CGYJ writes...

Hello, Mr. Greg Weisman,

This is my 33rd posting. I have something VERY critically important to ask you. Please do not delete this posting no matter what!

You may recall from one of my earlier postings that I was telling you about how the existence of the DC multiverse was in question after the events of the DC crossover event “Flashpoint.” Then I told you how it seemed like they are starting the DC multiverse all over again with the reintroduction of parallel Earths in May (based on the May 2012 solicitation descriptions of Earth Two and Action Comics). The only two parallel Earths from the old DC multiverse (don’t forget there was New Earth and 51 other parallel Earths at that time) that did not seem affected by the relaunch were Earth-1 (the setting for DC: Earth One graphic novels) and Earth-16 (the setting for Young Justice). However, with this realization, I failed to consider the possibility that these two parallel Earths MIGHT NOT exist in the rebooted multiverse (even though we don’t know that for sure yet)! In the case of Young Justice, have you or your co-workers ever confirmed with the higher-ups who work in DC Comics about whether or not Earth-16 still exist in the post-Flashpoint DC multiverse? I’m sure it would create conflict if someone tried to use Earth-16 without realizing that you and your crew are already using it. This is an extremely important question that I’m asking you, so I hope your response can shed some light on the matter.

Thank you very much for reading this. It is my fault that I didn’t ask you about this sooner, but I hope to hear from your response very soon!

Anonymous writes...

1) At Wondercon, you said that Jason Spisak is a lot like Wally West. Has he ever hit on any of his female co-stars during the recording sessions?

2) Why is it that Miss Martian is so exceptionally powerful in Martian Manhunter's eyes? He referred to her as the most powerful telepath he's ever encountered. Is it just a case of fate smiling upon her and her happening to be born with advanced telepathy for a Martian (in other words, a coincidence), or is there more to her incredible power than meets the eye?

skye4376 writes...

hi, i just wanted to know your viewpoint on the true identities of the heroes of earth 16. are the heroes really their hero personas pretending to be their civilian selves or are the civilian identities their true identities.

for example, is does dick grayson see himself as dick grayson or as robin who uses his dick grayson persona as a front and acts different so that no one knows that he is robin. also, does clark kent see himself as clark kent or as superman pretending to be a bumbling, clumsy clark kent.

i hope you understand what i mean and that this isn't too confusing for you. thanks.

Marvelman writes...

Now that the first season is over, I would like to know if there were any specific reactions by your audience to parts of the show which surprised you?

Alex writes...

If Robin said he doesn't want to be like Batman, why would he become Nightwing in the future? Was he referring to the dark loner thing Batman has going on, or was he talking about his life being consumed by his crime-fighting activities?

SHAZAM! writes...

What is Black Adam's alter ego? is it Teth Adam, who's been Shazam's champion for 5000 years or Theo Adam, who stumbled upon Teth's magic necklace? or is it a different adaptation?

Zia writes...

Hey! First off, congratulations to your whole team on such a great show. The details you guys put into Young Justice are just amazing. And since I assume the season finale will have aired by the time you see my question, congrats on that full season two!

Here's my questions: 1. What made you decide to have other family members besides Dick Grayson's parents in the Flying Graysons?
2. Was it inspired at all by the movie Batman Forever (which, as far as I know, is the only other instance of multiple Graysons in the DC universe)?
3. Why did you decide to have his uncle survive the fall?

That's it! Oh, one last thing: thank you for portraying Robin and Batman's relationship differently than usual! There's tons of reasons for Robin to grow dissatisfied with Batman and break off on his own at a later date without them having a strained relationship, and it's a breath of fresh air to see it being handled in that way.

:)

Jacklyen writes...

Thank you for creating this show - in my opinion, it's the best animated superhero show in I've ever seen. There are so many levels in each episode, and it's more realistic in the way that characters interact and behave than most shows on today.

My question is whether or not any footage was made that is not going to be appearing in the show. What I mean is, that when the show first came out and there were promotional videos for it, we saw some scenes that haven't occurred in the series yet. Are they going to, or were some scenes made only for the trailers?

Thanks! It's great of you to take these questions.

smartaxe writes...

Hi Greg - I just finished watching Performance, and one thing confused me: if Miss Martian wasn't able to use her powers for a while after Parasite touched her, why didn't she revert back to her natural (monstrous) form? Were her shapeshifting powers somehow unaffected?

Anonymous writes...

How did parasite get his absorbation superpowers?

Ben writes...

why is match about 16? was it always the lights plan to wake superboy when he was still young? or age them to adult?

Ben writes...

with superboy being partially human does kryptonite effect him as badly as superman?

Jerry Whitworth writes...

Hey Greg, just saw the YJ episode "Performance" and I was curious: was Jack Haly's physical appearance based on Mr. Miracle's buddy Oberon (taller and heavier, of course)? Thanks!

Jude writes...

We saw Cissie King-Jones in "Insecurity". How old is she?

Mies writes...

How popular are Kid Flash, Robin, and Kaldur in America? Particularly the last two whom, intentionally or unintentionally, perhaps shy away from the media for obvious reasons. Those three the ones we've seen so far who seem popular with the media.

Meis writes...

Did Artemis recognize Robin in "Performances" as her school mate, Dick Grayson, or was she too occupied with the mission, of "not looking for answers," to realize?

Larisse writes...

Just finished "Performances" and what an episode! Ok, since we couldn't see how Batman reacted (and from what I'm told, it isn't touched up on a following episode this season) to Robin's taking lead on a non-sanctioned mission, leading on the team with a delicate lie of "Because Batman said so." A brief answer would be appreciated! Thanks!

Danger writes...

1. How old is King Faraday?
2. How long have Oliver and Dinah been in a romantic relationship?
3. How long have Oliver and Dinah known each other?
4. How long have Dinah and Roy known each other?
5. Is Roy a millionaire?
Thanks for your time! YJ is phenomenal :D

Jack-Pumpkinhead writes...

Dear Greg,
Wow, Performance was a great episode! I mean, it was fun to see Grayson with the circus, I'm surprised the Ringmaster is the only one who recognized him. Also, nice job with Parasite, he was good and creepy! And I like the casting of Clancy Brown as King Faraday, excellent choice. But most importantly for me, thank you for finally having Roy lighten up on Artemis, Megan, & Connor. I still think Sportsmaster was lying about a mole to screw with their heads, but it was nice for Roy to give them the benefit of the doubt finally.
Please keep it up and I anxiously await the next episode!

PS- I realize I screwed up in my last response by calling the civilian Mr. King when I meant Mr. Jones. But I still know the little girl is Cissie King-Jones, AKA Arowette (again, thank you)

Anonymous writes...

Just watched Performance and enjoyed it, great job with the episode! I liked how you didn't dwell too much into Robin's past, and kept fans wondering (even though many know the details of it). I loved the Wally and Dick interaction, and their conversation showed just how deep their friendship goes. My question is how long has Wally known about Dick's past, and when did Dick tell him about it? Thanks!

Anonymous writes...

If Cheshire hates Sportsmaster so much, why did she decide to follow in his footsteps in joining the League of Shadows?

Matthew writes...

Just watched Performance and liked it a lot. I'm glad to see an episode focusing on Robin. Just curious was Robin's laugh inspired by the Shadow of pulp/radio fame?

Eagle-Owl writes...

YJ questions:

1) Clancy Brown as Agent Faraday, and Faraday looks A LOT like George Stacy. Spectacular Spider-Man reference?

2) Parasite was working for Intergang. Does this say anything about the current whereabouts of Bruno Mannheim or Whisper A'Daire?

phool writes...

What is Roy and Dinah's relationship like in YJ? Does he see her as a surrogate mother or a big sister?

WoWonder writes...

I saw a preview of what's yet to come to come in season 2 of Young Justice on the Hollywood Reporter website. But I only get to see about the last 17 seconds of it. The rest of those seconds were recaps of season 1. Can you tell me if you REALLY understand what happened in those 17 seconds?

Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...

For the moment I'm commenting on the current episode!
Insecurity
1- Mmmm Black Spider moves like Spiderman and in voiced by Josh Keaton...cute. When Spectacular Spiderman came out there were some complaints about the design being cartoony. It really grew on me and it worked wonderfully with the incredibly fluid animation. If ever there were a superhero that fluidity suited it it would be Spidy. Black Spider has the more traditional silhouette and movement. Was this seen as a chance to show that as well as an in joke?
2- I see other posters are calling the little blond girl being Arrowette. Clever...age is right judging by Logan...though it would be a significantly different back story (IIRC). I don’t recall her father living long enough for her to really remember him. I haven’t been able to successfully google if “Bowstring Jones” was a real character or not. In the comic book he really seemed a bit of a joke. He was the guy who choked on calamari. That was pretty much it. And all fans know that Peter David wrote her as another illegitimate child of Oliver’s.
3-Another case of addressing questions that have been swirling- Artimas’s mother point blank explains why she allows, even encourages, her daughter’s activities. Of course the irony follows- she is trying to be honest and ends up angering Artimas and shaking her confidence. (I chuckled at Paula’s “Well, I am your mother!” line. Great delivery.)
4-More irony- Artimas mulls over it and reaches the mature decision not to let it bother her because regardless of how she started, she has certainly earned her unique spot on the team... and then Red Arrow is there. Murphy rules.
5- Wally is mature and sweet at the beginning. Then he is mature in his anger and disappointment. Also, it never once occurs to him to question her loyalty. The first explanation that jumps to mind that she was seeking glory, not being a mole.
6- Is it my imagination, or does Cheshire have an accent? If so, why? It has been my observation, excluding isolated communities, children of immigrants don’t pick up the parents’ accents in the local language, only in the ones they don’t hear all around them all the time. I can see her speaking Vietnamese and French with her mom’s accent, but English?
7- Cheshire kissed Roy...lucky it seems she hasn’t started with poison yet.
8- Did Conner rub his arm where the shield patch had been and fly?
9- Loved Wolf’s inconvenient nap time :)
10- I may be wrong, but I still don’t read Artimas as a potential mole. Of course her father and sister are messing with her head, but I don’t think even they think she’ll really turn on her team as much as screw up by being off her game.

Wow! I'm caught up...er nope. I still have the comic books ahead.

Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...

Another day another comment :)

Agendas
1- How annoying! The station ran an ad showing the team with Rocket. Talk about spoilers...
2- I love the Watchtower design- looking at it it just fits with it not being weaponized.
3- I really like Wonder Woman’s voice.., and her ‘more females’ comment.
4- I really loved the JLA’s considerations
a-they openly wonder if more members stoke enemies.
b-Icon and Rocket show up, and Superman wondering if he’s Kryptonian. I always thought Icon makes a fascinating comparison to Superman. Going on his Milestone origin- Both are powerful aliens who grew up on Earth, but Icon was an adult first and deaged to blend in. He was genetically linked to his human family, and most important, he’s been here since the 1850s, and spent the first 15 of those years as a slave. Superman has no real memory of his life before Earth. He may be near immortal, but as of now he’s only lived a normal 30 or so years. He hasn’t outlived his family, his wife, innumerable friends. And obviously, he never experienced anything like slavery first hand. They are both alien and native sons in different ways. They are both profoundly different and yet part of Earth in different ways.
c-Green Lanterns on Guy...bwahaha!
d-They know now Captain Marvel is a boy, and it is an issue. Bruce always knew, (maybe). Actually, that reminds me of a theory I have on Batman. He lost his parents and made his oath at around 8 years old. Consciously or not, for him childhood ends at 8. Maybe not as in an adult who’ll be on his own, but more like a Bar Mitzvah- Old enough to be responsible for ones own actions, to make momentous decisions. Billy is 10, Dick was 9. In his mind both are old enough to choose to put their lives in danger.
e- Not telling us the decision?? Mean!
5- As I mentioned on Image, you’ve really been hitting the questions of late
-last time is was M’gann and being a White Martian (It seems she somehow has kept it from J’onn...or that it isn’t a big deal to him so he doesn’t realize how it effects her.)
-Guardian and Roy are confirmed relations
-Conner and Lex are indeed connected
-Wonder Woman gets a speaking role...
-...and calls Batman on training a 9 yr old. (Loved her interactions with Bats and Supes.)
-Fate is confirmed to be staying on and have noticeable input from Zatara.
6- In the room the Match was in, what was in the other tubes? Their contents seemed to disappear when they were trashed.
7- Is that ‘Red Sun’ or ‘Red Son’? Wait, never mind, it’s been asked.
Another great episode.

B writes...

In "Misplaced", was Roanoke Island chosen as the location of Klarion's spell because people (the whole Roanoke Colony) had disappeared there before? And if so, was it necessary for the spellcasters, or just a fun reference on your part?

Tia writes...

Was the little girl in the episode Insecurities of Young Justice Cissie Jones or Arrowette?
By the way, amazing show.

Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...

I think the deluge has slowed, I'm still managing to keep up and post questions!

Image:
1- Young Justice really excels at showing people being people- the roleplaying, the humor in the reaction, the awkwardness talking with M'gann. Similarly the later line “He’s 8, he doesn’t do orders.”
2- So Kid Flash knows Bruce is Batman... This is the beginning of a string of hitting the questions that were being asked all the time on this site. (Asked over and over...) This episode answers that and the White Martian question. Wonder Woman gets a significant role ~and~ the dearth of female roles both get hit in the next ep, along with if the JLA knew Billy Batson was a kid. Other stuff I’ll mention in my comments on Agenda. Did you get a good chuckle knowing it was coming up?
3- Is it just me, or does Queen Bee looks like Marina Stirtis?
4- Loved the Hello Megan clips. But who are these Greg Vietti & Brandon Weisman folks..? Seriously, I googled everyone, that show is like a nexus of DC happenings.
5- White Martians are even uglier than in the comics. Nice design! I’ve wondered for a while if M’gann was her real name or not. She says she was attracted to the similarity in the names and some coincidences do happen. On the other hand....
6- Beast Boy... green eyes... Interesting how Martians can change on a molecular level. It seems that that transfusion plays a role in him becoming Beast Boy and green, yet she’s a White a Martian. Has she so internalized her role that she held on to the Green cells more than the White ones? Similarly, the ‘real form’ she showed was still more human than J’onn’s. She really is still in deep denile. (Nice little twist of the knife when Robin apologizes for making her lie and impersonate Queen Bee.)
7- The mole didn’t know it when the charge was first made. Brilliant. Everyone was looking for something that didn’t exist yet, so know they think it was a ruse to begin with and miss the threat, I know folks are saying the mole could still be Conner or Artimas, but I’m really reading it as M’Gann since she is actually being blackmailed, while the others are being emotionally manipulated. They haven’t done anything particularly egregious yet. Letting your sister go, even using the drug is not the same as brain blasting a bad guy to vegetable status simply to keep a secret-blasting your friends too. Of course I could be wrong.
8- Why do I feel the urge to say, "And the plot thickens..."?

Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...

Hi again,

Please pretend I spelled Klarion correctly at least once on my Missing questions. Not the worst mistake I've mistyped, but I kept repeating it. In case there is any doubt a mean "...the Witch Boy" and not a trumpet. :}

Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...

Coldhearted- I don’t have a lot of comments, but I did enjoy the episode a lot. Some highlights:
i) 7:15…6 I loved the touch of the text in front of the scene changing with the time.
Great little human moment; while fighting atop on of the blizzard ships, Aqualad vaults over Aquaman by putting a foot on his king’s shoulder. Arthur’s face looks startled and annoyed. That and at the end when Wally crashing through the glass doors as they start opening were my two favorite visual bits.
ii) I figured out that the heart was the main objective pretty early, pretty much as soon as Vandal Savage showed, but I still liked it. (It was obvious based on story form and not something the characters should have picked up, so it was fine.)
iii) Wally’s points ‘A’ & ‘2’…. Loved it!
iv) Once again his choice of souvenir shows growth.
Thanks!

Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...

Kevin asked “Are the three martian races a nod to Edgar Rice Burroughs Barsoom Series or is it just a coincidence?” (and you responded “ <Ahem> No comment.” ;). I feel silly for not thinking of that myself- especially with M’gann’s habit of being green and growing extra arms. It bring a few questions to mind:

1- Do the Red Martians appear in the comic books or are they new to the show?
2- Are the Martian races different species or just literally different races as in the scientific term? When I first thought of the question I only saw the three groups in the comic book. Now we have a very different image of the white Martians. Ordinarily such great physical difference would imply different species, but M’gann said her shape- shifting works at the molecular level. I wonder what remains static to indicate their speciehood? It may mean that physical appearance is less important to the genetics of the races of Mars.

Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...

Wow! Is it hard to keep up with even the questions to post new ones. Thanks for reopening the queue!

Condolences on the lose of your Grandmother. I remember the months before my grandmother died how she had retreated into herself and was all but unrecognizable, than all of a sudden came back to herself for a week or two at the end. I still treasure it as a great gift that we were reminded who she was before the end. She was a good deal younger than 100 so we were not quite expecting the end, but I can understand what you mean by feeling that the person you love is already on the way somewhere else. I am glad you have so many years and so many wonderful memories to look back on.

1- I see someone already asked if you can explain some of the terms you used when you broke down the stages the of episodes in progress. He mentioned ‘online’ in particular. If you didn’t already do so, can you also define ‘slug’?

2- I know you prefer to record the voice actors together in conversation, unlike many other cartoons that record the voices in isolation. In live action tv and movies are recorded out of order, that’s the most efficient way to use the sets and actors. Since there aren’t sets for cartoons, and you prefer to have all the actors together anyway, are the scenes more or less recorded in order?

3- You mentioned in the past moments when stories just come together and surprise you- when the next event seems to announce herself, unplanned but seemingly totally organic to the story. Like when “Owen is Puck!” announced itself. Or when you kept hearing “Thailog” when the video was being rewound. Did you have any such moments for Spectacular Spiderman and the other shows you worked on? Have you had any with Young Justice yet? Can you share any if they’ve already happened?

4-One last question for this catch-all batch... what do you think of the new DC Nation shorts? I’m not crazy about loosing the opening credits, but I love shorts and think it is an easy trade. I love that they are all different and playful and yet often also a series. My favorite so far is the one with Batgirl and Supergirl trying to convince Wonder Girl to ‘borrow’ Wonder Woman’s invisible jet. (Oddly I have become used to (and approve) on Dianna being portrayed as someone from another country, with a light to strong intonation of something foreign, but it never occurred to me the same would apply to Donna.)

Begin pontification: I’ve never loved the Teen Titan cartoon, (plenty to like, but never loved), but I love the fact it is turning up in the shorts. Back when Disney XD was Toon Disney I wondered why they didn’t run shorts. (To be fair I didn’t have a TiVO at the time and it was possible they were already running the “Have a Laugh” abridged classic shorts as well as Shaun the Sheep. But they weren’t running any new material.) It seemed odd to me they were trying to compete with the Cartoon Network’s reach into the older demographic and didn’t, for instance, declare one night a week the 10 o’clock older folks movie night, (say a Miyazaki flik), and intersperse it with shorts- gorgeous, varied, counter expectation shorts like they gleefully did for Fantasia 2000. (I had the idea a long time ago.) If some of those shorts were back door pilots...great. It worked for the Simpsons They could have led to another late evening night of new programming of new shows. They couldn’t compete with cheap nostalgic cartoons or crude adult ones because that just isn’t Disney. Disney can never put out a Family Guy type show under the Disney label. Maybe they could do it on ABC, but not something with Disney in the name. (Even Miyazaki’s Princess Monenoke had to be released in the US under the Miramax label because a PG-13 cartoon would be problematic under the Disney label.) It a rather obvious route for a high end cartoon station to go and might have netted a few Oscars away from Pixar. Or perhaps more for Pixar. End pontification.

Of course it would have been an ideal place to run a little Gargoyle related short. :)

JayBe writes...

Hi Greg, first off I just wanted to say you're awesome. Spectacular Spider-man was THE best Spider-man cartoon/interpretation of all time and IMO the best superhero cartoon of all time (although YJ is now a close second for me). It still pains my heart that it didn't reach past a 2nd season. And despite not being interested when I originally heard about Young Justice, it's quickly become one of my favorites due to the awesome character development/continuity that seems to be your trademark. Having just seen the new Ultimate Spider-man (which I read you won't be watching), I can safely tell you that although it's not the complete crap-fest I thought it would be, it's nowhere near the level of greatness of Spectacular Spider-man.

So anyway, my question is actually about SpecSpider-man (and sorry if it was asked already, I went through as much of the 600+ search results as I could). Could you possibly go into the general idea of what we were going to get out of the next few seasons if it hadn't been cancelled? I know there's probably a thousand details you could give (which would be awesome), but was there any overall story concepts you had that were going to blow our minds? For instance, were we actually going to see Gwen Stacy die?

Thanks for reading even if you can't/don't want to answer.

El Kid writes...

Does each city-state in Atlantis have their own Royal Family, or do some people just add "King" to their names as an honorific? Furthermore, if Atlantis is a conglomeration of city-states, how/why does it have a central capital and a ruling monarch?

B writes...

When Artemis said in "Misplaced" that she wasn't a cat person, was that a reference to Cheshire?

SpideyFan writes...

I've just gotten a chance to sit down and watch Spectacular Spidey, and it was absolutely mind-blowing. Between it and YJ, I am totally sold on your work. I love the way you structure your stories (on an episode-by-episode basis, and the way you build up longer arcs), and how you manage to present only the most pertinent/interesting information, and trim the narrative fat. It makes your shows a total joy to watch; the stories have such a deliberate sense of movement, everything seems to have purpose. Watching your work inspires me!

Here's the "Ask" part:
In the series finale (S2E13 "The Final Curtain"), Spidey's big confrontation sees him fighting pumpkin-headed grunts in little flying goop-shooting ships. Was this something the creative team was gung-ho about putting in the series, or was it more related to pressures from the powers-that-be about opportunities to sell toys?
Also, how often is marketing, or promoting the DC/Marvel/what-have-you brand a consideration for you when you're creating a show?
Finally: how did you start writing? I don't mean on the level of occupation (i.e. what jobs got you started), but how did you establish for yourself the discipline and confidence in your skills necessary to write professionally?

And I'm sorry to hear about your grandmother. It sounds like it was her time. My own great-grandmother just passed on, and I can tell you she was as ready for it as we were resistant to it. It certainly made the mourning process a lot harder to initiate, since there was this enormous sense of relief that she wasn't in any more pain, or so lonely anymore. I think a sort of hollow initial response is natural. Hope this is some condolences.

Thank you and adieu,

SpideyFan

akif writes...

the new spider man show isn't that good i wish that you can continue the show anf young justice at the same time

Anonymous writes...

Why did the two GLs refuse Flash's suggestion for Guy Gardener? Do they dislike him in some way?

Catherine writes...

1. How old is Cissie King-Jones?
2. It seemed like Cheshire kissed Roy to mess with Artemis. Is that the only reason she kissed him or were there...other reasons?
Not a question - Just wanted to say that I love Black Spider! That, and also say that I think Roy is a BAMF.

Anonymous writes...

How does technology on Mars compare to technology on Earth in Young Justice, are they around the same level or is one more advanced than another?

Bloggo writes...

Hi Greg

Do you know if the DC nation shorts be available on future young justice DVD's?

Also, are there plans to release the series on Bluray?

thanks

Jake the Fearless Leader writes...

Hello, Mr. Weisman. No questions this time around. Just wanted to say that I'm very sorry for your loss and will be praying for you and your family.

At the point that I am writing this, "Insecurity" has aired just the previous day. Artemis was never one of my favorite characters on the show, but I really enjoyed the episode. Now, I am looking forward to the rest of the season, as well as the beginning of Invasion.

jenova writes...

why did ocean master get so little screen time?(esp when compared to the rest of the light)

Insert A Creative Name Here writes...

Hi Greg!
How would you describe the relationship between Paula and Lawrence Crock? Do they have any affection for each other? How do they treat each other?
If this is a spoiler request or this question's been answered, I'll apologize in advance.

Anonymous writes...

I know it was just a fun nod to DOCTOR WHO in "Insecurity", but I still gotta ask the question: does the fact that the Star City Zeta-Beam portal terminates in a police box mean that police boxes are (or were) commonplace in the America of Earth-16? I mean, presumably the League would want to conceal the portals in inconspicuous places. And the only thing I can figure is that a police box would be a good disguise only if they were otherwise commonplace. As a long-term fan of the multiverse it would be a cool thing to say that one of the distinguishing features of Earth-16 was the widespread use of police public call boxes in North America as well as Britain. (By the way, kudos to not only giving a sly nod to DOCTOR WHO in general, but specifically the 1966 serial, "The War Machines'. The "out of order" sign made me howl with laughter.)

Jack-Pumpkinhead writes...

Dear Greg,
I realize it'll be a while before you get to this, but first off, my condolences. I lost my grandpa this year too.

Onto good things, Insecurity was a good episode. The story was fun, I liked the character interaction, and I hope Artemis stays with the team, I've grown fond of her. On that note, I also want to thank you for the cameo by a blonde girl with the last name King. I know that's supposed to be Cissie, and having her be impressed by Artemis is a nice touch. I hope we see more of her in the future.
Please keep up the awesome work.

Bodhi writes...

Hello, Greg.
Very sorry for the loss you've had. I had my dog put down because she had some sort of tumor growing on her hip. It was bleeding like crazy. So, day before Thanksgiving(isn't THAT a great time to do something like this?), we'd put her down.
Anyways, all losses aside, I've been thinking. I was very surprised last Comic-Con when Lego announcing they'd be making licenses for BOTH Marvel and DC. The DC sets were great,(even though most of them were just remakes of the old Batman sets), and I'm sure the Marvel sets will look incredible too. My question is, do you think DC could let Lego produce some Young Justice sets? Even with your past confrontations with Lego(which didn't end well for you), do you think it could be possible?
P.S. Young Justice is fantastic!

nikesh writes...

OK, this is a really stupid question, so do forgive me for asking, but:
I noticed that Red Arrow sounded noticeably deeper in "Insecurity" than he did in his previous appearances. Was this done on purpose?

Ernie writes...

Is season 2 considered episodes beyond the 26 announced or are we watching season 2 currently (14 - 26)?

With your staff of writers for season 2, just how many episodes do they get to write for that batch of episodes --- being a fan of Peter Davids work I'm wondering how many more I (and any other fan of his work) can look forward to.

in episode 123 (the name escapes me right now) the cut away to wolf was just laugh out loud funny

Arthur Jr. writes...

Hey Greg, I have been watching the recent episodes of "Young Justice."

* In "Image," the episode's twist ending had the Bialyan Queen Bee appearing in Garfield Logan's bedroom as Miss Martian appeared to check up on Garfield. Queen Bee stated that Psimon wasn't the only one who knows that Miss Martian is a White Martian and is now planning to use Miss Martian in a later plot. I am assuming that Psimon must've relayed his discovery of Miss Martian's true form to her before being knocked out. If that's not the case, then what is?

* In "Insecurity," the twist ending there revealed that Sportsmaster is Artemis' father (just like the comics) as well as being Cheshire's father on Earth-16. Outside of that, I did see the opening where Black Spider targets a reporter named Mr. Jones. I don't think you have mentioned which version of Black Spider you are using but some are assuming that it is not one of the three Black Spiders in DC Comics. Do you have any comment on that?

* In "Coldhearted," I was surprised that you got Ariel Winter to reprise her role of Princess Perdita (who last voiced her in "DC Showcase: Green Arrow" where Steven Blum voiced Count Vertigo). This is a coincidence since Jamie Thomason had voice directed her in that "DC Showcase" short.

* When it came to Clayface's animated appearance in "Downtime," Clayface's voice actor was uncredited. I thought it might've been Kevin Michael Richardson. Some others are claiming that Khary Payton or Nolan North voiced him. Do you have any comment on that? Outside of that, the comic spin-off stated that he was a member of the League of Shadows who was locked in the Lazarus Pit by Talia al Ghul when he tried to use it to cure his terminal cancer which led to him becoming Clayface.

Anonymous writes...

Do all the members of the Light blindly trust each other, or do they have contingencies to protect themselves from one another? For example, are the men impervious to Queen Bee's thrall?

Greg Bishansky writes...

Insecurity

Another week, another episode of "Young Justice." The focus returns to Artemis, and considering she is my favorite character on The Team, that focus is always welcome. Out of all the characters on the main cast, Artemis feels the most like an original creation while not being an original creation. I'll admit to being ignorant of her key ingredients, I am aware of Artemis Crock and Arrowette, but I know nothing about them. But this Artemis has always felt like an original Weisman character, and is someone I could easily imagine in a "Gargoyles" spin-off, especially "Gargoyles: Bad Guys." I've always liked her design, and I really want to give a shout out to Stephanie Lemelin for always turning in a wonderful performance as Artemis.

While none of the revelations about Artemis' family relations came as a surprise to me, that did not make the episode any less engaging. Sportsmaster and Cheshire are both breakout villains on this show, at least for me. The choreography during the action scenes was terrific, and Kelly Hu's Cheshire relishes twisting the knife on her little sister, and even Red Arrow a little. Or a lot. But the meat is the denouement at the end between her and Sportsmaster. Surprising? Hardly. Engaging? You betcha.

Likewise, it was fun to see Wally's attitude mature. The lessons he learned in "Coldhearted" stuck, and he now knows how to prioritize. There has been chemistry between him and Artemis since moment one, but this is a relationship that is requiring both of them to grow up a little bit. A nice contrast to Superboy and Miss Martian's where they were pretty much a couple from the first moment, even if it took them a little while to kiss. This is not a critique of either relationship, just that I think Wally and Artemis will develop something with more substance. Superboy was born almost yesterday, and seems like a weird prop in M'Gann's sitcom fantasy world, and she is still lying to him. One of these relationships is slowly building a strong foundation, while the other is a house of cards. Well, to be fair, both Artemis and Miss Martian are lying to the entire team, but Artemis is hiding her family history, M'Gann is hiding who she actually is entirely. Both have their reasons, but... even with her secrets, Artemis feels a lot more honest than M'Gann does... the Justice League knows who she is, can they say as much about M'Gann?

The plotline of the mole has really kicked into high gear. What do we know? Well, at this point Miss Martian, Superboy, and Artemis all seem to have been compromised. Queen Bee is blackmailing Miss Martian. Lex Luthor can make Superboy do things. And Artemis doesn't want The Team to know who her family is. Now, I doubt any of these three are the mole. I have my own speculations, but without more information, I don't feel like tossing them out there in this review.

What are The Light doing? Well, whatever it is, it involves a combination of science and sorcery... a favorite combo of Demona's back during the days of "Gargoyles." And anyone familiar with that series knows just how dangerous that combination is. Klarion and the Brain seem like a fun odd couple of villains if I ever saw one.

On another note, we had Peter MacNicol as Professor Ivo, Lacey Chabert as Zatanna, Crispin Freeman as Red Arrow, Kelly Hu as Cheshire, Thom Adcox as Klarion, and... Josh Keaton as Black Spider. A "Spectacular Spider-Man" family reunion if I ever saw one. I loved it. Very, very much.

We're at the final stretch, three more episodes to go. I'm on the edge of my seat. Next week cannot come soon enough.

Anonymous writes...

Who would could out the victor in these unarmed combat scenarios:
1) Cheshire or Black Canary
2) Sportsmaster or Green Arrow
3) Shimmer or Artemis
4) Joker or Robin

Eagle-Owl writes...

YJ Questions:

1. Are the members of The Light immune to telepathic control (or at least from members of their own ranks)?

2. Queen Bee has the power to enthrall most men and some women, so why hasn't she usurped control from Vandal Savage or turned other members of The Light against him?

3. Same as number two, but with Psimon instead of Queen Bee. Also, is Psimon catatonic after his recent battle with M'gann?

4. Why doesn't Klarion try to take control of The Light considering that he IS the embodiment of chaos?

5. If the Genomorphs want to be accepted, why don't they just use their telepathy to achieve their goals?

YMVM writes...

OK, I finished watching "Insecurity" about an hour ago and I absolutely loved it. I was a little disappointed that Robin didn't show up, but the rest was awesome, from Kid Flash and Artemis' interactions, to Red Arrow, to even Wolf asleep. Please keep up the wonderful job!

malini writes...

Did Garfield take his mother's maiden name? I couldn't help noticing that Marie's surname was Logan in her teenage days.

Robin~BW writes...

Hello Greg!
I want you to know that Young Justice is an amazing show! My questions:
1) Is it true that Robin/Dick is bullied at school? Or unpopular?
2) I know you said that Dick has not skipped a grade, but you did say that he is a Mathelete; does he take advanced math?
Thanks!

Anonymous writes...

Can Queen Bee control animals and aliens or just human people?

Paul writes...

Why do you put the words 'Produced by Brandon Vietti & Greg Weisman' at the start of each episode (post theme song)? Why not just put them at the start of the end credits instead? The title, writer and director all change with each episode, so I understand why they have a place onscreen while the episode is unfolding, but the producer names are always the same and people don't really need reminding. I understand that you and Brandon Vietti most likely don't want your names to be overlooked, but I think viewers prefer there to be as little listed information onscreen as possible when the episode is playing (essentials like the episode title aside).

Anonymous writes...

Why does Sportsmater call his daughters as "little girls"?
Does he love them?

SDOHT writes...

When asked how Lexington homosexuality will be portrayed in the future you answered:

“Gargoyles is owned by Disney, and I'd be kidding you and myself if I didn't recognize that there are certain limits to what Disney will allow. My goal with Lex is to be honest and consistent in HIS portrayal. Not to be titillating (let alone pornographic). Frankly, I wish I had the freedom to be more forthright. Perhaps there's an element of cowardice in my middle ground position. I'll cop to that. But I'm just trying to tell stories honestly. I face restrictions. I live with those restrictions. What that means practically, is that few people beyond the hardcore fandom will see Lex's orientation as any kind of issue at all.”

I understand what you mean by that I truly do. I was just wondering if you face the same issues now. If any character were to appear gay to you in young justice could you accurately portray it now or are you faced with the same restraint?

Koronog writes...

Why couldnt Garth go to the dinner in the palace in Downtime? Is he not on good terms with Aquaman, after the refusal?

Real Roy writes...

Who are Garth's parents?

Kevin writes...

1. Is Vandal Savage a Cro-Magnon on Earth 16?
2. Are the sound effects for Doctor Fate based on the Dream Time in Gargoyles?
3. What field of science does the Atom specialize in on Earth 16?
4. Why does Artemis use a compound bow instead of a recurve bow?
5. Do Nabu and Klarion live in the same dimension when they are not in the physical world or did they live in separate dimensions?

The Batfan writes...

This series just keeps getting better and better. "Misplaced" finally gave us another episode where Klarion is the main villain, and brought back Doctor Fate for good - two things I'd certainly been waiting for. It also gave us a hint that each of the members of the Light has his own "crew", as it were - and that, as befits a lord of chaos, Klarion's bosts elemental power. The other side of this was really showing off Zatanna, and finally inducting her onto the team, albeit under circumstances no one would have guessed. All in all, one of my favorite episodes so far.
But even "Misplaced", with all its titanic magic - and I love that stuff, I'm a fantasy buff - can't beat the simple, paradoxically heart-warming beauty that was "Coldhearted". I know the crew was especially proud with this one; they have every reason to be.
It was great to get some more insight into the unfolding mystery that is M'gann, and "Image" really showed us some more of who M'gann really is - and I'm not talking about her "true" form. I had already suspected the White Martian bit, as had many; I am referring to the twist, that she actually hates her "true" form, and has adopted a new identity because that's who she wants to be. As she says to Superboy, "I do it for me." So the M'gann we've seen so far - in terms of personality - actually *is* the real M'gann. And I think that's great.
"Agendas" - well, this one was puzzling. The bit about the human DNA was a nice twist, which I did not foresee, even though others did (I honestly thought his Kryptonian powers were simply still developing). From there, the fact that Luther was the donor was foreseeable - and that he would try to butt-in as Superboy's father-figure, in Kal-El's absence, was the logical and expedient route for taking back Cadmus's super-weapon.
Those "shields" intrigue me, though. How is it possible that an electrical pulse or chemical mixture (I'm assuming it's not magic, since Lex said he developed them, and since magic generally does nothing good to Kryptonians) could "suppress" a good chunk of Superboy's genetic makeup - the delicate code that makes him look the way he does and forms part of the basis for who he is? I know, I'm supposed to suspend disbelief here - but this came so suddenly, so out of the blue, that I'm having trouble with that.
I know you don't really like this kind of question, and I'm sorry to bug you with it, but I really didn't get this and I would really like to. Where did the idea of the shields originate, and how do they work?
Thank you for your patience, and your amazing creativity that makes us love this series.

Anon writes...

Is it bad that I think that Miss Martian's true form is actually adorable? Creepy, but adorable. (Yeah, I didn't quite get that either. XD )

Kwesi Brako writes...

Your (the creative team's) choices for voice actors and the direction each actor took has been a vital part of establishing that this show is an entity of its own; its identity is separate from anything prior. It irks me how people get bent out of shape about the voice actors.

1. Seriously though, how does it make you feel when fans second guess you?
2. The design for the Watchtower was original and very cool. Whose idea was it to have it embedded into an asteroid?
3. Not asking if he will, but I'd love it if Superboy gets his tactile telekinesis powers from the comics, I feel its underused. And how did Conner feel when he was told he's part human? It was a bit difficult to tell
4. What's your opinion on child sidekicks for villains?
5. What's Wolf and the Super-Cycle's relationship like if they have one?

Thanks for your time

Anonymous writes...

Maggie Q as Wonder Woman was awesome. It was the first time seeing her speak but I got the sense of a strong woman who can command attention and calls it as she sees it but who has a compassionate side especially in her dealings with Superman and the whole issue with Conner. Are they together? It feels like they have something going on there deeper than just colleagues. I could be misreading the glances and body language. And to be honest, they feel a natural fit. I know you said you will not focus much on the adults on the show but would have been awesome to see her speak to Superman about the boy. It would have been a good contrast to see something else than Batman trying to make Superman do something he was not ready for. Will we see any behind the scene stuff in the comics, seeing you do show Batman and his relationships. Anyway hope one day Superman and Conner can at least have some meaningful dialogue/interaction.

J writes...

I have a few questions about the transport system
1.If Martian Manhunter was brought to Earth by the league's first transport test,how was he present at the fight they teamed up on BEFORE the league was formed?
2.since they use zeta-beams does that mean they know about the planet Rann?
3.If Roy refuses to be part of the team why is his designation B instead of A?
4.now that Zatanna has technically joined the team does it change her designation code?
5.in 119 was Billy not able to use the teleporter because he had'nt told the league who he really was and the designation was for Captian Marvel NOT Billy Batson?

J the Drafter writes...

Male and female shapes are only vaguely similar to M'Gann's white martian form, so why are girl bodies easier for M'Gann to accurately mimic with her shapesifting?

Metaorigin writes...

Hi again Greg!

I thought up a few questions this time!

Regarding Dr. Amanda Spence
Was she ever under a control of a Genome? I ask cause she didn't have a genome on her shoulder in the first ep.
Does she have or had any maternal instincts towards Project Match and Project Kr? ~shrugs~ Just cause I think it might be interesting.
How long has she been working for Cadmus? For Luthor?
Does Dubbliex trust her?

Thanks for your time and all the best to you and your crew!!!

Stay awesome!

~metaorigin

Metaorigin writes...

Hi Greg!

Thanks for trying to keep your askgreg site spoiler free. Especially after what happened with the Turkey leaks. I myself am a little disappointed at the fandom. But I guess that's what happens when we get a great show that keeps getting put in random long hiatuses. No not blaming you. Your higher ups or network. Whoever is in charge of that. Seriously.

I don't really have a question. I just wanted to say to you and your crew thanks for making such a great show! I love so many things about it that I just can't list it all her!!!

Looking forward to see where it all goes in the end.

All the best!

~metaorigin

Anonymously Writes writes...

Batman and Wonder Woman are then Friends(but not dateing)?

Gracie writes...

I'm just curious, is the fact that both seasons of Young Justice start on a holiday due to pure coincidence, or is it a pattern that you wanted to make?

Also, and I'm not sure if this is a spoiler so I apologize if it is, since Young Justice: Invasion takes place in the year after season 1, will the timestamps have a way to differentiate between years, or should the audience just be able to assume that the next season takes place in the next year? It's a weird question, but I've been wondering this for a while. xD

ClarkeCL writes...

Hello Mr.Weisman first off, you and Mr.Vietti are amazing at this show and this show is really one of the best animated series in this current decade. And i just have two questions:
1.Is the inclusion of so many characters both known and obscure a naturally occuring process during the developing of this series?
2. As one of the executive producers are you in any way in charge of the opening title sequence?
Many thanks and good luck!!! :D

RobinIsHot writes...

Hello Greg.
I know this is a very odd question and I don't know how much you know about the Young Justice art, but a lot of people have noticed that Robin seems to have monkey ears (I find them cute!). But I just wondered if they are purposelly drawn like that or not?
Thanks so much and I want you to know that this is one of the most amazing cartoons I have ever seen in my 15 years of life :p!

B writes...

Does Plastic Man crack you up?

maayusion writes...

IN Young Justice, has Garth ever been ostracised due to his purple eyes?
Is Kaldur closer to Garth or Roy?

malub writes...

Does the Justice League know about Guardian and Red Arrow being uncle and nephew?

Marvelman writes...

Hi, Greg. I realize that this is not a discussion forum, so I will try to phrase this as a question. Another poster asked what Wally and Artemis see in each other. I have to admit that is a pretty good question. Personally, I do feel their relationship is credible, but I also think it would be good if it were spelled out a little more. As a guy, I can imagine what Wally sees in Artemis. She's fun to be around! You never know what she's going to say or do next!

As for what Artemis sees in Wally, I'd like to share with you a quote from Woody Allen's Crimes & Misdemeanors:

"You will notice that what we are aiming at when we fall in love is a very strange paradox. The paradox consists of the fact that, when we fall in love, we are seeking to re-find all or some of the people to whom we were attached as children. On the other hand, we ask our beloved to correct all of the wrongs that these early parents or siblings inflicted upon us. So that love contains in it the contradiction: The attempt to return to the past and the attempt to undo the past."

All of this is to say that Wally is about as far removed from Artemis' dad as you can get. (Those of you who read the comic have a pretty good idea who I'm referring to.) Wally is sweet, funny, and kind. I have been told that what women look for in a partner is someone who makes them feel safe, and I can honestly see why Artemis who was emotionally and perhaps physically abused as a child would feel safe with Wally. The irony is that Artemis is the toughest girl in the world and Wally needs her protection at least as much as she needs his.

My questions are:

1) Do you find my analysis plausible, or is too over-wrought?

2) Do you think we will have a better understanding of what exactly Wally and Artemis see in each other after watching season 2?

Bye, Greg. Thanks for a great season.

Bryan writes...

Dear Greg I am a little confused after watching Young Justice "Agendas" Because The Justice League is discussing who should have the honor of joining the League. What confuses me isn't that how the show started with was the sidekicks slowly be intuduced has members to the league? Or at least part-time members or something like that?

Weisman writes...

1) Sorry about the last question. I found out that Joker and Captain Colds ages were already given.

2) What is the relationship between Wonder Woman and Batman? She seemed upset that he was keeping a secret from the rest of time, and Batman is very secretive.

KayLynn writes...

While I was watching "Image," my jaw dropped. Over a week later, and I have yet to pick it up off the floor. I'd like to chime in with the other commenters on how well this episode works as a metaphor for being a trans person, and the fears and issues that anyone who is in the closet about their gender, identity, sexuality, etc, has to face and work through. That alone has bumped this episode up to second place on my favorites list. (With Bereft still holding the number one spot!) And has also solidified why M'gann is my favorite character in the series.

I love how M'gann's white martian form looks like an actual alien, and isn't sexualized (or even all that humanoid!) in the slightest. I love that her natural form defies the usual science fiction convention of green skinned space babes, and lacks any female characteristics. While I like the reptilian, xenomorph-ish design in the comics, I'd have to say this version wins out.

How on earth did you and the art team come up with such a great design that doesn't look like it's from earth?

Marvelman writes...

One more question. In Agendas, Batman said he knew that Captain Marvel was actually a kid. Was that because Billy told him or because Batman investigated Marvel?

Marvelman writes...

Why does Zatara have to be Dr. Fate all of the time? Couldn't Zatara and Nabu come to a time-sharing arrangement? Shouldn't Nabu be able to trust that Zatara would regularly don the helmet of Fate? Zatara has, after all, kept his word to Nabu so far.

Jarrod writes...

Greetings Greg!

I fully enjoy each and every episode of YJ, "Agendas" having just aired yesterday.

It did prompt a question or two which I hope do not qualify as spoilers.

1. Given that Batman is "The World's Greatest Detective," and claims he knew about Captain Marvel's secret Identity the whole time (I have no reason to believe he didn't, he is that good after all), Are there other members of the league (or other superheros on the level of the league) who have not shared their secret identity, but Batman already knows their secret. (I am only hoping for a yes or no and would not ask you to provide a list.)

2. From what we saw for the JL's membership procedures, it seems to be almost completely democratic (I hope I did not misinterpret). Each member gets to vote on each issue, each potential member/member under review, etc, even those issues where a member is concerned (IE renewing Dr. Fate and Captain Marvel's membership status). My question is: when Batman was elected as head of the JL, did he vote for himself, or not?

Thank you for taking the time to Answer the questions you do.

Silly writes...

How is Kaldur's relationship with his parents?
Is Kaldur'am a momma's boy?
Is there anyone in Atlantis who crush on Kaldur?
Is Kaldur a ladies' man?
I ask this because he has a lot of female fans.

Anonymous writes...

Oh no! Not only was Superman dna stolen...but by Lex Luthor!!!!! And there is more than one clone! Poor Superman. It is awful when you think about it.People keep giving him a hard time but this was almost like rape.He is by far the victim in all this. I hope this is not used as a plot device for Superboy story but acknowledged and handled sensitively for Superman's sake and the sake on any person who has been violated. And it must be me, but Captain Marvel in the JL disturbs me. He IS a kid in a man's body. I cannot see how Batman can find no issues with it. Are they really going to have him sitting there while they could be discussing things that are not age appropriate? Interesting Batman can just wave his hand at everybody and tell them how right he is and how wrong they are to question him.

Alexi writes...

Hi! Just saw Agendas, great episode! Loved our first glimpse at the Watchtower.

Did Luthor say "Red SUN" at the end...or "Red SON"?

SHAZAM! writes...

What powers does Captain MArvel Have? are they his usual s.h.a.z.a.m. ones? Also, will Captain Atom ever get any speaking lines, or is he mostly a background charater and/or can't talk? If he does have future lines, who is his voice actor?

conner writes...

1.Why was Miss Martian disguised as Black Canary when she was making out with Superboy?
2.Is Superboy ever going to be able to fly and use heat vision without the use of those shields?

Miracool writes...

Not a question, but rather some praise. I seriously love "Young Justice". I think it's an absolutely brilliant show and I like how each episode gets better and better every time. Character development and interactions have been very enjoyable, the plots are engaging, I love all the voice talents chosen for each role, the animation is outstanding... All in all, it's amazing.

Right now, I'm waiting for "Insecurity" to air this Saturday and I'm positively anxious to watch "Performance" the Saturday that follows. I almost can't stand the wait, actually, but I'm being strong! (Fingers crossed for no more hiatuses from CN, too~ XP)

So I just wanted to say thanks to you, Brandon and everyone else involved for giving me a series to love and a good reason to enjoy weekends just a bit more. Cheers!

Cassidy01 writes...

Wow! 'Agendas' was fantastic!

1. You've said that Black Canary is your favorite (DC) character - do you have a favorite male character?
2. Were Match's irises blue or gray? I couldn't tell.
3. How old is the Atom?
4. What color are Talia Al Ghul's eyes?
5. Is the Atom in this series Ray Palmer?
6. This isn't really a question - I just wanted to say that I love your portrayal of Lex Luthor! He's very manipulative, but in this oddly charismatic way. Perfect for Luthor.

Thanks so much!

Jackie writes...

In Agendas, why doesn't Hal and John want Guy to be a potential candidate for League induction?

chlj writes...

Hi Greg!! First let say,I love the series!! I was very excited to see the series return!! I have watched the first four installments since the series has returned,and have enjoyed them very much!!!That being said, my comments and questions are on the 17 March 2012 installment image. Miss Martian is my favorite character, i thought this installment was outstanding! Even those it was hard to see her in so much pain after seeing the vision of Superboy. I hoping this doesn't destroy her relationship with the team, especially her relationship with Superboy, i like them as a couple, i think their good for each other. I can understand why she's wouldn't reveal her true form.I'm pulling for her,i hope good things happen for her!! That not a spoiler request, just making a comment about what i hope for her,Again i'm really pulling for her!!
My questions
1. Does the manhunter have martain vision on this Earth??

2.Why was Superboy so surprised that Miss Martian based a lot of life on that sitcom " Hello megan" ?? When it seemed like he called her out on that in the Terrors episode.