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Backstage - Interviews

Len Uhley Talks Justice League's "Metamorphosis"
By Jim Harvey
10-02-2002


Toon Zone was able to catch up with writer Len Uhley to talk about his work in this week's Justice League episode "Metamorphosis Part 1."

Toon Zone: You've written for shows such as STATIC SHOCK and OZZY & DRIX. What's it like to work on a show like JUSTICE LEAGUE, that has a much larger cast and more group dynamics?

Len Uhley: The contrast isn't that severe, actually. Most series that have large casts tend to split them into smaller units. Of course, you always have a group meeting or a big fight scene that involves everyone, but the main plot usually is carried by one or two characters. This keeps the choreography manageable so that the storyboard artists don't form a lynch mob. ("You have twelve people in a room the size of a phone booth. Are you crazy?!") It also allows the writers to delve into personalities more.

The real difference between writing for JL as compared to, say, Ozzy & Drix, is a matter of tone and style. One is an action drama while the other is a slapstick comedy. Each has its challenges and its pleasures.

Toon Zone: Metamorpho is one of DC's most popular second-tier characters. How were you able to stay true to the comic version that fans know, yet add your own spin to the character?

Len Uhley: Well, in series television, 'your own spin' is always the result of a group effort. In this case, I believe that the idea of doing Metamorpho first came from Bruce Timm and one of his collaborators, James Tucker, a terrific director-producer, artist and character designer. These guys are walking encyclopedias of comic book history!

Anyway, once I landed the writing assignment, I worked closely with Rich Fogel and Stan Berkowitz to get the story in shape. And then after I was done with the material, they did their magic to it. It's a collaboration from the word go.

As for 'staying true,' let's face it, a lot has changed since Metamorpho started out in the comic books. You simply couldn't play Sapphire as a spoiled little rich girl (she's still rich in this version, but that whole whiny cutesy-poo routine she did in the comics is long gone). The globe-trotting adventurer thing Rex Mason did back then has been kind of done to death since, thankyouverymuch Indiana Jones. So we had to find something else for him to do.

Having said all that, the basic relationships and personalities remain intact. Sapphire loves Rex. Rex loves Sapphire. Simon has an unhealthy affection for Sapphire (eewwww!). And Java is still a thicko.

Also, real world events have an impact on the material. In my drafts of the script, the first big action piece featured Green Lantern saving an airliner. Well, obviously, after 9/11, that was a nonstarter, so the guys in-house had to alter it to a runaway train (it's a very cool action sequence regardless).

Toon Zone: Green Lantern and Metamorpho's pasts tie together. Can we expect to learn more about Green Lantern, in terms of his past and character?

Len Uhley: Yes, you can. (But you'll have to watch the episode yourself to get the details.)

Toon Zone: Overall, what can fans expect from the episode?

Len Uhley: This is the first all-singing, all-dancing episode from Justice League. Green Lantern performs a very touching ballad in the second act, 'I'm Blue Because I'm Green,' while Wonder Woman and Hawkgirl sing a saucy little ditty to the Flash, entitled 'Take a Cold Shower, Will You?!'

Relax. I'm kidding.

The fact is, I haven't seen the episode in its entirety. I saw some clips from it this summer, down at ComicCon in San Diego, and what I watched looked wonderful. The designs on Metamorpho and all the other characters from the comics are amazing and true to form (again, hooray for James Tucker).

All of the early Metamorpho scenes work very well -- you really get the sense of Rex's surprise at his condition and his self-loathing ("Look at me! I'm a freak!"). Simon is truly creepy. Sapphire is a babe, but in a self-actualized, 21st Century way. GL is melancholy. Hawkgirl is, surprisingly, not unkind. And did I mention that Java is a thicko?

I also hear from Rich and Stan that part two (teleplay by Dwayne McDuffie), has some incredible Monster-Trashing-The-City action. I could go on, but I'll be hearing from a pack of angry executives about the musical joke any minute now, so I'd better quit while I'm ahead.

Be sure to watch "Metamorphosis, Part One," this Friday, October 4, at 7:00PM on Cartoon Network. Part Two airs October 11.

Thanks, Len!

Originally posted on Toon Zone News.

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