Ask The Maestro (that's Dwayne)

[Dwayne McDuffie]

Welcome to Round Four of the longest running topic on my various boards and mailing lists.

For newcomers, I'm Dwayne McDuffie, cartoon, comic book and videogame writer - and host of this board. If you don't know who I am, there's plenty of information under the "About Me" menu to your left.

The rules remain the same: Ask me anything, and if I'm not legally bound to do otherwise, I'll do my best to give you an answer (and on the theoretical occasion when I don't know something, we'll turn the collective brainpower of this forum to sussing out the answer). So, Justice League of America, Milestone, "Is Dwayne a racist?", Fantastic Four, Damage Control, Static Shock, JLU, Comics, TV, Movies, Physics, Politics, advice to the lovelorn, whatever you got.

As usual, I'll only lie if there's a chance it'll make me look better, or make my many enemies look worse.

[Morning Sunglasses]

Mr. McDuffie, are you the least bit nervous about Milestone being integrated with the DCU for any reason(none of which I'm asking you to share), or it just mainly excitement at the moment?

[Darth Scorpius]

I'm digging the new board and the new website.

[DEWLine]

Hi, Dwayne. Dwight here.

In follow-up on your question back at the VHive re: Stellarium vs. Celestia? I just downloaded and installed Stellarium and so far, I'd say that Stellarium loses the "stability of graphics" battle. At least when I'm fiddling with its settings. Also, it's defaulted as "taking up the whole screen" on my MacBook.

[Dwayne McDuffie]

Mr. McDuffie, are you the least bit nervous about Milestone being integrated with the DCU for any reason(none of which I'm asking you to share), or it just mainly excitement at the moment?

I'm excited, but I have to admit to some nervousness. My initial Milestone story arc, "Welcome to Sundown Town," has already been interrupted by "Faces of Evil," "Origins and Omens," and the post "Final Crisis" tie in. So rather than the clean, six-issue Shadow Cabinet/Shadow Thief/Starbreaker Arc I'd envisioned, now it's sort of a soap opera structure for the next eight issues, with all of those elements weaving between the various crossovers. It's not the way I like doing stories, and it's not how I'd have chosen to debut my characters in the larger DCU.

That said, we've arrived, so roadblocks or not the Milestone characters are now available for stories in the DCU, and that is exciting.

[Catch22]

Nice new design! I like it! With the Milestone characters being integrated into the DCU, I'm sure there will be an interest by most readers for background on the characters. Are there any plans that you're aware of for releasing any of the previous series in trades in the near future? I have most of the books, myself...I'm just looking out for the youngsters and late comers!

[Dwayne McDuffie]

Are there any plans that you're aware of for releasing any of the previous series in trades in the near future? I have most of the books, myself...I'm just looking out for the youngsters and late comers!

We're planning a number of collections, the first of which will be announced very soon.

[Morning Sunglasses]

Mr. McDuffie, are you the least bit nervous about Milestone being integrated with the DCU for any reason(none of which I'm asking you to share), or it just mainly excitement at the moment?

I'm excited, but I have to admit to some nervousness. My initial Milestone story arc, "Welcome to Sundown Town," has already been interrupted by "Faces of Evil," "Origins and Omens," and the post "Final Crisis" tie in. So rather than the clean, six-issue Shadow Cabinet/Shadow Thief/Starbreaker Arc I'd envisioned, now its sort of a soap opera structure for the next eight issues, with all of those elements weaving between the various crossovers. It's not the way I like doing stories, and it's not how I'd have chosen to debut my characters in the larger DCU.

That said, we've arrived, so roadblocks or not the Milestone characters are now available for stories in the DCU, and that is exciting.

Oh, dammit. I was hoping you'd have more reigns over this story after getting your previous plots interrupted/altered because of tie-ins and major events. I miss the days when JLA could have insane, epic stories without having to connect to a half dozen other titles.

Thanks for the reply.

[Dwayne McDuffie]

I was hoping you'd have more reigns over this story after getting your previous plots interrupted/altered because of tie-ins and major events.

That was the plan, DC wanted me to have a clear run, too. Unfortunately all of this stuff came up. What are you going to do?

[Morning Sunglasses]

C'est la vie, I guess. At least the book continues to sell well.