Prime Time Replay:
Greg Hyland
Author of The Tick: Mighty Blue Justice
MsgId: *emedia(1)
Date: Mon Jul 21 21:02:47 EDT 1997
From: OMNI_Moderator At: 206.214.136.121
Good evening! Welcome to E-Media for Monday, July 21! Tonight's guest is author Greg Hyland, whose book, "THE TICK: MIGHTY BLUE JUSTICE," takes adult and kid fans of the popular cartoon show backstage through the world of The Tick. Greg, are you here?
MsgId: *emedia(2)
Date: Mon Jul 21 21:04:53 EDT 1997
From: OMNI_Moderator At: 206.214.136.121
Greg, are you online?
MsgId: *emedia(3)
Date: Mon Jul 21 21:09:08 EDT 1997
From: OMNI_Moderator At: 206.214.136.121
While we're waiting for Greg Hyland, you probably need more background about the subject he's discussing. THE TICK is one of Fox TV's popular cartoon programs, created by Ben Edlund. Greg Hyland's book is the official guide to the animation series, providing descriptions of The Tick and Arthur, a sidekick who dresses as a moth, and some of the other superheroes and supervillians who live in a place simply called The City. Ben Edlund's character has been noted for its alternate view on animation and superheroes.
MsgId: *emedia(4)
Date: Mon Jul 21 21:10:05 EDT 1997
From: Greg_Hyland At: 204.50.169.3
Hello, I am here. I had connecting problems!
MsgId: *emedia(6)
Date: Mon Jul 21 21:13:19 EDT 1997
From: OMNI_Moderator At: 206.214.136.121
Hi, Greg! As you can see, I'd been explaining more about The Tick and was about to get into your book. Now that you're here, however, I'll go into your background. How did you get involved with writing "THE TICK: MIGHTY BLUE JUSTICE?" And what about your own creation, "Lethargic Lad"?
MsgId: *emedia(7)
Date: Mon Jul 21 21:15:34 EDT 1997
From: Greg_Hyland At: 204.50.169.3
Basically, I was offered the job. I was on the list of people that Ben Edlund wanted to write the book, and I was available to do it.Also, my own comic, "LETHARGIC LAD," is very much like to world of the Tick. So, I guess that made me a likely choice to be involved in such a book.
MsgId: *emedia(11)
Date: Mon Jul 21 21:19:17 EDT 1997
From: OMNI_Moderator At: 206.214.136.121
What are some similarities between Lethargic Lad and The Tick? Had you and Ben Edlund worked on comic characters together previously?
MsgId: *emedia(13)
Date: Mon Jul 21 21:21:56 EDT 1997
From: Greg_Hyland At: 204.50.169.3
Ben and I had never really worked together. We knew each other, though, from attending comic conventions, and just meeting up, for having similar comics. "Lethargic Lad" is a similar comic, as I have "funny" superheroes, and spoof super hero comics. Ben and I do it in different ways, however. I think I'm more direct. I acknowlege other comics, like Batman, for instance.Ben did, however, want me to possibly storyboard some episodes of The Tick. If there was going to be a 4th season, I probably would have worked on an episode. On of the other guys who worked on Lethargic Comics with me, Steve Remen, has storyboarded some episodes.
MsgId: *emedia(15)
Date: Mon Jul 21 21:24:26 EDT 1997
From: OMNI_Moderator At: 206.214.136.121
The Tick seems to address some other characters, though. American Maid reminds me of Wonder Woman, except with Patti Smith's attitude... THE TICK seems as popular with adults as it does with kids--possibly moreso, because of the humor. Why was The Tick created--and why is there only one letter from an adult in "THE TICK: MIGHTY BLUE JUSTICE? ":-)
MsgId: *emedia(17)
Date: Mon Jul 21 21:28:48 EDT 1997
From: Greg_Hyland At: 204.50.169.3
Sure. The Tick uses the arch-types for characters. Like Die Fledermaus is Batman-ish, but still indiviual. Not just a lame parody of Batman. The difference, I think, with Lethargic Lad, is I'm a little more MAD Magazine-like.The Tick IS more popular with adults than kids. Kids don't get it, I think. It's no different, maybe to them, than X-Men or Spider-Man cartoons. And it's lack of popularity with kids is one of the reasons it's off of Fox's Saturday morning. But meanwhile, it's doing well on Comedy Central's Saturday night line up.
As for the letters, between you and me, I think they may have all been made up.
MsgId: *emedia(20)
Date: Mon Jul 21 21:35:39 EDT 1997
From: OMNI_Moderator At: 206.214.136.121
I think young kids are still in tune with the comic-etiquette and style of Marvel and DC, which tend to be quite serious. In "THE TICK: MIGHTY BLUE JUSTICE," you even have a section which mimicks Marvel's guide to its comic universe, only you avoid the "baseball card" statistics. Did Edlund work on the book, too--or did he just provide the info you needed for the book, and let you create "MIGHTY BLUE JUSTICE?"
MsgId: *emedia(21)
Date: Mon Jul 21 21:38:57 EDT 1997
From: Greg_Hyland At: 204.50.169.3
Actually, I never even talked to Ben while working on the book. I did, ironically, see him just weeks before I got the job on the book. I talked to Chris McCullogh, who works on the show. Basically, I was sent all the show episodes, a bunch of scripts, style guides, and script writes guides, and left on my own from there. My editor at Berkley was a big help too, and we bashed around ideas.
MsgId: *emedia(22)
Date: Mon Jul 21 21:43:09 EDT 1997
From: OMNI_Moderator At: 206.214.136.121
How long had you been working in comics up to now? Are The Tick and Lethargic Lad the way comics may go--or will it be a few more years? Are comics declining in popularity?
MsgId: *emedia(24)
Date: Mon Jul 21 21:47:05 EDT 1997
From: Greg_Hyland At: 204.50.169.3
I've been doing Lethargic Lad in one form or another since 1991. However I started it as a mini-comic in 1988, just around the same time The Tick was starting up. I never know about The Tick until long after I had started Lethargic Lad.Comics are in a real weird time now. Sales aren't great for anyone, even the big well know comics, like Batman and Spider-Man. Humour comics have always been kind of not in the mainstream, and more common in the independant world. The are a lot of really good humour comics out there now, but not many superhero parody ones.
Alot of people also think that the sign of success in comics is when you have a cartoon show. This isn't usually true. I'd have to say that The Tick is just about the ONLY independant comic-to TV translation that has worked. I, personally, am in no rush to get Lethargic Lad on TV.
MsgId: *emedia(26)
Date: Mon Jul 21 21:52:29 EDT 1997
From: OMNI_Moderator At: 206.214.136.121
Does The Tick appeal most to those who don't usually read comics--such as the audience for "The Simpsons"? I find it ironic that these animation shows seem most popular with those who don't like comics much. Will Comedy Central run original episodes of The Tick (a fourth season, perhaps)?
MsgId: *emedia(28)
Date: Mon Jul 21 21:55:23 EDT 1997
From: Greg_Hyland At: 204.50.169.3
The market for comics is really small. The best selling comic right now sells only about 700,000 copies. A lot of people seldom know that a comic book inspired a TV show or movie. This is true with The Tick. Lots of people still think the Adam West Batman TV show inspired the movies, and now there just happens to also be Batman comic books.I'm in Canada, so I don't see Comedy Central. But from what I understand, they DID air an unseen FOX episode (where the Tick teaches superhero school, I believe). I doubt, though, they would fund new episodes of The Tick.
MsgId: *emedia(31)
Date: Mon Jul 21 21:58:21 EDT 1997
From: OMNI_Moderator At: 206.214.136.121
So, what will the Tick's fans do (other than buy your book) to get new sources on the character? Where might we see The Tick in the future?
MsgId: *emedia(33)
Date: Mon Jul 21 22:00:50 EDT 1997
From: Greg_Hyland At: 204.50.169.3
From what I understand, a new prime-time series is in the works. I don't know who will air it. Also, a animated feature film is also in the works.
MsgId: *emedia(34)
Date: Mon Jul 21 22:02:00 EDT 1997
From: OMNI_Moderator At: 206.214.136.121
Great! Thanks very much, Greg, for coming online tonight. Greg Hyland is the author of "THE TICK: MIGHTY BLUE JUSTICE," available from Berkley Books at bookstores nationwide. Good-night, Greg--and good-night, everyone!
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