Paul Dini was born on August 7, 1957[1] in New York City to Patricia (McClaran) and Robert Dini, an advertising executive. He is of Italian descent through his father.[2] Dini attended Stevenson School in Pebble Beach, California on an art scholarship. He attended Emerson College in Boston, where he earned a BFA degree in creative writing.[3]
During college, he began doing freelance animation scripts for Filmation,[4] and a number of other studios. In 1984, he was hired to work for George Lucas on several of his animation projects. Dini later returned to the Star Wars universe in 2007 to script several episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars.[5]
Careeredit
1980sedit
Dini wrote episodes for the 1983–1985 animated TV series, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, as well as contributing to interviews on the released box sets of the series. He wrote an episode for the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon in 1983, an episode of the Generation One Transformers cartoon series, "The Dweller in The Depths," an episode of the 1985 G.I. Joe cartoon called "Jungle Trap", and contributed to various episodes of the Star Wars: Ewoks animated series,[6] several of which included rare appearances from the Empire.[7]
He has earned five Emmy awards for his animation work. In a related effort, Dini was the co-author with Chip Kidd of Batman Animated, a 1998 non-fiction coffee table book about the animated Batman franchise.[13]
In 2002, Dini created Sheriff Ida Red, the super-powered cowgirl star of a series of books set in Dini's mythical town of Mutant, Texas.[25] He collaborated with Kevin Smith on Clerks: The Animated Series.[26] He and Bruce Timm collaborated on the Harley and Ivy limited series for DC in 2004.[27] Dini became the writer for DC Comics' Detective Comics as of issue #821 (Sept. 2006)[28] and created a new version of the Ventriloquist in #827 (March 2007).[29] While Grant Morrison was starting a seven-year Batman story on the Batman title composed of long, interlinking arcs, Dini wrote a number of single-issue stories over the following year as well as two crossovers with Morrison's Batman, one focusing on the resurrection of Ra's al Ghul and another on the return of Hush.[30] After Morrison's "Batman R.I.P." storyline in 2009, creators were moved around titles and Dini started writing two new Batman titles Batman: Streets of Gotham[31][32] and Gotham City Sirens.[33][34]Streets of Gotham started and ended with story arcs about Hush while Gotham City Sirens focused on the women of Gotham; he wrote the bulk of both titles during their existence including the first and last issue of both.[35]
In 2006 he announced that he was writing a hardcover graphic novel starring Zatanna and Black Canary. In 2006, Dini was on the writing staff for the first season of the ABC adventure series Lost.[36] The Lost writers were awarded at the 2006 Writers Guild of America Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Writing for a Dramatic Television Series.[37] The following year he was the head writer of DC's weekly series, Countdown.[38] Dini co-wrote a draft script for the ill-fated Science Ninja Team Gatchaman movie, which never saw the light of day and resulted in him leaving the project.[39] Dini wrote a series for Top Cow Productions, based in a character he created, Madame Mirage.[40] In July 2008, Dini started a partnership with GoAnimate to launch his Super Rica & Rashy series on the platform.[41]
Dini returned to Batman animated adaptations to write the Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode "Legends of the Dark Mite". In the same episode, he appeared in an animated form wearing Harley Quinn's costume in a comic book convention parody scene, along with Bruce Timm wearing Joker's costume next to him.[42] He would go on to write several additional episodes for the series, including "Chill of the Night!", which contained a team-up between Batman and Zatanna, one of Dini's favorite characters. Dini penned the storyline for the Rocksteady Studios video game Batman: Arkham Asylum, released on August 25, 2009.[43] He wrote three episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars: "Cloak of Darkness,"[44] "Holocron Heist,"[45] and "Voyage of Temptation."[46] On February 14, 2008, the first edition of Dini's column, "200 Words with Paul Dini" was released on the iFanboy site.[47]
2010sedit
Dini is the main creator of the live action drama Tower PrepCartoon Network series.[48] On August 4, 2010, it was confirmed that Dini will be involved in Marvel Comics' upcoming animated series Ultimate Spider-Man, which aired on Disney XD in 2012.[49] He worked on Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H., an animated series centered around the Hulk and his supporting cast.[50] Dini worked with Rocksteady studios once again to create Batman: Arkham City, which was a sequel to Batman: Arkham Asylum.[51] He wrote a five-issue comic series set in the game continuity.[52] A building in Arkham City is named Dini Towers in tribute.[53] He did not write the storyline of the third Rocksteady game in the series, Batman: Arkham Knight, due to the company not wanting to hire freelance writers for future games.[54]
Paul Dini and his wife, magician Misty Lee, created an online interview feature called "Monkey Talk" on Kevin Smith's website, Quick Stop Entertainment.com.[61] Dini and Misty Lee appeared on Ken Reid's TV Guidance Counselor podcast on April 6, 2016.[62]
2020sedit
In September 2020, DC Comics announced that Dini would be among the creators of a revived Batman: Black and White anthology series to debut on December 8, 2020.[63] Dini wrote the prequel to Scoob!, Scoob! Holiday Haunt, set to release through HBO Max.[64] It was canceled in August 2022 by Warner Bros. Discovery.[65]
Personal lifeedit
Dini and his wife Misty Lee,[66] a magician and voiceover actress, live in Los Angeles.[67] Their two Boston terriers, Mugsy and Deuce, were featured in "Anger Management", a 2012 episode of The Dog Whisperer, in which they sought Cesar Millan's help with their dogs' behavioral problems. Around this time, Dini began an extensive weight loss and exercise regimen which combined dog obedience training.[68][69]
He received the Writer's Guild Animation Writing award in 1999,[75] and a second WGA award for Outstanding Achievement in Writing for a Dramatic Television Series in 2006 as a member of the writing team for Lost.[37]
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^McMillan, Graeme (October 24, 2017). "Paul Dini's 'Boo and Hiss' Takes 'Tom and Jerry' to the Next Level". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 24, 2017.
^Weiss, Josh (October 6, 2019). "NYCC 2019: Batman Beyond celebrates 20 years of influencing DC animation". Syfy Wire. Archived from the original on May 8, 2020. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
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^Manning, Matthew K. (2010). "1990s". In Dolan, Hannah (ed.). DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 265. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. Writer Paul Dini and artist Bruce Timm partnered for a special set in the animated world of the Dark Knight. Revealing the origin of the Joker's lover, popular made-for-TV character Harley Quinn, the storytelling duo crafted a sweetly disturbing award-winning tale.
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^Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 289: "Harley Quinn finally made her way into the DC Universe in her own one-shot prestige-format special by writer Paul Dini alongside artist Yvel Guichet."
^Kaye, Don; Silliman, Brian (July 18, 2019). "Batman Beyond celebrates 20 years at SDCC and announces a fully remastered series set". Syfy Wire. Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
^Smith, Zack (December 2012). "Paul Dini & Alex Ross Discuss a Treasured Format". Back Issue! (61). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 69–77. From 1998 to 2003, [Paul Dini and Alex Ross] produced a series of fully painted oversized books featuring DC's biggest heroes.
^Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 286: "Alex Ross teamed up with writer Paul Dini...to tell a powerful story of the Man of Steel. In this beautiful sixty-four-page oversized one-shot...Superman fought a battle even he couldn't truly win: the war on poverty and hunger."
^Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 289: "The second in the oversized prestige-format tabloid collaborations between writer Paul Dini and painter Alex Ross, Batman: War on Crime was just as successful as its predecessor, and just as beautiful."
^Sims, Chris (November 6, 2013). "She Can Only Save (Or Destroy) Christmas So Many Times: Paul Dini Talks 'Jingle Belle' [Interview]". ComicsAlliance. Archived from the original on July 22, 2017. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
^"Paul Dini charges up the southwest for 'Mutant, Texas'". Comic Book Resources. February 8, 2002. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
^Colburn, Randall (June 1, 2020). "Kevin Smith thinks now is the time for a Clerks: The Animated Series reboot". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on June 20, 2021. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
^Manning, Matthew K. (2014). "2000s". In Dougall, Alastair (ed.). Batman: A Visual History. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 274. ISBN 978-1465424563. Writer Paul Dini and artist Bruce Timm crafted this tale set in the DC Animated Universe and starring the odd couple of Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy.
^Manning "2000s" in Dougall, p. 290: "Paul Dini came aboard Detective Comics as its new ongoing writer as of this issue."
^Manning "2000s" in Dougall, p. 293: "Paul Dini and artist Don Kramer introduced a new Ventriloquist in this self-contained issue."
^Manning "2000s" in Dougall, p. 300: Detective Comics #846 "This issue began writer Paul Dini and artist Dustin Nguyen's 'Heart of Hush' story."
^Manning "2000s" in Dougall, p. 305: "Paul Dini and artist Dustin Nguyen introduced this ongoing series."
^Renaud, Jeffrey (June 17, 2009). "Dini Takes it to the Streets of Gotham". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on October 9, 2012. Retrieved June 17, 2009.
^Manning "2000s" in Dougall, p. 306: "The villainous version of the Birds of Prey premiered in this new ongoing 'Batman: Reborn' series by writer Paul Dini and artist Guillem March."
^Renaud, Jeffrey (June 18, 2009). "Dini's Sirens Blare in Gotham City". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on October 9, 2012. Retrieved June 18, 2009.
^Castro, Adam-Troy (2006). Getting Lost: Survival, Baggage, and Starting Over in J.J. Abrams' Lost. Dallas, Texas: BenBella Books. p. 51. ISBN 1-932100-78-4.
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^Khouri, Andy (May 22, 2007). "Darkseid Rules: In-Depth with Paul Dini and Countdown". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on December 22, 2008.
^Cooke, Sarah (March 6, 2019). "Gatchaman Concept Art for Imagi's Unproduced Film Is Absolutely Gorgeous". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
^"VIDEO: Paul Dini's "Madame Mirage" #1 from Top Cow". Comic Book Resources. March 20, 2007. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
^Taylor, Robert (December 2, 2008). "REFLECTIONS: Paul Dini, Part I". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on May 10, 2017. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
^Castro, Danilo (January 11, 2017). "15 Things You Never Knew About Batman Beyond". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on May 16, 2017. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
^Letendre, Brian (April 24, 2009). "Paul Dini Talks Batman: Arkham Asylum". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on July 25, 2017. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
^"Star Wars: The Clone Wars Preview - "Cloak of Darkness"". IGN. December 4, 2008. Archived from the original on November 12, 2016. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
^Goldman, Eric (September 10, 2009). "Star Wars: The Clone Wars - "Holocron Heist" Review". IGN. Archived from the original on October 6, 2016. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
^Goldman, Eric (February 8, 2010). "Star Wars: The Clone Wars - "Voyage of Temptation" Review". IGN. Archived from the original on October 27, 2016. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
^"200 Words with Paul Dini #1 – Sweethearts". iFanboy. February 14, 2008. Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved January 15, 2011.
^Phegley, Kiel (November 23, 2010). "Discovering Paul Dini's "Tower Prep"". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on December 28, 2010. Retrieved January 4, 2011.
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^Reiner, Andrew (May 11, 2011). "Batman: Arkham City Comic Book Review". Game Informer. Archived from the original on January 16, 2012. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
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^Gilbert, Ben (August 6, 2012). "Paul Dini explains absence from next Batman game". Joystiq.com / AOL. Archived from the original on August 8, 2012. Retrieved August 6, 2012.
^Arrant, Chris (May 12, 2011). "Paul Dini, Joe Quinones working on Zatanna/Black Canary team-up". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on June 15, 2011.
^Mozzocco, J. Caleb (May 22, 2014). "More than just fishnets: 'Black Canary and Zatanna: Bloodspell'". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
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^Kit, Borys (December 1, 2015). "Paul Dini Revisits His Traumatic Past With Dark Night: A True Batman Story (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 24, 2016. Just like Batman, who was born out of a tragic mugging that killed his parents, Dini also lived through a violent assault that altered his life.
^Johnson, Jim (April 18, 2018). "Action Comics #1000 Shows Superman Still Looks Good at 80 Years Old". Newsarama. Archived from the original on April 26, 2018. Paul Dini's whimsical 'Actionland' features the welcome return of José Luis García-López to the pages of Superman, evocative of the pre-Crisis era for those who miss it.
^Tweedle, Sam (n.d.). "Everybody Has Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey: A Conversation with Paul Dini and RaSHy". Confessions of a Pop Culture Addict. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved September 6, 2015.
^Ken Reid (April 6, 2016). "TV Guidance Counselor Episode 144: Paul Dini and Misty Lee". TV Guidance Counselor (Podcast). Archived from the original on August 13, 2020. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
^Adams, Tim (September 9, 2020). "DC's Batman: Black and White Anthology Series Returns in Late 2020". CBR.com. Archived from the original on September 18, 2020. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
^Burlingame, Russ (December 22, 2021). "Scoob!: Holiday Haunt First Look Revealed in HBO Max Teaser". ComicBook. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
^Cannito, Nicholas (August 3, 2022). "Scoob 2 Writer Paul Dini Criticizes the Film's Unexpected Cancellation". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 10, 2022.
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