Post by Timothy on Jan 17, 2007 7:14:44 GMT -5
Here it is! The transcript of the DC interview with artist Ty Templeton, as conducted by e-mail! (Thank YOU internet! ;D ) All kidding aside, I truly appreciated Mr. Templeton's cooperation in regards to this interview request, and he was a terrific guy during our correspondence!
You can read the entire official interview with him below!
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1.) What was the writing process like for transforming such a violent character such as Black Mask into an age-appropriate character for the monthly title Batman: Gotham Adventures?
I think the question answers itself. Make him less violent.
Robert Heinlein once said that the best way to write a "juvenile" story is to write the best story you can think of, and then to take out all the politics and sex, since kids aren't really interested in either.
I approached Batman Adventures with a similar attitude. (Although in the final incarnation of Batman Adventures, we clearly added "politics" by including a storyline about Penguin as Mayor.) Black Mask is only a violent character, if you write him that way. The same is true of Joker, who is a MUCH more violent character than Black Mask in the long run. Remember, Joker BEAT ROBIN TO DEATH WITH A TIRE IRON a few years ago.
2.) What villain can you most relate to while writing?
Which villain to I "relate" to? I'm not sure I relate to any of them, they're villains. I certainly don't think I would resort to murder or violence in any situation, which is what a villain will do, by definition.
I think my favorite villains to write, however, are Joker, Two Face, and Riddler. Joker, because I'm a comedy writer, and I like the idea of a murderous comedian. Two-Face, because he's such a great charcter, someone who is equally good and evil, and who lets fate decide his actions. (Other writers tend to write Two-Face as basically evil, using the coin to determine WHICH evil scheme Dent will follow. I tended to think of him as equally evil and good, and often used Two-Face as a good guy, or at least, doing good things. He saves Batman's life by taking a bullet for him, in one of my stories. Batman thanks Harvey for saving him, and Harvey responds that he did nothing, the choice was the coin's.)
But the Riddler is probably my favorite overall, because he's the "clever" villain who likes to create puzzles. Since I fancy myself as somewhat clever, and I LOVE to solve puzzles, he's my guilty pleasure. I'd probably love to write a Riddler miniseries someday, featuring JUST Eddie, and nobody else.
3.) When you experience a writing block (if any) what inspiration do you draw from to get started again?
Writing block is a complete myth. I've never had it, and doubt I ever will. Writing block isn't caused by a lack of ideas, but by a lack of confidence in one's ideas. A writer complaining that he has no ideas is really denouncing the ideas he has a "bad" ones. Obviously, I'm as prone to bad ideas as anyone else, but I'm able to recognize what's wrong with the idea, and adapt it, or reconsider it, or alter it until the idea is good.
Writing is a craft, and a skill, it's NOT a talent. Once you understand the structure of plotting, and the basic needs of story, it's a matter of good ideas or better ones. I've never had NO ideas, and neither has any other writers, they're just beating up their ideas cause they don't know how to fix 'em.
4.) Out of all of the Batman series that you've worked on for DC Comics, which would have to be your favorite?
Well, I mostly worked on ONE series that ended up having five different titles. I didn't approach BATMAN AND ROBIN ADVENTURES any differently than I did Gotham Adventures or Batman Adventures. The last series was co-written with Dan Slott, one of my favorite writers in comics, so that was fun because we got to riff stories off each other. I also enjoyed any story that ended up being drawn by Rick Burchett, since he always illustrated my scripts with a lovely sense of storytelling.
I enjoyed the solo Batman of "Adventures" and I enjoyed the team Batman in Gotham Adventures. No preference really.
I ALSO briefly worked on Legends of the Dark Knight (I inked an issue years ago) and must confess to greatly enjoying inking as a general rule.
Ty the Guy.
You can read the entire official interview with him below!
____________________________________________________
1.) What was the writing process like for transforming such a violent character such as Black Mask into an age-appropriate character for the monthly title Batman: Gotham Adventures?
I think the question answers itself. Make him less violent.
Robert Heinlein once said that the best way to write a "juvenile" story is to write the best story you can think of, and then to take out all the politics and sex, since kids aren't really interested in either.
I approached Batman Adventures with a similar attitude. (Although in the final incarnation of Batman Adventures, we clearly added "politics" by including a storyline about Penguin as Mayor.) Black Mask is only a violent character, if you write him that way. The same is true of Joker, who is a MUCH more violent character than Black Mask in the long run. Remember, Joker BEAT ROBIN TO DEATH WITH A TIRE IRON a few years ago.
2.) What villain can you most relate to while writing?
Which villain to I "relate" to? I'm not sure I relate to any of them, they're villains. I certainly don't think I would resort to murder or violence in any situation, which is what a villain will do, by definition.
I think my favorite villains to write, however, are Joker, Two Face, and Riddler. Joker, because I'm a comedy writer, and I like the idea of a murderous comedian. Two-Face, because he's such a great charcter, someone who is equally good and evil, and who lets fate decide his actions. (Other writers tend to write Two-Face as basically evil, using the coin to determine WHICH evil scheme Dent will follow. I tended to think of him as equally evil and good, and often used Two-Face as a good guy, or at least, doing good things. He saves Batman's life by taking a bullet for him, in one of my stories. Batman thanks Harvey for saving him, and Harvey responds that he did nothing, the choice was the coin's.)
But the Riddler is probably my favorite overall, because he's the "clever" villain who likes to create puzzles. Since I fancy myself as somewhat clever, and I LOVE to solve puzzles, he's my guilty pleasure. I'd probably love to write a Riddler miniseries someday, featuring JUST Eddie, and nobody else.
3.) When you experience a writing block (if any) what inspiration do you draw from to get started again?
Writing block is a complete myth. I've never had it, and doubt I ever will. Writing block isn't caused by a lack of ideas, but by a lack of confidence in one's ideas. A writer complaining that he has no ideas is really denouncing the ideas he has a "bad" ones. Obviously, I'm as prone to bad ideas as anyone else, but I'm able to recognize what's wrong with the idea, and adapt it, or reconsider it, or alter it until the idea is good.
Writing is a craft, and a skill, it's NOT a talent. Once you understand the structure of plotting, and the basic needs of story, it's a matter of good ideas or better ones. I've never had NO ideas, and neither has any other writers, they're just beating up their ideas cause they don't know how to fix 'em.
4.) Out of all of the Batman series that you've worked on for DC Comics, which would have to be your favorite?
Well, I mostly worked on ONE series that ended up having five different titles. I didn't approach BATMAN AND ROBIN ADVENTURES any differently than I did Gotham Adventures or Batman Adventures. The last series was co-written with Dan Slott, one of my favorite writers in comics, so that was fun because we got to riff stories off each other. I also enjoyed any story that ended up being drawn by Rick Burchett, since he always illustrated my scripts with a lovely sense of storytelling.
I enjoyed the solo Batman of "Adventures" and I enjoyed the team Batman in Gotham Adventures. No preference really.
I ALSO briefly worked on Legends of the Dark Knight (I inked an issue years ago) and must confess to greatly enjoying inking as a general rule.
Ty the Guy.
