Ask The Maestro (that's Dwayne)

[Darth Scorpius]

Hey Dwayne, I've been playing around with my Final Draft Pro and all of its features and I'm in the process of converting my animation spec scripts into my software. I was just wondering, when you are writing your animation pieces what format do you use? Half-hour sitcom? Warner Bros. screenplay? One hour drama?

[Dwayne McDuffie]

Hey Dwayne, I've been playing around with my Final Draft Pro and all of its features and I'm in the process of converting my animation spec scripts into my software. I was just wondering, when you are writing your animation pieces what format do you use? Half-hour sitcom? Warner Bros. screenplay? One hour drama?

Depends on who I'm writing for. It's the customer's choice.

[Dwayne McDuffie]

Lex Luthor carried around Kryptonite 24/7 and got Kryptonyte Cancer. Then shoudn't Batman have caught it too? He said he carries it around constantly as "Insurance"

Did the league vote for Hawkgirl to stay or go at the end of starcrossed?
I would say stay because I would guess the voting went

Flash: Stay
Diana: Leave
Lantern: Stay
Super-man: Stay
Batman: Leave
Man hunter: Stay

No, Batman kept his kryptonite in a lead-lined pouch.

[Dwayne McDuffie]

Did Terry McGinnis pick up at least a quarter of Warren's DNA or is he half Bruce half Mary?

Half Bruce, half Mary. Warren's DNA was overwritten.

[Dwayne McDuffie]

Hello Dwayne, I just have a question if you don't mind. I was having a discussion regarding powerful minority heroes. After the beat down that steel received by the hands of Doomsday, it made me realize that DC doesn't seem to have powerful minority heroes that can go toe to toe with the strongest dastardly villains. Marvel has The Blue Marvel, who defeated Hyperion, took on the entire Avengers, and defeated anti-man.
I was wondering if Icon would be considered strong enough to go toe to toe with the strongest villains out there akin to how Superman, Captain Marvel, and Wonder Woman could? Thank you for your response.

Icon can go toe-to-toe with *anyone*, so can Starlight, DMZ and Kwai, among others.

[Dwayne McDuffie]

Dwayne,

I've been a long time fan (I didn't know it at the time since I was a kid and didn't watch credits). You replied last time since you knew my father at the University of Michigan. I was wondering what your thoughts were regarding developments in the DC Universe and Batman. Would you be interested in making an animated Batman R.I.P. or something that revolves around the entire Bat-family? I ask, because I'm a fan of Tim Drake (and of course Bruce).

Looking forward to All-Star Superman!
Go Blue!

I don't pick the projects, sometimes I get hired to work on them. I haven't read Batman RIP yet, so I don't have an opinion on whether it would make a good movie. Batman family would be fun.

Who's your dad? I sort of remember you from before.

[Dwayne McDuffie]

Hello Mr McDuffie!, im a writter in training living in argentina, and im rapidly becoming your fan, i started noticing your name in the credits on ben 10, and now im re-watching Justice League, and i got to say... wow, you really have a special touch for this stuff. Still didn't seen your work in comics, bur you'r awesome with cartoons. My goal is to be able to make cartoons just like that one day. So anyway, i have a few questions about justice league.

1- In my rewatch im arround the beggining of Justice League Unlimited, and i noticed the stories now are only one episode long unlike the previous 2 seasons. My question is, did that affected you as a writter?, i mean, you found it challenging to cut the stories into 24 minutes instead of the 40 you used to have?.

2- I recently seen the 2010 movie of Justice League, war in the two worlds. And it seems it perfectly fills the gap between JL and JLU, since it shows how batman rebuilt the space station and installed the teleporter, or how wonder woman got her invisible jet and the moment they decided to open the league to more heroes, also the absense of Hawkgirl is according to this moment in the story, but there's only one thing than kind of ruins the continuity of the justice league animated series... Why is Hal the green lantern here instead of Jhon??. Its kind of confusing since it fits so well with the animated series, i didn't readed the comics, but i know there Hal is the green lantern who is a founding member of the justice league, so i guess this is based on the comics then?

3- I never really liked superman as a character, but i love how he is portrayed in some media, and this cartoon is one of them. I love how you guys shown his weakness as a person, his temptations and how he's still a man. But i think sometimes he's powered down a little too much. I mean, i understand than you can't have a full powered superman or even flash in a Justice League series, since they would be so powerfull its not even funny. But sometimes Superman is powered down a little too much, when even random laser guns can knock him down i think its exagerating. Do you have any particular dislike for Superman? or it was only done for the sake of the story?

Anyway, that's all. I really respect your work Mr, and i hope someday i can go as far as you did.

1. Not really, we create stories to fit the format.
2.The studio didn't want this to be part of the animated continuity.
3. I love superman, but if he's invulnerable, then there's no need for the other characters. And he's never been knocked down by a *laser* on JLU.

[Dwayne McDuffie]

hey dwayne

1. i was just wondering about the hours of working in the animation buisness,is it a 7 days a week job. and do workers come in at diffrent times like the voice actors, animators, editors and so on or do all workers come in at a certain time and everyone does there bit i hope that makes sense

Most animators work more than 8 hour days, it's a 9 to 5 gig, but probably more like 10-7. Voice Actors come in once, maybe twice per episode, for no more than four hours each time. Editors usually work on several series simultaneously, and work 5 days a week, for as long as it takes.

[Dwayne McDuffie]

Hello Mr. McDuffie.

I apologize if this has been asked by someone else too recently.

Is the deal of the Milestone characters as part of the DC Universe still standing??

Any info what will be seen from them next??

Yes. new Xombi and Static Shock series are now in production.

[Dwayne McDuffie]

Ello Maestro,

I've just finshed watching the first episodes of Young Justice and I was wondering what you honestly think of the series and if you are going to have any involvement with it in the future.

Also do you think we might see an episode that has a Static cameo? ;D

Haven't seen it yet, but everyone who works on it is *really* good.

I'd love to see Static on it, but no one has asked.