Clark Cradic writes...

I was going to ask if the team knew Captain Marvel was really a 10 year old kid, but it seems last episode answered my question. It's like you guys are psychic. But here's a question that's been on my mind for a while, did Riddler's escape his own doing or was his escape the actual goal of the attempted breakout?

J&M writes...

Heya Greg! I know your focus has been on Young Justice lately (as it should be) but hopefully you won’t mind kicking it a little old-school and reading fans gush about Gargoyles. This is more of a ramble than a question but hopefully you won’t mind.

I have a good friend that lives in another state that is fairly arduous driving distance away so we only see each other in person every couple months. Naturally one of our main ways of staying in touch is talking via IM. And one thing we do is choose shows one of us has never seen (mostly her, but occasionally me) and watch episodes at the same time we talk to each other, so we’re watching ‘together’ even if we’re not actually together. We actually have a standing list of things we want to go through this way. And a short while ago my friend chose to start Gargoyles. We blew through all five parts of Awakening in one session and I thought you might get a kick out of seeing some choice bits of our conversation. (And yes my friend did give permission for me to share this with you.) There’s going to be more of what she has to say than me because I feel like reading me responding to her reactions with, “Why yes that IS awesome and part of the reason I love this show” would get old after awhile. The ‘choice bits’ are still pretty long, but hopefully you won’t mind too terribly.

Quick background. We are both of the female persuasion. I’m 24 and have a B.A. in English and am going back to school in the fall for a Library Science degree. She’s 20 and a Creative Writing major at a University that feels there is very clear divide between ’literature’ and ’entertainment’ and that all genre fiction falls into the latter category by default.

Needless to say, since both of us are fans of Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Animation…we disagree with that. A lot.

I’m going slightly out of order, starting with her reaction to seeing the theme song before getting into the actual episode stuff. I’ll use [] to indicate me making a comment or an edit after the fact. ‘J’ indicates my comments. ‘M’ is my friend.

J
Oh and THEME SONG OF EPICNESS
M
Preeeeetty
J
Awesome visuals are awesome
M
Hey wait a minute
I've totally heard this before
J
The interwebs loves Gargoyles
M
I've never seen the visuals to the theme song though
Heeeeee
J
So you probably have
M
As the interwebs should
J
I KNOW RIGHT!!??
M
IT'S EPIC

[Start of Episode 1]

J
What do you know about Gargoyles already?
M
There are charries named Puck and Oberon
That's all I know

[First battle between Vikings and Gargoyles]

M
Ooooh that was really good animation
J
1994
Damn straight
[Meaning that it‘s still impressive now, and considering that it‘s from 1994, is even more-so]

[The Banquet]

M
Hi hot lady
Hi fabulous Pegasus-like man

[Pegasus is a villain from season 1 of Yu-Gi-Oh with long white hair and a…distinctive personality]

M
Hey
I know your voice
Hi Jeff Bennet?

[Re Demona and Goliath‘s conversation with the Captain of the Guard after leaving the Banquet]

M
Redhead needs a haircut
I really like their relationship though so far
It seems rooted in a mutual respect
M
WHY AREN'T RELATIONSHIPS IN TV LIKE THIS ANYMORE
YES
M
THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO
M
THANK YOU GREG WEISMAN
M
THIS IS HOW RELATIONSHIPS IN TV SHOULD WORK

[Goliath and Hudson falling into the Vikings trap]
M
Hi horsies!
Oooooh
Uh oh
Raaawwwwr
Ohhhhh
I see
They turn to stone in the sun
J
Yep.
And at night they're awake
M
That was a good bit of exposition
I just got back from seeing Puss in Boots yesterday and while it was good there was a *ton* of unnecessary exposition in dialogue
Ummmmmm

[The start of the Wyvern Massacre with the Hakon and the Captain arguing over smashing the Gargoyles]

M
Oh dear
Oh dear
Hello high [conflict]
NO
DON'T DO IT
DON'T
NO
YOU DIDN'T!
NO!
M
Holy [censored]
I feel bad
And I don't even know who that guy is
That gargoyle rather
[J] why didn't I watch this show as a kid?

[Episode 2]

M
I love the Magus
J
Can I marry Keith David's voice?
M
NO
GET IN LINE

M
Maaaguuuus
I love you already
J
"He's going to slay her!"
J
Like Buffy
M
Heeeeee
Wait is she really dead?
GO MAGUS!
J
*is behind you*
M
"You are the betrayer?"
"All of my kind are dead"
M
"YOU LYING SCUM!"
Uh o
DON'T
FALL OFF
NO
Oh okay
Awwww Goliath
Uh oh
"What sorcery is this?"
M
Can I marry the Magus?
J
Get in line :P
M
Oooooh nice twist

[1994]

M
Pretty grass
Hello long time in the future?
long time passed*
Who is this guy and when can I [censored] him?
And his tech guy?
J
Xanatos is dark hair and beard
Blonde glasses is Owen
And again get in line :P
M
Heeeeeeeeee
DAMN
J
"Pay a man enough and he'll walk barefoot into hell."
M
He has a HELICOPTER
M
I want him
He just needs to shave and clip the ponytail
J
I think the goatee and ponytail are sexy. So clearly I love him more than you do and should have him.
M
Heeeeeeeeeeeeee
I'll take his tech guy happily
J
Yeah you can't have him either :P
M
Awwwwww
No fair
J says
You're about eighteen years too late :P
M
Heeeeeee
M
WAIT
Do we get to see the Magus anymore?
J
I can't tell you :P
No spoilers remember
M
Heeeeeee
Because if I don't I will cry
M
This may be an off guess but are any of the present-charries descended from the past-charries?
But you can't answer that either
J
No spoilers LOL
This is fuuuun
M
:P
Seeing all my wild guesses

M
Ooooh
I love Xan
J
I know you do.
M
This show has been really good about engaging right from the pilot
So far it hasn't really been talk-heavy

[Episode 3]

M
Owen is totally Magus
J
I think they're both voiced by Jeff Bennet
M
They're totally related in some way

J
Elisa is quipping a la Buffy before Buffy
M
But Goliiath wil save her
I love the Gargoyles
It's a nice deviation from what you'd expect
J
How so?
M
They're very respectful
M
And not all grrrrr
They have morals and principles they go by and they're fairly peaceful

M
Heeeee hundreds of spells
On a floppy
M
My 1TB talisman can kick its ass
M
I really really like this show so far
M
AND IS THAT THE REDHEAD LADY?
I saw poof
I'm so confused
M
But it's *really* hard for me to get into most shows and I'm into this one
Honestly I didn't think I would.
J
Am I not awesome at showing you things you'd like?
M
I mean I didn’t think I'd hate it
Heeeeeee
You aaare

M
Detective lady is wearing mom jeans
M
I really like that concept
J
Which concept?
M
Of not having names for things
M
And they utilize a large cast very well by having a few characters around at a time and having their different reactions ot the same world
M
We get expositoon that way and viewers aren't bogged down or feel the need to spread their interest too thin
Just "oh hey going on a NY adventure"

[When the Trio fight off the gang after saving Brendan and Margot]

M
Oooh interesting
That the guys react with fear initially and then charge
This show is really well-crafted
M
I mean you could just classify this as 'low-brow kids' entertainment' but it's really more than that
It's a beautiful work of art and storytelling that's fun and fanciful
J
Exactly.
J
There's so much work put into it and it shows.
M
And it has layered, deep conflict
Oh yes
J
IMO it's art
M
It's wonderful
Yes.
Exactly.
Very good, show!
Tranqs take a while to take effect

M
But yeah [censored] 'high art.' This is art
J
It's got all the complexity of a Shakespearean drama. It just happens to be animated and feature fantastic elements.
M
Oh yeah. I agree 100%

[Episode 4]

M
This show handles exposition beautifully
J
It does
Seriously Greg Weisman is the MASTER of set-up and payoff.
M
It really works.
M
THIS IS WHAT I SHOULD BE LEARNING IN FICTION CLASS
DARNIT

[Re Elisa hiding from the goons]

M
Uhhhhho oh
Way to make the tension rise
That's beautiful
M
THAT'S HOW YOU DO PACING FICTION CLASS
M
I rather like the music for this show too
M
I'm still kind of enamored by the whole show
It does action sequences very well too
M
Greg Weisman is incredibly talented and I bet my fiction prof would hate his guts
J
Oh yeah. The physicality is great. Not overdone and very realistic.

[Re Demona and Goliath‘s reunion]
M
That's an evil smile
I don't like that
Awwww wing hug
M
That's so BEAUTIFUL
SEEE LITERARY FICTION?
SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO?
M
SEE THAT THIS IS NOT BULL[CRAP]?
J
I totally wrote a paper for a Shakespeare course that involved Gargoyles. I got an A in that class. :)
M
You are amazing

J
They said KILL
M
THEY DID
J
Whooooo!

[Episode 5]

J
Do not mess with old guys and dogs
Especially if they're Gargoyles
M
Hee
J
And hi G-rated version of Lethal Weapon line
M
TRAAAIN
M
And that is why you back up your files

[Re the Blimp being on fire and falling]

J
And that would not be a scene post 9-11
M
No it would not
J
I think there'd be a lot less stuff blowing up in general
M
Yeah

[Again re Demona and Goliath]
M
THIS NEEDS TO BE THE MODEL FOR FICTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS
GOD WHY IS THIS SO AMAZING
M
Awwwww Goliiiiath

J
Look at Lexington his laptop
M
Heeeeeeee
J
That has like 250 MB memory LOL
J
Hi Demona
You want to marry her too yes?
M
No
J
Really?
M
I don't like her hair :P
*is shallow*
J
Aside from the hair :P
M
Yes
J
I kneeeeeew it
You villain sluuuuut
M
I aaaaaaam
I can't heeeelp it
J
Heh Chinese food
J says
HEEeeeeGiants
GO GIANTS!
M says
That's a funny way to spell Patriots Jess

[This was soon after the Super-Bowl. She‘s based in New England and I’m from New York.]

J
:P
And that's it
Final thoughts?
M
GAHHHHHHHH
THIS IS WHAT ART IS SUPPOSED TO BE
M
THIS IS WHAT ENTERTAINMENT SHOULD STRIVE TO BE
M
SCREW THAT HIGH ART CRAP
J
Exactly. I have taught you well young Padawan.
M
*bows*

Hopefully that put a smile on your face. We will be watching the rest of Gargoyles, and eventually W.I.T.C.H, Spectacular Spidey, and Young Justice.

I did want to ask, would you be interested in reading more of what we say as we watch?

Subsequent conversation snippets will probably be shorter, but I understand you’re very busy and that Ask Greg can get backlogged. I’d only want to continue sending this kind of ramble if it’s something that you would enjoy reading, as a small way to pay you back for the excellent entertainment you provide. I’d never want it to be a chore or something you feel you have to slog through.

So yeah. Hope you enjoyed! Please continue making awesome shows so we can keep watching. :)

Thomas writes...

has the Big Bang actually occured yet? You know, Dakota's big gas explosion that created hundreds of super heroes or villains? Seeing as Dakota is appearing....its a good question

Chelsea writes...

Dear Greg, why does Harm speak in third person?

Thanks, Chelsea

Anonymous writes...

Has lex luthor or bruce wayne ever been mayors of their cities and does lex have an criminal record?

Anonymous writes...

First I want to say that I love Young Justice but I have few questions
1. Will there be any completly original heroes and/or villians
2. Will there be any character that have only been animated and not in the comics, for example See-More from the Teen Titans series
3. What exactly are rocket's powers
4. Is the team a strictly sidekick team or can idividual teen heroes join
5. We have seen the covert, snow, and regular suits for the team are there any other suits

Apple Montag writes...

I'm not exactly sure if this is a spoiler question, but here it goes:
Dick appears to be slowly transitioning into the role of leader of the group, stepping up to lead the team when Aqualad was felled to the "invaders", reassuring Zatanna when she doubted her abilities in "Misplaced", encouraging a fearful Artemis during the bout against Red Volcano. My question is this:

1) The look that Robin gives Aqualad when he vehemently denies that any of his team members are traitors - is that suspicion or shock over his naiveté?

On an unrelated note,

2) In "Misplaced", when Billy utters the name of immortal Shazam, does the plane teleport into another dimension, or is it merely destroyed?

Jake R. writes...

Hey Greg, I have to admit seeing Billy's uncle a little worried/scared was the best part of Misplaced for me. After seeing him act a little cold towards Billy on Alpha Male, but show that he really cared for Billy, honestly, satisfied me. 1. By the way, why did you guys make Billy "not homeless" anymore? Thanks for your time and keep up the good work.

Anonymous Writes writes...

Klarion can be kill only his cat kill

Anonymous writes...

Why did Chad Lowe took over Rob Lowe as Captain Marvel?

Anonymous writes...

Paraphrased Antiyonder's appeal from the Comment Room:

"The Young Justice Wiki (http://youngjustice.wikia.com) incorporates info from Ask Greg, such as the often repeated age questions. So if you're (just talking to folks in general who tend to do so) going to ask for an age, look at the character articles on the wiki to see if it's there."

mai writes...

A question about Atlantis:
Have you wondered that in a land with names like Orin, Orm, Mera, Tula, Kaldur'ahm, and Sha'lain'a, the name Garth sticks out like a sore thumb? Unlike any of the former names, it sounds so un-Greek (or un-Atlantean).

PS: I really like this incarnation of Garth. I hope to see more of him in future episodes.

Neosmith writes...

This is an addition to my previous post - I accidentally missed my first paragraph when I copied and pasted it:

To begin, I wanted to say that I really like "Young Justice" and what amazes me about the show in particular is how heavily serialized it is as an animated program. That is to say, very few US animated series attempt the same level of continuity and on-going storytelling. So, my questions here will mostly be about the serialized nature of the show.

Neosmith writes...

First of all, I’ve noticed that the approach as a whole is to make standalone/arc episodes. In other episodes, nearly every single episode so far has a self-contained storyline that additionally builds on the longer running plotlines.

Why did you choose to approach the series in such a way in particular? Was there perhaps talk that the series might become too complex for audiences to follow?

During the show’s development stages, was there ever consideration of making the show a more standalone show in general? Or of making more two-part episodes that tackle a single standalone/arc plotline?

Or conversely, having multiple ongoing plots unfold over the course of one episode without resolution, leading to a cliffhanger ending and necessitating more episodes to bring everything to an end (I think it’s referred to as the ‘flexi-narrative’ structure)?

Has there ever been any pressure (from the network, DC or outside forces) to de-serialize the show and make more standalone episodes that don't connect to the main arc of the season at all?

Do you ever feel that having only 22-minutes to tell a story hurts the quality of an episode, or forces you to rush through material?

Do you know pretty much every major plot beat of the season when you started writing the episodes or are certain key plot points figured out along the way?

Have you ever been in a situation where you decided to take the main story in a bit of different direction and so had to go back you to earlier episodes and re-write them to make sure everything fits together seamlessly?

Given that the first season so far has begun many different plot points, can we expect all of them to be resolved by the end of the first season or will certain threads carry over to next season and beyond? In other words, are the arcs self-contained or will they span multiple seasons?

Lavariel writes...

Dear Mr. Weisman,

Thank you for all the wonderful work you've done from Gargoyles, to Spiderman, to Young Justice. Been a fan for years.

1) From your experience, what was more enjoyable to work with? Working on a show that was completely yours to control - Gargoyles - from character development, plot, and storyline? Or Spiderman and Young Justice where the basics has already laid out?

2) Was there more pressure to succeed working on Gargoyles because it was original and the creativity was your to control? Or was there more pressure to work on an adaption on Spiderman and Young Justice because the bar has already been set?

anonymous writes...

I have a few questions pertaining to Roy Harper.
1. Since he's 18, is he a high school senior? Or a college student?
2. What languages can he speak?
3. You metioned earlier that out of the orginal sidekicks, Roy was closest to Kaldur. What is his relationship with Robin and Kid Flash like?
4. This is more of a confirmation, actually: Artemis can speak Vietnamese, French and knows high school Spanish. Correct?

Anon writes...

Hey Greg, so I was up late watching Conan (This is going somewhere I promise) and I saw that he had gone to the studios to make himself into a superhero and then he was put into the show as a little parody. Did you have anything to do with that? It was very good humor.

Athon writes...

Hello,

1. My first question: How old is Zat-

Just kidding

2. My real question: In the episode Alpha Male, The Brain makes a comment about Captain Marvel having Achilles' courage, and states that it would have been better if he had his invulnerability instead. Was this a reference to the "Trials of Shazam" mini-series, where Achilles' courage was in fact swapped with his near invulnerability?

Thanks for your time!

SummerOtaku writes...

Hello Greg! Thanks so much for the great show! It's currently my favorite on tv and solely responsible for getting me back into comics again so DC should give you guys a cut of all those DC comics I buy now. Homefront has been my favorite episode but loved Schooled (for rewatchability) and all the rest too. Anyway a few questions!

1. I think the motorcycle Zatanna rode in Secrets (that was consequently blown up)was Robin's. A. Can you confirm this? B. Did she ask permission? C. Does Robin know it's fate? D. Will this be addressed in the comic or mentioned later? (I thought it would be mentioned in Misplaced, that's why I waited before asking this.)

2.A. Do you guys have any plans to attend New York Comic Con this year? B. If so, will there be a Young Justice panel? (I want to go to one and live on the East Coast so entirely selfish!)

3.A. Do you have any say or input on the type of merchandise that gets put out? B. If we fans have requests or suggestions is there someone/somewhere you can point us? (I want something other than Action figures. A mug, keychains, or a magnet set would be nice...heck! Even t-shirts!)

4. Are Superman and Batman best friends in this universe? (Sorry if this one is already answered, I did go to the archives but only got so far!)

That's all I can think of while I got you! Thanks for your time and great show~! I totally love Robin, Wally, and their bromance and look forward to more with them along with the rest of this great cast I fall more and more in love with! Billy! Zatanna! NUUU!

Oh, also wanted to mention I'd totally throw my excitement behind any podcast, youtube vids, or commentary you happened to do for the episodes!

Thanks again!
Summer

Alexi writes...

Hi Greg, just watched "Misplaced." I thought it was a great episode!

1. Why were the faces of The Light not "lighted-out" at the end of the episode, the way they were in their first appearances?
2. Was Sportsmaster's getaway driver the Riddler?
3. Do the five evil wizards featured in "Misplaced" all have different specialties and, if so, what are they?
4. It seemed like Zatara was unaware that Billy Batson was Captain Marvel. Is this true, and if so, did anyone else on the League know about Captain Marvel's secret identity prior to the events of this episode?
5. The Team didn't send out a signal asking other under-18 heroes to join them. Are they aware of other young heroes, specifically Rocket? Is the Justice League? (Seems like if the Justice League knows Icon, they probably know of Rocket)

Anyway, thanks so much for a great and for taking time to answer fans questions.

Anon writes...

Hi Greg. Just curious, but if you HAD to diagnose Bruce Wayne with a mental illness, what would you diagnose him with?

Kofi writes...

Dear Greg

Is new york close to Metropolis?
Will we ever know what superboy was doing in Metropolis in schooled?(i thought it would be in the comics)

Sarah Anderson writes...

Hi Greg, thanks for taking the time to answer questions! :-)

In your gargs timeline, who dies first, Goliath or Elisa? And are they still a couple until then? Lastly, will you give a clue about what you had in mind for their deaths?

(Sounds macabre, but I was curious... ;-P)

Thanks!

Anon writes...

1. What is Artemis trained in besides archery and martial arts?
2. What are Artemis's parents day jobs?