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Anonymous writes...

1) Would you be open to work on other new shows that focus on characters you've already worked on? For example, if you were approached by Disney to work on a new Spider-Man show that isn't in the same continuity as The Spectacular Spider-Man, would you accept? Or would you rather move on to different characters?

Greg responds...

Everything is situational. I'd love to do Spider-Man again in almost any form. (I wrote one issue of Amazing Spider-Man that wasn't in continuity with Spectacular, and would be happy to write more.) But the question's almost too hypothetical to answer. Readers familiar with this site know I'm not big on hypotheticals.

Response recorded on January 28, 2015

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Avi writes...

Hi Greg, How are you? You may know me from twitter as I tend to have converstations with you at times.
1. Spectacular Spider-man has gotten me into Spider-man. Other than Stan Lee's run, what Spider-man stories do you recommend? I have Kraven's Last Hunt, Death of Gwen Stacy, and all of Lee/Ditko, and will get the rest of Lee's run with Romita soon. Just wanted to get your thoughts on which Spidey stories to buy as you are a big Spidey fan.
2. Did you like the Peter/MJ relationship from the comics? I ask because some writers accuse that relationship as causing sales and quality of Spidey titles to drop, so I wanted to hear your opinion.
3. Since you said you are now working on the third book in the Rain series, did you get the green light for the third book or are you just working on it, in hopes it will be greenlit?
Thanks and hope everything is well!

Greg responds...

1. I can't pinpoint things for you. Might have been able to when I was in the thick of writing/producing SpecSpidey, but that was years ago. I always start at the beginning and work my way forward.

2. I like how some writers/artists/editors handled it. Didn't like how others did. It's all about execution.

3. I have not gotten a green light from St. Martin's Press on Masque of Bones (i.e. Rain of the Ghosts, Book Three). And I have NOT started writing it. I have begun doing some of the research.

Response recorded on October 14, 2014

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fan writes...

out of these 3 heroes Spiderman wolverine and batman who do
you find the most interesting.

Greg responds...

I find all three interesting. You'll find - as others have - that ranking things isn't big on my list of stuff to do. Just not the way my brain works.

Response recorded on September 30, 2014

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Kenny McCormick writes...

Thoughts about Black Spider-Man? Heard anything about him?

Greg responds...

It's all about execution, which I have not seen. So no, no thoughts.

Response recorded on March 13, 2014

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Avi writes...

1. You write strong female characters with skill(Demona, Gwen, MJ, Artemis, ETC). Since women can be portrayed weak sometimes, how do you do it?
2. Other than Stan Lee's run with Romita and Ditko, what era of Spider-man comics did you enjoyed reading the most?
3. What is your opinion on Spider-man: Kraven's Last Hunt, by JM Dematteis? Most people generally like it but others think it may have been too dark for Spider-man (Dematteis was actually going to have the story be a Batman and Joker story at first)

Thanks for the amazing shows! Spectacular Spider-man (I was looking forward to Season 3-5 and DTV's) was absolutely amazing along with Young Justice (I was so looking forward to the next season). I am only up to Avalon part 1, but Gargoyles has been tremendously fun to watch so far. I don't love Star Wars, but Rebels seems great so far and I can't wait. You are an inspiration to me. Thank you.

Greg responds...

1. I like to think I've portrayed some female characters as strong and others as weak. Some who stay strong, some who weaken. Some who stay weak, some who gain in strength. As to the 'how'… I don't have a magic formula. I'm sure it helps that I've always known, loved, admired and respected strong women all my life, starting with my mom. But really, I don't know any other way to do it.

2. There was some fun stuff for me in the 80s.

3. I haven't read it.

Response recorded on January 08, 2014

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Whedonite writes...

I loved your Spectacular Spider-Man TV series. It was far by the BEST interpretation I've seen of Spdier-Man in any of the movies/Televison

1. have you seen The Amazing Spider-Man? Did you notice the little elements they used from SpecSpidey? Like the satchel and the blue shirt? What are your thoughts on that?

2. Would you work on a Spider-Man or a MARVEL show in general again?

Greg responds...

1. I don't know if it's fair to cite the blue shirt. I mean, it's a blue shirt. You might as well say "shirt". Even the satchel is pushing it. I did notice little things that seemed to come from our series, but the operative word is SEEMED. Everyone is working off the same source material, so the notion that two groups of creators might independently come up with similar approaches makes a lot of sense.

2. I'd love to. I love those characters. All Marvel has to do is ask.

Response recorded on May 16, 2013

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Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...

No question, just wanted to say I noticed your name on the Spiderman 700 cover. (Well, on the Comic News Insider with the full size image of the cover.) It's a nice acknowledgement.

I meant to tack this on to another post but kept forgetting. Since the last time I saw a similar nice reference I took so long to remember I totally forgot I realized I should just post it on it's own. (The last had something to do with either Love & Capes or Lions & Tigers & Bears, but for the life of me I can't remember which or what it was.)

Greg responds...

I'm guessing it was something to do with Love and Capes, which I'm a HUGE fan of, as opposed to Lions & Tigers & Bears, which I'm completely unaware of. (The latter's not a value judgement. I just don't know anything about it.)

The Spidey 700 thing was nice. I feel honored to be included, particularly since I've only ever written half of an issue.

Response recorded on March 20, 2013

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Abigail writes...

Is the character Sha Shan Nguyen based on any pre-existing character in the Spiderman comics?

Greg responds...

Yes. She's based on the character Sha Shan, who was Flash's girlfriend for awhile - and then wanted to kill him - and then didn't, and then dumped him cold when he cheated on her - and then pretty much disappeared until I brought her back in an issue of Amazing Spider-Man as his physical therapist. And then... um, I don't think she's appeared since.

Anyway, she was always a favorite of mine. And I always thought that she was THE ONE for Flash.

Response recorded on February 28, 2013

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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.

Response recorded on August 23, 2012

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Greg Bishansky writes...

Another Spidey question. This one is both Spectacular related, and about your Amazing Spider-Man back-up story.

When you wrote and produced "Spectacular Spider-Man," you tried to get to the core truths of who each and every character was. Well, I need to ask you about who Betty Brant was in your series. We've never seen much of her besides Peter trying to ask her to the Fall Formal, and Ned asking her out on a date. She didn't even have a single line of dialogue in the entire second season.

I ask, because in the comics, and this is something that often seems forgotten by most people, Betty Brant is a pretty horrible human being. It's not something I was even really conscious of until my friend, Josh Bertone, started writing a series of articles documenting the history of this character.

She was pretty bipolar when she dated Peter. Constantly flipping out at him if he so much as glanced at Liz Allan, or another human being who lacked a penis. And then, turning around and playing around with both him and Ned Leeds.

She later married Ned and then abandoned him on their honeymoon. Had a one-night stand with Peter, and was later on having an affair with Flash Thompson that lasted for months and months. Which was driving Ned nuts, although, his brainwashing at the hands of the Hobgoblin arguably made things worse. But the affair started well before this Hobgoblin business. Hell, she had the nerve to ask him if their marriage meant anything to him as he was walking out on her, and he replied with "more than it means to you" and he was right.

Of course, Betty now blames the Hobgoblin for all of her marriage's problems and never once really acknowledged any wrongdoing on her part. It's almost Demona-esque how neatly she's able to deflect any feelings of guilt.

And finally, there was Betty's appearance in the back-up story for Flash Thompson that you wrote (loved that story), and when Betty first sees Sha Shan, she is mad. I think I'll quote my friend Bertone, who said it better than I could:

"The icicle speech balloons are a cool callback to the Ditko days but take a look at that scene again. Betty isn’t responding to Sha Shan…Betty starts it! Betty doesn’t greet Sha Shan with an apology or any remorse. No! She’s mad at Sha Shan! Why? What did Sha Shan do to her? It’s not like they had a Betty/Veronica relationship. Betty stole Sha Shan’s man! Sha Shan has a right to be mad! Betty doesn’t!

"Betty Brant is the only woman who will have an affair with your boyfriend and then somehow be mad at you as if she was the victim. What a horrible person."

The above isn't a criticism of the story, or how you used Betty. It's a criticism of Betty as a person.

So, I have to ask. Would your interpretation of Betty, had the series gotten more in depth with her have been this terrible, awful individual? In the comics, she makes Sally Avril look as cool and fun to be with as Mary Jane by comparison! If so, I'd say Peter dodged a major bullet there, when Aunt May put a stop to this in "The Invisible Hand." Come to think of it, May never liked Betty in the Lee/Ditko run either. Betty is definitely not the girl you bring home to meet mom.

Greg responds...

I think the thing to keep in mind about ANY character in a shared corporate universe is that multiple writers, editors and artists have had at him or her, with different agendas - often agendas that had little to do with the character him or herself - and more to do with how that character plays with, in this case, Spider-Man/Peter Parker.

Me, I'm fond of Betty. Probably originates with her being THE girl in the 1960s Spider-Man cartoon. I clearly like her more than either you or Bertone, but I haven't tracked each and every appearance. I just try to get to the heart of who I think she is. To me, in the Lee/Ditko era, she was a high school age girl who dropped out to work, because she had to. So she wasn't mature, but she was extremely competent. One of the few human beings who could handle J. Jonah Jameson. That to me is the fundamental TRUTH of her character. Anyone who can hold her own with Jameson and put up with his... crap, has to have something solid in her. The fact that Lee/Ditko occasionally played her as a jealous harridan ... seems more indicative of the tropes of romance comics of the day than with anything inherent in who she was. And what other writers did with her in the post Lee/Romita era (after she had already been reduced to the fourth or fifth most important non-Aunt May girl in Peter's life) carries even less weight with me.

Is that selective on my part? Damn straight! But we were always selective on SpecSpidey. Had to be. Too much inconsistencies in the canon for us to do otherwise.

So, what did we decide?

Well, first of all, we wanted a sixteen year old Peter, as he was in the early days of Lee/Ditko. But no one's going to buy - in a modern context - a sixteen year old Betty working full-time for Jonah. So we made her nineteen or twenty (can't remember, but something like that). So we gave a nod to the original Betty/Pete relationship, but as you saw made it awkward because of an age gap that would be insignificant in ten years (at age 26 and 29) but is just too wide at 16 and 19. We had fun with that. But we also started to build the Betty/Ned relationship too. We did have a couple Betty/Ned scenes written and recorded for Season Two, but they wound up getting cut for time before being animated... mostly because (a) we were long and (b) they were scenes we could sacrifice. Ned and Ned's relationship to Betty would have been important in season three, and we wanted to set it up, lay some pipe, etc. But there were always things we needed for Season TWO that were more important. So we figured we'd worry about Season Three if and when we got there. And of course we never did.

As for that one Betty and Sha Shan scene in the comic, I think you're overthinking it. The two are both cold to each other. They have an unpleasant history. No one's apologizing. No one's asking for an apology at this point. Neither "started it". Looks must have come before words. And looks said it all. The words were simply the "icing" (pun intended) on the cake.

Personally, I can't see Betty with Flash long term... though I guess that's the longest relationship she's ever had - mostly by default. Now, I see them as good friends. Maybe occasionally friends with benefits, but these two are never going to be much more than that in my mind.

Of course, to me the perfect girl for Flash was always Sha Shan. (Someone who could kick his ass - at least figuratively, if not literally.) So what do I know...

Response recorded on September 29, 2011


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