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Ashley writes...

First off, thanks for reaching out to the fans! I cannot believe I didn't realize before that you were behind Roughneck Chronicles, my all time favorite show as a kid. (I know this show is getting old now, so my questions may be out of date, but I appreciate you taking the time anyways.)

1. Are you a fan of Heinlein?
2. Was the ending of the series already scripted before production issues caused the premature cut off, or was it just conceptualized?
3. Were there any characters in that ensemble that were easier or, conversely, harder to write for?

Greg responds...

1. I'm a fan of a lot of Heinlein, but I won't pretend I've read even close to all his stuff. But "All You Zombies" is a great short story, and I love STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND, THE PAST THROUGH TOMORROW and TIME ENOUGH FOR LOVE, all of which I first read as a teenager. "Requiem" is one of the most beautiful, heart-breaking short stories I've ever read.

2. It was scripted AND recorded.

3. Not that I recall. But it was a long time ago.

Response recorded on December 09, 2013

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A Flash Fan writes...

While on the topic of CGI, do you prefer this method or the classic hand drawings for animation and why? I know your series have mostly been all drawings (I think) but wanted to see.

Greg responds...

I don't have a preference if the series is developed correctly for the medium it's using. I did Roughnecks: the Starship Troopers Chronicles in CGI, and I think it worked great. I did Max Steel (Season One only), and although I'm proud of our scripts, I DON'T think it worked great, because the series as it was developed (by me but under marching orders from multiple very large companies) didn't work in CGI.

Response recorded on March 22, 2013

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gaiachild writes...

It isn't really much of a question, but all in all, I just wanted to say "Thank you". Thank you for all the high quality shows you produced that enriched my childhood and still give me intelligent and gripping entertainment in my favorite media, animated shows, as an adult.
Most off all, I also wanted to express my admiration for your resolve. While privately I may often joke bitterly about the "Weisman curse" whenever one of your shows gets unfairly canceled way too soon despite (arguably) having the best quality in the entire program. You will always have my gratitude for continuing to produce great shows despite all the stones placed in your way.

As for questions:
1. If you had the means to, would you do a Young Justice/Gargoyles Crossover?
2. Sorry to bring up this unfairly missed opportunity gain, but if you had remained on the staff for "The Roswell Conspiracies", do you think that show would at some point crossed over with Gargoyles?
3. In the spirit of question one, do you think Demona would make a good Red Lantern?

In any case, once again, thank you. Thank you for raising the quality and complexity of the already great W.I.T.C.H. cartoon, thank you for producing the best animated Spider-Man series to date, thank you for bringing Starshiptroopers to the screen in the way it should have been in the first place, thank you for doing such a great job with Max Steel, thank you for doing a huge part in keeping animated DC material extremely high quality, especially at the moment, and of course, thank you for Gargoyles, probably my favorite franchise ever, and I am rooting for you to one day get it back and do more wonders with it.

Greg responds...

1. I don't think so. Maybe as a radio play. But I don't see the two universes as being particularly compatible.

2. No. Two different companies.

3. See, this kinda thing doesn't interest me much. If you think so, great.

Thanks for all your kind words.

Response recorded on December 14, 2012

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Femi writes...

I have a rather odd question. First is it true that the final episodes of Roughnecks were read during a Gargoyle Gathering? If so do you have any idea where i could get my hands on that? I hope this does not violate the spoiler rule

Greg responds...

It's true. The 2000 Gathering Players performed a radio play version of the final three - never produced - episodes of Roughnecks: The Starship Troopers Chronicles.

But "get [your] hands on" what exactly? On a live event that took place twelve years ago? How would that be possible?

Response recorded on November 15, 2012

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Edward writes...

Is the Green Arrow short in continuity with Young Justice since you were/are involved with both?

Greg responds...

I was also involved with W.I.T.C.H., Starship Troopers, Gargoyles and the Spectacular Spider-Man, and none of those are in continuity with Young Justice.

Response recorded on April 07, 2011

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Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...

I finally got around to reading Starship Trooper. I'm not entirely clear how involved a story editor is on an overall series versus a producer, so please forgive me if I ask questions that don't apply...

Roughnecks was clearly based on the hoaky movie, though without the hoakiness and restoring some of the most glarring ommisions - most obviously the exosuits that made fighting with the bugs the least bit sensical. Other aspects of the book could enter in simply by virtue of the time to do so, like the Skinny's. Like in the movie; Rico, Dizzy and Carl (& Carmen) form the nucleous of characters instead of it just being Rico's story. Dizzy and Carl aren't dead. (In general the troopers have way better survival rates.) His father is dead. Dizzy is female as are many infantry troopers. (And there are probably a lot more male pilots than the none I remember in the book; just a mention that men were physically inferior for the job.) etc. The choices make sense- you can't build off of a franchise popularity by ignoring the franchise. Also, the book covers decades of Ricos life and development and often not in chronological order.

I still love the series but and think it was really great military storytelling (and I apologize for relying on years old memory here) but I don't really remember much of Heinlein's philosophy of citizenship and responsibility and, for lack of a better term (because he clearly thought Carmen qualified), 'manliness' coming up. Browsing through the archive I see that Heinlein is one of your favorite authors and that you 'tried to slide in a few' controversial ideas but there were limitations of formate that got in the way.
Questions:
1- a clarification- it was the time and pace limitation of a 30minute show versus that of a prose novel and not controversy that was the main impediment, right?
2-if you can still recall at this point, where and when did the urge to slide in the ideas come up? specific events or in general.
3-a stretch: The idea to wound one trooper and have his son be sent in his place- was that all an attempt to capture a little of the interaction or at least themes between Rico and his father?
4-what are you personal thoughts on Heinlein's ideas?
5-do you have outlines or summaries of the concluding episodes that never were produced that could be posted here?

Greg responds...

1. Yes. But we did address the "citizenship" thing in the flashback episode to Rico's senior year in high school.

2. I think those ideas informed the series. Where we had room to spell them out, we did.

3. I don't think so. We just wanted to show the realities of a long war, while giving our characters great fodder. It felt right, mostly.

4. Some of them are appealing on some level. But mostly, I wouldn't want to live in that world.

5. I have scripts for sure. Maybe outlines. (Although, I don't have ANY of it HERE in my WB office.) Don't know about posting them. I'll think about it.

Response recorded on December 30, 2010

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RADIO PLAY: The History

I posted this in the comment room, but Todd suggested I repost it here...

RADIO PLAYS...

Sometimes I just don't have anything Gargoyles for us to do. And I'm not sure if just doing old episodes is all that interesting. And the other things have been fun... at least it seemed that way to me.

Here's a history of the works of the GATHERING PLAYERS...

1998 - RAIN OF THE GHOSTS (an unproduced pilot I wrote)
1999 - THE ROSWELL CONSPIRACIES (a rejected pilot I wrote)
2000 - ROUGHNECKS: THE STARSHIP TROOPERS CHRONICLES (the last arc of the series, which I story edited, half of which was unproduced. Written by me, Jon Weisman Lydia Marano, Cary Bates and Michael Reaves.)
2001 - GARGOYLES: "Hunter's Moon, Part Three" (Note: this was the first time that we actually did something gargoyles related for the radio play. This included scenes that were cut for time from the original. Written by Michael Reaves.)
2002 - TEAM ATLANTIS: "The Last" (Unproduced episode featuring Demona and Fiona Canmore, written by me)
2003 - GARGOYLES: "The Reckoning" (Performed in honor of Gary Sperling, who co-wrote the script with Lydia.)
2004 - GARGOYLES: "The Journey" (my uncut version of the script)
2005 - DOC SHAKESPEARE (An unproduced pilot written by myself and Sam Bernstein)
2006 - GARGOYLES: "The Mirror" (written by Lydia Marano and Brynne Chandler Reaves)
2007 - GARGOYLES: "Clan Building, Chapters III, IV & V: Invitation Only, Masque & Bash" - (from the comic, premeiring chapter V before it was published. Written by me...)
2008 - Geez, I should probably figure this out soon...

Anyway, you can see that traditionally, we've only done something gargish about half the time. For me it's fun to get to see my unproduced work performed, and it does give the fans a little insight into the biz. In any case, I've never heard any complaints from the folks who attended.
Greg Weisman
OFF TO CHICAGO... ON A WING AND A PRAYER...


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Lawrence Matheson writes...

who invented robotic body armour? was it MacBeth?Renard?Xanitos? or someone else?

Greg responds...

I think it was Robert Heinlein.

Response recorded on May 19, 2005

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Shan writes...

Greg --

Posting this though I know it will take a while to be answered, but I'm afraid I'll forget to ask you at a later time.

This is a Starship Troopers Roughnecks question about the inscription on Razak's urn. I'm assuming that you scripted what it would say, sounded like your touch.

The quote, near as I've been able to tell, is part of a longer quote by an 18th century female astronomer. Is that right?

Secondly, are there any significance to the dates used? You often tend to choose month/day combinations with personal significance. Just wondering.

Thanks!

Greg responds...

Actually, I had nothing to do with the inscription on the urn. In the original script, I described it as a small metal box.

Response recorded on June 24, 2004

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Steve Nunez writes...

I loved your episode of Video wars for the jem series, I was wondering how you and cary bates came up with the storyline, and why you only seem to have written 1 episode for the show? You and Cary also seem to have done a lot together. Will you two be working on future shows? and personally, I think you both rock! :-) Stnp@yahoo.com

Greg responds...

Thanks. Cary & I were writing partners for years, mostly at DC Comics. Nowadays, we still like working together, so I made him a story editor on Gargoyles. And I've had him write scripts for me on that show, plus Starship Troopers & Max Steel.

Basically, if I ever get another show, we'll wind up working together again, most likely.

I'm glad you liked the Jem episode. We only did one, because we were only offered one. I'd have been happy to do more. I'm not too clear (as it's been over 15 years) how we came up with that particular storyline, but I think it was suggested by the bible. Not the premise per se, but it felt like a natural.

Response recorded on March 23, 2004


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