The World's Finest Interviews - Matt Wayne On Wrapping Up "Justice League Unlimited"

[James Harvey]

Finishing off the month-long celebration of the Teen Titans Go! and Justice League Unlimited comic titles! The World's Finest managed to track down Matt Wayne to discuss the upcoming conclusion to the acclaimed Justice League Unlimited comic series. To read the new interview, click on the respective links below. This is a must-read interview!


http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/graphics/latestupdates/waynebarberi-08.jpg (http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/jlu/backstage/interviews/wayne02.php)
Matt Wayne Interview (http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/jlu/backstage/interviews/wayne02.php)

Comments?

"Justice League Unlimited" #46 hits shelves on June 4th, 2008.

Special thanks to ShadowStar and DisneyBoy for contributing additional questions.

[DisneyBoy]

YAY!

*composes himself* I mean...hmm? What's this?

Great to finally read this. I'd dare to say it's the best of the interviews you've posted lately. Matt really seems comfortable with the questions and opens up, and there are a variety of insightful tidbits.

Although I'm going to call you out on something Jim - the question sandwhich:

Now, to back it up completely for a minute, Justice League Unlimited issue #46 isn't your first issue, as you've written some Justice League Unlimited comics in the past, but how did you find yourself writing issues of the comic? What are your thoughts on the entire Justice League Unlimited comic, from start to finish? Any particular issues you'd like to point out, or problems you had with the comic series?

There are really three questions there. He only responded to the last two because he'd likely forgotten the first. Not to say I'm some expert journalist, but I've noticed in the other interviews too there have been some sandwhiched questions. Might be better to break those up.

Thanks again for asking for my input! I really had to laugh as Matt answered my "Untold stories/plans" question with a big yes (YAY!), only to then say he was going to make Tala the Big Bad (NO!) I went from totally wishing he'd had the chance to write more issues to being glad he didn't, :p Enough Tala. I don't need more Tala. Away with Tala!

In fact, the only plan of his that seemed really interesting to me was the JLU/Titans team-up. Why hasn't this happened? It's not the comics have been sticking to continuity.

I won't lie - I'm a little concerned that the final issue won't meet my expectations simply because I think it's about the Green Lantern dog I once saw in an ad a thousand years ago. I mean, really...

But in a lot of ways this series didn't live up to the JLU name. It was more like The JLU Facts of Life, with various characters playing Mrs Garrett, depending on the issue.

He's totally right about his Giganta issue being like an Archie book. I could tell something was really out of the JLU wheelhouse when I read it, but couldn't make the association. It's totally Betty and Veronica fighting over Archie, and I'm glad he said that.

Great job, good questions, fun read. Can't believe this could be the end!!! I'm holding out hope for more. The DCAU didn't live for 15+ years just to die out....

[ShadowStar]

Mwahahahaha! One of my questions tricked him into revealing the secret Golden Glider story! :evil:

I must agree with DisneyBoy that it was getting to the point where Tala was being overexposed.

That Teen Titans crossover notion infuriates me because it was likely what we were going to get for issue 50. DC have a lot to answer for...

[DisneyBoy]

Truth is, neither of Matt's issues really won me over in terms of storytelling style and dialogue and well, clear-ness. So I'm not too bummed the book didn't keep going. Maybe he would have gotten better, but I'm happy enough with the good issues we've seen thus far.

Now if Paul Storrie, Jason Hall or Ty had been on the book recently, I would have been seriously, seriously bummed out that it couldn't continue.

[Wolf Boy2]

This book was just a botched mess. I didn't really like any of the issues I read. I just figured that was because it was having to suit the TV continuity, and I had hoped it would be "Batman Adventures" quality when the TV series ended. But that never happened. The only issue I really liked was the Stargirl/Crimson Avenger issue. But even that felt like a sitcom plot (like a Steve Urkel experiment gone wrong).

EDIT: I also don't like that this issue seems to be ressurecting dead Green Lanterns. I hate ressurections!!! Let dead characters STAY DEAD.

[DisneyBoy]

:mad:

Thank you very much Wolfie. I'd totally forgotten that some of the GL's had died in the show. Now I'm going to go into this final issue having problems before I'd even read it.

sigh.

:yawn:

[Stu]

Always great to hear from Matt. Honest, humourous and insightful, as ever.

I've always been dissapointed with this book - I remember praying for a Batman Adventures style revamp from Templeton when the book concluded but alas, we only ever seemed to get really cool covers from him.

Interesting to see what would've happened in season four, had Matt had the chance.

[pharmmajor]

Mwahahahaha! One of my questions tricked him into revealing the secret Golden Glider story! :evil:

Yeah, I can imagine that would have been cool. Captain Cold and Golden Glider vs. Fire and Ice, those are the makings for an impressive battle.

By any chance does anyone know of other unused or "lost" plots for the JL Adventures and JLU comic series?

[MattWayne]

There are really three questions there. He only responded to the last two because he'd likely forgotten the first.

"Adam Beechen recommended me to the editor" is the missing answer.

Glad you enjoyed the interview, Disneyboy. It took me some time.

But since the only effect it seems to have had is to give the INTERVIEWERS a reason to come onto this forum and be dismissive of my work, kind of a fanboy sucker-punch, I doubt I'll bother with something like this again. Or is that weird?

[DisneyBoy]

Matt...

I'm very glad you came online to visit our community. We're a pretty good bunch of people who put thought into what we say, and how we say it.

No one here who contributed to the interview has in any way dissmissed you or your work. I certainly haven't. I've picked up all your JLU issues...and if I thought they could be better in certain ways, I explained why.

As for the interview I said I thought it was the best of those recently conducted.

Frankly, I'm a little surprised by your reaction.

[Wolf Boy2]

"Adam Beechen recommended me to the editor" is the missing answer.

Glad you enjoyed the interview, Disneyboy. It took me some time.

But since the only effect it seems to have had is to give the INTERVIEWERS a reason to come onto this forum and be dismissive of my work, kind of a fanboy sucker-punch, I doubt I'll bother with something like this again. Or is that weird?
Well, sucker-punch is a bit harsh. Maybe a slap in the face or a kick in the nuts. But sucker-punch? That's pushing it.:evil:

As I was the only negative comment on this board, I assume you're talking about me. I wasn't dissmissing your work specifically, as I haven't read your stories. What I have read were the early JL comics which are a continuity nightmare (with radically different versions of Chronos and Killer Frost, among other things).

All I said about your story was that it "seems" to be ressurecting dead GLs. If it is a ressurection, I will not be pleased. If it's just an artist's mistake, than we are cool.

I'll write more when I've actually read your story (and I'll decide then, and only then, whether you actually do need a sucker-punch or not). :p

[ShadowStar]

"Adam Beechen recommended me to the editor" is the missing answer.

Glad you enjoyed the interview, Disneyboy. It took me some time.

But since the only effect it seems to have had is to give the INTERVIEWERS a reason to come onto this forum and be dismissive of my work, kind of a fanboy sucker-punch, I doubt I'll bother with something like this again. Or is that weird?

Matt, I read and really enjoyed issues 37 and 38. To be honest, it was their strong quality persuaded me to buy a few back issues, along with issue 41. I'm certainly going to pick up issue 46 next week. The only person here who said anything rude was Wolf Boy; DisneyBoy's grateful for answering the questions, I'm grateful for your answers to the questions I provided, and the other people who have stopped by are pleased with the interview too. I don't see what the problem is...

[Wolf Boy2]

The only person here who said anything rude was Wolf Boy.
I didn't say anything rude about Matt's work! I'VE NEVER READ HIS WORK. Unless he wrote the Stargirl issue, and I don't think he did. I was only commenting on the series in general, and its not rude to say it wasn't as good as other DCAU tie-ins nor did it connect well with the series.

[ShadowStar]

I didn't say anything rude about Matt's work! I'VE NEVER READ HIS WORK. Unless he wrote the Stargirl issue, and I don't think he did. I was only commenting on the series in general, and its not rude to say it wasn't as good as other DCAU tie-ins nor did it connect well with the series.

In that case, sorry. I jumped the gun and assumed that your negative comments (which weren't offensive) had been the cause of Matt's anger, but you're not to blame. Again, sorry; there was nothing personal in what you typed. I guess when I typed my previous post, I had your one about the "sucker punch" thing in mind - but hey, that wasn't rude either...

[DisneyBoy]

I hate to say it, but I think Mr Wayne just took things a little too personally. Wolfie's right - he was commenting on the book's overall quality. And I can't say I disagree with his assessment. Sure, there were behind-the-scenes reasons DC didn't let this book fly off into more adult mature territory (the new titles are proof enough of that), but I still wish it too had been able to go in the direction of Batman Adventures.

Just not with Tala, LOL. Sorry, but I've never really liked Tala.

[Spider-Man]

This is a startling talkback thread to read!

Anyways, I am still exited for this issue next week although I have to wonder if there's really a need for a definitive final DCAU story. Didn't the last episode of Justice League Unlimited nicely wrap things up with "...and the adventure continues"? I think this will be a fun Green Latner Crops tale told in the DCAU continuity but I don't think we really need to put a period at the end of it. The last episode of Justice League Unlimited wrapped it up nicely by tieing everything up but leaving the door open. And since this series had a lot of stories that clashed with the continuity of the animated shows I don't think we should effect any type of wrap-up here.

Still, bring on Justice League Unlimited #46!

[adoptedBatpuppy]

After reading this interview, Mr. Wayne provided his view and some good information, inlcuding how the series was supposed to continue until the issue # 50. The plans to bring Tala back and feature story with Teen Titans maybe try to tie into a continuity with a cartoon if the comic book series would have continued. To me it's sad that another (besides Teen Tians Go!) animated tie-in comic book series is ending. :sad:

If there is a re-vamp the series should get better hopefully taken to a new height. :cool:

[Wolf Boy2]

I have to wonder if there's really a need for a definitive final DCAU story. Didn't the last episode of Justice League Unlimited nicely wrap things up with "...and the adventure continues"? I think this will be a fun Green Lantern Crops tale told in the DCAU continuity but I don't think we really need to put a period at the end of it. The last episode of Justice League Unlimited wrapped it up nicely by tying everything up but leaving the door open.
Even on the show, you got the impression that the "definitive" DCAU stories had already been told. I was lucky enough to see BTAS and STAS first, so I wasn't disappointed, but people I know who saw JLU first were let down. JLU (especially in the Cadmus arc) rang Mr. Brook's bell so danged hard that everything else is a bit of a let-down. Even the final season of the show just seemed to have lost its steam. The Cadmus Arc was a storytelling landmark that tied 15 years of continuity together and gave it an explosive ending.

I don't even think more animated episodes or a DTV can live up to THAT. So it's really best not to even try. If the comic were to continue, it should focus on characters that didn't get much screen time (like what Matt's doing with the GL Corps).