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Philip Anderson writes...

Greg, congratulations on [i]Rain of the Ghosts[/i] and [i]Spirits of Ash and Stone[/i]! I'm looking forward to reading them and hoping to see the rest of the series, too.

As a writer myself (search [i]Pirate Journey[/i] on Amazon) I know that writing the manuscript is only part of the challenge. I've found that finding a publisher can be just as hard, in different ways. So here are my questions:

1. How did you get connected with St. Martin's?

2. If you have a publishing agent/agency, how did you connect with them?

If you have time, either here or in future rambles, I'd like to read your thoughts on your publishing experience (aside from your writing experience which you've chronicled pretty well with your chapter updates). Any information or advice or encouragement for aspiring and struggling novelists would be appreciated.

Thanks, and congratulations again!
Phil Anderson

Greg responds...

1. My situation may be unusual. My editor at St. Martin's was already a friend. He and I would have breakfast at San Diego ComicCon once a year to talk geek stuff. He knew that I had written Rain and that I had stalled out on a rewrite, and he would urge me every year to finish. So when I finally did in February of 2012, I sent it to him. Personally, I'm lousy at networking usually, but there's no doubt it can pay off. And this time I got very lucky.

2. I have an agent. Their main expertise is in animation, but they handle books, as well. When I originally wrote Rain, twelve or so years ago, they sent the book out to various publishers, who all rejected it.

I'm still figuring stuff out. For example, now that the book is out, I need to teach myself how to get the word out about it. That's the main reason I'm on Twitter, but clearly that's not going to be enough. I'm learning this stuff in fits and starts myself. Feel free to ask other questions, but following my progress will probably be equally instructive. (If anything is.)

Response recorded on January 13, 2014

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Avi writes...

1. You write strong female characters with skill(Demona, Gwen, MJ, Artemis, ETC). Since women can be portrayed weak sometimes, how do you do it?
2. Other than Stan Lee's run with Romita and Ditko, what era of Spider-man comics did you enjoyed reading the most?
3. What is your opinion on Spider-man: Kraven's Last Hunt, by JM Dematteis? Most people generally like it but others think it may have been too dark for Spider-man (Dematteis was actually going to have the story be a Batman and Joker story at first)

Thanks for the amazing shows! Spectacular Spider-man (I was looking forward to Season 3-5 and DTV's) was absolutely amazing along with Young Justice (I was so looking forward to the next season). I am only up to Avalon part 1, but Gargoyles has been tremendously fun to watch so far. I don't love Star Wars, but Rebels seems great so far and I can't wait. You are an inspiration to me. Thank you.

Greg responds...

1. I like to think I've portrayed some female characters as strong and others as weak. Some who stay strong, some who weaken. Some who stay weak, some who gain in strength. As to the 'how'… I don't have a magic formula. I'm sure it helps that I've always known, loved, admired and respected strong women all my life, starting with my mom. But really, I don't know any other way to do it.

2. There was some fun stuff for me in the 80s.

3. I haven't read it.

Response recorded on January 08, 2014

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A Flash Fan writes...

Greg,

Thank you again for answering my questions. A few comments I had...

1. When I asked about the grotto and the difference between League and Team members there you said

Greg responds... 1. No. It's about specific circumstances. Keep in mind, these are heroes who are dead (or thought to be, as in the case of Artemis). Nothing on the memorial says HOW they died. By this time, you know how Ted Kord perished -and it wasn't on a Justice League mission. You have no idea yet how Robin or Aquagirl passed. For all you know, the two of them might have been walking down the street in their secret identities, when a piano, a safe and an anvil fell from above. They both dodged the piano and the anvil, but the safe got Jason and then
Tula had a heart attack.

I am sorry, but I just had to say that you made me laugh with the last part! You have great humor and a way of putting things together so accurately... Immediately I thought back to the scene in Alienated where Aqualad is angry at his "former" team for letting Tula die, and I could imagine the scene you described like Nightwing saying "Kaldur they were on a mission and...well Jason got hit by the safe and Tula had a heart attack on their way to Bibbo's..." Anyway I just wanted to thank you...it made my day.

2. You said before the memorials the grotto was used for contemplation by the League? What about...battles? Family? The pizza delivery?

3. What I meant about THE Scene was a moment that could express all about the series in one moment. Like the core or heart of the work. The closest one for me of Season 2 may be when the entire Team gathers and fights in Summit or the very nice panoramic of heroes in Endgame, but for some reason I don't feel it as defined when Superboy and Robin fight Superman and Batman in Season 1. Did that make it a bit clearer?

4. You had reponded to someone else about providing a moral leson is important for you in your shows. I just wanted to thank you for that as well because some Tv today is really bad and doesn't care. It's great but do you think smoking is the worst problem? I totally agree with you but I think there may beother bigger things like war and poverty...well the little things really do make a diference, don't they?

Greg responds...

1. Happy to. (Some fans don't appreciate my sense of humor here quite as much. Glad you did!)

2. The grotto wasn't used for battles or pizza delivery. And Family doesn't gain automatic access to the Cave. But you could eat pizza in the grotto, I guess.

3. I've forgotten what the question is... If you're asking is their one scene that defines the entire season, I'm not sure. My mind doesn't work that way, I suppose. But there are a number of emblematic scenes, including the two you mentioned. Maybe Nightwing's "Business as usual" line?

4. I'm not sure about providing specific moral lessons so much as having a point of view. As for things like WAR and POVERTY, those are very big concepts, and there's not much a cartoon show can do about them EXCEPT have that point of view. But SMOKING is what the network's call an "imitatable action" that I think has serious consequences for impressionable kids. Personally, I have no desire to contribute to the ridiculous notion that smoking is cool.

Response recorded on November 14, 2013

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ANIME VEGAS 2013 - Corrected Schedule

Let's try this again with the correct dates:

As I've mentioned before, I'm a guest at ANIME VEGAS this weekend, November 1-3rd, 2013, at the Renaissance Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada:

http://www.animevegas.com/

Here's my schedule:

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2013
01:00pm - 02:00pm - OPENING CEREMONIES
Cosplay Ballroom.

02:00pm - 03:30pm - GARGOYLES/THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN Panel and Signing
Cosplay Ballroom.

05:00pm - 06:30pm - YOUNG JUSTICE Panel and Signing
Paramount Room with Yuri Lowenthal, the voice of Lagoon Boy, Tempest, Icicle Jr. and Tommy Terror.

06:30pm - 08:00pm - IKKI TOUSEN Panel and Signing
Paramount Room with New Generation Pictures Voice Director and Producer Jonathan Klein.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2013
10:00am - 11:30am - "WRITER'S ROOM" Panel and Signing
Summit Room.

06:30pm - 07:30pm - SIGNING
Summit Room with Jonathan Klein.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2013
09:00am - 10:30am - 3X3 EYES SCREENING, Panel and Signing
Paramount Room with Jonathan Klein.

10:30am - 11:30am - VOICE DIRECTING Panel
Paramount Room with Jonathan Klein.

12:30pm - 01:00pm - SIGNING
Paramount Room with Jonathan Klein.

As you can see, I'm doing a LOT of signing. I'll sign anything you bring along for free. But I'm also bringing a single copy of EVERY one of my Young Justice teleplays (i.e. the ones that I personally wrote), which I'll be selling for $20 per script (cash only) - autographed and personalized to the buyer's taste - on a first-come, first-serve basis, starting with the Young Justice signing at 6pm Friday evening.
So if you're in the vicinity, plan to be there. As you all know, I'm not big on SPOILERS, but I'm WAY, WAY more likely to tease a few things in person than I am on either Twitter or here. So come and be (slightly) better informed!!!


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Anime Vegas - Schedule!

As I've mentioned before, I'll be a guest at ANIME VEGAS this weekend, November 1-3rd, 2013, at the Renaissance Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada:

http://www.animevegas.com/

Here's my schedule:

FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 2013
01:00pm - 02:00pm - OPENING CEREMONIES
Cosplay Ballroom

02:00pm - 03:30pm - GARGOYLES/THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN PANEL and SIGNING
Cosplay Ballroom

05:00pm - 06:30pm - YOUNG JUSTICE PANEL and SIGNING
Paramount Room with Yuri Lowenthal, the voice of Lagoon Boy, Tempest, Icicle Jr. and Tommy Terror.

06:30pm - 08:00pm - IKKI TOUSEN PANEL and SIGNING
Paramount Room with New Generation Pictures Voice Director and Producer Jonathan Klein

SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2013
10:00am - 11:30am - "WRITER'S ROOM" PANEL and SIGNING
Summit Room

06:30pm - 07:30pm - SIGNING
Summit Room with Jonathan Klein

SUNDAY, AUGUST 25, 2013
09:00am - 10:30am - 3X3 EYES SCREENING, PANEL and SIGNING
Paramount Room with Jonathan Klein

10:30am - 11:30am - VOICE DIRECTING
Paramount Room with Jonathan Klein

12:30pm - 01:00pm - SIGNING
Paramount Room with Jonathan Klein

As you can see, I'm doing a LOT of signing. I'll sign anything you bring along for free. But I'm also bringing a single copy of EVERY one of my Young Justice teleplays (i.e. the ones that I personally wrote), which I'll be selling for $20 per script (cash only) - autographed and personalized to the buyer's taste - on a first-come, first-serve basis, starting with the Young Justice signing at 6pm Friday evening.

So if you're in the vicinity, plan to be there. As you all know, I'm not big on SPOILERS, but I'm WAY, WAY more likely to tease a few things in person than I am on either Twitter or here. So come and be (slightly) better informed!!!


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Bianca Ruhland writes...

Hi Greg :)
My name is Bianca Ruhland and currently i have just started my final year getting my double major in Creative Writing and Animation. It's a big wish of mine to one day go on to write for or create a cartoon series of my own (especially of the superhero variety, haha.)
After the series final of Young Justice i just want to say, well done. It's shows like Young Justice i want to show to my own kids one day. It inspires me and i want to work with shows like it one day.
Visually, it's stunning, story wise it's even better. You've managed to find a way to introduce characters to keep existing comic book fans happy, but write it in such a way it introduces new fans as well. That's a very hard to do (from what i've heard). Not to mention, your show is built in such a way that it doesn't patronize children's intelligence. You have connecting story lines about big issues. You show them the power of love and friendship, but also show the realistic side that sometimes, friends fight and relationships end. People grow up on the outside, but not always on the inside. Also, the fact you broke the 'Rule of 3' and had such a large female cast was so awesome!
I'm writing to you as one of many voices of support for this show. It breaks my heart to see it go, especially in favor of other new shows that...well, that just kind of look like the same old stuff personally. It's really upsetting. After watching the final episode, there are so many cliff hangers! And Wally! Also, i've heard rumours that there were plans to bring in Cyborg, Starfire, Raven, Jason Todd and Damian Wayne into the next season. That would have just blown my mind.
I was wondering, Greg, exactly where the show stands right now. Is there a possibility at a Season 3 if Beware the Batman and Teen Titans Go don't fare too well? Can we get it outside of DC Nation or on another channel? Do you have plans for a Kickstarter (ala Veronica Mars?)Is there anything at all being done that you can mention? Like plans for a mini-series or an online follow up comic? (ala Smallville?)
If you can't tell me anything that's fine, but i just wanted to let you know Greg that you did a really great job on this show. You and Bruce Timm are my idols and i hope to be like you one day. If it's possible, please don't give up on the show just yet, not because I and other fans want it, but because i honestly feel that children everywhere NEED it, for what it is and what it teaches.
Thank you for your time.

Greg responds...

Okay, first of all, thank you so much for all the kind words. It's much appreciated.

In that spirit, and since you have stated a sincere interest in being a professional writer, I'd like to offer some advice, which I hope you'll take in the spirit in which it is given: you need to do a better job proofreading, especially when you're expressing your desire to be a pro to a pro. When I look at a potential writer, once I get to the second or third typo, I've generally written that person off. I know this wasn't a formal communication, but you took the time to give me your full name and to list your goals. You never know, and you don't want to poison the water by not ALWAYS putting your best foot forward.

As for the episode, I'm going to state again that there were no cliffhangers in it. Loose ends, yes. Cliffhangers, no.

As for the series' future, there isn't much to tell, but I'll try to answer your questions.

Our pick-up has absolutely NOTHING to do with the success or failure of either Beware the Batman or Teen Titans Go!

I don't know about the health of DC Nation, as I'm no longer at Warner Bros. But it is extremely unlikely that we'd ever get YJ on any channel other than Cartoon Network. Keep in mind that CN, Warner Brothers and DC Comics are all part of the same company, Time-Warner.

I have no plans for a Kickstarter and such plans are beyond my ability without the interest and cooperation of the folks who own YJ, i.e. Time-Warner. I've asked about this option and gotten no encouragement.

There are no current plans for more episodes, spin-offs, mini-series or movies, despite Brandon and I pitching multiple options for all of the above. I have asked DC Comics if they're interested in publishing more YJ or Earth-16 comics, and they have declined.

What there is, is YOUNG JUSTICE LEGACY, a video-game coming out next month with original cannon content, telling an important story from the five-year gap between Season One of Young Justice and Season Two. If this sells well - really well - then it represents our best chance of telling additional stories down the line. There's also the soundtrack album, the various DVDs and Trade Paperbacks collecting the comics. Again, the best way to get more YJ is to vote with your wallet or purse!!

And I'll NEVER give up on the show. It's important to insert reality into any conversation about bringing it back, but that doesn't mean I don't still have hope.

Response recorded on October 07, 2013

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Marvelman writes...

First, thank-you for doing this. I really appreciate you taking the time to answer our questions and respond to comments. I realize that it must try your patience. Many of the posters have clearly not read the rules, and many of the questions are blatant spoiler requests or have already been answered. And, as much as I hate to admit it, I may have broken the rules a few times myself.

I'm currently writing a fantasy novel for girls. I'd like to ask about the following:

1) I notice that you refer to using a board and cards. In your experience, is it better to do an outline before you start writing a novel whether it is on paper or on index cards? Some writers and writing teachers talk about finding the story as you go along. One writing teacher of mine said that he wouldn't bother writing a story if he knew how it was going to end ahead of time. (Personally, I find having an outline gives me great peace of mind, and if a better idea comes to me as I'm writing, I just change the outline.) What are your thoughts on this?

2) Another of my writing teachers recommended writing out a thirty page biography of your main character to give him or her more depth. Does this strike you as a useful exercise?

Sincerely,

Marvelman

Greg responds...

1. To each his or her own, but personally, I couldn't write anything of any length without outlining it in advance. Doesn't mean I stick to it rigidly. If better ideas come or the story wants to move in a different direction, so be it. But I need a base. I once tried writing a comic book script without outlining it in advance, and it was way more work for me, then if I had. And a comic is about the equivalent of a third of a television episode.

2. It could be. I don't know about giving a specific page count for that sort of thing. I tend to write bullet points. Things I've established, things I want to establish, etc. It's as long as it needs to be, as opposed to being a set thirty pages of prose. But again, to each his or her own.

Response recorded on September 24, 2013

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Blaze writes...

Hello, I'm a big fan of your work, especially W.I.T.C.H, which never seems to get the credit it deserves. So I've just a got a few questions on that front.
1. About how old is Phobos?
2. Was there ever a plan to show more about Elyon/Phobos's biological parents, and if so, what were they like, especially to Phobos?
3. I know this is a bit vague,so no worries if there's no answer. I like to write, but I always have a hard time coming up with villains. Any advice on how to create an interesting bad guy?

Thanks!

Greg responds...

1. I don't recall, I'm afraid. SO LONG AGO.

2. They were decent people. Perhaps over-indulgent. And probably in some denial.

3. Start with your hero and hold a mirror up to some aspect of him or her. Then twist.

Response recorded on March 14, 2013

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Connor writes...

Hi Greg! I wanted to ask about your methods of storytelling. For adapted shows like The Spectacular Spider-Man and Young Justice, you seem to have planned out certain events and arcs in advance and seem to include nothing if you aren't going to follow up on it later. Do you have a personal set of rules or guidelines for when you work on projects like these?

Greg responds...

It's no different on any project. We try to plan as much in advance as possible, while still leaving ourselves open to discoveries along the way.

Response recorded on December 12, 2012

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C. David Cole writes...

Hi Mr. Weisman

When writing a series, especially a superhero series, there usually are a set of recurring villains that the hero(es) face off against.

My question is once you've introduced a villain for the first time, how do you decide when or if you'll bring a villain back for another episode/issue?

Is it random? Do you say to yourself "I haven't seen this character in a while so I'm bringing him/her back"?

Or

Is it more situational/theme-oriented? Do you say to yourself "This is the place my hero(es) are in right now and this is the message I want to convey"?

I'll use Batman as an example of what I mean by situational/theme-oriented. Let's say Batman has just lost a loved one, and since Batman is dealing with lost you use this as a perfect opportunity to introduce Mr. Freeze, a villain who is also dealing with the lost of a loved one. Mr. Freeze is thematically tied to the idea of isolation and lost; but you can't keep killing Batman's love ones just to bring Mr. Freeze back, so what do you do?

Greg responds...

If you follow ANY of the above paths, I don't think you're listening very much to your characters. Generally, when things are working right, they tell you what happens next.

See, you track them all. Track what motivates them and what they would do next and look for the intersections.

Response recorded on December 11, 2012


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