DC Hero writes...

Hey Greg, I noticed that the time difference between episode 8 and 9 of Youn g Justice gave Miss Martian and Superboy plenty of time to form a relationship. I at first noticed this when Miss Martian didn't blush when Superboy held her hand. And when Superboy was concerned about her safety, and that they almost kissed without hestation which most mean they kissed before. You guy will probably show what happened between Superboy and Miss martian while aqualad was in Atlantis in a comic book. But can you at least tell me if i'm right.
1.Will Aqualad be more creative when forming objects out of his water bearers like the Green Laterns Mabye creating a gatling gun.
2.I'm pretty sure we can confirm that Superboy apparantly watch comedies and that Megan copied her looks of the girl from the tv show and that her true form is yet to be revealed. I kind of like this idea because it could mean something with the Superboy and Miss Martian relationship on whether Superboy likes her who she is.
Because her true could be hideuos.

that one kid with the silly questions writes...

First off, it's been enjoyable reading through your little Q&A's, second off, this little series you’re producing, Young Justice, is incredible. Only nine episodes in and it’s done so much for me, it was really what I needed to finally take a leap into reading comics.

My question is more or less about your personal opinion and how you see your characters rather than… what the heck is going to happen. Ha-ha, I think I can wait, save my questions until the first season is out of the way.

Fans have a tendency to sprinkle series with homosexuality, sometimes because it seems like something that could be “in-character”, other times because they think it’s something that looks “good”. This has recently been the case with Young Justice, so, I wanted to ask, how do you feel about this? No so much on the level of right verse wrong, but more on level of your general opinion. Is there any character that you can potentially see as homo-, bi-, or “pan”-sexual in the main cast? Why? Why not?

… Considering the ages of the characters, ha-ha, this is probably a warped question.

You’re probably asking yourself “does this even matter?”

Joanie writes...

I have been reading the Captain Atom series and have to say great job for both you and Cary. I absolutely love it. The character is amazing when it comes to Captain Atom's powers and how he handles situations. I do have a few questions though:

1. Why hasn't the series been picked back up?

2. Did you help create the superhero himself? If so, what exactly?

3. Why has Captain Atom been featured in crossovers even though his comic has been cancelled?

4. Do you think Captain Atom would become more known if his series came back?

Ceylan writes...

hello greg

what can you tell us about Artemis' eyes cause I've been confused about them for awhile them whether they're brown or blue and since I've watched Bereft a million times because I recorded it I think her eyes were brown when Superboy was trashing the tanks and dark blue when she and KF were discussing the ninja boyfriend thing...

and seriously loved loved this episode; current favorite! I could've cried when it ended especialy since there won't be any new episodes for awhile

A Fan writes...

Hi, loving Young Justice (though I'm still a little sadden that getting this cool show involved the cancellation of the best Spider-Man Adaption EVER! anyway...).

I have three questions (sorry if they've already been asked)

1. was Jay Garrick a member of the justice Society on Earth-16?

2. how old is Jay Garrick?

3. and in what years was the Justice Society active on Earth-16? (I'm presuming it was during WWII).

thanks for your time.

oh, and if you answer "No Comment" I'm going to assume that means "all of this will be answered one way or another at some future point on the show" if that's the case, sorry for wasting your time.

collin writes...

hello greg

my question is in the comics jackson hydes love interest is aquagirl but its lorena vasquez.yet in young justice its tula.i was supprised(yet not dissapointed) at this.im not asking if we will ever see lorena,but why was there a switch up in love interests,though kaldur and jackson have alot of other differences,i was just wondering.

also i was wondering how long the mid season hiatus would be because without yj i might commit suicide (joking)?

finally will there be a yj trading card game?

Anonymous writes...

A question about Young Justice,does Black Manta know that Kaldur is his son? There was was a hint during the fight scene in "Downtime" but I'am not sure.

xcccc writes...

Why are we having a repeat of young justice for two weeks?? It makes me sad :(

kon-el writes...

1.In the episode Bereft why did that sphere thing help Superboy?
2.Will you tell me about the relationship between Superboy and Miss Martian?
3.Are Superboy and Miss Martian going to kiss in Young Justice?

Grant writes...

1) Is the sphere suppose to be the Super-Cycle from Peter David's run of YJ?
If yes, is the Supercycle, which had some sort of animal like intelligence in the comic, suppose to be the last of the YJ ongoing cast to be introduced?

2) Is this version of the Queen Bee human or alien?

Annie P. writes...

Will there be more shirtless Superboy scenes? Please say yes. :)

Trevor Doyle writes...

I just finished watching "Bereft". Another great episode by the way.

1. But when Miss Martian restores Superboy's memory there is a flash of her as a human in a cheerleading uniform. I've seen every episode of the season so far, and that never happened. So I was just wondering if there is an explination for Superboy remembering something that hasnt happened, or if there was something I missed?

2. When Kid Flash falls into the pool in the episode "Infiltrator" the side of the pool says "3.0m" or three meters. Was this intentional, or is it simply because the country that handles the animation uses the metrix system? (Just thought I'd ask cause I wasn't sure if I was the only person who noticed)

Greg Bishansky writes...

Bereft
Okay, this was what J. Michael Straczynski coined "a wham episode." At first glance, the entire cast getting amnesia is an old idea, but we got perhaps my favorite single episode of the series to date out of it. Revelations and teases ran wild in this episode.

Let's start with Artemis. It's safe to say that her father is a supervillain. And she was training under him relatively recently. In fact, she immediately assumed she was supposed to kill Wally. This certainly makes her more ominous, especially after her tense conversation with Cheshire in "Infiltrator." So what are Artemis and her mother doing living in a low rent apartment in Gotham when daddy is a supervillain, and Cheshire is a member of the League of Shadows? Curious.

And while I'm on the subject of Artemis, I absolutely love that when Wally doesn't remember her, or his biases against her, he hits on her. Often.

We also learn a lot about Miss Martian. I theorized last week that she learned about Earth from watching sitcoms, and it looks like I was right. Beyond that, she seems to have taken her human name, and her human appearance from a sitcom called "Hello Megan." And what seemed for weeks like a very, very, very annoying line and quirk is suddenly a plot point. It also lines up with Martian Manhunter learning about humans from watching cop shows. Although I am beginning to wonder if she actually is J'onn's niece.

But that lines up with something I've been enjoying about this show. In most team shows like this, only one character has a big secret that is damaging to the team. In "Justice League" it was Hawkgirl. In "Wolverine and the X-Men" it was Emma Frost. In "Young Justice" there may be more than one. Artemis has her secrets. There are definitely secrets about Superboy. Miss Martian seems to have her secrets. So far, Robin, Kid Flash, and Aqualad seem to be on the level. The only secret Robin seems to have is his secret identity.

So, in this episode, the team is assigned by Batman to locate alien technology that appeared in Bialya. Bialya is a rogue state ruled by a dictator calling herself Queen Bee. Well, she must be ruthless and dangerous to be a woman who has managed to rise to power in Africa or the Middle East. On that note, I find the timing of this episode's broadcast hilarious considering that Bialya is a near-anagram for Libya, especially considering the revolution that's taking place over there, which we all hope will be result in the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi's regime. But, I suspect Queen Bee will be far more than Muammar Gaddafi with boobs. But I'll get back to her in a moment.

Psimon made for a fun and creepy villain. I loved the psionic battle between him and Miss Martian. I love how this show makes minor villains feel like a dangerous threat. It happened with Lord Kobra and Sportsmaster. It happened with Black Manta and Professor Ivo. Now Psimon.

Of course, at the end, he reports to the Light. Specifically, he reports to L-4, voiced by Demona herself, Marina Sirtis. Hmm... Marina said a year ago that she was playing Queen Bee on this show. Queen Bee was mentioned by Batman as the ruler of Bialya, and now we hear Marina's voice behind a Light silhouette. Yeah, I think it's safe to say we've got definite confirmation on L-4's identity. Nice to see Marina Sirtis isn't being wasted on a one-shot villain, but being used as one of the Big Bads.

But the real surprise was the ending. Was that a Boom Tube? L-4 mentioned a new partner, and his delivery system. Alien technology was being delivered to the Light through this Boom Tube. I think it's more than safe to say that the Light has allied itself with Darkseid. The stakes have just risen exponentially.

Yes, a definite wham episode.

Cal writes...

When I said "Should they consider making another Buzz Lightyear movie?" in the last question, I wasn't referring to Toy Story 3. I actually meant "In your opinion, do you think Tad Stones, Bob Schooley and Mark McCorkle should consider reuniting and make another DTV Buzz Lightyear of Star Command movie?" Sorry if I didn't asked the last question clearly. BTW I still remembered The Adventure Begins movie.

Anonymous writes...

Since Starro couldn't have fought JL because he was just recently dicovered what was the reason that JL was formed or will it be shown on the show?

raymond writes...

i really just wanted to thank you for not spoiling every single detail of what you and your team have spent so much time creating. i like the way things have played out so far and i look forward to seeing what's in store for us viewers. one of the things i personally enjoy the most is how each week i find things i do and do not like about each of the show's main characters. i feel it's much more realistic to see them grow and change during the course of the series. i really admire that quality about this show. thanks again. :]

conner writes...

1.What can you tell me about the relationship between Superboy and Miss Martian?
2.In the episode Bereft when Miss Martian was restoring Superboy's memory's in one of the images she was in a cheerleader uniform in a place that looked like the locker room of a school. Where did Superboy get that image from?
2b.Was it a dream Superboy had about her?
3.Why does Miss Martian like Superboy?

Nina writes...

Hello Greg,

I'm really intrigued by the budding relationship between Miss Martian and Superboy. Their attraction to each other seemed pretty immediate, particularly from Megan's end. Is it merely physical? Or do you think these two have a deeper connection they haven't quite figured out yet? In any case, can you please give us a little more insight on what compelled you guys to pair these two particular characters together?

Fan but not Fanboy writes...

Hi Greg.

I've been stalking you...err.. I mean.. I've been stalking your work ever since Gargoyles (which clearly, in my opinion, was an excellent series - it had lots of little writing and directing type decisions that I always appreciate in a show.. the key of which being continuity to plot, previous episodes, character actions/decisions, etc all staying true to how it's been developing/evolving.).

Heck, I come to ask greg on a weekly basis just to see what sort of neat little insights get tossed around in your answers regarding various projects you've been involved in.

And these days I find myself enjoying YJ as one of the more quality shows (animated or otherwise) that's on right now. It's fun not just seeing what happens, but how and why it happens, and then the story/character evolution that happens thereafter.

So I just wanted to take a moment and (on behalf of myself and anyone else who thinks like me) say thanks for another quality show!!

((Sorry, I don't have a question. I know you so desperately wanted on. But, alas, this is just a compliment and thanks, so you'll have to deal with it :) ))

Patrick writes...

Dear Mr. Weisman, my question is simple, are you doing, or are planing to do more work on gargoyles comics?

Arthur Jr. writes...

Hey Greg, I have been enjoying "Young Justice so far. The Light (who are Project Cadmus' Board of Directors) seem to be the main villains so far orchestrating some of the villains on their side to carry out missions for their research. When on Cartoon Network Video and/or your recent responses, they had revealed the voice actors for the as-yet-unidentified members of the Light. It was stated by both you and the credits that Miguel Ferrer voices L-1, Oded Fehr voices L-2, Mark Rolston voices L-3, Roger Craig Smith voices L-5, and Nolan North voices L-6. That leaves the voice work for L-4 and L-7 in the upcoming episodes. One of the latter two sounded like a female when Psimon was reporting to them at the end of "Bereft."

In "Downtime," the beginning of the episode featured a simulation between Young Justice and Clayface with Batman jumping in to taser Clayface. Unfortunately, it wasn't stated which version of Clayface was used. I don't think it's the 3rd Clayface or the 4th Clayface. Do you know which version it was?

I recall that in the comics, Superman's DNA wasn't the only DNA used to create Superboy. It was mentioned that the other person whose DNA was used to create Superboy was Lex Luthor. Will there be any mentionings and/or discoveries of this in later episodes?

Beth writes...

Okay, I just want to say that I never watched Gargoyles as a kid. I was a baby when it came out so I never even heard about it until I was a teenager. But after hearing about it, I wanted to watch it right away. Eventually I became a huge fan and devoured the entire first two seasons in a relatively short period of time. Afetr watching the first episode of Young Justice, I was hooked, and then I found out that who was working on it but none other than Greg Weisman himself, creator of the series I fell in love with not a month prior. I honestly love Young Justice, the darkness, the way it takes it's audience seriously even though they're children and don't try to dumb things down or make everybody speak english even though they're foreign.I love the characters and really get a kick out of seeing them interact with one another and I absolutely love the acting. I have just one problem with the show. "Hello Megan!"...I hate this. Despite other annoying bits that I can ignore, this makes me absolutely HATE Megan. I realized after thinking about it that I really do like things about her personality and she's smart and useful, and she and Superboy are cute together so I don't have a problem with that. It's just that ONE thing that makes me hate her and hope she's the one that dies this season. If it were not for that little quirk she has, I would probably love her, but everytime she does something cool and I think "She's not so bad", she just HAS to say it and kill my respect for her all over again. Just, please, I know you're not the overlord of the writing staff,(Then again, what do I know? For all I know you could be the supreme ruler of penguins and I would be none the wiser.)but can you PLEASE realize how much this one little sentance fragment makes my sister(and fellow fan) and I become filled with rage towards this otherwise sweet girl. I really don't like that I hate such a nice character but whenever she opens her mouth and spews out that catch phrase, I just can't help it.

Becky writes...

First off, I LOVED "Bereft"; probably my favorite episode so far. I have to give a special thanks for the innuendos and whatnot, I was scared this show would get castrated by censors or something.

Anyway, I happened to notice that when M'gann restored Superboy's memory, she conveniently left out the part where he hates telepathy and having other people in his head, which was biggest mental obstacle between them. To make this even more disconcerting is that Superboy will never know it because he only remembers what she wants him to.

So... will this ever be addressed? M'gann has so much potential as a character since we now see she bases herself completely off of a television cheerleader. The implications are interesting, since we all know that people in tv are unrealistic and wouldn't exist in real life. Will M'gann ever learn to become her own person?

Anonymous writes...

Which episode is timedancer?

Anonymous writes...

I was just wondering, how does the team feel about Robin keeping his identity secret from them even though they are open about theirs? And how does Robin feel about keeping it from them? Also, does Wally know Robin's identity? I just got that vibe that he knows, plus Robin was okay with mentioning that the Amazo parts were heading towards his school to him in "Schooled".

very devoted fan writes...

hey Greg, can you spoil the plot of every episode of Young Justice for me?
thanks.

Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...

Not so much a question as a realization-
Now that Artimes's civilian identity is revealed I realized the one and only story I've read with her was a recent hero/villain team up- she with Icicle teamed with Jessie Quick (as Liberty Bell) and her husband Hourman. She and Icicle are either married or common-law and it is revealed are desperately trying to get their hands on a magical artifact because she is pregnant and Icicle's birth killed his mother. Excluding that last big reveal, it was a fun light hearted romp of two couples on opposite sides finding themselves teamed up but not trusting each other.

I have no idea if their relationship is long standing or a One Year Later thing, but it is a fun little irony that the show has she and Wally set up as the couple with romantic heat, while she is paired with part of his Rogues Gallery in the comics.

Christopher writes...

Hello Greg!

First of all, I would just like to say that my family and I are really enjoying Young Justice. In particular, I like how the show is introducing old characters to new viewers. Dr. Fate never interested me in the slightest before, but now I am willing to give the character another look, just because of this show. Also, your artists deserve extra praise for the variation in character body types in the show. Kid Flash looks like a runner, and Aqualad is built like Michael Phelps. Keep up the good work!

Now for my questions...

1. We have been shown the world where Aqualad lives in Downtime (my favorite episode). With whom does he live? I know that Kaldur'ahm has a close relationship with Aquaman, but is it close enough for him to live with the king and queen of Atlantis?

2. I really loved your introduction of Dr. Fate and the concept of the Lords of Order and Chaos. It was an interesting change to see Klarion as a Lord of Chaos, it fits well. Is there even the slightest possibility that Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld will appear in this show?

3. Is there any way that fans can obtain the promotional posters of the different characters, or just the pics of the posters from Young Justice? The designs were awesome.

I will be grateful for any information that you can provide, thank you.

RedBeardJim writes...

Hi Greg, just a question about the beginning of "Downtime" --

Was the fight against Clayface real, or some sort of holodeck-like training simulation? The scene transition made it hard for me to figure out.

conner writes...

1.Wan you talk about the relationship beween Superboy and Miss Martian?
2.Does Kid Flash know Miss Martian has a crush on Superboy?
3.Why does Miss Martian like Superboy?

Zach writes...

You answered that most of the time Superboy sleeps in a bed, but in Young Justice #0 he was shown to prefer Wally's closet over a bed. Is that going to be explained or was that a goof your end?

none of my business writes...

OK Greg so I know its none of my business obviously but I was wondering what sort of legal issues could you be talking about when you said Todd Jensen will approve the questions and just who the heck is Todd anyway I just wanna know

FinalAvalanche writes...

1) There's been a wiki debate over what color Artemis' eyes are, would you be so kind as to tell us what her eye color is supposed to be?

2) In earlier promotional clips, Artemis clearly had blue eyes, but in the show her eyes are darker, which makes her look more Asian. When was the decision made to change the color, who made the decision, and why?

None of my business writes...

Hey greg why does Todd Jensen approve a whole bunch of questions if you're just going to say no comment. I guess this question is really meant for both you and Todd, so Todd if you're reading this please approve my post I got to know

Terence writes...

Will Wonder Girl ever be introduced in Young Justice

Zac writes...

Crap, my internet got interrupted and I accidentally cut my question in half. Sorry. Here's the first half:

Hi Greg,
I'm really enjoying YJ so far

1. You mentioned before that episodes 103-108 would focus on individual team members. By my reckoning:
103 - Miss Martian
104 - Robin
105 - Superboy
106 - Artemis
107 - Kid Flash
108 - Aqualad
I feel like Robin and Artemis got jipped. It could be that they had less character development because they're some of the most secretive members of the team, but I hope they get extra coverage later. By the way, as of 108, episodes 105 and 107 have been my favorites.

Todd Jensen writes...

I haven't asked many "Young Justice" questions before now (probably none), largely because I don't have cable and thus wasn't able to see the show. But I wanted to thank you for answering one question in the course of the two-part opener - though I learned it second-hand in the Station 8 comment room.

While I'm not a DC Comics expert, I've heard from various sources about Cadmus Labs - and when I heard of it, I began wondering almost at once if its bearing the same name as the mythical Greek hero who was Europa's brother, slew a dragon and planted its teeth to produce a crop of armed warriors, and founded Thebes, was intentional or coincidence.

Then, during the discussion in the S8 comment room of "Independence Day", in which Cadmus Labs featured, I learned from one of the other posters (who'd seen the episode, as I hadn't) that the characters in that episode of "Young Justice" pointed out in the story that the name of the labs was indeed intentional, comparing its secret experiments with Cadmus sowing the dragon's teeth.

Now I don't know if that line was your idea, or someone else's; I don't even know if it originated with the "Young Justice" production team or if DC Comics had already come up with it. But I'm glad that that question was answered, and want to thank you for that.

Mugabi writes...

Hey Greg!
1) When you said there would be major character deaths, does that include JLA members too?
2) Will there be any other members joining Young Justice?
3) If #2 is correct what will be the first episode to include a new member?
4) In the comics Martian's have super strength. Do M'gann and J'onn have super strength in YJ?
5) Does Aqualad know Black Manta is his father?
6) How old is Wonder Woman?

-XX writes...

If Artemis is Artemis Crock does that mean Sportsmaster is Lawrence Crock?

Daniel writes...

Hello Greg. Just wanted to thank you for the interesting depiction of Aquaman's world in Downtime. I've never found it terribly exciting in other shows, but it looked gorgeous and seemed to be more than a generic monarchy culture like I'm used to seeing.

Also, the switch to English was clever. Thanks for the laugh!

Greg Bishansky writes...

Downtime
This is a hard episode for me to review. I've always been much more of a Marvel guy than a DC guy; and as far as Marvel goes, Prince Namor has always been a character who hasn't interested me one iota. So, while I'm pretty ignorant of DC, I'm especially ignorant of Aquaman's corner of the DC Universe. I felt like I'd be having major geekgasms if I knew who any of these people were. But, with that out of the way, I did enjoy the episode quite a bit.

I loved the cold opening with Clayface. The design made him look positively terrifying, made worse by the shot of the entire team unconscious at his feet. Of course, Batman shows up and quickly puts an end to that. I've always loved Batman, and while we don't see him in action often in this show, when we do, it's always sweet.

I loved Aqualad's story in this episode, but I felt like there should have been a little more build up to him being unfocused, with his head in Atlantis. Because in just about every prior episode where he took charge, he was nothing but focused. Yes, I understood that the team's defeat at the hands of Clayface, who they should be able to defeat on a good day was that build up. But I feel like just a little something in the previous episode or two, before it leads to this defeat would have been nice.

That all said, this episode finally gave Aqualad the fleshing out he needed, and revealed many more facets of the character beyond being the straight man on the team. I enjoyed his friendship with Garth and Tula. I always enjoy his relationship with his king... and I enjoyed seeing him battle Black Manta.

Speaking of Black Manta, I thought he was really cool. I loved his look, he came off as a real threat. And I loved his... "fatherly" concern over Aqualad. Although, I kind of wish Greg and Brandon didn't reveal at various conventions that he is Aqualad's father. On the other hand, it's cool being in on a secret that no one else knows. Given that connection, I am sure we'll see Black Manta again. I had also previously theorized that Black Manta was a member of the Light, and I was proven wrong, he works for them like Sportsmaster does. And he was answering to, as Weisman revealed in his credits, the mysterious L-5.

On that note, I think L-5 may be the first member of the Light we've seen in the flesh. He does share a voice actor with Prince Orm, who I am told in the comics was Ocean Master. And now that Queen Mera is with child, hmm... shades of Uncle Scar, anyone? I hope we start seeing more members in the flesh pretty soon.

I have a feeling I should know what that giant starfish thing is, but I don't. Aw well, I know that the Light wants it, and that's an intriguing enough hook.

Artemis looks like she's finally been confirmed as Artemis Crock. But in a series that is all about secrets and lies, and with all the trouble the creators have gone to to keep her identity a secret, I think that might be as true as her being Green Arrow's niece. Batman going through all the trouble of getting her into a fancy prep school tells me he wants to keep an eye on her. And I'm sure there is a reason her mother is in a wheelchair... considering how well Cheshire seems to know her, maybe her mother was involved with the League of Shadows.

The Superboy and Miss Martian scene came off as pretty creepy. I mean, why was he just sitting there staring at snow on television? And then it almost seems like he's in a trance after that, and what happens when he gets covered in food, he sits back down and continues watching. Something is up here, I don't think this was just an innocent little scene. He was seeing something on TV that non-Kryptonians can't.

Speaking of TV, did someone say "Hello Megan" on TV at Artemis' apartment? Looks like an explanation for Miss Martian's really annoying catch-phrase. I'll admit it, I'm one of the people who can't stand it, but if she learned all about interacting with humans from watching sitcoms, I guess I can buy how she would come to think that's normal behavior on Earth to emulate.

And finally, I loved Dick's moment with Bruce playing Basketball. Nice to see that despite being Robin's general, Bruce Wayne is still, for all intents and purposes, Dick Grayson's father.

Good episode. Looking forward to the next one.

Jack-Pumpkinhead writes...

Dear Greg,
Down time was one of my top favorite episiodes. I mean, you manged to make every single Atlantean awesome, even Lagoon Boy was cool for his 5 seconds on screen. I loved the way you handled Garth, Kaldur, and Tula, very cool. I hope we see more Garth in the future. And that member of the Light Black Manta was talking to intrigues me; his head almost looks like he's wearing a crown. Please send my appreciation to the cast and crew!

W.C.Reaf writes...

Hey Greg

I just wanted to say that I loved the subtle little change to the voice credits in "Downtime" with almost the entire cast listed with their real names instead of codenames. I thought it was great and added to the theme of the episode showing the team's time off.

Are you planning on doing more stuff like that?

MacLeod writes...

Hey Greg,

I always thought that in "Future Tense" Goliath sent the Phoenix Gate to the distant past, thus closing the loop and the gate restarting its journey from scratch. Of course this was not the case, otherwise the "Timedancer" events couldn't/wouldn't have taken place. But can you at least give a hint of when did Goliath send the gate to at the end of "Future Tense"?

Anonymous writes...

Can the members of the Light be discerned by their voice actors? Especially if one known character has the same voice actor as one of the members?

Without getting into too many details, can you say anything about the selection of characters to be part of the Light? Were you looking for a broad overview of the different corners of the DC universe?

Thank you for the entertaining show!

Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...

Silly little question- Do you ever feel the urge, (or give into the urge), to slip something into a script purely because you know something about the actor? Like writing a song into a scene because you know the actor sings, (but maybe not telling them that they're going to be doing Sondheim or Gilbert & Sullivan till after they agree to sing 'some ditty'), or make them speak a foreign language because someone is fluent (but perhaps has a horrid accent)? Someone has a great cackle? Find a reason to have it come up. Someone is afraid of canaries? Put on on the character's shoulder for the whole episode. etc The only example I can think of now would be to have M'gan spout a long series of made up equations to see if Danica McKellar's head explodes in the face of nonsensical math. (Or replace of a series of made up equations with her own theorem at the last moment and wait for her to notice.)

Or does "Jalapeno!" qualify as such evil?

Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...

Oops- one other comment on Downtime- The "Hello Megan" was not annoying in this one. It seems to have shifted from a conscious verbal tic to an unconscious one.

Anonymous writes...

Why does it seem that Aqualad is the only Atlantean with gills?

Becky writes...

Will we be seeing any more of that hit tv show series "Hello Meg-" in YJ?

Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...

{Apologies if this is a double post}
Downtime: reactions/questions:
I enjoyed the recent episode. I can't say it was one of my favorites so far, but by definintion not every ep can be...

Main story-
1-I applaud the use of an Atlantian language, but Kal and Aquaman's speach seemed oddly stiff, almost robotic. Was this intentional to show the formalities of royalty?
2-The switch to English was nearly seemless. I didn't even notice it at first and then almost thought it was that Atlantian was used for formal situations like talking to royalty and spells. I jumped back and caught the flash in the pot switch over. (Added little meta moment of her asking if it worked and how would she know.)
3-I also liked the reverse of expectation that it seems the king's brother is loyal.
4-I did feel That Black Manta reporting to The Light was anticlimactic. All his taunting to Kal about it being lesser to serve seems hypocritical, and it wastes having a voice with the acting chops to pull a "If I can't have it no one can!" scream without sounding like a petulant child. Ironically I could have happily accepted all this as a great reversal of expectation, but after The Light being in just about every episode as the big bad behind the curtain I've got a little fatigue on them. I need to see the cast dealing with unrelated crimes too.

The rest of the story-
5-the animation continues to impress, I'd almost say it is a clear gemlike quality to it. Very expressive, very detailed (for animation) and still very clean. The interaction between Conner and Megan especially showcase it. {And also brings up a few questions; Did they kiss? How much does Red Toranado get? (I'd wager more than they'd guess if his wife and daughter come over from the print version) Why does Conner watch static? etc.}
6-Bruce continues to seem very intuned to people, including the ones closest to him. It takes me a while to get used to that, but I'm liking it. When it came to the basketball game, complete with smile, a thought had occured to me- is this an intentional reference to early Batman? I have not read the early Teen Titan stories, but I know the increasingly strained relationship beteen Dick and Bruce was an issue. But I also (again largely without reading) know that in the days before dark 'realism' took hold in comics they had a much easier relationship. Given how young Dick is in this series, it this an intentional connection to that stage of the relationship in the orignal form? And if so, (probably heading into No Comment territory), is the breakdown of that relationship the future in store?
7-Flash family was a hoot. I love seeing functional families getting equal playtime in fiction, and it reinforces they sense that we are in a fully functioning universe with history.
8-Artimas and her mom was intriging as well- Everytime you see a parent aware of that sort of extra-caricular activity you get curious, but the love is clear. Add to that that we know she has a past with the League of Assasins - seeing her actually having a home with a parent and a school life caught me by surprise.

Looking fwd to the next installment!