Writer of comic books, movies, television, animation, theme park shows and rides, children's books, novels, interactive, internet animation and, in my spare time, a couple of other things I'm sure I'll remember later. I began writing because of my love for comics, so it's fun to realize that so many of my characters have been turned into movies, TV, toys and animation. Fact is, I've been told that I've created more characters that have been adapted into movies, TV and animation than any other comics writer with the exception of Stan Lee. Yeah, I'm proud.

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Speaking of animation, The New Teen Titans, which I co-created with artist George Perez back in 1980, has finally come to the Cartoon Network. Although very different from our comic, aimed more at the younger crowd than the high school/college age audience I was writing for, it still features our characters, Starfire, Cyborg and Raven as well as Titans greats such as Robin and Changeling.

 

Teen Titans TM and ©2002 Warners. All rights reserved. Teen Titans TM © 2002DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.

Many of our villains appear in the series, as well, from Trigon to Slade Wilson - Deathstroke The Terminator, The Hive, Mammoth, Gizmo, Thunder and Lightning and many, many more. You learn more about the Titans show on the Cartoon Network website.The first page opens onto Titans Tower - which I had designed very early on in the process of creating the characters. You can also download the trailer and hear the Titans theme music. To learn about the origin of Titans Tower, and many other never before seen Titans Tidbits, click here. And speaking of the music, the show has one of the best cartoon theme songs in years, written and performed by singer-song-writers, Puffy AmiYumi.

This photo of me with the Titans actors was taken during the voice recording for a Titans episode entitled "Deep Six." From left to right: Me, Wil Wheaton (Aqualad), Greg Cipes (Beast Boy), Tara Strong (Raven), Scott Menville (Robin), Dave Coulier (Tramm), and Hynden Walch (Starfire). Not pictured: Khary Payton (Cyborg).

FLASH! Even before The Teen Titans premieres as an animated cartoon on the WB as well as the Cartoon Network, word around town rumors that it's been renewed for a SECOND SEASON! The show stars all our original heroes and dozens of our villains. Artist George Perez and I co-created The New Teen Titans for DC Comics back in 1980 and I wrote the title for more than 16 years which, if it's not some sort of record, should be close.

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Below is Bullseye, another character I created, as played by actor Colin Farrell. Bullseye is one of the main villains in the Fox movie, "Daredevil." Daredevil's opening 4-day weekend was approximately 43 million dollars, the 2nd largest Februrary opening in history and it sustained its number one status into week two. The film made more than 100 million dollars which puts it in that very rarified zone of mega hits. Most critics have said that Farrell's Bullseye is the highlight of Daredevil, and I couldn't agree more. He was all about fun and fun to watch. I can't tell you how proud I am of him.

TM and ©2002 Fox and its related entities. All rights reserved, Bullseye TM © 2002 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

I created Bullseye back in the 70s while writing Daredevil. I wanted a villain who could literally turn anything he came in contact with into a weapon, from a drinking straw to a paper airplane. Yeah, I know it's hard to kill someone with a paper airplane, but, hey, in the hands of a super-villain those paper cuts can be pretty nasty. I also helped design his comic book costume,which was brought to life by artist John Romita. Bullseyes trademarked forehead bullseye target has been morphed into a branded target for the film, a cool idea I wish I had thought of. Bullseye was pretty much a hit from day one, and after his original two-part story, I brought him back for another two-parter a few months later.

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I came up with the idea for Blade while at Warren Magazines editing Creepy, Eerie and Vampirella. Typically, those magazines had 5 or 6 unconnected short horror stories but I decided to try something different and commissioned a half dozen stories which would follow the history of vampires from the first to the last. I was going to write the contemporary story dealing with Blade as a vampire hunter. His origin, personality and look actually came to me in a flash. That's only happened twice in 30+ years. The other time was with the creation of Deathstroke, The Terminator. I left Warren before I wrote the story which appeared in Tomb of Dracula #10 but was hinted at in number 9.

Blade was one of the earliest black comic book heroes, and the first Marvel hero not to wear the typical comic book spandex costume of the time. Since Tomb of Dracula took place in a semi "real world," I wanted Blade dressed in somewhat realistic clothes: leather bomber jacket, pants, boots and his special goggles which, because he had vampire blood running through his veins, would let him see in daylight. Yes, he wore a bandolier complete with wooden knives (the better to kill vampires with, my dear), but they were only a fashion accessory.

TM and ©2002 New Line and its related entities. All rights reserved.Blade: TM © 2002 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Some of my other characters, such as Cat Grant and Professor Hamilton, have appeared on the hit TV show, "Lois and Clark," and more recently Hamilton has been seen on "Smallville." Other characters such as The Teen Titans, Phantasm, Nova, Terrax, Black Cat, and Nightwing have been featured in many animated series. I also created Tim Drake, the new version of Batman's partner, Robin, The Boy Wonder that has been appearing in the comic for the past decade and a half as well as in the animated series. My idea for the new businessman version of Lex Luthor has appeared on "Lois & Clark" as well as "Smallville." Earlier, I also created a new version of Brainiac, one of Superman's arch foes and Nightwing, who has been voted among the top comic characters of all time.

Below is a picture of Cat Grant actress TRACY SCOGGINS and myself taken at a DC Comics Christmas party held on the set of "Lois & Clark." I timidly introduced myself to Tracy as the man who created her and she instantly fell to her knees and kissed my ring. It was hilarious! Photos are not usually taken on a TV set, but Tracy insisted on us taking this one. Tracy is as nice as she is lovely.