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WEISMANSWERS 2009-05 (May)

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Greg Bishansky writes...

And, since I haven't asked a "Gargoyles" question in a while, I figure... why not.

You've said in the past that Demona still carries a torch for Goliath. Now, some have disagreed considering how often she's tried to kill him. But, I see it. I think it is most apparent in "Hunter's Moon Part Two"

When they were trapped in the Hunters' airship and Goliath was talking about vengeance, and shortly after seemed to kill one of the Hunters along with her. Demona seemed... excited... aroused even.

Granted, she still didn't tell him about her master plan, but... she seemed to me to think that maybe she would finally get through to him.

So, was she hoping to finally get her man back once it was all over? Obviously, we all know that even if Demona had succeeded, he'd never have gone back to Demona, but the way she's animated there and the way Marina Sirtis performed her dialogue definitely suggests to me that her attraction to Goliath is alive and... not sure if I'm going to say well, but it's definitely there.

Greg responds...

I definitely think it's there, but I'm not at all sure she recognizes or is capable of acknowledging her true feelings.

Response recorded on May 27, 2009

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Greg Bishansky writes...

Another Spidey question.

Is Midtown High a private school in "Spectacular Spider-Man?" I'm a bit puzzled that Peter and Flash both live in Queens and attend High School in Manhattan.

It's got to be top notch if they can get a major Broadway star like St. John Devereaux to direct the school play.

Obviously, Norman Osborn would send his son to a top notch school, and Liz's parents seem well off enough to do the same. Ditto with Robbie being the Editor-in-Chief of a major metropolitan paper. As well George Stacy as a police captain.

But, considering the Parkers' money problems, if Midtown is a private school, how did they afford to get Peter in there and keep him there?

Greg responds...

M-cubed: Midtown Manhattan Magnet Senior High School. It's a public "magnet" school, with a number of different magnets on campus, including a Science Magnet, a Drama Magnet and a Civics Magnet. Flash is in the latter, though one gets the sense that his football prowess may have had something to do with getting him in.

It is considered one of the best overall programs in the city.

Response recorded on May 27, 2009

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Greg Bishansky writes...

*** MAJOR SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN SPOILERS ***

*** I'M SERIOUS ***

*** OKAY, DON'T BLAME ME ***

1. So, I'm curious. When did Norman Osborn start preparing for his stint as the Green Goblin? Before "Survival of the Fittest"? After?

2. I also noticed that on Osborn's laptop monitor when he calls Peter and Harry out onto the balcony, there's a pumpkin bomb.

It seems to me like he's been preparing for this for a while now. Granted, he stole the glider just after Hammerhead threatened him. But, since "Catalysts" and "The Invisible Hand" take place on the same day, and Norman had that Goblin mask, costume and weapons ready to go, it makes me wonder.

So, question 3. Was he always planning to take control of the Big Man's empire? Or did Hammerhead threatening him push him there?

*** OKAY, DON'T BLAME ME ***

*** I'M SERIOUS ***

*** MAJOR SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN SPOILERS ***

Greg responds...

SPIDEY SPOILERS!!!!!

1. Depends what you mean by "preparing". But the main impetus was being kidnapped and attacked by Vulture. He did not enjoy being that vulnerable. There was a line to that effect in "Final Curtain", but it was cut for time.

2. Was there a question here?

3. It wasn't just Hammerhead's single speech.

Response recorded on May 27, 2009

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Dan writes...

Hi Greg.

Big fan of all your work and just wanted to ask some general questions, none of which involve the possible Season 3 of TSS. (We're all hoping the show gets picked up!)

1. I'm very much interested in a career in screen writing, comic writing, and/or video game story writing. What steps did you take or what steps do you recommend for those pursuing this career? I'm an English major with a writing minor and I wondered if college degree played a large role.

2. Can you elaborate on any of the possible restrictions you may face if you persue the death of the Stacy's storyline or the introduction of Carnage? I'm not asking "if" you will develop these storylines in later seasons, but more of what kind of restrictions were you presented with for TSS. We all know how strict FOX was for the mid-90s animated series.

Thanks Greg.

Greg responds...

1. It helped me -- a lot. Both in terms of the education I received making me a better writer and in terms of the resume thing helping me get my first jobs at both DC Comics (from Dick Giordano) and Disney (from Gary Krisel). So I'm big on education. Beyond that, I've gone into greater detail in the past, so check the ASK GREG archives. But my recommendation is to READ a lot. WRITE a lot. And PROOFREAD a lot.

2. I haven't had any significant restrictions to date. Standards & Practices is NOT the reason those stories you mentioned weren't part of the first two seasons.

Response recorded on May 26, 2009

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Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

Hello Greg,

I have a question about language and translations.
Concerning the language "issue" in the Avalon World Tour, and the fact that everybody encountered by the travellers seems to speak English, you once wrote,
<<"Avalon compensates when it sends people to where they need to be...">>

From your response to my "Reunion" review, long ago, it appears this is still the case in canon-in-training. But is this also why Angela can apparently speak English? She seems to speak English in Manhattan. At least, she and Elisa understand one another. It also seems that something was happening when Tom came to New York, and spoke to Morgan and Elisa. Likewise, King Arthur is able to speak to Griff and the Manhattan Clan. And the Avalon clan and their human parents had no trouble talking to Elisa. King Arthur, Tom, the Magus, and Katherine all went to Avalon before the Norman Invasion of England, so they cannot possibly have learned anything resembling modern English before they went there.

1. What is the reason that Angela, Tom, and King Arthur can communicate with modern English speakers?

2a. Do they notice they (or the people they are talking to) are speaking a different language?
b. Did Elisa, Goliath, and Angela notice the language changes during the World Tour?

3. Yes or no: Is this effect(s) on Angela and/or King Arthur permanent?

Greg responds...

1. Again, I'm reduced to the notion that Avalon compensates.

2a. They don't seem to.
2b. They didn't seem to.

3. Seems to be.

Response recorded on May 26, 2009

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anonymous writes...

Hi, can yu confirm yet if Doctor Octopus will be back in season three? I love what you've done with Doc Ock on this show.

Greg responds...

No comment.

Response recorded on May 26, 2009

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Malinda writes...

I was wondering if you or someone else illustrated this show?

Greg responds...

I'm not sure which show you're referring to, but in any case, I don't draw.

Response recorded on May 26, 2009

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ChickenChaser writes...

I know this has been asked alot and everytime you say you have answered it by i have searched through the archives again and again and cannot find your response apart from (im not calling you a liar maybe the question was kicked i dunno)

Confused Fan [Shocker Question] writes...
So, Montana was the Shocker.
Does this mean that Montana is Herman Schultz? :S
I think Montanas real name has never been told even in the comics?

Greg responds...
If it makes you happy...

So i have to know, why the combination of these characters, also as this is my sirst comment kudos on the show, i love it, and i discovered it by accident whilst watching the 90's series on youtube i saw a link and thought why not and was pleased to see what a great job you have done. I am very new to the comics and nearly all the stuff i know is from wiki (which i hope i can trust) anyway feel like i should ask some more questions:

2) Who is your fav villian, you probably have answered this but wasnt in first 100 question asked to you (i do have a life honest)

3) when (optimistic) season 3 comes out do you know the gap between release in US and uk (as i live in uk)

ok that will do for now, thanks again for an amazing show which appeals to all ages

Greg responds...

1. I'm just not getting into this again. I know it's in the archives. I'm not calling you a liar either, but look again.

2. I've answered this to. I don't have one. I like 'em all.

3. No idea.

Response recorded on May 26, 2009

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ChickenChaser writes...

Just another wuick one, Is the thing about harry being framed as the goblin a new idea or has it appeared in comics, i thought this was so funny and was like wtf thats not right and then when it made it look like his mum in the return of the goblin i was so confused so good work.

Greg responds...

You don't know how hard it is to keep an audience guessing -- or at least off-balance -- when they already know the answer. We obviously added a few twists and turns.

Response recorded on May 26, 2009

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Akif kahn writes...

hi Greg I wached all of taginghe spectacular spiderman episodes 1-26 it left me haning I hope you get a pick up of season 3 I hope so they can add Professor Miles Warren as jackal and Hobgoblin and Scorpion.
best spiderman show ever

Greg responds...

Thank you.

Response recorded on May 22, 2009

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David B. Jacobs writes...

Okay, so, I'm not sure if this'll be approved or not but:
Do you have any plans for anything revolving around the Tablet of Time?
Thanks!

Greg responds...

AND AGAIN I'M NOT GOING TO COMMENT ON ANY FUTURE PLANS. I DO NOT WANT TO SPOIL SEASON THREE.

I thought I was being pretty cool by admitting/teasing that Hobgoblin and Scorpion would appear in Season Three, but it seems to only have encouraged people to demand still more spoilers. And I'm just NOT gonna do it.

Think of it this way. The fact that I'm still adamant about not talking is an indication of how much I still think we'll be back to do a Season Three. So it's good news, right?

Response recorded on May 22, 2009

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David B. Jacobs writes...

Hey, Greg! I just wanted to say that I'm huge fan of your series, TSSM especially (being a huge fan of Spidey). Just a few questions about villains in Season 3. It's fine if you can't answer any.
*****SEASON 2 SPOILERS*****
1. Do you have plans for Tombstone and Hammerhead? They were kind of cut out of the Goblin Returns arc, after I was expecting huge roles.
2. Is Lizard set to return? Season 2 seemed to set up for this perfectly. Even if not in Season 3, will he ever return?
3. Do you think we'll see Green Goblin again in Season 3? Or will we have to wait a bit longer?
4. Is Molten Man coming back? Your idea of having GG control when he is or is not Molten Man seems to make it a bit harder to have him in there without Norman pulling the strings.
5. Will we be seeing Silvermane come back any time soon? I've got another question here, but it may be risky, so I'll ask separately.
6. Is Walter Hardy ever gonna come back into the spotlight?
7. One character in this show I have to love is Electro. You've simply pulled him off so well. It seems obvious that he'll at least appear, but I was wondering if he would have his own episode in Season 3?

Thanks!

Greg responds...

I'm not commenting on any of this. Sorry.

Response recorded on May 22, 2009

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anonymous writes...

Hello. I had some questions regarding a possible third season for "The Spectacular Spider-Man". I read what you said and I know that you can't reveal much about Season Three. But hopefully, these kind of questions won't really go into spoiler territory.

Still, there are SPIDEY SPOILERS in this post for those who haven't seen Season Two yet.

**SERIOUSLY, MAJOR SPOILERS**

... Seriously.

#1.) Will Peter blame himself, be haunted by or feel guilty for Norman Osborn's "death" next season? He kind of was the one who damaged the Green Goblin's glider and sent him to his explosive demise at that water tower.

#2.) So the Connors are in Florida, huh? Does this mean it'll be harder to bring them back on the show, even though classic Stan Lee stories had Spidey fight the Lizard in Florida before?

#3.) I know you cannot comment on which villains you'll be using next season, new or otherwise. I know it's still questionable if there's a pick-up for a new season or not, but let's say that our prayers are answered and, praise Jeebus [thanks for that, Homer Simpson ;)], there's a new season! You said you cannot use the Owl and possibly not the Beetle either. Does this mean you can or cannot use characters like Boomerang, Jack O'Lantern and Swarm on your show at all, or is this "no comment" territory? I'm merely asking because the three villains I listed are essentially Spider-Man villains, but they were not first introduced in a Spider-Man comic and have fought other heroes as well.

#4.) I agree that Robbie and Mary Jane kind of got underused in season two, but I loved what you did with the Mary Jane/Mark Allan relationship. Is it likely we can see more of Robbie and M.J. next season, if possible? I don't know what you have planned or can reveal, but still...

On a side note, please do not introduce any of the "Clone Saga" or "One More Day"/"Brand New Day" stories on your show. I am still plagued by nightmares from reading those fiascos, and the whole clone mess they did on "Spider-Man: The Animated Series" didn't help me like the clone storys any better either.

Thanks so much for giving us two brilliant seasons of "The Spectacular Spider-Man" and I hope you get many more. This show can't end at just two seesons, Mr. Weisman.

**END OF MAJOR SPIDEY SPOILERS**

Greg responds...

SPIDEY SPOILERS!!!!!!
1. Guilt is one of Pete's go-to emotions.

2. No comment.

3. If and when I get back to Sony, I'd have to find out whether I had access to those characters.

4. I like 'em both too, you know.

Response recorded on May 22, 2009

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Matthew Woodley writes...

Hello Mr. Weisman, it's a pleasure to ask you some questions. I've been a big fan of Gargoyles since I was a kid and I'm a big fan of the Spectacular Spider-Man in which I believe you're doing a great job at.

Now as for my questions...
1)Is the Green Goblins hatred for Spider-Man the same or at least close to his comic counterpart?

2) How much of Ultimate Spider-Man have you read?

3)Are you more of a supporter for the Gwen an Peter relationship? Or do you believe that a Mary-Jane and Peter relationship can work in some ways?

4) Has Marvel asked you to write for some of their other shows?

5) Is there a chance that you could (Theoretically) fit Brand New Day villains into new seasons?

6)If it comes to it, would you do the One More Day storyline if you got the chance to?

Greg responds...

SPIDEY SPOILERS!!

1. That's a value judgement. And it's a tough one to make because there have been so many different interpretations of GG in the comics by different creators. I think we're on a level with the way Stan Lee handled the character.

2. A goodly amount.

3. Things come in their proper time.

4. Nope. Though I'd love to.

5. If we get more episodes.

6. Probably not. There's not much point in REBOOTING a continuity that we've only just begun.

Response recorded on May 21, 2009

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Sage Vega writes...

Hey Greg, it's me again. to tell you the truth, Venom is my #1 favorite Diabolical villain in the Spider-Man Legacy. Thanks for bringing him in. I was wondering will Venom return in season 2 for some fun revenge on the Web-Slinger?

Greg responds...

SPIDEY SPOILERS!!!

Absolutely!

Response recorded on May 21, 2009

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Ming writes...

About the Spectacular Spider-man cartoon, are you going to incorporate some (if not all) of the characters and storylines from the Spider-man: Brand New Day era into the show?

Greg responds...

There's one that immediately appealed to me. As for the rest, it depends how many episodes we get in the future.

Response recorded on May 21, 2009

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Matt writes...

Just a quick question. I don't need any specifics or anything, but I wonder if you've ever decided what happens to gargoyles/beasts during solar eclipses. You mentioned you might have a story to tell there, have you ever figured it out?

It'd be interesting to see what happens. A gargoyle in a cave still wakes and sleeps normally because it isn't about sunlight, but about biological clock stuff. So, a solar eclipse shouldn't bother them... right? I dunno. An interesting thought. Any ideas?

Thanks Greg.

Greg responds...

Many ideas. Some that contradict others. But I'm not scooping any of them now.

Response recorded on May 21, 2009

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AJC writes...

Hi Greg!

Big fan of the The Spectacular Spider-man show! I love the animation and the designs (I was weary of the designs at first but I afterwards became accustomed to them. Now I LOVE Cheek's designs!). Your show has actually led me to read some key issues from amazing spider-man and maybe during the summer when I have more free time, I'll begin reading from issue number one. So thank you for that! Even after reading just 2 or 3 random issues, I was absolutely impressed with the characters and plots that you have taken from the comics and shaped it into a modern vision for the show.
(Spoilers SPOILERS spoilers from Season 2)
Questions:
1)Don't you think it would have been appropriate to show the reactions of the Connors and Gwen after Eddie was carted away for his insanity? Do they not care? :(
2) Wasn't it a little too coincidental for norman to assume his son would be passed out (Even if Norman knew Harry was drinking it) as soon as he got back from fighting spider-man? BTW, loved 'Final Curtain'... Very suspenseful and kept me on the edge of my seat (Even better than the season one finale)!
3)What was the point of flash and Sha Shan getting together? Other than developing Flash's character, it didn't seem to affect Spider-man/Peter's life?
4)Would you revisit the gang war? I was kinda hoping there would be huger scale of the gang war like accomplices and gangland (I really loved accomplices because of that).
5)When the full season sets come out, will they have the gun fire sounds or lasers? Extra scenes? Any plans for commentaries for the episodes?
6) If you do not get a season 3 (which would be complete blasphemy!!!!!), would you think about doing plans for Spider-man DTV's sooner?
As a fan, I hope that when you DO get a pickup for further seasons, I really hope you get more than 13 episodes per season. This show deserves it!

Greg responds...

SPIDEY SPOILERS!!!

1. Of course, they care. But AGAIN, I just don't have room in 19 and a half minutes to show every possible reaction from every relevant character. To put in a Connors and Gwen reaction SOMETHING ELSE would have had to get cut. I feel we showed the MOST important scenes.

2. He didn't assume that. He wasn't planning to frame Harry. But he found Harry passed out beside a vial of Globulin Green, so he took advantage of the opportunity.

3. Actually, it's already had an effect on Peter. Remember Flash slamming Pete against a locker to get his advice on how to win Sha Shan over? Pulling him under the table on Valentine's day to make sure he didn't say anything stupid? And that's just the start.

4. Nothing is over.

5. I don't know.

6. I'm not clear what you're asking. If we don't get a third season, we're not likely to get the opportunity to do Direct to DVDs instead.

Response recorded on May 21, 2009

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This is my screen name writes...

This is a question kind of about a Gargoyles movie but not really. I read that back in the 90s one of the reasons a live-action Gargoyles movie wasn't made was because a good script couldn't be found. Not sure if this is true or not but it leads to my question.

Why is it, Gargoyles or otherwise, movie companies contact outside screenwriters to develope a script instead of the creator, if the creator is available for contact (Not dead or no longer working on the project)?

Greg responds...

I assume they think that the creator can't create something that would work for a wide audience because they'd be TOO faithful to their creation. I'm sure in some cases that might be true. But there's also a basic assumption that movie writers are inherently superior to television (and certainly cartoon) writers.

Response recorded on May 21, 2009

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Thomas writes...

Spectacular Spider-Man is an amazing show, and you've done what other spidey shows haven't by having some of the story-lines from the comics like Master Planner and Molten Man and such. Are there any other story-lines form the comics that you'd like to use? Or are there some that you've made up that you feel would make the show even more spectacular then it already is?

Greg responds...

Yes.

Response recorded on May 20, 2009

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Mike writes...

I'm sorry if this question has already been asked before but when do you expect to get any news on Season 3? Also how is your "cause" to get Season 3 on production?

Greg responds...

My "cause"? I don't know what you mean.

We'd expect news on Season Three sometime after Season Two begins airing on Disney XD, i.e. NO SOONER than late June. Probably more like July.

Response recorded on May 20, 2009

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Galax writes...

I'm so sorry, I forgotten to tell which show I mean ^^

Of course Gargoyles ;)

So I ask again:

Can you tell me, which Animationstudio produced the episodes of the show?
Maybe a name of one or all?

thx a lot.

btw: keep on to bringing Gargoyles alive! :)

Greg responds...

Oh. Sorry, I guess I was in Spider-Man mode.

As for Gargoyles, the series was produced by Walt Disney Television Animation. Most of the first season episodes and many of the second season episodes were animated by Walt Disney Television Animation - Tokyo. Some others were animated in Korea by Han Ho. There were other studios too, but it's been too long, and I don't remember off the top of my head.

Response recorded on May 20, 2009

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Galax writes...

Hi Greg.

Can you tell me, which Animationstudio produced the episodes of the show?
Maybe a name of one or all?

thx a lot.

Greg responds...

Sony TV Animation produced the series. But if you mean what studios animated them, we used Dong Wu, Han Ho & Moi.

Response recorded on May 20, 2009

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RTS writes...

*SPIDEY SPOILERS*

Hi Greg.

Great work on Season 2, I might not know exactly how the system works, but I see no reason why it shouldn't be renewed. Hopefully by the time you answer this you will have good news to tell about that, but for now, a few questions regarding what's been done so far.

1) In season 2 episode 8, "Accomplices", we see Black Cat spray something onto a window before going through it, we then see the window wobble around or something after she goes into the vent. What did she do to the window, exactly?

2) Was the lead into Hobie Brown first speaking in the role of Puck something you planned well ahead of time, or did Hobie's silence become a running joke before you made that decision?

3) On the subject, any chance that you tried to get Brent Spiner to do the role?

4) In "Growing Pains", I couldn't help noticing that a certain "Greg Weisman" is named on the cast list shown at the end. I was just wondering whether you have ever performed any role in "A Midsummer Night's Dream", since it is mentioned in one of the FAQs that you've taken acting classes in the past.

5) You're the best. (This isn't a question)

Greg responds...

SPIDEY SPOILERS!!!!!!

1. First she melted the real glass with acid. Then she replaced it with a reflective "paper" that mimicked the look of the glass. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

2. The former.

3. The role of Hobie? No.

4. Yes, I've been in "Midsummer" as Theseus and in another production as Philostrate.

5. Right back at ya.

Response recorded on May 20, 2009

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Kyle Tonarella writes...

I just want to apologize for asking for the black cat question and say i won't bug you anymore about your season 3 plans. I'll just stop asking season 3 questions and support the show buying the season box set for starters and watching the show disney XD which I've been doing.

Greg responds...

Thanks!

Response recorded on May 20, 2009

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Thomas writes...

Alright, you've had Venom in season 1 and 2 or 'The Spectacular Spider-Man, and you gave Cletus Kassidy a cameo in season 2. Does this mean your going to introduce Carnage into the fray, or would that be a bit much for the show?

Greg responds...

No comment.

Response recorded on May 19, 2009

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Michael Byrne writes...

Hey, Greg! Just wanted to say that I loved every new episode of Season 2, all the way up to Goblin and Spidey's climactic battle! But...there is something I want to understand about [[spoiler]] Norman. Why did he go to such measures to take over the Big Man's empire after his identity was guessed by Spidey? I mean, Normie has it all: a great tech company, a loyal son, and a home people only dream of renting. Was he trying to protect all that from others by taking command, or was he simply an ungrateful tyrant obsessed with power and money? I mean, I know he cares about his son in little amounts...but I just can't fathom the reasons for why he did what he did.

Either way, it's been a great two seasons so far, and I encourage you to keep the dream of a season 3 alive. This series, simply put, is lightning in a bottle.

Greg responds...

SPIDEY SPOILERS!!!

Well, my gut reaction is to say if it isn't clear what kind of guy he is from the episodes themselves (let alone 40+ years of continuity) then nothing I say here is going to matter much. But basically, he wanted MORE.

Response recorded on May 19, 2009

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Denis writes...

Hello, Greg!

For a while, now, I've been wondering about something.
For how long has Jason Canmore been sentenced?
Sure he destroyed law enforcement building, but as far as we know, there's been no loss of (human)lives in their actions, his and his sibblings'.

Thanks in advance

Greg responds...

I don't know that he has been sentenced yet -- or tried. It's only been a few months, and he was in the hospital for quite a bit of that.

Response recorded on May 19, 2009

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Litwolf writes...

Has there been a selection made in the guest who will write the introduction to Clan-Building volume 2? And is there going to be a guest intro for Bad Guys?

Greg responds...

There's no intro to Clan-Building Volume 2. I haven't seen the Bad Guys proofs yet.

Response recorded on May 18, 2009

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Tom Daylight writes...

Hi Greg,

Congratulations on putting together the best screen adaptation of Spider-Man of all time. I was particularly impressed with your Green Goblin whodunnit. I wonder if you're going to take a similar approach to the Hobgoblin story?

As far as I can see, there are not only a ton of "red herring" candidates in the source material (in fact Roger Stern said it could have been absolutely anyone other than Peter Parker and Robbie - and indeed he invited his replacement Tom DeFalco to unmask Hobgoblin as anyone he liked, although ironically he'd left the book by the time that happened), there's at least four alternative candidates you could genuinely cast in the role (names and descriptions omitted for the sake of spoiler aversion; I hope you know which I'm referring to). The character who was unmasked and officially was the first Hobgoblin for nine years, the character who was revealed to actually be the original Hobgoblin after all that time (mainly due to some writer switches), the character who took on the Hobgoblin's mantle after believing he'd murdered the first one, and the character who became Hobgoblin in Ultimate Spider-Man.

So the way I see it, the casting of this character won't be as clear-cut as "the guy it technically was in the comics all along", because in reality it was a whole bunch of different characters depending on when you were reading it. And casting Montana as Shocker, Tombstone as the Big Man, etc, suggests to me that you're not afraid of playing against the diehards' expectations. So, presuming there is a season three... will this kind of thing play into your Hobgoblin story, or will you be introducing him more as a viewer-in-on-everything supervillain?

Hey, maybe you could even satisfy that Robbie fan by making him a suspect this time. :)

Greg responds...

No comment.

Response recorded on May 18, 2009

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THE BIG CHEESE writes...

Hi Greg. I have always wondered why did you make the Big Man of Crime Tombstone? Because in the comics, Tombstone was a hitman. Thanks. Please write me back.

Greg responds...

As I've stated (many times) before, our original plan was to use Kingpin, but he turned out to be unavailable to us. Tombstone seemed like a character who would well-fit that roll, and I think that proved true. I'd still like to have a shot at Kingpin some day, but I can hardly regret how things turned out.

Response recorded on May 15, 2009

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Todd Jensen writes...

A comment, inspired by my last question about the Standards & Practices deaths.

Many of the "deaths by falling" that you had in the series, such as Findleach's and Gillecomgain's, were there simply because of S&P, and I don't think that it would have made a sizable difference to the story and characterization if, say, Gillecomgain had run Findlaech with a sword instead.

But it made good dramatic sense, I think, to have the Captain and Hakon die that way. One of the crucial points of "Awakening"'s opening was Goliath being driven to despair by one blow after another, to the point where he finally commits suicide (in a sense). The Captain and Hakon falling off the cliff rather than being ripped to shreds by Goliath worked there; now, not only has Goliath's clan been massacred, but he can't even exact vengeance upon the two people most responsible for his loss. It brings him one step closer to devastation.

So I think that even without Standards & Practices, it was a good idea to have the Captain and Hakon die that way.

Greg responds...

Me too.

Response recorded on May 15, 2009

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Todd Jensen writes...

In "City of Stone", you had Findlaech, Gillecomgain, and Duncan all die by either falling off something or getting burned up by the Weird Sisters' magic, to make the methods of their deaths acceptable for Standards & Practices.

But in Part Four, you had Canmore temporarily slay Macbeth by running him through with a sword. Did you have any difficulty with Standards & Practices over that?

Greg responds...

Nope. Because (a) the audience saw no details of the event and (b) a few seconds later he stood up.

Response recorded on May 15, 2009

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Anonymous writes...

"I did read "One More Day" and I read the first year or so of "Brand New Day" before my workload overwhelmed me. It would be pretty hypocritical of me to rant against the resetting of timelines, since in essence that's what I've done on this show. "

How would it be hypocritical? You are starting a new universe from scratch with the benefit of hindsight. Marvel reset an existing universe to a status quo that hadn't existed in two decades.

What are your thoughts on the marriage between Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson? Do you think it was a good idea? Marvel, and a lot of anti-marriage fans seem to be stuck on this Spider-Archie character. It's like they don't want their characters to grow and evolve.

Spider-Man has always seemed to be a story about coming of age and growing up. That seems to be the theme of your show also.

Did Marvel drop the ball and lose sight of who this character is? Because it seems that way to me.

I would have loved to see him as a dad, raising Baby May with Mary Jane, but Marvel chose to have Norman Osborn kidnap or kill that child (they never said what happened) because they felt it would age him.

But what sucks the most is that Stan Lee was the one who married them. It's what he wanted for his characters. What Marvel did to them would be like some future writer of "Gargoyles" deciding that it's boring if Goliath and Elisa get together because the tension there was the core of the relationship and resets their entire relationship back to what it was in the first episode.

Greg responds...

SIMPSONS SPOILERS!!!!

Personally, I like characters who grow and change. My all time favorite episode of The Simpsons, is the one where Lisa is having her fortune told and we flash-forward to her in college, falling in love and NOT getting married.

But when you're working on a commercial property that fundamentally has to work commercially, it can be tough when your series has evolved beyond its original premise, especially when you have MULTIPLE authors who have pushed and pulled the thing in multiple (well-intentioned) directions over the course of 40+ years. (Stan wasn't REALLY the guy who married Pete & M.J., no matter how much he participated in the decision and execution of the wedding itself. His run on the book had long since ended.)

Ttake the argument to it's natural extreme. Let's say, to be generous, that Pete was 15 in 1962. So now in 2009, he's 62-years-old. By all rights, if we really wanted to see him change and grow over time, we wouldn't be reading about Pete and M.J. raising baby May. We'd be reading about Pete and M.J. attending May's wedding and the birth of HER kids. (Or whatever.) And we'd be seeing a 62-year-old Spidey swinging around the city... or seriously considering retirement (or whatever).

Now, me? Yeah, actually, that REALLY interests me. It totally does. But I get why it's a commercial nightmare -- and you must also.

You ask how would it be hypocritical of me to rant against resetting timelines, but the answer is pretty obvious. Sony and Marvel approach me about doing a new Spidey show, and I pitch them a sixteen-year-old Pete in high school in 2008. I'm resetting. (You call it "starting a new universe from scratch", but really, what's the difference?) I could have pitched them: I'd like to see Spider-Man as a grandpa. They wouldn't have bought it and frankly, as much as it interests me, I'm not sure I'd have wanted to do it as a Saturday morning cartoon even if they had said yes.

And bringing up an ensemble show like Gargoyles with (more or less) a single guiding hand is really apples and oranges. I can evolve the premise and the relationships and even age the characters, because I can constantly add younger characters at the other end to maintain commerciality. Best of both worlds.

But with a single character property like Spider-Man, what happens when you've aged him beyond his premise. Do you live with it? Do you try to make it work commercially anyway? Can the premise evolve? Or do you find a way to reset. There's no one right answer, but folks have to bite the bullet and decide. Once a decision is made, then it becomes about execution.

STAR TREK SPOILERS!!!

Look at the recent Star Trek movie. They took the continuity and reset it using time travel. The Spidey staff used Mephisto. The concept of the reset/clean slate was surprisingly similar. What remains is execution. Some folks may buy into the Trek reset because of the execution. Some may not. Same with Spidey. And then there are some folks who just don't like the idea of doing a reset AT ALL. That's legit too.

I had the advantage of doing an adaptation for another medium. So I could reset without any continuity excuse. And still, at the end of the day, whether people liked what I did had a lot more to do with execution than themere FACT that I did or didn't reset. Same, I'd guess, goes for One More Day/Brand New Day.

Response recorded on May 14, 2009

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Patrick writes...

When will you post a ramble for Hunter's Moon, Part III? I really enjoy reading those, and Hunter's Moon Part III is, for my money, one of the best and most dramatic episodes of the series!

Greg responds...

I don't know. I'll try to get around to it eventually.

Response recorded on May 14, 2009

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Clark Cradic writes...

Are there any particular Sagas you're hoping to intergrate with the Spectacular Universe? Like the Clone Saga, Six Arm Saga, Indentity Crisis Saga, or some combination?

Greg responds...

Yes.

Response recorded on May 14, 2009

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Anonymous writes...

why is Peter not trying to be with Mary Jane? Why is it Gwen? He married Mary Jane in the comics. He was in love with Mary Jane in all the other cartoons. He was with Mary Jane in the movies. Why is she not important here?

And why this stuff with Liz? Gwen/Peter/MJ should be the triangle. Not Liz.

And Mary Jane should be who he loves, not Gwen.

Greg responds...

Well, if you read the original comics, Gwen was his first real love, and his (much later) relationship with Mary Jane was a DIRECT result of their shared grief over her death. Betty was his first girlfriend, and Liz was someone else he was into as well for a considerable period of time. M.J. was always hot, but early on, she was never interested in being a one-man woman. That's just who she was. We're trying to be true to all that, and more. So have a little patience.

Response recorded on May 14, 2009

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Brad writes...

You answered my question about Morbius by saying that you could only confirm plans for Hobgoblin and Scorpion, but I guess what I really wanted to know was if you could actually use him at all? I've heard the 90's show had many problems clearing him for the network, not allowing him to use his fangs or say the word 'blood' (opting instead for suction cups in his hands and a desire for 'plasma'.)

Loved the first two seasons and particularly the framing devices used in the second (nice touch with the Opera), anxiously awaiting a season 3.

Greg responds...

No comment on Morbius. Thanks for the kind words.

Response recorded on May 14, 2009

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Bazell writes...

Glad this site is back up and running. I hope you got everything done that you needed during the hiatus.
Spectacular Spider-Man has been, well, freakin' spactacular. As a life long Spider-Man fan and current comic book reader, it is with an air of nerdy sophistication that I lend my compliments to all involved in the process.
Now that my nose is sufficiently brown:

I know that translations from one established medium to another require changes and adaptation, not only in terms of style but content as well. I don't pretend to know much about the official process of adapting a story into a new format, but watching many of these television shows and movies that are based on comic book (or novel) storylines that I am intimatly framiliar with often can leave me... wanting. Even in this current show, clearly many alterations of the original storyline have been made. Certainly some of the changes are for the purposes of pacing, keeping episode count down, updating things for modern audiences, etc. But other changes seem unneceassary in terms of such thing to the casual, yet involved, viewer like me. Now understand, I am in no way asking you to justify changes that have been made to a story I already know. If it was the EXACT same story, then I would know what's going to happen at all times. I am confident that changes you and your team have made have been for the purposes of telling the best Spider-Man story you could, so my question is this: what can dictate the changes you make? Also, I assume you must seek some sort of approval from Marvel or Lee/Ditko or someone... is that oversight strict, or are you given certain measures of freedom? Are there any changes you made that you regret? What aspects of the Spider-Man mythos did you consider sacrosanct beyond the obvious necessities about his origin story?

Thank you, as always, for the time you give us fans.

Greg responds...

SPIDEY SPOILERS!!!!!

Marvel approves everything. But I have to say, they've been great partners -- which of course to me means they seem to love what we're doing! ;)

Changes are dictated by all the things you mentioned above, but in adapting the property, we tried to follow what we came to call "The Five Cs": Make it Contemporary, Cohesive, Coherent, Classic and iConic.

When you lay eyes on any character for the first time, especially the villains, you want the viewer to say, "Wow, yes! That IS Doctor Octopus [or whomever]!" He has to be that iconic, that classic. But at the same time we want to make his look contemporary.

The same notion applies to storytelling. Over forty plus years of continuity (with ideas coming from Lee/Ditko, Lee/Romita and everyone since including Bendis' Ultimate Spider-Man and the Raimi movies, etc.), there's going to be a ton of interesting characters and story ideas, but there's also going to be considerable duplication, a false start here and there, conflicting interpretations, etc. Having the advantage of hindsight when looking at this wealth of material, we strived to make the show more coherent and cohesive than the original.

This in turn helps it feel more contemporary. Storytelling has changed over the last set of decades, and a modern audience is more sophisticated with more stringent expectations. For example, just having every villain (and your hero) created from random exposures to radiation is a bit tough to swallow... on many levels. So -- as arrogant as I know it sounds -- we try to improve on the origins, by weaving characters and plotlines together, by limiting the sources of where someone can get super-powers, etc. Likewise, we may combine two characters that overlap so much that they fulfill the same function. For example, Bennett Brant + Mark Raxton/Molten Man = Mark Allan/Molten Man, or it did for us, anyway. Doing this made things more coherent and more personal to Spider-Man/Peter.

Having said all that, it was EXTREMELY important to us that the characters remained Classic and Iconic in the writing as well as the visuals. I STUDIED these characters and all the source material intensely. I tried to get down to the core essence of each character, i.e. what made him or her who he or she was to the reader. Flash is a bully, who deep down is actually an honorable guy. He's a guy who starts out as Pete's nemesis (and ironically Spidey's biggest fan) and eventually becomes both a decorated war veteran and one of the few people that Pete can count on. We knew we were starting with High School Flash, but we wanted to plant seeds of the guy we knew he'd become.

On the other hand, I studied Shocker. Great powers. Fun battles. Iconic costume. Secret i.d. = a cypher. Yes, we know his name, but there's nothing about Herman that makes him special. So in an attempt to make our universe more cohesive and coherent, I combined Montana with Shocker. I don't make that decision likely, and I do get that this bothers some folks, but it really felt like it worked in the context of our series, and Marvel agreed.

Another example: The Green Goblin was introduced as a mystery. Stan and Steve kept us guessing as to who was the man behind the mask for years. That mystery seemed FUNDAMENTAL to the character. And yet we knew that the audience knew that Norman Osborn was the Goblin. So how do you create a fundamentally necessary mystery when the audience already knows the answer? The solution was misdirection. Many people still guessed or assumed that Norman was the Goblin, but some people were fooled (at least briefly) and because I was NOT above making Montana into Shocker, seeds of doubt were planted. There's been (thankfully) a lot of positive feedback on our second season finale. And many people said something along the lines of, "Even though I knew it was Norman Osborn, you still kept me guessing." That's exactly what we hoped would happen.

This, of course, is just the tip of the iceberg. There are many other examples. But it should give you something of a window into our very exacting process.

Response recorded on May 14, 2009

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Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

Hello Greg,

While I was looking in the GargWiki for information about the Olympians, I saw that you wanted to know the Ancient Egyptian name for the Egyptian pantheon.

The word which can be translated as "god" is _netcher_ or _netjer_, feminine _netcheret_ or _netjeret_, plural _netcheru_ or _netjeru_. TCH and TJ are just ways to spell the CH sound at the beginning and end of English "church," without confusing it with the German or Greek CH. As with every Ancient Egyptian word, the vowels were never written down, so the vowels in netjer and netjeru are speculatively added to make N-TJ-R and N-TJ-R-W pronounceable.

Netjeru refers to all the deities, including large numbers of minor deities who are servants to the greater deities, and who are often referred to in English as "demons" or "spirits." Netjeru sometimes also include other beings: deified mortals, the _akhu_ or souls of the dead, and divine beings like Ammut and Apophis that were not worshipped. Netjeru can also include the _bau_, which are "manifestations or emanations" send forth from a deity.

I do not know if netjer was also used to refer to gods of other religions, but I'm guessing it was.

What I have told you comes from Richard Wilkinson's "The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt." In my non-expert opinion this is one of the best books on Egyptian Mythology that I have seen for the non-specialist.

Greg responds...

Wow, that's seriously helpful, both the info and the reference book. I'm definitely buying that book! Thanks.

Response recorded on May 14, 2009

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Anonymous writes...

Hi...

Can we see th Chameleon in season three?

Can we see the Lizard in season three, too?

Will Sandman be back in season three?

Will Rhino return for a third season?

Do you have plans for Doc Ock be in more than one episode for season three?

Is Venom going to be back for season three?

Can Mysterio be back in season three?

~ Thanx

Greg responds...

And again, no comment. NO COMMENT on what's planned for Season Three, beyond the arrival of Hobgoblin and Scorpion. Those are two BIG spoilers. And I'm not giving out any others.

Response recorded on May 14, 2009

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BackLash writes...

Hello sir,

1. In episode 9 "The Uncertainty Principle, who was that "cheerleader" in the ping wig and green jacket, hanging out with Flash and the "girls"?
2. How come Montana is the Shocker in the show?
3. If there is later seasons, will Bluebird or Prowler make appearances?

Greg responds...

1. Uh... honestly, it's been so long since I saw that episode, it's hard to remember which guy was wearing the pink wig. Was it Rand? Kenny? Hobie? Tiny?

2. I've addressed this. Check the archives.

3. No comment.

Response recorded on May 14, 2009

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Branden Harvey writes...

The show is great. I LOVED both seasons (especally Final Curtain). I have a few questions:

1. SPIDEY SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If Norman framed Hary in The Uncertainty Principle, how come Harry was switching back and forth between himself and the Goblin persona?

2. SPIDEY SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In First Steps, how was Eddie able to make a web when he didn't have the symbiote on?

3. How long will it take after you get the ok for a third season to produce the season and make it available for television?

Thanks.

Greg responds...

SPIDEY SPOILERS!!!!!

1. Huh?

2. He created a web-shooter, since he had all of Peter's memories.

3. About ten months, give or take.

Response recorded on May 13, 2009

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Anonymous writes...

Hello Mr.Greg Weisman i want to give some compliments about Spectacular Spider-Man.
1.DOCTOR OCTOPUS.
Doctor Octopus is one of my favorite Spider-Man Villains(others are Venom,Green Goblin,Lizard And Carnage).I like him very much in your show.In 90's animated series he was good,but later was just henchmen for Kingpin like much villain in 90's show.In your show he is very cool and evil character.In all of his episodes best were Reaction And Shear Strenght(that's my opinion)and there he was 100 percent EVIL(Like he should be).I also liked how in Group Therapy he showed interested in Symbiote,and in Gangland he said that criminal empire should be run like a science.You should make storyline where Dock Ock wants to test Symbionte or Become Monster-Ock(Like one of Spider-Man Games) in Season 3 or 4.Also for some reason i think that he employed Chameleon to steal Symbiote in Persona.
2.EPISODE ARCS
Idea to make episode arcs In Spectacular Spider-Man was brilliant,and Big Three(Venom,Doctor Octopus,Green Goblin)has 2 their own arcs.Venom has Symbiote and Venom arcs.Green Goblin Got First Green Goblin Arc and Return of Goblin Arcs.Doctor Octopus has Master Planner Arc And Gang War Arc.And they are like Main Villains in your show and they done worse things than any other villain.I don't like that some fans are saying that some episodes are fillers,but i don't think that way.Good luck developing storylines in future.
And i have one question.Do you plan to add another crime lord to Spectacular Spider-Man?

Greg responds...

To me, none of our episodes are filler. Certainly, none were INTENDED as filler All serve multiple purposes and hopefully tell a great story. But I'm biased, obviously.

Response recorded on May 13, 2009

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Kyle Tonarella writes...

hey greg not really a queation just wanted to show you a video where the nostalgia critic added lyrics to the gargoyles theme.

enjoy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvnwv1L79AI

Greg responds...

Yeah, I'd seen that. But thanks.

Response recorded on May 13, 2009

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Sage Vega writes...

Hey Greg, I'm Sage. Here are my questions, I'm a huge fan of thh new spider-man show and I've watched the first season 5 times. I haven't seen the second season yet, but I was wondering... On season 3, could you add the Spot into the frey. Because He's my favorite funny bad guy, Besides he might give Spidey a big headache by goofing around with him a lot.

Greg responds...

I know this must sound obnoxious, but I'm NOT taking requests. Doesn't mean Spot won't appear; doesn't mean he will. (I'm not going to reveal that at this point.) It just means I have an overall plan already, that's been constructed with some intricacy. I can neither pull nor replace a thread without the whole thing unravelling. Sorry.

Response recorded on May 13, 2009

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anonmous writes...

**SEASON TWO SPOILERS OF "THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN"**

**BIG SPOILERS -- SERIOUSLY**

**Fine, don't blame me if you get spoiled.**

...Or maybe you can. It's your call.

[EDIT; WHOOPS!! Somehow part 2 got approved before part 1. That was most certainly not my intention. Sorry about that.]

Anyway, hello, sir. Nice to see you're taking questions again.

I've seen all the episodes for season two. It was an excellent season, but to be honest, it was also a disappointing one. I'd like to share my thoughts on this season's episodes, if I may, and tell you what I loved, what I didn't care for, and what episodes I thought were the best/worst of the new season...

Part 1 of reviews

"Blueprints":
This was one great episode. I loved how this was an introduction to Mysterio that didn't just adapt "The Amazing Spider-Man", vol. 1, #13, which was Mysterio's comic debut. It was good to see the Connors back and that Peter gets a second chance working with them, and thanks to Norman Osborn of all people! Loved Stan Lee's cameo, it was great to see everyone back, and the look of Mysterio was awesome. Also, loved, loved, LOVED the saloon fight with Spider-Man and the army of Mysterio robots. It's good to see that Mysterio is actually a hand-to-hand fighter against Spidey in addition to being the master of illusion. Mysterio never fought Spidey on the Fox Kids Spider-Man series, which I always hated, but here, Mysterio is just great. The gargoyle Homunculi robots that Mysterio used were also great. Can't go wrong with those little critters. The ending with Spidey not recognizing Quentin Beck had me laughing and the Tinkerer appearance was also nice. Great to see Beck escaped going to jail by using a robot double. And Master Planner makes himself known when he talks with Tinkerer on the phone. Very nice. As for Osborn's final scene, never thought I'd think seeing a guy picking the pieces off a cracked egg could be so dang creepy in all my life. So, Osborn's mentoring Peter now, huh? Does Osborn suspect something about Peter and wants to keep a closer eye on him? Hmm...

My only major complaint with "Blueprints" is the voice of Mysterio. We all know Beck is a better sfx maestro than an actor, but come on! His voice is too over the top and way too hammy, even for Mysterio. I was expecting Xander Berkeley to have a voice for Mysterio that was gruffer, kind of like the voice he used for the evil sheriff he played in "Shanghai Noon" or something like that. I hope in season three that Beck takes acting lessons and gives Mysterio a better voice. Just because Mysterio looks a bit silly, wearing a fishbowl helmet and all, it doesn't mean he has to SOUND silly too. This isn't a complaint against you personally, but I think someone should fix this and tell Mr. Berkeley to change Mysterio's voice to make it less cheesy.

"Destructive Testing":
This was a great, GREAT intro for Kraven. This is my favorite version of Kraven to date. The addition of Calypso was also wonderful, as I hated the Mariah Crawford version we got on the 90s series. Debra Whitman pops up, Miles Warren gets some more focus, and Kraven gets an upgrade. Uh...okay, I didn't like the latter being in this episode. It was simply too quick to change Kraven. It's not that I didn't like the idea of it, but I thought this should have been done later in the season or the next season, but still, it was nice to see Miles Warren give Kraven his new powers and lion-like look. I just wish we saw Kraven look human a bit more first. I mean, we barely got a chance to get used to normal-looking Kraven, and then he looks like an animal with his next bout with Spider-Man. And the part where Calypso and Kraven are together at the end just felt...wrong. Granted, it's nice to see Calypso is still with Kraven given his new appearance, but it looks a bit cartoony and is the supervillain version of Beauty and the Beast. I swear, I was expecting Cogsworth and Lumiere to pop up and break into a kiddie song. Still, it was a great episode overall, and another great tease for the Master Planner.

"Reinforcement":
This is my fourth favorite episode of the season. Everyone's wondering whether or not the inmate Cletus with the red hair and Santa hat is really Cletus Kasady/future Carnage, or maybe a relative of Beavis. Regardless, the cameo is nice and this episode is simply wonderful. I didn't buy, though, that Electro was suddenly liking being a villain, but then I didn't get that part of "group Therapy" in season one. In "Group Therapy", Electro wants a cure from Doc Ock when at the dinner table but throughout the episode, he insists people call him Electro? Weird. The reforming Doc Ock was nice and I liked how Dr. Kafka stood up for him, even if she did get zapped down by Electro by intervening. I thought the Sinister Six would attack all at once again, but alas, no such luck. It's also bizarre that Shocker is not included to join the team, but perhaps it's due to Shocker working for Hammerhead/Tombstone. Remember, in "Group Therapy", Montana tells Ock that Mr. H says they're available. Also, I like Mysterio's voice when he talks normal, like when Mysterio talks to Rhino about why Tinkerer couldn't be a member of the Sinister Seven that Master Planner mentions. Once he's fighting AS Mysterio, though, he still hams it up. Oy. Despite this, I especially love the introduction of Blackie Gaxton here. It's nice to see classic Spidey characters introduced, especially for the first time on an animated series. I really hope we have a Doctor Octopus/Gaxton meeting in the future. I loved seeing Peter and everyone from his school ice skating and the team-of-two Sinister Six pairings. Seeing Peter burn his tongue on his hot drink and have him try to quip as Spidey was just priceless. Spidey has some of the funniest lines ever in this episode, and my favorite is when he sees Jameson with the Santa cap on ("Lock your chimneys, folks."). The Rhino and Sandman pairing was my favorite, and Rhino's reaction when he realizes Spidey's tricked him had me rolling ("I hate you...so much."). It was neat to see that Master Planner had Tinkerer free five out of the Six members, though I wished Rhino was arrested rather than Mysterio so we'd see Doc Ock lead the original Sinister Six. The best part was with Tinkerer breaking out Doc Ock with his own tentacles, and Doc Ock screaming "NOOOOOOOO!!" in horror just gave me goosebumps. Finally, the ending was very nice when Peter gave Aunt May her present. Great work.

"Shear Strength":
Another brilliant episode, and we even get a cameo by Morris Bench/future Hydro-Man. Best of all, we learn the voice of Bench is Patrick Star himself, Bill Fagerbakke! PLEASE say he returns to voice Hydr-Man next season!

So Doc Ock is the Master Planner? Wonderful! I don't care how he managed to keep in touch with everyone from Ravencroft, especially since that place needs MUCH better security anyway. This was Doc Ock at his best and much, MUCH better than how he's been portrayed in the comic books in years. Mysterio, you need Doc Ock as your acting coach after his convincing performance in the previous episode. THIS is how you fool people. So Ock wants to gain control over the internet and he's got no problem with abducting Gwen Stacy so that he can force her father into getting him what he wants. I also love the new chip you gave Ock that grants him new control over his arms, though I still feel to this day he should have had complete mental control over his arms anyway once his harness was fused to his skin in "Reaction". Anyway, we get Tinkerer, Vulture, and Electro thrown in for good measure. The fights between Electro and Spider-Man and then Ock's fight with Spider-Man were very well done and exciting. You guys know how to keep a guy hooked with good fight sequences. Best of all, we get to see Spider-Man to reenact the same famous scene where he lifts the debris off of him from "The Amazing Spider-Man", vol. 1, #33. You guys actually improve upon that iconic image when Spidey's own might tears part of his outfit when he's lifting the machinery off of him. My only complaint in the episode is that Doc Ock didn't take Electro with him when he escaped. They have a bit of a mentor/pupil relationship, and Electro himself even says he worshipped Ock in "Reinforcement". Did Doc Ock leave Electro behind because he was upset with him for trashing his lab after he ordered him to stand down, or did he merely not want to risk being caught by Spider-Man by not picking Electro up when he was making his escape? Or maybe he was just so eager to ditch Spider-Man in his ruined lab and leave him to die that he forgot? Whatever the reason, it kind of gave me pause. Thankfully, Spidey took him out when he left with Gwen so we know we'll see more of Electro in the series. In all, it's one of the best episodes of the season -- and the series. It's my third favorite for season two.

"First Steps":
At first I thought, "A solo Sandman story? Why? We could be seeing a new villain introduced instead and we just saw him in 'Reinforcement'." Of course, that was BEFORE I saw this episode, and man, it was a gem. I was pleasantly surprised with this one, with Spider-Man mocking Sandman for still comitting the same petty thefts he did as Flint Marko when he could be using his powers for so much more. It also gives us a great line, where Spidey quotes "With great power comes great..." and Sandman adds "Gullibility!!" before punching him. We also get more out of Hammerhead, which is cool because I love Mr. DiMaggio's scenes where he voices Sandman and Hammerhead together. We also get Sha Shan, and on this series, Sha Shan's voice actress is none other than "X2" co-star Kelly Hu! Sweet! The video segment moments for Flash's birthday party were nice, though I'll never think of the nickname "Flash" Thompson the same ever again. I'm a bit surprised this one got through the censors. Anyway, the best moment at the party, to me, was Rand's reaction with Sally when they were filming. I know you guys mean well, but MAN, I dislike Sally. How this girl will eventually become Bluebird is beyond me at this point. Sandman has some great moments of his own, especially the moment on the beach with the little girl and her sand castle. The ending was nice, though I still cringe at the memories of the sand-giant Sandman from the terrible, terrible "Spider-Man 3" film. However, Sandman's return at the episode's end and Eddie Brock's re-appearance in this episode made it all worth it. And now that Eddie has his symbiote back, we're gonna have a heck of a good time with Venom...

"Growing Pains":
I thought the transformation of John Jameson was kind of quick here, but who cares? This episode is brilliant. Not only do we get John Jameson playing hero (and later villain to Spidey) as Colonel Jupiter, we get Venom! The Venom moments were some of the best I've ever seen, with Venom's framing Spidey while in the black costume were nicely done. I'm a bit surprised that electricity is what stops John Jameson and that he's still a bit insane after what happened to him, but heck, we get a real reason for Jameson to genuinely hate Spider-Man. I assume he'll be bringing in Mac Gargan in the future to get revenge on Spider-Man for what he did to his son. I feel bad for John Jameson and hope he changes back to his own, sane self...even if we all want him to go through the misfortune of becoming Man-Wolf at some point in the future. To top it all off, we get quite possibly the best cliffhanger ending of all, where Venom breaks into the Bugle and announces that Peter is Spider-Man in front of his shocked co-workers!

"Identity Crisis"
Okay, seriously...great, great, GREAT work here, guys. This episode made me wish that this, THIS, was the Venom we got for "Spider-Man 3": ruthless, persistent, vile, and wanting nothing more than Spider-Man dead. I loved everyone's reaction to Ned Lee's question that Peter Parker could be Spider-Man. To me, the Connors and Aunt May had the best reactions, though Norman's simple "No." comment was effective and creepy. Maybe he already knows and won't tell anyone? Anyway, we even get a Quentin Beck cameo in prison during Ned's interview that foreshadows a later episode! Sweet! We also get Flash Thompson helping Spider-Man out and the return of Dr. Connors' gene cleanser. That's the only part of this story I don't buy. THAT is how Venom gets defeated? Granted, I know that Venom's vulnerability to sonic vibrations is how Spidey got rid of the symbiote and that it's unlikely we'll see Venom's weakness to fire animated. But really, what does this do to the symbiote? Does it mean it can't bond to Brock anymore? Does it change it so that it becomes a red symbiote for Carnage? Sigh. Season Three can't come fast enough to show us what the future holds for Eddie Brock and the symbiote. Although, I love how Eddie wanted the symbiote back and it's a bit heartbreaking that he has to hold onto his hatred in order to get the symbiote back because, otherwise, it wouldn't return to him and Eddie would feel that he'd have nothing left. Poor Eddie. Poor, INSANE Eddie, but poor Eddie nonetheless. However, I'm quite sure we haven't seen the last of Eddie Brock as Venom. He's too popular to keep away for long and the "Spectacular" version of Venom is my favorite of all time. Here, he's truly showcased as to why he's one of Spider-Man's most popular, deadliest and greatest enemies that the hero has to face off with. In the end, Peter's secret is safe and Captain Stacy makes his first hint he may know Peter's secret. Oh, man, that was just wonderful! I'm going to bet that, as of now, the only ones who know for sure that Peter is Spider-Man are Captain Stacy and Mary Jane Watson. I'm pretty sure M.J. knows already, like how she knew from nearly the beginning in the comics.

I'll mention the other episodes shortly...

**BIG SPOILERS OVER

**END OF "SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN" SEASON TWO SPOILERS**

Greg responds...

Again, no new chip in Ock. This is the same chip that fused to his spine from the beginning. It's always given him complete control over his arms. But that doesn't explain what POWERS the arms.

Response recorded on May 12, 2009

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anonmous writes...

**SEASON TWO SPOILERS OF "THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN"**

**BIG SPOILERS -- SERIOUSLY**

**FINE, DON'T SAY I DIDN'T WARN YOU**

Hello, I said I'd be back.

Here's part two of my episode reviews for season two...

"Accomplices":
So we get Frederick Foswell as Patch, Black Cat's cameo return, a bidding war between a bunch of supervillains, the introduction of Kingsley, and the debut Silver Sable...and voiced by Nikki Cox, no less! Man, you guys know how to throw a party! I didn't even mind that Silver Sable turned out to be Silvermane's daughter. Seeing Doc Ock at the auction with Vulture, as well as his tentacles around two lovely ladies, was a nice addition and Ock even convinces Rhino to go out and get the chip. I'm just surprised Vulture didn't speak. When we get Kingsley, he acts like Roderick one minute and then his twin brother Daniel the next. I'm guessing he's actually both, since we only have Courtney B. Vance credited as "Kingsley" in the credits. Not only do we get to see Spider-Man fight Hammerhead (finally!!), but we get a brief Rhino/Spidey team-up! Best of all, said chip is a fake and the real one is with Norman Osborn! Osborn's taking a long walk down a dark path now and I love every second of it.

"Probable Cause":
I hate to say it, but this was kind of a filler episode for me. I mean, we've got the Shocker back and the Enforcers. But did the Enforcers really need costumes too like the Shocker? One of the reasons I love the Enforcers in the comics is because they are normal looking foes. They're not supposed to wear super-powered villain costumes. This is why I do not like Montana being the Shocker in this series. Herman Schultz may not be as memorable as Otto Octavius or Norman Osborn in the alter-ego department, but he's the Shocker. He's just a crook who wants to steal cash and keep a professional reputation, but keeps getting foiled by Spider-Man. Having Montana as the Shocker is, no disrespect intented, just wrong in my opinion. To me, it's not the Shocker, it's Montana in a Shocker costume and with Shocker's gauntlets. This isn't as bad as the Rheinholdt Kragov Electro that the Fox Kids Spider-Man show gave us, but any deviation from a classic Spider-Man foe, especially in terms of their alter-egos, doesn't sit well with me. That's just how I roll. Besides, I especially did not care for seeing Fancy Dan as Ricochet. Ricochet was my favorite Spidey identity-turned-Slingers member and seeing someone with the name Ricochet as a villain made me cringe. The episode itself also seems a bit out of place to me. We had the start of the Gang War arc with the bid on the chip, and Gang War's conclusion comes up next. In between that, we get -- Shocker, Ox and Ricochet? That took me out of the story a bit, because it seems a bit out of place in this particular arc. I think, at least, this should have happened before the bidding war, because this is an odd choice for the middle of the Gang War arc, especially since most of the villains involved (Doc Ock, Tombstone, Silvermane, etc.) don't even show up in this episode. Also, we have focus on quite possible the worst villain that Spider-Man has faced on this show: Sally Avril. Seriously? Well, at least she did seem concerned about Peter in the episode when she thought he had died, even if it was for about two micro-seconds. However, I did love what happened with Flash in this episode. I'm really loving how much Flash has grown in this season and how he's been handled. Kudos, all. Stan Carter's dark comments regarding Spidey not going "far enough" against villains was a nice addition. And you have got to love that ending with Harry...

"Gangland":
I never thought I'd love the opera so much in my entire life. We get Silvermane making his debut, AND his cyborg armor look to boot. I love the return of Silver Sable, but was disappointed she didn't do as much as she did in "Accomplices". Despite this, I liked how she was trembling when in Hammerhead's presence. It shows that Hammerhead is also growing as a criminal to fear, like the other crime lords here. Doc Ock, in particular, also shines here, and I love, love, LOVE what you've done with him in this episode. Next to "Shear Strength", THIS is the Doc Ock I know and love: brilliant, cold and extremely dangerous. His attack on the defenseless Silvermane and his hatred for Spider-Man during their fight scenes are wonderful to watch, and Peter MacNicol simply cannot appear in enough episodes as the voice of Ock. One moment I loved was when Doc Ock was shouting with rage in his final fight with Spider-Man in the sewers after he was kicked against the pipes. Seeing Ock continue to attack Spidey with just such fury shows just how frustrating and how hateful that Ock finds our heroic Spider-Man.

Please, please, PLEASE say we'll see Doc Ock in multiple episodes next season.

The only Doc Ock complaint is the sudden lack of the new chip. What happened here? Suddenly, Spidey removes the power pack again when Ock's knocked on the ground and Ock's tentacles no longer work. Did I miss something here? When Ock returns for season three, PLEASE say he'll get TOTAL mental control over his tentacles. This is the most annoying method ever for defeating Doc Ock, moreso than Spider-Man firing webs over Doc Ock's goggles/sunglasses. Ock is in serious need of improvement on your show.

However, I'll forgive this incident for the sheer joy for the next two highlights: Spider-Man's rematch with Tombstone, and the reveal of the new Big Man in the finale. The Green Goblin is back in style, just as crazy as ever. If Gobby's maniacal laughter at the finale doesn't give you chills and get you excited for next week's episode, I don't know what will.

In all, this is my second favorite episode for season two. Brilliant work, guys. I applaud you all.

"Subtext":
My fifth favorite episode of this series. The introduction of Molten Man is wonderful, we get some great moments for Liz and Mary Jane, and we also get a bit of the Green Goblin. We even get Blackie Gaxton back, to boot! The personalities for the characters really shine here. I really felt bad for Mark here after all that's happened to him. When Liz shouts at Peter and then breaks down crying, you feel sorry for her. I also felt bad for seeing Mary Jane standing by herself when Peter comforts a sobbing Liz. I hope M.J. gets much more focus in season three...or in the current Marvel Comics, but that's another matter.

"Opening Night":
This wasn't a bad episode, it was very entertaining. But it's not one of the better episodes this season, either. I loved seeing all of the imprisoned villains together, especially since we saw Beck with inmates back in "Identity Crisis", hence my forshadowing mention earlier.

[Wait, did I really just say "hence"?!? What am I, a senior citizen?!?]

I loved seeing the Rhino, the Enforcers (thankfully without their costumes), Silvermane, and Molten Man. I especially love what you did with Molten Man here. You sooooo have to bring him back when there's a new third season. However, I didn't care much for the reveal of the imprisoned Quentin Beck as a robot that tranformed into Mysterio, though it does explain why Tinkerer didn't break out Mysterio at the finale of "Reinforcement". Despite this, the Mysterio gargoyles pop up again and are as fun and funny as ever, so I'll forgive it. I won't be so kind, though, on the reveal of Uncle Ben's real killer. Black Cat's father?!? Ugh. No offense, but this brought back bad memories of "Spider-Man 3" for me. We didn't need someone with a name or a history to be the guy who fatally shot Uncle Ben, or someone who felt haunted about doing it. In the comics, it's a nameless burglar. It's more effective. Sometimes, less is more, and it should've been that way here. Granted, it gives a new twist on the Spider-Man/Black Cat relationship, but here, it felt forced and unneeded. Though it's going to be interesting to see what Black Cat does next time she shows up. I did like her characterization here, and I really LOVED what you did with the Green Goblin. At this point, I honestly didn't care if it was Norman or Harry behind that mask: I simply wanted to see more of him. His rhyming, his hacking into the Vault, his fight with Spider-Man...it's just pure brilliance. We also get a great, long overdue moment on this show: Hobie Brown finally speaks!! However, I must applaud you with J. Jonah Jameson. He's just pure gold in this episode. I especially love his scenes in this episode, from his joy in seeing Spider-Man imprisoned to his quip about Mysterio's robots getting their own show. But the best is saved for last, indeed...

"Final Curtain":
Seriously...this is the best season two episode!! Everything here is just brilliant. From Peter's break-up with Liz Allan to the "is he or isn't he" guessing game of the man behind the Green Goblin's mask, this show had more twists and turns than any other episode. I have to admit, I love your portrayal of Donald Menken. Think you can reprise the role next season? Anyway, what's so clever here is that you can totally buy the idea of ANY of the suspects being the Green Goblin, from Donald Menken to Harry Osborn to Norman Osborn. I must admit, I knew Chameleon would appear in season two, but I had no idea how cool and important his role here would be...or the big reveal of Chameleon's REAL first appearance on your show.

On one hand, it could've been Harry. I thought this show was going to have Norman somehow transfer the Goblin personality from Harry into himself with his staff to spare Harry of what he'd done in season one. This would've given Norman the edge he needed over Tombstone and Hammerhead without having to apologize for what had happened to Harry, kind of like a selfish "what was a curse for Harry has been turned into a blessing for me" angle. Given how Harry had acted in "Competition" and "The Invisible Hand", or how he kept blacking out after taking Globulin Green, you could believe that he had with a split personality and was the Green Goblin. Maybe when he was Harry-Goblin, he listened at the door about Hammerhead threatening Osborn with Octavius' knowledge of Osborn co-creating Rhino and Sandman before he entered to tell his dad about his latest accomplishments since he was now a football player and that he had a date to the Fall Formal. Of course, we all know Goblin later traps Octavius and turns him into Doc Ock, even if that wasn't his intention. It also would've explained Harry's angry outburst and attack on his father when he blacked out in "The Uncertainty Principle".

Granted, I knew Norman Osborn would likely be the Goblin this season, but I was pleasantly surprised to see how tricky and how evil he actually was. I mean, you see him break his own son's ankle, for crying out loud! Norman is slimy, unapologetic and cares for no one, not even his own son. He just takes what he wants and doesn't care who he hurts.

My sole problem with this episode is Green Goblin's faked death. It was simply too early to have Norman Osborn believed dead by his son and the public, especially since I simply wanted to see more of him next season. At least we could've had Norman find out Peter's secret identity before episode's end. I mean, Norman goes from wanting to turn Harry into a man he could be proud of and then suddenly leaves New York under the alias of the blond Mr. Roman when everyone thinks he's deceased? I know Osborn's just planning his next move, but I didn't think he'd need to let anyone think he was dead to do it. However, given Harry's own dark turn when he guilts Gwen into sticking around as his girlfriend after previously learning he found out Gwen intended to leave him for Peter, I'm sure Harry's going to go down a dark path of his own that may lead him to the Green Goblin mask one day.

I'm also gonna guess that one of Goblin's "pumpkin head" henchmen is gonna be Hobgoblin or Jack O'Lantern. Maybe it's a currently-unnamed Jason Macendale working for Goblin? And with Tombstone being watched and Hammerhead MIA, maybe Frederick Foswell trades his Patch identity for the position of the new Big Man...

I've also got some guesses as to who the Hobgoblin could be, early as it may be:
- Donald Menken. We thought he could've been Green Goblin, so he might be a Hobgoblin suspect too.
- Chameleon. Heck, we thought he was Norman Osborn on season two and if Harry hadn't realized Chameleon's apology mistake, we wouldn't have even thought he was an imposter.
- Norman Osborn. What better way to have the time to improve his own equipment and costume when everyone thinks you're dead, even your own wife and son?
- Harry Osborn. Hey, he was the Hobgoblin in "Ultimate Spider-Man", so why not here too? And it'd be a great way to have him avenge his thought-dead dad by attacking his own best friend, even if he doesn't know it...yet.
- Ned Lee. He's working on stories of Spider-Man and the Green Goblin for the Bugle. I also buy he's the original Hobgoblin in the comics a lot more than I do that Roderick Kingsley was the real Hobby all along. Speaking of which...
- Roderick Kingsley. The obvious man behind the mask, but given how manipulative he turned out to be and just how long it took us to find out who the original Hobgoblin really was, it may not be so easy for us to think Roderick would don the Goblin mask in season three.
- Emily Osborn. Where DOES she disappear to, anyway? And besides, it'd give her something to do on the show besides silently cut her dinner with a kitchen knife.

For season three, I'm betting we see Venom back, more of Mary Jane, Man-Wolf, the debut of Hydro-Man, and maybe even the origin of Jackal. But these are merely guesses.

Now, I don't want my comments on season two to sound too mean or even make you think I didn't like season two at all. Far from it. I love this show. I just got disappointed with it, is all. Besides, you've got to take the bad comments with the good. If everyone told you how brilliant it was all the time, then you wouldn't learn about what people didn't like about it, or how to improve on your faults and become a better writer out of it from what you've learned. Season two was nowhere near as bad as seasons two, four or five of Fox Kids' "Spider-Man" series, but it wasn't as good as season one of "Spectacular". Regardless of my rants and criticism, I honestly hope you and the rest of the writers and directors return for a season three. "The Spectacular Spider-Man" is my favorite animated series ever, Spider-Man or otherwise. It simply cannot end at season two, but it also can't continue without the current cast and crew. You're what makes this show so great, and you all do brilliant work. I genuinely hope this show gets its planned 65-episode run...and much more.

Thank you so very much for your time, sir. I'm honored to chat with another fellow Spider-Man fan such as you.

**END OF SEASON TWO SPOILERS**

**END OF SPOILERS**

Greg responds...

SPIDEY SPOILERS!!!!

Spidey didn't remove Ock's chip, he removed Ock's power-pack. Ock DOES have total mental control of his tentacles thanks to the chip imbedded in his spine. But something still needs to power the tentacles, and that's the power pack.

And Norman didn't BREAK Harry's ankle, he twisted it. Not that I'm defending the act, just trying to be specific, since this casual misconception seems to have become common currency.

Response recorded on May 12, 2009

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Patrick writes...

Hey...
first off spectacular spiderman is AMAZING!!
but on to the point i was curious if u were going to go ahead with a season 3 of the show...
the finale of season 2 had left room for desire...
just curious...
and i was as well as curious how i would read your answer...
so if it couldn't be too much of a hasle could you please e-mail me your answer...
my e-mail is:
kurosaki223@gmail.com

feel free to e-mail me...
it is your choice

Greg responds...

I don't e-mail responses directly, because (a) it would defeat the purpose of this forum and (b) if I did it for you, I'd have to do it for everyone and (c) I don't want everyone to have my e-mail address.

And, AGAIN, I'd love to do a Season Three. We are awaiting word as to whether or not we're getting a pick-up.

Response recorded on May 12, 2009

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Arthur Jr. writes...

To follow up on my Cletus Kasady and Morris Bench question, I was wondering if you plan to include Carnage and Hydro-Man in the third series if you're still in charge? Seeing as Venom's symbiote is still in the sewers, I even assumed that you might plan for Eddie to be incarcerated at Ravencroft and the symbiote spawning an offspring resulting in the creation of Carnage (though I heard Carnage wasn't allowed to kill anyone in the 90's series).

In a follow-up to Man-Wolf in the same question, I was wondering if you would plan for Frank Welker (who did Bronx in "Gargoyles") to voice Man-Wolf if you decide to include John Jameson's Man-Wolf form. I suggested an idea for Frank Welker in the role since Dee Bradley Baker is already providing Lizard's vocal effects.

Greg responds...

Repeating myself, I don't know why I'd recast the role, when I have a perfectly great voice actor already in the part, i.e. Daran Norris. (You didn't "follow up" your Man-Wolf question, you just restated it.)

Otherwise, repeating myself some more, I have ZERO intention of spoiling Season Three plotlines at this stage.

Response recorded on May 12, 2009


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