Greg responds...

What do you want or expect me to do with that criticism?

I think it's valid in and of itself.

But it assumes something about the show that just isn't true in our minds.

This is the show Brandon and I want to make. A big expansive view of the DC Universe from the point of view of its young - but maturing - heroes. One that moves forward through time and isn't stagnant, which by definition means we're always going to be introducing new young heroes as our original leads continue their growth and maturity.

That's the show. So, again, what would you have me do with this criticism?

Change the show to fit the critics?

I mean, frankly, anyone else could make the sort of small cast show that this critique suggests. And it's been done and will continue to be done over and over again. And that's great. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that approach.

But simply put, that's not OUR show. That's not Young Justice.

So I'm not "dismissing" it, as you say. I'm just shrugging and ignoring it. Cuz it's irrelevant to what we're trying to do.

I don't think there are too many characters per episode or per season. We never attempt to focus on EVERYONE every year.

The real underlying truth behind the criticism, I believe, is that for the critic, we're not focusing enough on the SPECIFIC characters they WANT us to focus on, because we've chosen to focus on other characters instead. So it's less about there even being too many characters than about the choices we make as producers/creators/writers.

I'd wager most everyone's good with us focusing on the original six, but most everyone has at least one or two favorites that they'd specifically like to see us add to that spotlighted group. And odds are good - because overall we indeed do have so many characters - that we're just not putting their specific picks under that spotlight.

Thus, if we just happen to focus on Joe's faves, that means we're not focused on Julie's faves. Etc.

So for Julie... the problem can't be that her favorite character doesn't merit the spotlight right now, doesn't fit with the goals of the season. It must be that all the other over-abundance of characters are forcing her favorite OUT of the spotlight. Then THAT must be the problem: Too many characters!

<shrug>

Meanwhile, the series may - quite legitimately - not be everyone's cup of tea. I can accept that. But for the most part, I think our fans like the show we're giving them - which NOT incidentally is the show we want to make.

We're passionate about it, and hopefully that passion shines through and makes the fandom passionate about it, too.

Even with 777 characters and counting...

Greg responds...

Parents or guardians were all told the truth - or as much of it as was known at that time.

And, yes, cover stories were created to protect their secret identities, as needed.

Greg responds...

Mostly they talked about her feelings of guilt.

Greg responds...

1. No. Although it's not far away.

2. Hm. Maybe. I'd have to look again to see if that fits.

Greg responds...

1. I haven't locked in a date for that.

2. Seriously, are you TRYING to get me in trouble? They had mutual friends and mutual experiences.

3. No spoilers.

4. No spoilers.

5. Do they?

6. Yes.

Greg responds...

1. They were invited. It's interesting to me that you ask why they weren't invited, rather than asking why didn't they attend. That choice feels vaguely hostile to me. But maybe I'm reading into it. Out of Universe, the original plan was for them to attend. But it was decided that for production purposes, we just couldn't handle adding two more characters to an already crowded field.

2. I don't know how close they ever were with Roy. But, yes, they're still good friends with Virgil and Ed, and Jaime and Traci and Bart, as well.

3. No spoilers.

Greg responds...

After Jade left Roy, she was able to briefly reconcile with the Shadows, who placed her under probation, temporarily suspending the contract on her life. Once she realized she was pregnant, she fled the Shadows again, and the contract was reinstated. But it was an open contract. Not considered a priority. And once she and Roy had reconciled, after she had given birth to Lian, it's unclear whether that now put Cheshire/Jade under the terms of the Light's Nuclear Option. Even Jade herself doesn't really know.

Greg responds...

1. He was afraid of what people would think about it. Plus, he couldn't prove it was really happening.

2. Something along the lines of what they did in 426.

3. Yes.

4. No spoilers.

5. I haven't locked that in yet, but it's sometime between late 2016 and early 2018. So 2017 is probably the best bet.

Greg responds...

1. Having gotten past fitting into the super-hero aesthetic, Diana decided to wear something that better reflected her roots.

2. It didn't hurt.

Greg responds...

Without going into spoilerish details, I just think they felt it was time. Karen wanted to focus on her studies and research. They wanted to get married and start a family. Mal was ready to try something new.