Random Fan writes...

I'm kinda going on a question spree now that I have some down time and this is something else that poped into my head that I haven't seen yet. Are Brooklyn and Katana biologicly the same age when they meet?

Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...

Quick couple of comments on the recent graphic novels...

It was such a pleasure to read new material and emerse again in the world of gargoyles. I hope we get a chance to do so again quite soon.

Clan Building-
Loved the Star Wars homage cover

I was a little confused by the events with the stone. The explanation helped, but I still liked it.

There is a thread on the Girl-Wonder forums about female characters who look fantastic and none sexualized. Coco met with approval. I'd have to go back and check, but I believe the word was "awesome" :)

I found it odd that the Rosetta Stone was included among the list of stones. Are there legends about the stone? I thought it was just the one in the British Museum. Absolutely loved the "Hey" "Hey" between the stone and grail.

Also surprised by the "Bugger Off". Isn't that rather obscene in the UK? I know the intent to keep the comics as all age friendly as the cartoon has slipped a bit. (Strangely the hand being cut off flew by me (no pun intended). Dingo's mother's death shocked me.) But a substitution phrase would be easier that replacing events. (Of course I am blanking on such a phrase at the moment...unless Sod Off is a smidge more polite. Drop Dead doen't sound particularly British.)

Loved the Timedancer part. Had you always intended to start Time Dancer so soon? Had the cartoon continued on air, would Brooklyn have gone and returned season 3 or did it come sooner in response to the new medium. In general did any events move up for the comics?

I know I am in a minority, but I didn't love the art at the end. It's probably just a question of personal taste. The line was more detailed, but the distortions less to my taste. I've heard some say it looked a little more anime looking, and that only sometimes appeals to me.

The relationship between Gilcomgain and the king was wonderfully creepy.

I would have thought Bodhe to be older than Gilcomgain.

Odd.. in the Gargoyles universe it seems sparing a child's life comes back to haunt you. Bodhe's father did it, Macbeth did it, death, war and heartbreak follow.

As whenever we go back in time in these stories, there is a bittersweetness to it. Most, and most probably all, of the gargoyles we meet will be murdered in the next few years. Especially when we see child gargoyles. (I think, though not prominant, one of the gargoyles we saw smashed was a child.)

"Call me Gnash" :)
"Egwardo" :)!
(I don't remember knowing that was coming, but I may just have missed it.)

Bad Guys
Already mentioned, the murder of Dingo's mother shocked me. As did Tasha's suicide earlier, (though I could see how that might have been finageled into the cartoon). Similarly, when I read over the begining of the trade I realized that we had briefly met Tasha and the others as humans. Even in that little bit it made it all the more poignant. A little thing I noted aside from all the big things others have already noted was how the aligator thug was instinctively hugging and holding the little girl to comfort her. Not just the guy with a gun we met before.

I'm a little tight for time, so I'll just say I really enjoyed it and I felt it was very successful in setting up a new series. Yes it is connected, but in the back of my mind I was expecting it to just be an extension of Gargoyles- a way to see more of that universe and extend the stories we were seeing. Instead this is its own story, in that universe, but its own.

Todd Jensen writes...

One of the big changes you made from canon-in-training to canon, in "Clan-Building", was having the Phoenix rather than the Phoenix Gate be the cause of Brooklyn's timedancing. I thought about it recently, and think that it was a good change.

Aside from it providing a good explanation for why it took so long for Brooklyn to get back (it would probably have seem far-fetched if each time the Phoenix Gate appeared during those forty years, he always failed to grab it before it disappeared again), I think it added something to his journey. While we don't know exactly what the Phoenix is as yet, or what its agenda is, the way it was depicted (and Brooklyn's own comments) made it clear that it deliberately took Brooklyn to Scotland in 997, that this was not just some accidental fluke, that the Phoenix has a purpose and intentions like those of any sentient being. Brooklyn isn't being battened about the time-stream by an out of control magical talisman, but is being sent places to fulfill a mission, like Goliath and his companions on the Avalon World Tour. His adventures up and down history, past and future, are the product of a plan, not just the whims of chance. I think it made for a much better story.

Chip writes...

Some questions bubbled up in my mind while reading Gargoyles Clan-Building, first about the Timedancer arc.
1)Is Fu-Dog’s gold collar affected by the humility spell?

2)Does Katana speak English? I note that she had no lines in “Phoenix” and in the non-canon Radio Play…is the reason she doesn’t speak because she can’t speak English?

3)Somewhat related to question 2, is Brooklyn able to understand the languages of times/places he goes automatically, or does he need to learn them?

Clark Cradic writes...

Does Brooklyn meet Katana before or after his adventures in the future with Samson and the resistance?

Anonymous writes...

In the comics are we ever going to find out what happened to Brooklyn in his 40 years of time travel?

gipdac writes...

1. When was Katana hatched?
2a. How old is Katana biologically when Brooklyn & Co. return to Manhattan 1996?
2b. How old is Katana chronologically when Brooklyn & Co. return to Manhattan 1996?
3. What year did Katana and Brooklyn first meet?
4. I hope this doesn't sound vulgar because it's not meant to be, but when did Brooklyn and Katana find time to mate with Nashville hanging around? I just imagine lots and lots of awkwardness:-Z

Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

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TWELVE: PHOENIX

Amusing cover. When I first saw it I wondered what guy had tattooed his face like that. Mother always told you if you make ugly faces, your face could stick that way. Good thing it's only paint, and that hair grows back. Too bad he'll die like that.

The art in the battle scenes is very detailed and good. I love all the different gargoyles. But all the gargs seem to have belly-buttons... I don't think that's right.

That poor gargoyle, Demona's second-in-command, loses his mate. I wish there were enough pages to get to know all these gargoyles. But even without knowing them, it is tragic to see them all die. Tragic, and infuriating to see how genocidal some of the humans are.

And I think Demona blames Brooklyn almost as much as the humans.

That sorcerer, Valmont, got his hand (or both hand?) hacked off, but he got up and just walked away! Yikes!

We get more background about Findlaech and Gillecomgain. It neatly explains why Gillecomgain grew up as a peasant, even though his father is related to Findlaech. This would almost make Gillecomgain's desire to kill Findlaech understandable... almost, if the rain of arrows weren't blindingly obvious to everyone else at the battle. Besides, I can't feel actual sympathy for a guy who so joyfully murders gargoyles. The way he keeps trying to kill little Bodhe doesn't help my impression, either.

I can't help thinking that Demona is rather gullible. She believes Brooklyn when he claims that half of the Gate is enough to control the phoenix... and why should he know she has the Gate, anyway? That was a private moment between her and Goliath. Luckily she falls for it, though.

The ending of this book is a surprise. Not because I didn't know how Timedancer was supposed to finally end. But I expected Brooklyn to freak out and start kissing the ground or hugging people. Plus, I was seriously expecting Coldstone and Coldfire to keep hunting Coldsteel, and for some of the London gargoyles to join the Manhattan Clan. After all, the London Clan is facing severe population pressure, while the Manhattan Clan is way too small.

I am relieved that Brooklyn only lost an eye, instead of an entire limb. An eye I don't mind, but a whole limb would have been disturbing. It is bizarre though, how the Future Tense models keep showing up, first at the Halloween party and now here. How could Puck have predicted these specific outfits? Even if he has the power to see the future, it's quite bizarre that he can see things that specific. Is it just a meta-universe joke?

I like that Katana has a beak, although her face looks kind of squished. I wish more gargoyles had beaks. I like her model.

And they named the egg? That has to be the most pointless... and least gargoylean... thing to do, EVER. Your egg does not need a name! Neither does your sword! Or the sky! Heh. Time to reconnect with your gargoyle roots a little, you three.

I'm actually glad that I read about Timedancer on Ask Greg before reading this comic. I think the whole "40 years, a mate and kid" thing would have been too much of a shock for me otherwise. I tend to be quite averse to change. I also think it might have worked better (if there was room) to show his second jump and one panel of his second destination, to drive home that the Phoenix took him to many times and it was going to be a long trip.

I'm also sad that there wasn't room to show any bits and pieces of Brooklyn's other trips. I would very much like to have seen some of the Ishimura and Xanadu clans, or the Lost Race. Or a glimpse of the future.

I sincerely hope this is not the end. We'll see. Good luck convincing somebody to pick up a graphic novel license some day!
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Cynthia from Riverdale writes...

Dear Greg,
I just finished reading Clan Building Vol. 2 and I wanted to know, will there be more Gargoyle trade paperbacks? I know there is one for Bad Guys coming out, but I wanted to know about stories concerning the main Gargoyles. Also, speaking of Bad Guys, how many issues will be in the trade? Lastly, I thought the trade rushed Brooklyn's time traveling story, will there be a trade paperback to cover what wasn't told? Thanks so much for giving fans the unpublished issues.

stanley dean cowens writes...

I reading a question someone asked you about if demona and goliath would ever be a couple again and you said no. I was some what unhappy about that development as I was always had hope they would be a couple again at some point. I also find Elisa to be a some what uninteresting character to be honest compared with demona. I know many shows will take into consideration input from the fanbase and bring certain characters back to life,give popular characters with a small amount of screen time more time and so one. I was wondering if you basically have a vision set in stone for your characters or do you ever make any changes in gargoyles or any other show based on fan feed back? I hope this questions does not violate your rules for answering questions,but I was really wondering about what level you take fan input into consideration regarding existing characters and events? Great show and keep up the good work. I'm kind of burnt out on spiderman to be honest,but now that I know you're involved in it I guess I'll have to buy the box sets and check it out.