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POSTINGS 2008-01 (Jan)

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Antiyonder writes...

"I know where my copy of the Gargoyles Trade Paperback "Clan-Building" Volume One is. Do you?"

On the computer desk for the moment, as I'm staying at my dad's place tonight. Good job on your part of putting the TPB together. While I do have the individual issues, getting the trade wasn't really any problem as I've done the same for the Spider-Girl series from Marvel.

As for the next volume of Clan Building when it comes out (going for optimism here) have you considered putting in the scenes than didn't make it in the #6 flashback? You know, much like a Deleted Scene section on a DVD? Or did you you only script the scenes in question?

Greg responds...

I guess I have the old script, but I'm not sure I need or want to see the page or so that didn't make the cut into #6. They don't really fit anymore. And, of course, they were never drawn.

Response recorded on February 01, 2008

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The One Known As Mochi writes...

I know this is far too early to ask...but... Will you be making an appearance at Comic-Con 2008 in San Diego? I'm just hoping SLG will have a booth set up with you (and hopefully the Gargoyles comics) appearing in hopes of spreading the word before/during/after the convention. :)

Greg responds...

I will indeed be at ComicCon this summer. In fact I'm at quite a few conventions this year...

February 22-24 - WonderCon in San Francisco

June 27-30 - The Gathering in Chicago

July 3-6 - ConVergence in Minneapolis

July 23-27 - ComicCon in San Diego

August 27-September 1 - CopperCon in Arizona

Response recorded on February 01, 2008

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John Pannozzi writes...

What was your involvment with Chip 'N' Dale Rescue Rangers and Darkwing Duck?

Greg responds...

On Chip, I was an executive in current programming, who gave notes on all scripts... i.e. not much.

On Darkwing Duck, I was part of Tad Stones' development team. I'm pretty sure I came up with the name Goslyn. Afterwards, I was again giving notes on scripts, etc... this was the series I trained on in development.

Response recorded on February 01, 2008

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Ricky writes...

Hey Greg,

Recently you said this about the comics:

"Sales on the book have dropped with every issue, which is depressing enough in and of itself. But if the trend continues, then SLG will have no choice but to let the license go when it next comes up for renewal. We're still one of their best-selling books (if not THE best), but most SLG books don't come with a massive license fee draining money away. We should be good finishing out Clan-Building (i.e. issue #12) and Redemption (i.e. Bad Guys issue #6), but there's no guarantee we'll continue beyond that if sales don't pick up -- or at the very least level off."

Obviously, this has me extremely worried about the Gargoyles comics. I can't begin to explain how much a part of my life the Gargoyles universe has become. I love the characters and the world you've created and it feels like we just got that back and now I'm worried we're going to lose it all over again. But I'm doing my part, I have the DVDs, I'm spreading the word to just about everyone I can think of (about the dvds and the comic), and I have every issue of both Gargoyles and Bad Guys (I am eagerly anticipating G#8 and BG#2), and I'm waiting for amazon.com to ship Clan-Building Vol. 1, I can't wait!

Anyway, my question has to do with the other Disney comics that SLG puts out. I'm curious as to whether the other comics are doing well, or if they are also facing the same dilemma as the result of the licensing fee. Does Gargoyles have a larger licensing fee than Haunted Mansion, Wonderland or Tron? And if so, why? I know you said that Gargoyles may be THE best-selling book SLG has, so I'm just trying to understand what all the factors are that play into it. Also, exactly when is the license up for renewal?

I really do hope that it takes us through G#12 and BG#6, at least, and until then I'm committed to doing everything I can to keep Gargoyles alive. I hope the other fans who read these are doing everything they can too! After 10 years, we've got them back, lets not lose them again.

Thanks for everything, Greg!

Greg responds...

I don't have all the answers to your questions. My understanding is that Tron sells fairly well. Not as sure about Wonderland and Haunted Mansion. I doubt Gargoyles license is more expensive than the other three, but honestly that's just an assumption on my part.

Response recorded on January 31, 2008

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Charisma82 writes...

Hey! Okay, first off, WOW! I loved The Rock! I had been excited about this comic ever since the teaser on Garg Wiki was put up about the synopsis of the story. I couldn't wait to see how you would incorporate all those characters into this issue. I was very pleased to see how you did it. It all fit great! And another biggie that lets me know that this issue was fantastic is that my sister (likes to read the comics, but really isn't into the whole Gargoyles obsession I'm into) was actually psyched after reading it and came in and talked to me about some parts of the story. All right, enough on that, now it's time to get to my page by page report on issue # 7, The Rock.

Gargoyles: Clan-Building
Part 7: The Rock

Part 1 Pages 1-12

Cover: Before I get to the pages, I have to comment on the cover. I've never commented on the cover before on the other issues because most of them never really tied in with what was really going on in the comic, but this one did. When I first looked at this comic's cover I paused a moment in thought. Why would Greg have the gargoyles asleep at night when that was already done before in the TV series? Then I thought that maybe the rock that was supposed to be in this issue was magical in some way that made gargoyles turn to stone at night. Then I noticed Big Ben in the background. It didn't click right away about the jet lag thing, so I still pondered over this when I started to read the comic. I completely forgot about the cover until the end of the comic when I remembered it and then put 2 and 2 together about them being in a different time zone. Well, better late than never I suppose.

Page 1: It starts out well enough. We see Macbeth hanging out, waiting for Goliath to wake up with Owen (who no doubt escorted Macbeth up to the tower). We get a close up on both Macbeth and Goliath. The only thing that really stood out to me on this page was the caption that read "November 2, 4:50PM EST." When I saw that I thought, "Great… we're going to have to do some thinking in this issue if Greg's going to be putting up times and dates."

Page 2: My next thought was, "Even better… the dates and times are out of order!" The first couple of pages with the different dates and times were interesting. I found it to be more fun the second time I went through the comic because then I could flip through and read the scenes in the order they really went in time wise. It was a fun little twist you stuck in there. This second page felt more of a "Next time on Gargoyles…" page. We see that a bomb is involved at some future point as well as Lexington naming something "Amp". I didn't know about the in-joke there until I read about it online. I'd forgotten that Amp was a name that was going to be used for the TV show. I like the picture of Xanatos here. He looks cool with the Coyote Diamond. I was really glad to see the Coyote Diamond. You and Xanatos have a knack for not wasting things.

Page 3: I really liked how these stories that happened a long time ago were incorporated into this comic. I love the art style to it. I already knew about the story of Jacob, but I didn't know how you were going to connect it in with the Gargoyles Universe. Thailog looks like he's enjoying his bath time.

Page 4: Macbeth asks the gargoyles for a favor. Goliath looks like he's asked a very annoying question, Broadway looks scary, Angela looks really angry, Lex looks bored, Brooklyn looks normal, and Hudson looks sad. But Bronx seems happy enough. Besides their weird looks, which really had nothing to do with anything else in the comic, we get to see Macbeth being crowned king from back in 1040. I'm glad you had the coronation held outdoors in the comic book and explained why you did that on Ask Greg. I hadn't known that the TV series had messed up and that it wasn't supposed to be in a castle. I'm glad you got the chance to set things straight.

Page 5: The first time I read this page, I read it so quickly that I thought it was Macbeth asking Goliath if he had minions. I found that odd, and re-read the page to find out that I had gotten their lines mixed up. The thought of Goliath having minions… huh…

Page 6: We jump ahead to see that Macbeth is boarding a plane with some extra cargo. I find it funny that people don't ask Macbeth if his parents really liked Shakespeare and named him after some of his characters, since his cover name is Lennox Macduff. He's got to be teased by some people about it.

Page 7: We go back to see that Owen is reporting to Xanatos about the gargoyles' new travel plans, yet Xanatos is still a couple steps ahead of the game… or he's lying about being prepared because he was too occupied with Fox and her decision to buy new shoes. I'm going with the first idea though. Speaking of shoes, we get to see Fox, Xanatos, and Alex in London, where she is thinking about buying new shoes.

Page 8: Another story done in cool art. I hadn't heard about this story before. I found it interesting how you connected the Gathelus story with that of Moses and Jacob's.

Page 9: It's Claw! And Al! Yet, neither of them says anything. I wasn't even thinking of Maggie being pregnant when I read this page. One thing that threw me were the clones in the background turned to stone. I thought that it was the Manhattan clan. I was trying to figure out why all of them would've gone with Elisa down into the Labyrinth. I finally figured out that it wasn't them, though. It was also cool to see Dr. Sato.

Page 10: A funny page. I wish you had put in the bathroom break. And you want to know the sad part? It didn't even dawn on me about this relating to the front cover. I must've really been into the comic.

Page 11: By this time, I'd kinda figured that Lex and Hudson were the only Manhattan gargoyles with Macbeth, unless the others were secretly being hidden for some twisting story plot… but I have my doubts on that. And you got to love jet lag.

Page 12: Once again, great drawing style for more of the story told by Shari. We see Thailog and Brentwood doing some digging. I wondered if they were looking for the crystal that Demona found in the demolished building, but I'm not so sure. I don't know how that crystal would tie into this story line, plus there's the fact that Demona has it, and I don't think Thailog is the kinda guy to let someone beat him to his prize. And I'm wondering right now, where you came up with Shari's name. Is she named after a person you know/knew, or was it a random name choice?

That's the first half. Hopefully I'll get to the 2nd half sooner than later.

Thank you for your time and all that you do.

-Charisma82

Greg responds...

You too.

Response recorded on January 31, 2008

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Battle Beast writes...

Michael Reeves helped a great deal in shaping Gargoyles. Well he have any input into the future issues?

Have you got any input from him on the comic?

Thanks again!

Keep up the good work!

Greg responds...

So far Michael hasn't participated in the comics. I'm not ruling it out, but honestly at the moment we can't afford another writer on the book, which is to say, I make so little writing/editing/supervising already, I'd have to work for free if we hired another writer. Can't do that. Much as I love Gargoyles, I can't justify doing it for free.

Response recorded on January 31, 2008

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Battle Beast writes...

Greg;

For one thing, I have TWO copies of Each Issue and the Trade Paperback, plus I am doing my part to sell DVDs. I buy them for Presents when ever I can, and I spread the word. I am doing my part.

But I wanted to thank you for all of your hard work the last two years! Thank you! ^_^

Anyway, I was wondering if you read the comments in the comment room or you try to avoid it (so you don't get too many original ideas.)

You must have received 10,000 questions from fans... has it been hard to keep your own ideas for future issues, or have fan questions influenced your own ideas, even though they are kept "NO original idea-ish"?

Just currious!

Greg responds...

I stop by the comment room occasionally, but now that Ask Greg is open more frequently, I tend to rely on this forum for fan contact.

Have I been influenced by fan questions? Well, Todd and I are very careful to purge original ideas from this space, but I suppose questions themselves indicate interest in a certain topic, and perhaps that's influenced me a tad. But frankly, I've had these stories percolating for so long now, many of them are pretty darn clear in my head already and have been for some time.

Response recorded on January 31, 2008

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Laura From Illinois writes...

Dear Greg,
This will be a comment with a question stuck in here somewhere. But it's mostly random praises from a fan.
I just got the first 6 comics of the 'Clan Building Saga' for my birthday and am so excited! I watched this show when I was little and fell in love with it. I thought it was gone for good, but I saw a music video on Youtube dedicated to the 'old cartoons'. I saw a clip from Gargoyles and fell in love again. After doing some digging I found out that it has been released on DVD and is living on in comic book form. For this, I wish I could give you and everyone there a hug and some cupcakes, but sadly I don't know where you are. So my heartfelt thanks will have to be enough.
I've read and reread the comics. I can 'hear' the actor's and actress's voices while I read. I hope that I will hear when or if (I really hope when) you can get the audio comics produced as you mentioned in #3. I am also trying to get the last few dollars so I can get the DVDs for myself. And I've started on the 1000 people you asked me and I have converted 3 people in my class that are now hooked on Gargoyles as well.
Reading a comic is very different from watching a cartoon, but the artwork is breathtaking, amazing, incredible! Combine all those adjectives together and you still don't have how wonderful it is. This comic is so good I turn off the back-round noise I usually have on when I read so kudos!
The story is so exciting. I thought for sure that Demona and Thailog weren't going to show up for a while... boy was I wrong! And hooray for that! I'm so glad they are back. I can't wait to see what Thailog is planning. In #6, that Shari is driving me nuts!!! What's happening? Who is she? What is going on? And that is what I love about this comic. You always leave just enough hanging to make sue you're audience is on it's toes.
I only have one thing to say. Did the clan forget what happened in 'Possession'? I thought they knew about Coldstone, Coldfire, and Coldsteel. If that is coming up in the story then don't tell me. That episode was one of my favorites and I really hope it is still relevant in the story, at least a little. 'Possession' in 2nd only after the episode 'Future Tense'.
Which brings me to my next point. This is my question, Is Lexington's costume at the party supposed to look like the suit from 'Future Tense'? I saw it and felt so much foreshadowing... not to mention Brentwood and Thailog becoming allies. Wow. I did not see that coming. I have no idea if anyone else spotted that, but if it's meant to mean something, I can't wait to find out!
You are the best Greg, and everyone else over there working on the comics, I love you all, and if I'm in the country during the Gathering in Chicago I hope I can give you all cupcakes, or at least money for some food- you all deserve cupcakes.
That's about all I have to say. I am trying to buy the DVDs and am getting #7 as well as the 'Bad Guy' series. I hope that helps Disney release the rest of the episodes.
I can't wait until the next episode. By, the way, so far my favorite scene in the comics is a tie between #4, the panel where Goliath and Thailog are put as half of each other's face. I love the irony that Thailog, the evil one, is smiling while Goliath looks murderous, in #3 when Brooklyn and Malibu are staring at each other while Al and Shari are talking, it makes me laugh, #2 Lexington's face while Alex is pulling on his ear, #1 after Goliath says that he is going to see Elisa Brooklyn looks so cute!, and (last one I promise!), #1 John Castaway as he is destroying the statue with his hammer. That scene gives me chills.
This comic is adding new dimensions to the show. I wish it was still a cartoon but the comic is so good I can hardly tell the difference. Please keep this going! You have no idea how much this show changed my life. Sorry I'm getting a little over dramatic here, but it's true! So please, keep this comic going, it's so good and it deserves to live forever. I have already promised myself to have my children learn the lessons from this show. Thank you. All of you. You are angels! You are amazing! And please don't ever stop. This comic is rising higher and higher. It is absolutely above and beyond what normal people can do. Know that you are giving so much joy to us little readers down here. And that we worship you like gods! Because that is what you are- gods. Comic book, genius gods!
I hope the actor's can someday come back to create the audio comics.
But more importantly, I hope and pray this comic can live on for a long, long time so it can enchant others like it has me.
Here's hoping!

Laura

Greg responds...

If you're referring to issue #6 - that was a flashback story which took place prior to "Possession".

Lex's costume is consciously evocative of his Future Tense look. I'll leave the reasons behind that to your own interpretation.

I do like cupcakes, but showing up to the Gathering is present enough for me, Laura.

Response recorded on January 31, 2008

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Anonymous writes...

Is there anymore episodes after "Angels in the Night"? I really hope so.

Greg responds...

Yep. They're called "Gargoyles: The Comic Book" Pick up an issue... PLEASE!!!!

Response recorded on January 30, 2008

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Spen writes...

I have a silly little question. In your "Buffyverse geek-out" exactly how did your scoring system work?

Greg responds...

It was a point system. A strange combination of the objective and subjective. There were points for being a regular. Points for being a lead. Points for recurring. Points for importance in a given episode. Etc.

It was a flawed system -- and I came up with a better one too late to implement it. But the results were still interesting - to me, at least.

gdw

Response recorded on January 30, 2008

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Todd Jensen writes...

You've mentioned that many of the Goliath Chronicles stories were based on stories that you'd planned to do for Season Three, but which the new production team drastically altered (so that "Runaways" was based on Brooklyn's Timedancer story, and "Ransom" on the multiple tricksters and Alex story). Was "Genesis Undone" (the story about Thailog and the Clones dying) similarly based on the Double Date story that we got to see at last in #3 - #5? Both involved Thailog, the Clones, and Sevarius - and both had Sevarius obtaining the DNA of Goliath's clan for his experiments.

Greg responds...

I honestly don't remember. Sorry.

Response recorded on January 30, 2008

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Todd Jensen writes...

I bought my copy of Gargoyles: Clan-Building: Volume One yesterday. I was amazed at the size of the book (I'm used to trade paperback collections of comics being larger), but enjoyed it, all the same. I was pleased with the corrections.

Here's hoping that sales are good for it (and for the upcoming issues).

Greg responds...

Here's hoping.

Response recorded on January 30, 2008

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Ryan writes...

Where is my copy of Clan Building Volume 1? Amazon.com hasn't shipped it yet, and my comic book store only has one left in stock, so I am in indecision as to whether to wait for amazon or possibly take away a copy that someone else could pick up... or ending up with two copies (guess I could make it a great gift if I can afford it).

And now for two questions:
1) You tend to be able to announce on here when an issue or trade is coming out a day or two before hand - do you have any word on a release date yet for Bad Guys 2 or Gargoyles 8?

2) Having read the archives here for years, I know you have plenty of stories and plans. I'm curious about specific plots for specific issues. Assuming there are no liscencing renewal problems, how many issues have you plotted (as in, issue 8 looks to be called 'The Gate' so you probably have at least that far plotted out. Do you have basic details worked out through 12, the end of clan building, or further)?

It is great to see Gargoyles stories back in the world. You and the team are doing an amazing job. Thank you!

Greg responds...

1. Neither issue is quite finished, but both are close... though both also need approval from Disney.

2. It depends what you mean by "plotted". I have a very clear idea on the stories for Gargoyles 10-12. But I haven't plotted them in a "on this page this happens" sense yet. Same for Bad Guys 5 & 6. Beyond Gargoyles 12, I know what the next basic arc is - but I haven't worked out the specifics in any detail...

Response recorded on January 30, 2008

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Rebel writes...

Unfortunately, my comic book guy didn't get the TPB in yet, so I'll have to wait until next week to offer my praises. *sigh* So far I've heard good things from everyone else who already has it.

In the meantime, I do have a question about #7 that I meant to ask before. After Brooklyn decides to stay in Manhattan, Goliath says that Hudson can lead the expedition in London. I know Brooklyn has great leadership skills (after all he is the second) and Hudson is a proven leader, but to me that line made it seem like Goliath doesn't think any of the other clan members could be leaders, if given the chance. Surely Broadway and Lexington have SOME leadership capabilities, even if they are not as suited for a leadership role as Brooklyn. And if I had to guess, I would say Angela could DEFINITELY be a good leader, given an opportunity. After all, she's smart, intuitive, and she's got great parentage as well as her experience as second-in-command of Avalon on her side--though her leadership "style" would certainly be different than Goliath's or Brooklyn's.

So basically what I'm wondering is:
1. Does Goliath think any of the other clan members have leadership abilities?
2. Do YOU think any of the other clan members have (or will have) leadership abilities?
3. If any of them do, do you think they'll ever get a chance to show it?

I know it's kind of a silly question since the Manhattan clan already has a second-in-command, but I was just wondering. I informed a lot of my internet friends about the TPB, and many of them are now making plans to buy it :).

Greg responds...

1. I'm sure he does, but Goliath has a tendency to rely on Hudson for, I think, understandable reasons. Consider it a failing, if you like. I'm fine with that.

2. Yes.

3. Of course.

Response recorded on January 29, 2008

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JANUARY 29

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

January 29th...

1995
It starts to snow. Elisa Maza gives Derek Maza a recording of Fox's revelations. The gargoyles hide the helicopter - permanently. Jackal and Hyena are arrested on charges of attempted murder.

1996
Rory Dugan wakes, unsure if his previous night's adventures were a dream. That night, he and Molly enter the Cairn, and Rory recovers Gae Bolga, the Spear of Light. The Spear transforms Rory, revealing he is the reincarnation of the ancient Irish hero Cu Chullain. In order to defeat him, Molly becomes first the Banshee and then the death-worm, Crom-Cruach. With Bronx's help, Cu Chullain defeats Crom-Cruach, banishing the Banshee. Cu Chullain transforms back into Rory, but he keeps possession of Gae Bolga and will remain the Hero of Ulster. The travelers return to Avalon, where it is morning. The gargoyles turn to stone.


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JANUARY 28

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

January 28th...

1995
Lexington begins to repair Jackal's helicopter. Elisa Maza confronts Fox in prison. Fox reveals that David Xanatos created the Pack, and is using Jackal and Hyena to cement Derek Maza's loyalty. Elisa records Fox's conversation. Derek flies Xanatos to his upstate retreat, 'Xanadu'. Again, Jackal and Hyena attack. And again, the Manhattan Clan intervenes, using the repaired helicopter to defeat and capture the twins.

1996
In the morning, Rory Dugan returns home and argues with his father, Mr. Dugan. That evening at sunset, Elisa Maza, Goliath and Angela wake up to find themselves trapped inside Cairn na Chullain by the Banshee, who is convinced they have been sent by Oberon to bring her back to Avalon for the Gathering. Rory, looking for Molly, encounters Bronx instead. When the Banshee realizes that Rory and "the Great Beast" are together, she appears to Rory and lures him away from Bronx.


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JANUARY 27

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

January 27th...

1995
Derek Maza starts working for David Xanatos. Jackal and Hyena attack them, but the Trio intervenes. Lexington manages to land Jackal's helicopter and hide it.

1996
In Ireland, Rory Dugan and his girlfriend Molly steal a jacket from a local shop and manage to elude the police - just as the four travelers arrive from Avalon. The Banshee quickly captures Elisa Maza, Angela and Goliath.


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JANUARY 26

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

January 26th...

1994
The Emir's son is killed in a pointless car accident.

1995
Fox orders Hyena and Jackal to assassinate David Xanatos. And that morning, Derek Maza decides to quit the NYPD and accept Xanatos' job offer.

1996
At midnight, the Emir summons and imprisons Anubis, the Egyptian god of death. Elisa Maza and the gargoyles attempt to intervene but are captured. The Emir tries to force Anubis to bring his late son back to life. When Anubis refuses, the Emir attempts to become an avatar of Anubis' power. But Jackal intercepts the spell and becomes the Avatar of Anubis instead. Mad with power, Jackal destroys Coyote 3.0 and brings death to an entire Egyptian town, before the Emir recasts his spell and becomes the new Avatar. The Emir now understands that death cannot play favorites, and he destroys the temple to prevent anyone else from ever gaining access to Anubis' power. Elisa and the gargoyles spend the day outside the Sphinx. Then they return to Avalon. What's left of the Pack scatters.


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Ceruleanblue writes...

Hi Greg, thanks for Gargoyles.

1. Any chance that Wendy Pini might illustrate one of the new comics?
2. Does SLG have any plans for Gargoyles action figures or statues? (I assume Disney would be involved in any merchandising as well, might make things difficult?)

Cheers

Greg responds...

1. I doubt we could afford her -- and I'm sure she's way too busy, but it is lovely that she did the intro to the TPB, don't you think?

2. I don't think SLG has the license to do anything Garg-related except the comics.

Response recorded on January 25, 2008

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Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

Hello Greg.
This is a question about Sleipnir.

In 2000 you wrote
"If the legends are true, then Slepnir's mother was the trickster Loki, and his father was an actual horse. Making Slepnir half-horse and half-fey. (Which might serve to explain his modern transition from eight legs to four.) I haven't decided 100% if that's the route I'm taking in the Gargoyles universe, but the notion is appealing."
_________________________________________________________

More recently when I asked if Children of Oberon can take mortal forms of either gender, you answered
"Yes. Remember Loki, MOTHER of Sleipnir."

1. Does this mean that (as of now/until you change your mind) the legend about Sleipnir's parentage is correct in the Gargoyles Universe?

2. If you do consider Svadilfari the father of Sleipnir in the Gargoyles Universe, was Svadilfari "an actual horse" (mortal)?

Thank you again for answering our questions!

Greg responds...

I'm leaning that way, yes. But this is all canon-in-training, until it's in the comics.

Response recorded on January 25, 2008

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Jack-Pumpkinhead writes...

Dear Greg, I am curious, what are Thailog's opinions on magic?

Greg responds...

Varied.

Response recorded on January 25, 2008

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Phil writes...

I didn't get this in before the last cutoff, but here's my ramble/review/response to "The Rock". Many people already commented on it, so I'm going to delve into something that hasn't been gone into in-depth: the non-linear structure. (I posted this a couple of weeks ago in the comment room, but here it is at "Ask Greg", too.)

When I first read the story, I didn't get the point of not telling it chronologically. I enjoyed the issue and thought it might be the best one yet, but the structure was distracting and kept me from fully getting into it. However, having faith in your skills, I analyzed the issue and have come to the conclusion that you're a creative genius. Basically, the story is told in order, not chronologically, but logically, revealing to the readers what they need to know as they need to know it, and not before.

****SPOILERS****

The first few pages serve two purposes: 1) to warn us right up front about the structure of the story, and 2) to hook us like a barbed fishing hook. By the end of page two we can't put the book down even if we wanted to. But by the end of page three, I was starting to wonder how this all fits together. What does Jacob's stone have to do with anything? Macbeth answers on the next page. "It's called the Stone of Destiny."

Page four begins the meat of the story. Macbeth asks the gargoyles to help protect the Stone. There's a one-panel flashback to illustrate his connection to the Stone. Everything progresses chronologically for a few pages until...

There break in the story for travel time, so page seven introduces the villain of the story. Xanatos is aware of what's going on, but he's unconcerned. We see that he's in London with his family. And speaking of family...

Gathelus and Scota are introduced and the backstory of the Stone progresses. By the end of the page, Scota is obviously pregnant. And speaking of pregnant...

Page nine advances some (not just one, but several) subplots from previous stories. Dr. Sato's presence emphasizes that the mutates are creatures of biology, and not magic. And speaking of biology...

The main story continues. We're reminded that gargoyles are biological creatures; they suffer from jetlag. Macbeth says there are ten days until the Stone is moved, which prompts a flashback to Gathelus and Scota moving the Stone. Then ten days later, Hudson and Lex are on the job.

By this time we're wondering, where are the others? Page thirteen gives us an answer while advancing another subplot and setting up future Clan-Building.

Back to the main story again on page fourteen. Although everything looks secure, Macbeth's not so confident, and we see another one-panel flashback to illustrate why and to reinforce his connection to the Stone.

There's another break in the action of the main story, so it's a good time for Shari to take up another page and provide more backstory. But after that we're back to London. Hudson asks, "Who exactly are we expecting?" And the answer is given.

The villain part of the story is filled in with Xanatos, Coyote, and Coldsteel. At this point, some newbies might ask, who is this "Coldsteel"? Shari is right there to answer on the next page and at the same time set up some more future Clan-Building. "It's really a timeless love story..."

Which leads right into Goliath and Elisa. They've got a beautiful scene, and since Goliath doesn't vocalize everything that's in his heart we're treated to a flashback of a happily expectant couple to say what he left unsaid. He and Elisa give in to true love, but...

Sometimes true love ends in tragedy. Gathelus dies, and Scota's life crumbles. Her sons carry on.

That almost wraps up the story. The only thing left is to return to Macbeth and the main plot to set up the cliffhanger that will bring us all back in two months. Make that "cliffhangers, plural," since Macbeth and Arthur would have been cliffhanger enough. But you double the suspense by bringing in the London Clan, too. Plus there are the teases back on page two that leave us anticipating more.

****END SPOILERS****

The non-linear structure is fascinating to me. Although everything seems to jump around randomly, each panel and page logically connects to the ones around it in thought or theme, if not chronology. That's not to say I'd want every issue to be like this; it takes a lot of thought and study to understand it all. But as an experimental or occasional format, there's a lot to like.

And before I close, a few words about Shari. Somehow I think that if you had worked on season three back in 1996, Shari would not exist as we know her. But with a ten-year gap there's a lot of backstory to exposit, and I have seen too many times when characters awkwardly discuss things they already know just to inform the reader or viewer. So introducing a storyteller like Shari and connecting her to Thailog (who was in a surprisingly few episodes) is such an elegant solution to that problem. And of course you don't just abandon her in her expository role; there's a lot more to her than that.

Anyway, there's my ramble, better late than never.

Greg responds...

Hey Phil, you can call me a "creative genius" anytime you want!!

"That's not to say I'd want every issue to be like this; it takes a lot of thought and study to understand it all. But as an experimental or occasional format, there's a lot to like."

That's not to say I'd want every issue to be like this; it takes a lot of thought and study to WRITE it all.

Anyway, I love your analysis, because among other things... YOU GOT IT! All that thought, study, time, hair-pulling and packages of index cards feel worth it now.

Response recorded on January 25, 2008

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Anthony Tini writes...

"I know where my copy of the Gargoyles Trade Paperback "Clan-Building" Volume One is. Do you?"

Yes, it's in my room next to my giant Gargoyles comic books. Good things REALLY do come in small packages. I love it. Great job!

I may be jumping the gun a bit here, but can you promise us a Clan Building Vol 2?

Greg responds...

"Promise"? Well, no. But I have every reason to think it will happen. I wish I was as confident about there being an issue #13, frankly.

Response recorded on January 25, 2008

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JANUARY 25

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

January 25th...

1995
Elisa Maza and Derek Maza trail David Xanatos to the Diamond Exchange, where Xanatos buys the Coyote Diamond. Hyena and Jackal, on orders from Fox, attempt to steal the Diamond. They are thwarted by Derek, Elisa and Xanatos. Xanatos seems impressed with Derek and offers him a job as his pilot and bodyguard.

1996
The travelers arrive in Egypt and follow Coyote into a temple hidden inside the Sphinx.


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Clan-Building Volume One

I know where my copy of the Gargoyles Trade Paperback "Clan-Building" Volume One is. Do you?


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JANUARY 24

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

January 24th...

1995
Elisa Maza gives the Trio a helicopter simulation video game.

1996
Goliath, Angela, Elisa Maza and Bronx rest through the day in London, allowing Goliath's injured wing to heal. That night, they return to Avalon. Griff, Leo and Una become protectors of London again.


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Rachel N. writes...

Season's Greetings, Greg!

I'd just like to share some comments on Gargoyles #7 "The Rock". Another great chapter in the "Clan-Building" series...though I have to say following this particular storyline as it bounced around to different dates and times was a bit confusing at first, but I also think it was effective overall. Great to have Macbeth back in the series, and I liked the origin tale of the Stone of Destiny (incorporating Old Testament Biblical figures Jacob and Moses) - very cool!

Two major plot points that stood out in a great way:
- Dr. Sato examining a pregnant Maggie. I certainly didn't see Maggie's pregnancy coming, but I think it's wonderful! Derek/Talon will be a father, Peter and Diane Maza will be grandparents, and Elisa will be an aunt. Gotta love that! :-)
- Elisa and Goliath getting back together (I loved the dialogue between them in those scenes), and I always love seeing them smooch...it's a beautiful sight!

Also, it'll be interesting to see what develops with the "team-up" of Xanatos, the Coyote robot (now with the Coyote Diamond inside him), and Coldsteel. And I gotta say I really like the design of the two "new" UK clan gargoyles (the female boar gargoyle and the male white stag gargoyle) Can't wait to find out more about them!

Many thanks to all who work on these Gargoyle comics - I love them! Bring on #8! :-)

Greg responds...

Thanks. I'll pass on the kind words to the rest of the team!

Response recorded on January 23, 2008

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Lou writes...

Hallo and merry X-mas Mr. Weisman,
a few days ago I visited a page where I was able to watch "Gargoyles". It wasn´t the first time I watched this series, in fact i was and i still am a big fan of "Gargoyles". After watching the first 13 episodes, i ask myself the question, if it is posible to make a movie like "Spiderman" or " Transformers" about these first episodes. These films look (more or less) real, so it must be posible to make the "Gargoyles" become real to. I hope you will understand, what i tried to say.
Well i am from Germany and my english is not the best, but i hope i get an answer.

Thanks for reading

Greg responds...

Lou, you're English is fine, but I'm going to refer you to the ASK GREG Archives, specifically the Live-Action Movie section, so that I don't have to answer a question I've answered many times in the past.

Response recorded on January 23, 2008

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Cagalli writes...

Are you going to make third season of W.I.T.C.H. i mean it seemed like there was going to be another season i realy like that show but i watched it a million times

Greg responds...

As far as I know, SIP and Disney are not planning a third season of WITCH. I would have loved to have done it, and I'd still be game, although right now I'm heavily immersed in the first two seasons of THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN for Sony, Marvel and KidsWB/CW.

Response recorded on January 23, 2008

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Derek writes...

I asked this question before. You said Thailog would have insisted on Delilah having an egg. "Delilah is genetically much more Gargoyle than human. She is capable of laying a gargoyle egg. Thailog would have insisted on that. But she couldn't mate with a human without some scientific or magical help."
This suprised me as Thailog doesn't strike me as the parenting type. Does Thailog want his own family? As a clone i found it odd that he would have insisted on procreating naturally. Why do you think this is, deep down does he consider himself something lesser than other gargoyles as a clone?

Greg responds...

I meant Thailog would have insisted on Delilah being CAPABLE of laying eggs.

Response recorded on January 23, 2008

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Derek writes...

Is Demona smarter than Lexington?

Greg responds...

In what sense?

Response recorded on January 23, 2008

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Derek writes...

Who's the smartest member of the manhatthan clan next to Lexington?

Greg responds...

Smart in what way?

Response recorded on January 23, 2008

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The One Known As Mochi writes...

So... Last week, I finally managed to pick up #6 (the corrected version), #7 and Bad Guys #1. I knowingly overdrew my checking account getting these issues (don't worry, I won't do that again...$30 overdraft charges aren't always fun to deal with...) and I was eager to catch up with everyone else. I'll briefly share my thoughts on these issues.

Gargoyles #6
I almost laughed when Goliath, Elisa, Bronx and Angela ended up in a huge pot of...whatever was boiling in there... Bronx looks good in a sherpa (it is a sherpa, right?). It seems Avalon has sent them to find Coldstone and reunite the clan. They end up waking up upon a lake and whether or not they were successful has yet to be known. Coldsteel working for Xanatos... That's surprise for me. It made me wonder what Coldsteel had been doing since he disappeared after being seperated from Coldstone's body.

Gargoyles #7
Now I see why all those dates and times were withheld. Lots of skipping around in terms of time. Made for interesting reading I have to admit. I'm wondering if issue #8 will reveal what happened on the morning of November 15... Fox is shopping for shoes...and curiosity as to why is killing me a little. Shari is quite a story teller. Perhaps her knowledge is why she ranks high in the Illuminati? I'm wondering what Xanatos has planned, especially since the Stone of Destiny might be involved... The page with Macbeth waiting for Lexington and Hudson to wake up was funny. I know jetlag is not a fun thing to experience... I noticed Angela whispers something to Broadway... Perhaps it's alluding to something that will be revealed later? Wow...Macbeth tried to steal the stone back in 1950. Very interesting... Another Coyote and Coldsteel...helping Xanatos... Definitely lots of foreshadowing present in this issue. "...and normalcy is over-rated." So true... So very true... It's good to see Goliath and Elisa patching up things. Maggie is pregnant! Yay! Is she getting a baby shower? King Arthur! Good to see him make an appearance, although having him hold a sword to Macbeth's neck has me wanting to read #8 to see what happens. The London Clan makes an appearance too. Again, can't wait for #8 to be released...

Bad Guys #1
After reading through it the first time, I found myself having mixed reactions from the content (it's not that bad though). I liked seeing Matrix with a boombox. It seemed very apropos for him. Hmm...I'm curious as to who attacked the group... The Tazmanian Tiger was something I wasn't expecting. I'll admit, it's something new, but it didn't distract me too much. In a way, he looked like Batman in a tiger suit...at least that's what first came to mind when I first read through it. I'm glad there was a panel that shows where Dingo was being "inserted." Otherwise, I would've had to imagine where...and it would be very, VERY awry just to think about that... I liked Dingo's reaction to it though. The song lyrics... I'm wondering if that's alluding to some foreshadowing... Perhaps I'm reading too much into it? I won't know until the next issue... Nicely written lyrics, by the way... So far, I think it's off to a good start and I hope it gets better from here.

I guess I should mention now that I'll soon be a proud owner of the Season 1 DVD box set! I haven't ordered it just yet, but I will be after Christmas. In two weeks, Season 2 Volume 1... I can't wait!

Greg responds...

Cool.

Response recorded on January 23, 2008

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Bryan writes...

When the Toa Mata were finding the masks why did they get the noble style masks that the turaga had not the great version. Like the Noble Huna that Turaga Vakama had instead of the Huna that Toa Vakama had?

Greg responds...

I'm afraid my memory of all things Bionicle is pretty sketchy. Sorry.

Response recorded on January 23, 2008

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simon jardine writes...

are there any homosexsual Gargoyles, if not is it posible for there to be any?

Greg responds...

There are, yes.

Response recorded on January 23, 2008

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dab writes...

Was the structure of Gargoyle clans (in particular, children in common) at all influenced by Plato's ideal society in the Republic? Similarly, from where did Gargoyles derive their prediliction for protection? Sounds an awful lot like the Platonic guardians. Is this true, and if so, was it intentional?

More generally, what sorts of philosophical streams most strongly influenced your idea of the ideal gargoyle society?

Thanks!!

Greg responds...

Well... I read most of Plato's republic back in high school. I can't say my conscious memory of it is too clear at this point, but I suppose everything I do is the sum total of all that I've learned, so...

Response recorded on January 23, 2008

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JANUARY 23

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

January 23rd...

1996
The travelers immediately depart Avalon again, landing in London, where they meet Leo and Una, who remember Goliath from 1940 and blame him for the death of Griff. Goliath is mystified, and uses the Phoenix Gate to travel back in time to 1940, in an attempt to learn the truth and save Griff. He and Griff return to 1996, reuniting Griff with Leo and Una.


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Gargoyles: Clan-Building Volume One TBP

I'm told that our first Trade Paperback, "Clan-Building, Volume One" should hit stores tomorrow. I know most of you reading this probably have the issues collected already, but it should be a nice little package and a great way to introduce new readers to the series. So, I hope you ALL BUY HUNDREDS OF COPIES EACH!!!!!

Or, you know, you could just help us SPREAD THE WORD!

Whatever works for you would be appreciated.


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The Tigress writes...

My review for issue #7.

I won't cover every little thing since I don't have the time, but I will address the things that stuck out at me the most.

I was able to pick up issue 7 from a comic shop in Seattle and I have to say, what a fantastic issue! So far I think this is my favorite, with issue 5 being a close second. I've been a huge Gargoyles fan since the 6th grade and I'm so happy that the series is being continued in a new format with all new canon.

-I'm really thrilled to find out that Dr. Sato is indeed someone to trust and has allied with the Gargoyles and mutates. You also did a really good job showing the readers that although he's more than willing to help them, but also that finding out about the Gargoyles and the mutates has been very taxing on him mentally.

-Finding out that Maggie is pregnant is very interesting and I look forward to see how this develops. (no pun intended) It's funny because I was actually very curious if Talon and Maggie were able to produce offspring/or were going to have offspring in the future. (Searched the archives one time and didn't find much info on that)

-When Goliath mentiones that he is "healed but not whole", I'm assuming that he means mentally he is not quite healed yet but that his physical injuries are fully healed by now. Since I'm on the topic of Goliath, I absolutely loved the Goliath/Elisa scene at the end of the comic. That almost gave me tears of joy to see. I also noticed how you wonderfully had the beginning set up to parallel the scene from issue 3 where Goliath and Elisa are sitting very far away from each other on each side of the castle balcony. I liked that. It actually made me nervous about the conversation, but then once I read through, I got this very good feeling of joy being able to see that Elisa indeed re-affirmed her change of heart and the end of issue 5. I've been pro "Goliath/Elisa" since I started watching the series in middle school. Props to Hedgecock for bringing out the great emotion and facial expressions of Goliath in those last panels.

-Loved the designs of the new London clan gargoyles we saw towards the end. I especially give you props for having a female gargoyle who isn't the stereotypical "elegant and beautiful" type. Not that I think the other females have that problem, in fact I always have been happy that most of the female gargoyles have a bit of musculature to their bodies and that they are just as capable of being great warriors as the males. This new female boar gargoyle expands even further on this.

-The art is quite decent in this issue for the most part. Hedgecock has improved quite a bit since issue 3 in terms of being on model, although there are still a few errors here and there. Most noteably is that he sometimes makes subjects heads too large for their bodies. I think someone else might have pointed this out before but I'm not sure. The coloring looked fantastic. I really love what Bobby Bevard brings to the table.

-It was also very nice to see Hudson and Lexington in a main role so to speak. The jetlag issue was briliant, and it perfectly explains what was going on in the cover of this issue. Pretty good trick there. :P

-Macbeth is becoming more and more interesting as the series goes on. It's good to see him on the side of the good guys now. I look forward to seeing what happens between him and King Aurthur in the next issue.

I know there's many more elements in this issue I could cover, but I am running out of time, however I'd like to say that I really hope Gargoyles stays alive for a long time to come, whether it be through comics/dvds/anything else. I purchased season 1 and season 2 volume 1 dvds, and all of the comics including Bad Guys 1 up to this point to help support Gargoyles. Sad about Season 2 volume 2 but I am not giving up hope on it, and will buy it first thing if they ever decide to release it.

Keep up the great work!

Greg responds...

The Goliath/Elisa scene actually REVERSED the scene from issue #3, panel by panel, pretty much. Glad you liked it.

I think Goliath is still tired, as I think I mentioned before.

Response recorded on January 22, 2008

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Benji writes...

Hi Greg, I've written to you a couple of times, you've always given me great answers on things, there was something I was just thinking about today that I was wondering about? You were the creator of Gargoyles, so I was just wondering how did you come up with the idea of the series? I think the plot lines for the series were often better than that of a Disney film that made it to Theater's. I just think it was a cool idea, and I really like good writing. If you can show me a good story you'll have my respect, and you Greg most definitely have my respect, not that you'd care,hahahah just saying. What episodes did you write?? I know there were some you wrote that were awesome!! I never really heard the story on what happened to Gargoyles in Season 3?? Howcome it was changed from Gargoyles, to Gargoyles The Goliath Chronicles? I know you worked on The Journey, (which is the best episode of that Season by the way) but there was a different crew working on the rest of the season. And a lot of fans hated it, and that's what ultiumately killed the series aside from the comics. I don't think it was as bad as a lot of people make it out to be, but I do agree that was the weakest season, and the show was better with you in the picture. What happened that made you leave??

Greg responds...

Uh... Benji, I'm going to refer you to the ASK GREG FAQ and Archives. 95% of your questions can be answered there quickly.

Though I did a lot of plotting, editing and some rewriting, the only episode that I personally wrote was "The Journey".

Response recorded on January 22, 2008

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Lenny writes...

Oh and one other thing about Gargoyles The Goliath Chronicles was the Gargoyle hate fanatic John Castaway actually John Canmore one of the hunters from "Hunters Moon"? in the last epsioded Goliath mentions an ancient hatered he had.

Greg responds...

Yes. Have you seen the recent comics?

Response recorded on January 22, 2008

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Lenny writes...

Hey Greg, I always wanted to know did the plan to have Gargoyles The Goliath Chronicles continue a second season? or was it just ment to last 1 season? i always considered it the 3rd season so i guess if it had gone on it would of been season 4 ect..

Greg responds...

I don't think the ratings on Goliath Chronicles were ever good enough to consider an additional season.

Response recorded on January 22, 2008

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Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

Bad Guys Reactions
I hope it is acceptable to post two reviews in a row. I'm a little behind reviewing and I with the comics coming once a month now, there is a lot to review!
============SPOILERS===========
So Bad Guys is one of the Spin-offs I'm least interested in, but I still enjoyed this issue and look farward to more, especially the stories about Yama and Fang being recruited. I especially hope we get to see more of the Ishimura clan in the second issue!

The best line has to be "There'll be no more ~inserting~!" I laughed so hard at that! XD Apparently Matrix has absorbed Dingo's old armor because it isn't there anymore. And I'm sure that his original power armor didn't involve any "inserting," since he was trying to avoid that sort of thing in Upgrade. Heh, poor Dingo. And then Matrix refuses to attach to him anymore! Dingo does soften his objection when it comes to fighting without his armor on. But I think that that link, and the ability to feel pain (and emotions?) will be quite important for any character development of Matrix.

I wonder where that guy got a hold of thylacines. And I hope there are more wherever they came from! Thylacines are one of the more interesting and unique (and tragic) rare/possibly extinct animals. I like the idea of them being alive in the Gargoyles Universe, and they were drawn very well. They looked fairly accurate to me, except for having legs a bit too long. They can jump like... and they've got teeth like...! I'm glad that Dingo had the sense not to hurt them. But what did Matrix put around their necks and muzzles? He left them tied up when Dingo flew away, so are they attached to the tree by abandoned nanobots? o.0 That'll puzzle the police, for sure. :) Hopefully the police will put those two thylacines in some place where they can be protected and taken care of and maybe, the species can be revived. It was a nice touch to name one of them Benjamin.

I agree with others that the Tazmanian Tiger is a corny villain. The Pack were cheezy too, but children's television superheroes often are. This Taz guy, I wonder what his issue is. Ordinary persons don't commit crimes with the help of rare/extinct, even if they are fearsome. That is especially a bizarre costume to be comitting crimes in. He's the sort of person who would be featured in a magazine like Time, as a curiosity of "look at this weirdo!" (Time actually does do that.) However, he is no weakling, and clearly he has unusual resources.

Dingo is obviously enjoying being a superhero, because he's using lots of cliches. Or rather the comic is. It's a bloody missile!

Matrix looks funny (in a good way) listening to a boombox. Which turns out to be part of him. Apparently he can pick up radio waves? I wonder if he has any appreciation of music. Does he listen to the patterns in it?

Yama has a katana. Heh.

No funny jokes from Fang, but he is drawn very well. I look farward to the humor from this guy in future issues. He's such a fun character.

Strange that Matrix can be disabled by an em pulse. And when it's wrapped around Dingo, he's effectively disabled as well. That's quite a weakness! But the Matrix needed a weakness to balance its abilities, and this is an appropriate one. I didn't understand it until the others in the Comment Room explained that it is a common weakness of technology, to be disabled by em pulses.

If we didn't already know the basic plot of Bad Guys, I'd be very concerned by that talk of tengu hunting! Especially coming from Robyn. I've yet to see any indication that she's changed her genocidal attitude toward gargoyles, so it'll take a lot of character development before I like the character (as a person). But I am liking Dingo and the unnamed shaman. (And it's great to see the word tengu used in the canon.) Matrix doesn't really have a lot of personality yet, but as much as it does have, I like.

The art in this issue was excellent, I love Karine's work. Of course I'd love it more if it was color, but it is still great as it is.
============SPOILERS===========

Greg responds...

Hey, we aim to please. Glad you liked it!

Response recorded on January 22, 2008

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JANUARY 22

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

January 22nd...

1996
"Dominique Destine" marries "Lennox Macbeth". But as the sun sets, Macbeth learns the truth when Dominique transforms back into Demona. She quickly renders him unconscious. But when Thailog arrives, he secretly helps Macbeth escape. His plan is for Macbeth and Demona to kill each other so that he will inherit both their fortunes. Elisa Maza intervenes by temporarily "killing" both of them. Demona flees with Thailog, but Macbeth and the gargoyles declare a truce. Later, Elisa and the gargoyles take the skiff back to Avalon.


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Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

#7
I finally found a comic shop semi-near my apartment and figured out how to get there by bus. It's kinda creepy standing alone at a totally unfamiliar intersection after dark, but I got my comic the day it came out. And the store only had 2 left when I got there, that same day.

~~~~~~~~~~SPOILERS~~~~~~~~~~~
So yes, this is pretty hard to follow, it's hard to review the story when we don't have #8 and #9, but all that Withheld stuff will be useful now. Even though... we have the times right there in the comic. Here's my initial thoughts:

*I am happy to see Macbeth, and being friendly with the clan. He's my favorite 'antagonist' in the series. "Don't you have minions for this?" is a great line.

*Goliath has healed very nicely, there's not even a mark.

*Brooklyn wants to stay in NY to get a break from seeing Broadway and Angela holding hands and being all "OMG WE'RE IN LOVE!!" when they wake up in the evening. Then they decide to stay too. Poor Brooklyn. And I wonder what Angela whispered. I wouldn't feel sorry for Brooklyn because he is being jealous, except he still feels like there are no more females of his species left. Does he not realize there is a whole clan in England? I would have expected him to want to meet them, especially after he asked Goliath "When do we get our World Tour?"

*Jetlag and gargoyles, interesting. It is a nice way of demonstrating (like Broadway underground in the animated series) that gargoyles have a biological clock, that they don't just react to sunlight. And there's Macbeth, drinking lots of coffee to keep himself awake, and looking bored. He should have brought a book. I was wrong about thinking Lex was cold when he woke up, thanks for clearing that up. I'm not surprised they feel lousy.

*Hey look, its the little green guy from Demona's clan. I liked that character design. And there's Gruoch and Demona, too. But no Lulach.

*Maggie is pregnant! I guessed it from the way Dr. Sato says "condition" and the way she and Derek are looking at each other. I'm surprised it happened so soon. Are they going to get married then? Or at least have a ceremony, since the legal benefits won't be useful in the Labyrinth. It is nice to see Dr. Sato becoming an ally of both NY clans. I wonder how Maggie will explain all this to her folks in Ohio, though, because we haven't seen her contact them yet. And I'm eager to learn what their offspring will look like. Human, mutant, half-human and half-mutant... it could be anything.

*The conversation between Goliath and Elisa is interesting. The same panels and poses from #3 are deliberately repeated, the contrast is good. And I like her conclusion. "Normalcy is so overrated." She's thinking about Derek and how he seems to be gaining happiness in spite of not having a normal life. And she touches his hair, so he kisses her. :)

*Shari's watching Thailog take a bath!? Also, he has a surprisingly modern-looking computer for 1996, but what with all the cyborgs and super-robots and nanobots running around the Gargverse, I guess Thailog's rich enough to afford something "futuristic."

*I do wonder if the stories told of the Stone are true or not. Probably they are, but how did a handful of Greeks and Egyptians conquer all of Ireland? If that Stone is a Child of Oberon (as you once suggested it might be), it seems to be very patient with sitting around for long boring stretches of time being a rock. Then again, I don't think you intend it to be a Child of Oberon anymore, since it isn't at the Gathering.

*I wonder what are Thailog and Brentwood looking for, and where are they? Maybe we'll find out in #8.

*The new Coyote robot is one of the uglier ones in my opinion, though not as ugly as 4.0. Generally I think the one in Cloud Fathers (5.0?) was the sleekest-looking. That's not a critique of the penciller or the character design, but a critique of whoever (Xanatos?) designed the robot itself.

*I'm not surprised to see King Arthur, but I am surprised to see him do ~that~. Guess he and Macbeth have some more issues to work out yet! I wonder why he's so mad at Macbeth. And his motivations... it would be so bizarre if he was an antagonist in this story arc.

*New gargoyles! Plus Griff is back, I really like Griff. I am happy to see new gargoyles, as I've been very curious about non-Scottish clans, but I admit to being very disappointed with the new character designs. I am sorry to tell you this, but I dislike them. It doesn't make any biological sense that each one's heads just happens to ~exactly match~ his/her feet, when they aren't mammals nor related to those particular animals at all. I'm still very happy to see new gargoyles, though, but I was hoping for gargoyles that looked like they could have evolved, instead of like they were designed to look ~exactly~ like specific mammals. I still think that "chameleon genes" in general are plausible, and I ~love~ the variation in the other clans, but the London clan is no longer plausible for me (except Griff, who has mixed-together body parts). Each other gargoyle has his or her specific feet and tail cherry-picked to match ~perfectly~ his or her specific head, so that he/she looks like a winged, anthropomorphic/mutate version of one single, specific mammal, instead of a gargate that happens to remind humans of some animal. The white male has the face of a deer, and also antlers and a deer's cloven hooves (not horse-like hooves like Una), and they all match. The brown female has boar's hooves and a boar head to match. You have said that evolution and creation are supposed to be equally possible origins for gargoyles, but so far each London gargoyle (except Griff) is designed to look exactly like a single animal. I hope this isn't an indication that the rest of the clan will all be like this. They all live together and mate each other. Wouldn't offspring inherit a mix of their parents' traits?
But other than that, it is interesting to see the combination of wing-claws with the feather-like surface. Also surprising that some London gargoyles have the leathery wings instead. And that female has neat clothing. I agree with others who are happy to see a female who isn't thin or attractive by human standards.

Although the new gargoyle character designs bother me a lot, I'm still happy with lots of information and events, and I like this issue. TONS of teasers, and an intriguing storyline of which I look farward to learning more. Overall, the format is a confusing way to tell the story and I wonder why you are telling it this way, surely not only to mess with our heads (though I'm sure you enjoy that too!). Perhaps the next two issues will reveal the reason for the unusual format. As for the art, David Hedgecock is much better than before and this is the best colorist to be paired with him yet; Thailog's not black anymore, and the Mutates are tailless again. But Broadway is still off model in almost every panel and it bothers me. Everyone else looks really great, though, especially Goliath, Elisa, and Angela. It is true that sometimes Goliath's head is too big, but I didn't notice until other reviews pointed it out. I like this issue's art better than #6. I hope you guys stick with this art team from now on, Hedgecock is looking good and Robby Bevard brings out the best in his inks.
~~~~~~~~~~SPOILERS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Greg responds...

LONDON CLAN - Look, I understand what you're saying, but you're ignoring the NEEDS of creating a fictional universe here. I have to define parameters first -- the breadth of the possibilities. I assume you're not saying that if such and such a foot exists, it CAN'T appear with a so-called "matching" head. Leo's feet don't match a lion's, so I'm not sure why you're not including him with Griff as okay by your standards, in which case I've got two that are a mix and three that represent extremes. But you've only seen a smattering of London gargoyles anyway, not enough of a sample to judge. So, I simply request your patience until you've seen more than a handful to base your opinion on. I mean it's not like I haven't thought about all this. Haven't I earned a little trust at this point?

FORMAT - Okay, yeah, I enjoy messing with your heads, but that's definitely NOT the reason I'm telling this story this way. The ultimate reason why I felt it HAD to be told this way won't be clear -- assuming it's ever clear -- until issue #9, but I think even with this issue there are plenty of obvious advantages to telling this story this way. Information may not always be revealed chronologically, but sometimes that's not the best way to receive information. Content rather than strict chronology rules this story. What do you need to know? When do you need to know it? Besides, the story is MUCH more chronological (certainly across the three issues) than people probably realize. It's not at all random. Not at all. And when I didn't have a reason not to, I resorted to a strict timeline. And the dates and times are all there, so that the chronologically needy can still put it all together.

David and Robby are hopefully both here to stay.

Response recorded on January 21, 2008

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Hello my frist qustion here writes...

hello Greg ,I was doing some research for my finals
and I had to look son zoidack symbols. so any way I notice that the star sings
have a color that is appealing to those borne under that specific sign.
anyway here is my question do you think the people borne under the sign of Scorqpio (fond of dark colors. dark reds ,blacks .ect )
would be more tempted to favor brooklyn, as a character, and or fiend him Physically attractive.
(hope I did not sound to perverted)

thank you for tacking the time to read this

Greg responds...

I don't know.

Response recorded on January 21, 2008

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Greg Bishansky writes...

Just a silly little question. Obviously, Thailog makes his residence in the Nightstone building. So far we've seen a throne room, and we've seen a jacuzzi. Thailog is quite the hedonist, isn't he? Doesn't surprise me, he always came off as one to me. My question is, are these new? New as in, since "Hunters Moon"? Or were they there when Demona was running the place, if so, did she make use of them? The throne doesn't seem her style, she's never come across as all that much of a hedonist to me.

Greg responds...

Keep in mind that the building was largely outfitted while Demona was in prison in the Labyrinth.

Response recorded on January 21, 2008

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zuher writes...

greg i dont know iff u will read this ortake it seriously ur great and im not just sayin that i have all the episodes where did you get the inspirtion for this samrt idea?

Greg responds...

From actual gargoyles, largely. But for other influences, check the "influences" section of the ASK GREG archives.

Response recorded on January 21, 2008

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Vicky82 writes...

Greetings from England

Got Gargoyles 7 from Midtowncomics.com (2 copies) on Wednesday and I love it,

*********************SPOILERS******************************

Wow can't beleive it Maggie's pregnant, I'm guessing that Maggie due sometime in July 1997 but i got a feeling this aint going to be a easy pregnancy

Goliath chooses Brooklyn, Broadway, Angela and Lex to go to England with Macbeth but Brooklyn chooses to stay behind I guess to avoid Angela and Broadway but after Angela whisper something to Broadway (I love to know what she said) they stay behind too which Brooklyn doesn't seem happy about it.

I hope Brooklyn gets over Angela Choosing Broadway because I got this feeling he could get himself into trouble by doing something stupid before he goes on his Timedancing Journey.

Anyway Hudson goes with Lexington to Englan to help Macbeth

Elisa and Goliath kiss again (squeals)

As I live not far from London (30 miles north of London)It's great to see the Gargoyles in England

which Airport did you use was it Gatwick or Heathrow as they are the 2 main Airports just outside London, I wonder if Hudson and Lex are going to glide up the M1 next (thats one of our main Motorways)

Funny that I live in England but don't really know that much about the Stone of Destiny or the transporting it from London to Scotland in 1996 (14 years old at the time)

Interesting story about Gathelus and Scota that Shari is telling Thailog.

I like the 2 new Gargoyles.

Can't wait till issue 8 but first Bad Guys 2

Greg responds...

I'm thinking Gatwick...

Response recorded on January 21, 2008

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JANUARY 21

This day in Gargoyles' Universe History....

January 21st...

1995
Goliath, Hudson and Demona turn to stone mid-battle. When the sun sets, Goliath awakens healed. Demona is forced to flee.

1996
Elisa Maza and the gargoyles arrive in Paris during the day. Elisa starts to call her parents, but when she spots Macbeth and Demona together, she follows them to Macbeth's Chateau. Then she follows Demona to Notre Dame Cathedral, where she loses her trail. After sundown, she rejoins the gargoyles and fills them in. Goliath attempts to confront Demona at the Cathedral and is surprised to find her allied (and apparently in love) with Thailog. Angela overhears their confrontation and realizes that Demona is her biological mother. Goliath and his friends depart. Demona informs Thailog that she has successfully set up their new international corporation: Nightstone Unlimited, owned and operated by Dominique Destine and "Alexander" Thailog.



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