YJfan writes...

Hey Greg, Seeason 2 is awesome. Love the new characters as well as seeing the old ones develop and grow.I have been enjoying Beetle, Superboy, Bart and Lagaan.Don't like what Megan is doing though cause it feels like she is stringing poor Lagoon Boy along. He's kidnapped and she's worrying about Conner birthday. Do the other girls like Zatanna know what she did trying to mindwipe him? Wendy seems genuinely cool actually. I am so looking forward to see how the Aqualad vs everyone wants a piece of him now plot plays out. They are fun!You Lex Luthor is the best animated Lex I ever came across!PS. Did you know Superman and Wonder Woman are now an official couple in comics?It was huge news. I know, you said your show came before the reboot in comics. But reason I ask is because in your show, even from day one the interactions we've seen between these two characters seem to point to something more than friends/teammates.I personally think it a great idea and looking forward to seeing if you called it first in earth-16. :)

EXALT writes...

I have a couple questions about your version of the Joker...
1)Usually, the origin of the Joker is a mistery to anyone, including himself. But you said that you create backstories pretty much for all your characters, even if you don't necessarely put them in the show. So, the question is: have you created an origin for the YJ Joker, or did you just stick with the "total mistery" thing (of course, if you DID create an origin, I'm not asking you to spoil it here).
2)In Revelation, the Joker claims to have multiple personalities. Was that a reference to his multiple origins?

Chris Adams writes...

Hi Greg! Great to have YOUNG JUSTICE back.

I really admire the way you and your team use the breadth of your version of the DC Universe to produce an episode like "Satisfaction" - you have the story of Roy, Ollie, Roy, and Lex on the one hand, but you break it up with smart little vignettes featuring other characters. It's also good to see the continued use of non-heroic supporting castmembers like Wendy and, in issue #20 of the comics, Bette.

Two quick questions, since my original query about Mercy's power of speech (or lack thereof) is already in the queue:

1. Is Ray Palmer on the faculty of Ivy University?

Apparently no-one else in Ivy Town knows Conner well enough to know it's his birthday besides Wendy, which strongly suggests* that Karen doesn't attend Ivy University with them. Therefore:

2. Is she formally enrolled at any university, or only pursuing her studies with Professor Palmer under the aegis of the team?

* The other option would be that Superboy and Bumblebee choose not to socialise in their civilian identities, but that doesn't seem to be the way the team rolls.

Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...

Satisfaction
Commenting on current ep! No questions, just comments.

Short on shorts: Teen Titan Go psa - cute enough. Love SBFFs "Solomon Grundy No Fight Girls!" was mostly brilliant, but I was a little disappointed with end.

1-I was surprised original Roy's voice was so deep. Also so angry! (At least that quickly.) He correctly didn't blame our Roy, but crazy blamed Ollie. From Independence Day and onward it seemed Ollie had a warm relationship with Roy despite Roy's Angry Young Man vibe. Nice Ollie character work. I'm curious where Dinah works into this relationship. Did she even know the original? (Rhetorical- expect to learn that in story.) Nice way to get to Arsenal.

2- Grotto- Took me a bit to realize that those memorialized in the grotto were not necessarily team members. Ted Kord was the huge giveaway. (I have noticed Tim is "Robin B" to the computers, so assumedly the memorial is to Jason who wasn't a member of the team.) Nice bit between Blue Beetle and Impulse- both in their demeanors from not having interacted with the folks honored in that room, and in the discussion about why the League doesn't do the memorials. Also lovely to see Jaime's 'relationship' to Ted spelled out. Visually, the subtle run through of emotions on Bart's face is fantastic. You see all the other, none 'Impulse', thoughts flit by before he shapes his face into the sunshine and light one.

3-Artemis' grave- Brutal to put Paula through that. Jade is there with the baby; she's all vengeance, but from actual love. Sportsmaster...not so much.

4-Lex Luthor- blasé about enabling the alien invasion... and customized desks ;) Mercy bleeds? So a cyborg, not robot. Lex does like to pontificate...but he isn't wrong. Did Lex actually show a moment of concern for Mercy? "Except we gave you anesthesia. Your methods..." Again with the not wrong. Now where have I heard that vengeance is a sucker's game....?

5-Superboy and Wendy- Lovely little surprise there. She isn't in on the team ("6...22!") She really does have insight into Conner. Ivy Town? Mmm....

6-Bridal shower- I wondered if there was something romantic between Raquel and Icon, now I'm wondering if they're engaged. Captain Cold... "I'm completely doomed, aren't I?" BWAHAHA!

All my reviews have been positive- but just to state the obvious- Loving the show!!

Thanks again for reading fan rambles. I tried to lean more to comments then questions to make up for the length.

Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...

Last old review-
Depths- nice way to start a hiatus... Wowie

Shorts - Sword of the Atom pIII- dialogue a little hokey. Teen Titan dividing tape; cute enough.

[Actual questions bookends the comments. The other #s are just observations.]
Q1 Rocket to Mars- How where they planning on dealing with Earth seeing true Martian form?

1-Wally and Artimas at home, cut ahead to CPR at end. I think it is the first time you've set up a flash forward to the end following present events. Works nicely. Love the way Dick's body moves with the CPR compressions. Nice attention to detail.

2-M'gan's reaction to Artimas is like stepping back in time. She's light and open as she really doesn't appear much this season.

3-Conference - took me till the second time to figure out why you didn't say "Drink the Kool Aid". Yeah, I bet the Kool-Aid folks have a special hate for Jim Jones.

4-Mmm.. GGG's hands,for a moment, look like alien claws. War of the Worlds ish.

5-Mimicking missing Leaguers is a good idea. (I wondered last issue that Psion said he knew Batman wasn't around.)

6-There is quite enough skilled (rust free) fighting and teamwork to make the Cape fighting interesting even separate from the overall plot. Add the revelation of what really broke up Conner and M'gann, Lagan being taken and...Artimas dying at the hands of Kalderan! Wow.

7-Nice how the test the villain gives is a test of honor. Will he take credit?

8-Back at Mt Justice... I think someone already asked who the girl next to Blue Beetle is. You'd think it would be easier to guess- there aren't that many white, non blond female teen girl superheroes. Yes... it's an exaggeration, but true enough to be sad. Mmmm.... Next to Jaime? Traci 13 would rock!

9-I truly was surprised by the Kal undercover/Artimas alive twist. Nicely done. For some reason the line about the League and team being in mourning and possibly never forgiving them stuck a nice chord with me.

Q2 I figure this is either an incidental or a major spoiler. If it is the former- What does Artimas's mom know? {Never mind- moot now}

Q3 How is the voice altered for the glamoured version of Artimas?

Simply passing herself off as dead would be one thing. Going undercover too...interesting.

Yay! current review is all that's left to post!

Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...

At least I'm getting to the end of old reviews...but not there yet-
Bloodlines-
Certainly a satisfying first major look at the greater picture for the season.

But first the Shorts-
still Sword of Atom- so no mid messy divorce, no learning the language.
Teen Titans Go- Cyborg the lifeguard is cute, but who is he saving?

[First half is just comments- the questions start when the "Q"s show up. The rest is just thought ordering. Hey 5and 5!]
1-I know starting with a scene and coming back to it is derigur (sp?) in the show, but this one is somehow above and beyond. It isn't so much a teaser as does something to the mood. Misleading about Bart, but still honest.

2-Impulses entrance is a hoot. He might have wiped the floor with Tim and Garfield, but I get an impression that the learning curve will be as such that they won't be so outclassed for long

3-Roy and Cheshire- It is suspicious she seems to find what they are looking for so easily. On the other hand it is believable she'd do it to set Lian's father straight. Uh...seriously, not the place to bring a baby. Jumping ahead- Dispatch two bad guys, waken baby laughs, tens of men with spears. "Told you we should have left her with your sister." Nice beat. (Wonder if Artimas knows she's an aunt. -new ep! Lian's her middle name!) "Should I be concerned in the obvious delight our daughter takes in the ultra violence?" :) Cheshire opens the tube without even wiping the glass to see who is inside. (Already Liann is saying Dada?)

4-Bart blabs Bat identities. They keep their IDs secret from their team. As I mentioned before, it does leave you wondering if there is any discomfort, or even hostility to the Bat clique. It seems a little of a 'first among equals' incongruity.

5-Bart with his family...
The Garrick's 70th anniversary- making them in their 90s- a very spry 90s. I'm assuming Jay has some Flash related reason for being more like a late 70s year old, but Joan?
Didn't notice all the slip ups Bart made referencing Barry the first time around. Meant to tell you in private...Twins?! "Back in a flash!" Group moan. Since the beginning I have liked how the extended speedster family is portrayed. No gloom and doom for them. Well, maybe now Bart….

"Fox & Gardner" cute.

Q1 Bart learned whirlwind from father who learned it from Barry. Since Barry originally died before knowing he was going to be a father, who taught the son?

Super speed talking is funny. So is Wally's being outpaced. Wish the Network bug wasn't partially covering some of the alien subtitles.

Q2 Stranded in our time...big reveal-> actually a set up. Idea is great. I'm not yet clear on the mechanics of time travel in this universe and how Nathaniel remembers the changes. I assume it becomes clear over time. Is there a town shown to the bottom left of the wreck of Mount Justice? And does that town have more color after the time change?

I do hope that the Impulse persona is not entirely made up. That it is either based on an earlier version of himself, or an aspect of his personality not foregrounded in an apocalyptic future. Time will tell.

Q3 How big is Wally? Sometimes he looks bigger than Barry. Sometimes boyish.

Some more questions on Wally and speed brought to mind-
Referencing other questions -Geodude writes...
"Are Flash and/or Kid Flash capable of doing relatively complicated things at super-speed? Could they use their speed, for example, to assemble a store-bought bookcase or put together a jigsaw puzzle? ...
Greg responds...
1. Flash MIGHT be able to. But Kid Flash's speed is all about acceleration and deceleration. I'm not saying he couldn't do it faster than, say, Artemis. But he's not going to do it in a split-second. ..."

Me-
Q4-Is Wally's super-speed fundamentally different from Barry's (and Jay's?), or is it a question of skill and practice? We know he is very smart, but does he think ~quicker~ than ordinary humans?

I'm not well versed on the DC Speedsters, but what I've read seems to say they think quicker to match the movements as a necessary component of their powers. A rather clever Batgirl (Stephanie Brown) issue a year or two ago had her figure out that the kid sitting next to her in class had been spending all his time memorizing his route step by step for a planned heist in a speed suit because his mind would not be quick enough to respond to what he sees. In contrast, a few years before that Bart Allen (around the time he switch from Impulse to Kid Flash) read the contents of a library at superspeed because he felt he needed contribute more (and screw up less). He added that it feels as long to him to read a book as it does to anyone else, and things not at superspeed move glacially slow to him making him seem ADD.

Q5
A-If the speedster's mind does work faster, is it a default speed or is it only revved up while the speedster is speeding?
B-And if it is a default, does the rest of the world seem to move slowly to them?

thanks again.

Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...

And more old reviews-
Beneath

Shorts in short- hey I just read Sword of the Atom! SBFF love those girls

[Not so many observations, so I'm only numbering the questions this time around.]
Q1 Jaime seems to come from a well off family. That's a marked departure than his print origin. They ran a business and were better off than hand to mouth, but I remember money being tight, especially after his father was injured. What made you decide to change it?

Nightwing: "Uh, there's, there's no right answer for that, is there?" smart boy not to dig deeper :) She enjoyed that!

The dynamics between Mrs. Longshadow, Maurice, Jaime and the absent Ty- I'd say lovely, but it's the wrong word for the situation.

I wonder if the scarab realizing that his methods would have dead ended with Maurice is the start of him becoming more than blood thirsty programming.

Bumble Bee and Batgirl- first the funny in the air ducts, then the moment that comes when dealing with any bat family member- talking the empty air.

Of course Batgirl was the only one who could fly a plane, she's the only one who would need to. Of course Wonder Woman does have a jet....

Freeze Jr is still hung up on Miss Martian in Belle Rev?

Q2 Simon knows Batman is away? How?

Cast- Devastation… I could have sworn that was Kristen Johnston's voice.

In all a good ep- we see the girls in action as any other thoroughly capable team.
I'm guessing the other plot line will be some sort of Super Chief storyline, but in general it is nice to be reminded that Jaime is not just comic relief, but rather a powerful weapon. Though I do love him as comic relief too.

thank you

Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...

Still more old reviews:
Salvage

Short shorts review:
-Shorts -Vibe (2parts)- amazing! Intentionally totally dated but not making fun of it!

Main event: (Q for actual questions)
1-Oh Roy... (Q1 Where'd his money go- wasn't he richer than Ollie? Used it up with the search?) The whole intervention was wonderfully done, right up to it failing. (And we caught us up with several characters.)

2-Now Snapper Carr knows they're there.

3-Blue Beetle: "Not Compatible? Not Compatible with what? I swear I don't understand half the things you say!"
Mal: "Feeling is mutual" :)

But that does raise the question, well two questions:
Q2 1- This may be the one error in the execution of the time skip- Finding Jaime's one sided conversations weird is funny, but not knowing that he is talking to the Scarab would imply that he was hiding, albeit poorly, the source of his power. However here he sighs and tells Conner the whole story (at least as he knows it -created by Ted Cord? A clearly deceased Ted Kord). Given how level headed and informed Connor has become, it seems odd that he wouldn't already know Jaime's situation. For that matter, you'd think at least the founding members would have had to know it to let him join the group. Am I missing something here that would explain it?

Q3 2-What made you go with the bloodthirsty Scarab and not the budding sentient Scarab? It is laugh out loud funny, but I have to admit to having a tremendous soft spot for the malfunctioning sentient weapon. Among my all time favorite lines I've read, not just in comics, was in the Blue Beetle comic when Jaime manages to defeat the Reach - right before starting on a dang near suicidal plan he asks the Scarab if he is in on it. (Even though there was no way for Jaime to go without him, and no other way to save his family and the planet.) The Scarab's reply of "Jaime:Friend. Scarab:Hero" was heartwarmingly awesome.

4-Speaking about emotionally wrought near sentient beings- the Golem was very nicely done. Connor meant a specific Ugly, but her was right; something ugly had killed it.

5-I only noticed upon rewatching this and the previous episode that "Partner" is an actual name for the new big bad, and not just a figure of speech.

6-Artimas and Wally...are so very sweet.

7-Cheshire and Roy...can't tell if she's there for him, or for an ulterior motive. Or frankly, she could be there for both. However it is, I like the suggestion that she gave up crime for him without any good guy component to it. It sounds like he wouldn't have married a criminal so she gave up crime. The marriage fell apart and she happily went back to it. She simply does not have a hero mentality and it makes her fun. It also gives her the possibility of being a good sister/wife/mother without being a good guy. You don't get the impression she would ever subject her child to what her father had subjected her and Artimas to. Strange to say it, but she is probably extremely healthy on an emotional level.

8 Q4-Lian makes her debut- How old is she here? Cartoon babies almost always seem to look a bit older than they are meant to be, (though I think there were some clearly newborns in Missing, IIRC). With that much hair I would guess minimum 9 months, but I'm guessing she is supposed to be younger and it isn't meant to imply Roy hasn't seen Cheshire for over a year. (9 months baby, plus it would be pretty impossible to hide a second trimester pregnancy from a husband = more than a year.)

9 -Of course seeing Lian makes me wonder about Amistad and Traya and Aquaman's son...that ends the list of small children of characters I can think of. (Unless Donna Troy shows up and had/lost her family.) Time will tell.

thanks again!

Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...

And another old review:
Alienated ...

...but first a short review of the shorts:
-Teen Titans Mothers' Day short was sick and twisted. I loved it, but the Mad musical number that poked fun at the Justice League is one of the funniest things I've seen in a while.

Back to our show: {Numbers without the Q in front of it are just thought ordering}
1-Bumble Bee looks a lot like Rocket in civies...or maybe.... after a lot of freeze framing...Has Rocket's face been made more angular than she had been 5 years before and Bumble Bees stayed rounder?

2-Blue Beetle: ~chuckle!~ but I'm saving up discussing him till later eps.

3-Boy in dreads does look a little like a young Virgil Hawkens, but it seems odd to me for him to be so significantly younger than Rocket.

4(Q1)-M'gann 'interrogating' the Krolatian - in front of Batman and While J'ohn is trying to do the same? She really is without boundary. Connor's look of shock makes sense, but shouldn't J'ohn and Bruce be at least a little surprised?

5-First time we see Kaldur - he does make a scary villain.

6-"Competitor Warrior"- Blue Beetle? The Reach?

7(Q2)-Love watching the Bat Family in action. They are so incredibly in sync with each other. The 'kids' kids with each other even more than with Batman. Does it cause tension in the YJ group to have a sub group or even clique, one who I think doesn't even share their real names?

Q3-who planted bomb?

8(Q4)-Nice smile of pride Wonder Woman has watching Wonder Girl. In all this fighting, I can't tell if they are using lethal measures or not. Last ep Allana saved the Krolatian whose mech she lured into a trap. Here they seem to be causing big enough explosions that you would not expect the mecha pilots to be able to get out. Is this JL willing to respond to lethal attack with lethal counter measures? Batman blew the platform out from under 'Manta's' men. It looked to be a 10-5' drop- though maybe that isn't a big deal for battle armored atlantians. It never struck me as important for WW to be willing to kill if necessary- it actually makes sense since she is a warrior before a superhero. But it does seem pretty integral to Supes and Bats.

9-More things I'm noticing while rewatching- when Kal tells NW he has two minutes left on the bomb his voice is different. He's got Conner incapacitated in a way that will at very least distract him if not let him hear the warning at all and he then gives Dick the vital info.

10-M'gann & J'onn ~chuckle~ I've forgotten I'm wearing something silly, I guess Martians can forget they're wearing a whole different species look.

11-For some reason I didn't realize the Krolatians understood English the first time.

12-Must find the issue with Kal's parents- I thought that's what his father looked like.

13-Black Manta replacing Ocean Master in Light- there is clearly some interesting stories in the gap/

14-The good byes-
-Wonder Woman/Wonder Girl- nice feel between the two of them, and a mention of Cassie's mom.
-Hawkman goes with Hawkwoman his spouse
...cut to Icon and Rocket. We never do hear from them. I get it might be the realities of voice work fees, but the body language was a bit odd. Are they romantically involved? {Since the new ep- I guess I'm wondering if they're engaged.} (Rhetorical question, not looking for an answer outside of the episodes.) It's been 5 years since we've seen them interact, and Icon has to be used to people aging into new roles around him. Even more than Static, I wonder what D MacDuffie would have done had he had the chance. The original series ended mid story, and there was no Icon cartoon, I don't think we ever saw Rocket in the main DCU (so far) to explore in other ways.
(Q5) Non rhetorical question: to your knowledge did MacDuffie leave behind any ideas or thoughts on where he might have taken her? Would you be more likely to, when possible, try to incorporate such ideas in light of his untimely passing than you would a living creator who might get a crack at doing it his or herself? Working with Peter David you probably hear all sorts ideas that didn't get used in the YJ comic run, but you both know he might work with those characters in a project of his own down the line. Even if it is extremely unlikely, it does remove some of the urgency.
-Super Man/Super Boy "little brother" J See- a clone is more like a brother!
-Martian Manhunter/Miss Martian are adorable- water the plants (plants on Mars)
-Batfamily- really a tight group, a family. I notice it is the first time they smiled all ep. Even when fighting. I can't decide if that is right to me or not. Dick and Barbara always struck me as the type to be having too much fun in the physicality of it not to smile, Tim to a lesser extent, but also.
-Dramatic goodbye- music, wind, break up, everything; nice. (Dang, Barbara is tall.)
15-Bibbo and Vandal are voiced by the same guy? Wow!

Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...

still posting old reviews:
Earthlings

Rambled observations to follow the short review of shorts:
Still bwahahaing Animal Man and not quite getting the Ardman shorts

{Actual questions are listed as "Q#". The other numbers are just thought ordering}
1-You do like starting at the end and then flashing back how they got there.

2-I love the Garth/M'Gann sibling dynamic, but I wish I could remember if Gar always had the freckles that match hers. Interesting implication in that he has received multiple transfusions from her to get to what he is. It's also interesting that he reverts to a more fully human shape when he is reminded of his mother's death. I wonder whether that is a 'natural' form or a change based on thought. Or if he even has a 'natural form' anymore. (That huge and unexpected, though very welcome, info dump you gave on Martians a while back explains why he is green- if skin color is ethnicity and she has a green parent it isn't particularly odd that Gar could become green. I do wonder why he is only green. I know that is from the comic, but I wonder the in cartoon explanation. Odd- Gar is the age Dick was last season, but he gets to be a kid.
What the Hey! Make that Q1- why is Garth only green?

3-The benefit of being so behind is catching details that can only be appreciated in hindsight - like the look that runs over Conner's face when M'gann establishes the link that allows them to communicate and Alana and her father comment about the sensation. It went right by me at the time, but in light of now knowing why they broke up...

4-"I assume you are not associated with the League"... "We are not members of the League" J\:) technically truthful.

5-Alana is younger than I imagined. She seems of an age with the first YJ team, not the same age as Adam.

6-Seeing Conner talk and act is spot on- a-jumping like earliest version of supes -b-his demeanor matches his description- looks 16 but is not a 16 year old. (Others already asking why M'gann ages at human rate.)

Q2-They took a risk luring the mecha into the sand- how did they know it wasn't the one holding their teammates? Alana sends the Krolatian the rope as second nature- she matches the teams method...and then M'gann mind strips the Krolatian. It was spooky the first time, but seeing Conner's reaction in light of why they broke up it is even scarier. I can't tell from the frame if Alana is looking at the Krolatians carrying their comrade away in shock or at M'gann. M'gann is without boundary- even if she was reacting to them almost getting her brother.

thanks again for taking the time to do Ask Greg!