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Clan-Building #7: The Rock

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Ed Reynolds writes...

GARGOYLES #7

Amazing issue.

I love how jam-packed each of these comics are. Some comics you've got all there is to get first read-through; this gets better and better with each successive reading. The non-linear structure flummoxed me first off, but now I'm completely in love. It's got a rhythm completely of its own. (Piecing together the Ask Greg clues to work out where the missing parts of the story are made it doubly fun so thanks for that 'Easter Egg'!). I'm really curious about the inspiration for this. Obviously in literature there are plenty of books which disassemble time but usually to mirror consciousness. 'Memento' is the only film I can recall which is this fragmented, but again there's a strict order. (Sometime, not while the story's still running necessarily, but eventually, I'd be interested to read about the thought processes behind this structure.)

Here, we're really dotting around but it gives the impression of a patchwork of themes: sibling rivalries (Jacob/Esau, Brooklyn/Broadway, Othello/Iago) particularly stand out. Perhaps also lineage -- never has the interconnectedness of man been so apparent than seeing the links from Egypt to Portugal to Ireland; and in modern times, we have the Maza family expanding into new boundaries, with Elisa & Goliath and Talon & Maggie's child. And of course, we have all these dark mirrors to our leads: Xanatos and Coyote, the ColdTrio and the Angela triangle, Lex/Brentwood, and as has been mentioned, Thailog/Shari who look very Goliath/Elisa in some panels.

I love the scene of Thailog & Shari playing chess though -- more Fox & David. I wonder if the bathtub scene is meant to suggest how Sevarius would like to spend his nights. Shari is by far my favourite new character so far. She's utterly fascinating. And while we have no evidence there's anything between them, they certainly seem pretty intimate. And whatever their relationship is, it fits that while Goliath & Elisa's life is based on protecting and serving, Thailog & Shari's seems to be about knowledge and power.

Although this is another story on a huge scale, I'm really glad the clan is proactive at the centre this time. I love, adore, the big, eclectic 'Gargoyles' cast, but more than that, I love our core guys. And Macbeth. Broadway and Angela seemed kind of mean to Brooklyn -- I hope this is in aid of them intervening to resolve their issues. Lex and Hudson taking centre stage fills me with joy.

(Oddly, I was in central London in November 1996. My brother was in Great Ormond Street getting his cochlear implant and it was around this time that we'd recently discovered 'Gargoyles'. I know he watched 'A Lighthouse in the Sea of Time' on television with his ward; and also I remember looking for 'Gargoyles' figurines in a London toy shop and coming out with a Lexington one for his Christmas. It's one of my most vivid memories, but it gives me a real kick to think that the 'real' Macbeth and Lexington would have been running around about the same time only a few miles away.)

The cover -- bit of a quiet one. I don't mind covers that don't reflect the inside too well (#1 and #3 are probably my favourites to date and have no real relevance to the interior), but this one attempts to find a hook from inside and comes up with something pretty mild. I still love Greg Guler's covers though. Will be very interested to see David Hedgecock on #8 but I hope Greg sticks around.

The art -- Really gorgeous. David Hedgecock has received some flak for his model work, but I have to say... I grew up on lisenced books. Spidey and X-Men were all too convoluted to get into, but Turtles, Sonic, Bucky O'Hare -- this stuff I knew where I was. And I know being 'off-model' is considered a pretty heinous crime by people who read these kinds of books. But my favourite artists, and often the most popular artists, were never the most on-model. Often the artists who tacked closest to the models produced characters who looked just a little plastic, a little too perfect, a little dead behind the eyes. David's model work is decent given the scores of characters he has to master each issue, but more than that, we really get a sense of the characters' intelligence and purpose, of momentum and fluidity. It's good, compelling art and I'm so glad he's having a good run at it. (My only hope is that if it is necessary to switch artists for a future issue that we can have the same person working on a sequence of stories -- this was what felt a little jarring about #3-5, though it was for entirely understandable reasons).

The colours -- Rich, atmospheric, true to the original, but really dramatic and bold as well. I particularly appreciate London on the last page looking like the late 20th century and not the late 19th -- alive with light. Often I'll see American presentations of London -- including in 'M.I.A.' where admittedly there was probably pressure to reuse the same backdrops for the 1940s and 1990s sections -- where it feels somehow dated. And of course, parts of it are historic. But growing up in London, all this seemed normal to me and so presentations which really honed in on the ancient aspects always startled me a bit. The Shari/Thailog colours are especially splendid. (Although -- being ultra-pernickety -- stars can't turn up in front of the shadowy portion on a crescent moon!).

I'm thrilled King Arthur is turning up, the London clan look amazing, and the details about the history of the stone and the naming of Portugal really stand out for me. I'm completely psyched to see where this goes next.

Big thanks to Greg, David, Robby, Greg G and the guys at SLG!

Greg responds...

Scripting issues #7-9, my guiding principle was to reveal info not in the order it happens but rather on a "need-to-know" basis for the reader, indeed emphasizing the connectivity of all that was taking place.

Response recorded on January 17, 2008

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Rebel writes...

This isn't really a question as it is a review/comment/whatever. Anyway, I just wanted to say THANK YOU for deciding to have the London Gargoyles resemble more animals than just lions, unicorns, and griffins. For the last ten years or so, I had always assumed that the London clan gargoyles would resemble other animals of heraldry as well, such as bears, boars, wolves, foxes, stags, rams, bats, etc., and when I read in the wiki a few months ago that they would all look like unicorns, griffins, and lions, I was SO disappointed. I am so glad that this is not the case. The two new gargoyles are beautiful and I am looking forward to learning more about them in the next two issues, and possibly seeing some other London Clan members as well. Once again THANKS!

Also, I just wanted to mention that Hedgecock's art is greatly improving and is really, really good in this issue. There are still a few things that seem a little off, like for instance he often seems to make the characters' heads a little too big which makes them seem cartoony, and they sometimes look really angular instead of organic. But overall he's doing a great job. He's really good with facial expressions. I LOVE the look on Lex's face when they first wake up with jetlag! Also the pages where Shari is telling Thailog those stories are all really great. Of course the final page is beautiful as well. And he does a really awesome job with mechanical characters; the page with Coldsteel and Coyote is awesome! Anyway kudos to Hedgecock!

Overall #7 was a great issue. The non-linear format was great (incidentally, although I miss the cartoon it's worth noting that this non-linear format likely would not have worked as well on the TV show). Thanks for all you do.

Greg responds...

The non-linear thing -- especially to the extent I did it in issues #7-9 -- would not have worked AT ALL on television. Snippets so brief, they would barely register. Not enough time for visual cues, and without the captions to indicate date and time, impossible. But if you left an image on screen long enough for a chyron to register, you'd blow the rhythm of the whole thing. I definitely WOULD have told this story, but it would not have been in this format at all.

Thanks for the kind words, and I've passed on to Dave that he seems to be winning some people over with his latest stuff.

Response recorded on January 16, 2008

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Ntripy writes...

Are the scrolls depicted in #7 just a creative way to present the story in the comic, or do they actually exist in the Gargoyles Universe?

Greg responds...

They're an artistic conceit.

Response recorded on January 16, 2008

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Purplegoldfish writes...

My review for #7, "The Rock"

I really like the non-linear format. I think it's really creative. It's like a puzzle with missing pieces that makes me ache for more. The first time I read it, it appeared to be totally random-but the more I read it, the more I realized that it's not random at all-the panels all seem to be very deliberately placed the way they are for a reason. This leads me to think that those three enigmatic panels on page two,(Bomb unit, "Amp", and Fox's shoes), are tied together somehow.

I like the little snippets of Shari's stories to Thailog, and the muted sepia tones used to convey the stories. It took my third reading to realize that the story pages are shaped like scrolls, nice little touch. I just love those little glimpses we get of Shari and Thailog (and sometimes Brentwood). For some reason I find it humorous to see Thailog performing mundane tasks like bathing, being on the computer, and playing chess while Shari drones on to him. I wonder what their relationship is exactly-probably more of a power struggle than anything, but in a bizarre way, they are kind of a match for each other.

It's nice to see Macbeth working with the gargoyles and becoming the clan's ally. I trust him, but I'm mildly surprised that Goilath is so quick to send his clanmates out to help him-seeing as he wasn't always their friend. I guess all one needs to do to convince Goliath is to pull the "Xanatos card." And it turns out they're right-Xanatos is working behind their backs.

Goliath's line is interesting-"healed but not whole." I was under the impression that gargoyles fully heal at sunrise. So I take it to mean that he's emotionally drained.

Personally, I don't feel sorry for Brooklyn. He had the chance to go to London and potentially meet unattached female gargoyles...but he passed on it. Angela didn't choose him, he needs to get over it. Though I am very curious as to Angela's and Broadway's intent-they were so happy at the prospect of going to Scotland-but then easily changed their minds. Angela's got some sort of plan brewing-to try to cheer Brooklyn up maybe? She's got to realize that brooklyn is pining for her-she's always been able to catch on to things pretty quiclkly in the show.

The clans seem to have found another ally in Dr. Sato-that's very good-especially since he can be a very helpful ally in troubling times.

Hehe, I loved the panels of Macbeth waiting for Lex and Hudson to wake up-nice subtle humour there. And gargoyle jetlag, lol. I once lost a whole day thanks to jetlag. I'm kind of curious as to what Lex and Hudson did in that ten day interim.

I found that panel that shows Macbeth trying to take back the stone in 1950 hilarious. "Scotland Forever!" LOL. "You'de be surprised" indeed.

Telling panel placement here-the scheming Xanatos scene taking place directly after the panel in which Hudson asks "Who exactly are we expecting?"
The Coyote Diamond...Nothing ever wasted in Gargoyles. Xanatos, Cyote, and Coldsteel...not a good combination. Part of the Illuminati's plan? Or something else?

I love the Othello/Desdemona/Iago story page. The way they're subtley turning to stone, and the iconic Hakon mace image. That must've been their last sunrise as flesh beings. And I love how the "Timeless love story" caption integrates into the Goliath and Elisa scene.

Speaking of the G/E scene, love it. The way it parallels the breakup scene in issue #3. Goliath and Elisa are careful not to mention the children issue, a discussion for another night. But the not-so-subtle placement of the panel where Maggie is revealed to be pregnant is brilliant. It's nice to see Goliath so happy-he's been having a tough week. And I love how passionate that kiss looked. Did Goliath initiate it?

I wasn't all that surprised at Maggie's pregnancy for some reason. Though if I were her, I would be terrified. What is their kid going to be? Mutate? Human? A mixture of both? I have kind of a bad feeling that things are going to be rough for them.

And the exciting cliffhanger-King Arthur and the London Gargoyles are up to something as well. Are they on the same side? Nice designs for the new London gargs, and as others have mentioned, it's nice to see a full figured female gargoyle.

The art: There's a few minor problems-like that closeup of Elisa's face-kind of reminds me of Ariel from the Little Mermaid-but Hedgecock's art has vastly improved, I think. Characters are much more on-model. I'm impressed. And kudos to Robby Bevard and his terrific coloring. The best coloring work on the book, in my opinion. He really payed attention to giving the correct lighting to the diffrent settings, and like I mentioned earlier, I love the effect of the scroll scenes.

Terrific start to an intrigueing new story arc, and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Greg responds...

I'm not sure Shari would appreciate you saying she's "droning". And I'm not sure Thailog would stand for droning. (Now you're on the Illuminati's list!)

Healing -- depending on the wound -- is exhausting. Remember Angela after she nearly died at the hands of the Hunters. One day as stone heals, but it exhausts the body. Goliath is in fact physically not at 100% in #7.

I think Goliath did initiate the kiss... AFTER Elisa stroked his hair. Think of it as the best kind of cultural exchange.

Response recorded on January 14, 2008

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KingCobra_582 writes...

Picked up my copy of Gargoyles #7 today. After all these weeks, it's finally here.

And, after the very mild disappointment I had with issue 6, it was worth the wait too.

**SPOILERS**

PROS:

More great story twists.

-I didn't see Maggie's pregnancy coming, oddly. Those were some great moments, with Talon and Maggie looking at each other like that.
-It was cool seeing Claw again, even if it was only for one panel, and he didn't do anything.
-The cover threw me off somewhat, which is a good thing.
-More Elisa and Goliath stuff. At least it's not too angsty this time.
-Does Goliath know that Brooklyn is bothered by B & A's relationship? I had the impression at first, when he looks over Brooklyn's shoulder at them, that he had a good idea. But then it occurred to me that Goliath may have been silently asking them to stay with his second. So which is it?
-Nice little Lex moments. I liked the expression on his face when he complains about 'I don't feel so hot.'
-On a semi-related note, who's this 'Amp'? Is Lex naming someone or simply giving them a nickname?
-I loved that MacBeth/King Arthur moment. Though I admit that, since I thought they left on good terms in 'Pendragon', I am a little confused. What's Arthur hiding/protecting? Also, since Arthur's here, kudos on introducing the new gargoyles at the end. And is that Griff behind Lex and Hudson?
-Nice throwback to the Cold Trio. And I'm eager to know what Xanatos, Coyote, and Coldsteel are up to. Whatever it is, it can't be good. Is this part of Xanatos' Illuminati assignment?
-The bits about Gathelus interested me greatly. Thanks, Greg. You made me want to do research on this guy.

As usual, Greg, you have left me with so many questions, and very few answers. Thank you.

The art was decent. Hedgecock has definitely come a long way since #1.

CONS:

These are very minor things that I was able to let go of. They didn't really ruin my enjoyment too much.
-The biblical reference. Mainly because (and this is a self-personal quip. I'm not trying to offend anyone or push my beliefs.) I'm not really into religion. No offense.
-The constant time changes were a little confusing.

End the rant.

A near-perfect issue that I really enjoyed. Great writing, great story, and I loved the artwork. Plot threads left dangling, but then, I love being in suspense, so that was a big plus too. There were a couple of flaws, but I was able to ignore them.

What a hell of an great issue. I can't wait for #8. :)

Merry Christmas.

Greg responds...

Goliath now knows about Brooklyn's angst.

You don't have to be religious to appreciate the bible. I personally don't regard it as a religious text (for myself) -- but it's without a doubt a great repository for stories. It's definitely worth a read.

Response recorded on January 14, 2008

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Harvester of Eyes writes...

ISSUE #7 REVIEW.

Sorry, I've been lax for the last few comics, but I intend to start these up again with a vengeance (if you'll pardon the expression).

First off, right from the get-go, the story reaches out and grabs you. It's barely been forty-eight hours since Thailog crashed the party, and some of the clan are leaving the castle to accompany Macbeth to Europe. It was great how Macbeth appealed to Goliath, too. He pretty much summed it up: Xanatos is their landlord. Nothing more. So needless to say, it was also great to see Xanatos working behind Goliath's back in this one.

As we see in this issue, he hadn't changed that much even as far back as "Possession". Coldfire and Coldsteel were still his creations, so it would stand to reason that he'd add something to their construction which would allow him to "call" one of them. Can't wait to see what his plan is, as well as the Society's interest in the Stone.

The cutscenes to Thailog and his crew were also interesting. I'm wondering if that will tie in somehow. Shari is a nine, so she probably has some knowledge of Xanatos's assignment. And Thailog and Brentwood were obviously digging for something.

It was also interesting to see a gargoyle's reaction to jet lag, especially since I think that's been a topic of discussion in the Station 8 comment room before. So I have to wonder if they got to see the sun before they adjusted. Especially since Hudson made a remark in "The Mirror" stating that he'd like to see it, just once.

And the gargoyles at the end were a very nice shocker. Though I think it's great, after seeing Demona, Angela, Ophelia, and Desdemona, to see a more full-figured female among the gargoyle race. I can't wait to see which one Lexington might have been referring to on the second page of the issue (if indeed it was one of them).

As far as the art is concerned, I think Hedgecock is getting better, though I think he's still grappling with conveying emotion on close-ups of the faces. But the coloring in this one more than made up for that.

Overall, this issue was a hell of a fun ride loaded with a lot of neat little twists. Can't wait to read more.

Greg responds...

Good, cuz, you know, we're making more.

Response recorded on January 11, 2008

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Antiyonder writes...

- Have to say, this story arc is one I'm was looking forward to. Didn't think we'd get to that team up between Coyote 5.0. and Coldsteel for awhile. While I knew Xanatos would still be in conflict with the Gargoyles at times, I wasn't sure if he would still use the Coyote Robots or not.

- Getting to see Macbeth Post-Journey was a plus. I wonder if he knows about his minions current employer. I could help but chuckle when he was having his drink while waiting for Lexington and Hudson to awaken.

- Don't know why, but this cliffhanger's got me the most excited for the next issue. Not saying the others weren't of course.

- Nice to see David's penciling on the comic again. I'm probably in the minority, but I found his artwork in #3 to be the start of his improvement in the series.

Looking forward to the next issue, as well as Bad Guys #2.

Greg responds...

Me too!

Response recorded on January 10, 2008

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dph writes...

My review of issue #7

Let me start by saying that I found this issue very intriguing, more so than normal. I wish I had the next two issues with me so that I could put together the whole story all at once. Where do I start? With something I've almost completely ignored in my thoughts up to now. Xanatos let Macbeth visit the gargoyles on the top of the castle. The last time (and first time) that Macbeth visited the gargoyles on top of the castle, he offered them a favor: a new home. In this story, we get the reverse: Macbeth asking the gargoyles for a favor. Things have changed a lot since then. Anyways, Macbeth wants to personally insure that the Stone of Destiny makes its way back to Scotland.

Since I'm guessing that you'll stick with real world history, the Stone of Destiny (or a likeness of it) will be returned, but that isn't important as the journey that the Stone takes to get to its destination.

It's nice to see Macbeth using 'conventional* transportation - an aircraft not an airship - to travel. Xanatos allowing Macbeth to visit the gargoyles makes sense in that he can monitor their communication. Had Xanatos denied Macbeth the visit to the gargoyles on top of the castle, Macbeth and the gargoyles would have met anyways with Xanatos being in the dark about what happened in that meeting. Xanatos's comment about planning for this contigency makes me wonder if Xanatos's original plan called for interference from Macbeth, gargoyles, or both?

Dr Sato meeting the mutates was interesting. When I first read "treating someone in Maggie's 'condition'", my immediate thoughts were her being a mutate, not anything else.

Was Macbeth that bored or that sleepy? Either way, it makes sense for him to do something to pass the time. Macbeth explaining to the gargoyles that they experienced jet lag helps explain the situation. Hopefully (and humorously), Angela's whisper to Broadway isn't going to turn into a giant speculation as big as something else. I hope we get to see more of the flashback of Macbeth trying to recover the Stone of Destiny in 1950. When you wrote "Gathelus and his family would wander the globe for Two Years", did you literally mean the entire globe or just Europe?

Anyways, Xanatos's line of "The stone's flawless surfaces and clarity increase the speed of " and the picture showing location have me fairly convinced that the diamond is an essential part of Coyote 5.0's "computer core". I wouldn't have caught the reference except for an episode of Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego where Carmen took some coal and turned into a diamond and the detectives installed it into their computer system and somehow speeded things up. On the other hand, I could be way completely off-base in the assumption that the crystal is part of the computer core.

When Dr Sato mentions that Maggie needs an o.b., I had no idea what that meant, but then others in the s8 cr pointed out that was a way of saying that Maggie was pregnant.

King Arthur pulling a sword onto Macbeth really is an indicator of King Arthur's skill, but still one wonders why use the sword instead of an arm. It's nice to see the London clan, again.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story and am looking forward to seeing the next two parts. The intrigue keeps growing as I'm not sure what the true motivation of each player really is.

I have some theories about the use of the Coyote diamond inside of Coyote, but I'm more thrilled that you don't let things go to waste from season 1. Indeed, you are building a great tapestry.

Greg responds...

Thanks. I do try.

Response recorded on January 10, 2008

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Ricky writes...

Hey Greg,

I just managed to get a hold of issue #7, and I have to say it is my absolute favorite so far! The story was great, and I can't wait to find out what happens next, but what I really wanted to comment on was the artwork. I've loved David Hedgecock's unique style and his take on the different looks of the characters since the beginning, but I know that there have been fans who have gone as far as to say they hated it. I noticed that in this issue the characters drawings looked a bit different, maybe as if David had heard the fans' comments and paid attention to their criticism while drawing this issue. So, finally my questions:

1. I'm sure you've heard the fans' criticism and I was wondering did you had talk to David about the fans' concerns? If so, what did you say?

and, if not:

2. Do you know whether David heard the criticism, and if so, is that the reason for the slight difference in the artwork?

Thanks a lot for your time, Greg! Keep up the great work!

Greg responds...

I did talk to David about the fan criticism. The talk went something like this...

Dave: "Man, the fans really seem to hate me."

Greg: "Ignore 'em."

[As I said before, every fan is entitled to his or her opinion, but I thought some of the statements made about the art went beyond what was on the page and ventured into the personal, making all sorts of truly outrageous and/or presumptuous assumptions. I have little tolerance for that.]

Dave's work is improving, mostly because he's getting more and more familiar with the characters, because he's showing what he can do when designing new characters and because, well, practice makes perfect. There was no course correction here. I, for one, have been confident we've been on the right course from day one. But it is a course, not an end point.

I also think that Robby is a great addition to the team.

Response recorded on January 09, 2008

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Matt writes...

Can you give us some clarification on what is going on with Macbeth's coronation in "The Rock" versus "City of Stone". Is this a retcon or did both scenes happen?

Greg responds...

I'm going to say BOTH happened. Yeah...

Response recorded on January 09, 2008

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Chip writes...

I have so much to say about "The Rock". I don't even know where to begin. Normally I'd start at the beginning, but the issue doesn't even start there...

MacBeth needs Goliath and clan's aid. It think that for Mac, this is more than just asking a favor. This is him officially making peace with the clan. We knew he was pro-goyle from "The Journey" but now he officially becomes an ally. Oddly enough, Xanatos is not. We live in his castle, but he's not our friend.

So X makes a deal with Coldsteel (Interesting that X is holding all the cards in his alliance with Coldsteel) and C teams up with Coyote 5.0 I love it, and knowing Coyote, he won't last long. This one has the Coyote diamond, I wonder if Xanatos reused parts from 4.0 and the Cauldron of Life?

Jacob's pillow. Hmm...I see that Shari likes telling storys, on a completely unrealated note...ever read Arabian Nights?

Nice touch with the City of Stone reference on page 4, and I got a chuckle out of "Magic talking stone" Yay, Scotland!

And now Shari's story about Gathelus. As an Egyptologist (or rather a student, as I'm not one yet) I loved this story. I feel that Gathelus must have done far more than just win some battles though...for a Pharaoh can only claim right to the throne if he's married to the daughter of a Pharaoh. By giving Gathelus his daughter, the Pharaoh was essentially saying you are next in line for the throne. Quite an honor

I was so pleased that you didn't make the common error of saying that Rhameses II was the Pharaoh of the Exodus. (In fact thank you for not mentioning him by name at all) Calling Rhameses the Exodus Pharaoh is probably my biggest pet peeve and I don't think even Gargoyles would have survived my annoyance.

My thesis paper is on correcting the Egyptian timeline. Egyptologists think of their country as set apart from the rest of the world, as such they've pretty much created their own timeline that doesn't match up with events in the outside world. (the creation of this timeline is complicated, I won't bore you with how it came about) I hope to fix the Sothic timeline. (Which is the false timeline of Egypt)

With the (I use this timeline, but I didn't create it, so I don't claim it as my timeline) amended Timeline the Exodus occured under the reign of Nepherhotep I of the 13th dynasty. A pharaoh who's mummy has never been found. (perhaps because it's in the Red Sea?) a Pharaoh who was lamented in the Papyrus of Ipuwer for (essentially) pissing off (one of) the gods.

According to Manetho (Egyptian historian) the Hyksos invaded shortly after Neferhotep's death and met with no opposistion. (Perhaps because the Egyptian Army with with Neferhotep)

This brings me back to Scota and Gathelus, who befriended Moses and left with Jacob's pillow (Ostensibly during Neferhotep's reign) and who decided to flee with Jacob's Pillow. Which Jacob must have decided was sacred. (Maybe because it could talk?) Does this mean that in the Gargoyles Universe, God himself granted the Stone the ability to speak?

Okay, back to the present (or rather 1996) we see that Sato has become a friend to the Clan and the Labyrinth...and that Maggie is pregnant. THAT through me for a loop. Their children will be mutants rather than Mutates...

As per the cover, Hudson and Lex have jet lag. (Which I figured when I saw big ben on the cover, but I still couldn't stop myself from saying "What scorcery is this") I wonder if when they return to Manhattan the jet lag will work in reverse and Hudson will get his wish of seeing the sun. When I showed my mother the Hudson and Lex Jet lag page she laughed and said "Gargoyles get jet lag?"

Lex felt funny after waking up so I surmise that he and Hudson couldn't absorb Thermal energy during the night, and as such couldn't get the full benifits of Stone Sleep

Back and Manhattan (on the second) Brooklyn tries to avoid the happy couple (and Goliath catches on quick, as opposed to Broadway and Angela, who don't seem to get that Brook is avoiding them) Poor Brook, unlucky in love so often...I really can't wait untill he meets Katana...come to think of it...I want to meet Katana too.

In Scotland Mac, Hudson, and Lex have set up an all night watch on the stone...and Mac reaveals (to the audience) that he was one of the ones responsible for the theft in 1950. (Wonder what went wrong there? Why was the stone returned?)

We Shari tells us of the origins of Portugal and Coldstone (Though not on the same nights) and Goliath and Elisa try to work out their feelings. (And Elisa strokes G's hair!!!)

We see the last part of Shari's story as to how the stone came to be in Ireland, and the rest as they say is history. (No really, it's historical fact now, not mere legend)

Mac see's a shadow, and goes to investigate and it turns out to be King Arthur. Normally I'd like to think of Arthur as a good guy, but in this case...Arthur has a connection to the stone...he might be trying to take it or prevent it's return to Scotland. King Arthur may in fact be a foe. (Which of course show's the strength of Gargoyles, that a person with heroic qualities may in fact be the villian of the piece) And of course if Arthur is an enemy, then so are Griff and the two unknown members of the London clan. (Who's existence is now cannon) Masterful, I give you my full praise, this is the bast issue so far, and I'm sure it only gets better.

Can't wait for more.

Greg responds...

Thanks! I like praise!

Response recorded on January 09, 2008

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Blaise writes...

THE ROCK

***SPOILERS!!***

Got the comic...and a flat tire to boot (darn, stupid, jagged and broken curbs next to parking spaces...). Thank heaven there was a Jiffy Lube across the street from the comic shop.

True to the nature of this narrative, I'm probably going to be a little all over the place with this ramble. It is a bit difficult trying to piece together what happened when, but it's also kind of fun for me. I do wonder if this approach will intrigue or repel new readers, though. I sincerely hope it's the former.

I kind of figured Xanatos was putting the Coyote Diamond into the latest version of Coyote, for some reason. And that bit of intuition, added to Coldsteel's reappearance last issue, led me to believe that this story arc would showcase the team up.
I must admit, I am a bit fascinated by Xanatos's eyepiece in these scenes. It actually reminds me of Jackal's cybernetic eye.

Shari has begun to tell even more bedtime stories to Thailog. While we start hearing them with the origins of the Stone of Destiny, her first story to him (before sunrise on the 3rd, while Thailog's on the computer) deals with the Cold Trio. A followup to the previous night's story, perhaps? After that, for every 24 hours, she expands on the history of the Stone of Destiny. I liked the idea of Thailog lounging in a hot tub for one of these story sessions. I'm also wondering right along with everyone else just what he and Brentwood were digging for in the pre-dawn hours of the 6th. And like Todd, I saw the panel on page 15 as a sort of "dark mirror" of a usual Goliath and Elisa image.
I still wonder how Shari knows all this stuff.

Count me as another who was a bit confused by the reprise of Macbeth's coronation taking place outside. It didn't help that the priest (or whoever) had the same beard style as Macbeth.

I like how Macbeth indicates that Xanatos might go after the Stone.

Broadway, Angela and Lexington seem to be ecstatic at the idea of returning to Scotland. Brooklyn, however, is too busy looking at the happy couple.

I hadn't noticed Owen had replaced Brooklyn with Hudson in his rundown of who's heading for Scotland (if that is what he was giving) until my second read through.

Okay, Fox had a teaser on page 2, and the subject's brought up again on page 7. What the heck is so important about those @#$%&* shoes?!

Panel 2 of page 9 is what had me start thinking Maggie may be pregnant, even before Sato mentioned "Maggie's condition" (with quotation marks!). Just the way she had her hand on her abdomen, I guess. That also led me to conclude that an O.B. (which I had no idea about before tonight) probably had something to do with pregnancy. She sure looks happy, though, doesn't she? Both here, and again on page 20.
I also momentarily got the stone clones and the clan mixed up.

Loved the rather humorous page 10. The cover was an excellent teaser and a great selling gimmick, but it's for a more comedy/trivia element than a major plot point. I actually like the misdirection. It's fascinating to see the effects of "jet lag" on gargoyles.
Of course, by this point I was wondering why I only saw Lex and Hudson with Macbeth.

Then I found out. Brooklyn obviously bowed out so he wouldn't have to be around the "happy couple" during the road trip. But wouldn't you know, they elect to remain behind, too--much to Brooklyn's chagrin, it seems.
However, I notice Angela's whispering to Broadway, and Broadway's emphasis on staying "to help Brooklyn." This leaves me with an idea as to the real reason Broadway and Angela stayed behind.

I actually like seeing the gargoyles working with Macbeth. The flashback to Macbeth being a part of the attempt to steal back the Stone was cool, and it includes one of my favorite bits of dialogue:
MACBETH: (whisper) All right, lads. Now or--
RANDOM IDIOT: *SCOTLAND FOREVER!*
MACBETH: Shhhhh!

Coyote's new design includes the rather creepy idea of the ruined-Xanatos-head image appearing in the mouth of the "dog-head." I just wish I could say that I was as happy with the ruined-head itself--it looks too neat to me. Minor quibble, though. Overall, this comic really does give some of Hedgecock's best work.

Goliath and Elisa have another heart to heart (over 24 hours since Macbeth asked for a favor). Elisa states that "Normalcy's over-rated" (a personal motto of mine for many years). I hadn't noticed that Elisa touched Goliath's hair until someone mentioned it. Now Goliath's elated look makes more sense. And NOW we have a kiss that is more than just a quick peck with both participants in full health. Good.

Thailog and Shari are playing chess. I wonder who's winning.

Count me as another who hadn't expected King Arthur and the London clan to be reintroduced in quite this way. I wonder just what Arthur thinks Macbeth is up to for the latter to earn such a greeting.
As for the new London clanners, it's nice to finally know, one way or the other, just how varied their looks are. I knew the...um, "robust" female would meet with some approval (I like slender, curvaceous female gargoyles as much as the next straight man, but they can't be EVERYWHERE). She definitely has interesting feet, though. And did anyone else notice that there's something she does NOT have...feathered wings. Her wings are the "glider" type with hands.

All in all, even with "Bad Guys" issue 2, it's going to be a hard wait to continue this storyline.

Greg responds...

I think the "Priest" is Bodhe.

Response recorded on January 08, 2008

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Phil writes...

Okay, let's try this.

What did Angela whisper to Broadway just before he decided no to go to England with Macbeth?

(You'd better tell us now, before the mystery gets all blown out of proportion.)

Greg responds...

<chuckle>

I really didn't think this was much of a mystery. I don't know her exact words, but it was something like: "If Goliath isn't well, we should really back Brooklyn up here, so he isn't on his own if there's trouble."

It was all very well-meaning. With the density (that I have often observed) common in the newly coupled, they don't realize the effect they're having on poor Brook. Too busy staring into each others' eyes, I guess.

Of course, Angela knows or knew that Brook had a crush on her, but she also ONLY viewed it as a crush and didn't take it too seriously, and again -- without thinking too deeply about it, assuming she's thinking at all about it -- must assume he's over it by now. Lex seems to be.

B.W. perhaps should be more sensitive, but he's equally blind to it. And to be fair, Brooklyn's keeping his angst to himself. What's obvious to the reader, isn't always obvious to the characters. Look at what tips you off, and look and see if the other characters are privy to that knowledge.

It's only in this scene that Goliath finally figures it out.

Having typed the above, I'm half-inclined to delete it all. To some extent, it feels like I'm cheating as a storyteller by explaining this. Either it's working or it's not. So if I DON'T delete, it's totally due to how you phrased the question, Phil. This isn't a mystery worth years of speculation -- assuming even the Titania/Fox thing was worth that. So there you have it. Unless I delete. In which case, you don't.

Response recorded on January 07, 2008

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Greg Bishansky writes...

I thought this was a very interesting issue, and I am definitely intrigued to see where this goes.

First off, I'm glad to see Macbeth is back. He was always one of my favorite characters in the series, and I've been anticipating his return for quite a while now. I liked the little reference to his henchmen, Banquo and Fleance leaving him to join the Quarrymen. I was also amused to learn that Macbeth was involved with the real attempted theft of the Stone of Destiny in 1950.

Xanatos is still up to his old tricks. I'm assuming this is the assignment the Illuminati sent him on, and he seems to be pulling all the stops. Coldsteel and a new Coyote robot. Coyote 5.0 to be precise. I love how just because he's harboring the gargoyles, he isn't their friend. He's obviously going to be working against them in this one, considering their goals are as far as we know, quite different.

Shari is giving Thailog the history of the world. She works wonderfully well for exposition, but I don't think she's a plot device. I am sure there's a very strong reason for her to know all this, and to be telling Thailog these stories. If my theory on her real identity is correct, anyway. Can't wait to find out. Plus, it looks like Thailog is going to get involved in the fight for the Stone. Hmm, I wonder what he and Brentwood were looking for.

Goliath and Elisa... FINALLY. "Normalcy is overrated" indeed.

I've been waiting a while to see the return of King Arthur. Last time he and Macbeth met, Macbeth promised to be an ally. Let's see how that works out in #8. Also, I am very sure that's Sir Griff standing behind Lexington and Hudson... good to see the London Clan back.

Poor Brooklyn. Are Broadway and Angela trying to rub it in?

The art. Yes, Hedgecock has gotten better. A couple of panels need more work, but I think this time he also lucked out with a great colorist. Robby Bevard's colors are very strong, he's a seasoned veteran in the comic industry, and a long time fan. While I miss Stephanie Lostimolo's colors on the covers, Robby is a worthy replacement, and I doubt he's going to have trouble filling those big shoes.

Heh, two "Gargoyles" books out on time, and within two weeks of each other. If we have one once a month like everyone hopes, I'll be a very happy man.

Good issue, and the start of a very intriguing arc. I'm a sucker for this kind of stuff, anyway.

Greg responds...

Me too.

I said months ago that I thought issue #7 would blow minds? Was I right?

Response recorded on January 07, 2008

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Matt writes...

Okay, question about "The Rock", this may be hard to follow so first I'll write this out:

November 2nd.
5:14pm EST - Goliath agrees to send the Trio and Angela with Macbeth.
5:15pm EST - Brooklyn, Broadway and Angela decide to remain in Manhattan. Goliath sends Hudson to lead the expedition.
5:18pm EST - Owen, spying on Macbeth and the gargoyles, informs Xanatos who instructs Owen not to interfere.

Alright, my question is at 5:18 when Owen is on the phone with Xanatos he says, "Yes, Macbeth, Hudson, Broadway, Angela and Lexington... Shall I attempt to stop them?" Why would Owen be including Broadway and Angela if it had already been decided they were not going to go. He knows Brooklyn opted not to go, but Broadway and Angela backed out seconds later, how did he miss that? Did he miss that part when he was dialing up Xanatos or is this an error or is something else going on here?

Greg responds...

Owen is literally speaking IN BETWEEN the moment when Goliath allowed Brooklyn to opt out, but before Broadway spoke up. The "5:15" scene takes longer than three minutes to be completed. So it overlaps with the "5:18" scene. It made sense when I wrote it. I think I timed the dialogue and pauses roughly with the sweep second hand of the clock on my desk chair. But it ain't perfect.

Response recorded on January 03, 2008

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Todd Jensen writes...

Just bought and read Gargoyles #7 today. I'm especially delighted with it.

I had suspected for a while that this issue would involve the Stone of Destiny (the hints in the descriptions of #7 - #9 fitted that, as did the timing), and so was not surprised. I enjoyed Shari's account of the Stone's past history to Thailog, all the way up to its arrival in Ireland. Some of it (such as Jacob using it as a pillow in Bethel) was familiar to me; some of it was new. (I'd heard of Gathelus and Scota before, but only a little; I certainly want to find out more about them, such as whether they really were associated with an origin-myth concerning Portugal's name.) I liked the touch of Shari telling Thailog part of the story as he's carrying her about - a dark counterpart of Goliath carrying Elisa about, perhaps?

The team-up between Coldsteel and the new Coyote didn't entirely surprise me either (I remember you'd hinted at that in your Masterplan document), but I liked seeing its beginning. And I thought it very appropriate that Xanatos would incorporate the Coyote Diamond from "Her Brother's Keeper" into his latest Coyote.

So Macbeth was involved in the 1950 theft of the Stone of Destiny? Another amusing touch.

And now it seems that Maggie's pregnant. I also like the notion of Dr. Sato now becoming better acquainted with the Mutates as well as the gargoyles.

When you gave Macbeth a home at Berkeley Square, did you have the stories about the nasty hauntings at No. 50 there in mind?

I hope you don't mind this, but I spotted a couple of errors (or possible errors) on the fourth page, when Macbeth's explaining to the gargoyles about the Stone of Destiny. The flashback to his coronation shows it taking place in the open air, but it was in indoors in "City of Stone Part Three". And Macbeth claims that the Stone is being returned to Scotland after eight hundred years - it should be seven hundred, since Edward I took it in 1296.

I liked the jet lag scene for Lexington and Hudson. (At least Goliath, Angela, and Bronx didn't seem to suffer from that on the Avalon World Tour. Did Avalon's magic compensate?)

A lovely scene between Goliath and Elisa as well. I particularly liked the allusions to their break-up conversation in #3.

And a great cliff-hanger ending with King Arthur and the London gargoyles suddenly appearing. Apparently they don't all look like lions, unicorns, and griffons after all. I look forward to learning about these two new members - and also more about Lexington's "I'll call you Amp" line. (To anyone who's read about the series' comedy development, it's a wonderful in-joke.)

Looking forward to #8.

Greg responds...

The main influences for Berkeley Square are two-fold:

1. My parents have a dear friend who lives there.

2. The song: "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" which I've been listening to a lot for some reason.

But, yes, I was aware.

As for the errors...

The coronation ALWAYS should have been on Moot Hill, i.e. outdoors. We messed that up in the show. (Or maybe for show, Mac did the coronation twice.) In any case, we sought to correct the error here in the comic.

But yes, it should have been seven hundred years. I don't know HOW THE HECK I made that mistake. Drives me nuts, unless... perhaps Mac is intentionally exaggerating for effect! Yeah, that's the ticket!! ;)

Avalon's magic does compensate for jet-lag.

Response recorded on January 03, 2008

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Matt writes...

My Review For Gargoyles #7, "The Rock"...

- Picked up a couple copies of "The Rock" today. There were only a couple issues left and the store had only been open an hour, which was cool. It was also nice to see that the store apparently had ordered some more issues of "Reunion". When I checked out, the clerk said "Good choice" which led to a long discussion about the series and the comic. She is apparently a huge Elisa fan. Our discussion reminded her to put the DVDs on her x-mas list. We talked a while more and she is really wanting to go to the Gathering, so who knows, she might end up riding there with me (St. Louis to Chicago). Nice to make friends over Gargoyles.

- On to the comic. When I first saw the cover (we didn't have any released previews this time!) I laughed. Reading "Stone... At Night?!" I actually said (under my breath) "What sorcery is this?!" Spotting Big Ben I quickly figured out what was going on. Nice to see Hudson featured better than he has been on covers so far. Lex looks good too. Nice cover.

- Okay, so the book itself. I knew it was going to be non-linear, and I knew Greg could pull that off. I guess I didn't know what to expect, but I loved it. I've read the book twice already and like all the previous chapters it is exciting to read, full of surprises and finishes with a bunch of anticipation and questions. This is the kind of story that I will almost have to wait until Issue #9 to really review. That said, there are a couple things I really enjoyed:

- I know it is a very minor point, but I liked seeing many of the recurring human characters (Macbeth, Fox, Xanatos) in something besides their typical series costume. That is definitely a strength of the comic book. Of course, Elisa is still in her usual jeans, black t-shirt and red jacket. Maybe it helps her keep a sense of "normalcy"!

- One of the neatest traits of the Gargoyles Universe, and Greg's writing abilities, is that nothing ever gets wasted. I'm happy to see the Coyote Diamond again, and surprised to see it planted (for some reason) in the newest Coyote robot. Is this the first time the Diamond has been put into Coyote or has every version of him contained the Diamond? Just another question this chapter leaves us asking.

- I love how Shari's tales are told to us in sepia tones and scrolls. One has to ask where she is learning all this (particularly the Coldtrio stuff), but I like the way it is shown and told. Which leads me to the art of the book. I always liked Hedgecock's work from Issue #1, and I think he is getting better and better. Hedgecock maybe hasn't been drawing Gargoyles characters for the past eleven years, but he is catching up fast, IMHO. This is absolutely his best issue so far, and I'm glad to see him back on the book regularly. Great stuff.

- Who would've thought we'd be seeing Gruoch this soon in the comic, and who would've thought we'd EVER see the little green gargoyle from Demona's Clan (a fan favorite, I think) in the comic! Cool cameos.

- Ah, the never ending drama of Brooklyn, Broadway and Angela. This slow boiling plot is getting awfully fun to watch. I think I've said it in nearly every review so far, so I can't leave out a "Poor Brooklyn"... Seems Goliath is starting to get wise to the situation as well. And since when can Broadway just say he and Angela are gonna stay in Manhattan when Goliath has more or less ordered them to accompany Macbeth? Ah well. Speaking of Goliath, we get a nice follow-up to the Elisa-Goliath Halloween story. Well done. It really says something when fictional characters cause such an emotional reaction for the reader/viewer. And not to leave out Talon and Maggie the Cat, who may be expecting a Mutate-ling in a few months. When Sato mentioned Maggie's "condition" I wondered if maybe she was preggers, though I though maybe we are just talking about the Mutate thing in general. Then with the mention of "O.B." I got excited. Cool stuff. Nice to see that Elisa is taking advantage of Dr. Sato's expertise after the revelation to him in "Bash". Ya know, it's refreshing to think that years ago when I wrote a review for "Deadly Force" I mentioned something about how I'd love to see Dr. Sato become a friend of the Clan. Sort of the antithesis of Sevarius. Very fun.

- Still have no idea what is up with Fox's shoes. Guess I'll wait til Issue #9 to talk about that. But seriously, Xanatos is a multi-billionaire, just buy the damn shoes, hell, buy the STORE! No biggie.

- I like that gargoyles "jetlag" and I like that that is canon-ized now. I also think it's fun that Hudson and Lex can feel it. Macbeth is fun here too. It's like he keeps waiting for them to wake up and is thinking the are a bit late and a bit more late and a bit more late and finally he gets his look like "Ummm... you guys gonna wake up or not?" Long time to stand there drinking coffee.

- I guess I shouldn't have been surprised to see the London Clan once we ended up in London, but I was a bit. Arthur was a bit of a surprise as well. I guess the most surprising thing was the APPEARENCE of the two London Clan members we could see clearly (it looks to me like the third in the foreground is Griff, we'll see). All these years Greg has said that Unicorns, Lions and Griffons were all we'd get. Now we see a stag-like dude and a (very cool) boar-like female. I dunno if Greg's comments were simply along the lines of "I don't want to tie the hands of the artists" or if he was just being totally elusive and deceitful, but either way it led to a great and fun ending to the book. Very very cool.

- So, overall a great book. Great writing, great reveals, great mysteries, great art. There were no errors I could find save one, in "Etched in Stone" Greg writes "Clan Building, Chapter Five: Reunion" when of course he means Chapter Six. That is one error I can live with. Looking to the trade paperback, Bad Guys #2 and Gargoyles #8. What a great time to be a Gargoyles-fan!!!

Greg responds...

That's also an error I can take FULL responsibility for, which is as it should be. I'm the only one who should be screwing up the book! ;)

Anyway, in prepping this three-parter and Pendragon, I've given a lot more detailed thought to the London Clan. More revelations to come, obviously.

I do feel I missed a bet on the Macbeth waiting page. There should have been a panel right before the last panel on the page showing only the stone Lex and Hudson and no Macbeth. The copy would have read as follows:

CAPTION 1: NOVEMBER 3, 6:44PM GMT.

CAPTION 2: BATHROOM BREAK.

Response recorded on January 02, 2008

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Gargoyles #7

I'm informed that we have confirmation that Gargoyles #7 has hit the stands. I'll cop to being extremely excited/anxious/nervous about this one. Garg #5 was fun for me of course, but Garg #7 represents the first issue of the book where I really felt like a comic book writer again, and not just a tv writer moonlighting. This is a story I could NOT have told -- certainly not in this way -- on television. It's chock full of stuff too. I really hope you guys like it.


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Latest Update

Okay, here's what I know as of right now.

First off, the reprint of Gargoyles #6 should be in stores tomorrow (11/14/07). You SHOULD be able to exchange first printing copies for the reprint if you'd like. Notice the emphasis on SHOULD. Let me quote a recent e-mail from SLG publisher Dan Vado in answer to my question as to whether local stores know about this:

"The store issue is a tough one. They have been as informed as they possibly can be, that is we paid to have notices sent to them, there will be an item on their invoice and there was a mention in the weekly newsletter from Diamond Comics as well as from me personally in my retailer newsletter and on a retailer message board. That being said, I was on a conference call with two retailers yesterday, two who buy direct form me regualrly and are among those stores I would count as hard core supporters, and they had no clue they were getting new copies this week or about the replacement issue. So, as I have been mentioning to fans, the best thing to do if the retailer looks at them like they were crazy is to not bother them or get angry with them, just tear off the cover [of their old printing copy] and send it to us [at SLG] and we will replace the book directly. This is why we have not sent copies to Amazon yet and why it has not been on our website yet."

So, not a perfect world, but I really do think it's as good as it gets given the situation.

Next up, Bad Guys #1. This SHOULD be out by the end of this month. Unfortunately, because of Thanksgiving, that's not a lock. But if it's not out the last week of November, it will be out the first week of December. (In any case, it's ALL finished -- and approved.)

After that, expect Gargoyles #7 approximately three weeks after Bad Guys #1 hits the stores -- which SHOULD still put it in December -- unless Christmas messes that up, in which case it should be out the first week in January. The book is also ALL finished, but has not yet been approved.

After that, the Gargoyles Clan-Building Volume #1 Trade Paperback. Galleys are being reviewed now, but it should be out in late December or early January. We may delay it a week or two so that it isn't coming out the EXACT same week as BG1 or G7. Then again we may not.

After that, um, I guess Bad Guys #2, which is currently being finished by Karine.

After that Gargoyles #8, which is being pencilled by David.

After that Bad Guys #3, which is being scripted now by me.

After that Gargoyles #9, which has ALREADY been scripted by me. Uh... how did that happen?

Anyway, that's all I know at this time.

gdw


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SF writes...

Gargoyles #7; "The Rock", is it about Pendragon, or Demona, or Hakon?

Greg responds...

I'm not revealing any more at this time beyond what is stated in the solicitation blurb, which can be found here: http://gargoyles.dracandros.com/The_Rock

Response recorded on August 27, 2007


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