SEPTEMBER 14

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

September 14th...

1995
David Xanatos is officially inducted into the Illuminati Society.

SEPTEMBER 13

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

September 13th...

1995
Fox moves into the Eyrie Building.

SEPTEMBER 12

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

September 12th...

1995
The Dracons take possession of a warehouse on First & Eighth, the former location of The Silver Falcon nightclub. They begin excavations.

SEPTEMBER 11

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

September 11th...

1995
The gargoyles and Elisa return to the Clock Tower, while back at the Eyrie Building, Xanatos and Sevarius, who had only faked his death, discuss the success of their plan. Later that day, the Metropolitan Museum of Art announces a forthcoming new medieval exhibit: "Titania's Treasures". Demona immediately begins planning to steal Titania's Mirror.

SEPTEMBER 10

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

September 10th...

1995
The gargoyles take Maggie back to the Clock Tower, but she flees to Xanatos after they turn to stone. Elisa and Matt discover that Xanatos owns Gen-U-Tech. After sundown, the gargoyles awaken and discover Maggie gone. The gargoyles and Elisa confront the Mutates and Xanatos at the Eyrie Building. Although Derek takes the name Talon, Elisa realizes that the Mutate is her brother. Talon and the other Mutates flee.

SEPTEMBER 9

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

September 9th...

1995
Derek's transformation continues. Goliath, Lexington and Brooklyn raid Gen-U-Tech to liberate an unwilling Maggie. Goliath appears to accidentally kill Sevarius, destroying Derek's chance for a cure.

SEPTEMBER 8

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

September 8th...

1995
Derek and Xanatos confront Sevarius at Gen-U-Tech. Sevarius reveals that he has been testing his mutagenic formula on three human test subjects. Xanatos threatens to shut down the project. Sevarius shoots Derek with a dart filled with the mutagen. Derek begins to mutate. Elisa and Matt question Sevarius but find nothing concrete.

SEPTEMBER 7

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

September 7th...

1995
Lydia Duane and Arthur Morwood-Smyth discover The Scrolls of Merlin in Wales. Elisa confronts Derek about missing the previous Sunday's family dinner. He promises to contact her if he has any trouble with Xanatos. That night, Maggie the Cat is allowed to "escape" from Gen-U-Tech Systems. Brooklyn & Broadway find her and try to help, but she is more frightened of the gargoyles than her pursuers. She is recaptured and taken back to Gen-U-Tech. Owen later informs Xanatos and Derek of unusual expense reports coming out of Gen-U-Tech.

1996
The Illuminati make contact with the Canmore family of Hunters, seeking an alliance. Jason turns them down.

SEPTEMBER 6

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

September 6th...

1995
Fox is granted an expedited parole hearing at the request of grateful prison authorities. She receives an early parole and is reunited with Xanatos. Matt is certified to operate R.E.C.A.P. Elisa tells Lexington about R.E.C.A.P. Coldstone's self-repair systems are activated by Xanatos.

SEPTEMBER 5

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

September 5th...

1995
After midnight, Goliath, Hudson & Broadway free Brooklyn, Lexington and Bronx from an oil tanker in the bay. Coyote, revealed to be a robot, is destroyed by Bronx and Lex, though the robot's head and the Pack escape.

SEPTEMBER 4

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

September 4th...

1995
Coyote and Dingo bust the rest of the Pack out of prison. Fox refuses to join them, and even protects a guard from Hyena. Coyote becomes the new leader of the Pack. At sundown, the Gargoyles join the hunt to track them down, and the Pack captures Lex, Brooklyn and Bronx.

SEPTEMBER 3

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

September 3rd...

1995
Derek Maza misses Sunday dinner with his family.

AUGUST 18

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

August 15th...

1996
Sevarius completes his involvement with Thailog's project and is paid off. Thailog begins programming his new clones. Meanwhile, Angela and Demona are still debating the latter's behavior. Claw arrives to take over guarding the prisoners for the day shift. Angela elects to sleep as stone in front of her mother's cell.

RIP BIGTIME

Skittle Skattle Kittle Kattle Bigtime Bitey Kitty Purrmobile Boy...

Great darn cat.

AUGUST 15

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

August 15th...

1057
Macbeth's forces are defeated. Thorfinn is killed at Dunsinane, widowing his young wife Ingibjorg. Canmore destroys all of Demona's gargoyles, except her. Canmore pursues Macbeth to Lunfanan, and history will record that Macbeth was killed there. But Macbeth and Demona discover a side effect of the Weird Sisters' spell. They are immortal and forever linked, feeling each other's pain when near. For either to die, one must kill the other. Prince Luach is able to rally his father's forces temporarily. Canmore is driven back. Luach is made High King of Scotland. Macbeth and Demona vanish severally into myth.

AUGUST 14

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

August 14th...

1040
With help from Demona and his cousin Thorfinn, Macbeth defeats Duncan's forces at the battle of Bothgoanan, near the town of Elgin in Moray, Scotland. Duncan is killed near Elgin. An unpopular king, he is not mourned by many. Duncan's son Canmore is banished and spirited away to England by Duncan's few remaining supporters. Canmore will become a protégé of Edward the Confessor, a Saxon. But he also becomes the new Hunter. For his own safety, Donald Ban is spirited away to Ireland.

1998
Vinnie visits family.

PODCASTING...

Here's a link to a Spectacular Spider-Man interview I did last week...

http://spidermancrawlspace.com/

Check it out!

AUGUST 8

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

August 8th...

1995
Xanatos' programming of Thailog is in full swing.

AUGUST 6

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

August 6th...

2004
Goliath is briefly forced into hiding.

AUGUST 3

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

August 3rd...

1996
Brod attacks Dracon in prison. But, the gargoyles help Elisa take down Brod, Dracon and most of their men. The gargoyles return to the Clock Tower, by which time Goliath, Hudson and Bronx have also returned. The Trio apologizes to Angela for their behavior. She forgives each of them with a peck on the cheek - just before the sun rises. Elisa's operation is a phenomenal success. Jack Dane, Pal Joey, Glasses and many other Brod and Dracon operatives are incarcerated. Dracon and Brod are even forced to share a cell.

Want to know more...?

Shan Muir, who some of you may know from various Gatherings she's attended, has written a book on Animation production:

Gardner's Guide to Writing and Producing Animation presents a step-by-step guide through the animation production process-- from deciding what type of animation project to produce to marketing the final production. This book includes behind-the-scenes glimpses into these areas by incorporating interviews with professionals in all areas of the field. It presents in-depth, first-hand descriptions of how certain people personally perform their duties as part of the general production pipeline. In addition, the book explores the various career opportunities in the animation industry, which is known for incorporating a diverse group of artists and engineers. Whether your goal is to produce a completed television special, pilot, short, or independent feature, Gardener's Guide to Writing and Producing Animation offers a comprehensive understanding of the art and business of animation.

Interviews include:

*Jack Angel, Voice Actor
* Monique Beatty, Line Producer
* Jerry Beck, Producer/Animation Historian
* Larry DiTillio, Story Editor/Writer
* Michael Donovan, Voice Director
* John Grusd, Director
* Marc Handler, ADR Story Editor/Writer
* Carl Johnson, Composer
* Bill Koepnik, co-owner of audio post house Advantage Audio
* Christy Marx, Story Editor/Writer
* Jan Nagel, Marketing Diva
* Josh Prikryl, Overseas Supervisor
* Sander Schwartz, Studio Executive
* Tad Stones, Producer
* Brooks Wachtel, Story Editor/Writer
* Greg Weisman, Producer/ Story Editor/Writer
* Robert Winthrop, Producer
* Tim Yoon, Production Manager

I haven't seen it yet, but it sounds invaluable if you're looking to understand how this thing works. Should be available at most big chains and can definitely be ordered on-line or by any bookstore! It's out there now, so support one of your own and grab up a copy!

AUGUST 2

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

August 2nd...

1996
Hudson destroys the battle-axe that tied Hakon to the Earth plane, permanently banishing the Viking's spirit. Goliath then defeats Wolf but gets hit in the face by a banana cream pie fired by Vinnie. Goliath and Hudson don't make it back to the Clock Tower before sunrise. Neither does Bronx, who's having his own adventure. Meanwhile, Brod attacks Glasses' chop shop with the help of Jack Dane and "Salli". But the raid is aborted when the police show up. Salli is knocked unconscious and witnesses very little that Elisa could testify to later. Angela and the Trio stumble into the situation, but the boys are too busy fighting over Angela to be of any help. After sunrise, Glasses visits Dracon in prison. Dracon orders Glasses to retaliate against Brod. Just before sundown, Matt brings Brod and Salli in for questioning. Salli slips away to the Clock Tower, where she reveals herself as Elisa and enlists the gargoyles' help. Salli then confers with Maria Chavez, and they agree to keep the undercover operation running for a while longer, despite the chop shop debacle. While Brod is at the police station, Dracon's men hit Brod operations all over town and even firebomb his favorite restaurant. Glasses also puts word out on the street that Dracon has a trainload of weapons coming in. Brod decides to steal the weapons. He attacks the train with Salli, but is ambushed by Glasses, Pal Joey and the rest of Dracon's men. The gargoyles intervene, but the Trio's competitiveness nearly gets Lex and Angela killed. Brod escapes again.

AUGUST 1

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

August 1st...

1996
Vinnie takes delivery of his pie-throwing bazooka, "Mr. Carter", from weapons manufacturer Mr. Acme. Wolf and his ancestor, the ghost Hakon, team up to attack Goliath and Hudson.

Radio Play on YouTube

Thanks to Patrick Toman, the Gathering 2007 Radio Play has been uploaded to YouTube. Because YouTube has a new rule that permits videos to be no more than 10 minutes long, Patrick had to split the 42 minutes of footage into five segments in order to also include titles and credits. Here are the links:

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j63pDlPaKnQ
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRkv56AC-F4
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s58H_Tdi09E
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6PUx6GsdFA
Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wkurc-TW99o

JULY 29

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

July 29th...

2005
Lexington takes a chance and loses.

JULY 19

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

July 19th...

1996
Broadway is bitten by a robotic mosquito that samples his DNA.

1997
Goliath makes a bargain.

RADIO PLAY CAST LIST

Well, I'm a little bummed out today. Went to Golden Apple after work to pick up a copy of issue #5 of the comic, but it was sold out. Damn you, Blaise!! Just kidding. I'm bummed because I've learned that Golden Apple -- my own local comic book store -- only ordered three copies of the book. Way to support your local writers, huh? It's very unclear to me whether they plan to order any more copies. But I know I'm not the only one who went in asking for it and came away disappointed.

But... sigh... that's not why I'm here.

As promised, now that the book is out, the staff of the Gathering 2007 has permission to put the Radio Play on YouTube. Don't know when that will happen, but in the meantime, here's the cast list:

Sarah Browne - Airalana
Alex Xanatos - Bridgette/Igiebay & Samuel Davis
D.J. - Kerry Boyd
Jason Canmore - Emambu
Bronx - Bridgette (Igiebay)
Terry Chung - Rebekah
Burbank - Tris Coffin
Hollywood - Amber Garrity
Malibu - King Cobra-582/Ed
Fox - Karine
John Castaway - Emambu
Susan Greene - Elenna Wolfen/Jennifer Branton
Brendan Quarters - David Brown
Anton Sevarius - A Fan, David
Billy Greene - Tiffany Taber
Ian Roebling - Revel
Margot Yale - Ashlee/Norcumi
Maggie the Cat - Rachel (Grey Wolf)
Jeffrey Robbins - Jonathan Francis
Amanda Chung - Cati Brantan
Jay Sato - Shawna Garrity (Nashoba)
Matt Bluestone - Rob "Jurgan" Dukes
Broadway - Greg Bishansky
Morgan Morgan - Chip (Gryphin Wyrm 7)
Delilah - Sarah McEvoy
Quincy Hemings - Mike Canavan
Owen Burnett - Mandi Ohlin
Shari - Abbie
Lexington - Jae
Hudson - Tris Coffin
Al - Alex "Carter" Checnkov
Talon - Anthony Zucconi (Archangel)
Brooklyn - Seth Jackson
Martin Hacker - Eric "Gorebash" Tribou
Angela - Jennifer Anderson
David Xanatos - Roberto Rivera
Goliath - John Clemens
Elisa Maza - Phoenix-Talon
Thailog - Emambu

with Greg Weisman narrating...

and Thom Adcox as Brentwood

[Note that the names of the cast reflect how they filled out their audition forms.]

Big cast, huh?

JULY 18

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

July 18th...

1995
Matt Bluestone finds a letter from Mace Malone when a search warrant turns it up in Tony Dracon's files.

1996
Wolf retrieves a battle-axe possessed by the spirit of his ancestor Hakon from the caves beneath Wyvern Hill, in Scotland.

JULY 17

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

July 16th...

1996
Hudson is bitten by a robotic mosquito that samples his DNA.

JULY 16

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

July 16th...

1996
Lex is bitten by a robotic mosquito that samples his DNA and then returns to Nightstone Unlimited, where Sevarius and Thailog are preparing clones of all the gargoyles.

JULY 15

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

July 15th...

1996
The Manhattan Clan imprisons Demona in the Labyrinth and agrees to help Talon and the Mutates guard her and Fang. Angela takes the first watch. Elisa is bitten by a robotic mosquito that samples her DNA. Demona regains consciousness in her cell. Angela introduces herself.

JULY 14

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

July 14th...

1996
While on stakeout, Brooklyn is bitten by a robotic mosquito that samples his DNA. Demona steals a battle suit from the Golden Cup Bakery Building and allows herself to be captured by Goliath, Angela and Brooklyn.

JULY 12

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

July 12th...

1996
Demona begins stealing high technology from research facilities -- largely in the hopes that she would encounter the Manhattan clan.

JULY 10

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

July 10th...

1996
Owen reveals himself as Puck but also fails to stop Oberon. It is Fox herself who saves the day by revealing a magical power even she did not know she possessed. Goliath convinces Oberon to allow Alexander to stay with his parents. Puck is chosen as Alex's tutor. But his powers are stripped from him save when he is training or protecting the boy, and he is eternally banished from Avalon. He reverts to Owen. Oberon arranges for Manhattan to awaken at dawn, and he and Titania return to Avalon. Xanatos vows to repay Goliath for helping to save Alexander. The gargoyles return to the Clock Tower. The sun rises. They turn to stone. And the city awakens. Elisa goes back to work. Chavez is less than thrilled about her six-month absence. Fortunately for Elisa, Chavez is in the middle of a turf war between the Brod and Dracon organized crime factions. Chavez needs a new face to infiltrate Brod's men. Because Elisa has been "out of town," she's the perfect choice to go undercover. Elisa will pose as "Salli", bringing Brod information about a Dracon chop shop operation being run by Dracon's lieutenant, Glasses.

JULY 9

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

July 9th...

1996
The Gathering is nearly complete, bringing Odin, Raven, Anubis, the Lady of the Lake, Anansi, Grandmother, Coyote and Nought (among others) back to Avalon. The Weird Sisters drag the Banshee before Oberon, who punishes her for her pride by silencing her voice. Only Titania and Puck remain absent. Oberon decides to seek out Puck himself, and takes Boudicca along to help with the hunt. In Manhattan, Fox gives birth to Alexander Fox Xanatos. The baby is introduced to his grandparents, Petros Xanatos, Halcyon Renard and Anastasia Renard (and also to Halcyon's assistant Preston Vogel). Owen reacts strangely to the news that Anastasia has remarried her first husband. Not long after, Oberon arrives, searching for Puck. But instead he finds Anastasia and reveals that she is in fact Queen Titania. Titania convinces Oberon that Alexander must be taken away to Avalon in order to nurture his magical potential. Xanatos protests - violently - but to no avail. Oberon gives Fox and David an hour to say goodbye to their son. Xanatos confers with Owen, who reveals security measures against Oberon that he has already put into place. Owen then abandons Xanatos without explanation. At the Clock Tower, Hudson, the Trio and Cagney learn about Alexander's birth, and then happily welcome home Bronx, Elisa and Goliath before being introduced to Angela. All three of the Trio are immediately smitten with her. Goliath brings Cagney and Elisa to their loft. When he returns to the Clock Tower, Anastasia is there. She reveals herself as Titania and asks him to help with the peaceful removal of Alexander. Goliath refuses to cooperate with the abduction of Xanatos' son. The hour having expired, Oberon returns to the Eyrie Building to claim Alexander. With amusement, he watches the evacuation of the building's employees. But he's furious when he realizes that Xanatos has activated Owen's force field to keep him out. He puts every mortal in Manhattan (including Elisa, Cagney, Morgan, Travis, Brendan and Margot) into a deep magical sleep. But the energy field protects the Xanatos family inside the Eyrie, and Goliath's clan is immune, thanks to Oberon's promise back on Avalon. Oberon then uses his magic to increase his size until he is literally as tall as the Eyrie itself. David and Petros Xanatos, the Gargoyles, Owen's Iron Clan Robots, Preston Vogel, Halcyon Renard and his cybots all attempt to prevent Oberon from getting to the child. They wound and weaken the giant, reducing him back to normal size, but are unable to stop him. And Renard's Fortress-2 crashes into Central Park.

[Woof! Big day, huh?]

JULY 8

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

July 8th...

1996
Goliath, Angela, Elisa and Bronx depart Avalon. While aboard the skiff and en route to their next destination, Goliath collapses. In what seems to him like hours, but actually lasts mere seconds, Goliath sees a nightmarish vision of the year 2036 generated by Puck in order to trick Goliath into turning over the Phoenix Gate. Goliath tosses the Gate into the time-stream to prevent Puck - or anyone else - from getting it.

JULY 6

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

July 6th...

1996
Oberon defeats Angela, Gabriel and Goliath and returns them to his Palace. But Tom and Katharine use the iron bell to bring Oberon to his knees. An agreement is reached that will allow Tom, Katharine and the Avalon Clan of Gargoyles to remain on the island as Oberon's Honor Guard. Oberon promises to never use his magicks directly against any member of Goliath's clan. Titania and Oberon renew their vows of marriage, and Oberon initiates the Gathering of the Third Race.

JULY 5

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

July 5th...

1996
Goliath, Angela and Gabriel attempt to confront Oberon, but he is too powerful for them, and they are forced to flee. Meanwhile - working off clues provided by Titania - Tom, Elisa, Katharine and Ophelia begin forging an iron bell to use against Oberon.

JULY 4

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

July 4th...

1996
The travelers return to Avalon. Minutes later, Lord Oberon, Queen Titania and the Weird Sisters return to their mystic home. Oberon orders the humans and gargoyles off the island, but Titania convinces him to give the mortals a chance. She reduces his power, and he proceeds to hunt Goliath, Gabriel and Angela across the island.

JULY 3

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

July 3rd...

1996
Oberon and the Weird Sisters locate Anastasia Renard, the mortal identity of Titania, Queen of the Third Race. Oberon proposes that he and Titania renew their marriage vows on the eve of the Gathering. She promises to consider it.

JUNE 30

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

June 30th...

1995
Fox and Wolf are denied parole, and are informed that they will most likely have to serve their entire sixteen-month sentence. Their next parole hearing is set for October 30th, 1995. Xanatos begins to plan Fox's release and the Pack's escape.

JUNE 28

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

June 28th...

2002
Vinnie's quest begins.

JUNE 27

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

June 27th...

2003
Lexington holds a press conference.

Gathering 2007 - Insta-Journal, Part Ten

TUESDAY, JUNE 26th, 2007

Got up. Packed. Handed a box over to Nikki, because I had more stuff than would fit in my duffle and briefcase. Worked on Spidey some more in the lobby 'til my 'puter ran out o' juice. Kathy and I went to the Red Rooster for lunch - great berry pancakes. Then she drove me to the Knoxville Airport. She got a bit turned around along the way, but not at a true Bishansky-level. HOWEVER, United Airlines definitely topped Bishansky. Arrived at the airport at about 2:30pm for a 5:30pm flight to Chicago, with a connection to L.A. -- but the flight was cancelled around 4:45pm. Was then placed on a 7:30pm flight to Chicago, with a new connection. That flight was delayed until 9:30pm, and at 9pm was cancelled also. The soonest I could get to L.A., I was told was by taking a morning flight to Denver, and a connection from there that would put me into LAX at about 1:30pm on Wednesday. This was... problematic, as I had a 10:30am Spider-Man Episode #4 voice recording. But what choice did I have? And what was I to do until morning? We were the LAST flight of the day cancelled, but far from the ONLY flight cancelled. By the time we knew we weren't getting out every hotel room in the vicinity was booked -- or nearly. I walked to the Hilton, where a nice lady told me they were booked, but called a Country Inn Suites nearby that had one room left. They picked me up. I got a room with a HUGE jacuzzi smack dab in the middle of the room. I didn't feel like jacuzzing much, but I did get to PAY the premium associated with having the thing. It was also their only Smoking Room, so it was quite... stinky. But it was a room. I found out later that some of my fellow passengers didn't get a room at all. I ordered Dominos, watched a little t.v. and went to sleep.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27th, 2007
Got up. Checked out. Got a ride to the airport. Got on a plane to Denver. Got McDonalds. Ran into Crispin Freeman of all people in the Denver Airport. He was on my flight to L.A. The odds of this -- given all I had gone through the day before strike me as astronomical. Flew to L.A. The car drove me home, and I pretty much dumped my stuff and headed to the recording session. Stayed there until 6pm and went home. Beat the rest of my family home. It's VERY good to be home. I'm home.

To everyone -- I had a terrific time! I hope all of you did too. My thanks go out to Nikki and her always cheerful staff and to all of you, old friends and new, who attended and made things so great. I'll admit, that given ALL the work I had to do this trip (not just during the Gathering part), I was a bit more stressed than I usually am. I know I got cranky here and there. So I appreciate everyone's patience! But once again, thanks!

Gathering 2007 - Insta-Journal, Part Eight

SUNDAY, JUNE 23rd, 2007

Despite going to bed at 4am, I woke up for no good reason at 5:30am. Stayed in bed for 45 minutes, hoping I'd get back to sleep. No go. So I got up and worked. Checked my e-mail, did an Insta-Journal and worked on the outline for Spider-Man episode #7. Jamie Thomason, Gargoyles & Spider-Man voice director, called, and we reviewed the recording script for Spidey ep. #4. Then at noon I went to my first panel of the day: Gargoyles Physiology & Culture with Lynati and Jade. It was truly a fascinating panel for me. I love hearing and talking about this stuff. At 2pm, Karine and I had the Gargoyles & Bad Guy Comic Book panel. Since, I'm reluctant to reveal too much beyond issue #5 (since everyone at the Gathering saw #5 the night before), the panel turned into a fan marketing seminar. But I guess that's okay. At 3:30, I met with Ted, a Cartoon Network writer to discuss a project we're working on together. Then at 5pm came the Banquet. I sat with Karine, Samuel, Thom and Nikki. The food was very good. I really liked the Apple Pie. We had one more Q&A, led by Abbie, mostly, who is VERY enthusiastic and fun. After that, Thom and I played Air Hockey. People began to gather, and I beat all comers (Thom twice, Ed, Yami Raven) -- except Flanker, who beat me twice. Our last game, I was winning at one point 6-2 and I just lost all energy, like someone flipped a switch. I only needed one more goal, and he still beat me 7-6. Next came the Masquerade. The big winner -- best in show -- was Aaron as Hal the Gargoyle Halloween King. AMAZING costume. There was some dancing and singing and lip synching. After that, Mike and Tracy helped Thom, Susan and I record a You Tube promo for G2008. I went back down to the Masq, but I was pretty tired. Stopped by Jennifer, Gore & Karine's room and then went to bed. Slept for SEVEN hours, which for me is just great!

Gathering 2007 - Insta-Journal, Part Seven

SATURDAY, JUNE 23rd, 2007

We held our second set of auditions at 10am. A good turnout, which was lucky, as we had 40 (that's right 40) speaking parts to hand out. We wound up with 37 auditions and -- over lunch at a pancake house -- cast all of them, with a few people doubling up. One of our 36 didn't show up to rehearsal, so we (myself, Thom Adcox and Jennifer Anderson) wound up with a cast of 36 (or 38, if you count me and the two Alex Xanatoses -- more on that later).

At 2pm, I had my mug-a-guest with a small group of fans, which was a lot of fun.

And then at 4pm, we held our rehearsal. The large cast was very intimidating... that many people means that much can go wrong, but wow, what a great group. They all did terrific even in the first (and only) read through. Gave just a few notes -- mostly about projecting to the back of the room -- and then we took a short break before the performance at 5:30pm.

The Radio Play was Chapters 3, 4 & FIVE of Clan-Building. That's right. If you attended the Gathering this year, you got a sneak peak at how the story turns out in Chapter Five. I've sworn everyone (cast & audience) to secrecy until AFTER the book comes out in July. And to reiterate, if someone DOES leak info about issue 5 before then, it will effect what I'll be willing to tease in future radio plays. The good news is that everyone seemed to have a great time, and seemed to really like and feel satisfied by the story. Got some big laughs too. The cast was too huge for me to have it memorized, and I'm down in the lobby -- the only place I can get a signal -- so I don't have it with me, so in a future posting, I'll list the cast. Promise.

A group of us went to dinner across the street. Me, Karine & Samuel, Jennifer, Patrick, Sammy, Seth, Rebekah, Gore, Susan, Tony & Andrea. I had trout. Then while everyone else went off to get tatoos (which they didn't get -- I'm told because there wasn't time), I went back to the lobby to get some Spider-Work done.

Soon enough it was 10pm and time for the Blue Mug-A-Guest. Procedings began on the raunchy side... and were intermittently raunchy throughout, but it wasn't non-stop sleeze. It was pretty funny though. The mug broke up around 1:15am. A few of us stayed in the room until after 2 I think, but I was literally falling asleep in my chair, so Jen sent me to bed. But by that time, I had a headache. Didn't fall asleep until 4am. Woke up at 5:30am. Stayed in bed until 6:30am. Then gave up and got up.

MORE TO COME...

Gathering 2007 - Insta-Journal, Part Six

FRIDAY, JUNE 22nd, 2007

The first real day of the Gathering -- and I spent a TON of it working on Spider-Man, which is more than a little frustrating. The whole morning was Spideyesque. Got my G2007 t-shirt, and toured the art room. Attended a bit of Thom's voice actor panel at 1:30pm, before I had to break off for another Spidey-related business call. Went to lunch with Jennifer, Patrick, Thom, Rebekah, Tony, Andrea and a couple of others. Finally at 3pm we held the first auditions for the Radio Play. Then at 5pm, Opening Ceremonies. A welcome to fans and guests. The Fan Guest of Honor Award went to Karine Charlebois, for years of dedicated (never-miss) Gathering attendance, con-chairing Montreal's Gathering (pregnant no-less) and being such an amazing fan artist that she is now a pro, pencilling Gargoyles #5 and the Bad Guys Mini-series. Susan Leonard, co-conchair of G2008 in Chicago spoke, and sent regrets from her well-but-recently hospitalized co-conchair Ellen Stolfa. Then I got up and did my schpiel, including the old promo's and pitches (for Gargoyles, New Olympians & Dark Ages) and a couple of animatics: Bad Guys and "The Last". Vashkoda has done an amazing job at continuing to put this "episode" together. Then it was mini-golf with Mike and Tracy and Susan. I got the top score on my team, but Sarah the Great on the other team, beat me handily. Then Dinner at Huck Finn's Catfish. I had fried chicken. Good stuff. Back to the hotel to try and get some work done, but the hotel connection, which only works in the lobby kept shutting down. Then Jennifer, Seth, Sammy, Tony, Andrea and myself talked on the balcony overlooking the pool. Then I went back to my room. Should have Spidey'd it up then too, but I was too beat. So I watched some tv and then went to sleep.

MORE TO COME...

Gathering 2007 - Insta-Journal, Part Five

THURSDAY, JUNE 21st, 2007

Travel day. Beth and I got up early, packed, checked out and finally had a breakfast at our bed and breakfast. (Eggs Benedict.) Then we drove to Boston, where Beth dropped me off at Logan Airport before heading back to Nantucket to join the kids and her folks. I bought a Dunkin Donut at the airport, reviewed the outline for the 11th episode of Spidey, listened to audio for the second and third episodes, began the Kandell book and flew to Washington Dulles, where I ate a bag of my Cape Cod chips. Got on the plane to Knoxville, and slept uncomfortably through most of the flight. Landed in Knoxville, where I was picked up by Kathy Pogge, who drove me to Pigeon Forge. Got to the Grand Hotel and into my room. NO INTERNET SIGNAL in the room. Crap. (I'm currently down in the lobby typing this.) Had to spend a lot of time on the phone long distance to Spidey folk, which held up the staff dinner. (Apologies.) Finally, I made it downstairs, and fifteen of us... (me, Kathy, Jennifer, Nikki, Karine, Thom, Samuel, Susan, Patrick, Tony, Andrea, Jenn, Lynati and... and... ugh, forgetting, sorry) went across the street to the Japanese (bennihana-esque) restaurant. Great food. Sushi, steak, shrimp, lobster, veggies, salad, soup.) Fun. Yep, the Gathering has *un*officially started! Back to the hotel. I'd love to just hang out, but I have so much work still to do this week.

MORE TO COME...

Gathering 2007 - Insta-Journal, Part FourQ. .

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20th, 2007

Went to bed late after finishing an edit on the sixth outline of the Spectacular Spider-Man -- and then woke up early again for no good reason. Beth and I drove to Hyannis to tour the Cape Cod Potato Chip Factory. On the way, I finally got that haircut I've been desperately needing. Today it rained, the first lousy weather day since we arrived in New England. The weather's been universally great. After the Potato Chip factory, we went to a mall so that I could buy a book. Bought a couple mysteries, the latest Cece Caruso by our friend Susan Kandell, and what I think is the first Michael Connelly Hieronymous Bosch mystery, which I've heard is great. We had lunch, and then went to see Knocked Up. Then back to Eastham. Relaxed for a bit, then went out to dinner at the Marconi Beach Bar-B-Q. Some good pulled pork.

More to come...

Gathering 2007 - Insta-Journal, Part Three

TUESDAY, JUNE 19th, 2007
Beth and I slept through the "Breakfast part of "Bed & Breakfast". Got up at a leisurely pace and went to Dunkin Donuts instead. Then we drove down to Provincetown. We parked and walked up the hill to the Provincetown Museum and to the Pilgrim Monument, which we climbed. Then we walked back into town, had really bad pizza, and walked around Commercial Street, which is aptly named. Drove back to the room, and I worked a bit. Then we went out to dinner -- good food at the Wellfleet Restaurant & Bookstore (though I was disappointed to find the bookstore part closed), clam chowder, steamed mussles. We went to see Ocean's 13 and then Ben & Jerry'd our evening away.

More to come...

Gathering 2007 - Insta-Journal, Part Two

MONDAY, JUNE 17th, 2007
Worked on episode six of Spidey, then went to bed about 2am (which is good for me). But I WOKE up for some reason at 6am. Had bacon and eggs for breakfast. And read the outline for episode ten of Spidey. (I've been working up a storm. Joe Dedicated, that's me.) Later, Beth and I went for a walk and met my father-in-law and my kids at a bike store, where bikes were rented for the kids. Erin, Benny, Beth and I had pizza and smoothies for lunch, then we returned to the house.

Beth and I picked up our luggage, and -- after saying goodbye to my kids and mother-in-law -- my father-in-law dropped us off at the ferry to Hyanis for a few days of husband/wife time. We took the ferry to the Cape, rented our car and drove to Eastham, where we checked into a lovely room at the Penny House Inn. We napped a bit, and then went out to dinner at the Lobster Pool, where we had excellent and cheap lobsters. Then Ben & Jerry's. Then mini-golf. Then we saw the movie Waitress, which I enjoyed. (Beth, not so much.) Then back to the room...

More later...

Gathering 2007 - Insta-Journal

As always, I'm hoping that all of you who attend the Gathering this coming week in Pigeon Forge, TN, will post Gathering Journals (of any length) here at ASK GREG. This is useful, as it provides one location for me to refer various PTB types when they want to learn more about the Gathering. The more journals we get here, the more FAN PRESENCE we seem to have. One of these days, I'd like to see 100% journalling, but then again one of these days I'd like to see a Gathering attended by thousands of people...

Anyway, can't ask you to do what I'm not willing to do myself. ASK GREG will open for submissions the day before the Gathering and stay open at minimum through the end of July. But in the meantime, I'll be posting about my own trip...

FRIDAY, JUNE 15th, 2007
Got up early, because I had a VERY busy day ahead of me. First off, a "The Spectacular Spider-Man" voice recording. We had to quickly finish off Spidey's lines for our second episode (which had largely recorded the week before), because we had an editing session that afternoon. When that was done, we had to record nearly all of our third episode with most of our cast. We started out by getting the actors who only had a few lines each (less than ten) out of the way. Then we brought in the rest of the cast for the bulk of the episode. We had done a couple of the actors the day before, and nevertheless we still nearly ran out of time. ARRGGHH. We just made it in under the wire. But I'm hoping that starting with our fourth episode (after I get back) things'll be less crazy, and we'll start recording one complete episode at one session and NOT run out of time.

After the recording, Supervising Director and Producer Vic Cook -- a former Gathering attendee -- and I crossed the street for our edit session. Terry, our editor, had quickly cut in the lines we had recorded that morning, and we completed our natural pause edit with him, often tightening and overlapping lines to make the dialogue play both more naturally -- thus NATURAL pause -- and punchier.

All this took much longer than I had hoped. I was really hoping to get a haircut on Friday, but didn't get the chance. I might try to get one on Cape Cod, but if not, I may be looking pretty scruffy at the Gathering.

I also got a bit of scheduling news on the project that meant that I basically will have to work through my entire vacation. It's a bit of a bummer, as only a day before I was told I didn't have to. But that's life, when you're the"boss" on a show that has a lot of bosses over the "boss". I'm thrilled to have the gig, but it can definitely be exhausting sometimes.

Went home. Checked e-mail as quickly as I could, as I had been at the recording studio all day and not at the office. Packed. Had a grilled cheese sandwich. Raced to Larchmont Village to deposit my paycheck and throw some bills in a mailbox. Raced home. Got in the car with Beth, Erin and Benny and headed for the airport.

We arrived in plenty of time, which is a relief. We all had carry-on baggage only, so that saved us a step too. The kids and I got smoothies, and we waited.

Red-Eye to Boston. Slept some -- through Wild Hogs apparently. Read the revised writer's outline to the seventh episode of Spider-Man. Watched what seemed to be a heavily edited version of "Shooter" and a very funny "The Office" episode. Landed in Boston.

SATURDAY, JUNE 16th, 2007
Ate breakfast at Johnny Rockets. Boarded our flight to Nantucket. Read the revised writer's outline to the eight episode of Spider-Man. Landed in Nantucket. Beth's father picked us up at the airport and drove us to my in-laws' home. Unpacked. Went for a little walk with Beth, the kids and Beth's mom. Had lunch. And took a six hour nap. Got up for dinner. Skirt steak, salad, corn, homemade Banana ice cream (made by my father-in-law and the kids while I slept). Then went to work, checking e-mail again... and editing the Record Draft for the fourth episode of Spidey. Was going to start editing the outline to the sixth episode, but I was sleepy, so I went to bed at midnight, which is stunning for me --- even if you DON'T take into account that by L.A. standards it was really only 9pm. Since I've routinely been going to bed over the last few weeks between 4 and 6 am, this was amazing.

SUNDAY, JUNE 17th, 2007
Woke up early -- also amazing for me -- had a bit of breakfast. Read the outline for the ninth episode of Spidey. So far all these outlines have been in pretty darn good shape, which is always nice. Benny and I went for a walk into town. Came back, and I napped for about an hour. Got up for a Father's day brunch, with Beth, the kids and my in-laws. Had a wonderful Lobster Salad and Lobster Bisque. (Can you tell I'm in New England?) Came back to the house and opened father's day cards. Also called my own dad to wish him a happy father's day. He and my mom had only just returned from the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. I'm jealous, but there's no time this year. Hope to take the kids next year. Took ANOTHER nap. I think weeks of averaging three hours of sleep a night, plus all the walking and the fresh air -- the weather is gorgeous -- are wiping me out. But this is a good time to sleep.

We got up for a 4pm concert -- a choral performance by the Nantucket Choir. It was lovely. I was familiar with quite a few of the songs, as my son's choir sang them... at Carnegie Hall last month. From there, Beth and the kids and I went to dinner at the Brotherhood of Thieves. Burger and Clam Chowder. Then Ice Cream at the Juice Bar: one scoop of Crantucket with hot fudge. We walked some more and then went home.

More to come...

JUNE 25

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

June 25th...

1999
Lexington goes into business.

JUNE 23

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

June 23rd...

2006
Obsidiana comes to the United States.

JUNE 22

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

June 22nd...

2001
A crisis brings together representatives of four clans.

2007
Lexington continues his journey.

JUNE 19

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

June 19th...

1996
The travelers find themselves aboard the skiff on a beautiful lake.

JUNE 18

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

June 18th...

1040
Hardicanute, the son of Canute and Emma, succeeds to the throne of England, replacing his late half-brother Harold Harefoot.

1996
The Mazas attempt to inform the Tribal Police about the soil carving but are again confronted by the Trickster - who is quickly captured by Coyote 4.0. The gargoyles attempt to rescue the Trickster, but it is Peter who fools Coyote 4.0 into releasing his namesake. The Trickster then tricks the robot into destroying itself. Xanatos is forced to flee. That morning, Peter visits the grave of his father Carlos. That evening, the four travelers again return to Avalon and immediately turn around and depart again to avoid the imminent Avalonian sunrise.

JUNE 17

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

June 17th...

1996
Peter and Beth make bail in the morning and return to Beth's apartment, where they find Elisa waiting. That evening, the gargoyles awaken and are introduced to Elisa's family. Together the Mazas and the gargoyles again attempt to find out what Xanatos is up to. Goliath and Angela discover the soil carving but are captured by Coyote 4.0. Xanatos prepares to destroy the two gargoyles and the soil carving as bait to lure the Trickster. Meanwhile, Bronx and the Mazas capture the mysterious security guard, who turns out to be the Trickster himself. He has taken on the appearance of the young Peter Maza, with whom Coyote once formed a bond during a kachina dance. Bronx and the Mazas rescue Goliath and Angela (with a little help from Coyote).

JUNE 16

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

June 16th...

1996
Peter Maza arrives in Arizona to investigate Xanatos with his daughter Beth. That evening, Goliath, Elisa, Angela and Bronx depart Avalon and arrive in Flagstaff, where Beth goes to college. Fearing that her sister might be in trouble, Elisa takes the gargoyles to Beth's apartment. Meanwhile, Xanatos finally decides to bulldoze the mystic soil carving on the land he has leased from the local tribe. Almost immediately, the Coyote Trickster magically vandalizes the building site in order to stop Xanatos. Minutes later, Peter and Beth are allowed entry onto the Xanatos construction site by a mysterious "security guard". Xanatos has them arrested for trespassing.

JUNE 15

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

June 15th...

1996
Just before dawn, reporters gather outside to see Taro's "real gargoyles". Elisa and Constable Hiroshi break into the theme park and help Goliath and the other gargoyles escape. Realizing that he had been duped, Yama battles Taro, and leaves him to face the reporters alone. With no evidence of gargoyles, Taro is humiliated. Elisa returns to Ishimura after sunrise and departs for Avalon, taking the sleeping Goliath, Angela and Bronx along. It is night when they arrive, and the gargoyles soon wake up. That evening in Ishimura, the gargoyles hold a council meeting with their human neighbors. Yama is banished until his honor can be restored. And the gargoyles and humans agree to resume the study of Bushido.

JUNE 14

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

June 14th...

1996
The travelers leave Avalon and arrive in Ishimura, Japan. There they meet the Ishimura Clan of Gargoyles who have lived in peace with their human neighbors for generations. At sunrise, Goliath, Angela and Bronx turn to stone alongside their new cousins. But minutes later, their human guardians are attacked by ninjas hired by Taro, a Japanese businessman who grew up in Ishimura. All the gargoyles are stolen. They awaken inside a Gargoyle Theme Park that Taro has built. Yama, second-in-command to Kai, the leader of the Ishimura Clan, tries to convince everyone to stay in the park. Goliath, Angela and Bronx attempt to leave, but are gassed and imprisoned by Taro. Beth Maza calls her father Peter and asks him to come to Arizona to investigate the local Xanatos Construction project.

JUNE 11

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

June 11th...

1996
Nokkar captures Bronx and Angela. Meanwhile, Elisa is found by Lydia Duane and Arthur Morwood-Smyth. They take her back to their hotel, where she is examined by Doctor Arnada. Goliath finds her, but when Elisa fails to recognize him, Goliath is forced to kidnap her. Nokkar intervenes again, capturing Goliath and explaining his interpretation of events to Elisa. Nevertheless, Elisa (though still without her memories) comes to believe in Goliath. She helps rescue the gargoyles from Nokkar and is eventually able to convince him that her friends are not servants of the Space Spawn. She also encourages Nokkar to befriend Duane, Morwood-Smyth and Arnada. The travelers depart Easter Island, and Goliath just manages to cast the spell that will send them back to Avalon before the sun rises. When they arrive on the mystic island, it is already night. Nevertheless, it takes a few hours before Goliath, Angela and Bronx awaken. During this time, Elisa's memory returns.

JUNE 10

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

June 10th...

1996
Elisa, who had been working throughout the Avalonian day to help Jade and Turquesa transplant the rain forest's flora, rejoins Goliath, Angela and Bronx on the skiff. They depart Avalon again and Elisa falls asleep en route to their new landing: Easter Island. While Goliath and Angela explore, Elisa is taken into custody by Nokkar, an alien sentinel based on Easter Island, who has mistaken the gargoyles for a hostile alien invasion force. When Elisa tries to explain that the gargoyles are her friends, Nokkar assumes Elisa has been brainwashed. He wipes her mind clean, temporarily giving her amnesia. Then he sets her free.

JUNE 9

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

June 9th...

597
St. Columba dies at Iona.

JUNE 8

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

June 6th...

1042
Hardicanute dies suddenly at a wedding, perhaps due to poison. He is succeeded by his half-brother, Edward the Confessor, son of Aethelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy, as King of England. Edward locks his mother Emma (Princess Katharine's aunt) up in a nunnery.

JUNE 6

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

June 6th...

1832
The Revolution of the Barricades fails.

JUNE 5

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

June 5th...

1832
In Paris, the Revolution of the Barricades begins.

MAY 27

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

May 27th...

1996
In order to flush out the Coyote Trickster, Xanatos Construction begins work on the Arizona property it has leased from a local Native American Tribe. The new Coyote 4.0 robot is on hand to capture the Trickster. But because Xanatos has, at this time, no real intention of destroying the Trickster's soil carving, the true Coyote does not show up.

MAY 26

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

May 26th...

1996
Broadway and Lex defeat Hyena and take custody of the Amulet, leaving Hyena for the cops. And in Guatemala, the gargoyles and Elisa battle Jackal. At sunrise, Jackal briefly believes he has the upper hand when Obsidiana turns to stone. But in reality, she had merely lost her pendant. Bronx recovers it, and he, Zafiro, Jade and Turquesa dispatch Jackal. As a result, Vogel decides to cancel Cyberbiotics' rain forest operation. After sundown, the travelers depart. But they bring Jade and Turquesa along to transplant samples of the rain forest flora in Avalon. They arrive on the mystic island at dawn and Goliath, Angela and Bronx sleep through the Avalonian day. Elisa introduces Jade and Turquesa to Princess Katharine and the Guardian, and all spend the day scouting Avalon for a good location for the rain forest transplants.

MAY 25

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

May 25th...

1996
At sunrise, Goliath, Angela and Bronx turn to stone. But the Mayan gargoyles wear magic pendants that allow them to remain flesh, thanks to a missing Mayan Sun Amulet. During the day, Elisa watches Zafiro scare farmers away from the forest. Meanwhile, Hyena heads for New York in order to break into a museum and destroy the Sun Amulet. She's spotted by Broadway and Lexington.

MAY 24

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

May 24th...

1996
Goliath, Elisa, Angela and Bronx leave Avalon and arrive in the rain forests of Guatemala. There they encounter Zafiro, Obsidiana, Jade and Turquesa, the last surviving gargoyles of the Mayan Clan. Together, they fight off an incursion against the rain forest by Jackal, Hyena and loggers working for Cyberbiotics, under the management of Preston Vogel.

MAY 23

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

May 23rd...

1996
Helios, Kiron, Ekidna and other New Olympians riot over Elisa's presence on their island. Taurus responds by throwing Elisa in jail with the shape-shifting killer Proteus. Goliath attempts to break Elisa out but is instead tricked into releasing Proteus. The shape-shifter imprisons Goliath in his place, then takes on Goliath's form to fool Elisa. They escape together. But when "Goliath" fails to turn to stone at sunrise and reveals his plan to blow up the island, Elisa lures Taurus to Proteus and works with the Security Chief to recapture the shape-shifter. In gratitude for her actions, Boreas releases Elisa. At sundown, the travelers immediately depart for Avalon.

MAY 22

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

May 22nd...

1996
The travelers depart Avalon and land on the hidden island of New Olympus. Taurus, the New Olympian Chief of Security, arrests Elisa - simply for being human. Boreas, the leader of New Olympus, releases Elisa but refuses to allow her to leave the island.

MAY 21

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

May 21st...

1996
Goliath challenges Odin, and the two "gods" do battle. Goliath comes close to killing Odin, Elisa, Angela and Bronx, but comes to his senses at the last moment and removes the Eye. Odin places it back in his empty eye socket, neutralizing the Eye's transformative powers. Reconciled with his former opponent, Odin rides Sleipnir up the Rainbow Bridge at sunrise. The gargoyles and Elisa spend the day in Norway. When the sun sets they return to Avalon.

MAY 20

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

May 20th...

1996
Odin takes the form of a bear and attempts to battle Goliath for the Eye. He fails and so resorts to kidnapping Elisa with the help of his flying horse Sleipnir. With Elisa's life at stake, Goliath reluctantly dons the Eye himself. He is transformed into an Avatar of Odin's power. That power immediately begins to change him into an uber-version of himself. He successfully rescues Elisa and chases Odin away but still refuses to remove the Eye. When the sun rises, he does not turn to stone. He quickly becomes obsessed with protecting his friends. He even generates a storm of his own to trick Elisa, Angela, Bronx and the Sturlusons into fleeing to a nearby cave, where Goliath imprisons them.

CORRECTIONS...

Hey gang,

Just picked up a copy of Gargoyles #4. I'm pretty happy with it, but there were a couple of productions errors that I'm not-so-happy with.

First and foremost, the credits are in error. The interior of the book was pencilled and inked by guest artist Nir Paniry, not by our regular penciller David Hedgecock. I think Nir did a terrific job, and he deserves credit for his work. My apologies go out to both Nir and David.

Second, the Gargoyles logo and the title of the issue "Clan-Building Chapter Four: Masque" were somehow DROPPED off of page five of the book. (There are two empty black-spaces where they were supposed to go.) It's not as serious an error as the credit snafu, but it's something else that myself and the team regret.

We'll try to make sure that nothing like this happens again.

MAY 17

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

May 17th...

1996
The gargoyles, Mazas and were-panthers converges on the ancient ruins of Kara Digi. There they discover that Fara was largely manipulated by the Spider-Trickster Anansi. All concerned join forces to defeat Anansi. Fara and Tea remain were-panthers but are reconciled and vow to protect the jungle. Just before sunrise, Goliath finally acknowledges Angela as his daughter. After sunrise, Elisa tells her mother everything about her life with the gargoyles. At sunset, Elisa and the gargoyles once more return to Avalon. Diane Maza phones New York, informing her husband of Elisa's situation. Peter Maza contacts Matt Bluestone and Talon. Matt contacts Brooklyn, Lex, Broadway and Hudson.

MAY 15

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

May 15th...

1996
St. Damien's Cathedral is condemned as unsafe.

MAY 14

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

May 14th...

1996
Demona starts Sevarius on a little side project: the creation of the carrier virus, CV-1000.

MAY 13

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

May 13th...

1995
Thailog has reached full gargoyle adolescence. A discoloration of skin and hair is the only side effect of the accelerated growth.

1996
Attracted by multiple reports of gargoyle sightings in Manhattan, the Canmore siblings begin making inquiries and creating the false identities they will need to find Demona there and destroy her.

ANIMECENTRAL

Hey gang,

This coming weekend, May 11-13th, I'll be in Chicago attending AnimeCentral.

Check out their website: http://www.acen.org/

And if you're in the area, please stop by and say hello. It's a big con, but I may get lonely...

Greg

MAY 8

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

May 8th...

1996
Xanatos begins to actively search the globe for Coldstone.

MAY 6

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

May 6th...

1996
Tomas Brod, his men and his hovercraft arrive in Manhattan from Prague and immediately starts a turf war with Tony Dracon's men.

MAY 1

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

May 1st...

1776
Adam Weishaupt founds the Bavarian Illuminati.

1996
Hakon's spirit reaches out across the globe and senses that his descendant Wolf shares his hatred of Goliath. He summons Wolf to Wyvern Hill in Scotland. Meanwhile, Goliath, Elisa, Angela and Bronx depart from Avalon and arrive in Australia. There they encounter the Matrix phenomena created by a pregnant Fox and her mother Anastasia Renard.

APRIL 30

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

April 30th...

1804
Philibert Aspairt's body is found in the Paris catacombs, very close to an exit.

1996
Per Owen's instructions, Iron Clan Robots are stored at strategic locations near the Eyrie Building.

APRIL 29

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

April 29th...

1996
Per Owen's instructions, a working force field is installed at the Eyrie Building.

APRIL 25

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

April 25th...

1058
Canmore is crowned High King of Scotland as Malcolm III.

1996
The Banshee informs Puck that the Gathering is at hand.

APRIL 23

(Whoops... this got by me somehow...)

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

April 23rd...

1016
The English King Aethelred dies, widowing Queen Emma. England is split between the English choice Edmund Ironside and the Danish choice Canute.

APRIL 13

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

April 13th...

1951
The Stone of Destiny is recovered at Arbroath Abbey and returned to Westminster Abbey.

APRIL 7

A new OCCASIONAL feature here at ASK GREG...

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

April 7th...

1786
The curate of the Archbishop of Paris consecrates the Paris catacombs as tombs.

DONE... for now...

Wow. They said it couldn't be done! But I did it! I caught up!!!!!

The ASK GREG queue is empty! I'm going to take a week or so off. Then we will open the queue again in time for the release of issue #3 of the Gargoyles comic book on March 28th. How long we leave it open will depend on how quickly the site floods.

I'll talk about this more when we open, but please question responsibly.

THE BIG BAD GOOD NEWS...

Hey gang,

JUST got back from WONDERCON. Made a few announcements there, that I want to repeat here...

GARGOYLES: BAD GUYS

SLG will be releasing a new spin-off of Gargoyles. GARGOYLES: BAD GUYS. This will be a six issue bi-monthly limited series in black and white. I'm writing the title, with art by Karine Charlebois and tones by Stephanie Lostimolo. Covers (as always) by Greg Guler, colored (yes, colored) by Stephanie.

Gargoyles will remain a bi-monthly book (in color). (More on this in a second.) And Bad Guys will come out bi-monthly on the main title's dark months, so for a year you'll have SOME Garg Universe product coming out every month.

Now, I'm sure you have questions... So I'm going to TRY to preempt some of them here:

1. HOW CAN YOU START A SPIN-OFF WHEN YOU'RE BEHIND SCHEDULE ON THE REGULAR BOOK?

Fair question. But I personally am NOT behind schedule on the regular book. In fact, I'm way ahead of schedule. Here's where things stand.

Issue #3 is done and has been for weeks. We're simply waiting on Disney to "approve" the issue. There's no mystery or conspiracy here. There's just, I'm guessing, a guy in an office who is swamped with things to approve and isn't making the SLG properties (Gargoyles, Tron, Wonderland, Haunted Mansion) a priority.

Issue #4 is being colored and lettered and should be done within a couple of weeks. Since it doesn't need to go out for two months, that should give Disney plenty of time to approve it.

Issue #5 is being inked.

Issues #6 and #7 have both been scripted and pencilling has started on each.

Issue #1 of Bad Guys has also been scripted.

I will start on issue #8 of Gargoyles next, then #2 of Bad Guys, #9 of Gargoyles and etc.

I'll stay ahead, and hopefully so will everyone else and what that means generally is that barring something totally unforseen, we should be on schedule from here on out.

And, yes, David Hedgecock had delivery issues Gargoyles #2. But this was due to him having to split his time between a day job to pay the bills and his gig on the book. David has now taken the EXTRAORDINARY step of quitting his day job to dedicate his time to Gargoyles. Since we also have fill-in artists on issues #4-6, David is getting right to work on issue #7 and he will no longer be the cause of any delays.

On top of this, Dan Vado has stated that he has every intention of picking up the Gargoyles' license when it comes up for renewal.

I don't want to get complacent, but really this is all good news. It looks like we should be around for a while.

And I actually think that Bad Guys will help us out. We will in essence become a monthly title (at least sort of), which will get readers in the habit of picking up something Gargesque every month. That HABIT should help. At least that's the theory.

2. WHY BAD GUYS? I WANTED TIMEDANCER*! (*Feel free to substitute NEW OLYMPIANS, DARK AGES, PENDRAGON, 2198.)

The main answer is chronology. I have this timeline. And the Bad Guys story I'll be telling in this six issue mini-series is happening in late '96, early '97. This is the story that NEEDS to be told now. I hope you like it. AND I hope you'll support it. Because if this limited series does well, then GARGOYLES: PENDRAGON is next in line. And after that GARGOYLES: TIMEDANCER. (That's as far out as I've allowed myself to think up to this point.) If the limited series doesn't do well, then it'll be the last one... and I'll eventually incorporate events from Pendragon, etc. into the main Gargoyles book. But I'm hopeful that that won't be necessary. And I hope that those of you who've seen the Gargoyles reel at a Gathering can tell those who have never attended one of our great (www.gatheringofthegargoyles.com) conventions just how cool Bad Guys really is.

3. WHEN WILL GARGOYLES: BAD GUYS PREMIERE?

Karine is inking Gargoyles #5 now -- which shows what a trooper she is, since she JUST gave birth a few days ago! As soon as she's done with G#5, she'll start on BG#1. Our hope is that Bad Guys #1 can come out in the dark month between either Gargoyles #6 & #7 or -- at the latest -- between #7 and #8. We certainly plan to tease and pimp Bad Guys at the 2007 Gathering in Pigeon Forge!

So, if all goes well...

Gargoyles #3 - March
Gargoyles #4 - May
Gargoyles #5 - July
Gargoyles #6 - September
Bad Guys #1 - October
Gargoyles #7 - November
Bad Guys #2 - December
Gargoyles #8 - January, 2008
Bad Guys #3 - February, 2008
Gargoyles #9 - March, 2008
Bad Guys #4 - April, 2008
Gargoyles #10 - May, 2008
Bad Guys #5 - June, 2008
Gargoyles #11 - July, 2008
Bad Guys #6 - August, 2008
Gargoyles #12 - September, 2008
Pendragon #1 - October, 2008
etc.

Is there an element of wishful thinking here? Well... duh. But it's not unrealistic either. This is the plan. I mean to do everything in my power to stick to it, and everyone else involved feels the same way. Can't make ABSOLUTE guarantees of course. But I can promise you that I'm passionate about this project, about making it the best it can be both creatively and financially.

4. WHY BLACK AND WHITE?

This is largely an economic decision. Printing in multi-color costs WAY more than printing in B&W, and that reduces greatly SLG's profit margin and ability to put out the titles without over-extending their resources.

Creatively, however, I was completely behind the decision. Though I feel strongly that the main GARGOYLES title should be in color, I think the subject matter of Bad Guys can work terrifically in b&w. Again, if you've seen the Bad Guys reel at the Gathering, you'll have some idea of what this book can be -- even without full color. Plus we will have color covers, so you will get a sense of what our characters look like in color.

5. UH... I CAN'T THINK OF A #5 AT THE MOMENT.

BUT I'M SURE YOU GUYS WILL. The good news is that I'm getting through the ASK GREG back log at a pretty steady pace. I'm hoping to have the site open for questions shortly. And we'll definitely open it up (at least briefly) when issue #3 hits the stores.

NEXT TOPIC...

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN

The following press release came out late last week...

KIDS' WB! ON THE CW NETS NEW SPIDER-MAN
ANIMATED SERIES FOR EARLY 2008 PREMIERE

Culver Entertainment Widens Renowned Marvel Hero's Web from Blockbuster Films
to No. 1 Rated Saturday Morning Broadcast Kids Network

BURBANK, CA (MARCH 1, 2007) - Spider-Man swings back into television action in early 2008 as an animated series from Culver Entertainment to air on Kids' WB! on The CW, it was announced today by Kids' WB! Senior Vice President and General Manager Betsy McGowen and Sony Pictures Television Co-President Zack Van Amburg.

Tentatively titled "The Amazing Spider-Man," the new series is being produced by Culver Entertainment. Greg Weisman ("Gargoyles", "The Batman") is supervising producer, Victor Cook ("Hellboy: Blood and Iron" and "Buzz Lightyear of Star Command") is producer/supervising director. The series will premiere on Kids' WB! on The CW, the No.1 rated Saturday morning kids broadcast slate.

"The addition of 'Spider-Man' bolsters a lineup that has proved to be the Saturday morning destination for kids seeking action and adventure in the most amped-up ways," McGowen said. "We're ecstatic to welcome 'Spider-Man' to our popular cavalcade of super heroes."

"Spider-Man is such an important brand for Sony Pictures and we're thrilled to keep the momentum going by taking it back to television with an animated series on Kids' WB!," Van Amburg said. "It's also an excellent way to launch Culver Entertainment, our newest television company."

Riding the crest of Sony's anticipated summer blockbuster "Spider-Man 3," the new animated series picks up the original web-slinger's mythology at the beginning of his hero's journey - as a not-so-typical 16-year-old entering his junior year of high school. Having spent the summer engaging common criminals with his new-found powers, Peter Parker must conceal his secret identity while engaging a new level of terror - the multi-leveled pressures of teenage life at home and school while combating bigger, badder super-villains in the real world.

"Our goal is to reinterpret these great characters and concepts for our millennium," Weisman said. "We'll have plenty of resonant material for the Spider-Man fan, while engaging the Spider-Man novice with the same thrills we experienced when we were first exposed to the character. Our stories will appeal on multiple levels with plenty of eye-candy, action, humor and colorful characters for the youngest demographic balanced with extensive character development for 'tweens, teens and adults."

Culver Entertainment is a Sony Pictures Television company. Sony Pictures Television is one of the television industry's leading content providers. It produces and distributes programming in every genre, including series, telefilms, theatrical releases and family entertainment for network and cable television, as well as first-run and off-network series for syndication. With more than 25 programs on the air, SPT boasts a program slate that includes the top-rated daytime dramas and game shows, landmark off-network series, original animated series and critically acclaimed primetime dramas, comedies and telefilms. SPT (www.sonypicturestelevision.com) is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company.

A leader in children's programming, Kids' WB! continues to be a unique destination for kids. Kids' WB!, now airing on The CW Network, has been the broadcast home for such cornerstone hits as the blockbusters "Pokémon" and "Yu-Gi-Oh!," Emmy® Award-winners "Xiaolin Showdown" and "The Batman," culturally diverse series "Jackie Chan Adventures" and "¡Mucha Lucha! Gigante," and breakout hits "Shaggy & Scooby-Doo Get A Clue!" and "Legion of Super Heroes," among other favorites. Kids and their parents can find more information about Kids' WB! programming online at www.KidsWB.com.

We're still in very early days on Spidey, but I'm tremendously excited about the project. I hope you're looking forward to it, as much as I am.

That's it for now,

gdw

WONDER-CON

Hey gang,

I'll be appearing at Wonder-Con this coming weekend, March 2-4, 2006 in San Francisco.

I've got a couple panels on Saturday the 3rd at 3 and 4pm. One's an animation panel moderated by Shan Muir and featuring many animation pros, and the other is a spotlight panel moderated by Dan Vado of SLG.

For more info, check out: http://www.comic-con.org/

If you're in the neighborhood stop by, say hello, introduce yourself, get something signed or whatever!!

Greg

My Apologies...

It's been pointed out to me that one of my recent responses came across as harsh, as if I was trying to blame the fandom for the lack of sales on the DVDs. If so, I apologize. I didn't feel like I was blaming the fandom. I'm sorry if it came off that way. And I'm not saying I think Disney shouldn't have promoted the first two releases more. Of course, I think they should have. But I also can't lie and say they dropped a ball they NEVER intended to carry. I convinced Disney that there was a substantial built in audience for the DVDs. Perhaps I was wrong. I'm not trying to blame the fandom so much as get them to think in terms of more productive solutions. Just sitting around and blaming Disney isn't productive.

But again, if I came across as blaming the fandom, I truly apologize. That was never my intent.

gdw

GARGOYLES COMIC UPDATE

Hey gang,

In an attempt to get back on a bi-monthly schedule, we've invited a few talented fill-in artists to take on a few issues of the comic.

Clan-Building #3 "Invitation Only" is being penciled by regular series penciler David Hedgecock, with colors by our new regular colorist Dustin Evans.

Clan-Building #4 "Masque" is being penciled by guest artist Nir Paniry. Colorist hasn't been decided yet.

Clan-Building #5 "Bash" is being penciled by fan favorite Karine Charlebois and colored by fan favorite Stephanie Lostimolo.

Clan-Building #6 "Reunion" is being penciled by Gordon Purcell. Colorist hasn't been decided yet.

Clan-Building #7 "The Rock" will be pencilled by David and colored by Dustin. I just finished scripting it, and I'm about to start work on #8.

ALL COVERS are by Greg Guler with colors by Steph.

Clan-Building is currently scheduled to last 12 issues total.

It's all very exciting. I've seen pencils and colors from #3 and pencils and inks of #4 and rough pages of #5. All looking very sweet.

BUFFYVERSE - The final Top 40

BUFFYVERSE STATS

TOP 40 CHARACTER LIST:

Once AGAIN, I'm wasting my semi-valuable time (and hopefully yours) to bring you the FINAL update in my attempt to catalogue the most significant characters in the BUFFYVERSE. Previous CUMULATIVE updates covered the first, second and third years of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. After that, the task became more complicated as Buffy's fourth season aired simultaneously (day and date, literally) with the first season of Angel. So the Year Four update included Buffy S4 & Angel S1. Year Five added in Buffy S5 & Angel S2. Year Six, Buffy S6 & Angel S3. Year Seven brought in Buffy's final season S7 & Angel S4. And now, at last, the final season of Angel, S5, which is also (unfortunately) the final season of the televised Buffyverse.

As you may recall, I've tried to inform this subjective task with an objective formula. Still, I won't deny that subjectives have played a role. It's hard not to take extra notice of a character, whom you know is going to be important later. And numerical ties were broken based entirely on subjective criteria.

The idea behind a cumulative tally is to mimic the original experience of following the Buffyverse. It's a horse race. Some of the winners and losers are decidedly predictable. Others are a bit surprising - surprising enough that it's become absolutely clear that my system is flawed. I've since dreamed up a new system, but it's too late to implement it. Someday, LONG after I've finished this first survey (but ONLY if I prove truly insane), I might just start over and see what the results are with OBJECTIVE SYSTEM 2.0. But for now - assuming you haven't nodded off - you're stuck with System One.

I have a list of ALL the characters that have appeared in both series up to this point. It's so long (including everything from leads to ridiculously minor characters) that I haven't even bothered to count how many there are. But my list of MOST significant tops out at 273 characters.

But I think listing the top 40 is both pleasantly traditional… and plenty. Or largely. I just want to note a few characters introduced (or revisited) in this set of episodes, who will never make the top 40, but whom I believe are memorable enough to merit honorable mention.

Starting with…

[SPOILERS]

#272, 273 - Zach & Trish. The wife and son that Lindsey (and later Gunn) lived with while under a spell in a Wolfram & Hart prison Hell Dimension.

#261 - Blue Fairy. She only appeared in Angel's hallucination, but, hey, Blue Fairy makes Spike a real boy. Gotta love it.

#258 - The Immortal. Buffy's new (never truly seen) boyfriend in Rome. Gotta say, I HATE THE GUY easily as much as Angel and Spike do. That's impressive for a guy I never met.

#222 - Initiative Founder - In the WWII episode, the Initiative is ret-conned in… nicely.

#221 - Hamburger Loa. The fast food mascot CGI statue that Wesley consulted in a previous season that totally steered him the wrong way about Angel and the baby Connor makes a last flashback appearance here, which raises his significance enough to make the list. BUT… he represents a flaw, I think. The Loa seems to have lied to Wes in hindsight. WHY? Was he working for Jasmine?

#220 - Ilona Costa-Bianchi. Head of the Roman branch of W&H.

#214 - Matthias Bavane, the Reaper. The ghost haunting W&H, keeping it evil.

#210 - Rutherford Sirk. Wesley's last season introductory guide to W&H. This year he took Wesley's place for an episode (while Wesley was recovering from NOT killing his father) - but Sirk was secretly working for Lindsey.

#207 - Lawson - The only vampire that Angel ever sired AFTER he got his soul back. The guy had a bit of soul, and it tormented him. A neat idea.

#188 - Lawyer #1. Recurring comic relief Wolfram&Hart lawyer.

#178 - Leader of the Fell Brethren. Funny, evil demon cult leader and member of the Circle of the Black Thorn (was that the name?), who really was gaga over this baby he had purchased.

#173 - The Wrath. The demon/executioner that ripped Lindsey and later Gunn's heart out daily.

#161 - Numero Cinco. Retired luchador, bitter ex-hero and mailboy.

#160 - The Roger Wyndom-Price Robot. Wesley's dad, only not. Not sure why they didn't just make it Wes' dad.

#159 - Izzirial, or Izzy for short. Clichéd looking devil and member of the Circle. Also played racket ball with Angel.

#154 - Peepee Demon. Demon servant that Angel poisoned to kill Archduke Sebasis (because Sebasis fed off the servant's blood).

#138 - Senator Helen Brucker. Demon posing as a Senator with Vampire campaign workers. Member of the Circle. Just wish it had been someone (ANYONE) we had met before on Buffy or Angel.

#130 - Drogen the Keeper. The Batttlebrand. Angel's mystically honest buddy and sacrifical lamb. The friend he kills to get into the Circle.

#97 - Archduke Sebasis. Another nasty member of the Circle. The shame of Angel's ending with little warning for the creative staff - and the only real disappointment for me (beyond the fact that I'd be Whedon TV free without the series) - was that the Circle was made up of villains who were either largely unestablished or shoe-horned in at the last minute. Sebasis at least spanned the season, but I do wish they had culled the eleven (combined) years of Buffy and Angel to find more significant and memorable baddies to be part of the Circle. Of course, all the BIG BADS were dead, and most of the little bads too. But what about, say, D'Hoffryn? Hell, I'd have settled for Dracula even.

#95 - Nina Ashe. Angel's werewolf girlfriend. I liked her. I liked the idea that Angel could love someone without being in love. Take comfort. Sex without that perfect happy Angelus-inducing perfect moment.

#94 - Dr. Sparrow. The guy who made Gunn a lawyer… and kept him a lawyer (and Gilbert & Sullivan expert) at the expense of Fred's life.

#89- Cyvus Vale. Played by the always amazing Dennis Christopher, he was a wizard, who gave Connor his rebooted new life. Also a member of the Circle, who kills Wes before being killed by Illyria.

#57- Marcus Hamilton. After Eve betrays everyone (including W&H) to help Lindsey, Hamilton takes over as the new liason to the Senior Partners. Get's busted by Angel in the end.

#45- Eve. I was almost rooting for Eve to make the Top 40. She was a really fun character. The liason to the Senior Partners for Angel. Lindsey's main squeeze. She even slept with Angel and shrugged it off.

And before we start, a fond Top 40 farewell to Graham Miller (now at 42). Well, not really. I'm glad he fell out of the 40. It's shocking to me he lasted as long as he did.

AND NOW THE TOP 40
Abbreviations for previous rankings…
Y1 - Buffy Season 1.
Y2 - Buffy Season 2.
Y3 - Buffy Season 3.
Y4 - Buffy Season 4/Angel Season 1.
Y5 - Buffy Season 5/Angel Season 2.
Y6 - Buffy Season 6/Angel Season 3.
Y7 - Buffy Season 7/Angel Season 4
NR - Not Ranked that year.

#40 - Glory. Y7: 39. Y6: 34. Y5: 30. Y4: NR. Y3: NR. Y2: NR. Y1: NR. Year Five's big bad drops one more ranking but holds on to the Top 40, something that neither Adam nor the Master managed. (And Jasmine never cracked the Top 40.) It feels like Big Bads deserve to be here. But again, a system skewed toward screen time is gonna favor supporting characters over villains. But I'm still glad Glory hangs on.

#39 - Kennedy. Y7: 38. Y6: NR. Y5: NR. Y4: NR. Y3: NR. Y2: NR. Y1: NR. Kennedy, potential Slayer, eventual Co-Slayer and Willow's new main squeeze - or I should say squeezer - only drops one ranking. Of course, Kennedy is no Tara, but I think that was the point.

#38 - Maggie Walsh. Y7: 37. Y6: 31. Y5: 27. Y4: 18. Y3: NR. Y2: NR. Y1: NR. Maggie Walsh? Adam doesn't make it, but his creator Maggie hangs on, though she's dropped 1 last slot.

#37 - Illyria. Y7: NR. Y6: NR. Y5: NR. Y4: NR. Y3: NR. Y2: NR. Y1: NR. Illyria (named after a PLACE in TWELFTH NIGHT) enters the countdown at #37 with a bullet in less than half a season. Fred's transformation into what I thought for a second was going to be yet another Big Bad created from the Regular Cast, wound up being one of the most brilliant and affecting moment in eight years of watching the Buffyverse. WOW!!

#36 - Mayor Richard Wilkins III. Y7: 36. Y6: 33. Y5: 29. Y4: 19. Y3: 14. Y2: 40. Y1: NR. The Mayor maintains at 36. Gotta love the Mayor.

#35 - Ben. Y7: 35. Y6: 30. Y5: 26. Y4: NR. Y3: NR. Y2: NR. Y1: NR. Glory's alter ego holds his position. Again, like Maggie being ahead of Adam, there's really something wrong with Ben being ahead of Glory. My system was too much about screen time, not actual character significance or OOMPH.

#34 - Jenny Calendar. Y7: 34. Y6: 29. Y5: 25. Y4: 17. Y3: 13. Y2: 11. Y1: 15. Jenny also holds position. (Not a lot of movement possible in the Top 40 in a final season. Not enough episodes for a new character to pass some of the old faithful.) Says something about Jenny's original significance that a non-regular like her is holding on for so long. And of course she was pretty much the first character we ever saw as the First, way back in Y3.

#33 - The First. Y7: 32. Y6: 143. Y5: 120. Y4: 85. Y3: 52. Y2: NR. Y1: NR. The original evil drops one ranking. I was never satisfied with the First, especially in the Season Finale, but I can't deny that he/she/it belongs in the Top 40.

#32 - Warren Meers. Y7: 31. Y6: 36. Y5: 82. Y4: NR. Y3: NR. Y2: NR. Y1: NR. Warren, the most evil of the nerves, also falls one ranking.

#31 - Kate Lockley. Y7: 30. Y6: 27. Y5: 22. Y4: 23. Y3: NR. Y2: NR. Y1: NR. Angel's cop friend is gone and largely forgotten now… She falls one more ranking.

#30 - Daniel Holtz. Y7: 28. Y6: 25. Y5: NR. Y4: NR. Y3: NR. Y2: NR. Y1: NR. Captain Holtz, Angel's Century spanning arch-nemesis falls 2 rankings. His influence still very much felt.

#29 - Francis Doyle. Y7: 27. Y6: 23. Y5: 20. Y4: 15. Y3: NR. Y2: NR. Y1: NR. Doyle falls two ranks. He has an important video-taped cameo in Cordelia's final episode. Something pulled right from Season One. It was lovely.

#28 - Principal Robin Wood. Y7: 26. Y6: NR. Y5: NR. Y4: NR. Y3: NR. Y2: NR. Y1: NR. Robin Wood, son of Slayer and Spike-victim, Nikki Wood, falls two rankings. This is a character that I would have LOVED to have seen a spin-off built around. D.B. Woodside is great; Wood has no super-powers, just training. And I would like to know who Robin's dad was and what happened to him. And the fact that a Slayer could survive long enough to have a kid… Loved this idea.

#27 - Lindsey McDonald. Y7: 29. Y6: 26. Y5: 21. Y4: 29. Y3: NR. Y2: NR. Y1: NR. Lindsey makes an impressive comeback, jumping up two rankings. (Never completely understood why he STILL hates Angel so much.) Has a non-good death, which was very cool.

#26 - Jonathan Levinson. Y7: 25. Y6: 24. Y5: 33. Y4: 24. Y3: 17. Y2: 19. Y1: NR. Jonathan, another dead geek - but a beloved one - drops one ranking.

#25 - Principal Snyder. Y7: 23. Y6: 21. Y5: 18. Y4: 12. Y3: 9. Y2: 10. Y1: 12. Snyder falls two more rank, but holds on. Clichés, even fun ones, rule.

#24 - Andrew Wells. Y7: 24. Y6: 37. Y5: NR. Y4: NR. Y3: NR. Y2: NR. Y1: NR. Andrew, back with a couple of memorable Scooby Gang-Representing appearances, holds on to the #24 slot.

#23 - Darla. Y7: 21. Y6: 18. Y5: 19. Y4: 28. Y3: 23. Y2: 23. Y1: 11. Darla loses two rankings w/only a brief flashback appearance in this season. Love Darla.

#22 - Drusilla. Y7: 22. Y6: 19. Y5: 16. Y4: 16. Y3: 11. Y2: 8. Dru has a couple nice flashbacks and once again leapfrogs over Darla simply by maintaining her #22 ranking,.

#21 - Lilah Morgan. Y7: 20. Y6: 22. Y5: 31. Y4: 31. Y3: NR. Y2: NR. Y1: NR. Geez, you're dead for a year, and you drop out of the Top 20. Lilah falls one position.

#20 - Harmony Kendall. Y7: 33. Y6: 28. Y5: 23. Y4: 25. Y3: 20. Y2: 26. Y1: 18. Harmony, who becomes a regular (finally) halfway through the season, jumps up ELEVEN ranks to crack the Top 20 for the first time since Season Three of Buffy. Always nice to see a character who stayed in the hunt for ALL eight years of the Buffyverse.

#19 - Faith. Y7: 19. Y6: 20. Y5: 17. Y4: 13. Y3: 10. Y2: NR. Y1: NR. Faith maintains her position.

#18 - Connor. Y7: 18. Y6: 41. Y5: NR. Y4: NR. Y3: NR. Y2: NR. Y1: NR. So does Connor, who is SO much more fun to hang with this season in two great appearances.

#17 - Riley Finn. Y7: 17. Y6: 15. Y5: 12. Y4: 11. Y3: NR. Y2: NR. Y1: NR. Riley maintains.

#16 - Tara Maclay. Y7: 16. Y6: 13. Y5: 15. Y4: 20. Y3: NR. Y2: NR. Y1: NR. Tara maintains.

#15 - Joyce Summers. Y7: 14. Y6: 14. Y5: 11. Y4: 9. Y3: 8. Y2: 7. Y1: 7. Joyce falls one ranking to her lowest slot ever.

#14 - Daniel "Oz" Osbourne. Y7: 13. Y6: 12. Y5: 9. Y4: 7. Y3: 7. Y2: 12. Y1: NR. Oz falls one more ranking to his lowest point yet.

#13 - Lorne. Y7: 15. Y6: 17. Y5: 24. Y4: NR. Y3: NR. Y2: NR. Y1: NR. Lorne jumps another couple rankings in a brutal season for his character… probably the guy (next to Fred, who dies and becomes someone else) who goes through the biggest emotional change from the start of the season to the end.

#12 - Winifred "Fred" Burkle. Y7: 12. Y6: 16. Y5: 50. Y4: NR. Y3: NR. Y2: NR. Y1: NR. Fred holds her position, despite dying. In fact, if she hadn't died and ceded most (but not all) of her screen time to Illyria, she might have past Dawn.

#11 - Dawn Summers. Y7: 11. Y6: 11. Y5: 14. Y4: NR. Y3: NR. Y2: NR. Y1: NR. Dawn plateaus at 11. Just had too much padding to fall, despite zero screen time. Again, Fred's death protected her too.

#10 - Anya Kristina Emanuella Jenkins. Y7: 9. Y6: 9. Y5: 10. Y4: 14. Y3: 22. Y2: NR. Y1: NR. Anya drops a slot but stays in the Top 10.

#9 - Charles Gunn. Y7: 10. Y6: 10. Y5: 13. Y4: 37. Y3: NR. Y2: NR. Y1: NR. A powerful season arc pulls Gunn up a rung to 9, a personal best.

#8 - Wesley Wyndam-Price. Y7: 8. Y6: 8. Y5: 8. Y4: 10. Y3: 15. Y2: NR. Y1: NR. Wesley plateaus at #8. I know it must seem like everyone would plateau this high up, and from this point on they are…

#7 - Spike. Y7: 7. Y6: 7. Y5: 7. Y4: 8. Y3: 12. Y2: 9. Y1: NR. Spike doesn't quite have the juice to pass Giles.

#6 - Rupert Giles. Y7: 6. Y6: 5. Y5: 3. Y4: 3. Y3: 2. Y2: 2. Y1: 2. Giles maintains.

#5 - Willow Rosenberg. Y7: 5. Y6: 5. Y5: 6. Y4: 6. Y3: 4. Y2: 4. Y1: 4. Willow holds her Top 5 slot, but finishes behind both Cordelia and Xander, which surprises me. As she was a Big Bad. And as she really should be equal with Xander, it demonstrates another significant flaw in the system. But at least she's in the Top Five.

#4 - Cordelia Chase. Y7: 4. Y6: 4. Y5: 5. Y4: 4. Y3: 5. Y2: 5. Y1: 5. Cordy maintains. She has one of the best exit episodes EVER though. Frankly, Angel's last season is FULL of great exits.

#3 - Xander Harris. Y7: 3. Y6: 2. Y5: 2. Y4: 2. Y3: 3. Y2: 3. Y1: 3. Xander stays in the Top 3, which is right where he started eight years earlier. Making him - with the exception of the two series' leads, the MOST important character in the Buffyverse.

#2 - Angel. Y7: 2. Y6: 3. Y5: 4. Y4: 5. Y3: 6. Y2: 6. Y1: 6. Angel maintains. Buffy just was too far ahead for him to catch up, which is probably how it should be. Still, a fantastic last season for Angel.

#1 - Buffy Anne Summers. Y7: 1. Y6: 1. Y5: 1. Y4: 1. Y3: 1. Y2: 1. Y1: 1. Duh. It ain't called the Buffyverse for nothin'.

Flip Books...

Our good friend Dennis Woodyard, one of the producer-directors on the second season of GARGOYLES, has a website I'd like to plug...

http://dragonflyent.blogspot.com/

Check out his cool flip books!

FYI

Appropos of nothing, I thought you'd like to know that my current draft of the "Gargoyles Universe Timeline" is 272 pages long and runs from 9386 B.C.E. to March 22nd, 2198. (And I know about some stuff that happens both before and after that range, but not with precision as to the dates.)

272 pages!

everything is connected...

So is Paris Geller (of GILMORE GIRLS) related to Monica and Ross Geller (of FRIENDS)? And if so, would she also be related to Rachel Green the mother of Ross' child? And is Rachel Green related to the late Mark Green (of E.R.)? I mean, it can't just be a coincidence that Mark's eldest daughter was also named Rachel Green, can it?