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W.I.T.C.H.

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Kirill writes...

Hello, Greg, first of all, thank you for giving millions of children, including me, the W.I.T.C.H. television franchise.

It has been more than 15 years since the popularity of this series and now Disney clearly does not know how to win an audience..
1) I have a question, do you happen to know or maybe you've heard something about adding old cartoons to Disney Plus?
I understand that W.I.T.C.H. has been abandoned by everyone for a long time, but I wonder if they are somehow going to add this cartoon to streaming in order to warmly review all 2 seasons and so that others get acquainted with the best cartoon of the 2000s
2) By any chance, you will not return to cooperation with Disney in any way?
I would like to see season 3 of WITCH

Greg responds...

1. I have no idea. Sorry.

2. I'd be happy to do more W.I.T.C.H. if Disney wanted more.

Response recorded on May 25, 2022

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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

Response recorded on May 05, 2022

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NoOneSpecial writes...

Decided to re-watch W.I.T.C.H this week. Really loved the work you guys did on the show for Season 2. Not to disparage the people who worked hard on Season 1 as well, but the show really becomes something special in the second season

1. When Nerissa became corrupted, the Oracle took the Heart of Kandrakar from her and gave it to Cassidy. But the general rule is that a Heart must be given willingly. So how could the Oracle take the heart from Nerissa if she wasn't willing, which I very much must assume she wasn't.

2. Did Nerissa plan to have a child with Julian? Did she intentionally seduce him in order to conceive Caleb? Or was his birth accidental and something she didn't plan on? When speaking to Caleb, she makes it sound as though she wanted to have a child, so that Caleb could 'lead' the rebellion to victory against Phobos, though reading between the lines, that just sounds more like Nerissa trying to take credit for an obviously coincidental success after the fact in order to validate her actions, which certainly fits with her character. So, why did she initially have Caleb?

3. When did C.H.Y.K.N retire from their Guardian duty? Was it after Kadma left the group to live on Zambala? Also, who had the Heart of Kandrakar following Cassidy’s death?

4. You said before that Irma was gay but that she tries to "fight to be straight" by going after guys that are inherently unattainable, which sounds as though she was not yet fully accepting of her sexuality. Does mean the rest of W.I.T.C.H were unaware of her sexuality by the end of Season 2?

5. I really love the episode titles going as letters of the alphabet. It's really clever especially when you have exactly 26 episodes to work from. Whose idea was this originally? Would you have been inclined to do it again for Season 3?

Greg responds...

It's been a VERY long time since I've seen these episodes - let alone since we produced them - so my memories are extremely vague. Therefore, take the following answers with a massive grain of salt.

1. Maybe she was willing at first but then had second thoughts (and resentments).

2. I'm thinking a part of Nerissa loved Julian. When she discovered she was pregnant, she wanted the child. The rest is self-justification, after-the-fact.

3. I just don't remember. And I don't have the same documentation on W.I.T.C.H that I have on Gargoyles and YJ.

4. Yes, that's what it means.

5. It was my idea, inspired by the title of the series and by the fact that we had a 26-episode order. It seemed right.

5a. Hard to say.

Response recorded on May 03, 2022

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GTM writes...

As a long time fan of the original WITCH comic, I will admit that it took me a while to deal with the animated series, because so much was changed in Season 1. Then Season 2 happened and it not only became more like the comics, it got me to enjoy the animation’s take on the girls a whole lot better than the first season. Thank you for bringing a whole new kind of WITCH to life :)

And, of course, as being on this site implies, I have questions, but I don’t want to ask them all in one sitting, as that would be too much and some have already been asked by others, so I’ll pace myself.

So, for the first question, I’ll start with something small: you mentioned that a new member would join the team during the Season 3 that never was, like in the comics. Just to clarify, are you talking about Orube?

Greg responds...

Probably. I'm forced to admit that W.I.T.C.H. was SO long ago, by memory of my previous plans is rather dim. But Orube makes some sense, so...

Response recorded on February 10, 2022

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Hazel writes...

1. Did Wendy Harris and Marvin White ever clue into the fact that the public hero Superboy was their old classmate?

2. As someone who absolutely adored Kelly Stables' work in W.I.T.C.H., I'm very happy that you roped her in to voice Cissie. Thanks.

3. I noticed that you gave Orphan a Z-designation, but not a B-designation. Was she even a formal member of the team when Season 3 started?

Greg responds...

1. No spoilers.

2. I was very happy, too! Kelly is always great!

3. Nope.

Response recorded on February 09, 2022

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Verdragon writes...

1. What was the casting process behind Jesse McCartney as Dick Grayson, and did it have anything to do with his roles as Roxas and Ventus in Kingdom Hearts?
2. What was the casting process behind Alyson Stoner as Barbara Gordon?

Greg responds...

1. He auditioned. We cast him.

1a. Nope.

2. I honestly don't remember. I know we didn't hold auditions for the part. I'm trying to recall if perhaps she auditioned for Miss Martian, and whether we perhaps liked her and kept her in mind. I had also worked with Alyson previously (when she was barely a teenager) on W.I.T.C.H., in which she played Lilian Hale. So maybe I suggested her. Or maybe Jamie Thomason did. I just can't recall.

Response recorded on January 26, 2022

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EDWARD ASNER

So...

This is hard.

It's been a bit of a stressful weekend, as my father went into the hospital with chest pains. A stint that had been replaced last year had failed and was replaced again Saturday morning during an angioplasty. I've been concerned, worried. But the procedure seemed to go well, and he was set to go home today. We seemed to have dodged a bullet.

But there was a second gun.

I slept in today. I woke up to two pieces of news:

1. My dad was good. Solid. My sister picked him up at the hospital and took him straight to breakfast. (My mother was annoyed at not being included - but that's a whole other story.) He's home now. I've talked to him. He sounded cheerful. All good.

2. Ed Asner had passed away.

I spent most of the day doing laundry and other mundane tasks. Life goes on, right? It has to. But it's been difficult getting my head around the whole thing. I've gotten many calls and texts today, offering condolences as if I were part of the Asner family. Folks seem to know how close I felt to Ed. But I don't want to exaggerate. Ed was my friend. I hope he knew I was his, as well. But I haven't talked to him in at least a couple of years. (You can partially blame that on the pandemic, I suppose. There are a lot of people I've lost touch with. If anything, this is a reminder to GET in touch. And I'm going to make an effort to do that.) In any case, there are many, many people who knew Ed better than I did, who were closer to Ed than I was.

Nevertheless, at the risk of turning this post into my own self-aggrandizement, I am going to spend a few paragraphs here on the subject of the Ed Asner that I knew and loved.

I was a fan of Ed's long before I met him. Like many, many people, he first entered my awareness playing Lou Grant on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. (Later, I got a kick out of picking him out of reruns, where he usually played the heavy in such series as The Wild Wild West and others.) But as Lou, Ed was simply brilliant. One of the truly classic scenes in all of television is the scene in the TMTMS pilot, where Lou interviews Mary for a job. Do yourself a favor and view it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj286uBKCu0

That scene had a major effect on me, even seeing it as a kid.

Now, having just rewatched it, the genius of the writing and the two performances still knocks me out. But there was something else about Lou and Mary. Watching their interactions was a bit like watching my parents. The connection in my mind between Lou and my dad was especially strong.

Ed and my father were two Ashkenazi Jews from the midwest. My dad was from Chicago; Ed, from Kansas City. They were gruff AND loving. They even had mannerisms in common. There was much more, I'm sure, that they DIDN'T have in common. But something connected the two men in my mind. And, meanwhile, my admiration for Asner as a performer knew no bounds. When I saw him in the Lou Grant series, in Rich Man, Poor Man, in Roots, that admiration only increased. When I learned of his activism - and the price he paid for it - that admiration shot through the roof.

Years later, when we had begun pre-production on GARGOYLES, I thought of Ed Asner - or of Lou Grant, at least - as the inspiration for Hudson. In fact, when we held auditions for the role, I wrote at the bottom of the character description that "Hudson hates spunk." This was, of course, a variation on Lou's classic line from the above job interview scene. Now, to be clear, I never imagined we'd get Ed to play the role. I figured he was way too big a star for us to land. But low and behold, a few days later, Ed came in to audition for the part. Later, he told me that when he read the character description, he was initially thrilled. The "Hudson hates spunk" line made him feel like he was a lock to land the role. Then a couple minutes later, he thought that if he didn't land the role it would really be awful. But of course, he immediately understood the character and nailed his audition... only for Jamie Thomason and I to throw him a curveball, asking him to do it again in a Scottish accent. He nailed that, too.

Working with Ed was a joy. He was fun and funny and so supportive. In addition to playing Hudson (and Burbank and Jack Danforth/Dane) on Gargoyles, I also cast him as recurring characters on Max Steel (Chuck Marshak), 3x3 Eyes (Grandpa Ayanokoji), W.I.T.C.H. (Napoleon the talking cat), Young Justice (Kent Nelson) and Rain of the Ghosts (Joe Charone). When casting Peter Parker's late Uncle Ben in The Spectacular Spider-Man, Ed was the only person I ever considered. He always brought so much to each and every role.

And more than that he was a great friend to me. After the first season of Max Steel, when I couldn't find a job for over a year and thought I might have to give up on my writing career, Ed was there, offering me support. We had lunch at Musso & Frank's. He looked at pictures of my kids out of my wallet and told me to laminate them. He introduced me to his son, Matt Asner, a producer. He didn't allow me to wallow in self-pity or to badmouth guys who I believed had done me wrong. He just reassured me that I had ability and would find my way through. He was, in essence, my work dad.

So today, as you might imagine, has been complicated. My dad is home and healthy. And Ed is gone. I'm grateful and sorrowful. And struggling. But life goes on. It has to, right?

Finally, I'm going to quote Hudson from Gargoyles. In "The Price," an episode that spotlighted the character, Ed as Hudson told Xanatos: "A friendly word of advice: True immortality isn't about living forever, man. It's about what you do with the time you have. When all your scheming's done, what will be your legacy, Xanatos?"

I think we all know that Ed Asner did amazing things with the time he had. And though we'll miss him dearly, his legacy is clear and shining.


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Abdullah Khan writes...

Hey Greg,
Q1)I wanted to ask regarding the castings for Young Justice Outsiders, How did you and the crew decide to give the roles of Geo-Force, Terra, Halo, Forager,Cyborg and Darkseid to Troy Baker,Tara Strong,Zehra Fazal,Jason Spisak, Zeno Robinson and Michael Leon Wooley?
Q2)And for replacments decide on David Kaye and Greg Cipes to be Vandal Savage and Beast Boy, i know regarding Greg as Beast Boy u did not cast him in the initially because u did not want any Teen Titans reprisals at the time so what change your mind instead of picking another actor because Logan Grove was unavailable for S3?

Greg responds...

Geo-Force - Brandon had worked with Troy Baker before and knew he was a good candidate to play Geo-Force/Brion Markov. We did have him audition (against no competition) just to confirm he could do the Eastern European accent without it sliding into Boris Badenov territory. He could. So we cast him. And he's been great as Brion and other characters ever since.

Terra - We held auditions for Terra/Tara Markov, and Tara Strong just nailed it.

Halo - I knew I wanted to cast Zehra Fazal as Halo / Violet Harper / Gabrielle Daou, and basically wrote the part with her in mind. Brandon and Jamie and I went to see her in a stage play, where she played multiple roles, so that they could confirm just how great and versatile she was.

Forager - With Wally West largely out of the picture, we knew we wanted to find something else to keep Jason Spisak in our cast. Brandon thought Forager would be a good bet and talked about the character with Jason, who loved the idea. We hired him without any try-out, and he was instantly great.

Cyborg - We held auditions for Victor Stone/Cyborg under the false flag of a pretend show with a fake character name. Zeno Robinson was our clear favorite for the role. We brought him in for a callback (with no competition), mostly to see if he had the versatility to play any other roles (such as Steel). We decided then and there that he was our Vic, and seeing Brandon and I in the Control Room, he had already begun to suspect whom he might be playing. We told him he had the role and confirmed he was playing Cyborg, and he practically BURST right in front of us. It was great fun.

Darkseid - We had already discussed a number of potential people to find YJ's version of Darkseid, when Brandon remembered Michael Leon Wooley's performance of the character from Batman: The Brave and the Bold. Jamie and I listened, and immediately Michael had the job.

Vandal Savage - We held auditions to see who could do the best job performing in the giant shoes that the late, great Miguel Ferrer had left behind. David Kaye was the clear favorite.

Beast Boy - When it became clear that Logan Grove was not going to be available to us, we talked with Jamie about who might be able to take his place. After we described the character's journey in Season Three, Jamie suggested Greg Cipes, knowing that we might not go for it, but feeling like Greg'd be perfect for the part. I'd worked with Greg on W.I.T.C.H. and agreed, but our upper management had been pretty adamant about us not using Titans' lead actors to play the same roles they had played on Titans. (Other Titans' actors were kiboshed for certain parts for that reason.) It was something Brandon and I initially agreed with way back in Season One, but by this time, we felt YJ had established itself as its own thing, and we were less afraid of comparisons. And for whatever reason, TPTB were fine with us casting Greg as Beast Boy.

Response recorded on August 18, 2021

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B. B. writes...

Hello. Humble W.I.T.C.H. fan here.

One of the most mysterious characters for me is the Mage. So my questions are:
1.) Was the Mage a Guardian before C.H.Y.K.N.? (She is seen in the first season holding the heart of Kandrakar.)
2.) Why does the Mage's appearance change so drastically from the flashbacks to the current time? (She goes from a long haired beutiful woman to a bald and scary-looking hag. Is there a reason for that?)

Greg responds...

1. It's been a long time, but I don't believe so.

2. I just don't remember. Sorry!

Response recorded on July 26, 2021

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Mr. Red writes...

Hello, huge fan of your work, i have rewatched the first 13 episodes of Young Justice Outsiders 6 times over as i write this. I wanted to know, why is Greg Cipes voicing Beast Boy? Now i am a big fan of his and of course the his previous work as Beast Boy.

But i wonder what happened to Logan Grove, did he not want to reprise the role? Or was he to busy with other work? or was it already planned to have Greg come in and do the voice?

Greg responds...

We were looking forward to using Logan in Season Three, but were told that Logan was no longer acting and was attending Annapolis as part of the U.S. Navy. So after some discussion with our director Jamie Thomason, Brandon and I agreed that given where we were heading with the character, Greg Cipes (whom I'd enjoyed working with on WITCH) was our top choice to replace Logan as Garfield, irrespective of Greg's history with the character.

Response recorded on July 26, 2021

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Anonymous writes...

did you know that your show is awesome?

Greg responds...

I kinda feel like it's awesome. It is to me, at least. It's the kinda show I would like to watch. But I'm happy to have you and others confirm that. Very happy.

Um... which show are we talking about?

Response recorded on July 26, 2021

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Anonymous writes...

Hello! A big fan of your work here. The WITCH series was a part of my childhood I’ll always remember. I have several questions concerning this show (mainly the old generation):
1. How old were the previous Guardians when Nerissa cracked, Cassidy died and everything went downhill? Were they the same age?
2. Did you have some last names in mind when creating the characters or they were always simply Nerissa, Halinor, etc?
3. How was the disappearance of Cassidy/Nerissa explained to the public (their relatives, friends)?

Greg responds...

1. The five members of CHYKN were all approximately the same age as each other.

2. The names came from the comics or the first season. I don't think I named any of them myself.

3. She didn't disappear; she died. Or at least that's what I recall. It has been awhile.

Response recorded on July 26, 2021

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Wreck 55 writes...

Just want to start off by saying I watched W.I.T.C.H. for the first time when I was 5 years old and I'm turning 20 next month. I still, to this day, enjoy the show so much so that I can quote from it word for word at my big age (whether thats sad or impressive I'll let you decide). I've also only recently discovered that you, the same guy who had a hand in making my favourite show (W.I.T.C.H.), also had a hand in making another show I love (YJ) - so thank you for bringing me such joy! And thank you for managing to bring YJ back to our screens, I am eagerly awaiting it's return :)

I am aware that one of the main reasons that YJ was able to come back was because fans endlessly binged watched it on Netflix, so I was wondering whether there is any way that you, or we as your fans, could get W.I.T.C.H. on Netflix so that it could possibly enjoy the same successful return? I strongly believe that if the show is put on a platform where it's popularity can be measured, the necessary people will see that the show is worth investing in again. A friend of mine (who's a bit of tom boy and who absolutely LOVES YJ) agreed to watch W.I.T.C.H. because I pestered her to. Three days later she came up to me and demanded to know who Raphael Sylla was and why there were only two seasons of the show - and shes the same age as me!

I also have other bits of evidence that suggest W.I.T.C.H. would have fruitful ratings were it to return to TV, such as countless online petitions by fans asking for a season 3 and also the fact that Yen Press has acquired the rights to remaster and reprint all issues of the comics as graphic novels - which could not only draw previous viewers back to the beloved show but also attract a whole new audience that have never even heard of W.I.T.C.H.. After all, the show did end twelve, nearly thirteen years ago.

Greg responds...

You give me too much credit. I didn't "get" YJ on Netflix. I took advantage of it, once it was there, guiding fans to binge. But I have no ability to "get" a series on to any particular service, channel or network. WAY ABOVE MY PAYGRADE, I'm afraid.

If enough FANS request WITCH for Disney+, maybe they'll listen and put it there. (Netflix is corporately unlikely for WITCH. But Disney+ might be a real possibility.

Response recorded on July 23, 2021

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Dercio Lichucha writes...

Hello Greg,

I’m a huge fan of your work but I need to ask. Who do I speak to about rebooting childhood favorites like W.I.T.C.H ? I LOVE THAT SHOW.
It deserves many more seasons than just two.

Greg responds...

Disney, I guess. It would help if you could view it on Disney+, and I believe subscribers can request that they include it on the service.

Response recorded on July 14, 2021

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Jennifer Griel writes...

Hey. I was just watching one of my favorite TV shows ever, Ben 10. And while watching I discovered that you wrote not only the best episode of the show objectively, Ben 10,000, but also my personal favorite episode Under Wraps. I just wanted to say thank you. You did a great job making a great show even better. What was it like working with those guys on that show if you remember. I know it was a long time ago.

Greg responds...

I had a great time working with Tom Pugsley and Greg Klein (the latter of whom I also went to high school with). They made my freelance gigs on that series pretty easy. They also did me a big favor. I had been working on the non-union show W.I.T.C.H. for some time and was in danger of losing my union health insurance. The work they gave me allowed me to keep my coverage.

Response recorded on July 09, 2021

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Emily The Disney Fan writes...

Hello again Mr. Weisman!

I know you've made Radio Plays of Cross overs with Gargoyles, Spider-Man, and Young Justice! Which leads me to this Question if you don't mind!

Is There by chance any Other Particular Disney Animated Series, Like The ones from Disney Channel or any other the other Disney Afternoon shows, That you would like to Cross Over with 'Gargoyles'?

Greg responds...

W.I.T.C.H., probably.

Response recorded on July 02, 2021

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Jared. L Powell writes...

What has it been like to work on so many different show that so many people remember fondly?
What was your favorite show to work on out of all of them?

Greg responds...

1. It's very cool, honestly. Though, if I'm being even more honest, I do wish that I'd been able to make more of fewer series than so many different series.

2. Choosing between my "children" is not something I tend to do. Ultimately, I truly enjoyed working on Gargoyles, WITCH, The Spectacular Spider-Man and Young Justice as a writer-producer. And although it was never "my" show, the writing team on Shimmer & Shine were such great people, that I truly loved working with them on it.

Response recorded on July 02, 2021

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Katharine writes...

Hello Greg,
I would like to ask a question regarding W.I.T.C.H. as well to thank you for the wonderful job you have done with the second season. It seems to me the series is sadly overlooked & hardly remember and seen for the clever, clever thing it is. I know it has been really very long and it's perfectly alright if you simply no longer remember.
At the end of the second season Nerissa is revealed to be trapped within the jewel while the others suceed in escaping their prison.

Was there ever a plan should the series continue for her to realise that what she sees is mere illusion or was it your intention she be trapped for good?

Did you intend to continue her story?

Do you think she would be likely to wake from her dream or rather secretly prefer the fallacious bliss of her own illusion ?

Again, thank you for your time.

Greg responds...

I didn't have any immediate plans to extract her. And the comic gave me plenty of fodder to go on without her, as I vaguely recall. But it's tough to keep a good villain down, so - knowing me - I might have gotten back to her eventually. Maybe. But it's all very hypothetical.

Response recorded on July 02, 2021

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Anonymous writes...

Hi, I'm a massive fan of yours and I was wondering if there would ever be a possibility of you bringing back the tv series W.I.T.C.H? So many people adored the show and would love if it was brought back to TV.I know you were a producer and it seems like a very long shot, but there is actually a petition with nearly 3000 supporters that are willing to do anything we can to help bring back the show. The show had and still has so many supporters of it and if you could do anything to bring us a third season we would be eternally grateful to you please respond!

Greg responds...

There's nothing I can do, I'm afraid. I'd be happy to produce more episodes, but that's really up to Disney, not me.

Is W.I.T.C.H. available on Disney+? If it is, that's a way for the fans to try to get the show back. Petitions are nice and all, but have little effect these days. But by subscribing to Disney+ and voting with your wallet by rewatching a series over and over again, the chances of success are greater.

In essence, that's what brought YJ back.

Response recorded on July 01, 2021

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Greg Bishansky writes...

Lately I've been thinking of a villain trope that is decades (if not centuries) old. The maniacal laugh or the evil laugh. When used properly, I love it. When not, it can be hammy, over the top, and out of character.

Several of the villains you've written over the years have used it, and many haven't.

Off the top of my head, Thailog comes to mind first. And I wouldn't want Thailog without it. Granted, I sometimes wonder where he picked it up. It definitely wasn't from Xanatos. And while Sevarius might be hammy, I don't recall him doing it.

Hyena also has a maniacal laugh, and given her name (and personality) it definitely suits her.

The Archmage had a maniacal laugh.

Demona laughed maniacally three or four times. But it's not a trait we normally associate with her.

And let us not forget the Green Goblin in "Spectacular Spider-Man". I think he was the only villain on the show to have one. Likewise, I recall Nerissa doing it on "W.I.T.C.H." at least once.

The Joker aside, I do not recall any of the villains on "Young Justice" doing it. Any of them. Maybe I'm misremembering, it's been a while since I watched through the show, but I am struggling to remember and coming up blank.

Which leads to me to ask. Is the maniacal laugh a dated relic? Especially as we expect supervillains to be more sophisticated in our dramatic fiction, superhero or otherwise.

For example, in "Transformers", the classic Megatron used to laugh maniacally all the time. All the time. More modern takes on Megatron have done away with the maniacal laugh.

I love it, don't get me wrong, but should villains still be doing it. If we ever get more "Gargoyles", I definitely want Thailog to continue doing it. But, had Thailog made his debut in the year 2017, would I still want him doing it?

You have gotten the chance to create your own great supervillains as well as write many of the classic and iconic supervillains. Right now, what are your thoughts on the villainous laugh?

Greg responds...

I haven't exactly studied this issue.

I use it when it feels right in terms of character and situation. Obviously, some characters have more of a sense of humor about what they do than others.

Not all villainous laughs qualify as "maniacal" in my book either.

I would never outlaw the practice, but I think I do use it sparingly, both to avoid silliness and to make it special if and when we do use it.

Response recorded on June 29, 2021

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FallenLegend writes...

And another question from me. I feel bad for doing so much, but given these are like a year away I kinda want to talk advantage of now before the flood of YJ season 3 questions.

I wanted to share my thoughts on W.I.T.C.H

Your writing was superb, but I did wonder why it failed to beat WINX club on popularity despite having your superior writing. WITCH was popular on Italy, but otherwise it's not the cash cow franchise WITCH still is.

I read a bit of the comic and some of the show season 1 (things you didn't do). My impression is that the concept was great, the artwork was gorgeous. But the execution was flawed.

W.I.T.C.H had for the most part poor villains from the source material. Phobos despite being their "nemesis", their joker to their batman, is particularly as flat as a sheet of paper. Evil without any redeeming qualities whatsoever. The complete opposite of your great villains.

Phobos whole character is basically "I want ultimate power and I will always do evil" He is so predictable that he will backstab or do evil always.

WINX had the advantage there as the trix definitively are more interesting. It would seem as they took notes from you as they are like you said "a twisted reflection of the hero."

The girls were very overpowered in the original comics. I glanced the wiki and they have even more powers than Superman, each. Say Hay Lin can turn invisible or "hear the past" and for example and not even Avatar Aang or Korra can do that.

Now your influence was great as you did a great job with Nerissa improving the source material giving her depth she didn't had. You never disappoint on villiains.

By saying it was too easy for them,I'll give an example. It's telling how on season 2 (before you worked on the show) all the girls had their "soulmates" . While Peter was still struggling with love on season 2. Also on season 2 the main couples Wally X Artemis and Superboy Miss Martian were struggling in one way or another. By the end of Gargoyles, Eliza and Goliath still had room to grow as a couple and so on.

I feel a lot of character development was stolen before you got to them. But I think you did the best with what you got.

For a magical girl show the magic trinkets was unnecessarily complex, I think. Meaning all of them had to be close to the heart to transform and close to WIll. WINX had them not dependent on a jewel. As far as kids playing as WINX they had more fun without a doubt. But again this was from the source.

As for the girls you defitiveley wrote them better than WINX. But I feel that girls wanted to be more like Bloom (their redhead lead) than Will. Bloom was a secret flame princess or something and Will had divorced parents. Which made Will more relatable but less escapist.

Regardless I just want to say that I loved what you did on that show. In fact I only checked it out because you worked on it.

I would love to see you develop a magical girl show, but on your terms.

So my question would be, what are your thoughts on it?
Keep the good work!

Greg responds...

I WISH my answers had only been a year away and not nearly four years. Sorry about that.

Anyway, I've never seen WINX. So I have no opinion on it one way or another, and I can't compare the two series. But I truly LOVED doing WITCH and would have loved to have done a third season. I had definite ideas, based on the comics and coming out of what we had already built in Season Two.

Response recorded on June 28, 2021

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Alex writes...

I couldn't find the answer to the question but,

The staff that Nerrisa had at the beginning of the 2nd series, not the seal of Nerissa, but the one she was carrying as an old hag. What was the deal with that one? Was she trying to make a fashion statement?

Greg responds...

My memory's not too clear on this. Maybe she needed it to walk when she was in that form?

Response recorded on October 16, 2019

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Big Choc Choc writes...

Would you come back for a Season 4?

Greg responds...

Of what?

(But pretty much the answer is always yes.)

Response recorded on April 05, 2018

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Em writes...

Hi Greg,

I'm a longtime fan of everything W.I.T.C.H., so I appreciate you taking the time to answer questions about the animated series all these years later. It helps keep the series and its magic alive even after it (unfortunately) ended.

My question is in regards to the Matt-Shagon twist (which is still to this day one of my favorite adaptational changes and TV plots overall). I really enjoyed how Matt developed as a character in the second season, and, of course, this storyline played a huge role in his characterization.

I realize that it's been years and the exact reason might not be clear anymore, but I figured I'd ask: what made you decide to pursue this storyline with Matt? So many interesting developments came out of this twist, and by the end of the season I felt there were even more potentials that could be explored, had the series continued. I've just always been curious about how this idea came up.

Thanks so much!

Greg responds...

It's all very vague now, but as I recall, there seemed to be some mystery over who Shagon really was in the comics, mystery that never was revealed nor paid off. So I slotted Matt into that role, to make the mystery pay off and to give Will the maximum amount of turbulence.

Response recorded on October 09, 2017

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Jacob writes...

Hi Greg,

I'm a big fan of your works and I greatly admire your determination to always keep going. Congrats on Young Justice Season 3, by the way: power from the fans to you!

What I'm writing about is W.I.T.C.H. I have recently binged the two seasons and I've fallen. In. Love with the show! Also read your thing about Irma being gay. Not sure I agree, but hey, today anything is possible. Nerissa and Cassidy being together? Maybe ;-).

I was SO bummed that it never got a 3rd season for the other arcs (I bet it could have gone at least 4 or 5 seasons), but is it possible it could make a comeback- if not this year, than maybe next?

One main reason it was cancelled (other than some silly ratings) was because Winx Club had shown up. Now that it's ended, W.I.T.C.H. could make a comeback and gain more popularity like it did in season 1 (I read a lot of people liked both series, so they'd be happy). Also, the 10th anniversary of the comic was last year and they've started reprints of the Disney comics in the native Italy. That could help gain attention again if they start reprinting in America. Plus, I doubt Disney XD wouldn't say no to a show like that on their action and comedy airspace, especially with your work on Rebels. They could re-air the first two seasons and then unveil Season 3. I bet even the original actors would go for it (work, pay, and fun all at the same time).

So what do you think? Is it possible?

P.S. Good luck with your other projects.

Greg responds...

Ratings aren't silly. They're what pays the bills. And Winx had little to do with it. There could be a hundred Winx variations on the air, but if WITCH had strong ratings it wouldn't have mattered.

Anything is possible, but it doesn't seem likely - unless the fans PROVE that there's a market for it, as they did with Young Justice. Not sure how to do that with WITCH, however. Fans had an outlet to show their support financially on YJ. Not sure what that outlet would be on W.I.T.C.H.

But I'd love to do more, if given the opportunity.

Response recorded on September 19, 2017

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Emma writes...

Thanks for taking the time to answer so many fan questions. I was a big W.I.T.C.H. fan when it was on the air and one thing that always confused me in season 2 was when Nerissa said that Caleb was created by her "entirely for that purpose" (of leading the rebellion.) Did she actually have some role in him becoming the leader of the rebellion and can she have possibly have known it before he was even born? Or was she just saying that to get in his head at that moment?

Greg responds...

All of the above.

Response recorded on August 08, 2017

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Lexi B. writes...

So I'm back, I won't judge you if you don't remember the questions I asked before but, as I'm following your guidelines, those were for one topic and now I'm in need for answers about W.I.T.C.H., which by far was on my top 5 favorite tv shows as a kid.
1). Was it always Cornelia and Caleb that would be together or did you try a different W.I.T.C.H. girl with him? If so, who?
2). In season 1, Will didn't really have an elemental power, but later on, she discovered it, fro, the beginning did you guys know that that would be her elemental power?
3). Around the time W.I.T.C.H. aired, Winx Club was also going on, did the writers of W.I.T.C.H. ever get accused of taking ideas from the show, or did you ever see anything that was strangely similar to yours? If so, did you actively try to make sure the plot didn't really correlate with Winx Club's?
4). Was there ever going to be a season three of W.I.T.C.H.? Or was it untimely cancelled?
5). Whose your favorite character on the show and why?
Thanks so much!!

Greg responds...

1. Did you see the episodes? If so, you saw what we did.

2. I didn't work on Season One. But when I came aboard to produce Season Two, I felt it odd that she had no power. Traditionally, the fifth element is Quintessence. So I gave her that, and it made some sense to express that as Lightning. So we knew from the beginning of Season Two that that was the plan. But I don't see how they could have had that in mind during Season One. But you'd have to ask the showrunner for that season to be sure.

3. I never watched WINX. To my knowledge, no one ever accused us of stealing from WINX - unless you're doing that now. And, no, we didn't work to be different. We just did our own thing.

4. Um... we hoped for one. But the series wasn't picked up for a third season.

5. I don't have a single favorite. I love 'em all.

Response recorded on July 05, 2017

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Lo writes...

Hello Greg! Long time fan, first time asking a question. My ask is about W.I.T.C.H. I know it's been a long time, and you've said there's things you can't remember and I completely understand that - but I thought I'd ask anyway.

I was always so invested in Cornelia and Caleb's relationship and thought it was so wonderfully well written and engaging. My questions are these:

1. Can you recall if you had a plan for them going forward into season three?

2. If so, what kind of things were going to happen to them?

Much appreciated!
Lo

Greg responds...

1. I recall that we had a plan.

2. No spoilers.

Response recorded on May 05, 2017

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Marius writes...

Hi Greg. I want your opinion on a few things. Do you believe in a W.I.T.C.H. comeback in the future, maybe as live action TV series, a movie, or why not a season 3? And do you think a better option will be starting over from 0, and not go for a season 3? Maybe with a new original adaptation of the comic for this comeback? Btw I'm a big a fun of your work, and I follow all your tweets on Twitter.

Greg responds...

I really don't know.

Obviously - selfishly - my preference would be for them to re-air or make available the first two seasons and then have me work on a season three. A reboot wouldn't interest me at all.

Response recorded on March 29, 2017

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Hannah writes...

Hi there! I'm a huge fan of the W.I.T.C.H tv series, I grew up on it and it actually inspired me to study animation (first year student)! I recently discovered your speculation about Nerissa and Cassidy being lovers and as a bisexual woman this fills my heart with so much joy (even if it did end in, well, death). I have a few questions about C.H.Y.K.N. if that's okay!

1. Do you believe that Kadma and Halinor had a romantic relationship, either as guardians or later on in life?
2. Was their a reason for Kadma and Halinor's stories being drastically changed in the show? I recall them running and orphanage together in the comics, I'm curious if there was a reason why at least one of them wasn't still on Earth (and why Halinor was written as a loyal follower of the Oracle, and not a defector).
3. What time period exactly were C.H.Y.K.N. at large in? I've calculated the late fifties to mid sixties, but it really depends when the show is set.
4. Was there ever going to be a C.H.Y.KN. arc showing more flashbacks of their time as guardians, if more seasons were produced?

Thank you so much for your time, W.I.T.C.H. is one of my biggest inspirations as an aspiring animator and I especially really enjoyed the second season's plot with the past guardians! I hope you're doing well!

Greg responds...

1. I'm not saying no, but I don't recall ever thinking that.

2. We adapted the comics we had at hand at the time. But we needed to make some changes, both to fit the first season of the television show and to create certain dynamics for our second season. That meant putting all five members of CHYKN in diverse locations, doing different thing so that none of their corruptions would feel repetitive.

3. I don't remember the math.

4. Given enough episodes, I would have loved to do that. I didn't have any specific plans. But I loved the characters.

Response recorded on March 13, 2017

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Hazecrisp writes...

I've recently been obsessed with W.I.T.C.H recently and have been rewatching all the episodes. I absolutely love the show from the plot, writing, voice acting, animation and sound. And over all it's so fun to wacth
1)How do you think Nerissa and Cassidy fell in love and got together?
2)Do you have a favourite pairing within W.I.T.C.H. I personally quite like the idea of Will and Hay Lin.

Greg responds...

1. It's been sooooo long that if I had a specific notion, I don't remember. Otherwise, they were teammates and spent a lot of time together, so one thing led to another.

2. Well, I think both Will and Hay Lin are straight. But this sounds like shipping, and it's not my job to rain on your parade. So have fun with it.

Response recorded on January 20, 2017

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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.

Response recorded on December 05, 2016

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Ana writes...

Hi! I know it's been a long time since W.I.T.C.H season 2 but is there are any possibilities of new seasons? Just in love with the cartoon from the childhood

Greg responds...

I doubt it. But I'd love to do more.

Response recorded on November 30, 2016

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Cillian B. Flood writes...

Hey. I've searched through your archives about W.I.T.C.H related questions, initially I wanted to ask you about a timeline related question that seems to be a continuity error but I've seen you don't have a timeline for W.I.T.C.H and don't remember a whole lot of it. But in searching the archives I have thought up another question. You claim credit for the "X is for Xword" format of the Episode Titles. This was sometimes worked very well, sometimes forced but always fun and a great way of remembering what happened in each episode. My question is, had a third season been made and you were involved, would you have continued this trend or replaced it with something similar, and if so, what would it be?

Greg responds...

It's embarrassing to admit, but I don't remember. I know I had a plan for Season Three titles, but I've got no memory of what that plan was. It wouldn't have been exactly the same, i.e. I wouldn't have just started over with the letter A. But beyond that....

Sorry!

Response recorded on May 24, 2016

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EXALT writes...

1)Why do you think that Irma from W.I.T.C.H. is a lesbian? Even after watching the series twice, I must admit I don't see it.
2)We know that Nerissa is bisexual, but is Cassidy a lesbian or bisexual?

Greg responds...

1. Then you don't see it. For me it has to do with her only truly being interested in guys that are obviously out of reach. She's fighting to be straight, which I think is not uncommon in our culture. But by choosing unattainable choices, she's guaranteeing that she won't have to actually wind up with a guy. (And when she actually comes close to landing one of them, she bolts.) None of this makes it impossible for her to be straight or bisexual or whatever. But in my gut, that's what I sense is going on.

2. I think she's a lesbian.

But I should say, this is all just my opinion.

Response recorded on April 18, 2016

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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!


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Anonymous writes...

You revealed at CONvergence that Nerissa and Cassidy were lovers.

1. Did the rest of CHKYN know?
2. If not, was it a secret because the 50's and 60's weren't the slightest bit progressive about same-sex relationships?
3. Were Nerissa and Cassidy still in a relationship when Nerissa killed her?

Greg responds...

What's said in a Blue Mug should stay in a Blue Mug, and in any case should be taken with a grain of salt. It's at best my opinion, and certainly NOT company sanctioned.

But anyway...

1. I think so.

2. Yes.

3. Yes.

Response recorded on February 12, 2016

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Anonymous writes...

Did Nerissa kill the real Mage?

Greg responds...

Yes, I believe so. (Though it's been a long time.)

Response recorded on February 12, 2016

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Anonymous writes...

Hello Greg,
I know this question has nothing to do with the show "Gargoyles" but it is about "W.I.T.C.H", one of my favorite shows of all times. It is 2014 and W.I.T.C.H is still being viewed by newer fans and I wanted to ask about the songs from "S is for Self". "The Will to Love" and "Demon in Me" are my most favorite songs from the series and wanted to ask if there will be ANY chance at all for them to be shown in public and even if there was a chance for them to end up in iTunes. I would love to be able to buy the songs and be able to listen to them all day everyday. Thank you for your time.

Greg responds...

I have no idea, I'm afraid. I'd love it if they were. I wrote the lyrics to "Will to Love" and my brother Jon Weisman wrote the lyrics to "Demon in Me". It'd be very cool if they were available. We're proud of 'em.

Response recorded on February 10, 2016


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Miya writes...

Hey Greg,
I know W.I.T.C.H must feel like forever ago for you now, but I want to say I really loved watching that show over and over again. It's really wonderful. I especially loved the whole Elyon story.

That being said, do you ever think W.I.T.C.H will see the light of day with a nice dvd release? Maybe you could nudge someone at Disney with a nice email asking about your other (less known) baby?

Greg responds...

I don't know. It'd be great. I no longer even have a contact at Disney Home Entertainment, I'm afraid. But fans can make requests as easily as I can.

Response recorded on October 27, 2015

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My Long Beach Comic Con Schedule

Stop #6 on the Gargoyles Twentieth Anniversary Tour is LONG BEACH COMIC CON: http://longbeachcomiccon.com/

The full schedule can be found here: http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=55700

But here's MY schedule. I'll only be there the one day - Saturday, September 27, 2014 - but as you can see, I'm certainly keeping busy, with five panels and three signings!

LONG BEACH COMIC CON
Saturday, September 27, 2014

11:30am - 12:20pm - Room 102B/C
GARGOYLES TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY
Moderator: Greg Weisman (Creator, Producer, Writer)
1. Thom Adcox-Hernandez (Voice of Lexington, Brentwood)
2. Vic Cook (Storyboard Artist)
3. Elisa Gabrielli (Voice of Obsidiana & Maria Chavez)
4. Frank Paur (Producer, Director)
5. Dave Schwartz (Development Art Director)

12:30pm - 01:30pm - Signing Area
GARGOYLES SIGNING
I won't be attending this signing (because I have to rush off to another panel), but the rest of the Gargoyles panelists will probably be there.

12:30pm - 01:50pm - Hero Complex Theater, Room 104A
WARNER ARCHIVE COLLECTION PRESENTS YOUNG JUSTICE
Moderator: Jevon Phillips (Los Angeles Times)
1. Phil Bourassa (Emmy Winning Character Designer)
2. Cameron Bowen (Voice of Robin/Tim Drake)
3. Kris Carter (Composer)
4. Nicole Dubuc (Writer, Voice of Iris West-Allen)
5. Oded Fehr (Voice of Ra's al Ghul)
6. Kevin Grevioux (Voice of Black Beetle)
7. Kevin Hopps (Writer)
8. Bryton James (Voice of Virgil Hawkins/Static)
9. Josh Keaton (Voice of Black Spider)
10. Curtis Koller (Talent Coordinator)
11. Eric Lopez (Voice of Blue Beetle/Jaime Reyes, Scarab)
12. Michael McCuistion (Composer)
13. Jay Oliva (Director)
14. Mark Rolston (Voice of Lex Luthor, Jonathan Kent)
15. Jason Spisak (Voice of Kid Flash/Wally West)
16. James Arnold Taylor (Voice of Flash, Neutron, Topo, Burton Thompson)
17. Brandon Vietti (Producer, Writer)
18. Greg Weisman (Producer, Writer, Voice of Lucas Carr)
19. David Wilcox (Line Producer)

02:00pm - 03:00pm - Signing Area
YOUNG JUSTICE SIGNING
I plan on being here for only the first twenty minutes or so - before I have to run off to yet another panel. But for as long as I can stay, I will sign for free, anything you put in front of me. I will also be signing and selling copies of my animation teleplays for $20 cash. Among the series you'll have to choose from are Gargoyles, Men In Black, Team Atlantis, W.I.T.C.H., The Batman, The Spectacular Spider-Man, DC Showcase/Green Arrow, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Young Justice, Beware the Batman and two radio-plays: The Spectacular Spider-Man Meets Gargoyles and Gargoyles Meets The Spectacular Spider-Man Meets Young Justice. All while supplies last, and for as long as I can stay. So show up promptly at 2pm.

02:30pm - 03:20pm - Room 102B/C
THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN
Moderator: Greg Weisman (Supervising Producer, Writer, Voice of Donald Menken)
1. Kevin Altieri (Director)
2. Kris Carter (Composer)
3. Victor Cook (Supervising Producer, Supervising Director)
4. Nicole Dubuc (Writer)
5. Elisa Gabrielli (Voice of Ashley Kafka)
6. Sean "Cheeks" Galloway (Lead Character Designer)
7. Kevin Hopps (Writer)
8. Josh Keaton (Voice of Peter Parker/The Spectacular Spider-Man)
9. Andrew Kishino (Voice of Kenny Kong, Ned Lee)
10. Phil LaMarr (Voice of Fancy Dan/Ricochet, Joe "Robbie" Robertson, Rand Robertson, Homunculus)
11. Joshua LeBar (Voice of Flash Thompson)
12. Eric Lopez (Voice of Mark Allen/Molten Man)
13. Michael McCuistion (Composer)
14. Daran Norris (Voice of J. Jonah Jameson, John Jameson/Colonel Jupiter)
15. Deborah Strang (Voice of Aunt May Parker)
16. James Arnold Taylor (Voice of Harry Osborn, Frederick Foswell/Patch, Alan O'Neil, Homunculus)
17. Wade Wisinski (Line Producer)

03:30pm - 04:20pm - Room 102B/C
DISNEY AFTERNOON: THE CONTINUING LEGACY
Moderator: Aaron Sparrow (Writer of Darkwing Duck: The Duck Knight Returns)
1. Jim Cummings (Voice of Darkwing Duck, Bonkers, etc.)
2. Jymn Magon (Creator/Producer Talespin)
3. Greg Weisman (Creator/Producer Gargoyles)
4. Mark Zaslove (Story Editor/Producer Talespin)

04:00pm - 05:00pm - Signing Area
SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN SIGNING
I'll have to miss this one too, as I'll be in the Disney Afternoon Panel, followed by the Disney Afternoon signing.

04:30pm - 05:20pm - Disney Afternoon Reunion Booth/Signing Area
DISNEY AFTERNOON SIGNING
I'll be at this one for the entire signing. Again, I'll sign anything you bring along for free. And I'll also be signing and selling my teleplays.

05:30pm - 06:20pm - Room 102B/C
RAIN OF THE GHOSTS
Greg Weisman (Author)

06:30pm - 7:30pm - Booth 104 on Show Floor
MYSTERIOUS GALAXY SIGNING
I'll be selling and signing copies of my two novels, RAIN OF THE GHOSTS and SPIRITS OF ASH AND FOAM.

(Whew!)


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EXALT writes...

I have another little question.
We know that the Guardians are directly selected by the Oracle for specific reasons: was there any plan to reveal the specific reasons for the C.H.Y.K.N.'s selection (in particular Nerissa)?

Greg responds...

No specific plans, but given enough episodes...

Response recorded on September 18, 2014

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EXALT writes...

A couple questions about "O is for obedience"...
1)Before learning the truth, did Caleb ever ask Julian abouth his mother's identity?
2A)If yes, what did Julian tell him?
2B)If no, who did he think his mother was?
3)What's the reason Julian decided not to tell Caleb of his mother's identity? Was there some kind of taboo against his love with the "Mage"?
4)Why wasn't Nerissa a part in Caleb's upbringing (or at least a stable part in his upbringing, since he still knew the "Mage")?
Thanks for your time!

Greg responds...

1. Probably.

2A. Not the truth.

2B. Never decided on the specifics of that.

3. It was, in theory, to protect Caleb from those who would seek to force the Mage to do their bidding.

4. I really don't understand what you're asking here.

Response recorded on September 17, 2014

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beck writes...

if you had a choice what superhero show would you like to do

Greg responds...

Honestly, I'm not too picky. But my preference would be to return to a series I did before, whether Gargoyles, W.I.T.C.H., The Spectacular Spider-Man or Young Justice.

Response recorded on July 15, 2014

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My CONvergence 2014 Schedule

So the #Gargoyles20 U.S. Tour continues. Stop #3 is CONvergence in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Well, actually in Bloomington, Minnesota, but close enough.) http://www.convergence-con.org

This is a big one for us. It includes a number of events that we used to do at the old Gathering of the Gargoyles Conventions, which ran from 1997-2009. And I know a bunch of Gargoyles fans will be attending, so it'll also be a reunion of sorts.

My schedule for the long weekend is quite packed - which is just how I like it!

THURSDAY, JULY 3, 2014
2:00pm - 3:00pm GARGOYLES RADIO PLAY AUDITIONS
Ever wanted to be in a radio play? Now is your chance! We are holding auditions for a live performance at CONvergence! You don't even have to be a fan of Gargoyles to enter. You just have to know how to read! Casting: Myself and Jennifer Anderson (Talent Coordinator on The Spectacular Spider-Man and Young Justice). Casting decisions will be posted by 7:00pm on Friday, July 4th. ATRIUM 7.

3:30pm - 4:30pm BUFFYVERSE TEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY
Okay, so Gargoyles ISN'T the only show celebrating an anniversary. The Buffy/Angel universe has been off the air for ten years. Let's reminisce and talk about the impact these shows have had on TV fantasy since their cancellation. Panelists: Myself, Tim Lieder, Cetius d'Raven, Madeleine Rowe, Mark Goldberg. EDINA.

7:00pm - 8:00pm OPENING CEREMONY
If it's not exactly a magical invocation, it is nonetheless our official kick-off for the convention! Join CONvergence mascot Connie as we welcome our Guests of Honor, give out some awards (including the Mark Time and Ogle winners), and get this party started. Panelists: Myself, Amy Berg, Emma Bull, C. Robert Cargill, Sarah Clemens, Scott Lynch, Marina Sirtis, Frank Paur, Matthew Ebel, Dawn Krosnowski, Greg Guler, Rob Callahan, Windy Bowlsby, Michael Lee. MAIN STAGE.

9:00pm - 10:00pm GREG WEISMAN'S FANCY BASTARD PIE COMPETITION
Geek Partnership Society is excited to host the Greg Weisman Fancy Bastard Pie Competition at CONvergence 2014! It is open to all CONvergence members who wish to participate. The goal is to make a pie that Greg Weisman, herein to be known as "Fancy Bastard", likes best. The winner will be told super-secret Young Justice spoilers. Find out [some of] what would have happened in Season 3! (But winner must swear to secrecy to claim prize.) See below for some helpful hints.* CABANA 110.

FRIDAY, JULY 4th, 2014
11:00am - 12:00pm GARGOYLES RADIO PLAY AUDITIONS
Ever wanted to be in a radio play? Now is your chance! We are holding auditions for a live performance at CONvergence! You don't even have to be a fan of Gargoyles to enter. You just have to know how to read! Last chance to audition! Casting: Myself and Jennifer Anderson (Talent Coordinator on The Spectacular Spider-Man and Young Justice). Casting decisions will be posted by 7:00pm on Friday, July 4th. ATRIUM 7.

12:30pm - 1:30pm FROM TV TO COMICS
We'll discuss the TV shows that expanded into the comicverse, such as Buffy, Smallville, Young Justice and Gargoyles. Did they succeed? Were any of the comics improvements on the shows? How did canon change during the transition? Panelists: Myself (Gargoyles, Young Justice), Shawn van Briesen, Jonathan Palmer, Greg Guler (Gargoyles), Karine Charlebois (Gargoyles, Bad Guys), Christopher Jones (Batman Strikes, Young Justice, Bad Guys). PLAZA 2.

2:00pm - 3:00pm SIGNING
Myself, Christopher Jones (Young Justice, The Batman Strikes, Parallel Man) and Greg Guler (Gargoyles, Phineas and Ferb) will be holding a signing session. Both Chris and Greg always have an array of stuff (books, prints, etc.) to sell and sign. But this time I'm pretty darn prepared as well. First off, I'll be selling and signing copies of my first novel RAIN OF THE GHOSTS for $10 cash, which includes the book, a personalized signature and signed copies of the original development character designs by Kuni Tomita for the television version of Rain that never was. In addition - and by popular demand - I am selling and signing an array of my animation teleplays for $20 cash from such series as Gargoyles, Team Atlantis, DC Showcase (Green Arrow), Men in Black: The Series, The Spectacular Spider-Man, The Batman, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles, W.I.T.C.H., Young Justice and even the 2009 Radio Play "The Spectacular Spider-Man Meets Gargoyles". I'll also sign anything else you bring and put in front of me for FREE - especially if you buy my book. ;) CONVERGENCE CENTRAL.

3:30pm - 4:30pm CREATING GARGOYLES
This is what we used to call (at the Gathering) the Rocky Horror Gargoyles Show. The creators of Gargoyles show clips and tell stories of how the show came to be. Lots of visual aids. Panelists: Myself (Creator, Supervising Producer/Story Editor, Writer), Frank Paur ( (Supervising Producer/Director), Greg Guler (Lead Character Designer). ATRIUM 6.

7:00pm - 8:00pm TIME TRAVEL THEORY
Let's assume for a moment that Time Travel is possible. This panel will explore the theories behind such technology. We'll explore quantum realities, temporal anomalies and all other challenges our theoretical time travelers will be face! [Now, I suggested this panel, but then they went and put some actual scientists on the damn thing. So I may quickly be embarrassed into silence.] ;) Panelists: Myself, Nicole Gugliucci, Jim Kakalios, G. David Nordley, Amy Berg. ATRIUM 4.

8:30pm - 9:30pm GARGOYLES Q&A
Join the cast and creators of the "Gargoyles" series and SLG companion comic books to ask and talk about the property. And, as always, Cosplayers are welcome! Panelists: Myself (Creator, Supervising Producer/Story Editor, Writer), Christopher Jones (Bad Guys guest artist), Marina Sirtis (voice of Demona and Margot Yale), Frank Paur (Supervising Producer/Director), Karine Charlebois (Gargoyles Guest Artist, Bad Guys Artist), Greg Guler (Lead Character Designer, Gargoyles Guest Artist). MAIN STAGE.

SATURDAY, JULY 5th, 2014
9:30am - 10:30am GARGOYLES SIGNING
Myself, Marina Sirtis (voice of Demona and Margot Yale) and Frank Paur (Supervising Producer/Director) will be holding a signing session. Again, I'll be selling and signing copies of my first novel RAIN OF THE GHOSTS for $10 cash, which includes the book, a personalized signature and signed copies of the original development character designs by Kuni Tomita for the television version of Rain that never was. In addition - and by popular demand - I am selling and signing an array of my animation teleplays for $20 cash from such series as Gargoyles, Team Atlantis, DC Showcase (Green Arrow), Men in Black: The Series, The Spectacular Spider-Man, Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles, W.I.T.C.H., The Batman, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Young Justice and even the 2009 Radio Play "The Spectacular Spider-Man Meets Gargoyles". I'll also sign anything else you bring and put in front of me for FREE. CONVERGENCE CENTRAL.

11:00am - 12:25pm GARGOYLES RADIO PLAY REHEARSAL
This is a closed session - for those who were cast in the Radio Play - led by Myself, Jennifer Anderson (Talent Coordinator on The Spectacular Spider-Man and Young Justice) & Marina Sirtis (voice of Demona, Margot Yale and Queen Bee). ATRIUM 6.

12:30pm - 1:30pm GARGOYLES RADIO PLAY PERFORMANCE
Fans and professionals - including Myself (voice of Donald Menken and Lucas "Snapper" Carr), Jennifer Anderson (Talent Coordinator on The Spectacular Spider-Man and Young Justice), and of course, Marina Sirtis (Deanna Troi from Star Trek TNG and the voice of Demona, Margot Yale and Queen Bee) - perform a LIVE, ORIGINAL Gargoyles radio play! ATRIUM 6.

2:00pm - 3:00pm GARGOYLES BIOLOGY AND CULTURE
A "what if" panel about the biology and culture of the Gargoyles universe. Creators and performers speculate about anything and everything going on outside the frames of the TV series. Panelists: Craig A. Finseth moderates Myself (Creator, Producer) and Greg Guler (Lead Character Designer). ATRIUM 7.

3:30pm - 4:30pm RAIN OF THE GHOSTS
I'll be reading from and talking about the world and characters of my novel "Rain of the Ghosts" and its sequel, "Spirits of Ash and Foam," which comes out July 8th, 2014, one week after the convention! ATRIUM 3.

7:00pm - 8:00pm ONE ON ONE WITH GREG WEISMAN
Hal Bichel will moderate a one-on-one panel with Myself. PLAZA 2.

8:30pm - 9:30pm SIGNING
Once again, I'll be selling and signing copies of my first novel RAIN OF THE GHOSTS for $10 cash, which includes the book, a personalized signature and signed copies of the original development character designs by Kuni Tomita for the television version of Rain that never was. In addition - and by popular demand - I am selling and signing an array of my animation teleplays for $20 cash from such series as Gargoyles, Team Atlantis, DC Showcase (Green Arrow), Men in Black: The Series, The Batman, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, The Spectacular Spider-Man, Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles, W.I.T.C.H., Young Justice and even the 2009 Radio Play "The Spectacular Spider-Man Meets Gargoyles". I'll also sign anything else you bring and put in front of me for FREE. CONVERGENCE CENTRAL.

10:00pm - 11:00pm BLUE MUG
Ever wonder about the sexual habits of Gargoyles? Ever wonder who was sleeping with whom among the Young Justice Team or the cast of Spectacular Spider-Man? Join us for for a late night peek at your favorite animated series. This panel will get blue! (So attendees will be carded!) Panelists: Myself, Christopher Jones, Mara Cordova (Last Tengu in Paris Artist). It is also rumored that Edmund Tsabard (an unfancy bastard and Last Tengu in Paris Writer) may make an appearance. EDINA.

SUNDAY, JULY 6th, 2014
11:00am - 12:00pm PROTOFEMINISTS IN SHAKESPEARE
Shakespeare portrayed several intelligent, independent, and self-aware women--Juliet, Lady Macbeth, Katharine, Beatrice, Viola, Rosalind. We'll discuss the problematic and the remarkably (for the era) fleshed-out aspects of their representation. Panelists: Myself, Elizabeth Bear, Ashley F. Miller, Joseph Erickson, Alexandra Howes. EDINA.

12:30pm - 1:30pm GARGOYLES FAN PANEL
It's the 20th Anniversary of Gargoyles. Come share your favorite moments from the show. As always, Cosplayers are welcome! Panelists: Daniel Mohr moderates Myself, Ryan Alexander, Robert Wagner, Maggie Schultz, Jennifer Anderson, Karine Charlebois. ATRIUM 6.

2:00pm - 3:00pm SIGNING
Myself and Greg Guler (Gargoyles, Phineas and Ferb) will be holding one last signing session. Greg G. always has an array of stuff (books, prints, etc.) to sell and sign. And I'll be selling and signing copies of my first novel RAIN OF THE GHOSTS for $10 cash, which includes the book, a personalized signature and signed copies of the original development character designs by Kuni Tomita for the television version of Rain that never was. In addition - and by popular demand - I am selling and signing an array of my animation teleplays for $20 cash from such series as Gargoyles, Team Atlantis, DC Showcase (Green Arrow), Men in Black: The Series, The Spectacular Spider-Man, Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles, The Batman, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, W.I.T.C.H., Young Justice and even the 2009 Radio Play "The Spectacular Spider-Man Meets Gargoyles". I'll also sign anything else you bring and put in front of me for FREE - especially if you buy my book. CONVERGENCE CENTRAL.

3:30pm - 4:30pm YOUNG JUSTICE
Creative minds behind the Young Justice TV and comic book series will talk about this fan favorite. We're planning some special surprises as well. And, as always, Cosplayers are welcome! Panelists: Myself, Marina Sirtis (voice of Queen Bee), Christopher Jones (Artist YJ Comic). MAIN STAGE.

5:00pm - 6:00pm CLOSING CEREMONY
It's not over 'til the gynoid sings - or something like that. Join CONvergence mascot Connie and our Guests of Honor as we say farewell to another convention. Shenanigans may ensue. Panelists: Myself, Amy Berg, Emma Bull, C. Robert Cargill, Sarah Clemens, Scott Lynch, Marina Sirtis, Matthew Ebel, Frank Paur, Dawn Krosnowski, Greg Guler, Windy Bowlsby, Rob Callahan, Michael Lee. MAIN STAGE

SEE?!! I told you there was a lot. And that's only the stuff that I'm doing. CONvergence is jam-packed with all sorts of pop culture nutritional goodness. So stop by and say hello!!

*In the interest of Full Disclosure, Fancy Bastard would like all to know that he especially likes the following pies:
APPLE
BERRY (pretty much any kind of berry or a mix of same)
PEACH
APRICOT
PUMPKIN
BANANA CREAM (herein to be known as the funniest pie)
Combinations of some of the fruit pies can be great. Contestants are welcome to try other pies at their own risk.

Fancy Bastard does NOT especially like the following pies:
PECAN
Anything with Chocolate or Lemon or Meringue
Raisins in Apple Pie
Almost never Cherry, though he has tasted the rare exception...


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fallenlegend writes...

Hello Greg!

Just a quick question this time. The other time I asked you something about gargoyles and you said that you wouldn't write it for free... wich came as a bit of a shock to me as you have said before that it is your baby proyect.

It's understandable as this is your job and main source of income... But I have to wonder if you would ever have or if you have a personal proyect wich you would do for free.

You deserve every cent you get paid but.. Many (amateur/fanfic) writters write stories for fun and I wonder if this is the case with you. thank you!

Greg responds...

I don't write for fun anymore. To be honest, it's too much like work.

I don't write for free, though I do (occasionally) write "on spec". That is, I'll write something that has the chance of paying off later, even if no one is paying me for it immediately. For example, my first novel, RAIN OF THE GHOSTS, was written on spec. (And took over a decade to pay off - minimally.) The second book in the series, SPIRITS OF ASH AND FOAM, was not written on spec. My publisher, St. Martin's Press, ordered it. The third, MASQUE OF BONES, which I've barely begun researching, will also be written on spec, unless St. Martin's Press decides to pick it up.

But the big difference with those books, over something like GARGOYLES, for example, is that I OWN the RAIN property. I don't own GARGOYLES or YOUNG JUSTICE or WITCH or THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN. It would, frankly, just be foolish for me to invest my time (which is money to me) in something that isn't mine.

GARGOYLES is without a doubt my baby. I feel that strongly. But it doesn't change the hard, cruel fact that I hold no ownership in it at all.

Response recorded on May 01, 2014

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fallenlegend writes...

Hello Greg it's me still annoying you :p

I would like to share my thoughts on WITCH if you don't mind.

I read the original comics a bit and one my issues is that in the original story the villains were superbland. I think you did a great job with "Nerissa". But villains like "phobos" came to me as one dimensional evil for the sake of being evil boringness (in the comic). I know you can't acknowledge this but I think your writing made the story much better than the original.

Another thing I didn't like from the original is that they basically gave everything easily to the main characters. (Superboy and superman didn't begin to bond until the season finale for instance...) WOuld you have done things differently?

thank you for your time!

Greg responds...

I'm not sure I understand your question, but on WITCH Season Two, I did exactly as I wanted. So, no, I wouldn't have done anything differently - other than obviously, I would have loved to have done more seasons...

Response recorded on April 25, 2014

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fallenlegend writes...

Hello Greg! I have a question related now to witch tv series.

I know that you were basically hired to write a "magical girl series" that you had zero input on it's creation with this in mind...

Would you pitch a "magical girl" show idea of your own or would you rather pursue other projects?

Was it ever odd or hard to write for a girl power fantasy show? I don't know if you had experience but I think a show like "WITCH" could be hard to relate as a man when it is so obviously directed at girls as a main audience.

(I am sure many boys liked it but... I am sure most would enjoy more playing being like iron man than being a guardian)

what do you think was the main appeal of "WITCH"?

Do you think boys could relate to "magical girls" like the witch ?

Greg responds...

1. I was NOT hired to write a "magical girl series". Quite the reverse. WITCH was originally developed to be that in Season One, but I was specifically brought in with marching orders to make it more of an action-adventure show (with humor) that appealed to boys and girls.

2. I've pitched many series with female leads (and magic), including RAIN OF THE GHOSTS, which I sold. It didn't go, so I turned it into a novel.

3. Not for me. I'll leave it to others to judge whether or not I was successful, but I like - maybe even prefer - to write for female characters.

4. Story and characters. Same as any series I've worked on.

5. Yes. Though they might not readily admit it.

Response recorded on April 25, 2014

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Jibby A writes...

My question is about W.I.T.C.H. more specifically about Will. I was wondering what inspired you to give her the specific power of Quintessence? Because in the comics I don't think that's been mentioned, its always been Energy. However I think it's such an awesome power and your work on W.I.T.C.H. was exceptional! I thank you

Greg responds...

Quintessence (literally the "fifth essence") has traditionally been the fifth element, after earth, air, fire and water.

Response recorded on April 18, 2014


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