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ASSURED MUSINGS 2022-01 (Jan)
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Rob writes...
Hey man been a big fan of Young Justice since high school and spent a nice chunk of those teenager years helping build the wiki and I just want to say thanks for helping me find a passion in storytelling and I’m curious to see where you take the story and I’m happy it’s back.
My question is: Do Roy and Jim consider Lian as a niece (considering they’ve meet her at all) since the Harper trio essentially have a brotherly relationship with each other?
Greg responds...
They absolutely do. And she sees them as her uncles.
L writes...
1: Was Barbara Gordan named after her mother or did her mom have a different name?
2: Was Mist's father a villain named mist too?
3: Is Luis Garcia a character from the comics?
4: Did the other Babylon/Mesopotamian gods exist as Vandal's children?
5: Does Vandal all ways kill his elderly children?
Greg responds...
1. No spoilers.
2. No spoilers.
3. Yes. Although he may be something of a composite.
4. No spoilers.
5. Not necessarily.
L writes...
1: What were the names of Orin's parents?
2: Who was Cassandra Savage's mother?
3: Is everyman Hannibal bates?
4: What is Fury's real name?
5: Was artemis a fan of Green arrow? It would seem so based on her orginal costume?
Greg responds...
1. No spoilers.
2. No spoilers.
3. No spoilers.
4. No spoilers.
5. She admired him.
L writes...
1: What year was Orm sent to prison in Atlantis?
2: Does the atlantean family have a surename or house name?
3: Do atlanteans not usually have last names?
4:What city is Tula from?
5: What year did FIre debut as a hero? Was she a teenager like Ice?
Greg responds...
1. Well, we know he wasn't in prison in September of Team Year Zero. We know he served six years. We know he was out of prison by September of Team Year Eight. So that puts the start of his prison stay between September of Team Year Zero and September of Team Year Two.
2. If you mean Orin and Orm, no. Orin sometimes uses Curry.
3. Some do, some don't.
4. Poseidonis.
5. Beatriz da Costa debuted as a hero in Team Year Six. She may have just barely been a teen when she debuted, as I haven't set a specific date of birth for her. But she was twenty years old by the end of that year.
L writes...
this isn't a question i just think that even considering how excellent the show has always been, i personally think that 4.05 is the best episode of yj you guys have ever made. unreal on all fronts. woke up at 5:30 to watch it before work and it's better than coffee lol
Greg responds...
Thanks. I'm really glad you liked it!
shalkaofwar writes...
Few questions after The Tale of Two Sisters-
1. So this not really me asking for a spoiler just trying to understand what Cassandra claimed to be her timeline to the team, So she said that after Olympia's death she tried to defect but as punishment was forced to serve as a member of the shadows but then she also said that she had to return to Santa Prisca. Does that mean according to her story she was initially on Santa Prisca with the Shadows training but wasn't exactly a shadow herself and then tried to defect but was caught by Vandal and thus lost one arm. I am a bit confused by this wording especially the use of the word 'return'.
2. Who is the girl with Artemis and Halo in the beginning of the episode when we see Artemis's daily life before she finds about Conner's death.
3. The whole Tale of Two cities end credit scene is an interesting choice especially when those words are about death and resurrection (I am pretty sure it also signifies resurrection) whose idea was it to add this as an end credit thing.
4. Is it valid to say this season is spelling out some sentence too especially since so far we have the words INVIT and the future episode titles contain A,T,I as the opening letter of the episodes.
I really liked this episode and the whole literature theme in this story is pretty cool all in all. Can't wait to see what comes next.
Greg responds...
1. I think you're trying to compress events too much, and that's what's causing your confusion. Cassandra trained with the Shadows, which is where she met Tara Markov. Then she went to intern with her dad and older sister on Warworld. Then after Olympia's funeral, she returned to the Shadows, where I would think you saw her confer with both Lady Shiva and Deathstroke (Batman certainly saw her.) She also worked briefly with Lex Luthor on his little Bwandan thing.
Then, according to her story, the death of Olympia at her father's hands and the revelation about her mother and her mother's family made her think more and more about getting out. So she attempted to escape. Was caught. Was punished. Was returned to Santa Prisca to continue her training with the Shadows. Then, she escaped again and managed to find her way to Tigress and the Team.
2. Mist. (I mean, look at her. She's all misty!)
3. I don't think it is about resurrection, personally. I think it's about living on in the memories of those that survive you. But I'm not here to debate interpretations of Charles Dickens, and your interpretation may be just as valid as mine.
3a. It was Brandon's idea to use literature quotations for the second arc's end credits. I chose that specific quotation for this episode.
4. It is valid to say that.
jamescagney22 writes...
Missed this at the AMA so I thought I would try my luck here!
I was wondering what made you choose to have Vandal Savage motives being a grand vision for humanity in a more thoughtful way then his more well known appearances did you get this from a particular story in the comics? Usually he is more an immoral sociopath or world conqueror and I am glad you made him more well rounded. And do you see any overlap with Peredur Fab Ragnal and the Illuminati in Gargoyles and did that inform how you portrayed the Light and Vandal Savage?
Greg responds...
1. This came out of discussions with Brandon Vietti and myself. It felt right for an immortal character who had been around - already - for thousands upon thousands of years.
2. I haven't revealed enough about Peredur to not make this a spoiler question for Gargoyles.
Ron writes...
Hi this is just confirmation for the YJ wiki but Bart Allen/Impulse was A014 right? And I was wondering if there was any discontinued designations that current individuals affiliated with our heroes have that you could confirm since it is implausible that they will be revealed naturally if that makes sense? I agree that having it revealed naturally is the best way so just trying to get the ones that don't have a real chance to get revealed if that makes sense?
Greg responds...
Bart was A-14. (There's no zero in there.)
I basically agree with you. If a designation is outdated - or as you put it "discontinued" - I don't have a problem revealing it here. I DO have a problem revealing which designations are outdated/discontinued before it becomes obvious. So folks here are going to have to ask on a case by case basis, after the BASIS for the question has been revealed in canon.
Amaldo writes...
Dear Greg, Did you ever consider focusing more on the S2 team more in Outsiders. Not trying to sound disrespectful or say this is what you should do, but it feels like these characters have kind of been put on the back burner and had very little development. Seeing as these characters had some interesting things being set up in S2 like Tim and Casie getting together, Bart becoming kid flash, and static joining the team and his relationship with black lightning. If this breaks any of the guidelines I do apologize because I’m not trying to tell you how to run your show, just wanted to know your thoughts on these characters.
Greg responds...
I love all those characters, but the story took us where the story took us, and I love the characters we did focus on, too. I think Wonder Girl, Kid Flash and Static got a little focus. And even Robin got a bit. But, to be clear, none of them are our leads. Our leads are the season one Team, many of whom are no longer on the Team - which means that the Team itself is no longer the focus of the series - plus whatever characters the storyline drives us to focus on.
With enough episodes or issues or whatever, we'd eventually shine the spotlight on everyone. But we only have so many episodes, so some characters are bound to get short-shrift. Nature of the Beast.
JSA Fan writes...
So, if Stargirl and Courtney Whitmore exist in Earth-24b I have to ask:
1. Is Courtney Whitmore secretly Stargirl?
2. Is her stepfather Pat Dugan?
3. Was Pat Dugan once Stripesy, fighting crime with Sylvester Pemberton?
4. Was there a superhero that went by Starman before Stargirl joined the Outsiders, and does she have any history with any of these heroes from the comics?
5. If Starman or Sylvester Pemberton were heroes, were either ever on any teams of heroes?
P.S. loving Phantoms!
Greg responds...
I don't know what Earth-24b is or what it has to do with Earth-16.
1. In Outsiders, Courtney hosted an entertainment series called Star Girl. In Phantoms, she is Stargirl. The transition happened between seasons.
2. No spoilers.
3. No spoilers.
4. No spoilers.
5. No spoilers.
Thanks!
I love Young Justice so much writes...
You recently made an AMA in Reddit where you said that Tim and Cassie are over. If that’s right then it’s an spoiler.
So where you joking or did you really gave an spoiler ? Because man, I really can’t believe you just gave an spoiler.
Greg responds...
I suppose it's a spoiler, but I think last season made it pretty darn clear they were done.
Hayden Philyaw writes...
Hello I’m back again with another questions!
Since Queen Bee’s powers only work on men and most women (basically anyone whose attracted by women) would it be possible for Beast Boy to be immune to Queen Bee’s Pheromone control? Beast Boy shape shifts into animals and I feel like Queen Bee’s powers would only work on humans and not animals!
Greg responds...
Beast Boy has already proven susceptible. If you're asking whether it would work on him if he was already an animal when he came in contact with her, then I think the answer might be no.
Suzie writes...
How many leaders have the Team had over the past 10 years and can you tell us how long they were in charge. For example when did Miss Martian become leader of the Team and how long was she in charge before stepping down.
Greg responds...
Not a lot, surprisingly. Aqualad gave over to Nightwing, who then turned it back over to Aqualad, until he joined the League as Aquaman, at which point Miss Martian took over until she resigned, at which point Tigress took over.
Suzie writes...
I’ve been asking myself this since the season 3 premiere. How did Artemis take the news about Conner and M’gann’s engagement? Was she feeling mixed emotions because even though she was happy for them she was also sad right?
Greg responds...
I think she was very happy for them. I'm not saying it didn't bring thoughts of Wally to mind, thoughts of what might have been. But she was still very happy for them.
Miraphosa writes...
Why does the jersey Artemis wear have the number 13 on it? Kinda seems like the perfect opportunity for a 16 easter egg, was wondering if there was any reason it /wasn’t/ 16
Greg responds...
I think the main reason was that the artist designed it with a 13, and no one caught it until it was too late to change. I've thought about changing it since, but continuity is continuity.
Hayden Philyaw writes...
Hello again, I have a few new questions!
1) will you guys bring back the tie in comics?
2) Has Beast Boy turned into other alien animals besides the ones we've seen so far? Do zoos exist on Mars?
Greg responds...
1. I'd love to. It's not up to me.
2. No spoilers.
Verdragon writes...
1. What was the casting process behind Jesse McCartney as Dick Grayson, and did it have anything to do with his roles as Roxas and Ventus in Kingdom Hearts?
2. What was the casting process behind Alyson Stoner as Barbara Gordon?
Greg responds...
1. He auditioned. We cast him.
1a. Nope.
2. I honestly don't remember. I know we didn't hold auditions for the part. I'm trying to recall if perhaps she auditioned for Miss Martian, and whether we perhaps liked her and kept her in mind. I had also worked with Alyson previously (when she was barely a teenager) on W.I.T.C.H., in which she played Lilian Hale. So maybe I suggested her. Or maybe Jamie Thomason did. I just can't recall.
Suzie writes...
They never really elaborated on this, but I'm curious. What exactly is the relationship like between Superboy and Martian Manhunter since he is dating/engaged to his niece, Miss Martian?
Greg responds...
It was avuncular.
Suzie writes...
I have a few questions about Season 2 of Young Justice.
1. How did the team explain Miss Martian's absence from Ivy University when she was kidnapped?
2. During the weeks in captivity, did M'gann ever discuss her and Conner's relationship?
Greg responds...
1. Did they explain it?
2. With whom?
Anonymous writes...
1 Was the daughter Jace talked about to Violet Tara? Or did she make her up so violet would let her guard down around her?
2 What was Jace's plan if Violet told her friends that she was dying. The Hero’s would examine her body and be able to confirm Helga was lying which would have ruined her plan. Was she that confident that violet would remain quiet?
Greg responds...
1. Jace was talking about Tara.
2. Fairly confident.
Anonymous writes...
In season one and two, the timestampshowed single digit days (from 1 to 9) just with one digit (July 4), but since season 3 they have a zero in those cases (July 04). Why?
Greg responds...
For legal reasons, we had to change fonts between season two and season three. I felt, with the new font, it looked better and made more sense for the show to use that place-holding "0" digit when appropriate.
Caleb writes...
Some Justice League membership timeline questions
1. When (in Team Years) did Blue Beetle (Ted Kord) join the Justice League?
2. When (in Team Years) did Black Lightning join the Justice League?
3. When (in Team Years) did Guy Gardner join the Justice League?
4. When (in Team Years) did Blue Devil join the Justice League?
5. When (in Team Years) did Magog join the Justice League?
Greg responds...
1. Team Year Two.
2. Team Year Two.
3. Team Year Two.
4. Team Year Seven.
5. Team Year Seven.
Emily writes...
1: Is alan scott"s ring simply a damage green lantern corp ring or is it also magical in nature too?
2: Is alan scott a gay or bi man on earth 16? Recently comics out the classic alan scoot who was in ww21 and father of obsidian and jade
3: Is Cassandra savage a original character? Or was she inspired by a preexisting character?
3b: If she is original, why name her Cassandra when there is already Cassandra cain and sandsmark present ?
4: When did the first Black Canary start operating?
5: When did Steel/John start operating as a superhero?
Greg responds...
1. The former.
2. No spoilers.
3. She's inspired by Scandal Savage.
3b. We weren't the first to go this route. We were following the Arrowverse. And besides, it just seemed to make sense. It felt like the closest thing to Scandal that was an actual name.
4. 1964.
5. Team Year Six.
Emily writes...
1: Does Kate know that bruce is her cousin and batman?
2: Did spoiler start off as in independent hero? Did she get any training from batman or another bat family member?
3: Was damian Waynethe product of a consensual sex with talia and Bruce? I've always hated the retcon it into being Talia raping Bruce.
4: Is there a reason that so many aliens look so much like humans on earth 16? I've always hated comics making aliens looks so human looking
5: When did Red tornado officially started using his John Smith body?
Greg responds...
1. No spoilers. But, yes.
2 No spoilers.
2a. No spoilers, but of course.
3. No spoilers.
4. Other than Kryptonians, who looks human? Icon? He was organically reengineered to look human. John Jones and Megan Morse? They're shapeshifters. Hawkman and Hawkwoman? Those wings aren't accessories. They are winged humanoids.
5. Sometime after Season One.
Emily writes...
1: Does Lex care for conner at all in a fatherly sense?
2: Does Conner view lex as a father? does he care for Lex in some sense?
3: Is Kate Kane a cousin or relative of Bruce in the universe?
4: Is Kate the first batwoman on earth 16 or did Kathy Kane exist too?
5: Is Kate a core member of the batfamily or is she more of a independent agent?
Greg responds...
1. I'm fine leaving that for your interpretation.
2. Ditto.
3. They are first cousins.
4. She's the first.
5. Hopefully, you've seen by now that she is part of the Bat family, which doesn't mean she can't also act independently. Those things aren't mutually exclusive.
Paul writes...
Did M'gann M'orzz/Megan Morse have a bridal shower on Earth, like Raquel Ervin did?
Greg responds...
Prior to leaving for M'arzz? No. The original plan was to have one on Earth, after she returned from Mars, before her Earth wedding.
Plans change.
Anonymous writes...
Why do issues 2 and 18 have the same title "Monkey Business"?
Greg responds...
Cuz when I wrote issue #18 I forgot that issue #2 (which I didn't write or edit) had that title. Basically, I screwed up. (And no one caught it until after it was published.)
Anonymous writes...
1 How well did Jason Todd get along with the team?
2 More specifically, how well did Jason Todd get along with nightwing?
Greg responds...
1. No spoilers.
2. No spoilers.
Marvelman writes...
Did you ever consider having Ma'alefa'ak succeed in committing genocide? If so, why did you ultimately decide against it?
Greg responds...
If you're talking about in episode 404, than no.
Zman writes...
Hi Greg, hope you're doing well. I was wondering
1. When Tara was at Happy Harbor, did she fly under the radar? Perhaps with a different name.
Cause you'd think if she used the last name Markov before Nevermore, people might've gotten more hysterical.
Greg responds...
1. People tend to fly under the radar until they don't.
1a. I don't think she used a different name at Happy Harbor High School. But I guess I'd have to confirm that with Brandon Vietti. See what he thinks.
Liam writes...
1: Is a child of a B'lahdenn still treated as a Noble if they come out white or green?
2: Are all martians born with the psychic powers and the ability to shape-shifting? Are the ones born without discriminated or treated negatively?
3: Are some A'ashenn grey or all of them white? This is inspired by your latest answer and your wish that you made the (A'ashenn all grey.
4: Did any martians travel to earth before
J'onn J'onzz? Did they inspire earth's myths of the Greys and little green men or other alien tales.
5: Did J'onn J'onzz always present as a black man? What was his decision for doing so?
5b: Does J'onn have multiple identities that he uses?
Greg responds...
1. In depends how conservative one's family is. If it's very conservative, the act of marrying a G'arrunn or an A'ashenn would disqualify you from still being considered a true B'lahdenn. An extremely liberal family wouldn't, in theory, care about caste at all. But, if we're speaking generally, then I suppose the answer is no. If you're visibly A'ashenn or G'arrunn, you're not B'lahdenn.
2. Yes.
2a. I don't know if there are any without, but you can imagine if there were what kind of reception they'd get.
3. Uh... I guess they're all white. (Or maybe it depends on the lighting or the filter on your camera.)
4. No spoilers.
5. No spoilers.
5b. I'm not saying he's NEVER used another identity, but he's fundamentally stuck with John Jones.
Liam L writes...
Can I just say that I love your decision to keep Mars a populated plant! I'm so glad we finally got to see it this season. I think the world building was incredibly interesting, so I have a few or well more than a few questions.
1: Are the other castes able to sense what a Y'ellonn former caste was? Are Y'ellonn of a higher caste respected more than a lower one?
2: Is becoming a sorcerer priest the only way to learn magic on Mars? Are the other ways legal?
3: if there's a different way to learn magic, is there a difference between the priesthood magic and the alternatives or is it mostly the same?
4: Is a red martian joining the priest hood common?
5: Do Y'ellonn permanently lose their shape-shifting ability? Or do they still still have shape-shifting but every transformation they remain yellow?
Greg responds...
1. Technically, yes. But it's considered very bad form to even try. Y'ellonsn are all equally Y'ellonn. Former-Caste no longer matters.
2. No. But that's the traditional route.
2a. Legal? As long as one's not doing anything illegal WITH the magic, I suppose it's all legal.
3. All magicks have their signature, but all magic is still fundamentally the same thing.
4. Percentage-wise, as common as the other castes, but there are fewer reds, so their are fewer taking the Y'ellonn.
5. The latter, though I imagine they have less reason or need to shapeshift.
Patrick writes...
1: Who were the founding members of the doom patrol?
2: Is Negative woman still Russian? She didn't sound Russian in Beast boy's vision
3: When did Rita and Steve get together? Was it after or before the founding of the doom patrol?
4: Did Rita's power come with any drawbacks? I always disliked that the one female member was the Normal one while the guys were "freaks".
5: Did Gar view Steve as a father before the death of the doom patrol?
Greg responds...
1. Chief. Negative Woman. Robotman. Mento.
2. Yes, she's Russian.
3. Team Year Two.
3a. After.
4. Everything has drawbacks. My ability to eat very large quantities of the foods I love has drawbacks.
5. I think I'll leave that to your interpretation.
Roy harper fan writes...
1: Roy harper has been raised on a native american/Indian reservation in multiple several of his backstories, it was really central to his character post crisis where he even got a Traditional tribal tattoo. So I was wondering if that's the case on Eartg 16? Just to clarify Roy isn't ethnically Native in the comics, he was just raised near by and then on the reservation following his dad's death before he enter Olllie's
2: Speaking of which what year did Roy become Ollie's ward/enter his care?
3: Did either Black canary have any kid of connection to the justice society like being trained by wildcat? Hopefully you can answer, I think it's not too spoiler.
4: Was there any superhero teams that debuted in between the justice society and the justice league?
5: Was there any names that Will harper thought of using when before he decides on Will?
5b: Did he go with will since it was easier and his middle name?
Greg responds...
1. No spoilers. To clarify policy here, if the answer to a question in essence requires me to tell a story, then that's a story to be told (in flashback, in this case), and I'm not going to spoil that story here, even if I have no IMMEDIATE plans to tell that story.
2. 2007.
3. No spoilers. See above for why.
4. No spoilers.
5. Not really. Going with his middle name just made sense.
Chip writes...
Since Garfield needed a Martian animal form to survive the atmosphere, how did he deal with the specifics of acquiring a Martian animal form during his first trip?
Was he stuck inside Bio-Ship until M’gann brought him a Ma’arzuu Beast or something else to observe, or some other solution? I’m just legitimately curious about the logistics of that first trip and shift,
Greg responds...
The short answer is #NoSpoilers, cuz it's part of an untold story. But I think your basically on the right track.
Yojimbo writes...
1. In the episode "First Impression", one of the screens featuring a photo of a missing local teen. What was her name? (see image labeled "9" in the link: https://twitter.com/DCAUResource/status/1455098505014362112)
2. In the episode "Nevermore", what was the name cameraman at the Markovian Royal Palace? Or was he Pete Danbury? (see the image labeled "10" in the link: https://twitter.com/DCAUResource/status/1455098505014362112)
Greg responds...
1. Don't know. Yet.
2. Pete Danbury.
Yojimbo writes...
1. In the episode "Leverage", was Olga Ilyich an original character made for the show or was she from the comics or an amalgam of characters?
2. In the episode "Leverage", what was the name of the scientist aiding the Rocket Red Brigade? (see image labeled "6" in the link: https://twitter.com/DCAUResource/status/1455097137071411203)
3. In the episode "Early Warning", are Maria and Luis Garcia new characters made up for the show or are they from the comics?
4. In the episode "Early Warning", what are the names of the seven meta-teens rescued along with Luis and Dolphin/Delphis? (see image labeled "7" in the link: https://twitter.com/DCAUResource/status/1455097137071411203)
5.In the episode "Early Warning", what is the name of the officer who was with Ramon Bracuda and Maria Garcia? (see image labeled "8" in the link: https://twitter.com/DCAUResource/status/1455097137071411203)
Greg responds...
1. She was a combination of two characters, Olga and Ilyich, from an issue of Captain Atom that I did that featured the Rocket Red Brigade back in the late 80s.
2. I don't think we named her. Again, I try to name all characters who speak, but not all characters who don't.
3. From the comics.
4. No spoilers.
5. I don't think we named him.
Yojimbo writes...
1. In the episode "Private Security", Grant Park was visited by Artemis and Halo walk through Grant Park to meet up with Zatanna. Is Grant Park located in Star City or Gotham City?
2. In the episode "Evolution", at the end of the battle between the forces of Darkseid and Genghis Khan, was that a cameo by Gravyen among Darkseid's forces?
3. In the episode "Another Freak", what are the names of the following two girl students (image labeled "3a") and the boy student (image labeled "3b") in the classroom? (see link: https://twitter.com/DCAUResource/status/1455094905068343301)
4. In the episode "True Heroes", what are the names of the three meta-teens rescued in Al-Qawiya? (image labeled "4" in the following link: https://twitter.com/DCAUResource/status/1455094905068343301)
5.In the episode "Influence", what are the names of the girl and boy in the cell (labeled "5" in the following link: https://twitter.com/DCAUResource/status/1455094905068343301) aboard The Orphanage?
Greg responds...
1. Star City.
2. Yes.
3. We have, believe it or not, not named every single non-speaking character. Sometimes, as with Henry Fyff, we only come up with a name - identifying said character with a specific DC character from the comics - if and when that character speaks. There are exceptions. Some obvious, like Grayven. Others less obvious, where we were intentionally planting a seed like Lucas Carr's first appearance in "Welcome to Happy Harbor". In any case, I don't know the names of these three students. Might figure it out some day and retroactively indicate as much. Might not.
4. We were planting seeds with two out of these three. The middle one is supposed to be Celia Windward. I think the one on the far right is Wendy Jones. Although the picture's not too clear, and my memory is faulty. It's not Tara Markov, is it? The one on screen left? See the answer to question 3.
5. No spoilers.
Masterdramon writes...
Aloha Greg! Finally caught up with the queue again, and figured I'd "celebrate" my asking my own question for the first time in a while.
First off, absolutely loving just about everything about PHANTOMS so far. The maturity of the storytelling, worldbuilding, and character exploration on display in just the first arc has been stupendous.
I particularly appreciated your acknowledgment in a recent answer of racial blindspots you and the creative team could see in hindsight with the way Mars-16's society was set up, and the genuine effort put into course-correcting here, resulting in a far more nuanced and topical take on racial prejudice and hierarchy than most contemporary shows would even dare TOUCH.
Meanwhile the animation, sound design, and voice talent remain top-notch as ever (particular props to Greg Cipes...people who have only heard him do Beast Boy in the VERY broad take from "Teen Titans Go!" have to have been thrown for a loop by his performance here). The dialogue, both dramatic and humorous, carries a sharpness that few other shows of its type can match. And that heart of mystery and black-ops intrigue, which always gave YJ its own strong, unique identity to set itself apart from other versions of the DCU, remains as strong as ever (though I totally called the king's murderer right off the bat, LOL).
All this combines to create what is shaping up to possibly be the best season of this show yet, and the reason why Thursdays are the day of the week I'll be most looking forward to for the foreseeable future. ;)
Now, to the actual question...
One element introduced in OUTSIDERS that really interested me were the Control Chips used by the Light and their associates. While they seem like garden-variety fictional mind control devices in terms of their utility and effects, their actual origin and functionality are never brought up on-screen, as they are clearly a well-known feature of the criminal underworld by Team Year Eight.
So these are a few of the questions that I've been mulling over since my last rewatch of OUTSIDERS. If any of these are considered to be spoiler requests or touch on unseen elements of PHANTOMS, feel free to skip over, but I figured I'd give it a shot!
1) Who first invented the Control Chips?
2) In "Auld Acquaintance" Vandal mentions that one of the Light's goals was cornering the market, as it were, on "every conceivable method of mind control." As he says this, we get a quick montage of examples from Season 1, including Starro-Tech, G-Gnome telepathy, the Joker's plant-controlling gloves, Queen Bee's pheromone abilities, and Psimon's psychic powers. Were any of these precursors or bases for the Control Chip tech?
3) Anything you're willing to share about how the Control Chip's level of...well, control, compares to the above-mentioned methods? For example, Starro-Tech explicitly only allows an external user remote control of the mind, without actually altering the victim's thoughts. If not neutralized by a Cure Chip, do Control Chips have this same limitation, or do they work along an entirely different vector?
4) Is there a "standard" Control Chip model used by the various meta-traffickers around the world, or is this the sort of case where once the technology exists, unsavory characters of all sorts reverse-engineered their own "flavors"?
5) How does the Control Chip imprint who the victim is supposed to be obeying? Clearly in Jace's case, for example, she had primed the chips she used on Brion and Tara so they would obey her, but is that done by a voiceprint sample, DNA, or some other method?
I'm probably overthinking this one little part of the worldbuilding, but hey, that's what this sight is for! That, and asking for the age of every character who has ever been mentioned for a single femtosecond, LOL...
Regardless, wishing you, the rest of the cast and crew, and all of your loved ones the absolute best! Cannot wait for the next chapter of PHANTOMS to enter my eyeballs.
Mahalo nui loa! :D
Greg responds...
1. They're a spin-off of Starro Tech, created, I assume, by Ultra-Humanite and his compatriots.
2. See above.
3. When activated - and they can be installed without being activated - one has to follow verbals commands, even against one's will.
4. Eh. Mostly the former, but certainly the latter may be happening, as well.
5. There are multiple options, but it does need to be prepped in advance of installation.
Thanks, Masterdramon - for your kind words here and for moderating Ask Greg. I and all the fans owe you a debt!
Isaac writes...
Hello! I was wondering if you ever watched Robert Kirkman's Invincible (2021) animated series? It's about superheroes and gave me the same vibes as Spectacular Spider-Man and Young Justice (just WAY gorier). I really enjoyed it, and one aspect of it that I absolutely loved was the longer episodes, running about forty-to-fifty minutes each. I know it's way above your pay-grade, but I was just curious, if you had the choice, would you want to extend your episodes to fifty-some minutes like Invincible? Or would you want to keep them a little over twenty minutes? Assuming of course you'd be able to still produce twenty to twenty-six episodes for each season, which Invincible didn't do at just eight episodes per the first season.
Anyways, Happy Halloween! I'm eagerly awaiting the next episode of YJ Phantoms! Artemis' arc is looking to be fantastic!
Greg responds...
I haven't seen Invincible.
In some ways, I'd love to stop worrying about episode lengths entirely. But I'd still want the same quantity of episodes (or more). And budget is definitely a factor. It's been great on the last couple of seasons of YJ that if we have (within our budget) been freed from the constraints of a maximum length. But I don't feel like we've been hugely restricted by running between 22 and 27 minutes. Don't know that we need "fifty-some".
Verdragon writes...
What was the process behind selecting the destinations for the Avalon World Tour? Specifically, how and why did you pick the locations that didn't have hard thematic parallels to the Gargoyles (Like Prague in 'Golem') or could have established characters show up there (Like Dingo in Australia in 'Walkabout)?
Greg responds...
They ALL had one or the other. Can you name one that didn't?
Anonymous writes...
Why didn’t Gar meet Em'ree on his last trip to Mars like he did M’comm?
Greg responds...
Em'ree and M'gann weren't close. Gar didn't meet most of M'gann's siblings.
Chip writes...
I was wondering, given their caste differences, how did S’yraa S’mitt and Prince J’emm meet?
Greg responds...
Wow. Martian names and ASK GREG don't go well together, do they?
In any case, as always, #NoSpoilers.
Algae writes...
So... who exactly was "J.W." from the Recruits radio play supposed to be?
Greg responds...
No spoilers.
Anonymous writes...
What was Em'ree referring to when she said "I didn't know that" on the Sacred Rivers? What did she not know? And why did she seem shocked at that?
Greg responds...
I think it's extremely clear what she's responding to in that moment, i.e. what was said immediately before she made that statement. So I'll just suggest you watch again.
Keira writes...
I do geuninely appreciate what you did with Halo in Outsiders. I thought you crafted the arc of an otherworldly being trying to outline its own identity very well. I thought the point of her arc was clearly communicated- last season she was trying to grasp the bare fundamentals of being human, and in this one, it seems like she's reached a place where she explore them in more depth.
Her arc was one of favourite parts of the last season, and I thank you for that.Looking forward to more.
Greg responds...
Thank you. I appreciate that. There is more to come.
Anonymous writes...
Were king Ma'arrun‎ and queen Sykara‎ married or rulers in their own time?
Greg responds...
Ask Greg has trouble with certain characters. So it's a bit hard to read what you've written here. But in any case, the answer is going to be #NoSpoilers.
Caleb writes...
When (in Team Years) did King Orin retire as Aquaman?
Did Kaldur immediately take up the mantle after Orin?
Greg responds...
1. Team Year Seven.
2. Yes, as planned.
Anonymous writes...
In the aftermath of "Dark Nights: Death Metal," has the Young Justice animated universe been officially designated as Earth-16 again in the DC Multiverse, or is Earth-16 still that version that was seen in "The Multiversity: The Just?"
Greg responds...
No idea. I just know we're Earth-16 in the Earth-16 Universe.
Anonymous writes...
Young Justice Questions in regards to Batwoman:
1. Is her full name Katherine "Kate" Rebecca Kane?
2. Are she and Bruce Wayne maternal cousins?
3. When did she join the Justice League and what was her designation number during her time as a member?
4. Within the animated series, does her immediate family consists of Jacob Kane (father), Gabrielle "Gabi" Kane (mother), Elizabeth "Beth" Kane (twin sister), and Catherine Hamilton-Kane (stepmother)?
5. Within the animated series, when and why did Kate Kane become Batwoman?
Greg responds...
1. Yep.
2. Yep.
3. She joined the Justice League in Team Year Seven.
3a. I generally don't reveal designation numbers here, unless there seems to be no way in the future to ever learn said numbers.
4. No spoilers. But I will say she's related to Bette Kane, whom we met in Season One and in our companion comics.
5. No spoilers.
Edarad writes...
What was the deal with R'ess E'dda in episode 1 and his massive mind link? Isn't he a Queen's subordinate? That looked like an attack. Or at worst, an insurrection. Is that a Martian costume or something?
Greg responds...
It was a lawful psychic assembly/protest, believe it or not. It was certainly oppressive, and it was designed to catch the queen off guard. So it was also obnoxious. But, yes, R'ess is a subordinate to Queen J'arlia. Still, technically, he did nothing wrong - or at least nothing illegal.
Suzie writes...
Hello got a few more Young Justice questions.
1. To confirm are Bart and Eduardo a couple?
2. What are the names of Tula's parents?
3. When and how did Superboy make his engagement ring to Miss Martian?
Greg responds...
1. I'm not allowed to say - and before you ask - I really don't know why. But Eduardo is gay and is dating someone. Bart is dating someone.
2. I'd have to research that.
3. The when is before he proposed. As to the how, I haven't given it much thought, but I imagine it was much the same way I ordered an engagement ring for my wife.
Suzie writes...
I have a question about Superboy and the Kents.
1. Is John Smith aka Red Tornado still listed as Superboy's legal guardian.
2. Have Jonathan and Martha Kent adopted Superboy?
3. What kind of relationship does Superboy have with his adopted family?
Greg responds...
1. No.
2. I haven't given any thought to whether or not they officially went through that process. Probably. But in any case, if one assumes he was "written down" as 16 in Team Year One, by Team Year Ten he was over the age of consent and had or needed no legal adult guardian.
3. A good one.
Anonymous writes...
Young Justice Questions in regards to Superman:
#1. Are the names of Kal-El's birth parents Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van?
#2. Since Kal-El was born in 1977 and his ship landed in Kansas in 1978, how exactly is it possible for his ship to travel to Earth so quickly in the span of only one year?
#3. In the years prior to starting his crime-fighting career in 1998, who else besides Clark's parents was aware that Clark had powers?
#4. When exactly did Clark Kent learn the truth about his own origins?
#5. When exactly did Superman become aware of his weakness to kryptonite?
Greg responds...
1. Jor-El and Lara El, at the time of their deaths.
2. Through subspace.
3. No spoilers.
4. No spoilers.
5. No spoilers.
Elizabeth writes...
A) Does Roy Harper suffer from chronic phantom limb pain?
B) Is he going to college?
C) Does have a father-son relationship with Ollie?
Greg responds...
A. I don't know. I believe I'd have to do some research to answer that.
B. No spoilers.
C. Basically. Whereas, say, Clark and Conner really settled on a fraternal bond. And Bruce has a clear paternal bond with Dick. Ollie and Roy are somewhere in the middle.
Windy writes...
Hey Greg,
This is just a few quick questions:
1) Who was Tara's guardian during s3? I know Gregor became hers afterwards, but she needed someone listed as her guardian when attending school
2) Who's Violet's guardian?
3) Who is/was Foragers?
Hoping none of these are spoilers, and have a great Halloweekend!
Greg responds...
1. That's a good question. Brion, maybe. It's unusual for someone under 18 to get that gig. But given their unique circumstances it might've been allowed.
2. My knee-jerk reaction was Artemis, but thinking about it, maybe it was Will.
3. Megan, maybe?
As you've probably gleaned, this just never came up before now. I haven't thought about it much.
Anonymous writes...
1 Was jace already insane before ultra humanite mentored her?
2 If the answer to question 1 is yes, did he mentor her because of her insanity since he thought she would be easy to control?
3 What does ultra humanite think of her insanity?
4 Was there a specific reason you picked ultra humanite as a member of the light?
5 When did ultra humanite mentor jace
Greg responds...
1. "Insane" isn't a technical term, so it's hard to answer.
2. I think he admired her scientific mind. The fact that neither let any pesky societal standards of morality stand in the way of their scientific goals probably didn't hurt.
3. I'm not comfortable with that word.
4. Yes. He seemed like the best possible replacement for the Brain.
5. Before.
Miraphosa writes...
Does J'onn still talk to the family that disowned J'ann? Considering he's related to them n all. Does Em'ree, or do any of M'ganns other siblings?
Also, do all martians have names starting with the same letter as their siblings? (stretching that even further, does that have anything to do with the letter of their dad's name? Considering M'att -> M'gann, M'comm, M'ree)
Greg responds...
1. J'onn's family is truly enormous. I wouldn't want to say he speaks to none of them. But he chose sides.
2. Em'ree, M'gann and the rest of the siblings have no real relationship with their mother's side of the family.
3. It's common but not an absolute rule.
Nick writes...
Hi Greg!
Thank you VERY much for answering my Z-designation questions. The designation ordering is a small part of the show but one that has always interested me. The little touches of world-building throughout YOUNG JUSTICE are one of my favorite things about the show, and I can only imagine how much unseen work goes into fleshing out the universe you and Brandon have created. And I completely understand that the G- and Z-series were special cases, and have no expectations for seeing the other fulls lists unveiled. Discovering them as the show goes along is half the fun!
One question I do have spinning out of the Z-designation ask though is Katana's numbering. It is what prompted me to ask that question in the first place. My general understanding of the designation assignments (and please correct me if I am wrong) is that when multiple heroes join at once, they are given their numbers in the order that they debuted as heroes. But Hardware (Z-04) was designated before Katana (Z-05), despite you having stated that Hardware debuted in Team Year Five with Katana debuting in Team Year Three -- in Japan. So my question is...
1A. Was Hardware's debut year a mistake?
1B. Was Katana's designation based on when she debuted in America instead of Japan?
1C. Or perhaps most likely, did Batman simply recruit his team in different batches, quietly assigning designations in multiple waves?
While I hope this would only apply to the defunct Z-series you have agreed to unveil, if any of it touches upon still present spoilers, I completely understand if you cannot answer at this time.
As always, I wish you, Brandon, and the team the best on completing production for the final episodes of Season 4, and thank you for continuing to keep up with the queue as the current season is airing! Very excited for the Artemis arc and only still crying a little bit after the "Involuntary" ending. (Okay, a lot bit.)
Oh, and I'll be helping to moderate the Reddit AMA on 11/2 -- so if you only get to this question after that -- a huge thank you to you and Brandon for answering even more questions there!
Greg responds...
It reflected their order in joining the League, which doesn't necessarily reflect how long they've been "out" as heroes.
And thanks for helping out!
Anonymous writes...
Hi Greg, hope your doing well.
1.Has Zatanna ever dated someone else after breaking up with Dick ?
2. Has Dick dated someone else after breaking up with Zatanna and before dating Barbara ?
3. Had Dick and Zatanna ever wondered to set back together after breaking up ?
4. Had they ever regret they break up ?
Thanks for your time !
Greg responds...
1. Technically, that's a spoiler request, but the obvious answer is yes. So... yes.
2. Dick's dated a lot of people. Some of whom he's had more than one go 'round with. So that just becomes a complicated question to answer while still avoiding spoilers.
3. There's clearly at least one typo in here, and maybe two. So I'm not exactly sure what you're asking. But if you're asking whether or not the THOUGHT has eve crossed their minds, I think the answer must be yes.
4. Depends what you mean by regret. Regret with a capital R? No. With a lower-case r? Sure. We all have moments of regret.
Marvelman writes...
Is Saturn Girl as powerful and skilled a telepath as M'gann?
Greg responds...
She's up there. One of the few who can hold her own.
Gigliovaljr writes...
Hello there Greg,
So Young Justice Phantoms did a surprise premiere, without any warning, and while that was great isn't it a little concerning?
There was absolutely no marketing for this and yet it dropped anyway. I'm concerned that the little to no advertisement this season got is going to hurt its chances of getting renewed for a fifth season because there was no hype and people don't know it premeired or where it premeired. Are you at all concerned that this lack of marketing is going to hurt the show's future? Is there any way for you or us to know if it has affected viewership significantly or if this season has shown some strong numbers?
Greg responds...
I'm not sure what you expect me to say. These were decisions made way above my paygrade. But the folks at WB, DC & HBO aren't in the business of throwing away money. Folks can agree or disagree with their strategies, but rest assured that they believed that this was what was best for the series.
However, what you do need to remember is that this isn't a broadcast show. It's streaming. Who shows up to watch on the first day isn't as important as it used to be. As long as we #SpreadTheWord and make sure everyone knows to #KeepBingingYJ on @hboMax, it's still possible to #SaveEarth16.
Anonymous writes...
If teekl was destroyed would klarion be permanently banished or only temporarily?
Greg responds...
Depends on how things played out. By now, I'm hoping you've seen how things played out. If not... um... what are you waiting for?
Anonymous writes...
Mr. Weisman,
What other animated DC films are also considered "Young Justice-adjacent" besides "Catwoman: Hunted" and "DC Showcase: Green Arrow"?
Greg responds...
None, I don't think. Am I forgetting something?
Anonymous writes...
Did you make an arc about mars in phantoms specifically so you could save money on talking animation or was that something you already wanted to explore regardless of that? Or both?
Greg responds...
Okay, (a), it doesn't save us any money. It saves the animators time, but we pay Studio Mir the same amount either way. It's not a budget issue, though I won't deny it doesn't hurt to have one less thing to worry about getting right.
And (b), the Mars arc was always planned. And we felt the time was right to explore M'gann's homeworld.
Woodrow Butdonthaveapaddle writes...
Hello Greg!
I'm in awe of how good Young Justice: Phantoms is so far, you and Brandon have certainly knocked it out of the ballpark again! I have two small questions that correlate to both Outsiders and Phantoms.
1.) What was the in-universe reason for Tim Drake to change his Robin outfit to the variation with the hooded cape? I personally thought it was a really cool-looking addition to the character's costume. In Phantoms, why did he choose to ditch the hood for an outfit more along the lines of his Invasion appearance?
2.) What was the in-universe reason for Cassie Sandsmark to trade in her original Wonder Girl outfit for a newer variation with knee-high boots and a dark red jumpsuit?
Thanks for your time! If writing was a superpower, then you'd be more powerful than Superman!
Greg responds...
1. He was moving into an even more covert mode with "Batman, Inc." in S3. By S4, he had become a public hero again with the Outsiders. The general public knows about Robin and has since Dick's time. If they did the math, they must realize this can't be the same guy, but most people don't think that through.
2. She wanted a more grown-up superhero look, especially once she was taking over as leader of the Outsiders during Beast Boy's (now prolonged) absence. It was time.
Jason R Carter writes...
1. Whose idea was it for Steve Dayton to sound like Alan Rickman?
2. Do Bio-ships reproduce by parthenogenesis or coitus?
3. Not so much a question as a request: please get Virgil a girlfriend. Daisy, Frieda, Madison, whoever. Please!
Greg responds...
1. I'm not sure I remember. Maybe Scott Menville's. Maybe Jamie Thomason's.
2. Isn't it visually obvious in episode 401? (I hope the answer is yes, that way I don't have to look up parthenogenesis.)
3. #WeDon'tTakeRequests #WeCan'tTakeSuggestions But who says he doesn't already have one?
Anonymous writes...
How long has Dr. Jace worked for the Markov family?
Greg responds...
Not going to nail that down at this time for you, but it's safe to say she's been working for them long enough to be trusted implicitly. And she was already working for them when Tara was abducted.
Anonymous writes...
Was Baron Delamb fourth in line for the throne of Markovia?
Greg responds...
He wasn't in line at all. After Viktor, came Gregor, then Brion, and then Tara. After Tara, would come some cousin or other on the Markov side of the family.
Marvelman writes...
Was the Legion part of your plans for Young Justice from when you and Brandon first developed the show and season one? Or, were they a later addition?
Greg responds...
Without getting into specifics of exactly when and where we planned for them to show up, they were always part of our initial plan.
Anonymous writes...
Who created those speakers that Gar uses when he is in beast form? How do they work? What is their name?
Greg responds...
1. Well, if you're asking who created the core technology that they utilize, the answer is the Brain.
2. They translate mental speech impulses into a synthesized voice.
3. We call them "the little speakers on Beast Boy's collar."
Anonymous writes...
Dear Mr Weisman i have some Young justice related questions for you 1. Does Mrs M'orzz watch hallmark movies on a frequent basis as she was more familiar with the purpose a wedding ring then Mr M'orzz was? 2 Are any of Miss Martian sibling's (Em'ree and M'comm aside) members of the yellow Martian order? 3. what does Black canary do for a living?
Greg responds...
1. Only ones starring Danica McKellar or Lacey Chabert.
2. No spoilers.
3. She's a therapist, and she also owns a flower shop.
Ali writes...
I have 2 questions about Doctor Fate.
1: Do people have to consent to let Nabu possess their body? For Example would it have been possible for the Team or Kent Nelson to just have him possess some evil magic user such as Wotan or Orm by placing the helm on their head against heir will?
2: Does Doctor Fate have access to any non-mystical powers of their human host? He didn't seem to have super speed when possessing Wally, but I am not sure if he just didnt try to(which would be understandable as mid-battle isn't the best place to try out new powers).
Greg responds...
1. I mean obviously the Team or the League wouldn't do that. But whether it's possible is a fair question. It's clearly possible for Nabu to RETAIN control over someone against their will. But does the initial possession require consent? I'm going to tentatively say no. But that even Nabu wouldn't take possession without consent.
2. He would have any powers and abilities that the host body possesses.
Anonymous writes...
I love Prince J’emm! Such a pure and beautiful person he is! Have some questions about him! Please and thank you!
1. How did J’emm met Sy’raa and how long have the know each other?
2. As the future king, how is J’emm’s reputation among his people?
3. Does he have any siblings?
4. Will J’emm appear in more future episodes in Season 4?
5. Does J’emm ever wish to travel to Earth or the just visit other worlds in general?
Greg responds...
1. There's obviously a story in that. I try not to tell stories here at ASK GREG.
1a. Until this story is told, I prefer not to pin that down.
2. Very strong among the more progressive set. He makes the more reactionary set nervous.
3. No spoilers.
4. No spoilers.
5. For now, I'll leave that to your interpretation.
Hello, Gargoyles writes...
Does the Gargoyles show exist on Earth-16? Was it made by Greg Vietti or Brandon Weisman? Did any of our favorite superheroes watch it? Who was their favorite character? ;)
Greg responds...
I've written like four flippant, smart-ass responses to this question, and erased them all, as none truly seemed funny enough to justify all the noise that would come out of people (sometimes willfully) misunderstanding my humor as something serious.
So basically, here's the truth. We have the occasional Easter Egg, because that's fun to do and "get away with". But these properties are owned by two different companies. They do not overlap.
Anonymous writes...
"Please try to dispel the dark cloud shadowing your face and mind"?
Seriously? Seriously? You just can't help yourself,can you?
Greg responds...
If you mean, I can't help tossing in a Shakespeare reference, then the answer is... I don't want to help myself. I'm happy the way I am.
Anonymous writes...
Mr. Greg,
1. While J'ann's family mostly disowned her, how are relations on M'aatt's side of the family? Are they involve in their nieces and nephews' lives? Do they get along?
2. How strong is J'emm's abilities compared to most Martians? What about in compared to J'onn J'onzz or M'gann?
Greg responds...
1. No spoilers.
2. Few are as strong as M'gann, as we've established over and over. And J'onn is exceptionally well-trained and experienced. J'emm is young, but has the potential to be powerful.
Shivang Parikh writes...
Was Count Vertigo the younger brother of Perdita father?
Greg responds...
No. He was a Vertigo. Perdita and her father were Vladeks.
Shivang Parikh writes...
Was Ilona, Bedlam sister born into the royal family of Markovia and inherited the throne once her father died?
Greg responds...
No. She was nobility, not royalty. She married the king. The Markovs were royalty. The DeLambs were nobility.
Shivang Parikh writes...
Was Baron Bedlam born into the royal family of Markovia
Greg responds...
No. He was a noble, not a royal. His sister married into the Royal Family.
Shill writes...
When did the Outsiders mission seen in 403 took place?
Greg responds...
February 24th, Team Year Ten
May writes...
Despite a multitude of differences, I've always seen M'gann as sort of a parallel to Starfire from the Teen Titans TV series, in terms of being an alien and overall personality.
Hynden Walch voiced both Starfire and her sister Blackfire in that show. Was choosing Hynden to voice Em'ree a purposeful choice because of that? Her voice seemed to match more how she did Blackfire than Starfire. Or was it all merely a coincidence?
Greg responds...
I believe it went down like this:
We needed to cast Elasti-Girl for "Nightmare Monkeys". As that episode included "Doom Patrol Go!" as a tribute to "Teen Titans Go!" we decided to use the TTG voice cast for the DPG characters, paralleling each as much as possible.
So...
Greg Cipes = Beast Boy = Beast Boy
Tara Strong = Raven = Negative Woman
Khary Payton = Cyborg = Robotman
Scott Menville = Robin = Chief
Hynden Walch = Starfire = Elasti-Girl
Since Hynden was now the official voice of Elasti-Girl, that meant she was now also the official voice of Rita Farr, who became Elasti-Girl, as well as the official voice of Rita Lee, the character that Rita Farr played on "Hello, Megan!"
And since Em'ree was ultimately going to take on the image of Rita Lee, Hynden was the only choice to play Em'ree.
Of course, the fact that Hynden is amazing didn't hurt.
Make sense?
Verdragon writes...
Two Mars-Earth communications satellite questions.
1. When was it first brought on-line?
2. I noticed that the satellite at least looks like it has Bioship-esque textures, was it in any way related to the Bioships or is that just a Martian design sensibility?
Greg responds...
1. During Team Year Nine.
2. That's a good question. I'm not sure.
NoOneSpecial writes...
Maybe this is a strange question, but from a production point of view, are you only allowed to use existing characters from the DC comics or you be able to create an original character for the YJ? I get that their could be a lot of factors in this and alternatives, e.g, like using a relative minor or unheard of character over a more mainstream one. But would you say you have enough creative freedom to create a purely original character for your show that has no DC counterpart that you are adapting? And not just being original, but also having an unmistakable presence in the series, equivalent to one of the mainstream heroes like Nightwing or Artemis. Is a lot of emphasis, from an executive pov, to keep focus on the heroes that are most recognisable to the audience, throughout any of the 4 seasons of YJ? I can think of couple of examples of this occurring in other shows such as Harley Quinn who was created for the Batman TAS, or X-23 who was created for X-Men Evolution. Of course those are two examples of characters that were such a huge hit that they became part of the comics. Now I'm not asking about anything that could be potentially upcoming, I'm just curious if creating original characters is something you could do if you so choose.
Greg responds...
We have created original characters for YJ. Tommy & Tuppence Terror, for example. Frankly, we view Kaldur'ahm as a pretty damn original character, as well. He has antecedents and inspirations from the comics, but no one like him existed before Brandon, Phil and I created him. And he certainly has prominence in our series. And a version of him then became part of DC Comics' continuity. Not as popular as Harley, of course. But we think of him as a significant addition to the canon.
Our preference, however, is to use existing characters on the show whenever possible. We just think it's more fun for the viewer that way. Sometimes the more obscure, the better, like Penny Randolph. Other times, we're bringing in heavy hitters like Cyborg.
In any case, no one has set any restrictions on us, one way or another.
NoOneSpecial writes...
1.J’ann’s family disowned her for marrying a white Martian with the exception of J’onn. What is J’onn relationship like with the rest of his family then? Do they disown him as well for keeping in contact with his sister? Or are they proud to be related to the Martian Manhunter?
2.Is J’onn really highly regarded on Mars? Most of his heroic exploits are on Earth. I’m guessing maybe he could have done some heroism on Mars too, but one might argue he has more loyalty to the Earth than Mars itself given that he lives there and risk his life for the Earth. For other heroes Wonder Woman and Aquaman I can understand because their respective homes are still a part of the Earth. But what makes J’onn such a hero to the Martian people?
3.Was J’onn an official manhunter before he arrived on Earth or is a kind of honorary title he has?
4.Megan said that Bio-Ship was originally meant for J’onn. How did J’onn travel to and from Mars prior to Season 1? Did he have another Bio-ship that he used for travel?
5.Were Megan and her siblings all born roughly at the same time? If not, how many times can Martian couples reproduce. What would be the average number of children a Martian couple can produce?
Greg responds...
1. A family isn't a monolith. He has different relationships with different members of the family.
2. Television.
3. He was a M'hontrr.
4. Initially, J'onn was accidentally zeta'd to Earth, and he was trapped there for years. How he first got back to M'arzz is a spoiler, as are any details associated with his travels prior to him departing M'arzz with Bio-Ship (and the stowaway M'gann).
5. They were not all born at the same time. Our thinking is that the M'orzz family is of a typical size.
NoOneSpecial writes...
1. A Yellow Martian permanently alters their skin color when they become a Priest/Priestess. How is this done? Is this some kind of special ceremony or process when becoming a Priest or is this someone Martians can do naturally if they wanted?
2. Do Yellow Martians still face prejudice if they were once White Martians? Do Yellow Martians in general have a similar status to Green or Red Martians?
3. Did B’arzz have any prejudice toward White Martians prior to becoming Green Beetle?
4. Do Martians have a form of currency?
5. Murder is supposedly hard to get away with on Mars since everyone is telepathic. But M’comm was able to shield his thoughts from Megan when she interrogated him. Not to mention he was plotting to kill as well. And as we find out in the end, it as S’yraa who killed the king. If M’comm and S’yraa don’t share their thoughts openly or if they simply lie, then it seems murder would be easy to get away with on Mars.
Greg responds...
1. There's a ceremony. Which is not to say a Martian couldn't turn yellow if she, he or they wanted. But turning yellow doesn't make one Y'ellonn, anymore than Miss Martian turning green made her G'arrunn.
2. All Y'ellonn are treated equally, independent of their caste of origin. They are a separate caste, held (generally) in high esteem. Probably below B'lahdenn, but above G'arrunn. But they are supposed to remain apolitical.
3. He was relatively enlightened. But it's hard to be raised in a racist society and come out with NO prejudices. One has to WORK to overcome that indoctrination, I've found.
4. Uh... probably. Haven't thought about it, honestly.
5. It's easy to sense a lie. To push through and get to the truth - when it's being hidden - is more difficult (for all involved). But it's not impossible. If one has a suspect, a psychic interrogation tends to reveal the truth. (M'hontrrs aren't as reticent as M'gann was.) S'yraa got away with hiding her crime for so long because she was never a suspect - until she was.
June writes...
I love how all the Martian characters have different designs. At least all main and secondary Martians. B'arzz looks entirely different from R’ess E’dda. A lot of aliens in other shows all look the same. Was this a purposeful decision? Who's was it, if so?
Greg responds...
Most of the Martians are based off the same single design, with differences of skin color and costuming and size, etc. This was done intentionally to show how - as an outsider - one can easily be blind to subtle differences in the "other" tribe, when in fact every individual is unique.
Anonymous writes...
Why did Alan Tudyk only voiced on episode of season 3? Did he become unavailable because he’s becoming more high profile?
Were Troy Baker and Nolan North together in the studio for season 4? They broke off their partnership on YouTube. Are they still friendly?
Greg responds...
1. Green Arrow only appeared with a speaking role in one episode in Season Three.
2. They were definitely in the studio together pre-pandemic. They seemed friendly to me.
Crossoverparinglover writes...
I was curious if you ever broke down in what galaxies various planets are. DC's done that a few times: For example Thanagar Daxom and Tamaran are in the Milky Way while Krypton is in the Andromeda Galaxy. Is that the case in YJ as well?
IF that's too spoilery, think you can give some non-spoiler labels to join Earth and Mars in stellar geography. I'm always fond when creators do that.
Greg responds...
1. No. Everything we've done is in the Milky Way Galaxy. A galaxy is VAST. Since we tried to ground our show (as much as possible) in reality, the idea of going beyond our galaxy seemed, well... less real.
2. I honestly don't know what you're asking for here.
Zergrinch writes...
Hi Greg!
I have some questions about alien reproduction. For my edification, and as far as you care to enlighten, in your mind:
1. Do Martians bear live young, reproduce asexually, or lay eggs that hatch?
2. How about the Reach, with their insect-like motifs?
3. How about the gremlin-like Kroloteans?
4. How about the hawk-like Thanagarians?
5. And finally, what about the bugs on New Genesis?
Thanks ðŸ˜
Greg responds...
1. No spoilers... but they don't reproduce asexually.
2. I haven't given it any thought, but I'd assume something insect-like.
3. I haven't given it any thought.
4. I'd imagine it's more mammalian in nature, but I haven't given it any thought.
5. Again, something insect-like.
Zergrinch writes...
Thank you for clearing the queue and reopening the questions! I did a rewatch of Young Justice in preparation for the new season, and have these questions:
1. How was Vandal Savage able to solo Black Canary, Black Lightning, and Captain Shazam in 4 minutes at the end of Young Justice season 2 episode, "Summit"? I understand that Black Canary and Black Lightning aren't tanky, but surely Captain Shazam would be very hard to knock out?
2. Why did Vandal Savage immediately depart with the Warworld, instead of obliterating the Reach fleet at the end of "Summit"? Wasn't he leaving a lot to chance, given that the Earth could really have been destroyed by the MFDs?
3. Since Vandal Savage has been shown to regenerate from fatal wounds, why don't his facial scars heal?
4. Why did Lobo kill little Lobo at the end of Young Justice season 3, going as far as to burn the corpse? Did he really wait all that time for it to gestate?
5. Given Black Manta bristles at being enslaved by the Reach, why was he so docile towards Amanda Waller, unlike Captain Boomerang?
Greg responds...
1. I'll leave that to your imagination.
2. I'm not sure he knew about the MFDs, or - since they were already deployed - that he had anything on Warworld that could have stopped them without also destroying the planet. Warworld is a doomsday device. It's a blunt instrument, not a surgical one.
3. Those scars pre-date his exposure to the meteor.
4. He doesn't want a second Lobo out there. As for the timing, I can see all sorts of possible explanations. I'll leave you to choose your own.
5. He has a bomb in his brain.
Nick writes...
Hi, Greg! I was very happy to see the promo art update for the next arc today, and I am incredibly excited to see what PHANTOMS has in store. I saw that you recently answered some questions on when certain members from the S1/S2 gap joined the Team (https://www.s8.org/gargoyles/askgreg/search.php?qid=25193) and I was wondering if you’d be willing to do the same for Jason Todd/Robin. Not asking for debut info since that was marked as spoilers for the Marvels, but seeing as how these recent answers confirm that Jason joined in either Team Year Two (after Troia) or in Team Year Three (before the Marvels), would you be willing to reveal which year it was?
Wishing you all much luck on the last batch of episodes! Us fans are doing all we can to campaign for Season 5, and hope it amounts to good news soon!
Greg responds...
Jason joined the Team as Robin in Team Year Three.
Anonymous writes...
Hi Greg
1- Does Roy Harper (the original) still have romantic feelings towards Cassie ?
2- Does Cassie still have feelings for him ?
3- How did Roy reacted when he learned about Tim and Cassie’s relationship ?
Greg responds...
1. Who said he ever did? She kissed him once on the cheek, and he reacted predictably for a teenage guy. I'm not saying he doesn't but I wouldn't read too much into what you've seen.
2. See above.
3. No spoilers.
Anonymous writes...
Why did Dick and Zatanna break up ?
Greg responds...
No spoilers.
Anonymous writes...
Do Eduardo Dorado Jr, Tye and Sam count as original characters for the show? I ask because of Eduardo being called El Dorado and El Dorado is a character from Super Friends. I'm guessing it works like Kaldur/Aqualad
Greg responds...
There's ORIGINAL, and there's original. Just as Eduardo Jr. is El Dorado and inspired (very loosely) on the El Dorado of Super Friends. Tye and Sam are inspired loosely on the Super Friends Apache Chief and Samurai, respectively.
I think we came up with original takes on these characters, that transcend what previously existed.
Izzy writes...
Hello! I've seen the last three episodes of Young Justice: Phantoms and I'm eagerly awaiting the fourth. The relationship dynamic between M'gann and her family (especially M'comm) is rivaling Artemis's in terms of pure curiosity and intrigue. I love it and I want to know everything! And given what was shown in the trailer, it looks like even more of Artemis's family dynamics are going to be explored, which is fantastic. I think this is going to be something they'll bond over this season. But who knows! Anyways, on to the questions:
01. You mentioned in a recent Tweet that ‘Catwoman: Hunted’ is, like your Green Arrow short, a story that also occurs similarly on Earth-16. Given that information, is it safe to assume Catwoman exists on Earth-16?
02. Are Lucas Carr and Bethany Lee alumni of Happy Harbor High School, or did they graduate elsewhere? Given that Snapper was at least living in Happy Harbor as a teenager, I assume he attended the public high school. The same can be said for Bethany, if her backstory from the comics as the daughter of Happy Harbor’s police chief before becoming one herself is largely unchanged.
03. Given you are a Stanford alumni and have thought about what dorms Wally and Artemis spent their Freshman years in, did you give any thought into who their respective roommates were? Not asking for spoilers about who they were, just merely if you guys ever bothered to come up with them.
04. Is Batwoman Jewish on Earth-16 like she is in the comics? If so, wouldn’t that make Batman (by proxy, if not in practice) Jewish as well, at least on his mother’s side?
05. This is a long one! I know birthdays aren't something you come up with unless the story needs it, but do you have the same line of thinking with babies born during the story? Artur, for example, was born on February 1st, 2011 (according to the YJ wiki, which got the date from Legacy). For Lian, however, we only know she was born in September 2015. Do you have a birthdate in mind for her, or just the month? For Don and Dawn Allen, you answered in an ask that their due date was sometime in the September following Invasion. I’m not asking if that due date was accurate or when, if you know it, their actual birthday(s) are, but merely the concept as a whole. Was Artur the only one assigned a birthdate in-story because the diary entry needed a timestamp? Since then, a whole bunch of other super-kids (Anissa and Jennifer, Jonny, Traya, Amistad, and most recently Rhea) have been introduced, with Rhea being (according to Unknown Factors) born on January 21, 2019. While Rhea’s birthday is obviously a byproduct of the story and thus laying credence to your stance on only assigning birthdays when needed, she was also the only one explicitly shown. I guess this whole question can be summed up to: do children (emphasis on children somehow connected to the main cast) born DURING the story get assigned birthdays even if the story doesn’t necessarily showcase/reference their birth outright? If not birthdays, then just birth-months? Or is that only come up with when needed as well?
Greg responds...
1. Yes, in some form.
2. Yep.
3. I actually did give a little thought to Wally's roommate. I have a notion, but I'm not locking it in unless or until a story requires it.
4. Yes.
4a. I think it must be true that Martha Kane Wayne was Jewish. That means by Jewish tradition, Bruce Wayne is also Jewish. But I think it's also clear that he was raised as a Protestant Christian. Beyond that, again, I'm not going to go into details until or unless a story requires it.
5. Just birth years, unless the story indicates an obvious (thus necessary) birth month. And just birth months unless the story requires or dictates a birthdate.
Paul writes...
1) When (in terms of which Team Year) did Lieutenant Marvel leave the Team?
2) When (in terms of which Team Year) did Sergeant Marvel leave the Team?
Greg responds...
1. Team Year Five.
2. Team Year Five.
Anonymous writes...
Congrats on a 4th season can't wait to see it, now I have browsed the archive many times and since these questions weren't there, so I am assuming they haven't been asked
1. How big is the Timeline currently.
2. You said Earth-16 has some significanct relation with the number 16, I am assuming that means there's more to that then you all dropping 16 in every episode. If so how long do we have to wait is the answer only going to come when we reach season 16.
3. How concrete is the timeline like are their things in it which you thing can be subject to change or is it already vague aside from the necessary stuff i.e have you gone back and changed something thinking this has to better why didn't I think of this before.
Greg responds...
1. It's currently 719 pages long.
2. That's funny. No spoilers.
3. I've changed things occasionally. I've certainly corrected math errors that I've made. But I tend not to fix things in the timeline until Brandon and I have decided on things and/or NEED to decide things. That's way more than you've seen, obviously. But otherwise, we try to leave things open when we can.
Peter writes...
In what year did garfield logan's skin turn green in young justice timeline ?
Greg responds...
No spoilers.
Jack writes...
Before miss martian and superboy the logans on december 1 2010 miss martian promise she would come back to see garfied . my question is how long a time did m'gann planned to pass before m'gann came back to see the garfield and marie ?
Greg responds...
She came back fairly soon. Before the end of Season One. You can read about it if you pick up our companion comics volume.
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