In the late '90s I got lucky. I became, simultaneously, the Story Consultant-Creative Consultant-Head Writer of two animated series, Spawn on HBO and The Silver Surfer on Fox Kids.
Although both shows were based on highly successful comic books they were quite different writing experiences. Spawn was dark and creepy, created for adults and shown on premium cable after midnight. Graphic sex. Graphic violence. The fabulous, furry "F-Word." The Silver Surfer, on the other hand, was cosmic and adventurous, created for teenagers and shown on a children's broadcast network Saturday mornings--kids' primetime. Toy tie-ins to plug. Comic book continuity to follow. Censors to please.
Still, ramrodding The Silver Surfer was a great experience. I'd been a fan of the character since he was first introduced in the mid-'60s, and now I had a chance to put my spin on him. Working closely with then publisher of Marvel Comics, Stan Lee, who along with artist Jack Kirby had created the Surfer, and with Fox Kids V.P. Sidney Iwanter, I took Kirby and Lee's original view of the character as the Jesus Christ of the spaceways as far as I could, writing or co-writing every episode.
My modus operandi for The Silver Surfer was to talk through every potential episode concept with Lee, Iwanter, and the various artists who because of animation's limited worldview and quick turnover of employees had the title of Supervising Producer at different times, get the logline approved, and then write the outline myself. After the outline satisfied Iwanter, who was the hands-on force of Fox Kids for this series (more hands on than any network executive I'd ever seen before or ever have seen since--he supervised the voice recording, the final editing of the film, even the sound and music mixing), either I would write the teleplay or I would have a partner write the First Draft and then do the subsequent drafts myself.
The Silver Surfer animated series is considered a classic by comic book and animation fans. It was as literate and intelligent as we could make it, and had more dialog on each page than some kids animation has in an entire teleplay. This radical, verbal approach isn't necessarily one for the new writer to emulate. We didn't create a new wave in the kids animation business but merely cemented our individual place. Nevertheless, I believe newcomers interested in animation can learn much from the following episode, which was part of a season-long story arc predicated from the fact that the Surfer has miraculously been able to re-create the universe after it was destroyed by a marauding super villain. And now he wants it to make it a much better place.
Concept/Leavebehind
Outline Draft One
Outline Draft Two
Final Draft
Final Draft
