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Derek writes...

Will we ever see the biological parents of Demona, Goliath, Lexington or Brooklyn in the comics in Flashbacks?

Greg responds...

Sure. But you might not know it, as it's of no moment to these characters. If I hadn't let it slip that Hudson was Broadway's bio-dad, would you have guessed, known or cared?

Response recorded on August 10, 2007

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Derek writes...

How could Zafiro and Obsidiana mate, anatomically there completely different?

Greg responds...

You mean one's a guy and one's a gal?

Response recorded on August 10, 2007

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brooklyn the red one writes...

are gargoyles affekted by the summer and winter sulstist/longest day/nignt of the year

Greg responds...

Yes. (I'm pretty sure this is covered in the archives in more detail.)

Response recorded on July 30, 2007

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racheal writes...

what substance were gargoyles made of in the medieval times

Greg responds...

Huh?

We talking living gargoyles or stone faux gargoyles ... ?

Response recorded on July 24, 2007

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Turner writes...

A gargoyles science related question: you have previously said that gargoyles derive their energy from the sun while in their stonesleep so where do they get the basic elements needed to create the essential organic chemicals and compounds such as proteins and amino acids?

Greg responds...

Food.

Response recorded on July 19, 2007

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K9: The First writes...

Hello Mister Wiesman, How's your family?

There, I asked a question, I actually wanted to do a ramble of sorts based on my observations on Gargoyle biology. Sort of like someone else did with Gargate genetics. (I'd post what they said, but it's very very long)

STONE SLEEP

Now, obviously at first, this seems to not make a lot of sense. If you're in mid-flight and you turn to stone, you're out of luck. And if a predator or some natural disaster hits you while you sleep, you're not going to have a good chance of making it.

But if one thinks about it, it makes perfect evolutional sense. Of the two main responses to danger from a predator, Flight or Fight, the one that uses the leeast energy and usually has the least chance of injury is Flight, or avoidence from the Fight response for as long as possible, and the best way to avoid Fight is to hide, a.k.a.: Camouflage.

Think about it, if a Gargate, or several Gargates(a Clan) were to either scruntch as tight as possible, huddle close together, or grab hold of a cliff face and make themselves as unnoticable as possible, they would simply look to be nothing more then another rock, or a part of the cliff. This would make them nigh impossible to be found by most predators, and if one finds one or more stone Gargates, it may just walk on by with little care for the prey. But if it dosen't, and still trys to eat the Gargate, it'll be detered from trying again due to either any injuries the predator gets from chomping of the stone, or from the fact that stone doesn't taste very good.

I have another Ramble on Wings, but since I worry as to weather or not it would cause this to be banned, I'll post it separatly.

Greg responds...

Family's good, thanks.

Camouflage... I don't know. Maybe that helps, but you don't need it to explain stone sleep evolution.

Stone sleep is a huge protection against predators in the pre-tool age. Claws and teeth don't bite through stone (or rather the organic stone-like substance that Gargoyles turn into). Even scent is altered. A stone gargoyle is of little interest to and in almost no danger from other animals. It's not until Humans developed tools -- thousands of years after Gargoyles evolved -- that stone sleep became a liability.

Response recorded on July 12, 2007

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Personperson123 writes...

What do gargoyles eat?And would they kill or hurt humans?

Greg responds...

Gargoyles eat more or less the same stuff as we do. And kill for more or less the same reasons.

Response recorded on July 09, 2007

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Samson2197 writes...

Why do Gargoyles only lay eggs once every twenty years?

Greg responds...

Originally, for a species as dominant as Gargoyles once were... and as long-lived... it made evolutionary sense from a resource standpoint. This is what I have always believed, but coming out of the recent Physiology and Culture panel at G2007, I'm more confident than ever that it makes sense.

Response recorded on June 28, 2007

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Purplegoldfish writes...

In "Avalon pt. 1", Princess Katharine tells Constantine that gargoyle eggs need to be turned or they'll crack too soon. So I was wondering-do gargoyle eggs actually need to be turned? Or did Katharine just make that up as a cover to explain why her and Mary were carting the eggs around?

Greg responds...

GOOD Question...

Any thoughts?

Response recorded on June 13, 2007

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K9 The First writes...

Are there any genetic disorders in Gargates? You know, like Cystic Fibrosis, Down Syndrome, Cri du Chat, etc. in humans?

Greg responds...

Don't know.

Response recorded on June 13, 2007

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SomeGuy writes...

What does gargoyle meat taste like?
My guess is chicken.

Greg responds...

Man, that's an old joke...

Hyena, cracked that one, what, like twelve years ago...?

Dude, keep up.

Response recorded on June 08, 2007

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Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

It's really great that you answer all these questions from the fans, Greg. There must be a few thousand in the archives and I know plenty of them are FAQs, repeats, or just silly. But this website is a wonderful gift to fans. If all the authors of stories that I liked did this (if all of them were still alive...) I would be in heaven! So thank you for taking the time for this website and all of our annoying questions.

Questions about Gargoyle biology

1. Are there any wingless gargoyles other than the garg-beasts?
I mean, are there any wingless members of the "sentient" gargoyle species? (the species that have opposable thumbs, can talk, and who (usually) wear clothes) Not Bronx's species, but Goliath's species.
Also I mean born wingless, not wingless because of injury.

2. Do gargoyles see in color? Do garg-beasts?

3. When gargoyle (and garg-beast) babies hatch, do they suddenly burst out of their eggshells in the evening, just like gargoyles explode out of stone sleep, or do they hatch more slowly?

4. a. When birds lay eggs, occasionally one is "bad" or dies or something, and doesn't hatch. Does this ever happen to gargoyle eggs?
b. If so, do the clan hold a Wind Ceremony for the eggs that don't hatch?

Greg responds...

1. No.

2. At least as well as I do.

3. Let's wait and see, shall we?

4a. Ever? I suppose so.

4b. Yes.

Response recorded on April 30, 2007

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Laura writes...

What happens when or if an of-age female gargoyle does not mate during the breeding season? Does she lay an unfertilized egg, or cycle more like humans do, or something else entirely? And if something else, what?

Thanks!

Greg responds...

I honestly don't know. Perhaps at the next Gathering we can bring it up in the Biology panel. I'm making sure I can be at that one this time.

Response recorded on March 30, 2007

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Nelio writes...

I have a biological question regarding the Gargoyles, one that I have been curious about for a long time. To ask it simply, do Gargoyles (or Gargates in general) have nipples? It is obvious that through out the entire series no nipples were detailed on male gargoyles, and where they would appear on the female body is covered. Further more, there are at least two times in the series in which two human males (Officer Morgan and Wolf) have been seen without shirts yet they had their nipples detailed.

Is this some sort of decency issue within the animation department, or do gargoyles actually lack them? A few other things that stick out to me is when the gargoyle clan was changed into humans by puck, they still lacked them, thus leading me to believe it was a animation issue. I also wonder if males lack nipples while female retain then, after all human males only have them because they develop on the fetus before sex is determined. Perhaps in gargoyle biology, development happens differently?

Well, thank you for reading my strange question, I really appreciate the time you put into this site and your product. I can only wish that the other programs I have a mild obsession with would have a wonderful site like Ask Greg to answer all my questions.

Greg responds...

Mostly it was an animation/design issue. Females do have nipples. I suppose if you looked VERY closely (which I don't recommend), males have some kind of vestigal (is that the right word in this context?) nipple.

Response recorded on March 13, 2007

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Anonymous writes...

I don't know if you've though about Gargoyles genetics at all, but do you know what characteristics are genetically dominant (ie, what wing structure, horns, beaks, hair color, skin tone)?

Greg responds...

Nope.

Response recorded on March 09, 2007

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ColdFusion writes...

'Lo Greg
You've said a few times that gargoyles probably don't have hollow bones, on the basis of their strength.. I just wanted to point out that all bones are hollow. Ours are full of marrow, birds' have marrow and also a big chamber for air. Depending where the bone is, it might have blood vessels in it too. I don't think you'd have to sacrifice strength to say gargoyles had hollow bones if you wanted to (or even bones full of lighter-than-air gas. Hey that's a good idea!) I think they're even starting to say some of the strongest dinosaurs had hollow bones too, but don't quote me on that.
Can't wait til the comic's out! I'm buying each one as they come out on Amazon :)

Greg responds...

Well, I was I believe specifically responding to someone comparing Garg bones with bird bones (which, as I understand it, are fairly fragile). I know about marrow, etc.

Response recorded on January 17, 2007

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ColdFusion writes...

Reading the archives it's apparent you believe Sevarius' theory that gargoyles absorb sunlight during the day while in stone form, reducing their need to eat like the huge beasts they are. I've wanted to point something out for years, but now you have to be really quick about asking questions before Ask Greg closes again.

The thing is.. unless I'm mistaken, Sevarius came into that theory because:
A. he had mutates to make, and gave them bat wings they needed to flap
B. he realized he couldn't keep 6-foot furries in the air on bat wings without them eating him out of house and home, and
C. he figured the answer was in how the real gargoyles did it.

When I heard him explain how he thought gargoyles got the energy to fly, I didn't believe it for a second. obviously he didn't do his homework, because gargoyles DON'T FLY, they don't -flap- at all, they glide effortlessly (more or less) on air currents, and that doesn't require flapping of wing muscles. So.. the sun-absorbing-stone thing isn't necessary (at least for the reason Sevarius presented. Of course now I've read that the reason you had gargoyles glide was so they'd require flying vehicles for kenner to build).

I realize that episode was kind of frought with bad science (electric eels produce electricity, so their genes mean you don't need as much food energy? ... and then whatever extra energy that presents they discharge as lightning bolts anyway?), and that it doesn't matter because it's just an animated drama and you wanted to give the mutates a cool weapon, but.. I dunno, I've been hearing you base your (mostly wonderful) theories on the assumption that sevarius was right, when he got such a major detail wrong in developing it.. it kind of bothers me.. I mean, if gargoyle babies need to absorb sunlight too, their parents should probably stop putting them in caves and buildings... maybe I'm just naturally distrustful of scientists. I mean, when sevarius said "unfortunately nothing like this exists in the animal kingdom so I can't go to the gene store and get some" my first thought was "that's because you pulled that answer out of your ass, gargoyles are more well-thought-out than that". I generally wonder when scientists put out an unprovable theory like that, how plausible they think it is that a person could come up with the correct answer to a mystery like that with limited evidence. No matter what they come up with, it's surely not very likely to be correct!

Wow, when did this comment turn into a ramble? Sorry, heh. Anyway, I trust what you say more than what Anton Sevarius says, and in my opinion you don't have to agree with him just because he's a scientist and you're not. the theories you come up with to explain gargoyle science don't seem to mesh very well with Sevarius, so... perhaps we ought to keep in mind that the gargoyles aren't aware of any of them anyway. Keep up the good work!

Greg responds...

Uh... thanks?

Look, Sevarius was intentionally leaving out one major source of information because Derek was his audience. He'd been studying Gargoyle DNA to create Thailog. I'm not endorsing Sevarius' theory because he said it out loud in a room with a "civilian". I'm endorsing aspects of it because the absorbtion of THERMAL energy (not solar energy specifically) through their organic stone makes sense to me. Elegant sense -- at least in my mind.

Response recorded on January 17, 2007

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JEFFERTON writes...

Would the gargoyles need to sleep if they were in Alaska during the six months of night

Greg responds...

Yes.

Response recorded on January 04, 2007

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Nick Gawel writes...

If Samson is Goliath's great grandson in Gargoyles 2198 wouldn't Samson look more like Broadway since males look like their dad?

Greg responds...

Samson isn't Broadway's son. And look, we never wanted to be rigid about it anyway. One inherits from all of one's ancestors.

Response recorded on December 14, 2006

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Anonymous writes...

I am trying to adapt some of the Gargoyles characters into a role-playing game, where they can interact with the likes of Spider-Man or Batman. In preparing to integrate the Gargoyles, I was wondering how strong the five principle Gargoyles are? From what I see, I am guessing that Goliath is the strongest and can probably lift somewhere in the neighborhood of 3 tons, while Lexington is the weakest, and can probably lift only a few hundred pounds.

Greg responds...

I don't have numbers for you.

Goliath is probably the strongest, followed by Broadway, Hudson, Brooklyn, Angela and Lex. But I'm not wild about ranking them at all. Strength doesn't exist in a vacuum. In any given situation, Angela could be stronger than Hudson, etc.

Response recorded on December 14, 2006

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Zel writes...

Ok, now for some tiresome "what if" type questions.
1. What happens if a Gargoyle is injured in thier sleep? Like a deep scratch, because I'm pretty sure a beheading is fatal.
2. If an ear or finger breaks off, will there be an open wound at sundown? A healed over nub? A partially regrown apendage?
3. How much damage can a sleeping gargoyle sustain before they just won't wake up at all?
4. If a severed limb or digit were held in place untill sundown, would the limb "wake up" too? Assuming a clean break and a snug fit.
5. would such a limb finger or nose, or whatever, ever be good as new?
6. While we're on the topic of stone healing, Why did Hudson's eye stay scarred?
7. Do gargoyles have a regular immune system as well? Not sure how that would ever come into play, but to somehow take their petrifying ability away biochemicaly or magicly, would they have normal defences against disease and injury? Do Guatamalan Gargs have to deal with this problem?
I'm suprised these issues haven't come up in the show, I mean, The main six guys were trapped outdoors in the elements for a thousand years. And correct me if I'm wrong but Scottish weather isn't always gentle. Thanks for making a show worth nit-picking over 10 years later, Greg

Greg responds...

Let me lead off by repeating for the umpteenth time that I'm not fond of "what if" or hypothetical questions...

1. This has been answered. Check the archives.

2. Ditto.

3. Ditto.

4. No. Not automatically.

5. Doubtful.

6. There are a number of possible answers: the attack was magic based, Hudson was old enough that he doesn't heal as quickly, the attack happened too close to sunset and some scarring took place BEFORE the healing process could begin, etc.

7. I'd guess they have some immune system.

Response recorded on November 20, 2006

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Tyler writes...

I was justwondering what are some of gargoyles sex moves?

Greg responds...

You'll have to come to a Blue Mug-a-Guest at a Gathering to ask about that. (This is a PG rated site.)

To find out more about the Blue Mugs or the Gathering, check out

www.gatheringofthegargoyles.com

Response recorded on November 02, 2006

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Brian writes...

If I could pet a gargoyle's wings, what's the closest thing they would feel like?

Greg responds...

Depends on whose wings.

Response recorded on October 26, 2006

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The Tigress writes...

Hello Greg,

As a long time Gargoyles fan, I wanted to point out that the way you came up with how Gargoyles climb and can puncture stone/metal..etc with their talons is absolutely fascinating. Even to this day I marvel at how well that was excecuted throughout the show.

My question is how did you come up with the idea of having Gargoyles climb that way?

Greg responds...

I don't mean to sound flip... but HOW ELSE would they do it?

Response recorded on October 20, 2006

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Othello writes...

Do all Gargoyles, have the same level of Superstrength? or are some, like Goliath Stronger?

Greg responds...

Like human beings, some gargoyles are stronger than others. I'd think GENERALLY, that it's pretty clear visually.

Response recorded on October 11, 2006

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Daniel writes...

Hey, Greg. Both me and my two brothers picked up the first season on Tuesday. Awesome stuff, just as I remember. Now, my question: How much do the primary Gargoyles weigh in their night form? A couple of humans from the first season (Like Wolf in 'Leader of the Pack' seem able to toss Goliath around when he couldn't possbily weigh less than 500 pounds (Unless you say so, of course). On the other hand, in 'Awakening, Part 5' Brooklyn struggles mightily to carry the injured Lexington, and it seems Lex couldn't be more than around 200. So yeah, clarification would be great.

Thanks in advance for your eventual answer and fantastic series.

Greg responds...

Your welcome for the series. Thanks for buying it. But I'm not going to be much help on the rest, besides pointing out that the conservation of mass rule suggests that a garg's weight doesn't change when it turns to "stone" or vice versa.

I don't have a clue what they weigh, though beyond obvious stuff like the fact that Goliath weighs more than Brooklyn, who weighs more than Lex.

Response recorded on September 21, 2006

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Watson writes...

Dear Greg-

I've been wondering something about Hudsons' wing structure. Are the "tatters" around the edges of his wings an old injury (like his eye) or just a normal sign of aging among gargoyles?

Greg responds...

Probably both.

Response recorded on September 20, 2006

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Justin writes...

Dear Greg,
I was wondering something about gargoyle biology. As know from Future Tense, Broadway hasn't fully mutured physically, and will grown more horns as he ages. I was wondering if in some instances gargoyles act the same as other horned animals in the animal kingdom. Like infant gazelles are not born with antlers, they grow as the animal matures, perhaps horned gargoyles like Brooklyn, or any gargoyle for that matter, are hatched virtually hornless?

Thank you for your time.

Greg responds...

I wouldn't take anything from Future Tense as gospel.

Response recorded on September 15, 2006

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GargFan1995-Present writes...

Two questions about Gargoyles' stone healing:

1.) If a Gargoyle had one of its wings cut off, would the wing grow back in stone sleep or would it be gone forever?

2.) If a Gargoyle had something cut off in its stone sleep (an arm or a finger), would it wake up with or without an arm or at all?

Thanks!

Greg responds...

1. Gone.

2. It depends how catastrophic the injury was, how close to sunset, etc. as to whether they'd survive the trauma at all. But limbs do not grow back.

Response recorded on August 03, 2006

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Lucas Truman Williams writes...

Are you saying (in your ramble) that Gargoyles have the potential even now to have psychic powers the way Fox even now has latent magical abilities?

Greg responds...

Uh... which ramble was that?

Anyway, I don't think I was saying that.

[Context, guys. Context! It takes me nearly two years to get to your questions. I just don't have THAT good a memory.]

Response recorded on May 15, 2006

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Puck writes...

Since Kaylle has opened the line of discussion on things related to gargoyle sleep, I might as well ask...

Do gargoyles dream of stone sheep?

Greg responds...

On occasion, who doesn't?

Response recorded on May 02, 2006

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Kaylle writes...

You know, of course as soon as I was in the same room as you, I couldn't remember any of the questions I meant to ask. And as soon as we got in the car to come home I recalled all of them, but when I sit down to ask them here once again they escape me...

At any rate, the one I do remember is this: We know the gargoyles sleep in stone during the day. But I wondered if they can also sleep like humans/animals do, maybe take a nap during the night if they're just overexhausted or bored or whatever? We have a few instances where they're knocked unconscious, but that's not really the same thing.

Greg responds...

No, Michael Reaves and I had a discussion early on as to whether being knocked unconscious was the same as sleeping, and on his advice, we decided that it wasn't.

Naps... I just don't think they're built that way, biologically.

Response recorded on April 26, 2006

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Patrick writes...

Gathering Diary - Day 3
Friday, August 6

I woke up around 7:30 am, mumbled good morning to Laurean as she was on her way out the door to the gym, and scored the first turn at the shower since everyone else in the room was still sleeping. Then I napped until about ten minutes before nine, woke up again, and went up to the con suite to see what the plan was for breakfast. Karine led us all to a diner nearby that had pretty good food at pretty good prices, but they also had the slowest service ever and we were running a half hour behind the schedule printed in the program by the time we got back to the hotel.

I was on Art Show setup duty, assisting Cindy, so the two of us headed up to the room on the Mezzanine level and enlisted anyone who was willing to help unload the van and move the art show display materials up to the room. About six people offered to help, so it took only about ten minutes to get everything up from the parking garage and into the room where the Art Show would be. Alan joined in to help with assembly, and the plastic pipe frames went together quickly, until we suddenly realized we were short two to the 90-degree elbow pieces.

Karine gave me some quick directions to the nearest Home Depot, and then I was off on an emergency run. As I learned at The Gathering 2002 in Virginia, there's nothing quite as fun as driving around an unfamiliar area at top speed, searching for a destination you're not quite sure of. But finally I spotted the familiar orange sign, and ran inside to the plumbing section to grab the pieces we were missing. On a hunch, I also grabbed another pack of zip ties for attaching the pegboard to the frames, which should earn me a psychic friends network membership card because when I got back I discovered Cindy had tried to call me on my cell phone - which I didn't have on me - to tell me that they needed more of those, too. So for about 15 seconds, I was a god for saving the day, and then I went back to work getting the remaining display put together.

I spent most of the rest of Friday afternoon in the Art Show / Dealer's Room, helping Cindy with setup and then sitting guard duty at the Auction display table for a spell. I wouldn't have gotten lunch, but Alan asked me if I wanted anything from Subway, so I gave him money and he brought me back a soda and the best roast beef sub I've ever consumed in less than two minutes. Later in the afternoon, I attended Cindy's costuming seminar. I learned how to take care of wigs, and I'm pretty sure I was the only guy in the room except for when the DVD crew came in to do some random filming.

Right after Cindy's panel was over, Karine or Carol informed me that Keith David had been delayed to a later flight, so I would be picking him up around 11:00 pm instead of Karine's husband Adam picking him up around 6:00 pm. I was fine with that, even if it meant having to remain alert enough to drive at that late hour, so I ran upstairs to the con suite to record the revised flight details in my notebook. Before we knew it, it was getting near time for Opening Ceremonies, so I headed down to the ballroom to see if my help was needed with anything. I had been told we were getting a screen measuring 4'x3', so it was quite a surprise to see they'd given us one about three times bigger. Rob and Karine were still trying to get sound and picture to come out of the projector at the same time when I walked in. I'm not sure what button it was that I pushed, but suddenly there was a picture. A few moments later, we found the volume control, too, and everything was ready.

Greg showed up with his stack of videotapes, and I was given the complex job of sitting next to the VCR, loading tapes, and pressing play. For me, Opening Ceremonies seemed to go by in a blur. Karine welcomed the fans and introduced the staff, then Jen presented the Fan Guest of Honor award to Gorebash. Next, Chris Rogers came to the podium to talk about Gathering 2005, and then Liz came up to make some announcements, which was when Abram and Maui "interrupted" for the first Clan Olympics event. After all the chaos had settled, Greg's part of the Opening Ceremonies began. First he played an audio tape containing the voices of Ed Asner, Keith David, and a number of other people associated with the show that Carol had helped compile the week before. Then he showed the traditional series of videos, and ended with the audio tape of the voice recordings for the never-completed "Team Atlantis" episode "The Last."

After Opening Ceremonies, we handed the room over to Jade Griffin for the "Mystery Gargoyles Theater 3000" event and debated what to do about dinner. Half of the staff wanted to trek out into Montreal again, and half of us were too tired to want to do all that walking. As a few of us were discussing it in the lobby, Greg came up to me and said he had good news and bad news. The good news was I wouldn't have to pick up Keith at 11:00 pm. The bad news was Keith's flight had changed again, and he wouldn't be arriving until 6:00 pm the next day, Saturday.

Greg then joined up with the group Karine was leading out into the city, but I decided to give my feet a rest. I joined Jen, Alan, Tim, Christine, and Becca, and the six of us had a late dinner in the hotel restaurant. Tim told us all about his misadventure earlier in the day where he'd been hit by a car while crossing the street. He was mostly okay, but he still made sure to put some alcohol on his injuries in the form of a shot of tequila and two white russians. I stuck with cola because I was drowsy enough already, and I had a pretty good hamburger followed by a nice slice of cheesecake.

After dinner, Jen, Christine and I went back up to the con suite to await Greg's return for the Blue Mug-a-Guest. We were joined shortly by Anthony and Andrea Zucconi and a few other fans who had not hooked up with the huge group that had gone out with Greg to dinner. Exercising the ancient rite of "first come, first serve," we claimed the chairs and left the floor to the latecomers. Greg arrived only about ten minutes behind the scheduled 11 pm start time, and within a short amount of time the room was filled to capacity and then some.

For a Blue Mug-a-Guest, the overwhelming majority of the discussion was pretty tame. A lot of the questions focused on the DVD and what could be done to make sure that Season 1 will sell well enough that we get Season 2, and so on. Some ideas were floated about using the internet to coordinate the fandom's efforts, such as having everyone purchase the DVD from Amazon.com on the same day.

There was one question that was asked about how the fay copulate and reproduce which Greg apparently misheard at first, as he began talking about gargoyle egg-laying. He remarked that the eggs are soft and flexible when they are laid, and also that they start out small and grow bigger. This elicited a "Ha-ha, I was right, I told you so," comment from someone I had debated this same topic with in one of the online comment rooms a few months ago. Not the most mature of reactions, and bad science to boot. It made me wish I'd been able to attend the Gargoyle Biology panel on Sunday morning, because as much as I respect Greg, I still firmly believe that it must be recognized that there is absolutely no precedent at all in the animal kingdom for hard-shelled eggs that grow in size from the time they are laid to the time that they hatch.

Anyway, sorry to digress, but this was still bugging me when I went to bed that night, so I felt it worth mentioning. I can't remember very many of the other specific questions that were asked, though I do recall that when Greg was asked about whether the tip of a gargoyle's tail was especially sensitive, he deferred the question to Christine Morgan. Greg also blew a whole bunch of fanfic out of the water by saying that in his mind, Angela was a virgin when she arrived in Manhattan, and that gargoyles as a species were not promiscuous. I'm not quite sure these revelations are going to slow down any of us who've written stories to the contrary, though.

Friday night finally came to an end at around 2 am on Saturday morning, when Greg got up to answer the call of nature and Karine decided it was time to clear everyone out of the con suite. That included con staff, as well, so I headed to my room to grab a few more hours of sleep.

Greg responds...

Eggs are soft until the first day. Then they harden into stone when the sun rises. I don't recall ever saying they change size. Just that their softness allows for a somewhat easier laying. But who knows? Maybe I did say that. I say a lot of stuff.

Response recorded on April 21, 2006

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Allan Ecker writes...

This isn't a journal, I guess. It's just a shout-out. It isn't a journal because I didn't get to the Con, but if it had been anywhere within, oh, a 500-mile radius of me, I would have been there, so I feel justified in at least writing that I would have been there. (Heck, if I weren't moving around so much due to internships and such, I'd have gone anyway.)

I just need to give applause to Gargoyles. It was beautiful, cool, and fun, truly a jem of animation. The Shakespearian references layered over deep characterization and even deeper character -development- truly light my heart afire. I'm aching for this DVD. I can garantee that, unless all the copies are snapped up in, say, the first week of them hitting the market (which I honestly hope for, since that will likely mean more would be on the way), I will get it. I have two other friends who will do the same, -almost- as much to show support for the incredible talent (and any applicable forces of managerial mojo) involved in producing Gargoyles as to have DVD-quality sound and picture as opposed to our moldering, commercial-break-laiden, misordered VHS's.

Gargoyles, is, in my humble opinion, the single best animated series American animation has to offer. Gargoyles is better than the sublime Batman animated series and the inspiring X-Men Evolution, both of which have been released on DVD already. It has also done what I previously considered the impossible in unseating Tale Spin from the pinnacle of my Disney Pantheon of Good Shows.

Gargoyles didn't find me until long after it had stopped airing. In fact, you might say I walked in just in time to see this pivotal moment in its growth. I just wanted you to know, Greg, that I will be voting with my wallet (possilby twice) to get Gargoyles the recognition it deserves.

To Greg, and to all who gave Xantos, Goliath, Brooklyn (and of course, PUCK!) life, thank you.

PS, an actual question:

Just how "voluntary" is stone sleep? You mentioned in a recent (well, two years ago by now) response that sunlight was "a powerful psychological cue". Could a gargoyle fight off stone sleep for as long as (or longer than) thirty seconds? Would this have any short- or long-term side effects?

Also, sometimes gargoyles roar after waking, others not. I take this to mean that it is semi-voluntary, like yawning and/or stretching. Is it more or less voluntary than yawning? Will some circumstances make a gargoyle less or more likely to roar upon waking?

Greg responds...

Thanks for all the kind words. Did you get the two DVD sets? Did you make it to Vegas last summer? Are you coming to Valencia this summer? Have you pre-ordered the comic book? Yep, there's a lot for a Gargoyles Fan to be thankful for these days. Hope you and your friends are taking advantage of all that and SPREADING THE WORD!!!

Now to your questions...

1. It's not particularly voluntary. Yes, a garg can hold off stone sleep for a few seconds. Maybe even thirty or so, but not much more than that. No after effects that I can think of.

2. Roaring is optional, I suppose, but it's also common sense to the point of being ingrained. You wake up and you don't know what it is you're facing, so your ROAR to scare the bejeepers out of whatever might be threatening you.

Response recorded on April 19, 2006

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Jasmine writes...

Why do gargoyles lay egg's? They have
hair so they are mammals?

Greg responds...

They're gargates.

Response recorded on March 06, 2006

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Tom E writes...

If a Gargoyle had something happen to him when he was stone during the day, like say someone shot at him and the bullet got lodged in there, or a spear went through a wing and was left that way, would it still be stuck that way when night came?

Greg responds...

I guess so. Though there might be some healing already in progress depending on how long before sunset the incident took place.

Of course if the shot or spear or whatever was enough to kill him, it would kill him -- and he would never transform back from stone.

Response recorded on November 14, 2005

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Audra writes...

Hey Greg. Earlier tonight, when I was in the car with my mom and sister, and my sister was saying how one of her friends moved to Alaska. She said how weird that would be, because in Alaska, half the year it would be dark, and the other half, there would light. If gargoyles lived in Alaska, would they sleep for 6 months, then be awake for the other 6 months? That seems kind of weird to me. Like for the 6 months they would be awake, wouldn't they be tired? I mean because of being awake for so long with no sleep. Would they sleep every once in a while like humans do? I know this is kind of a silly question, but that kind of interests me! What do you think Greg?

Greg responds...

Gargoyle sleep patterns are a biological response -- to the presumed fact, if you believe Sevarius, that in stone form they absorb solar energy -- so it may be that Gargoyles simply can't exist that far north or south. Or perhaps they'd simply adapt. I doubt they'd exist on a six month schedule, but I'm not going to make a definitive decision now.

Response recorded on October 28, 2005

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Zel writes...

If a gargoyle's finger breaks off at night, and you hold it in place untill morning, what will happen? Will the finger remain stone? Will the gargoyle have an injured but attached finger, or will the finger be fully healed?

Greg responds...

Holding it in place, couldn't possibly help... you could never hold it steady enough. Magic of course, might help. Or some combination of magic and surgery. But mostly, I think it's gone. The finger would remain stone.

Response recorded on October 26, 2005

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mike writes...

Do Female gargoyles go through the same female things that humans do like pms?

Greg responds...

Some things.

Response recorded on October 18, 2005

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Scott Mercure writes...

Hello. I have an interesting question that I could not find answered in the archives. What, if any, are the differences between female gargoyles and human females when it comes to pregnency. Do they carry the egg for a length of time (and if so so long?) before laying it? Is it apparent when a female gargoyle is carrying an egg?

Maybe this question seems odd but it is something that's been rolling around in my head for a long time.

Thanks!!

Greg responds...

Gargoyle females carry their eggs for six months before laying them. Toward the end of the "pregnancy" it is indeed apparent.

Response recorded on September 02, 2005

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Macbeth Or Macduff writes...

Would Gargoyles turn to stone by day , if they are in a cave or another place where you can not see the sun , day or night .

Greg responds...

Yes. It's a biological clock thing. At most, there might be a slight delay...

Response recorded on May 03, 2005

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The Tigress writes...

I have a question regarding the stone sleep of the gargoyles and the changes in the O-zone layer due to pollution:

Since gargoyles get their energy from the sun's rays while in stone sleep, I was wondering if the difference in the O-zone layer from one thousand years ago up to the present has any positive or negative effects to the amount or the kind of energy the gargoyles recieve? Or if it even has an effect?

Greg responds...

I don't know. It hasn't had any effect that the Gargoyles immediately noticed.

Response recorded on April 27, 2005

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Punchinello writes...

As long as I'm on the subject of clones...
I've noticed you've been fielding questions about the clones unique coloration. I think at least one person made the observation that there were other structural differences as well. Different types of horns or fins. Different types of builds to the extent that you could interpret some skeletal differences. And maybe I'm crazy, but I would swear I remember Lexington's clone having a spiked ball at the end of his tail?

Now, I don't read fiction (even in a cartoon) in a manner that compels me to think the author must have some kind of explanation for this change. I interpreted it as artistic license. The clones looked like creative variations on a visual theme. They were fun. Interpreting the show as reality, set to film, inspires people to demand to know exactly what obscure feature of "gargoyles science" makes this happen though. I don't think I really like the way it's assumed that a clone of an organism would replicate the donor organism in every detail. That's probably another idea borrowed from star trek.

The concencus right now seems to be that the clones features were altered by a side effect of being rapidly aged in tubes. (They do that with beer now, you know.) However, it's occurred to me that there might be a much more plausible and more interesting explanation. The clones features could have far less to do with the fact that they're clones, than it does with the fact that they're clones of gargoyles.

When an organism is being put together at the molecular level, the process is working against certain forces. Most obviously, gravity, but other forces as well. So there are certain mechanical limitations on the way an embryo can form in the womb. Biology confronts that by developing tissue in various ways. From a mechanical perspective, bone tissue develops by an accretionary process which is technically similar to the way a seashell would form. Muscle tissue forms a gauzy scaffold though, and then develops vasculature into the scaffold.

Ultimately, all of these mechanical processes are compelled to action chemically, by the properties of DNA. That doesn't mean that the final result would be identical for every conceivable circumstance though. Many highly ordered, developmental processes and simple, dumb forces impinge upon our development in the womb, besides the chemical synthesis of our DNA. So while my genes inform the shape of my nose, for example, they are not the only thing which begin to inform it. And some structural features in an organism are more rigidly dictated by genetics than others.

Our genes are more of a blueprint for a theme. We're one theme. I'm not suggesting that the variation could be extraordinary, as I don't want to imply that we are less indebted to our genes than we are. The variation I'm talking about amounts to some subtle changes in morphology. These changes would not always be conspicuous, but sometimes they can be glaring. The coloration of domestic cats, for instance, while informed by their genes, is the product of several developmental forces. And when you clone a domestic cat, you usually get a cat with completely different coloration than the donor. You can easily end up with a calico when you clone a black cat.

If it had been a documentary instead of a cartoon show, I would have suspected that you would get unique results from cloning a gargoyle.

Seeing a gargoyle would be professionally interesting to anyone involved in the biological sciences. But seeing a group of three or more gargoyles would be extraordinary. Even though we define species in terms of reproductive isolation these days, we still use morphology to identify them. And gargates exhibit morphology unlike any other reproductively isolated species in nature. I've mentioned before that the most interesting aspect of the gargoyles, to me, is not the "turning to stone thing," but the fact that you have the morphology of Lexington, Brooklyn, Griff, Una, and Zafiro within one reproductively isolated group.

All members of a species exhibit morphological differences. All tigers and giraffes conform to their species respective morphologies to subtly different extents. We don't usually observe the differences outside our own species, but even when we examine our species differences from person to person, barring aberrations, the changes are never more than minor cosmetic distinctions. Mostly it amounts to slightly different fatty tissue distribution in the face or melanin content in the skin. When racial confirmation is examined, it is only in terms of proportional averages of the length of the limbs to the dimensions of the torso. Even where sexual dimorphism is concerned, the primary characteristics are actually variations on the same organs. This applies to almost every animal on the planet.

When we look at the gargoyles though, they look like Darwin's grab bag. When you compare Brooklyn and Lexington, two members of a species from the same regionally isolated set of genes, you see extreme morphological differences. There is simply no way their skulls can be variations on a single blueprint. There are obvious features that they seem to have in common with each other, and with other gargoyles, that help begin to identify the common origin of their morphologies. The way their lower limbs are designed, their tails and their abdomens seem consistent. But their wings are definitely not. These could _never be_ cosmetic distinctions. These are major structural differences. The way their wings connect would necessitate completely different musculature in their upper bodies, and that, in turn, would require differences in their skeletons to provide structure for the different muscle insertions.

When you add Una and Zafiro to this picture, everything we know about the morphology of species is thrown out the window. I couldn't look at this group and reasonably expect that they even have the same number of vertebrae, let alone be members of the same species. They are unlike anything in nature. But that's not bad. It's fascinating. It gets me speculating about what cicumstances such a creature could emerge from.

One region of speculation I've been entertaining, is that if you had a species with these characteristics, it might be because their genes are arranged into a hierarchy which is different from other organisms.There could be a level of organization to the passing down of their genes beyond just sexual recombination. I'm wondering if genes could be organized into a hierarchy of sets of discrete packages. Sort of like a kit of parts. So that their genes might actually contain blueprints for morphologies for each organ, but have these blueprints disassociated from one another.

From a gene's eye view, it might appear that they were not using gargoyles as a vehicle to perpetuate themselves, but rather, a certain variety of gargoyle tails. Or a certain variety of gargoyle skulls. And each package of genes was pursuing it's reproductive agenda independently of the others, even while multiple packages end up becoming the blueprint for a single gargate.

So I'm thinking... maybe... if external pressures can be a determinant in how genes get expressed in an animal, leading to different tissue distribution in a persons nose or something, then maybe external pressures can have an effect on which "package" gets used for a tail or a set of horns in gargates. Maybe the spiked ball on the end of that clones tail (assuming I was not imagining it) is an alternate package for a tail structure which is as much a part of Lexington as the one we're used to seeing.

The point is that for tissue to take on structure as sophisticated as a spiked ball or a pair of ibex like horns, there would need to something predicating it. It couldn't just happen by accident. So I would be inclined to suppose that some feature of gargate physiology is responsible for such major morphological changes, when cloned, and that their physiology would be unique in that the expression of genes for such radical changes are as much a matter of chance as the extremely minor variations other organisms are subject to.

I have not even begun to consider how a species can exhibit morphological features which seem to be specific replicas of other creatures which they are not related to. How do you get a lion headed gargoyle?

That's sure to be an interesting thought experiment.

Greg responds...

And I'll be very interested to read what you come up with on the subject. Your posts are always fascinating. I love your "package" explanation. As I'm sure you know, I'm no scientist, but Sevarius is... so when he says the discoloration is a result of the age acceleration process, I tend to want to believe him (at least when he has no motivation to lie).

And another thought to keep in mind is that Brentwood was aged beyond Lex's age. Would Lex start to look more like Brentwood as he aged? Don't know, frankly.

But the other physical differences in the clones, as well as the multiple physical differences between gargoyles both inter-clan and intra-clan is nicely explained by the package-theory.

Good fun work!

Response recorded on April 01, 2005

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matt writes...

Gargoyle Beasts

ok, i've been wondering about this for a long time. you've established the Gargoyle reproductive cycle and how it works and i must say its a really well constructed system. its great how a couple produces their last egg and in the following rookery their first child has its first child. works out very well.

on the other hand, you havn't given as much information on how the Gargoyle beast reproductive cycle works. you've said that Gargoyle beasts can produce children after only one generation has passed. for instance, you said that even though Bronx hatched in the rookery right before Angela's he can already mate, and Boudicca is old enough to mate with Bronx. you've also said that Gargoyle beasts can not only start breeding sooner, but also produce more than three offspring as Gargoyles do. and obviously, Gargoyle beasts have pups in the same 20 year intervals.

so my questions are, what is the Gargoyle Beast breeding cycle? how many offspring does a typical Gargoyle Beast pair produce if conditions are normal and healthy? is a pair still birthing pups in the same rookery as their older children are?

thanks alot Greg!

Greg responds...

I think you've more or lessed gleaned the short answer, here.

Beasts mature faster than Gargoyles do. But the cycle and life span are exactly the same. Thus a Beast couple is capable, generally of having one more egg than a gargoyle couple born at the same time would be.

That is, they are capable of having an egg in the cycle immediately following their own hatching.

In any case, I think that's right. I don't seem to have the brainpower at the moment to double check all the math.

Response recorded on February 03, 2005

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Marz J.S. writes...

I looked at the FAQ page & I don't think this was asked. I was wondering, I'm curious to this, do female gargoyles have periods? You know, a monthly visiter? I've always wondered. Thank you for your time.

Greg responds...

It wouldn't be monthly, since they're not fertile that often.

Response recorded on December 03, 2004

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Vinnie writes...

Do you remember the episode "Metamorphosis". In it Servarious theorizes that Gargoyles store solar energy during the day. However no one ever found out if it was an acurate theory or not, could you expand on this?

Greg responds...

I tend to buy into Sevarius' explanation, but we intentionally did not make it definitive, and I don't have the scientific background to defend or attack the theory. But I like it personally.

Response recorded on November 30, 2004

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Maelgrim writes...

How much can Goliath and Demona actually lift? thier strengths seem inconsistant as in one episode Demona yanks a rock bigger then she is out of the floor yet Eliza can overpower her! as for Goliath he has to many inconsistancys to list here !

Greg responds...

I'm hoping that we achieved a basic consistency, and that factors like momentum and surprise and whether she's human or not and grip and adrenaline and whatever all explain whatever basic inconsitencies you observed.

But I'm not going to attempt to come up with a number that either character benchpresses.

Response recorded on November 01, 2004

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ross writes...

where do gargoyles come from

Greg responds...

Eggs.

Response recorded on September 09, 2004

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some REAL rambling...

Okay, this is not GREG SPEAKING FROM THE MOUNT...

This is just me thinking aloud. (Well, not really aloud. I'm sitting here typing.) I don't even know if I like these ideas. They're definitely not canon.

But the following notions occured to me today...

Gargoyles don't seem to have a native language. They acquire human language ... perhaps much the same way that they acquire names. Naming is clearly addictive. And language, in many ways, is just sophisticated naming.

Clearly gargoyles are just as intelligent as humans. Before humans developed tools, Gargoyles were at the top of the food chain. They may not have created/invented as much "stuff" as humans have, but they also had way fewer needs. Necessity being the mother of invention, they had less motivation for inventing sophisticated shelter, clothes, tools, etc. But that in and of itself isn't a comment on their brain-power.

So why no need for language and names?

When it comes to naming, gargoyles clearly felt that names were superfluous if not somewhat limiting, if not downright harmful to the spirit. Humans must define things. Gargoyles know that things just are.

We are friends. What other name do we require, etc.

It fits in with their animistic/monotheistic view of a higher power. A higher power that requires no name.

Does beg a question, though if you go back far enough.

Does the sky need a name? Does the river?

Elisa responds: "The river's called the Hudson."

But she could have responded: "The river's called a river."

Did the gargoyles have a language that they ABANDONED in favor of human words -- even if those human words were Atlantean (like the term "Gorlois", the true Atlantean etimology for "GARGOYLE")?

Or perhaps...

Gargoyles are so attuned to the earth. They have biological clocks that match the seasons. They have relationships that require no names, until those names have been imposed.

Is it possible, that gargoyles once... long ago... had mild psychic abilities that left them with no need to create language? It wasn't words that they intuited (or transmitted or read or whatever) but emotions, maybe images or sensations.

Maybe it was tied to magic. Not that Gargoyles are magical creatures, but if magic was free-flowing before the Will-O-The-Whisps evolved into the Children of Mab (or whomever) and somewhat confiscated that power for their own, perhaps that magic was just part of the Earth that gargoyles were so attuned to, and allowed for some psychic congress.

Or perhaps, it is a biological ability -- based on biio-elecricity and brainwaves -- that has faded with disuse. Perhaps the very language skills that Gargoyles learned from the human race dampened their psychic intuitiveness, much as Fox's natural magical abilities were stunted by her human upbringing.

Either way, it suggests that this ability could be latent.

I'm NOT saying that the gargs we know are psychic. They've all been fooled enough, even by the INTENSELY emotional Demona (who would theoretically be broadcasting as well as receiving) to bely that notion.

But I wonder if this isn't an interesting area of speculation.

If you see me at the Gathering THIS WEEKEND, it's a topic I'd be interested in discussing.


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Stanley writes...

One more about the stone form...

I noticed that often times there are shots of the rising sun, but the Gargoyles remain flesh until the light rays actually hit their body. This seems to imply that it is the actual physical impact of the sun rays on their bodies that turn them to stone. But by that token, a gargoyle hiding inside a dark room with no windows would remain flesh during the day. So instead, do they have some sort of biological clock, in tune with the rotation of the earth? But that seems even too complicated for a gargoyle. I'd like to hear anything you had thought out concerning the specifics of this idea.

Greg responds...

Again, I've answered this before. I don't know what you could possibly mean by "too complicated for a gargoyle".

They do indeed have a biological clock, a pretty intense one that adjusts for the seasons, etc. Like all of us with a biological clock, one can defy it -- briefly. But an actual visual cue like the sun hitting you is a powerful psychological trigger that makes it difficult to beat the clock.

Response recorded on August 04, 2004


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