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Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...

{Apologies if this is a double post}
Downtime: reactions/questions:
I enjoyed the recent episode. I can't say it was one of my favorites so far, but by definintion not every ep can be...

Main story-
1-I applaud the use of an Atlantian language, but Kal and Aquaman's speach seemed oddly stiff, almost robotic. Was this intentional to show the formalities of royalty?
2-The switch to English was nearly seemless. I didn't even notice it at first and then almost thought it was that Atlantian was used for formal situations like talking to royalty and spells. I jumped back and caught the flash in the pot switch over. (Added little meta moment of her asking if it worked and how would she know.)
3-I also liked the reverse of expectation that it seems the king's brother is loyal.
4-I did feel That Black Manta reporting to The Light was anticlimactic. All his taunting to Kal about it being lesser to serve seems hypocritical, and it wastes having a voice with the acting chops to pull a "If I can't have it no one can!" scream without sounding like a petulant child. Ironically I could have happily accepted all this as a great reversal of expectation, but after The Light being in just about every episode as the big bad behind the curtain I've got a little fatigue on them. I need to see the cast dealing with unrelated crimes too.

The rest of the story-
5-the animation continues to impress, I'd almost say it is a clear gemlike quality to it. Very expressive, very detailed (for animation) and still very clean. The interaction between Conner and Megan especially showcase it. {And also brings up a few questions; Did they kiss? How much does Red Toranado get? (I'd wager more than they'd guess if his wife and daughter come over from the print version) Why does Conner watch static? etc.}
6-Bruce continues to seem very intuned to people, including the ones closest to him. It takes me a while to get used to that, but I'm liking it. When it came to the basketball game, complete with smile, a thought had occured to me- is this an intentional reference to early Batman? I have not read the early Teen Titan stories, but I know the increasingly strained relationship beteen Dick and Bruce was an issue. But I also (again largely without reading) know that in the days before dark 'realism' took hold in comics they had a much easier relationship. Given how young Dick is in this series, it this an intentional connection to that stage of the relationship in the orignal form? And if so, (probably heading into No Comment territory), is the breakdown of that relationship the future in store?
7-Flash family was a hoot. I love seeing functional families getting equal playtime in fiction, and it reinforces they sense that we are in a fully functioning universe with history.
8-Artimas and her mom was intriging as well- Everytime you see a parent aware of that sort of extra-caricular activity you get curious, but the love is clear. Add to that that we know she has a past with the League of Assasins - seeing her actually having a home with a parent and a school life caught me by surprise.

Looking fwd to the next installment!

Greg responds...

1. Neither.

2. Thanks. We were definitely shooting for seamless.

3. Me too.

4. <shrug> "WE LIKE OUR SHOW."

5a. No.

5b. More than most - but he doesn't have a wife or daughter.

5c. I don't think he was WATCHING static. I think he was thinking, and he didn't mind the white noise as a background. (My fourteen-year-old son goes to sleep to white noise every night. I fear for his eventual college roommate, really I do.)

6. I never bought into the comics I read (in my teens and early twenties) that depicted Batman and Robin (i.e. Dick, pre-Nightwing) having this incredibly strained relationship. It always seemed forced to me. Like Batman was suddenly made to act like a jerk to predicate Robin asserting his independence. It seemed unnecessary. Robin/Dick can grow and evolve and become independent without Bruce suddenly acting like a prick. (I mean, my dad is a great guy. And yet, somehow I managed to grow up without him suddenly acting like a jerk.) Just my opinion, of course, but the YJ crew tended to agree with me, so we went a way that felt more natural to us.

7. Thanks. We had fun showing that scene. (I'm personally a big fan of Jay and Joan.)

8. No comment.

Response recorded on May 16, 2011