If you're a fan of the Johnny DC line at DC Comics, or just like to enjoy award-winning, fun all-ages comics, there's a good chance you're familiar with the writing team of Art Baltazar and Franco. These creators have enjoyed critical and fan acclaim for their work on the spectacular Tiny Titans and kicked off the recent Young Justice comic series. And now, they turn their sights to the Green Lantern Corps! Both Art Baltazar and Franco have taken the time to answer to discuss their all-new comic title Green Lantern: The Animated Series! Below, we hear from Art... The World's Finest: Before we get going, care to provide us with a bit of background on yourself and your works? Art Baltazar: Aw yeah, man! Here’s my bio!
Art: It ties in closely but not as close as Young Justice. Green Lantern: The Animated Series has separate adventures than on the cartoon, but we still have to be aware of the cartoon’s continuity. Dig? So, we can’t use a character if the show didn’t show them first. WF: Can you run us through how you set-up issue #0? Will readers need to have watched the one-hour pilot to get an understanding of this issue, or can anyone pick it up? Art: Anyone can pick up issue #0! I highly recommend it! If you saw the first episode, you will enjoy our issue #0 that much more. If you have Green Lantern knowledge, you will enjoy #0 even that much more. If you saw the movie, even that much more. Issue #0 kind of takes place after the first episode of Green Lantern: The Animated Series. The series sets the place and pace of where these guys are going and we tell stories within that world. WF: Is it safe to assume that issue #1, coming next year, will hit the ground running? What are some of your plans for the comic series? Art: Yeah man, we are making the most exciting stories possible! We are both Green Lantern fans and love the characters! We have access to the whole Green Lantern universe, so we even went back and looked up some of the old villains. The readers should be pleased. WF: Dario Brizuela is providing the artwork for this series. How has the collaboration been with him so far on this book. What types of strength does he bring to the table and how does compare with the like of Mike Norton from your Young Justice run. Art: Dario is an awesome artist! If you see his name on any book you should buy it! Working with him has been great. When his artwork comes in via email, it's like opening up a present on Christmas morning! Working with Dario or Mike has been a pleasure! Both bring awesomeness to the team! And that’s what we like! The team mentality! AW YEAH TEAM GL! WF: When it comes to writing these tie-in comics, how ‘in the know’ are you with the storylines for the actual comics? How much free reign are you given when coming up with stories and events for these comics? Is there any worry they much collide with what is being done in the actual series? Art: We are given the scripts for the episodes so we don’t really get confused or anything like that. Plus the peeps at DC Comics guide us to make sure are stories are unique amongst themselves and our awesome Comic Book universe of Green Lantern awesomeness. WF: Each project is different, but your assignments on Young Justice and Green Lantern: The Animated Series are somewhat similar (creating new stories for an animated series). How did writing for Young Justice prepare you for Green Lantern: The Animated Series? Art: Green Lantern: The Animated Series is a lot more freeing than Young Justice. With Young Justice, we had to stick really close to the shows continuity. Kind of like a DVD extra with bonus scenes during the commercial breaks. Young Justice was really driven on a timeline where Green Lantern: The Animated Series is much more episodic. There is continuity but not so tightly sewn into the show. So, we could have an episode with Hal meeting a brand new character or Kilowog catching a cold and it will not alter the beat of the actual animated series. Make sense? WF: And since I have to ask – Tiny Titans...you’ll be on that book forever right? Because that book needs to last forever. Any thoughts of ever trying to get it adapted for the small screen? Art: Man, forever is what I’d like to see. Well without being immortal of course. Yes! Seeing Tiny Titans animated would be like a dream true! Someday maybe, perhaps. I hope we get to work on the comic adaptation. Oh wait, we kinda are already. You are awesome. WF: And, to wrap things up, can you tell us why we need to rush out on November 30th to pick up Green Lantern: The Animated Series #0? Art: Aw yeah! You need Green Lantern: The Animated Series #0 in your collection! If you are a DCU fan or a Green Lantern fan, or just a fan of cool comics, I think you’ll dig this one! Aw yeah, man!
The special #0 preview issue of "Green Lantern: The Animated Series" debuts November 30th, 2011 from DC Comics. The comic title is then slated to return monthly beginning Early 2012! |
