AUTHOR/CREATOR INTERVIEW: Greg Weisman

[When I was forced to cancel my plans for the second day of Long Beach Comic Expo, I was afraid my interview subjects would find me unprofessional, but thankfully they understood why I had to forgo the second day and agreed to do the interviews online.
So, I am proud and pleased to present to you all my interview with Emmy nominated animator, novelist, comic book writer and television writer, Greg Weisman!--KSR]

1. When/why did you decide to get into animation?

I didn't really.  While I was working full-time in comics, I got the chance to co-write one episode of the animated series Jem and the Holograms.  I was hoping that would lead to more work, but it didn't.  Then I moved back to California to attend graduate school.  I interviewed with Gary Krisel, who at the time ran all of Walt Disney Television.  He thought I'd be a good fit for his new Television Animation division, and I was eventually hired there.  But there was no plan or decision on my part originally.  I was just following the work.

2. Before Gargoyles was adapted as a "dark" show, you had originally intended for it to be a comedy. How would it have been different if the original version had aired?

First off, I don't think Gargoyles was EVER a "dark" show.  And it certainly was never developed that way.  We did originally develop it as an adventure-comedy, and later redeveloped it as an action-drama with humor, which I'll acknowledge is an important distinction.  But it never was nor was it ever meant to be "dark".  Even our color design was brighter and richer than, say, the design work on the seminal Batman: The Animated Series.  Anyway, if you want a good idea of what the show would have been like if we had sold the adventure-comedy version, then simply watch Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears.  Change the cute, colorful bears to cute, colorful gargoyles and set it in the modern world instead of medieval times.  Otherwise, the basics of the two versions of Gargoyleswere fundamentally the same.  Gargoyles had a spell cast on them, and woke up in modern-day Manhattan.  It was only the tone that changed.  And the addition of the character of Goliath, who did not exist in any ur-version in the comedy development.

3. What cartoons did you enjoy as a child?

Many.  Bugs Bunny.  Speed Racer.  Space Ghost.  Jonny Quest.  Anything with Marvel or DC super-heroes.  (I was desperate for that stuff.)  And a lot more.

4. What animated show, current or past, would you love to work on?

Oh, I don't know.  My brain doesn't really work that way.  I'd like to make more episodes of Gargoyles, The Spectacular Spider-Man, W.I.T.C.H., Young Justice.  I'm thrilled to be on the show I'm on now.  It's all good.

5. Have you ever or do you want to work on a live-action adventure show like Arrow?

I'd love to.  Tried desperately to just get an interview to write on Arrow.  Couldn't get my foot in the door.  I've been typecast as an animation guy.  It's hard in this business to change people's minds sometimes.

6. You got to write for the Young Justice comic after working on the show. For you, what's the biggest difference between writing television and writing comics?

Density.  One episode of a half-hour television show is about the equivalent of three issues of a comic book.

7. What was the inspiration behind your novel Rain Of The Ghosts?

So many inspirations...  The main source is the wonderful mythology of the Taíno people, i.e. the indigenous Pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Caribbean.  But I get inspiration from everywhere, including my father's love of World War II aircraft, Shakespeare's The Tempest, visiting the Caribbean myself, watching tourist service workers, etc.

8. Would you ever want to see the Rain Cacique books as a film? If yes, who would you want to be involved in it?

Yes.  And YES!

9. You've written two books based on the character Rain Cacique. Do you plan on continuing the series?

Yes.  In theory, it's a nine-book series, at least.

10. What are some of your personal favorite comics and novels that inspire you?

I'm a big Shakespeare fanatic.  I love Faulkner.  I love Dickens and Austin.  In comics, I loved Brave and the Bold #193.  And many others.

11. As a Shakespeare fan myself since childhood, I love the charactes and scenes you've randomly inserted into your work. How did you get into Shakespeare and what's your favorite work of his?

Well, I wouldn't say "randomly." It's all been meticulously thought out.  I started really loving Shakespeare in college.  And after college began chasing productions, trying to see as many shows as I could.  I don't have one favorite play, because there are elements in nearly all of them that intrigue me.  My single favorite Shakespearean character is Edmund the Bastard from King Lear.

12. Thank you for participating in the interview. Can you please leave the readers with three things that may surprise them about you?

Oy.
1. I'm red-green color deficient.
2. I'm a fundamentally lazy human being.
3. I drive a stick-shift by choice.

Find Mr. Weisman online via:

Twitter

Amazon

Facebook

PRESS RELEASE: Announcing the Finalists for the First Ever Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity at Long Beach Comic Expo

Announcing the Finalists for the First Ever Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity

February 18, Long Beach, CA) The finalists for the first ever Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity Award were announced today. The five nominated titles are:

HEX11 by  Lisa K. Weber and Kelly Sue Milano (HexComics)

M.F.K. by Nilah Magruder (http://www.mfkcomic.com/)

MS. MARVEL by G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona (Marvel Entertainment)

THE SHADOW HERO by Gene Luen Yang and Sonny Liew (First Second Books)

SHAFT by David F. Walker and Bilquis Evely (Dynamite Entertainment)

The winner will be announced at the first ever Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity ceremony event to be held later this month at Long Beach Comic Expo on Saturday February 28 at 2 PM PT. The Award is named in honor of Dwayne McDuffie, the legendary writer and producer who co-founded and created Milestone Media. As a writer, Dwayne created or co-created more than a dozen series, including DAMAGE CONTROL, DEATHLOK II, ICON, STATIC, XOMBI, THE ROAD TO HELL and HARDWARE.

“The nominees for the first ever Dwayne McDuffie Award reflect the best of what a comic book can be,” said Matt Wayne, the Director of the Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity. “These five titles, as different as they are, reflect Dwayne’s aspirations for the comic book industry. They are diverse, inclusive and forward looking.”

“I am so proud that my husband's personal mission to include a more diverse array of voices--both in content and creators--is able to continue now through this Award in his name, by encouraging others who share his vision of comics, characters, and the industry itself better mirroring society,” said Charlotte McDuffie.

The Dwayne McDuffie Award Selection Committee consists of eight prominent comics and animation professionals who knew McDuffie and have demonstrated a commitment to inclusiveness:

Neo Edmund – Novelist, animation and comics writer;

Joan Hilty – Nickelodeon Comics Editor; Creator of Bitter Girl;

Joseph Illidge – Former Editor, Milestone and DC Comics; Columnist, Comic Book Resources; Writer, First Second Books;

Heidi MacDonald – Editor in Chief, The Beat;

Glen Murakami – Producer/Supervising Director, DC animated properties and Ben 10: Alien Force/Ultimate Alien;

Eugene Son – Comics writer/Story Editor, Ultimate Spider-Man Animated;

William J. Watkins – Writer; Former owner, Chicago's first Black-owned comics store;

Len Wein – Co-creator Swamp Thing, Wolverine, New X-Men; Former Editor-in-Chief- of Marvel Comics and Senior Editor, DC Comics.

“The Long Beach shows are committed to diversity,” said Martha Donato, Executive Director of Long Beach Comic Expo. “It’s our great pleasure to host the Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity Award ceremony and to celebrate the legacy of a wonderful man and writer who inspired so many people with his words, his action and his creations.”

Reginald Hudlin, an innovator of the modern black film movement (House Party, Boomerang and BeBe’s Kids), will be the Keynote Speaker at the Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity Award ceremony later this month.

Tickets for Long Beach Comic Expo are available now at www.longbeachcomicexpo.com. Follow Long Beach Comic Expo on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and information about the McDuffie Award.

For interview requests contact:

David Hyde

Superfan Promotions LLC

david.hyde@superfanpromotions.com; 917-803-6684

@superfanpr

ABOUT THE CREATORS OF HEX11:

Kelly Sue Milano was introduced to comics the way most five-year-old girls are: by getting taken to the Fullerton AMC Theaters to see Batman with her Dad in the summer of 1989. Though she wasn't stoked at first, what followed was total and complete love. Not just with superheroes and comics - but with stories. She has been published in the Orange County Register, has written award-winning short stories, monologues, and comedy sketches, and has contributed to the development of several film projects for Periscope Entertainment. She also curates the blog for A.WAKE; a movement dedicated to celebrating female artists. Kelly Sue is a sucker for Nabakov and fancy coffee and currently lives in Los Angeles with her dog, Louie.

Lisa K. Weber makes art for comics, kid’s books, and cartoons. She also enjoys satire, white wine, and classic rock hits. She has created artwork for comic adaptations of Edgar Allan Poe's Hop-Frog, Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray, Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla, and Saki’s Tobermory, all featured in Graphic Classics. Her illustrations have appeared in publications from Penguin Books, Houghton-Mifflin Harcourt, Scholastic Inc, and Capstone Press. She has also contributed character designs and storyboards for Nickelodeon, Curious Pictures, and PBS Kids. Lisa currently lives and works in Los Angeles, California.

ABOUT THE CREATORS OF M.F.K.:

Nilah Magruder is a storyboard and concept artist artist in Los Angeles. Born and raised in Maryland, from a young age she developed an eternal love for three things: nature, books, and animation. Naturally, all of her school notebooks were full of doodles of animals and cartoon characters.

Nilah received a B.A. in communication arts from Hood College and B.F.A. in computer animation from Ringling College of Art and Design. She has illustrated for comics, children's books, film and commercial television. Interested in exploring diversity in storytelling, she launched the action-adventure webcomic M.F.K. She believes that everyone should have characters with whom they can relate in their chosen entertainment, be it comic book, novel, film, TV, or video game.

ABOUT THE WRITER & ARTIST OF MS. MARVEL:

G. Willow Wilson is a novelist and comic book writer based in Seattle. Her works include the novel Alif the Unseen, a New York Times Notable Book and winner of the 2013 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel. She is the creator, with artist Adrian Alphona, of the bestselling All-New Ms. Marvel series from Marvel Comics. Her series Air (DC/Vertigo) and Mystic: The Tenth Apprentice (Marvel) were both nominated for Eisner Awards. In what spare time she has, Willow enjoys playing MMOs, watching British television, cooking, and maintaining the proud tradition of the Oxford comma. She lives with her husband and their two children.

Adrian Alphona is the artist of MS. MARVEL. He illustrated an acclaimed run of RUNAWAYS written by Brian K Vaughan for Marvel Entertainment.

ABOUT THE CREATORS OF THE SHADOW HERO :

Gene Luen Yang's 2006 book American Born Chinese was the first graphic novel to be nominated for a National Book Award and the first to win the American Library Association's Michael L. Printz Award. His 2013 two-volume graphic novel Boxers & Saints was also nominated for a National Book Award and won the L.A. Times Book Prize.  Gene currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife and children.

Sonny Liew is a comic artist, painter and illustrator whose work includes titles for DC Vertigo, Marvel Comics and First Second Books. He has received Eisner nominations for his art on Wonderland (Disney), as well as for spearheading Liquid City (Image Comics), a multi-volume comics anthology featuring creators from Southeast  Asia. His Malinky Robot series was a Xeric grant recipient and winner of the Best Science Fiction Comic Album Award at the Utopiales SF Festival in Nantes (2009).
His latest work is The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye, which will be published by Pantheon Books in 2016.

ABOUT THE WRITER & ARTIST OF SHAFT:

David F. Walker is an award-winning journalist, filmmaker, and author of the YA series The Adventures of Darius Logan. His publication BadAzz MoFo became internationally known as the indispensable resource guide to black films of the 1970s. His work in comics includes the series Shaft (Dynamite Entertainment), Doc Savage (Dynamite Entertainment), Number 13 (Dark Horse Comics), The Army of Dr. Moreau (IDW/Monkeybrain Comics), and The Supernals Experiment (Canon Comics).

Bilquis Evely is a 24-year-old Brazilian comic book artist. She started her professional life in 2010 as the penceiller of the Brazilian comic book, Luluzinha Teen e Sua Turma" Her recent work includes The Shadow and Doc Savage for Dynamite. She is currently working on Shaft, which is written by David F. Walker.

ABOUT DWAYNE MCDUFFIE:

Dwayne McDuffie is best known as the co-founder and creator of Milestone Media. He was a Story Editor on the KIDS WB’s Emmy Award-winning animated series STATIC SHOCK, which he co-created. He was also a Producer and Story Editor on Cartoon Network’s JUSTICE LEAGUE. He was Editor-In-Chief of Milestone Media’s award-winning line of comic books, managing an editorial operation which boasted the best on-time delivery record in the industry for nearly four years running and has also worked as an editor for Marvel Comics and Harvey Entertainment. As a writer, Dwayne created or co-created more than a dozen series, including DAMAGE CONTROL, DEATHLOK II, ICON, STATIC, XOMBI, THE ROAD TO HELL and HARDWARE. He wrote stories for dozens of other comics, including, SPIDER-MAN, BATMAN: LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT, THE TICK, CAPTAIN MARVEL, AVENGERS SPOTLIGHT, BACK TO THE FUTURE, HELLRAISER, ULTRAMAN, (The Artist Formerly Known As) PRINCE and X-O MANOWAR.
Dwayne won the 2003 HUMANITAS PRIZE for “Jimmy,” a STATIC SHOCK script about gun violence in schools. He was nominated for two EMMY AWARDS for the TV series STATIC SHOCK, a WRITERS GUILD AWARD for the TV series JUSTICE LEAGUE and three EISNER AWARDS for his work in comic books. His comic book work won eleven PARENTS’ CHOICE AWARDS, six “Best Editor” awards, and a GOLDEN APPLE AWARD for his “use of popular art to promote and enhance human dignity.”

Dwayne was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan and attended The Roeper School. Before entering comics, he studied in undergraduate and graduate programs at The University of Michigan, then attended film school at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. He also co-hosted a radio comedy program, while moonlighting pseudonymously as a freelance writer for stand-up comedians and late-night television comedy programs. He wrote scripts for an animated feature, episodes of BEN 10: ALIEN FORCE, STATIC SHOCK!, JUSTICE LEAGUE, WHAT’S NEW, SCOOBY-DOO? and TEEN TITANS.

ABOUT LONG BEACH EXPO:

Long Beach Comic Expo is an annual event held at the Long Beach Convention Center that celebrates comic books and pop culture and showcases the exceptional works of talented writers, artists, illustrators and creators of all types of pop culture. At Long Beach Comic Expo, you’ll find exhibitors promoting and selling all types of related products, as well as entertaining and educational programs for all ages, guest signings and meet & greet sessions with celebrities. Long Beach Comic Expo is a MAD Event Management, LLC production. To learn more and purchase tickets, please visit www.longbeachcomicexpo.com.