Greg's Latest Responses : Ask Greg

Question from Steve Hockensmith

Steve Hockensmith asks:

How old where Jamie and Tye when they met?

Greg responds:

I'm assuming Jamie is a typo for Jaime. Or did you mean Jamie Thomason our voice director? Nah.

So, Jaime and Tye were both born in 1999. I haven't specifically worked out exactly when they met, but from their point of view, they've been buddies forever.

Response recorded on May 20, 2022

Question from Jen

Jen asks:

How do you feel about DC comics adapting your original characters or your interpretations of minor characters?

For instance, how would you feel if Artemis Crock was made Cheshire's sister on Earth-Prime? Would you take it as a compliment to your choices? Or dislike someone else using your story beats?

You've also made clear that Kaldur'ahm and Jackson Hyde are two different characters to you. Is that because there are too many differences between the two? Or because only the Earth-16 Kaldur will ever be seen the character in your eyes?

Greg responds:

I'm hesitant to address ideas without taking the execution of those ideas into account, but generally (and hypothetically)...

1. I think that'd be cool, again, depending on how it was handled. I like them as sisters.

2. I think there are too many differences between Jackson and Kaldur. I have other behind-the-scene resentments, as well, which are not politic for me to comment on in any more detail.

Response recorded on May 20, 2022

Question from Anonymous

Anonymous asks:

1 Why did you choose ocean master as a member of the light?
2 Since Artemis said that acquiring the justice leagueâ€™s Intel has been a goal that the light has been after for a long time why didnâ€™t vandal savage steal the data when he had the entire justice league under his control

Greg responds:

1. Many reasons, including but not limited to (a) his reach across the oceans and (b) his intimate knowledge and access to the Atlantean leadership and (c) his resources.

2. Maybe he did. But that was ten years ago. Maybe he wanted an update.

Response recorded on May 20, 2022

Question from Anonymous

Anonymous asks:

What is Arsenalâ€™s relationship with Lian like

Greg responds:

Avuncular.

Response recorded on May 20, 2022

Question from BatFan2099

BatFan2099 asks:

Were Mal Duncan and Karen Beecher married when their daughter was born?

Greg responds:

Yep.

Response recorded on May 20, 2022

Question from Anonymous

Anonymous asks:

Isnâ€™t mâ€™comm like the biological equivelant of 18? Since he is so young how is he the leader of the white martian resistance? Arenâ€™t there any older white martianâ€™s with more experience in the resistance?

Greg responds:

1. M'comm M'orzz was born in 1968.

2. He took leadership.

3. There clearly are.

Response recorded on May 20, 2022

Question from Kimmy

Kimmy asks:

What month in 2016 was Wally west's funerial happen? What month in 2017 did Garfield's stepdad take Garfield from Miss Martian? How did Queen Perdita find out Wally West was dead?

Greg responds:

1. June.

2. It was late 2016, but we haven't nailed down a specific month.

3. No spoilers.

Response recorded on May 20, 2022

Question from Anonymous

Anonymous asks:

What is halo exactly? A motherbox in gabrielle body or a new entity created from both the motherbox and gabrielle?

Greg responds:

Yes.

Response recorded on May 19, 2022

Question from Anonymous

Anonymous asks:

I find the way you've responded to criticism for seasons 2 and 3 really off-putting. Whenever people say they didn't like the 5 year time-skip, or that they don't like how only a few characters get focus, or that they miss the season 1 style storytelling, etc. your response is almost always something like "it's my show I'll do whatever I want and I don't care what you guys want" and I've even seen you imply that fans are entitled for getting upset that their favorite characters don't get screentime. A writer doesn't create content just for themselves, you create content that is meant to be consumed by others. And you have one of the most dedicated fanbases in history who performed a miracle resurrecting this show. We're allowed to have opinions. Why is it so hard for you to acknowledge that you took a big risk after season 1 and understand why not everyone is happy with the direction you went in?

Greg responds:

I do understand. I totally understand that we took a big risk and I totally understand that not everyone is happy with it. FULL STOP.

What I'm at a loss to understand is what I'm expected to do about it.

Keep in mind, responses come after the work is concluded. Concluded. I can't change history and undo stuff that's already been done.

And, of course, I don't want to, either. Cuz I like what we did. (I mean maybe not every second of every episode, but the vast tapestry of the thing, certainly.) And, frankly, the majority of our fandom agrees, judging by numbers alone. So even if I could, whom should I make changes for? A minority of fans who want one change or a different minority of fans who want some other change?

Beyond that, I'll simply repeat what I've always said. Brandon and I have to be passionate about what we're doing. That means following our best instincts and hoping that a majority of the fans like the result. So far that's basically worked for us. Not for EVERY fan, but for the great majority. It may not always work, of course, but what's the alternative? That we write stuff we don't like, to maybe please a subset of the fandom? How would that work? I mean, if Brandon and I aren't passionate about the work, how can we expect anyone - ANYONE - to view it and feel passionately about it. It would be hollow.

And your post is resplendent with that very contradiction: you say we have "one of the most dedicated fanbases in history who performed a miracle resurrecting this show," and I would sincerely agree wholeheartedly. But I have to think that the reason the fanbase is dedicated and performed that miracle is because they basically like what BV and I are doing. I mean the miracle happened after the timeskip. If the timeskip killed the show for the majority of the fandom, then I have to assume they wouldn't have helped us come back, right?

I can see how you interpret all of the above into "it's my show I'll do whatever I want and I don't care what you guys want," but I don't think that's fair. It's certainly doesn't capture the gist of what I've said, even if in essence, it reflects the end result. What I'm saying is, "we're the creators of the show and we HAVE to do the show we want because the alternative is something that literally winds up pleasing nobody."

If that's off-puttiing, I'm sorry. But it does have the virtue of being honest.

Response recorded on May 19, 2022

Question from Liam

Liam asks:

1: Is madame Xanadu the Arthurian nimue?
2: If Xanadu is nimue, how is she alive today? Reincarnation or immortality?
3: Considering you did your own takes on arthurian legends in gargoyles, will that those interpretations influence Xanadu and maybe other dc characters tied to arthurian legends?
4: Was Xanadu's accent authentic or was it always just something she played up while fortune telling?
5: When did Xanadu start using real magic in the present day?

Greg responds:

1. No spoilers.

2. No spoilers.

3. If I'm understanding your question correctly, than no. My interpretations of the Arthurian myths and legends for Gargoyles won't influence any adaptations of the DC version of Arthurian myths and legends for YJ.

4. Which accent?

5. After meeting Kent and (ironically) being convinced that real magic exists thanks to Abra Kadabra.

Response recorded on May 19, 2022

Question from Borris

Borris asks:

Hi Greg.

1: Has Lois won a pulitzer in universe?

2: How proud of you about the continued success of Kaldur'ahm? DC's Aquaman: The Becoming shows that he's become a mainstay of the DC universe

Greg responds:

1. Hm. Not sure. I'd want to discuss that with Brandon.

2. I know I should just say, "It's great!" But iIs it fair to say I have mixed feelings? On the one hand, I feel like the Jake that's soon to star in his own show is two iterations removed from Kaldur (via Jackson), and that Brandon, Phil and I don't get the proper credit for creating what was the basis for the character. On the other hand, I'm glad that his reach is expanding on any level. It's a conundrum.

Response recorded on May 19, 2022