Paul Dini

Thanks to his efforts working as a writer and producer with Warner Brothers/D.C. Comics, Paul Dini helped develop and script updates of Batman, Superman and the Justice League in a contemporized manner that put these animated shows on par with any dramatic programming running on network television. Dini started out writing freelance scripts for Filmation and numerous other studios while he was still in college. His first writing credits came on 1979 episodes of "Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle" and "The New Adventures of Mighty Mouse and Heckle and Jeckle." Throughout the 1980s, Dini raised his profile with the work he did on a number of high-profile animation projects that ranged from fluff like "Smurfs" and "Pound Puppies" to action-oriented fare like "The Transformers" and "He-Man and the Masters of Universe," a series latter-day fans of his came to embrace despite Dini's disparagement of Filmation, the show's studio. During this time, he also started working for George Lucas on 1985's "The All New Ewoks" (he would later reunite with Lucas to write episodes of "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" over 20 years later) and started collaborating with up-and-coming animator Bruce Timm, a relationship that bore great fruit when both started working for Warner Brothers/D.C. in the 1990s. Starting out together on "Tiny Toon Adventures," the duo updated the aforementioned superheroes through stellar programs including "Batman," "Superman," "Justice League Unlimited," and "Batman Beyond" using sophisticated story arcs and employing top-notch vocal talent.