Todd Dezago Interview (Oct. 19, 1998 )

Todd Nauck - 1998

Geoff Johns - 1998

Brian Augustyn - 1998

Todd Dezago - 1998

Ethan Van Sciver - 1998

Chuck Dixon - 1999

Craig: Knowing right now, the title of Young Justice, has to be still a little sore for you, I gotta ask, what is your current opinion on the series? The writing of Peter David? And is the current series anything like you had planned for it to be? If not, what would be different?
Todd: Because I worked in development on Young Justice for about a year before it finally came out, and because of the difficulties which eventually led to my leaving the project, it is still a very emotional subject for me. It's hard for me to pick the book up, and so I haven't really looked at it; therefore, no opinion. I will be following it now, of course, as reference regarding what Impulse is doing in that title, and how he is being portrayed. I am told that the current storylines are very different to what I had planned for the first 16 issues of the book.

Craig: Congratulations on getting the run of Impulse, personally, I as well as many others are looking forward to seeing you bring some life back to the series, but a few background questions are going to need to be addressed...
a) Your opinion on who was the best writing team on the book?
Todd: That's not really a fair question, is it?
b) Where do you feel that the book started going downhill, not saleswise, but enjoyment wise?
Todd: See above answer. (Really, it's all relative, isn't it...? One man's "3 Geeks Go To The Con" is another man's "Dark Knight Returns"! Everybody has an opinion, but I personally, and professionally, try not to air any negative views, and focus more on the stuff that I think is really cool and positive...)
c) Do you have a particular interest on building any of the lesser known characters? Like Evil Eye, or any of Bart's classmates?
Todd: We have plans, not only for Evil Eye, Roland, Preston, and Carol, but some new friends as well...more fun, more trouble, more Impulse!

Craig: What can we expect to see from the new writing of Todd Dezago's Impulse? As compared to the other writer's views and writing styles of Impulse.. how will it change from Peter David? Waid? The former writers?
Todd: As I was saying, Ethan and I are finding out what makes Impulse work on his own. Being friends with Mark helps. I think that we're going to be getting Impulse into a bit more serious trouble; situations that are much more urgent and dire than what we've seen before. The stories will still be, hopefully, fun and exciting, and Bart will be his same...impulsive self, but the conflicts will be a little less "light" than they've been in the past. I hope everybody digs it...!

Craig: What other comics are you currently writing now, to kinda give the people seeing this interview other tastes of your work? And if you wouldn't mind, maybe a small explation of tone of the book?
Todd: Well, I think I kinda gave with the tone of the book in the last response, but as for other work, I'm becoming a bit of a DC boy now, working on a ten-page Green Lantern story for an upcoming 80 Page Giant, as well as an Elseworlds project that I don't know when it comes out! My last Marvel work is the X-Men 1/2 that I did with my bud, Mike Wieringo (I'm really happy with the way it turned out, and Mike's artwork on it ROCKS!!), but I guess you can only get it through Wizard... :(

Craig: Oh the other books you write for, what are your major enjoyments of the titles, and do you feel as if, you've made any changes, that will be notable as you pass the book on to its next writers?
Todd: Being a huge comics fan myself, one of the real joys of the job, is telling stories with some of my all time favorite artists. Collaborating with guys like Sal Buscema, Gary Frank, Humberto Ramos, Mike McKone, and of course, 'Ringo, I've been very lucky to have worked with some of the best storytellers in the business. Ethan and I are having a blast working and playing (mostly playing) with Bart and the gang, and I gotta tell ya, the stuff that he's done for the first few issues (that are already done!!!) is some of the best stuff I've seen in a long while! ........Oh, and of course, finally getting to get all of those stories out of my head about all of my favorite characters...well, that's just good for my own mental health! (Actually, it just seems to make room for more...!
Do I feel as if I've made any changes, left behind some sorta legacy...? Nah