writes...
I haven't played YJ:Legacy yet (med school, *sigh*), but I've been a little disappointed in all the bad reviews for the game. I have a couple of questions regarding the game. (Sorry if they seem a little long, but I had to get my point across before each question.)
1. Did you get to view the finished product in its entirety?
2. The game was lower priced and clearly wasn't supposed to be viewed as a full-fledged console game, but instead as a lower-priced shorter companion game for fans of the show. Do you think the negative reception has been due to people expecting too much??
3. Can you estimate the game's costs??? With 70k units sold plus Steam sales and DLC, I'm assuming it's made a little under 3 million in revenue. The game obviously has a lower budget than most, and it seemingly had 0 marketing and advertising. Do you know if it is profitable? Is Little Orbit happy or underwhelmed with sales? Considering it's a small company with its first console game, it's hard to pinpoint what their expectations were.
4. Assuming Little Orbit doesn't follow up with a sequel, what hope is there for a continuation in the Young Justice franchise?? Is there a possibility for another game, another comic, a film?
5. Side-note: I hope Star Wars is coming along sweet! And I REALLY hope I'm not bothering you next year about why the big wigs canceled my new favorite show.
Greg responds...
1. In advance? No.
2. Don't know. The reception hasn't been so much negative as mixed. At least as far as most of the reviews I've seen. A lot of praise for story and character.
3. Not a clue.
3a. No idea.
3b. Don't know.
4. It's possible, but there's nothing on the horizon at this time.
5. I think Star Wars Rebels is going to be a huge hit.
Zer0C00l writes...
Greg! What's going on, man? Happy New Year and all that good stuff. Before I say what I say... please let it be known that I'm not trying to offend you or anyone in any kind of way.
Cool?
So I hear you got a new gig. Congrats! I knew you would. Now here's the thing, bro. I'm a bit worried about Rebels and I need you to set my fears aside. Can you do that? Can you promise the same Weisman QUALITY? Will YOU be leading the ship of Rebels? I know you have partners. You always had team mates from past shows. But YOU were always the head writer. The one with the series bible. The million index cards all over. That was YOU. Everyone else worked under you.
I ask this mainly because of a recent show that totally turned me OFF in a big way. The show was HORRIBLE. What show? That would be "Ultimate Spider-Man". Have you seen this? Greg, I tell ya, I was looking forward to this. I was. Why? Because of the name Paul Dini. Paul Dini! OK?.
Dini is an incredible writer. A huge force that most of his credibility came from working on the DCAU aka the Timmverse. Namely... "Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker". Just incredible stuff all around. So when I heard he was apart of this show, I was like, wow, I need to check this out. I knew he had partners but why would that matter when he's writing tons of scripts and is part of the writers room?
Yeahhhh. Basically, Greg, it's clear as day that he's not in charge of anything there. He's there in name only. His partners (Man of Action) are obviously running things. Every episode that I watched (stopped after episode 7 or so) was so over the top and ridiculous. A true insult to even little kids who watch it. The show is SO dumbed down and tries too hard to be funny. There's nothing worse than forced "humor".
My point? IF the talented writer isn't leading the pack then the show will never be what it could be. I just want to make sure that's not going to be the case for "Star Wars: Rebels". I'm about to invest a whole bunch of money to get into the Star Wars universe. Believe it or not, growing up, I never really got into the Star Wars craze. I didn't. I've seen the movies when I was little but don't really remember much. I went to the movies to see Episode One and that was all right. I just never really gave it a proper chance. I feel I can get a better enjoyment out of it today, though. I'm actually looking forward to it.
Just know, I'm mainly doing this for YOU. To fully get myself well versed in the Star Wars universe and prepared for Rebels. I'm going to buy the complete saga of Star Wars on Blu-ray and then I will pick up the CGI Clone Wars animated series as well. I want to be ready for this.
That's why I need to know, Greg, will Rebels be another "Ultimate Spider-Man"? or will it be the QUALITY of a "Young Justice"? Who's truly in charge? Who's the head booker? I hope it's you and I hope Rebels will be everything it can be and should be.
May the force be with you, man.
-ZC
Greg responds...
Okay, let's start here: EVERYONE ELSE DID NOT WORK UNDER ME.
I had PARTNERS, not minions.
Frank Paur was a full partner on Gargoyles. I was NOT his boss.
Vic Cook was a full partner on Spectacular Spider-Man. I was NOT his boss.
Brandon Vietti was a full partner on Young Justice. I was NOT his boss.
I have two partners on Star Wars Rebels, Dave Filoni and Simon Kinberg. I am NOT their bosses. I'm flattered that you think so highly of me, truly. But by overstating my contribution/authority, you're being misleading and unintentionally dishonest. It's a collaborative medium. And THANK GOD for that.
I haven't seen "Ultimate Spider-Man". That's not a value judgement. I just haven't watched it. So I have no comment on it at all.
And, yes, I get that you're not trying to insult us here. But then please just think about what you're asking for just a moment. Do you really think we'd set out to make a BAD show? What exactly do you expect me to say to that?
"Why, yes, actually. We were hoping it would suck."
I mean, seriously.
EVERYONE involved in it, myself included, is doing his or her absolute best to bring you a terrific Star Wars series. If that's not enough, I don't know what to tell you. Because I'm NOT the "head booker" (whatever the heck that means). As with every series I've ever produced, I'm simply part of the team.
Geek Tyrant Interview
For selfish reasons, I'm doing as much press as I can these days. So if you're not sick of me, there's a new interview up at Geek Tyrant:
As indicated by the URL, Joey Paur and I cover Gargoyles, Rain of the Ghosts and Star Wars Rebels. Check it out!
Coffee With Kenobi Podcast
I'm a guest on the Coffee With Kenobi Podcast. It was a fun interview, covering Star Wars Rebels, Gargoyles 20th Anniversary, Young Justice, Rain of the Ghosts and Spirits of Ash and Foam. You can find it here:
Presto writes...
A question about Star Wars Rebels. I was wondering what that current process is like since with your last two shows, you were able to really play around and manipulate the characters as you desired since you were essentially setting them in a new universe. With Star Wars however, you have to set the show in an established continuity and use material from its predecessor The Clone Wars. How are you adjusting to this new format? Is the creative freedom more restricted or more or less the same? Also just as a Star Wars fan, what do you think about the prequels (*cough cough plinkett reviews)?
Greg responds...
The process is very similar. Dave Filoni, Simon Kinberg and the the Lucasfilm team came up with an arc for the series as a whole, a season's worth of stories for the first season, and plenty of ideas for multiple seasons to follow.
Any series has parameters. This is no different.
As for my opinion on the prequels - ASKED AND ANSWERED.
DanM writes...
Hey Greg... DanM again...
No stories just questions now.
1 - In Rebels is the Producer title of yours a Glorified Title once more or are this the real deal?
2 - In developing characters. Do YOU ever consider how a character name would sound in another lenguage, when you are in the process of naming them? (I ask this because of Count Dooku. Here in Brasil he was renamed Count Dookan, 'cause phonetically speaking it sounds to us as "From a**h*le").
3 - About the toyline. Do the show producers have any say in the development of the toy line? (Like approve or not the design, number of articulations, etc.. That kinda stuff...)
4 - Have you ever considered making a podcast about the show production, while producin it (now, that would be Rebels)?
Thats it for now.. Thanks again for your time
Later
Greg responds...
1. I'm an Executive Producer on Star Wars Rebels. I'm not sure I know what you mean by "once more". I don't think any of my producer titles were "glorified" from my point of view. I did the work; I earned the credit. Sony and Warner Bros may not have needed me to truly produce either SPEC SPIDEY or YJ, but that doesn't mean I didn't produce them.
2. No.
3. No.
4. That's beyond my technical capacity. And I doubt that Lucasfilm would approve anyway.
Steel_Goliath writes...
Hi Mr Weisman
i was wondering do you feel any anger towards the shows you work on get canceled before you can finish all the plot lines
also what do you plan to do now that young justice is cancelled
Greg responds...
Anger isn't the right word. Frustration, certainly. Sadness. Melancholy. Resignation. It's not a happy feeling, but there's nothing and no one to be angry about.
By now, you probably know that I'm one of the Executive Producers of the new STAR WARS REBELS animated series, which premieres in 2014 and that I've written two novels: RAIN OF THE GHOSTS and SPIRITS OF ASH AND FOAM.
Everything Geek Podcast INTERVIEW
I was interviewed on the Everything Geek Podcast here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idfnqNo-rn8
I discuss my "secret origins", The Spectacular Spider-Man, Gargoyles, Star Wars Rebels, Young Justice and more.
Check it out!
(But of course I totally forgot to mention Rain of the Ghosts at all, darnit!)
Tya writes...
Please Mr. Greg, I know that you're a very busy man and I am in love with you guy's work, especially Young Justice Series. Ever since the very first episode I have been in amazement by how good the series is. It really brought back how much eveyone truly loved all DC Heroes. I was extremely happy about the whole focus on the sidekicks,who proved to be much more than that. Now I have seen the finale now, and I hope this wont get my question deleted or anything, but I was wondering what was now next for you guys,since the unpredictable and sad ending to such a great series?
Greg responds...
I'm currently working on STAR WARS REBELS and on the second novel in my RAIN OF THE GHOSTS series: SPIRITS OF ASH AND FOAM.
JJ writes...
Hey Greg. Adore your shows to an insane degrees! Got questions regarding my man Superboy
1. Since he doesn't age physically but internally, mentally is superboy still 16 as originally programmed or does he consider himself 22?
2. Since wondergirl was introduced late, and it would be kind of creepy for him to date her like in the comic books, what's their relationship like?3. Did superman finding out about connors other father, Lex, present a setback to their growing relationship? Or make it even more awkward?
4. Do the gloves have enhancing qualities( tech, comunication output, forged from something harder than kryptonian skin) or just look cool?
Much thanks. Pretty sure a good chunk of these fall under spoilers but thanks for just presenting the opportunity to ask. If Invasion is our last hurrah than can't wait for the next universe you take us to. Thankyou
Greg responds...
1. I don't think he's very clear in his own head how old he is or is supposed to be. He thinks of himself as six, most of the time, because, well, he is. But he also thinks of himself as an adult. And he thinks of himself, still, as not fully... "realized".
2. What you see is what you get - at least until we have the chance to make more.
3. I think it was a momentary speedbump, but I also think that once Clark made the decision to be Conner's brother, it was fairly smooth sailing.
4. Probably just the latter.
Next universe seems to be STAR WARS REBELS. But Invasion's not YJ's last hurrah. Check out Young Justice Legacy this November.
MechaCon 2013
I'll be attending Mecha-Con from August 23-25th, 2013, in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Here's my schedule:
FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 2013
Acting, Writing, Directing and Producing Animation 03:00pm - 04:00pm
Secondary Events/1st Floor
w/New Generation Pictures' Jonathan Klein and Hynden Walsh, the voice of Princess Bubblegum and Starfire, among many others.
Opening Ceremonies and Formal/Semi-Formal Dinner 05:30pm - 08:00pm
Main Events/1st Floor
Dolldelight FashionShow 07:00pm - 08:00pm
Main Events/1st Floor
GoldPass Meet-n-Greet 08:00pm - 09:30pm
Tertiary Events/1st Floor
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2013
Voice Acting and the Industry 01:00pm - 02:00pm
Panel Room 1/3rd Floor
w/Jonathan Klein, Hynden Walsh and Tommy Yune of Robotech fame, etc.
Voice Directing for TV Animation, Anime and Video Games 03:00pm - 04:00pm
Panel Room 3/3rd Floor
w/Jonathan Klein
Signing 04:00pm - 05:00pm
Signing Room
*5 of the Best Anime English Dubs You've Probably Never Heard of
Panel Room 1/3rd Floor
Presented by Jonathan Klein
*I might be at this one. Might not.
Star Wars Rebels 07:00pm - 08:00pm
Panel Room 1/3rd Floor
Gargoyles 19th Anniversary: Stone by Day, Warriors by Night 09:00pm - 10:00pm
Panel Room 1/3rd Floor
SUNDAY, AUGUST 25, 2013
Young Justice: Combating the Light 10:00am - 11:00am
Panel Room 3/3rd Floor
The Animation of Disney, DC, Marvel and Beyond 11:00am - 12:00pm
Panel Room 1/3rd Floor
w/Hynden Walsh
Charity Auction 01:00pm - 04:00pm
Main Events/1st Floor
Anyway, if you're around New Orleans, stop by. I think it's going to be a great con. And if you're AT the con, stop by and say hello. I'm much nicer in person than I am here at ASK GREG. Everyone thinks so.
Eli writes...
Question for Greg, Are you doing any work in the future? After Young Justice that is. HUGE fan of your work.
Greg responds...
Thank you. And, yes. I'm currently working with fellow Executive Producers Dave Filoni and Simon Kinberg on STAR WARS REBELS, a new animated series from Lucasfilm and Disney, which should begin airing in Fall, 2014.
And my first novel, RAIN OF THE GHOSTS, will come out this December. It can be pre-ordered here:
I'm currently writing the second book in the RAIN series.
In addition, I've written an episode of Beware the Batman and a few Octonauts.
Twitter vs. ASK GREG - To the Death!!!
Twitter vs. ASK GREG - To the Death!!!
So for the first time in nearly a month, I lurked on a few sites and someone was bitchin' (that's right, I said it) about the fact that I was tweeting a lot but hadn't spent much time here at ASK GREG.
Mostly, the responses that person received from other fans were dead obvious, but they bear repeating:
1. Twitter is a lot more convenient. I can tweet with my phone during downtime. (I tend to do it while I'm doing my isometric neck exercises.) I can also do Ask Greg with my phone during downtime (as I did yesterday when I was stuck at an airport), but (a) it's much more difficult because the screen is so small and (b) I have no access to the materials that some questions require. So Ask Greg answers done on the phone tend toward the short and unsatisfying.
2. Stop acting so entitled. Greg Weisman has NO obligation, explicit or implicit, to answer any questions on ASK GREG ever. Let me repeat that: Greg Weisman has NO obligation, explicit or implicit, to answer any questions on ASK GREG ever. I do it because I enjoy doing it (most of the time). But if for any reason I take a break for however long, that's life. I will not be made to feel guilty about it.
Those are the two main points, but there are a couple others:
3. I've been traveling A LOT. Since the end of May, I've taken four trips up north to Lucasfilm, one trip to Denver Comic Con, one trip to Oregon for their Shakespeare Festival and a family trip to EUROPE. I still have both San Diego Comic Con and New Orleans MechaCon (http://www.mechacon.com/) coming up in the next couple months, plus at least one more trip to San Francisco for Lucasfilm. When I travel, internet is a dicey prospect at best, and that's on top of the fact that the reasons for the trip tend to preclude me having the free time to post on ASK GREG.
4. I've been SWAMPED with work. That's a good thing. (In fact, these are all good things.) I have tight deadlines on Star Wars Rebels, a looming deadline on the second book in the Rain of the Ghosts series, plus a few other random freelance things that I'll mention (perhaps) when they're finished. Lots of work means less free time to post at Ask Greg.
As for Twitter, I'll admit I might be a little addicted, but the bald-faced truth of the matter is simply that I was basically coerced into joining Twitter by my book publisher, my agent/manager and my family. I am making an extremely conscious attempt to raise my profile there (and gain followers) for the sake of RAIN OF THE GHOSTS. I make no bones about that. I'm not trying to hide the fact AT ALL. I want/need the book to do well, and Ask Greg just was NOT reaching enough people. Hence Twitter.
Having said that, I have no interest in using or allowing Twitter to replace ASK GREG. Folks have asked me questions on Twitter, which I've either ignored or used as an excuse to nudge the askers over here. It's a tad difficult, since the ASK GREG Question Asking Function here is currently down until I catch up, but whatchagonnado? ASK GREG still matters to me, and Twitter hasn't changed that at all.
So really, the title of this ramble is a sham. The two resources are not in conflict at all. I'm hoping Twitter brings MORE people to Ask Greg and maybe, vice versa. (And maybe that's the real reason for this post. Heh heh heh.)
GARGOYLES NEWS - DVDS and CONvergence/Gathering
Well, I've been out of the country and OUT OF THE LOOP, but we have some REALLY BIG news on the GARGOYLES front.
Season Two, Volume Two of Gargoyles has been released on DVD as a Disney Movie Club exclusive. I haven't seen it yet, but I'm planning on getting at least a couple copies, as I'm told by reliable fan sources who have already received their disks that these are the uncut and correct versions of the last twenty-six episodes of Season Two, including such fan favorites as "M.I.A.", Future Tense" and all three parts of "Hunter's Moon".
Wish I knew more. I've e-mailed a Disney contact for more info but haven't received a response yet. But you can probably find all the information you need by asking the fans in the comment room:
http://www.s8.org/gargoyles/comment/index.php
Anyway, as always, I'm not asking you to spend money you don't have. But if you can afford it, please help us prove to Disney that Gargoyles is a viable property with a strong fanbase. You can do that in two important ways. (1) Buy the DVDs, of course. And (2) SPREAD THE WORD! Use Tumbler, Twitter, Pony Express, whatever. Just help us let people know that these DVDs exist and are out there for sale.
AND MORE BIG NEWS...
I was waiting until CONvergence was over on Sunday to announce this, but it seems they've already made the announcement here:
https://twitter.com/GargoylesNews/status/353393780675715074/photo/1
Next summer, one of my favorite conventions, CONVERGENCE in Minneapolis, will be dedicating their annual convention to the theme of "A Midsummer Night's Dream". And a major part of that theme will be the celebration of the TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF GARGOYLES!!! I'm going to be a guest of the convention, and we've already begun discussions to create a Gargoyles convention within the convention. That's right, folks, the GATHERING OF THE GARGOYLES is back!! There will be a RADIO PLAY! There will be a BLUE MUG!! There will be the ROCKY HORROR GARGOYLES SHOW-ING OF THE TRADITIONAL VIDEOS!! There will be ASK GREG LIVE!! And there will be other Gargoyles related guests to be announced!!!
If you came to any one of the thirteen Gatherings that we held between 1997 and 2009, you know how much fun this can be. You'll want to be there again! If you missed the Gatherings and always wished you had had the opportunity, now is your chance! If you've never heard of the Gathering, but like Gargoyles (or any of the other shows I've done or am doing - including W.I.T.C.H., Spectacular Spider-Man, Young Justice, Rain of the Ghosts and/or Star Wars Rebels, etc.) then this is an opportunity to talk with me and other like-minded fans about them. (We'll probably have panels on them all!)
And if you're interested in just attending a great comic book and science fiction and fantasy and genre convention, then Gargoyles aside, you just can't beat CONvergence:
The camaraderie of the Gatherings was truly something wonderful, and the closest I've ever come to that outside the Gatherings is CONvergence. I honestly can't think of a better con to merge with, even if it's just for one year. (For starters, the ENTIRE hotel is rented to the convention, and the parties go on all night. No more being told by management that we have to stop talking and/or move to some other location. We can and will continue until we drop!)
Now, let's think. Let's strategize. CONvergence is going on NOW. As I type this. And it will last through the end of this July 4th weekend. Next year's convention is exactly one year away. That's plenty of time to plan, to save up money, make travel and hotel arrangements etc. But mostly, what we've got to do in that year is SPREAD THE WORD!!! I want to see a HUGE GARGOYLE FAN TURNOUT at CONvergence 2014. Let's stun CONvergence, the world and DISNEY by showing them how immensely popular Gargoyles still is. And for sure, I don't want any Gargoyles fan saying, "Gee, I didn't hear about it."
So help me, please. I'm sure there are a lot of old fans out there that long ago stopped reading ASK GREG. Contact them. Contact EVERY Gargoyles fan you know, young and/or old. (Don't assume they must already know.) I want to see all my old friends. And a lot of new ones. So, please. Help me. SPREAD. THE. WORD!!!!!!
GREG'S DENVER COMIC CON 2013 SCHEDULE...
GREG'S DENVER COMIC CON 2013 SCHEDULE...
Hey, gang! As many of you know, I'm leaving tomorrow morning for Denver Comic Con. At last year's inaugural convention in Denver, I had a ton of fun with Khary "Aqualad" Payton and Greg Guler. They're both coming back this year, but other guests include Young Justice comic book artist Christopher Jones, Phil "Reach Ambassador" LaMarr, Dee Bradley "Desaad" Baker and Kelly "Cheshire" Hu. And, really, that's just the tip of the ol' iceberg. Check out the website here:
http://www.denvercomiccon.com/
Anyway, here's my schedule for the weekend:
FRIDAY, MAY 31, 2013
ASK GREG LIVE 05:00pm - 05:50pm
Room 105, m/p
We had fun doing this more casually at WonderCon, so here we'll make it official
SIGNING 06:00pm - 06:50pm
Floor Table
I was planning to bring stuff to sell and sign, but I've just been so swamped that I didn't get my act together. But I'll sign (FOR FREE) anything you bring over to my table and wave under my nose (politely). Don't know exactly which table is mine yet, but I'll announce it at ASK GREG LIVE and TWEET it.
CARTOON VOICES 07:00pm - 07:50pm
Main Events, m/p
Me wrangling a bunch of talented voice actors!
FOUR COLOR MIXER 09:00pm - 11:30pm
Atrium Alcove Embassy Suites
Downtown Convention Center - 4th Floor
1420 Stout St., Denver, CO 80202
SATURDAY, JUNE 01, 2013
WEB COMICS 11:30am - 12:20pm
Room 104-106, m
I'm just moderating this one, but it should be fun.
STAR WARS ILLUSTRATION 01:00pm - 01:50pm
Room 504, m
The funny thing is, I was asked to moderate this LONG BEFORE I had my current #StarWarsRebels gig.
YOUNG JUSTICE 03:00pm - 03:50pm
Room 108-110, m/p
At minimum, you'll have me and Chris and Khary. But I'll try and pull a few more folks in too.
PHINEAS & FERB 04:00pm - 04:50pm
Stylin' Online Room (501+502), m
Moderating this panel, which includes Greg Guler and Kelly Hu.
THE FUTURE OF STAR WARS 05:00pm - 05:50pm
Hard Rock Café Room (506-507), p
Okay, now, this one I wasn't invited to participate on until AFTER I got my current #StarWarsRebels gig.
WRITING COMICS 06:30pm - 07:20pm
Room 104-106, p
A real all-star group of comics writing professionals. I'm probably the guy on the panel with the LEAST experience.
YJ MEET UP 07:30pm
Room 104
Chris Jones, myself and maybe a few other YJ types will be meeting up with YJ fans and cosplayers just to HANG OUT and SHOOT the $#!+. Chris and I did something similar at the Doctor Who Conventions, and it was a lot of fun.
SUNDAY, JUNE 02, 2013
CARTOON VOICES 10:00am - 10:50am
Room 108-110, m/p
Me wrangling a different group of talented voice actors!
DIVERSITY IN COMICS AND ANIMATION 12:00pm - 12:50pm
Room 504, m
This is a topic near and dear to my heart. Technically, I'm only moderating. But I plan on participating too!
ANIMATION ART 03:00pm - 03:50pm
Hard Rock Café Room (506-507), m
Moderating this panel of talented artists too!
COMICS FOR EVERYONE 04:00pm - 04:50pm
Room 103, m
And I'm moderating this last panel, as well.
NOTES: m = moderator, p = panelist. And I'll probably do more than just the one signing Friday. I'll tweet about that whenever I'm at my table.
So, if you're anywhere near Denver, please stop by! Say hello. If we've met before, I apologize in advance if I don't remember everyone's name. But reintroduce yourself. Eventually, I do catch on! And I want to meet you and say hello!
STAR WARS REBELS
So if you've been following me on Twitter - and/or you've been following whatever your preferable source of geek news - you probably already know that I have a new job. I'll be one of three Executive Producers on the new animated television series from Lucasfilm and Disney: STAR WARS REBELS. (I'm typing this from my room at the Skywalker Inn on the Skywalker Ranch! NOW, HOW COOL IS THAT?!!!)
My partners and fellow Executive Producers on the project are two incredibly talented guys, Dave Filoni and Simon Kinberg. I didn't know either of them before we got started (except by reputation), but I've already got a mad creative-crush on them both. We're building something truly special here, and I'm very excited to be a part of it. We're all challenging each other to make this show better and better.
Expect great characters, stunning action, humor, arcing and a little romance, i.e. all the things that most of you have enjoyed in my previous series and in the very best of the Star Wars franchise. Expect that. Go ahead. I don't think you'll be disappointed! And if I'm wrong, I'll eat my lightsaber. (I'm getting a lightsaber tomorrow!! YES!)
RAIN OF THE GHOSTS, BOOK TWO COUNTDOWN, Chapter Twenty-Two
RAIN OF THE GHOSTS, BOOK TWO COUNTDOWN, Chapter Twenty-Two:
Here's another of my shameless attempts to maintain buzz about my new novel, RAIN OF THE GHOSTS, due out in stores and on-line on December 3rd, 2013 (but available for pre-order NOW on Amazon, etc.):
http://www.amazon.com/Rain-Ghosts-Greg-Weisman/dp/1250029791
Since there's not too much to report about the first book now, I'm counting down my progress writing the SECOND book in the Rain franchise, which should come out sometime in 2014.
I just finished writing Chapter Twenty-Two. It's one of the shorter chapters, and I really would have finished it last night - but I was so tired after getting up VERY early, grabbing a plane and spending an intense day in story conference at Lucasfilm, working on my new gig, i.e. STAR WARS REBELS, that when I got back to the Skywalker Inn, I crashed at 10pm. But I'm on an end of summer deadline for this book, so I can't make a habit of THAT.
Tomorrow, I'll start on Chapter Twenty-Three.