Batman: The Animated Newsletter

SPECIAL IN THIS ISSUE

INTERVIEW WITH HILARY J. BADER
(by "Dick Grayson")

HILARY BADER Q & A
By Dick Grayson

Recently, I was able to have a chance to send off some questions Bat-writer Hilary J. Bader. Hilary Bader is known for writing the current BATMAN BEYOND comic, as well as writing for a host of shows, including SUPERMAN, BATMAN, and BATMAN BEYOND. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy!

BATMAN: THE ANIMATED NEWSLETTER#1: So, to all the fans who know little about you, care to shed the light on your background a wee bit?

HILARY BADER#1: I began as a performer. My partner and I wrote and performed Story Theatre pieces we created especially for schools. Sort of fables for the modern world. One day we both realized we were tired of the grind of touring. I couldn't convince my partner to go to LA with me so I headed out to write for TV.

BTAN#2. What was your first writing job in television? Did you always plan to write for TV?

HB#2. As I mentioned in the previous answer, "NO" I didn't always plan to write for TV. I came to LA with a couple of spec scripts including a STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION. Star Trek was (and maybe still is) the only TV show that would read specs submitted without an agent. Fortunately mine was read by the Executive Producer who called me in to pitch. On my second pitch they were interested in one of the stories and asked me if I wanted to be the Writers Guild Intern - like anyone would say "no" to that. So my first job in TV was writing a script for TNG while spending 20 weeks as the intern. As a childhood Trekkie this was like a dream come true.

BTAN#3. How did you end up at LOIS & CLARK: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN? Did this lead to SUPERMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES?

HB#3. As with everything in Hollywood, connections get you jobs. One of the producers at TNG had left the series to work on LOIS & CLARK. I called him and said, "Hi. It's Hilary. You know what I want." I guess the direct approach worked and he called me in to pitch. I sold a story which became "Chi of Steel." At some point when Alan Burnett (Producer on Superman TAS) was looking for writers he called some people at LOIS & CLARK, they recommended me, Alan read my stuff and the rest is history.

BTAN#4. Between the two SUPERMAN series, which one did you enjoy writing for more?

HB#4. The Animated Series. I was there from the beginning so I felt more invested in it (although Lois & Clark was a blast to write.)

BTAN#5. This eventually leaded you to write for THE NEW BATMAN ADVENTURES and the mini-series BATMAN: THE LOST YEARS. Did you and Rich Fogel have that continuity between SUB-ZERO and SINS OF THE FATHER all planned out?

HB#5. First let me clear something up. BOTH Batman scripts - "Sins of the Father" and "Old Wounds" - were written by Rich Fogel alone. I had nothing to do with the scripts. When I wrote "The Lost Years" comic book miniseries both those scripts had already been written. Two of the books are completely new material and I tried to use as much new material as possible in the other three but there are scenes in three of the five books which are - at least in part - adaptations from those scripts. Rich didn't get an "adapted from a script by" credit for some obscure credit reason that I never understood.

BTAN#6. Did you ever plan to tell more LOST YEARS tales on the television show before it was put on hiatus?

HB#6. Not really. Remember, although "Sins of the Father" aired after the comic book came out, it was actually written before the comic book. In fact we all assumed the show would have aired long before the comic book's release.

BTAN#7. Is it different writing for the comic than the shows?

HB#7. You bet it is. There is a lot less space to tell a story in a comic book so you need to find a story that can be told in fewer beats and still be visually dynamic.

BTAN#8. Would you have rather gotten work at GOTHAM ADVENTURES? Or would you like to switch with Peterson for an issue, just for fun?

HB#8. Switching for a book might be fun, but I really like BB.

BTAN#9. What's it like writing for characters that have just been created? Does it give you a lot more creative freedom? Does dealing with a character with huge background (ie: Superman) creates problems?

HB#9. In the present day Batman you're dealing with 60 years of lore. With Beyond, it's much more open. Very little has been established about Terry and his world so, yes, it does give you more creative freedom.

BTAN#10. Why is Rich Fogel assisting you with the writing duties so often these days?

HB#10. There were at least a couple of scripts where Rich wrote the story and I wrote the Teleplay. This is just one of those flukes of scheduling. Rich had TWO stories going at once and I was free so the best use of time was for him to keep going on one and for someone else to finish the other. It just ended up being me because I was free. TV is like that. There's one show towards the end where ñ for the sake of time ñ several writers.

BTAN#11. Do you ever find it hard to sometimes write a character, or find the right motivation?

HB#11. Hmm. That's one of those writer questions that's hard to answer. In television you are ñ more often than not - writing other peoples characters. People you didn't create yourself. It's part of the job. But in some way, once you start writing, you come to feel like YOU created the character.

BTAN#12. How do you come up with some of your story ideas? Two stories you've done for the BATMAN BEYOND show, MELTDOWN and THE EGGBABY, are two completely different show entirely, yet you're able to make them fit perfectly in the series without any off-characterization. Do you think: "This is gonna be a funny episode" before you write it, or are you told to write a certain way for a specific ep?

HB#12. Another difficult question. Story ideas come from different angles. Curaré came from a character drawing that Bruce Timm did. Others, like Egg Baby, I have no idea where it came from. I do think that most of the time I know what kind of sensibility the story will have when I first think of it. Egg Baby, the minute the idea come to me, was obviously a comedy. Mr. Freeze always carries some tragedy with him.

BTAN#13. In the BATMAN BEYOND credits (for the episodes), you've been shown to have worked on both THE STORY of an episode, and THE WRITING of an episode. What is the difference?

HB#13. Written by is a complete credit. It means you came up with the idea, developed the idea into the story, then did the teleplay with all the dialogue and scene directions. If the credit gets broken up into "Story by" and "Teleplay by" or "Written by" it means that you shared some of the duties with another writer. Someone else may have brought in the basic idea, but you developed it into story. Or you may have written the story but you split up the duties of writing the teleplay. Like, "You take Act I and II, I'll take Act III."

BTAN#14. Are you responsible for any of the new villains who have appeared in BATMAN BEYOND show or comic, like the two new ones who recently appeared in BATMAN BEYOND issue #7?

HB#14. Yes they were both new creations. But you have to remember they were part of a hallucination sequence. So they really don't exist even in the real-made-up world of Batman Beyond. Huh? Most of the time in the TV series it's hard to claim total credit for creating a character. Like Curaré. She started as just a character sketch of Bruce Timm's. We knew we wanted to put her in the series, but first we had to figure out "who she was."

BTAN#15. Which character on BATMAN, SUPERMAN, or BATMAN BEYOND do you find it easier to write for? Or maybe ST: TNG was easier to write for. :)

HB#15. I can tell you who is difficult to write for. Curaré because she doesn't speak. They all have their moments. I really enjoyed writing Barbara Gordon, though.

BTAN#16. What can we expect from both STATIC SHOCK and THE ZETA PROJECT?

HB#16. Here's where I think I better hand the questions over to someone else. You should contact Bob Goodman ñ one of the Superman/Batman/BatmanBeyond writers ñ who is the producer/creator of Zeta and also to Alan Burnett or Stan Berkowitz who are the producers/story
editors of Static.

Although I wrote on a couple of the earlier episodes of Zeta, I moved off Zeta and onto a project of Paul Dini's here at WB. I'd tell you about it but I'd have to kill you.

BATN#17. Can you give us any tidbits into upcoming BATMAN BEYOND comic issues? Any surprises?

HB#18. I hate to give out too much info. All I can say is I'm very happy with issues 12 and
13.

BTAN#19. Or perhaps some tidbits into the upcoming BATMAN BEYOND season? Any episodes from you coming in season three of BATMAN BEYOND, or have you been concentrating on the two new series?

HB#19. There are definitely episodes of mine in the 2000-2001 season. And some cool villains that we've been waiting to see. And a surprise guest visitor. But more than that I can't say.

BTAN. Thanx for the Q & A, Hilary Bader! It was great! Thanx!
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EDITORIAL
(by Anne Onymous)

HELP WANTED! APPLY WITHIN!
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BATMAN: THE ANIMATED TRIVIA
(by Tim "TWO-FACE" Leighton)

This is one of my favourite sections, where I get to boggle the minds of all our readers! *EVIL LAUGH* This trivia is all animated-related in some form, and can deal with ANY aspect of the show or comics based on the show. Remember, answer the questions WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE ANIMATED CONTINUITY. Now have fun - let's see how well you do! Answers are provided below.

"AIMLESSLY WANDERING..."

331. What villainous character was behind the crimes that spawned the origin of Batgirl?

A: Two-Face
B: Gil Mason
C: Rupert Thorne
D: Catwoman
E: Mr. Freeze

332. Alfred was a spy in his earlier years. What was his half of the secret code that Red Claw tried to get out of him?

Answer: _____________

333. There is an episode entitled "Vendetta". WHO has a vendetta against WHOM in this episode?

Answer: _____________

334. Aside from Mr. Freeze, what characters are currently or have been cryogenically frozen for a long period of time?

A: Nora Fries
B: Ferris Boyle
C: Doctor Long
D: Alfred
E: Grant Walker

335. In how many "new style" episodes does Rene Montoya appear?

A: NONE
B: ONE
C: TWO
D: THREE
E: FOUR
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AND THESE ARE OUR FINAL ANSWERS (to the trivia)

Answer to #331: B
Answer to #332: "The Lion and the Unicorn", yada yada yada...
Answer to #333: Killer Croc, against Harvey Bullock
Answer to #334: A, E
Answer to #335: C
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LITTLE FACTS AND BLOOPERS
(by Tim "TWO-FACE" Leighton)

Here is a section that just points out various little facts and bloopers that we have noticed while watching BTAS and STAS countless times. If you have anything to contribute, feel free to do so! Enjoy!

CONTRIBUTED BY STAFF:
Na da.

CONTRIBUTED BY OTHERS:
Rien.
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'UNDER THE KNIFE' - BATMAN BEYOND UK CUT REPORTS
-by Brian Davis

Batman Beyond is called Batman of the Future in the UK. It is shown on CITV Sundays at 9.25am and they make a lot of cuts !!!! Brian Davis uncovers these cuts and lets the public know how good BB episode are being butchered in the UK.

???
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MERCHANDISING: WHERE THE REAL BAT-CASH IS MADE
(by anyone who wishes to contribute)

Come on...contribute...come ONNNN....
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COMIC REVIEWS
(BATMAN: GOTHAM ADVENTURES by Tim "TWO-FACE" Leighton)
(BATMAN BEYOND by Tim "TWO-FACE" Leighton)
(SUPERMAN ADVENTURES by Dick Grayson)

BATMAN BEYOND
ISSUES: "The Last of Her Kind" (#9)
WRITTEN BY: Hilary J. Bader & Rich Fogel
PENCILLED BY: Craig Rousseau
INKED BY: Rob Leigh
ISSUED: May 31, 2000 (cover date, July 2000)
RATING (out of 5): **

Curare's latest appearance lacked something - but I can't place my finger on it. Don't get me wrong, the issue was still enjoyable. The art was fantastic - especially the cover, even though it had little to do with the story. Who did that cover, anyway? It looks a lot more detailed than those of the past; it looks like far more work was put into that one.

I know that there's an episode with Curare that I have not yet seen, due to the lack of the KidsWB in Canada; I've only seen her origin episode thus far. Therefore, there's the chance that I could be missing something that I'd need to know to understand this issue. I enjoyed seeing how Curare's "gang" works; does it still abide by the same rules that the Society of Assassins goes by? And does it have any connection to Ra's Al Ghul?

All of the fight scenes were a tad predictable, and all of the "moan!, "gasp, gasp, gasp!", and "grunt!" stuff in the dialogue balloons just seemed out of place. It wasn't a terrible issue, by any means - it just had a few miniscule recurring problems that got to me after a while.

And some queries...

1) Where did the letter column go?
2) Why did Batman just let the gang get away at the end?
3) How did Curare escape death following her debut episode, anyway?

"Too many questions...just...too many questions..."

;-Y
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