Entity writes...

Hi Greg,

We've all been awaiting this ramble for a long time, and no doubt, the coming weeks will be VERY enjoyable. :)

CITY OF STONE, PT 1.

I'll admit to you that the opening terrorist sequence wasn't all that effective to me. It came off rushed. But it provided an excellent transition to Demona. And then... THE FLASHBACK. The first of many. My God, this was glorious. I always imagine that if I were to ever show off Gargoyles to someone new in under 5 minutes I'd show them this flashback. Even though deductive reasoning filled the holes that this flashback does in, it was still such an experience actually seeing it take place, like witnessing history. The Wyvern Massacre was the defining moment of the series. And now, to see the behind-the-scenes was breathtaking beyond description. Demona's tearful turn to stone, then horrific discovery at sundown were amazing. That 'blood-curdle' music is just great, too.

Let's see, I can't go on like this with every scene, so I'll try to sum up from here.

You mentioned it was originally going to be a three-parter. Allow me to accidentally spit my drink all over my keyboard at reading that. Even now, I think about how much better it could've told its story with five or even six parts. Just three? Impossible. There is so much jammed in there. Too much, really. I'm glad you're here for insight, because I'll be honest: I got scarcely any of what you had in mind for various characters' motivations and inter-relating. Everything was crunched to 'sound bites' and didn't get enough flesh for me to interpret what you were aiming for. Of course, I got all the necessary things needed to understand the flow of the story, but I regret not getting the rest...

This is completely random, but I just thought I'd say that when Macbeth removes his Hunter's Mask later, in Part 4 I think, I like how his hair was ruffled. A nice touch. Very appreciated.

Anyway, to do with Part 1, I have really one more comment. I think the "mistake" you made with the Weird Sisters in their portrayel in this multi-parter has to do with just one key scene... aww, crap, here I go referring all the way to Part 4 again. Oh well, the scene in question is the very end, the "they are our responsibility... our children... that is a story for another day" scene. Up until then, I believe our impression of the Sisters was of benevolent helpers, like you wanted us to believe, according to your memos. However, in this scene, they suddenly "reveal" that they actually had a reason for helping them. That there is a greater design. That Demona and Macbeth have destinies to fulfill. I, and I'm sure most other people, suddenly got insanely excited thinking that D&M were going to be instrumental in saving the world from some great prophecy or something. But as it turns out, it's just a petty strike on an island...

Just my take. (I'd be interested - if this doesn't sound like me usurping your forum, Greg - in what others' takes were.)

Lastly, I just thought I'd mention that, ironically, I was talking with a friend this morning about the play Macbeth. I mentioned Gargoyles and off-handedly about its superior historical accuracy, to which Friend reponded that Macbeth, the play, was fiction. I insisted there really was a Macbeth and Duncan, but he was convinced otherwise. Interesting, huh?

Of course, I myself thought it was all made-up by you and the makers of the show till I looked it up in my Encyclopedia, to see what kind of historical "damage" you were doing in drawing these elaborate tales set in real countries' pasts... heh.

matt writes...

in "Future Tense" Puck tells Goliath that he can't take the Gate from him, Goliath has to give it to him. Does this rule apply to other magical talismans? if so, how did Odin manage to snatch the Eye of Odin from Goliath in the form of a polar bear in "Eye of the Storm"?

Dracolich writes...

Hello again.

After checking a great website called Encyclopedia Mythica (probably the most extensive list of mythology) I discovered an interesting tidbit on a being that might make the unusual depiction of the Banshee in the Garg universe understandible. The creature there is called a Baobhan Sith, and on a different webpage, it is considered to be another name for the Banshee.
This being is supposed to be a fairy-vampire. Interesting to note that it is supposed to wear green clothes, like the Banshee of the series. Interesting.

Basilisk writes...

Idiot question:

You know that Phoebe, Luna, and Selene are all personifications of the moon? Not to mention epithets of Artemis/Diana.

Well, you MUST know, seeing as you named these three extremely ethereal-celestial sisters. A very nice touch, by the way.

(The Guppi) writes...

What kind of bed does Owen have? (silly question)

Corrine Blaquen writes...

I was reading through the archives, and I came across a memo about THE MIRROR. It said that you needed to establish a race for Puck to belong to so he isn't mistaken for a demon. You also said you needed to come up with a name for that race. My question is why did you not go simply with the term 'Fairy'? Puck is from A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, a member of Oberon's race, and he is described as the King of the Fairies. What made you not use this moniker for the third race?

(The Guppi) writes...

On the same astronomy tack, how do Oberon, Titania, and Puck feel about their namesake planetary satellites? The three are moons of Uranus (offering not a few opportunies for low humor), all of which are named after famous Shakespearean characters. Appropriately enough, 'Titania' and 'Oberon' are the largest in mass, with 'Puck' being the largest of the small inner moons. (Titania is actually ~4.6e20 kg heavier than Oberon -- not that that means anything. :P)

(The Guppi) writes...

Hello again, Greg. Did you manage to catch the partial solar eclipse on the 25th? There wasn't really much to see this far out west, but it was pretty cool to watch on television. On to my vaguely related question, then... Are the Weird Sisters' powers tied to the phases of the moon?

LSZ writes...

Have you already planned exactly how Mab escapes?

Todd Jensen writes...

How does Odin feel about the fact that he's no longer worshipped as a god (at least, not on the level that he was back in the Viking Age)?