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Cookie writes...

I've been watching the Max Steel series and I'm rather curious why his features are different in #9 & 10 than they were in the first episodes. Could you offer any insight? Thanks!!!

Greg responds...

Actually, his features in #9 shouldn't be ANY different from the first episodes.

NETTER DIGITAL animated episodes 1-4 and 9.

FOUNDATION IMAGING animated episodes 5-8 and 10-13.

That's why the characters look slightly different in some episodes.

Response recorded on July 10, 2000

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Raseirian Captain writes...

Max Steel questions:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but in the episodes I've seen so far, all the guards of Psycho and l'Étranger appear to be women. Am I wrong? If not, then why?

If they are indeed women, this amuse me a bit, since Max Steel is essentially meant for boy audience and sometimes people complaint that there not enough girls in a boy show.

Greg responds...

Yes, you're wrong.

Psycho has Dread Minions. Male and female. You haven't been paying very close attention if you didn't notice that. Even their voices are male and female.

In the pilot, L'Étranger was working for Dread and also used male and female Dread Minions.

In "Sharks" (the submarine episode), L'Étranger was no longer working for Dread. And indeed, in this one episode only, he used ONLY female "SIRENS". This is the only episode in the entire first season, where that was the case. (In some later episodes, FOUNDATION erred and used the Sirens interchangably with female DREAD MINIONS, but there were always Male Dread Minions about -- in Dread episodes that is. Chang, Breamer and Carreras each had their own troops.)

As for why, I just thought that the romantic L'Étranger would want to surround himself with women.

Response recorded on July 10, 2000

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Ambrosia writes...

As long as I'm here...
What gives with Max Steel?
You'd said Snow-Blind was supposed to air today, but it was a rerun of... Shadows? The good news is, I heard that line: "I can see the Berlin Wall from here." I'd missed it last time. I think it made Max look more dumb than it did you, Greg. :)
Anyways, since you'd said just yesterday that Snow-Blind was going to air, did they do that without letting you know? The bums.
*Regardless*... I love the show! Particularly the ep that just repeated. Berto's so cool. Chess-boy.
"'Swell' comes to mind, but then English isn't my first language."
*chuckles*
Yet another triumph, Greg and crew!
see ya around!

Greg responds...

I'm glad you liked it. At some point I completely lost track of when and where they were airing which episodes. It may be that after they decided not to bring me back for the second season (but before they told me) they sort of kept me out of the loop for obvious reasons.

Response recorded on July 10, 2000

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Entity writes...

Hi Greg,

I just wanted to say that, in regards to Max Steel, I am outraged by what WB is doing to the series episode order. I've not yet seen the show (though by the time you see this, that very well may change) but the fact that the episode order is causing problems demonstrates to me that it has a structure, and isn't just some random, ep-to-ep series (though how could I suspect otherwise from you?).

Something just like this happened to "Crusade," the short-lived spin-off series to "Babylon 5." TNT, the network upon which it aired, felt the need to literally RUIN the show by messing with the episode order. If you know anything about "Babylon 5" you know about the highly-structured plotline, and that carried over to "Crusade" in a large part. I believe it was because of TNT that the show failed.

I hope the same fate doesn't befall "Max Steel." Why do networks buy shows that they know to be structured - presumably a trait they were attracted to - only to mess it up?

I guess networks are just not changing with the times, which are leaning more towards continuity in television shows. But you'd think they would at least have the decency to reject a show, rather than accept it and then twist it.

Greg responds...

Actually, you can't put all the blame for the episode ordering problems on the Network. Netter Digital did not deliver all the episodes on time. Certain episodes that weren't already in the works with Netter were pulled away and given to Foundation. Than other episodes wound up being pulled away. This resulted, just as an example, in episode #6 being the last out of the thirteen to be completed. WB couldn't air it in order unless they were prepared to air months of reruns with no new episodes until May. They obviously were not prepared to do that.

Now there may be times where Networks, including the WB, DO chose to air episodes out of order. But this isn't exactly one of those times. Not really.

Response recorded on July 10, 2000

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Zeliard writes...

Max Steel, N-Tek questions:

1.About N-Tek, I figured they are fully autonomus: they have their own resources, techonology, information network, etc.
However, who created N-Tek and for whom they work for?

2.What are there main objectives besides countering terrorists?

3.Is N-Tek known to the general public?

4.What are the power and influence of N-Tek compare to other agencies like CIA, FBI, KGB, etc?

Thanks, love the show and the CGI.

Greg responds...

Well, I can only comment on what my plans would have been. I have no involvement in the second season. No idea what they have in mind. They certainly haven't asked me what I had planned, so there's no way they can know. So what I right here may not reflect the series as it ends up. But...

1. N-Tek was founded by Marco Nathanson as a response to the terrorist attack on the 1972 Olympic Games. It is an anti-terrorist organization chartered by the United Nations.

2. That's the only real objective.

3. Only as a sporting goods company.

4. N-Tek is more international in scope than any specific nation's intelligence agency. It's only motivation is to save lives. No politics involved.

Response recorded on July 10, 2000

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Anonymous writes...

Hey Greg

Is there a reason that so far all the Max Steel Episodes have started with an 'S'?

Thanks! *runs*

Greg responds...

Yes.

Response recorded on July 10, 2000

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Todd Jensen writes...

Oh, and this is a little "general response" to "Max Steel", since my initial comments on the pilot episode also got lost in the crash.

I haven't fully made up my mind about it. On the one hand, the genre (secret agent-type adventure) isn't as much my personal piece of cake as the genre (urban fantasy with medieval connections) of "Gargoyles" was, so I haven't gotten as much into "Max Steel" so far. But I do think that it's quite well-written, with a good job on the conflicts that the hero has to face between his everyday life as Josh McGuire and his Max Steel role. My favorite part in it so far, however, has been the scenes involving the "mastermind villain" (Dredd, I believe his name was), who's got that same "calmly logical" quality that I found so appealing in Xanatos; I like how he responds to defeat in that very philosophical fashion. (In "Strangers", when discovering that L'Etrange's attempt to kidnap the German government for him failed, he just says with a shrug, "My fault, for entrusting such an important assignment to free-lancers", and in "Sphinxes", his commentary on the whole adventure at the Pyramids at the end definitely sounds Xanatosian, as he dwells on what they succeeded at and not what they failed at. I'm finding this element very appealing, not just because of its Xanatos-reminiscent style, but also because I rather like that kind of villain in general.

Greg responds...

Yeah, Dread is very Xanatosian (or rather both of them are quite Eiling-esque). I was bothered by that for awhile. Like I wasn't being original. But the truth is I had plans for Dread that would have clearly set him apart from Xanatos. (Plans that I won't be executing now.) And at any rate, I agree with you. That's the kind of villain I like. One I can respect.

And it's Josh McGrath, by the way, not McGuire.

Response recorded on July 10, 2000

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Coldplasma writes...

Max Steel questions:

1.In the first episode of Max Steel, I noticed the reference to "biting the knee caps off". It was amusing to see that, at least for us Gargoyles fans :-) Will all the Max Steel episodes have references to Gargoyles, just like Futurama has reference to The Simpsons?

2.What company created the CGI Max Steel? Is it the same that did Roughnecks? These are the best CGI I've seen so far. The hair detail and the backgrounds are very well made.

Greg responds...

1. I doubt I slipped a garg reference into EVERY episode of Max. For starters, you want those things to be fairly organic. If they're forced they're not funny, even to those in the know. They're just labored. And besides, for those not in the know they'd stick out like a soar thumb.

But trust me, there are a number of Garg references, though to be fair, the one you cite above is really a Monty Python reference common to both shows.

The fun thing was slipping garg in-jokes into our English dubbing of 3x3 Eyes. Once both volumes are out on video and dvd, I'm gonna hold a contest here to see who can find the most garg references in that one. Some slap you in the face and are pretty funny. Some are much more subtle.

2. Two different companies worked on Max Steel. The first was Netter Digital. They did episodes 1-4 and 9. That's "Strangers", "Sacrifices", "Shadows", "Sportsmen" and "Sabres". Then Netter and Sony had a parting of the ways. And Foundation Imaging, which did the bulk of the Roughneck/Starship Troopers episodes took over for 5-8 ("Seraphim", "Spear-Carriers", "Snow-Blind" and "Sharks") and 10-13 ("Sphinxes", "Swashbucklers", "Scions" and "Shattered").

But I'm afraid I can't agree with your glowing assesment of the CGI. Generally, I think Starship Troopers is MUCH stronger.

Response recorded on June 23, 2000

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Stephen R. "Coldstone" Sobotka, Jr. writes...

Greetings Greg!

To reply to you answer on my "Max Steel" question on 2-23-200:

Some time ago - around mid-1980's or so - Tonka (or Mattel) released a toy line called "Max Steel's Robo-Force"; basicly a series of cylindrical, claw-armed robots whose major gimick was you could attach them to any flat surface via a suction-cup. They had good guys and bad guys, and I assumed there was to be a show made for them, but the toy line never really took off. (This was during the time when shows like "Transformers", "GoBots" and the like were very popular.)

Now for a question:

If you've ever read the book "Planet X" (a Star Trek:TNG/X-Men crossover novel) then you should understand this query: If you ever got around to writing novels or making a graphic novel with Gargoyles in it, would you ever consider doing a crossover story that pits the Gargoyles with another group of characters from another licensed universe of characters (with the creator's permission of course)?

P.S. - Here's to seeing you in Orlando (if I'm lucky enough to get down there). Maintain and Check Six!

Greg responds...

Hey, Stephen, hope to see you right back.

I've never read Planet X. Frankly, it sounds awful. I can't think of two universes less suitable for crossover than Trek and X-Men. As for whether I'd consider it... the answer is maybe. First, I'd love the chance just to be doing garg stuff sans crossovers. (I've got enough ideas to crossover on my own, including New Olympians, Bad Guys, Pendragon, etc.) Then it would depend on what universe exactly we were trying to cross with. Some might be good fits. Some would not. Then the method of crossover would matter too.

As for Max Steel, it sounds like that's where Mattel got access to the name. Nothing else similar. And I'd never heard of it.

Response recorded on June 21, 2000

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Greg Weisman Update

As promised, here's a little update on what's been going on in my professional life...

The first season (all thirteen episodes) of MAX STEEL have been completed. I've lost track of how many have aired. I think they turned out pretty good. At any rate, the show is a success and will be back for a second season. Unfortunately, I won't be. The WB didn't invite me to produce/edit/write season two. So you can forget about any long term plans/arcs I had for the series. Still, I wish the show well. (After all, it'll still carry my "Developed By" credit.)

In other news, today I finished recording all of the two volume (seven episode) video anime series 3X3 EYES. I think we assembled a terrific cast for the English dub. Here's a complete list:

LEADS
Christian Cambell* as Yakumo Fujii
Brigitte Bako^ as Pai/Sanjiyan/Pabo Ayanokoji/Parvati/Howasho

SUPPORTING
Thom Adcox^* as Monkey
Edward Asner^* as Grandpa Ayanokoji
Earl Boen as Benares
Leslie Boone as Ken-Ken
Susan Chesler as Lee Ling-Ling
Bill Faggerbakke^ as Steve Long
Elisa Gabrielli^ as the Doll Demon
Jean Gilpin* as Mrs. Wong/Xunquai
Taliesin Jaffe as the Frog Demon and Feihong
William Katt as Tinzin
Mia Korf* as Natsuko
Ralph Lister as Choukai
Erin Matthews as Mei-Shin Long
Yuji Okumoto* as Chou and Naparva
Gregg Rainwater^* as Jake MacDonald
Dina Sherman as Dawn and Ran-Pao-Pao
Rick Simone as Tatsuya
Keith Szaribajka* as Professor Fujii and Ryouko
Rosie Taravella as Grandma Ayanokoji
Greg Weisman^ as Hide

and Keith David^ in a roll so rocking, I can't reveal it here. :)

* indicates a Voice Actor I worked with on MAX STEEL.
^ indicates a Voice Actor I worked with on GARGOYLES.

Anyway, the voices are all recorded. I've got three mix sessions left to do. I should be done in a week or so, at which point -- I'm unemployed.

Or nearly. I'm still teaching the animation writing course through UCLA extension. That's been a lot of fun and it keeps me pretty busy. Plus I'm working on writing a spec screenplay with my brother. And I go on the occasional job interview.

All this means is that it looks like I'll soon have plenty of time to dive back into ASK GREG. At one point we were closing in on completely catching up. Now we're over three months behind. But I'll try to make some fast progress. We've now got Todd Jensen helping Gorebash out to keep the site current, so that should help us avoid the "Nothing in queue" problems that were slowing us up before.

And I hope to see most of you at Gathering 2000 this August. It should be a GREAT con this year. I'll be there with Thom Adcox plus my wife and kids. We'll have new and special treats from Gargoyles, 3x3 Eyes and another EXCLUSIVE radio play event -- something that I guarantee you won't want to miss. Plus Disneyworld is a shuttle ride away. Make your reservations now.



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