Todd Jensen writes...

Finally got my copy of Gargoyles #1 (I'd ordered from Amazon.com, and it took them longer to get a copy to send me than I'd expected) in the mail today. I thought that I'd give you my thoughts on it.

While most of the material was familiar to me from "The Journey" (of course, it's been nine years since I last saw it - I never taped any of the Goliath Chronicles), there were some new things that I liked in it, such as Matt's meeting with Chavez and Goliath's encounter with Art. (The latter gave us another one of those rare moments when Goliath displays a sense of humor, when he lets Art keep his gun - now twisted into a spiral shape.) And, on the smaller level, Vinnie's remarks during Castaway's Quarrymen recruitment speech (I was particularly amused by his "Well, I don't got kids" line).

I'll probably be saying this again when/if you do a ramble on "The Journey", but I get a big kick out of Castaway's speech and all the ironies in it. First, he talks about how his audience is struggling with such problems as "violence, racism, injustice..." - while signing them up for an organization that typifies all three. Then he asks them "Are you afraid these creatures will attack while you sleep?... Are you afraid they will steal your children away?" When reading those lines, I find myself remembering two things: first, gargoyles clearly fear also that humans will attack them in their stone sleep (and they have even better reason for that fear - a sleeping human has some possibility of waking up in time to save himself or herself, but a sleeping gargoyle is doomed unless the would-be gargoyle-killer made the mistake of attempting to smash him or her at sunset), and second, in "The Reckoning", Demona views Princess Katharine and the Magus taking the gargoyle eggs away to Avalon as "steal[ing] our young". And finally, Castaway constantly uses the word "alone" in his speech - when I remember where I last heard that word in "Gargoyles" in a significant moment, it's definitely chilling. Kudos to you for writing that part.

I'm assuming, also, that you've got more liberal S&P on the comic than you did on television, in light of what Banquo called Elisa (no wonder she interrupts him with a punch and "shut up"!).

I'm looking forward to #2, and hope that the comic has a long run.

Alex Garg writes...

Hey Greg,

Thanks for rambling again (at the time of this post)! Always enjoyable.

No Gathering 2006 report I'm afraid. I was stuck back East starting a new job (well, returning to an old job) and helping to pump water out from my home's flooded basement (my understanding is that L.A. doesn't have to worry about getting 14 inches of rain in three days - we here in the Mid-Atlantic do).

Fun stuff, let me tell you.

However, I'm glad y'all had a good time and I'm pretty darn sure I'll be able to make '07 (though by the time you read this, we'll have probably known the outcome of this prediction for some time).

Anyway, rambling aside, I do have something of potential value to offer - my personal review of the comic, which after weeks of hunting for (all places in my area which ordered it sold out of no fewer than two orders, and the place I asked to order it from, um, forgot to and then, in a CYA move, insisted that the comic was not coming out in June) and eventually waiting for two weeks after ordering direct from SLG, "Gargoyles #1" is in my hands.

On the whole, I like it. I think you did a good job of adapting what we saw on screen to the pages and providing a way for new fans to get acquainted with what's going on. Of course, what's fun for me is seeing in print what I had the honor of acting out as ART back in Montreal during Radio Play, but I digress. The story's well-paced and moves along nicely, but I'm going to hold back on really looking at the writing aspect until *very* new material starts coming out. I have THE JOURNEY so internalized that I don't think I can be objective in a review of it.

As for the art, I think it's clear that David is still working with getting the models down, but some panels particularly demonstrated that he has the ability to nail it down. He seems to be more comfortable with up-close work than whole characters or multiple characters, but it's clear that he has the potential to pull it off. Right now, consistency is the major issue I have - some panels are great, others not so. I don't think it's off-putting by most measures, though I suspect those with a keener eye for art would be able to find more to take issue with. However, I'm going to remain optimistic that the art will improve with each issue.

I like the comic, I'm glad it's out, but again I'll wait until we're really in "uncharted" territory before I roll out deeper reviews (and might even, for once, have questions to ask).

And... that's all. Take care and I'll hopefully see you in '07 (or '08 if you get this closer in that neighborhood). :)

P.S.: Oh, in answer to your question on my '04 journal, "How did Leo get home?" He stayed in Montreal another day or two and flew out from there.

Now I'm done.

Blair writes...

Hi! Before I ask my question, I just want to ask what the chances of a fourth season are. But thats not my question. If there were to be a fourth season, when and where would it take place? WOuld it take place right after the last episode, or many years into the future? Also, instead of making a fourth season, would Disney ever redo the whole series? Thank you so very much! :)

Lady Talais writes...

Greeting to you Mr' Wiseman,

I have been a major Gargoyles fan since the day it first aired and have spent much time in gargoyle chat rooms and on this site and others.
Now for my question, Recently I heared that there was talk of making another season picking up where season two left off and using your writing. Please is there any truth to this rummor? I was not happy with the changes that Disney made to gargoyles in third season and would love to see what you had written. Please could you let me know?

Sabina writes...

Good day,

Since yesterday I'm the proud owner of the first issue of the new Gargoyles comic (took some time to get it oversea).

I admit that the drawing style will take some getting used to, but after the tenth re-read it doesn't look as weird anymore.

Otherwise I adore the comic and the nicely thought out transitions, from the Quarrymen to Goliath and Elisa and back again, etc. The short recap was a very nice touch, I especially like the panel with Elisa, Angela and Goliath. Another favourite panel of mine is Cagney so sneakily waiting to pounce on his food.

And then the end of the comic Goliath shot and the laconic commentary by our favourite news anchor "Welcome Back". Welcome back indeed.

I'm eagerly awaiting the second issue, but the third even more. New things to read from the Gargoyles, I'm very happy and hope there'll be many more issues.

Greetings,
Sabina

Craig writes...

Just a few quick observations on the comic...

Loved the idea of having the Hunter icon on Castaway's suit (I'm pretty sure this detail wasn't in "The Journey"). For me, this gave Castaway's scene with Vinnie a whole new level. He looks at Vinnie as a younger version of himself--unsure about the gargoyles, maybe even slightly sympathetic. But he's sure that Vinnie, like himself, will "see the necessity" for violence soon enough.

Hedgecock's art has room for improvement (some off-model shots of Elisa--although in some of the closeups she's beautiful), but it draws me into the story much more than the mediocre animation on "The Journey." He gives the characters real personality, very "animated." And hats off to the colorist...great, moody atmosphere.

You've said that no animated show could get away with your "into-the-camera punches" these days...so in some ways, it's nice to be a comic book, eh? And Elisa gets the honor of delivering the first one. Good for her!

And that wing wound! Ouch. I like that you're upping the violence and language slightly without going overboard. All in all, a great effort. I'll be buying a few copies for friends. Good to have you back!

James writes...

Assuming the new Comic does well could time dancer or pendragon be made into comics also

Varjo Kage writes...

Hello Mr. Weisman,
First off I would like to say that I really appreciate the new comic book/graphic novel. No that's an understatement, I found the book to be Incredible! My Question is; is there going to be cross-overs or mentioning of the series that "could have been"? Timedance, Pendragon, Bad Guys or New Olympians is what I mean. Or could they be made into Miniseries/Maxiseries or even a series on their own? I would definately buy that.
Thank you for your Time.

Cheers,
Varjo Kage

Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...

I love it when Ask Greg reopens for questions! I know it'll be a few years before this gets read, but it adds to the vibrancy of the fandom.

Unfortunately I didn't get to the Gathering yet again- one of these days. Doesn't gall me as much as missing the last one in NYC, but at least I have my memories of the first two.

I looked through the new posts to see what others were saying about the comic. (There is less of a chance of saying something that has been said to death, but I don't want to lose the habit of checking first.) By in large the reviews are very good and I would have to agree. I couldn't get to my comic shop till Friday, but I read it and went through it with a fellow fan in great detail on the phone before sundown. (The rest of my weekly reading had to wait.) I won't say it was perfect, I had some serious concerns, but I was really happy.

First off, I must note this- The back says that the colorist is new to the field- what a fantastic start! There is nothing there that even hinted to anything novice like.

I have to be a little harder on the artist. It almost seems like the style switched halfway through. The first half struck me as more stylized, a little reminisent of craypas or those sidewalk chalk artists that wow you with what they can do. The second half was looser, even letting you see the pencil marks. My druthers would ask for the second style. The artist seemed far more comfortable with it. While the first page and sevel other panels throughout the begining were beautiful, other were rather awkward and boxy, especially in the none action scenes. (The artist drew some just plain fantastic fantastic action sceens.)

I did have a small quibble with the text...(though I feel like slime mentioning it here). Some of the lines that were lifted directly from the show didn't flow as well without Keith David's sonority. Goliath's formal speaking style sometimes needs that resonance. I have no fear of that being a problem in later books- all the sceens that started life in print read just fine while still conjuring that voice. I loved Goliath's 'discussion' with the shotgun wielding man. Though I have to ask- who has a shotgun in NYC?

Looking forward to issue 2- I do hope that independant Publisher doesn't mean Independate time frame :}