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Codeman1992 writes...
Hi Mr. Weisman, I just wanted to give you props on developing one of the most interesting and creative superhero series on television. Young Justice is one of the greatest superhero series I've watched. I put it up there with the great Batman The Animated Series and all the Timmverse Shows. So, like I said before, I give you props and you are a extremely well versed writer and it's proof in your work. With the new Spider Man movie coming out soon, I've noticed it's very reminiscent of The Spectacular Spider man. At least in the case of turning Gwen into a potential love interest in High School, who both her and Pete intern somewhere. That's my first question, have you noticed that? My second question is regarding The Spectacular Spider Man. I'm in my Spidey Obsession phase and always turn to your show whenever I'm in that phase. Since there's not gonna be a Season 3 of the show, can you drop any potential storylines or where the show was gonna go after the finale of Season 2? I know this is really long, but I'm a huge fan and hope I can be as great of a writer as you are one day. Thank You Mr. Weisman for your time.
Greg responds...
1. I did notice similarities, but we're all working off the same source material, so there are bound to be similarities.
2. ASKED AND ANSWERED.
EXALT writes...
1)Have you seen any of the movies of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (Iron Man-The Incredible Hulk-Iron Man 2-Thor-Captain America: The First Avenger)? If yes, what do you think of them?
2)Have you seen Joss Whedon's The Avengers (It's not out yet, but it'll probably be when you'll answer this)?
Greg responds...
1. Yes. And I'm generally, a fan. I like some better than others, but they've all been fun.
2. Yes. And I enjoyed it - a lot.
Clark Cradic writes...
Is there any character from a comic, book, movie, or other form of media that you just don't like but everyone else seems to?
Greg responds...
Yes.
Megen writes...
So this doesn't really have anything to do with Young Justice (which is soooo good, definetly in my top 5 favorite tv series, and thats saying something cause i watch a lot of tv. xD ) but are you a Dr. Who fan? It's a stupid question, i know, but i think that i saw that you were somewhere..... Whose your favorite Dr.?? Mine's the 11th! :)
Greg responds...
ASKED AND ANSWERED.
Blizzard Sprite writes...
Hello, Mr. Weisman.
My questions today are more closely related to television programming. So here goes.
1. Have you viewed the new ThunderCats on Cartoon Network that debuted last year? Assuming so, what did you think of it?
2. Have you viewed any of the original episodes of the ThunderCats cartoon? Assuming so, what is your opinion of the old show, and how do you think it compares to the latest incarnation?
3.The original ThunderCats cartoon met the 65 mark episode needed to go into syndication, and produced episodes beyond it. While many of the new episodes were entertaining, I could not help but notice, in my opinion, a decline in certain qualities of the show. One of the areas hit hardest, in my opinion, was the writing in the episodes. This seemed to manifest itself in terms of more predictable scenarios occurring, less creative solutions to the problems that arose and eventually lackluster storylines. ThunderCats wasn’t the only show to suffer from this though. Cartoons like Captain Planets, which also surpassed the 65-episode mark, began to experience a bit of a lag, and lost many of the original voice actors/actresses who made their characters so exceptional.
4. So my question is what exactly happens to a show behind the scenes after moving beyond syndication? Is a show’s storyline only plotted out for 65 episodes and not expected to pass it? Or does the writing team have to brainstorm an entirely new set of ideas for episodes beyond? Are new writers assigned to the program or the old ones retained? Are the initial voice actors/actresses replaced with new people, choose not to renew their contract or different causes altogether?
Thanks for the time.
Greg responds...
1. I haven't had time to see it, but I really like the people involved with it.
2. I did a long time ago, when I was working on a single script for a different reboot that didn't see the light of day. But you need to understand that I never saw it when it first came on, so I have no nostalgia for it.
3. I just have no opinion on this. I only saw a handful of episodes.
4. Every case is different. And obviously, I have no idea what went on with ThunderCats.
Blaise writes...
Hey Greg! It's been a while. Glad to see you busy, and "Young Justice" is great!
Anyway, I just saw in one of your answered questions that you're a fan of "Doctor Who."
I've actually been working my way through the ENTIRE series (both Classic and New) in airing order for a while now, thanks to a friend of mine who is a HUGE "Doctor Who" fan (mostly of the classic series). So that's why I find myself asking the following questions:
1) Are you more familiar with the New series (2005-present), or the Classic series (1963-1989)?
2) Do you have a favorite/preferred Doctor? If so, who?
3) What appeals to you most about the show?
Thanks!
Greg responds...
1. New, almost exclusively. Though I've seen the very first two episodes of the classic series, and a handful of others.
2. Christopher Eccleston, I guess. But I haven't disliked any of the others I've seen - though there are entire Doctors I've never seen more than a still picture of.
3. I actually admire how it plays so fast and loose with its own rules, but still makes it work somehow with a combination of tone and character and great twists.
Zach Baker writes...
Hey Greg!
I recently saw this line from an interview with Steven Bochco in the early 80's, talking about Hill Street Blues (which currently has its first two-and-a-half seasons on Hulu Plus, by the way):
"Maybe the biggest problem with Hill Street, in terms of popular success, is that it is a show that demands to be watched. And most people do not watch television. They simply are in its presence."
I love that quote. What an insightful way to encapsulate about what was essential and great about Hill Street Blues, without going into all the details of what made it so outstanding. Just leave at this: unlike nearly anything before it, in many ways it was a show that demanded to be watched. I think that characteristic also applies to Gargoyles as well, no doubt due to the major influence Hill Street Blues had on the show (as you've often mentioned).
Nowadays, that quality, of being a show that "demands to be watched," is characteristic of so many excellent shows that appear on HBO, Showtime or AMC (before hitting DVD boxsets and iTunes), places where popular success isn't the one and only yardstick. And again and again, we've seen how this kind of series can flourish in the atmosphere of creative freedom offered by these outlets.
Can viewers hope that someday soon, that kind of environment will produce an animated serial drama that has the same level of quality, complexity and acclaim as these channels' current headline series? If so, what might it take for that to happen?
Greg responds...
Hey, Zach. Long time no see. I'd heard that quotation about Hill Street before, and couldn't agree more.
I appreciate you think Gargoyles falls in the same category. It's flattering and certainly what we strived for. I don't pretend that we were as good as Hill Street Blues, but no one can accuse us of not going for it.
As to your question, I like to think that W.I.T.C.H., Spectacular Spider-Man, Young Justice and Young Justice: Invasion also qualify. At least at Gargoyles' level. So I think it's already possible. But that's just my - apparently not so - humble opinion.
Anthony Tini writes...
Greg,
What did you think of the latest season of Dexter ? Did you enjoy it? [Spoiler]Unfortunately, I read an online review after the first episode aired where the reviewer suggested that the Dr. Geller wasn't alive so that ruined the big reveal later in the season.[/Spoiler] I wish I was able to watch the show not knowing what I had read. I might have enjoyed the season more if I had figured it out on my own.
I was happy that they were tackling Dexter's issue with religion and I thought that the character of Brother Sam was a good method to do it since the show kept me guessing whether he was a good or bad. I didn't enjoy the whole Doomsday killer due to being spoiled, but I did like that his name was Travis Marshall. (I like Gargoyle's Travis Marshall better.)
I read that a lot of people were bothered by the way that Debra/Dexter were handled this season. I didn't mind it, but I don't think it was needed. Will her "increased" feelings really be a factor proceeding the events of the finale? I look forward to finding out.
Good luck with rest of Season 1 and Season 2 of Young Justice. I'll be watching. Take care.
- Tony
Greg responds...
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS
I did kinda feel like the Debra thing came out of left field for me a bit. But I think they played it fairly well, and Erin and I mostly really enjoyed the Season.
EXALT writes...
1)Why is Dinah Lance/Black Canary your favourite DC character?
2)Who is your favourite Marvel character and why?
3)Do you happen to know Brandon Vietti's favourite DC character?
Greg responds...
1. To some extent, I'm not sure I have an answer to this. She just... is. But I think it's a combo of factors. Part of it, I'm sure, goes back to the adolescent boy in me that just thought she was hot. (I'm not necessarily proud of this, but I'm not ashamed of it either.) She's a strong, beautiful woman, who holds her own in the company of folks like Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, etc. - even without any super-powers. (And you need to keep in mind, I'm old enough to remember a Black Canary who didn't even have a Canary Cry.) She's developed over time into a leader. I also REALLY like her relationship with Green Arrow (though I haven't always liked the way some writers and editors have portrayed it.) I love the martial arts skills, and I love (and even miss a little) her original undercover m.o., i.e. the way she operated as a criminal underworld figure, secretly working on the side of the angels. I mean, the lady kicks ass! What's not to like? Then add in the fact that one of my very first assignments at DC in the eighties was to write a Black Canary mini-series (that never got published). So I feel a personal connection to the character also.
Now, having said all that, there are a TON of DC Heroes that I really love. Black Canary is the first among equals, really.
2. See the last sentence of my previous answer. I don't feel like there's a single character that stands out in the same way for me over at Marvel, though there are many, many, many that I love. Of course, working on Spectacular Spider-Man gave me an insight into Peter Parker that almost qualifies. (Same with Flash Thompson, actually.)
3. Nope, but you can ask him on his website: http://brandonvietti.blogspot.com/
Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...
I was wondering your opinion on the New 52. Not the execution, I have a hunch you don't have the time to read much of any of it, but the idea of it.
Although I have found a few books I really like, in general I object to heaving aside continuity and trying to rejam the history back into a too short time frame while wiping out character development. The idea of accessibility is a red herring because if they were capable of sticking to self contain arc inviting to new readers they wouldn't need a reboot to do so. Then again, I came into comics after Crisis on Infinite Earths and am conditioned into thinking it was necessary.
Greg responds...
As you noted, I have NOT had the time to read the New 52, so I will not comment on that specifically. Whether or not it works creatively depends more than anything else on execution. Since I haven't seen the execution, I can't respond to how it works creatively. But I KNOW that commercially it's been a HUGE hit. I like to believe that it wouldn't have done quite so well, if it wasn't executed well too.
But generally, on the idea of reboots, I do have a handful of thoughts:
1. I don't want to be a hypocrite. When we started Spectacular Spider-Man and again on Young Justice, we were effectively doing a continuity reboot. I feel when adapting something to a new media, that's essential, but it doesn't change the fact that (a) we did it and (b) I was relieved to be able to do it. Relieved to be able to jettison elements that I felt didn't work or were redundant or confusing, etc. Our goal, particularly on Spider-Man, was to come up with something Classic, Cohesive, Coherent, Contemporary and Iconic. So how can I object if the comics themselves want to do this?
2. In the end, whether or not either SpecSpidey or YJ was/is successful depends on our execution of our ideas, additions and cullings. I like to think both shows are successful, but that's a judgement each individual viewer would have to make for him or herself.
3. I was working on staff at DC Comics during the publication of the original Crisis on Infinite Earths. In fact, during my very first editorial meeting, I raised the question as to why we weren't starting ALL our books over (with the numerical exceptions of Detective and Action Comics) with issue #1. I remember very clearly a collective groan rising up from the conference room table. (They had dealt with this question for months before my arrival.) On the one hand, they wanted Crisis to be a real sea-change, a true reboot (before we knew that term). On the other hand, if you truly reboot Batman, then Robin doesn't exist yet. No Robin, no other sidekicks either. So no Teen Titans. And at the time, the New Teen Titans was the company's best selling book.
4. So the end result was that some things got rebooted and some did not.
5. This was complicated by the fact that certain creators came late to the party, and certain characters got reboots too long AFTER Crisis.
6. And so, as a READER, I couldn't help feeling that - rather than simplifying the continuity - Crisis made it more complicated. This will happen in general, naturally, as time passes and more and more comics are produced by a variety of creators and editors, but Crisis seemed to exacerbate the problem for me personally.
7. In part this was because, I really liked the DC Multiverse. I agree that it was abused to the point of confusion. (And I think it was nuts that Earth TWO had the forties heroes and Earth ONE had the sixties heroes. Just the odd backwards numbering itself created additional unnecessary confusion.) But if limits had been placed on the number of parallel earth stories and crossovers, I think it could have been fine.
8. ESPECIALLY, if they had created a new Earth-THREE, starting over with heroes of the eighties, with Superman and Batman (being new to the hero thing but) remaining relatively constant. But with a new Green Lantern (for example) as different from Hal Jordan as Jordan was from Alan Scott.
9. But that didn't happen. And in fact, though I've read very few comics since 1996, my understanding is that reboots have hit over and over at both DC and Marvel. That negates reader trust in the worth and weight of the stories they're reading. It's more insidious than obvious. And you risk alienating old readers, even as you may or may not attract new ones. You'll always get a short term gain off of a reboot, because everyone wants to check it out. But long term...
10. And going back to my first point - which is that most everything depends on execution - I personally didn't love the execution of some of the post-Crisis rebooting. Some people may have loved it. And that's totally legit. But some of the rethinking on certain individual characters didn't work too well for me.
11. Though personally I think the Bates-Weisman-Broderick reboot on Captain Atom from his Charlton incarnation was brilliant. ;)
12. So, personally, my feeling on reboots in general is that you either do them or you don't. You've got to be thorough and ruthless about it, or don't bother, because otherwise - long term - you're creating more problems than you're solving.
13. And still and all, ultimately, it all depends on execution.
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