Exclusive Interview With Michael Teitelbaum

Arrival, the first book the in TW Book Groups Smallville Young Adult series released in October 2003 marked the way for a very successful series of novelization of the popular hit WB show Smallville.

Arrival depicted that of the famous Smallville meteor shower as well as the introductions of the main characters. Michael Teitelbaum who had worked on a number of other comic book novelizations was the lucky writer to start it all off.

Michael’s writing credits read like a top ten list of comic book stories from Superman, Justice League, Spider-Man, Incredible Hulk and even some work on Transfomers Armada for those TFfans.

DTS had the pleasure of speaking with Michael this past week. Michael discusses his experience working on Arrival as well as where he is every Wednesday night!

First of all, on behalf of all the staff here I’d like to say welcome to Devoted to Smallville! I’d like to thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule for this interview. And now, on to the questions!

DTS: You have written and co-written over 2 dozen books, that’s quite an accomplishment! Your books all target children and or young adult readers. What made you decide you wanted to write for this age range?

MT: I started my career as an editor of comic books, working for the old Gold Key Comics that published comics for younger readers. We did the Disney and Warner Brothers characters. From there I became an editor of children’s books, and then began writing. My experience and interest kept me focused on writing for young readers.

DTS: A lot of your books are television, comic, or TV tie-ins, such as your books Men in Black 2, the Movie Novel, and Spiderman, The Adventures of Spiderman. How does that work-are you asked to write these books, or do you need to seek permission? Do you need to research for most of your books?

MT: A publisher who has acquired the rights to produce books based on a given character, TV show, or movie will contact me to do a book on that property. Most of the fiction I write requires little research, especially since I’ve been fortunate enough to write about characters I’m familiar with, like Superman and Spider-Man. If I’m working on books based on a new TV show, I’ll do my “research” by watching a bunch of episodes to familiarize myself with the characters, storytelling, and general style of the show. That kind of research is pretty painless! Usually I’m given copies of the teleplays (scripts) of some of the shows, and often a story “bible” exists. This explains the basic set-up of the story and gives background information about the characters.

DTS: In reference to my earlier question, you have written several comic book tie ins. In addition, in the preface to your Smallville book Arrival, you thank the writers and artists of Superman for bringing the “Man of Steel” into your life. Were you a big Superman fan as a child? And, since you also write about characters like Spiderman, were you a Spidey fan, or a fan of any other comics as a kid? Did you, or do you have a current favorite?

MT: I was (and still am) a huge Superman fan, which is why I love the Smallville TV show, and why it was such a thrill to write a Smallville novel. I started reading Superman comics in the late ’50s and at the same time I absolutely loved the Superman TV show with George Reeves. I also read Batman, Flash, World’s Finest, and Justice League. When Marvel came along in the early ’60s, Spider-Man captured my imagination, and I’ve been a Spidey fan ever since. I still enjoy both characters. I’ve written three Justice League novels for DC, published by Bantam, and it was also a treat to get to work with those characters. Of that group, I guess my current favorite is the Flash. By the way, as I’m sure many fans know, Michael Rosenbaum (Lex Luthor) of Smallville does the voice of the Flash on the Justice League cartoon show, and does a great job.

DTS: Let’s discuss your debut Smallville book, Arrival, based on the teleplay of the show. Can you explain for our members what a teleplay is and how the process of writing one is gone about? Were you able to work with the talented Mr. Gough and Mr. Millar?

MT: A teleplay is the script upon which a television show is based. It’s the TV equivalent of a screenplay. It includes scene descriptions, descriptions of the action, and dialogue. When I adapt a teleplay (or screenplay) I use the story as a starting point, kind of a detailed outline, and then flesh out what’s going on in the character’s heads. I didn’t work with Mr. Gough and Mr. Millar, but I was lucky enough to get to work with their wonderful teleplay for the pilot. Fans who read adaptations of TV shows or movies may notice that certain things in the story are different than what actually appears up on the big or small screen. Often I’m working with a teleplay or screenplay that had been changed as the project moves into production.

DTS: In Arrival, you go deeper than simply describing action-you really delve into the character’s mindsets. When doing this, do you put yourself in the character’s positions, or draw on any life experiences to describe emotion?

MT: It’s a combination of putting myself into the character’s heads and drawing on life experiences. Knowing who the characters are, and how they relate to and interact with their environment helps me to envision what their mindset would be in any given situation. This is true with all fiction. The great advantage that a book has over a TV show is that no matter how long you linger on a meaningful close-up, short of a cheesy voice-over, there really is no way to get completely inside the character’s thoughts. In a book you can, and should, do that.

DTS: Smallville is a big hit for the WB. Have you been watching the show? If so, can you tell us what you like best about it? If you have a favorite character, favorite episode, and why?

MT: My wife and I never miss an episode. It’s the only show that we watch in “real” time (as opposed to taping and time shifting), even putting up with the commercials. It’s a treat I look forward to each week. I really like Chloe and Pete a lot. I love her spirit and her wit, the way she uses cleverness to dance around, or even sometimes confront an uncomfortable situation. And my heart breaks for her as during the run of the show the reality of the Clark-Lois relationship dawns on her and even sometimes smacks her in the face. Pete is a great friend, one that everyone should be lucky enough to have, and that really appeals to me. I was happy when he learned Clark’s secret. I hope, as was hinted at in the pilot, that Pete and Chloe end up together, although this thread hasn’t been touched in a while. I also think Lex, as he is portrayed on Smallville, is a great character. The dynamic of him being Clark’s friend while all the viewers know that this will change at some point in the future is wonderful. I also like the character of Lionel, who serves as a great catalyst for Lex. I love the episodes that deal with Clark learning his true heritage. The episode with Christopher Reeve was beautifully done and touching, and when the Superman movie music swelled, I got chills!

DTS: If you were to write for Smallville, would there be any particular direction you would like to take it? Anything you would change?

MT: Not really. I love the job they are doing with the show. A couple of times I’ve thought it might be interesting if Lana learned Clark’s secret, to see how their relationship would play out, and to see what stories could be generated from that development, but that’s probably just the fan in me wanting to see it all work out ok for them.

DTS: Since you have been kind enough to do this interview, you are aware of the myriad of fansites on the net. Can you tell us your opinion of fansites in general?

MT: I think they’re great. One of the wonderful things about the internet is the way it allows people of shared interests to find a meeting place. I’ve often enjoyed your site and some of the other Smallville fansites. After a particularly wonderful episode, I like checking out what other fans have to say.

DTS: And as a writer, do you have any thoughts on fanfiction, or fans writing stories based on characters in their favorite books, tv shows, and movies?

MT: It’s a great way to start writing. If someone is passionate enough about a group of characters, and has a love for those characters, writing new stories about them is a terrific way to begin to find your voice as a writer. The old saying, “write about what you know and love,” would apply just as much to a group of fictional characters as to a particular non-fiction subject.

DTS: As you may know, ships, or fans of a particular couple on a show are big on the net. Do you have a couple you really root for on Smallville?

MT: Of course, seeing Clark and Lana get together would be very satisfying as a viewer (it would, of course, also remove a great deal of dramatic tension from the series), and as previously mentioned, Pete and Chloe fall into the “sometimes something right in front of your face is the hardest thing to see” category.

DTS: Many fans find they can relate to at least one of the characters, which is said to be part of the Smallville appeal. Is there any character you can relate to, or one that reminds you of yourself as a teen?

MT: Pete again. Being a good friend was important to me when I was a teen (and it still is) and Pete’s devotion to Clark, and the way he had handled the burden of knowing Clark’s secret make him very appealing as a character.

DTS: Let’s discuss your career a bit. At what point did you decide writing was your path in life? What are the most rewarding parts of your job, and what is the hardest part?
MT: I came to writing children’s books through my work as a comic book and children’s book editor. I had written radio comedy and street theater before that, but not professionally. Every freelance writer really has two jobs, finding the work and doing the work. The hardest part is finding the work, the most rewarding is doing it!

DTS: Having written some short stories myself, I find that when I write I often draw on characteristics of people I know or that I’ve met, or even characteristics in myself. Do you do this, or have any special way of forming a character?

MT: I think it’s an almost unconscious part of the writing process. In writing any kind of fiction you naturally draw on people and events from your own life to shape characters. Using your own experience helps make your writing ring true. On a more conscious level, if I have to make up a name for character I’ll sometimes use in the name of a friend or family member, just for fun.

DTS: You’ve written stories on so many characters and topics; from Garfield in your story Garfield and the Wicked Wizard, to Nascar in your book Red Flag (Nascar Racers No. 7), and to the US presidents, such as your book Herbert Hoover (Profiles of the Presidents). Do you have a favorite subject/character to write about?

MT: My favorites have been working with comic book characters: Superman, Justice League, Spider-Man, and books on baseball, of which I’ve written a few.

DTS: Continuing from my last question, you co-wrote your Garfield book with the legendary Jim Davis. What was that like? Were you already a big Garfield fan?

MT: I always enjoyed the humor in the Garfield strip. A number of years ago I was editor of a Garfield magazine for children, and discovered that writing the character was as much fun as reading it. I then wrote some humor features for an international Garfield magazine. I helped create a series called Pet Force (there were five titles published) which posed the question: “What if Garfield and his friends were transformed into super heroes?” I got to answer that question, and it was a real blast to blend the Garfield style of humor while poking some fun at the super heroes genre which I’ve loved for so long. Jim Davis is a joy to work with. On my Garfield book projects he gave me an amazing amount of freedom to write what I wanted. He, and his head writer Mark Acey, then reviewed my stuff, but I had a fairly free hand, which was a treat. I even got to visit Jim out at Paws headquarters in Indiana a few years back. That was a great thrill. He has an amazing creative complex there, all devoted to the cat!

DTS: As I stated before, you have both wrote and co-wrote books. Do you prefer writing solo or with other writers? Or are there pros and cons to each that you can tell us about?

MT: Writing is for the most part a solitary endeavor, so I have always enjoyed collaborating with other writers on projects. When I wrote for a radio comedy program a number of years ago, I worked as part of a three-man writing team. That was a very exciting process. As I like to say about the creative process, it’s better to bang two heads together than to bang your own head against the wall (though I wouldn’t recommend either!).

DTS: Do you have any advice to aspiring writers?

MT: WRITE! A one word answer (well, not anymore). Take classes if you want to learn about certain types of writing, or you want to know more about the business of writing as a career, but there is no substitute for writing as much as you can. Also read a lot. The more you read, the better writer you will become.

DTS: Before you go, let’s get a little more personal about you. Can you tell us a little about you, Michael Teitelbaum, the person, as opposed to the writer?

MT: As a kid I loved comic books and baseball. It’s a real thrill for me that a good deal of what I’ve done as a professional has allowed me to write and edit books and magazines based on these things, which, by the way, I have never stopped loving. Although my wife and I have no children, we do have over 20 nieces and nephews, ranging in age from 23 years old to a few months old. I love having children in my life and staying in touch with what they enjoy. It helps keep me young and also plugged into the culture.

Well, Mr. Teitelbaum, thank you so much again for taking the time out to talk with me! On a more personal note, it has been a dream come true for me to interview a published writer. Thank you again, and best wishes in your career and life!