Blizzard Sprite writes...

Hello. I'm a first time poster on this site, though I've been browsing it for months, reading the archives so I don't ask an already answered question. I had seen sporadic episodes of Gargoyles when I was much younger, and so I never got to enjoy the benefits of the continuing and developing storylines. It wasn't until I actually watched the entire Gargoyle series over the summer on DVR on Disney that I got finally understood my sister's pure delight in the fantastic franchise. When looking for more information on Gargoyles, I came across this place. My question really pertains to characterization of a few characters, though I’ll submit the other questions separately so this isn’t constrewed as posting one question with separate topics.

One aspect of the Gargoyles series that really stands out is the diversity of the characters in terms of ethnicity. One of the main characters, Eliza, is of African American and Native American descent. I think that was one of the factors that made the series so good. The show was definitely progressive in that aspect.

1. I was wondering if there were any challenges in pitching a show whose main human character was of color?
2. Were there certain things that you weren’t allowed to do, or topics that were generally avoided, such as active discrimination and racism against Eliza or any of the other characters of color on the show?
3. Was there any doubt amongst yourself or perhaps the channel executives that Caucasian viewers would be unable to relate to a protagonist of color?

I understand the question might come off as offensive, but I do ask out of genuine interest.

Thank you for your time, Mr. Weisman.

Charisma82 writes...

Did Matt ever tell Elisa that he was a member of the Illuminate? I ask because in the episode Revelations Matt says that it didn’t pay to keep Elisa in the dark about things (speaking about the incident with the Dracons in The Silver Falcon). After going on and on about how they should trust each other in the episode Revelations, it would seem contradictory of what Matt had just been through to not tell Elisa. But then, maybe he has his reasons to keep it a secret. Care to shed some light on the subject?

Thank you for your time and all that you do,

-Charisma82

Purplegoldfish writes...

Hi Greg, this is a rather silly question...

I was watching the "Avalon" trilogy the other day, and it came to the part where King Arthur, Elisa, and the Magus arrived at Oberon's Palace after Arthur is awakened. Elisa introduces Arthur to Goliath and the others, and Arthur comments that he needs someone to tell him "what is going on".

So, here's the thing...I find it hard to believe that neither Elisa nor the Magus gave Arthur any background info on the walk back from the Hollow Hill. Were they talking at all? ( I know if I were personally taking a hike with King Arthur, I would be embarassed to say anything dumb and would just cast sidelong glances at him awkwardly lol).

Algernon writes...

Hey again Greg,
This question kinda came to me out of nowhere earlier and I tried searching the archives to see if it had already been touched on. To my suprise it doesn't seem to have come up so I'll ask it here. Did Elisa ever have a partner before Matt and if so, whatever happened to him/her?

Night Angel writes...

Hi Greg I'm sure you've heard this plenty of times but I am a huge fan of the gargoyles!! One day I'm hoping to become a film editor in the future, maybe even own my own movie set! So if your ever looking for an editor sometime in the future look me up, I would love to work with you! Also I been searching and I wasn't able to find this question so I hope you haven't been asked this yet. But I've always wondered I know it obvious that Elisa and Goliath will end up being together some how, but how does Angela feel about Elisa as possibly becoming a future step mom? Would she see her in that way?

Kat writes...

Hey greg, what race is Elisa's family? I mean seriously, this is bothering me in the worse way. Her mother seems..black, her brother is definitely black, her father is Native American(?), and Elisa herself seems Hispanic! What's going on here? Their last name is 'Maza', and that sounds awfully Hispanic, but I just don't know....

care to shine some light?

Pixie writes...

All too often in cartoons (specifically nowadays) female characters fall into the role of giggling love interest, counterpart to a male character to eliminate homosexual themes or are just there to fill a demographic. Writers don't seem to know what to do with them after that.

That is why I would like to sincerely thank you for your part in fostering strong female characters like Elisa, Demona and Fox.

Also, what influenced you to write those characters the way you did? Did you have specific females from your past in mind or did you choose character traits from literature and sort of mesh them for a well rounded feel?

Thank you.

TZ writes...

Another question...
When Elisa told (or admitted, however you want to look at it) Angela that it was true that Demona was her mother at the end of Sanctuary, was Goliath angry with her? Did they discuss it at all later or did he just let it go? Was he actually relieved to not have to be the one to tell Angela?

TZ writes...

Tana writes...
You Asked:
"Does anyone know if "Maza" means "iron" in any Native American language or dialect?"

According to my book of names (it's got like 20,000 names and their meanings, which is totally cool, especially the Athurian names) Maza blaska, which is a Dakota name means "flat iron." So if it's one of those languages where the adjective comes after the subject, then Maza does infact mean Iron in Dakota. Which interestingly enough adds more irony since Dakota was an early choice for Demona's name. ^_^

And you know that J.R.R. Tolkien claimed that all of his novels were fact...you seen to have the same symptom with the Gargoyles.

Greg responds...
I'm not claiming they're fact so much as acknowledging that sometimes storytelling on this show just seems to click with history, existing legend and with dramatic necessity. It's a rare feeling, and I'm humbled by it. All I'm saying is it sometimes feels like the stories are true somehow somewhere, and all I'm doing is (imperfectly) tapping into them.

But I'm not actually delusional.

Ok, this is TZ now......

I was looking over the archives and was simply amazed by this response of yours, Greg. I have always felt that art (in all forms, from literature to sculptures to music) is discovered, not created. I subscribe to that theory because there are such famous examples of great work that endure for years, sometimes even centuries. Why would something like Michelangelo's David or Beethoven's 9th remain so popular through the ages? I think it's because those pieces already existed and were "discovered" by those artists, because certain works like theirs touch us so deeply. When one of us "finds" that piece of art, and shares it, it seems to strike something in all of us. I think creativity is God's alone, but I think He gives some of us a gift to find or tap into (as you've put it) something He's already created that reveals a great truth or lesson or feeling. Anyway, just a ramble of mine to share based on something I was amazed to see here. I'm not sure if I got my point across to others (I found it really hard to put this into words) but I think you get it. Thanks for "discovering" more great art for us all!

Stanley dean cowens writes...

Pardon me if this question has been asked before. I've checked the archives and haven't seen it asked,but I could have missed it due to their being a lot of material to go over. In a Long Way To Morning" Demona attacks Elisa in her apartment If I remember correctly. I was wondering how she knew were Elisa lived? If she found out that she was still alive in city of stone why she didn't try to attack her again at her apartment or would you have had her try to assault her again at her apartment,but never got the chance because of what happened with season 3?

TZ writes...

I was wondering something, and I know you don't like hypotheticals, but I wondered if you gave this any thought: Had Goliath and Demona stayed together in the 20th century, would he have still fallen in love with Elisa? Or would his love for Demona overshadow anything he could have felt for Elisa? I ask this because I wonder if Goliath and Elisa are a meant-to-be kind of thing (in your Gargs universe), and their love was inevitible, or was it only relative to Goliath not having someone (i.e. Demona)? Here's another way of looking at it as well: would he have fallen in love with someone else had he not met Elisa and things still went bad between him and Demona? Thanks for your time, and can't wait to hear your thoughts on the matter...I'm kinda hoping for a rant! :D But I totally understand if this is too hypothetical...I guess I just wondered if you ever thought about it. Thanks a lot!

taylor writes...

Is golaith and ilsisa ever goig to be together.

Random Fan writes...

I'm realy nervous to ask you this because I realy dont like showing my perverse side to people I respect, but I've already asked one perverse question so I might as well ask another, even if this one is more blunt then the other.
Is Elisa a virgin?
There I asked it!

Random Fan writes...

Sorry for asking so many questions. I hope you've at least found them interesting. Any way, on to the next one I want to ask you. When Grandmother healed Elisa was that realy just the plants she used that did the trick or was it a little magical intervention supplied by a loophole of some sort?

Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...

One last question before bed....

From what little we've seen, it seems that Brooklyn and Katana are parents, not just rookery parents. (All those years with just each other would make it seem inevitable. There are no rookery siblings or other parents.) You wrote that Broadway and Angela ~choose~ to raise their children in the gargoyle style. So...

1. Are there currently any clans who have adopted human parenting, like they adopted human naming? Will there be by the future series?

2. Even those choosing to raise children collectively, are their strong human influences to that thought? (For instance, noting a rookery child looks like you.)

3. Am I correct in my assumption that Brooklyn and Katana are more like human parents in that respect?

4. It has been strongly implied that Elisa and Goliath will in some way adopt. Should they raise a child, would it be as individual or collective parents?

More later, (when I can hopefully decipher my handwriting).

Aeschylus writes...

Greg,

I always enjoyed the relationship of MacBeth and Demona on the show for its intensity and sorrow, as well as Xanatos and Fox with their unique understanding of companionship and love. And it makes me think...

With all the love triangles, the magical bonds, the promises, oaths, or senses of duty to consider, which relationship between any set characters of the series were you most passionate about writing and why? What do you think drove that relationship? And do you think it is the simplicity or the strife of that Character Relationship that makes it more appealing to you as a writer and does that opinion change as a viewer?

TK writes...

Dear Mr. Weisman,

After Goliath falls in love with Elisa, would her menstrual cycles have any biological effect on him? Yes, I know...that's a very ODD question, to say the least. Thank you, regardless.

Gargoyle Fan writes...

in Goliath and Elisa's relationship can Hummans mate with Gargoyles.has it done so in the past?

Masterdramon writes...

Gargoyles and Politics

I know that you generally like to keep politics out of this site, which is why I hope that this question isn't too out-of-line. All the same, I'm very interested in the role that politics plays in the "Gargoyles" universe.

What, generally, are Elisa's political views? Does she belong to a particular political party? And does she discuss politics with the Manhattan Clan at all?

For that matter, how politically literate are the various members of the Manhattan Clan, particularly Goliath and Lexington? Do they read any political texts? For that matter, does Hudson ever catch "60 Minutes" or any similar shows on television? How much do Elisa's political views (assuming that she shares them with the Clan at all) color their political viewpoints?

I'd also be greatly interested in any information you would be willing to share regarding the politics of other human characters in the series, most particularly Xanatos, Fox, Matt, Renard, and especially Macbeth. For that matter, what does Demona think of human politics (I expect that I can guess the answer to this one, but still)? :)

If you can't tell, this is coming from a prospective Politics major who to some degree or another views all things through a political lens. If you wish to leave these things up to the viewer then I would completely understand, but any information at all would be tremendously appreciated.

Thank you very much for your time, and I eagerly await the widespread release of the two remaining Trade Paperbacks. I've been trying to spread word of them (and of the DVDs) in the Comments section of Gargoyles-related YouTube videos; every little bit helps, I hope.

Geoff writes...

Is Elisa's hair really blue?

Anonymous writes...

You stated that, when in response to Elisa and Goliath having kids, "Elisa could never be pregnant with Goliath's child without assistance from science or magic. I've already stated that I don't see them going that way."

I was wondering, what makes you think Elisa wouldn't want to use magic or science to carry Goliath's child?

Elisa seemed happy and esily adjusted to her as a gargoyle during "The Mirror". She even hinted this at the ending of the very episode, thus you can see my confusion.

STEPHANIE writes...

MI PREGUNTA ES LA SIGUENTE: HUBIERA SIDO POSIBLE QUE GOLIATH SE TRANSFORMARA EN HUMANO PARA ASI CASARSE CON ELISA Y ASI HACERSE REALIDAD SU SUEÃ'O COMO EN EL CAPITULO "PODRIA SER REALIDAD"? GRACIAS

K writes...

Dear Greg,

I was reading through the archives just a moment ago, when a question occured to me about Demona and her actions during "The Reckoning." You stated that the reason Thailog did not clone Angela was that he did not have the opportunity to get her DNA at that point because Demona controlled the release of the mosquito that took the blood samples and when Angela was around, she just didn't release it. But she DID release it when Elisa was around (hence Delilah). My question is: Why did Demona, who despises Elisa, want to steal her DNA and clone her? My understanding is that she didn't know Thailog was creating a female replacement for herself, but was cloning Elisa or making a hybrid human-gargoyle part of the plan Thailog and Demona hatched together? If cloning Elisa was part of their plan, what was the purpose of it? What justification did Thailog give Demona to convince her to capture Elisa’s DNA? If cloning her were not part of their plan, why would Demona snatch a blood sample from Elisa?

stanley dean cowens writes...

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