“A lot of times, female characters - particularly the villains - come o...” — Paul Dini Quote

A lot of times, female characters - particularly the villains - come off as very one-dimensional. They get the short shrift in that they're only given the snappy comeback, or they're relegated to a very stereotypical role. I want to know what's driving them - that's what's really interesting.

There's something very, very liberating about Harley Quinn. Much more so than a character like Catwoman or Poison Ivy. Those are great characters. But then again, those characters are more of the femme fatale and the temptress roles.

What makes Batman and what makes other superheroes work is the myth that when life is at its lowest, and when you need a hero, a hero swings down and helps you.

For years, humorous characters in cartoons have been almost exclusively male.

You'll work hard to create characters that are compelling and unforgettable. But in the end, it's the story that matters.

There's no need for a female character that does things like a male character; that's not what makes interesting female characters in my view.

It's always hard to wrap up a series. The longer I spend with the characters, the more they become like friends.

When you're a writer, if you're very lucky, you create these characters that you fall in love with, and you feel like they're guiding you rather than you guiding them.

My fictitious characters will take the bit between their teeth and gallop off and do something that I hadn't counted on. However, I always insist on dragging them back to the straight and narrow.