Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

1. I've been wondering about the subject of families for a while.
Humans usually form nuclear families, or extended families, around biological kinship -- biological parents and children, and maybe grandparents, aunts, or uncles. Children generally grow up with their biological siblings, raised by their biological parents, or maybe a grandparent. If adopted, they generally form nuclear families as though they were biological. Many human societies have legal polygamy, while others value monogamy.
Gargoyles usually raise their offspring communally, one entire generation of parents raising a whole rookery generation as a set of siblings. Biological relationships are not important, and each individual has many parents and siblings. Siblings are only those who are the same age. For both species, it appears (except in dysfunctional families) that parents and children tend to bond closely, and individuals bond more or less closely with their siblings. Among gargoyles, mates are usually rookery siblings, they mate for life, and are almost always monogamous.
So far we have not learned anything about Third Race families, and I don't know whether you've thought much yet about how they raise their offspring. But I'm curious to see what you're willing to share about how Third Race parents, offspring, and siblings usually define their relationships to each other, how or whether they emotionally bond, what their (typical) concept of a family is. Does a member of the Third Race only have their two biological parents, or more than two parents, or less than two? Who usually raises them? Do they value monogamy, or is it acceptable/legal for them to have multiple marriages at once (not all partners are marriages)? I'm not looking for individual answers, but just an idea of what is typical or common or average for the Third Race.

2. Short question: Humans kiss and gargoyles stroke each other's head/hair/horns. What is the Third Race equivalent to these behaviors? (I'm guessing that since the Third Race can be humanoid or giant spiders or else have the heads of jackals, etc., that kissing isn't practical.)

Purplegoldfish writes...

Here's my review for #8

A good all-around issue. I'm usually more interetested in the stories dealing with the Manhattan happenings, but there was some really interesting stuff in here that I enjoyed.

I love Staghart and Constance. Fun characters-kind of like modern teenage gargoyles. I hope we see more of them after this story concludes. And I like all the little tidbits about the London Clan. I bet their numbers make up at least half the world's gargoyle population-probably more.

It seems almost selfish for them to keep couples from laying a third egg, being such a decimated species. I wonder what Goliath would think of that. I hope the issue is brought up again-could make for some nice drama.

I like the new bit of info on gargoyle biology-that it's hard to keep gargoyles in heat from mating-like it's more of a biological imperative. I've always wondered about that.

I love how Shari's stories sometimes contradict each other. Goes back to Hudson saying "Maybe we shouldn't believe everything we see on television." Not all stories are true-but there's usually some bit of truth in each of them. (Also reminds me of what Goliath says in "Mark of the Panther". I really like how the comic makes me think of happenings from past episodes). I like how all kinds of different myths and legends from around the world are incorporated-and that they're not stated as fact-but we have to make up our own minds about them. And I just love those scenes with Shari and Thailog-they have a strange sort of chemistry that I'm really starting to like.

Arthur and Macbeth-So cool that these two are becoming friends. Trading their strange tales over coffee...Nightstone's coffee, lol! I bet it's WAY overpriced ;)
"All things are true...few things are accurate"-Great line! I've been wondering about Hudson's enigmatic look though-maybe he's thinking about the human/gargoyle relations trouble at home, and humans' thoughts about gargoyles in general, and what it's cost his species.

Fox's shoes-erm, ok hehe. I personally think that it really has nothing to do with the story at all-except as a humorous commentary on the people behind the scenes. While this big battle is going on, the wife of the man responsible for all this mayhem is doing something totally mundane as buying shoes. I can almost hear the Musak in the background of that shoe store lol.

And again, the timeline format really does this story justice-I love all the little hints you drop with the logistic placing of the panels. Not a whole lot of people would have the patience to do all the work you do for this comic book. That's just one of the reasons why we love you ;)

I can't wait for #9!

Antiyonder writes...

There's a question I've have on my mind concerning Xanatos for awhile. The question is if he was expecting Goliath and Clan to confront Oberon in order to save Alex or was their presence a surprise to him as it was to Petros (Of course David would take it in stride)?

I ask only because he showed more gratitude towards them for saving Alex than he did when they helped with Fox. Not that he came across as an ingrate mind you ( imean, he did give up the Eye Of Odin to Goliath).

What I meant by the more gratitude part is how he comments on "trying to repay his debt of gratitude" in a serious tone. Plus the fact that he does them two favors as part of that gratitude. Because, I would think that resolving Coldstone's personality problem would settle that debt. But then I suppose since Alex and Owen took care of that, then he felt he still owed them.

Daniel Abraham Raviv. writes...

Hey Greg, I Might not be able to Attend The Gathering Of The Gargoyles this year because I'm going to Israel, but if it's allright can i attend and meet you in the 2009 gathering of the gargoyles, and can it again, just for once, be in Chicago, i really, really do want to be there and see you. Can we come to an arrangement? Please?

Jeff writes...

Hey Greg!
Huge Spider-Man fan here! The episodes keep getting better and better. Any clues as to when the Big MJ reveal will be? In April? I am dying to get this series on DVD! The Sandman episode remains my favorite(so far) but I think I change my mind every Saturday. It had the right amount of crazy battle scenes and down to earth drama. Im not sure if you know this but will the series run through the summer or will they split up the season? In any event, I will be an avid watcher. One more SM question, Any plans for Pete to reveal his identity to anyone? I doubt you'll answer that, but I think it is what makes Ultimate Spider-man so fresh. (Not that I should compare the two, they are seperate but equal as far as Im concerned.) It would be so much easier for Pete to say "dont hate me Gwen/Liz/Harry/Connors/Brock...Im Spider-Man!" Which is the tragic situation and does make it interesting, I cant wait to see where the show goes and Im counting down til next week(6 days!)
I also read your comics, they are great stuff. I missed the cartoon because I havent had Toon Disney until recently(And they show Gargoyles at crazy times) but I am familiar with the story. However, I have never felt confused reading the comics, the characters have been captivating, regardless of their history. Keep up the great work!

Todd Jensen writes...

A few comments on the new Spectacular Spider-Man episode.

I enjoyed this one as well. Parts that especially stood out to me:

Norman Osborn's response to Marko's initial being turned into sand: "We sweep up and try again."
The remark that Marko doesn't need to defeat Spider-Man; he only needs to keep him distracted (very reminiscent of the antagonist strategies in "Gargoyles").
Marko's "Doh!" moment upon realizing that he forgot to take the bank money he just stole with him.
Marko trying to conceal his ignorance about the Big Man.

Dr. Octopus seems Caspar Milquetoastish at the moment; more so than I'd expected (though I don't know that much about him). I look forward to seeing if that changes.

Thanks for another enjoyable episode, Greg.

Wesley Nichols writes...

Do you know what the writer's strike had on the writer's extent that they can choose what they write and shows they can choose to script? Will this have any affect on the animation industry?

george writes...

Dear Mr. Weisman,
I just wanted to ask, if there are any websites, where I can buy Gargoyles t-shirts. Or maybe you know some websites from Europe, cause I'm from Austria. I would really appreciate any kind of help!!!
Thanks,
George

Matt writes...

London Clan

1. Are the two gargoyles pictured with Hudson, Griff, Lex, Staghart and Constance in the brief frame of them as stone at Knight's Spur the Lunette and Old Pog that Staghart mentions or are they just two different members of the London Clan?

2. What year did Old Pog hatch?

3. Is Old Pog the only gargoyle still alive from his rookery generation among the London Clan?

4. As of 1996, do the London Clan gargoyles raise their hatchlings communally or are members aware of their biological parents?

5. How long has the London Clan been using names?

Thanks Greg!

Helen Abercrombie writes...

hi greg i live in scotland and i am trying to finr volume 2 of season 2 and can not find it anywhere so do u know where i can get it?

Anonymous writes...

Hey Greg, are you giong to be in The Gathering Of The Gargoyles in Chicago this year, I'm developing My own Gargoyles series for my school, also with Titania, Oberon, Puck, And Others (But it's not related to this series),I'm not giving you suggestions and i'm not asking for you to hire me, i just want to talk to you, and ask you for some suggestions for my series, and to pay you and Disney money for what I'm doing. Can I Talk to you there? can i meet you and have you help me?

Greg Bishansky writes...

Competition

Another sweet episode.

Sandman has never been a favorite of mine, but I enjoyed him here. His transformation sequence was great, and I loved Norman's callous attitude... "we sweep up." Hmm, they were trying to add "silicon armor" to him at first, makes me wonder if they meant for him to be like the Rhino.

Harry seems to be moving into the popular crowd, which is good. To all those who complained about him being too dorky, Greg knows what he's doing.

Speaking of the Osborns, is that Emily Osborn I see? Interesting.

Pete, you're a moron. Gwen digs you. Go for it!

And Hobey Brown... awesome! Wonder if we'll see him doing some prowling in the future.

Good episode, not as good as last week's. But still good.

Jake McAlpine writes...

Just got done reading issue #8 and wanted to write to let you know how great I think the comics are. The story is actually richer through this medium I think. I watched the show as a kid and was thrilled to see you continue the story line. As I read this issue with all the kings being crowned I thought "this is about the time period of King Kenneth" and a few pages later there he was! Thank you for writing such an imaginative story that draws so much on history. I can't wait to read this to my children and use it as an excuse to teach them about a piece of their family history. So a big thank you from the McAlpine Clan.

Todd Jensen writes...

A few questions about Gargoyles #8:

1. Is the man crowning Arthur in the September 29, 500 flashback King Pelles? The clothing, hair, and beard look right, but his face has a different shape than that of Pelles in Shari's "Sword in the Stone" flashback. Or is that just a slip of Hedgecock's pen?

2. In Shari's account of Arthur drawing Excalibur from the Stone of Destiny, she calls London "Londontown". Is that a reference to the Disney animated "Sword in the Stone" movie, where the opening narration describes the Sword in the Stone as appearing in "Londontown"?

3. Is Lunette named after the Lunette of the story of Yvain/Owain and the Lady of the Fountain?

Ricky writes...

Hi Greg,

I'm curious about the new character's designs.

Let me start by saying I love them, they look great. Constance is obviously tough as nails and it's great to see a full-figured gargoyle. The way she ripped the arms off the Steel Clan Robot was brilliantly drawn. Staghart is obviously a bit goofy, as Hedgecock's art shows in a few panels, from his self-created nickname that no one uses to the adorable expressions he makes. I think Coco and Amp were introduced in a way that already makes them so lovable, especially after their response to Lex's question about being mates. (Sidebar: I hope what we're all sensing between Amp and Lex is the real deal, I loved seeing their interactions and can't wait for more in #9)

So, on to the questions:

1) We know that Greg Guler was the character designer for the tv series, and you had said that David Hedgecock did the original designs for the new characters so far in the comic. Does David do the designs alone, or does Greg Guler have any input?

2) In the future, if a guest artist is doing the artwork for an issue with new characters, will they do the character designs, or is this something that David Hedgecock does now, since he's the regular penciller?

3) The cover for #8 is beautiful, and in my opinion one of the best so far, in terms of being dynamic and exciting, but is there any specific reason that Greg Guler didn't do the cover for #8 and won't be doing the cover for #10?

4) Last one: Will the covers on the main title always only feature the main characters (Goliath, Elisa, Hudson, etc.), or will there eventually be covers that picture new characters or guest characters as well?

Gargoyles #8 was incredible, as they all have been, and I know its only going to get better.
Keep up the great work! Thanks for your time!

Benjamin Sharef writes...

Hey, I'm trying to track down a copy of the television show "W.I.T.C.H." for my nieces' birthday. Is it available on DVD in either a season boxset or individual epsidoes? My nieces love it, but the show is no longer on at a good time (3AM I think) so this would make a great gift.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Sign--
Ben

Battle Beast writes...

Without giving away any ideas, or making this into a hidden idea, YES or NO: does King Arthur have a job?

Matt writes...

My Review For Gargoyles #8, "Rock And Roll"...

- After a not so great day, I finally reached the high point when my friend Ryan and I picked up our copies of Gargoyles #8. The first thing I noticed when I picked it up was that we were back to the firmer cover material, which pleased me, though it was fine either way. The second thing I noticed was how gorgeous the cover art is. Kudos to Greg Guler and Jorge Molina. This thing is a beaut. I wish I could get a full size poster of this cover, it is spectacular. It truly is the way comic book covers should be done. The layout is great and the coloring is amazing (particularly in places like Hudson's hair and beard). For a character all too often left behind in the Gargoyles stories, Hudson is really doing well on the comic covers! My one complaint about the cover would be the glow of Hudson's right eye. Almost looks like his eye is exploding!

- On to the story itself, we continue the non-linear format, which continues to be a bit daunting and a lot of fun. As Phil so observantly noted in Etched In Stone, there is a purpose to the specific layout and that purpose leads to hints, nudges and winks that one would otherwise not notice. In #8, the hint that is most interesting is Macbeth mentioning how there are few immortals and we cut to Shari... but also CuChullain, who has a different sort of immortality in his reincarnation.

- I'm pleased that we get a lot of information on the London Clan in this issue, and also of Constance and Staghart. They are really fascinating, so gargoyle and yet so different than what we are used to and expecting. They all have names and take to them so easily. Old Pog's gotta his name, sure, but even young Lunette's got her name. And of course, there's the biggie, while the gargoyle species is teetering on the brink of extinction and at least a few clans around the world have been decimated or otherwise face a real problem of population growth, the London Clan is consciously working to keep itself small and contained! It is also interesting that there are no beasts. Sir Griff leads me to think there is a sad story to that fact.

- There was a lot of humor in this issue, which was great. I loved Thailog confronting Shari about conflicts in her (maybe not so true) stories, Constance's "Nobody calls you Amp, Luv" line and her dismemberment of the Steel Clan robot (which, while funny, was also extremely cool. I also got a big kick out of Constance and Staghart's reaction to Lex's question about their being mates. I must say, I'm really fond of these two gargoyles and I hope (and suspect) we will see more of them beyond Issue #9. Staghart and Lexington (AKA Amp and Lex) seem to be forming a bond at any rate. Their mutual life-saving is nice and there are some subtle moments that I really like. I don't want to say much more in this review though, least I be wrong in my suspicions. Lets just say I look forward to watching their... relationship develop.

- The battle scenes in this one are a lot of fun. The five gargoyles vs. the four robots is neat. I'm curious why there is both a single Steel Clan and a single Iron Clan robot present and not two of one or the other. Coldsteel is getting rather creepy. The thought that he would have actually removed Hudson's arm is terrifying. I mean, they are enemies of course, but Hudson is Coldsteel's rookery father. The contrast between Coldsteel and Coyote is striking. Here you have Coyote warning his enemies to leave or else, upset when they don't and outright stating that he would only "terminate" if neccesary and then you have Coldsteel, who is somewhat gleeful at the thought of engaging in battle and causing painful bodily harm. It's almost funny that the enemy with a true soul is the more heartless of the two.

- We end the book in a similar fashion to how we ended #7, the arrival of some more new gargoyles to the Abbey. I have to say that I predicted that Coldstone and Coldfire would arrive, so it wasn't a surprise to me to see that they did. That said, their arrival is no less fun for me. I love to see everyone coming out of the woodwork. Amp wasn't kidding about the kitchen sink.

- A couple more small notes: I thought Vinnie's brief appearance was interesting and very unexpected. How does he fit into this? I absolutely LOVED Merlin's depiction. He looks so original and like a character I want to know more about. I suppose I was expecting a more Gandalf-like look, I should've had more faith in Greg and the artists. Griff, on the other hand, was a bit rough. I don't neccesarily hold this against Hedgecock though, I have seen very few drawings of Griff that looked great (in the series or in fan-art). He is just a tough character to draw, I think. Aside from Griff, Hedgecock is doing a great job. Always been a fan, of course, and he is getting better and better. And of course, Greg's writing continues to be superb. It all just flows so well. All in all, a great, great comic. It does come off as a bit of a "middle story", but the action and the non-linear format help make it very climactic. Definitely leaves me desperate for #9.

Phillip Newman writes...

Is the current Gargoyles comic book series selling well enough? Will it extend beyond the 12 issues you have planned? In terms of how long you have written Gargoyles beyond "Hunter's Moon," in episodes, how much? 60 more after "Hunter's Moon?" 100 more?

Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...

Funny thing is I am about a year behind reading Ask Greg- it seems wrong for the reader to be behind when Greg seems all caught up!

That said in response to my review way back when the first comic came out Greg said:
"As for a shotgun in Manhattan, anyone who occasionally heads upstate to go hunting might have one. "

Yes, but not legally.

(sorry for the silly- but I couldn't resist)

Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...

Greg wrote:
"Actually, any thoughts from anyone on who might be a good choice to write an intro to Volume Two?"

I know it isn't any more of a given that an actor is a good writer than a writer is a good actor, but Ed Asner might be an interesting person to write an intro. It's the type of unexpected thing that might catch a little attention. (I still remember being surprised at Patrick Stewart's intro to a Transmetroplitan- made even funnier by not looking who wrote it till I got to the sign off.) And he's have the built in story of seeing the description, "Hudson hates spunk" and knowing he had the role.

Anonymous writes...

Is the Silverstar Online Lottery, from Hohannesburg,2040, South Africa a legitimate bussiness?

Balrog writes...

Can Xantos apologsie unlike Norman Osborn?

Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

My thoughts about #8: This is a good issue but perhaps less exciting than #7.

I was hoping we'd get to see meet many more members of the London Clan, but maybe we'll see more in #9. We do see a cool-looking hippogriff dude and somebody who may or may not be Una, it's hard to tell.
The London Clan have such an ironic situation. 196 members is still not a healthy breeding population for an endangered species, but it is pretty good for a modern gargoyle clan. It's nice to know that some clans are doing relatively well. (I imagine Ishimura is also large) But because of that, they have to restrict their own reproduction and cannot contribute anything to increasing the gargoyle population and helping the species increase. I can see how a clan in this situation would be happy to send members or eggs to another clan if they thought it was reasonably safe. Being unable to mate and having to resist strong instincts must be really unpleasant. I certainly hope that the exchanges mentioned in 2198 start happening soon, so the population can increase more easily.

Lexington's shocked expression in that scene is well done.

It's quite funny when Thailog starts complaining that Shari's stories are inconsistent.
I like the way the stuff with the Stone of Destiny and the Sword in the Stone is handled. I am surprised that you went with a Gandalf sort of look for Merlin, not that I dislike it. Kenneth on the other hand is one scary and ugly looking dude.

I'm glad that King Arthur and Macbeth didn't get in a fight. And I like the scenes where Macbeth's coronation on the Stone is compared with that of Kenneth and Arthur.

Then they go to a coffee shop and Nightstone sells coffee!? I suppose Demona needs a lot of it to keep awake during the day since she has a day job and rarely sleeps.

The format is still very confusing. The art is nice for the most part, except for Staghart on the page facing CuChullain (sorry, there are no page numbers!)

I like the London Clan and especially King Arthur's confusion about the robots.

And King Arthur is researching himself, this is funny. Macbeth's comment about accuracy is funny too, he certainly can complain. (Even though he doesn't actually mind Shakespeare's play)

I notice that the London Clan's way of speaking is more contemporary/modern than Lexington's.

Questions:
1. Is the female gargoyle with the unicorn horn (in the stone sleep scene) Una, or a different character?

2. Other than the phone (mentioned in previous responses) what sort of modern amenities does Knight's Spur have? Do they have electricity? running water? garbage service? mail delivery?

Marjorie writes...

Did Thailog know about Demona's plan to wipe out humanity with the virus and the praying gargoyle? If the answer is no, do you think Thailog would have supported Demona's plan if they hadn't split up in Reckoning?

Anonymous writes...

I meant to post this last Thursday, but it wouldn't have been answered then anyway, so I guess it's ok.

So, the Vernal Equinox of 2008 has passed. In Gargoyles history, ow many eggs would be in the Manhattan Clan's rookery as of the day I'm writing this?

Wesley Nichols writes...

Dear Greg Weisman,

I had a thought and would like to hear youre opinion. I had been to a site that listed cartoons from the eighties (Such as Thundercat, the Littles, and Bravestarr) and began to compare them to todays cartoons series. I wil admit that I don't normally watch cartoons, but I sometimes see the cartoons my young cousins watch and from what I can tell most of todays cartoons are sacrificing content for modern animationj techniques and political correctness. Admittedly, the snippets of the Avatar series, shows that it is one of the more unique series, but most other shows are either copies of older series (Spiderman, Batman, X-men) or possess very little complex plot.

I am not trying to insult you or accuse you of anything. I still think Gargoyles is one of the best young kid shows out there and one of the things I liked about the show is that it was one of the last shows that truly had a morale lesson (such as guns are not toys and there are always consequences for your actions)but alot of the cartoons shows I see seem to emphasize shallowness and I think encourages children to act spoilt and do what they want. For example, in many cartoon shows, such Fairly Odd parents, the main characters parents and adults in general are shown to be bumbling fools, and I saw an episode of Dexters laboratory that emphasized that Christmas was about materialism instead of spending time with family.

I hope I did not offend you and I admit that I don't normally watch television. I just want to hear your opinion.

Todd Jensen writes...

Bought Gargoyles #8 today. After this, I'm all the more certain on one thing: the Stone of Destiny story is my favorite story in the Gargoyles comic to date.

I enjoyed the continuation of Shari's tale about the Stone of Destiny. Some of it was familiar to me (Jeremiah and Tamar bringing the Stone to Ireland, the Stone's links to Fergus, Columba, and Kenneth mac Alpin), but there were some surprises. The Stone turning out to be the stone that Moses struck to get water for the Israelites, for example. Cuchulain breaking it in half (though that explains how there's still supposedly a Lia Fail at Tara). Pity that even Shari can't reconcile the Gathelus and Scota version with the Jeremiah version (I liked Thailog's response to that)!

I wasn't surprised that Merlin was responsible for the Stone showing up at London for the young Arthur to pull Excalibur out (especially since he's got a reputation for taking stones from Ireland and bringing them to Britain for the benefit of the Pendragon family). What did surprise me was King Pelles' role in the story. And Merlin wearing a cowboy hat.

I liked the nicknames for Constance and Staghart as well. Now I know for certain where Xanatos gets that recycling habit that he displayed in "Cloud Fathers".

We also get to learn more about the London clan and their own customs (pity about the no beasts part).

And great surprise entry for Coldstone and Coldfire, too.

Finally, I enjoyed the little tidbits along the way: the number of Vinnie's flight to Japan, the name on Arthur and Macbeth's coffee cups (and it's even in the Gargoyles font), Arthur's line "All things are true... few things are accurate" (a good commentary on Shari's story, incidentally, though I doubt that Arthur knows about it), Hudson's "So many books" line (how appropriate, with Arthur and Macbeth both in the room), Lexington's "electric sheep" line, and Thailog and Shari's "The Edge" moment.

Now I'm looking forward to #9 all the more, to see how it all turns out (and the significance to Vinnie's cameo, Fox's shoe-buying, and Xanatos pressing the red button).

Thanks for a great issue, Greg!

Greg Bishansky writes...

Okay, before I review "Gargoyles".

Holy crap... Dr. Doom got his ass kicked! Okay, we've seen him get beaten before, but not like that.

Now, with that out of the way...

Okay, so the entire issue takes place in London, with the exceptions of Shari telling Thailog more about the history of the Stone of Destiny.

Macbeth and King Arthur team-up, and Lexington and Hudson team up with the London gargoyles, Sir Griff, Staghart (Amp) and Constance (Coco). Xanatos unleashes Coldsteel, Coyote 5.0 and two Steel Clan robots to attack the gargoyles in what has to be a distraction while he steals the Stone.

Speaking of Amp. I began to suspect it in December, so I'm calling it here... Amp is going to be Lexington's "special friend".

I loved the bit where Arthur and Macbeth are talking about why they're not centuries dead.

Arthur: ... mortally wounded in 542. So they shipped me off to some Magic Hill and put me to sleep for a thousand four hundred fifty-three years.
Macbeth: Sounds lovely.
Arthur: And you?
Macbeth: Deal with a demon in 1040. Officially died in 1057... been sleep-walking for nine hundred thirty-nine years.
Arthur: .... Guess I got the better bargain.

Then they toast to the immortals (toast Nightstone coffee! Demona and Thailog started their own Starbucks, they are EVIL!) and we get implication that Shari is immortal.

Oh, and Coldstone and Coldfire are back too. Though, I wouldn't call in the kitchen sink yet. Now, if Demona and Tony Dracon popped on over with Eric and Gunther Sturlisson, then yeah, I would expect the kitchen sink next.

Charisma82 writes...

Wow, I feel like I am really slacking off by finally posting my 2nd half of Gargoyles #7 review after so long, but at least I finally got it done. I figured I ought to get it done and over with before I get issue #8 (which I have purchased online and should be getting in the near future). So here's the long awaited (well, by me anyways) 2nd half of #7 review.

Gargoyles: Clan-Building
Part 7: The Rock

Part 2 Pages 13-24

Page 13: Goliath finally gets it that not only is Broadway and Angela now a couple, but Brooklyn is feeling down in the dumps because of it. At least the big guy is understanding and tries to help him out by letting him stay in Manhattan, but to no avail. Broadway & Angela decide to stay as well, which kinda bothers me in a way. Goliath tells them to go on this mission, and then they up and tell him they're going to stay behind anyway. It bothers me that Goliath lets this slide, after he's given them a direct order. But I guess he's got other things on his mind, such as recovering still and the whole Elisa/Goliath relationship thing.

Page 14: I LOVE the last scene on this page with Macbeth in 1950. I love the lines, "Scotland Forever!" "SHHHH!" Besides this funny scene, we get to see Lex, Hudson, and Macbeth during a stakeout, but not much is happening for them yet.

Page 15: Another page dedicated to the story of Gathelus and his growing family. The artwork is still incredible. The picture on Thailog and Shari… it was very creepy and cool at the same time. Even before getting online to read people's responses to the picture, I immediately though of the picture looking like Goliath and Elisa, only Shari and Thailog's picture seems much darker. Props on such a great idea to reflect the 2 couples on each other.

Page 16: To answer Hudson's question, "Who exactly are we expecting?" Just about anybody… but especially Xanatos. Again, we get to see Xanatos working with the Coyote Diamond. He's making a deal with someone, and it is pretty easy to guess who when your eye slips to the page next to it. I liked how you had the Scarab Corporation logo in one of Xanatos' backgound shots.

Page 17: Xanatos gets the new and improved Coyote robot working again with the help of the Coyote Diamond and then we get a big shot of Coldsteel and the new robot, ready to do as Xanatos' commands. This should be interesting.

Page 18: Shari tells the story of the Coldstone trio. It was a nice touch to help those who did not watch the TV series understand what went on between the three gargoyle souls. Thailog looks really intense as he looks at his computer screen.

Page 19: A Goliath & Elisa moment. I really like how the scene is set up to look just like the scene from issue #5. Great idea on that.

Page 20: And here we get one of the big revealers: Maggie is officially pregnant. I had to explain this scene to my sister, because she didn't get it at first. Then we see Elisa throwing away normalcy to be with Goliath, after he was graciously trying to let her off the hook. I like how you put the Maggie/Talon scene right above this scene. Elisa sees that Maggie & Talon, who are definitely not normal, are happy together. I think it gave her an extra boost of confidence to go on without normalcy in her life. Besides, her life was never going to be normal anyways. She might as well be with the guy she loves.

Page 21: The close of the story for Gathelus. Shari and Thailog are playing chess. I just realized how this scene reflects on Fox & Xanatos. It's funny, Shari and Thailog might look like a dark version of Goliath and Elisa, but their intellect and trickery is much more like the Xanatos couple. All of these couples being compared to each other… wow, there are a lot of strong couples in this series.

Page 22: Macbeth checking out a mysterious shadow lead. I never noticed King Arthur's shadow at the middle of the page until just now. Huh. And of course, Macbeth can't go anywhere without his famous "lightning" gun.

Page 23: Macbeth is caught off guard by, no other than, King Arthur! The last panel on this page is my 2nd favorite one in the entire comic. My first thought was… "Oh no… Arthur doesn't know that Macbeth is one of the good guys!" I guess I totally blanked out the end of the episode "Pendragon". Then I remembered that they had left on good terms the last time they'd seen each other. So, as many are, and will wonder until #8 is read, why is Arthur being so hostile towards Macbeth?

Page 24: So, this was my favorite scene in the entire comic. New gargoyles! And they look so cool! I love their designs, and I can't wait to learn more about them in the next comic. I didn't notice Griff at the bottom of the page until my 2nd or 3rd read through. Yeah Griff! He's one of my favorites in the Gargoyles universe, and I can't wait to hear more about him in future comics.

There it is. I finally got it done. Hopefully I'll be doing one of these for #8 very soon. I have to mention that this comic was so good, that my sister even came in and started talking to me and asking questions about it, which she doesn't usually do. It has to be a really great comic if it got my sister talking to me about it. Thanks for the great job!

Thank you for your time and all that you do.

-Charisma82

Jack-Pumpkinhead writes...

Dear Greg, I got my copy of gargoyles #8 today, and I must say, you and everyone involved have once again done an excellent job. I personally enjoyed Arthur and Macbeth comparing immortailties and Coco's commentary. From the artists, I rather like Merlin's look; unique, yet appropriate. I would also like to thank you all for indirectly confirming my suspicions concerning Shari, which I won't post here for now. Anyway, again, excellent job everybody, keep it up, and I'll keep doing my part to convince people to buy Gargoyles merchandise.

Chip writes...

"I have waited three months for this moment...And it was worth the wait." Gargoyles #8 "Rock and Roll" really does just that. ROCKS AND ROLLS! We learn so much about the London Clan, which was always my favorite clan, (and Knight's Spur, their estate, this clan has really strong ties to Arthur) Whoa! 196 members strong (or not so strong considering their form of Birth Control) with 25 to hatch in 2 years. I can't say for sure, but I believe that that is more than we saw in Japan, which makes the London Clan the strongest known clan. I wonder if other clans (Like Ishimura and Loch Ness) have similar breeding policies...hmmm No beasts though, that surprised me, as I figured Barghests, Grims, and other spectors were London beasts run amuk. Old Pog (Who looks cool as a Hypogriff type gargoyle) is prolly Griff's Biological father, (sorry, it's the human in me) and his staff having turned to stone with him was a nice touch, and cute little Lunette was obviously Leo and Una's Daughter. Cool.

Then there's Shari, who contradicts what she said last time (and nullifies my last review with my comments on Egypt, oh well now I feel "electric" sheepish.) "All things are true, few things are accurate." So which story is accurate? The first,second, both, or neither? And of course we've also got Cu Cullain, Carbonek, Moses, Jeremiah, Pelles, and not to mention Merlin. Major props for Merlin's design, very different from his stereotypical look, and very cool. (Ironicly Disney is primarily responsible for his look and Disney's Gargoyles is a sharp contrast I like it!) Plus the whole St. Columba story is just plain cool.

Let's give it up for Constance and Staghart, two very cool new gargs, I shall call them Coco and Amp. :) Do I sense something between Lex and Amp?

Arthur and Macbeth become better acquainted, and begin a friendship, and cement an alliance too. Nightstone? Thailog owns Starbucks?

And the meat of this story...tasty meat too. A battle with Lex, Hudson, Griff, Amp, Coco, Mac, and Arthur Vs. Coldsteel, Coyote 5.0, a Steel Clan Robot, and an Iron Clan robot. (Yes I caught that!!! You don't waste anything!) Naturally the Steel and Iron Clan robots are the first to go, and I'm sure Coyote is next. It remains to be seen weather Coldsteel will "live" or not. Coco's mid-air summersault was very cool as well. Dare I say it, but David Hedgecock's art has improved to the point where I actually love it! He has done a fantastic job, and Bevard's coloring is Phenominal.

And just when the chips are down and it looks as though Hudson is going to be dismembered, who should arrive but Coldstone and Coldfire. Time to Really Rock and Roll. I absolutely cannot wait for Gargoyles #9 there's just so much good stuff packed in here. Let's Rock and Roll. "Anyone order up the kitchen sink?"

Rock on.

John Pannozzi writes...

According to 1990 issues of Comics Scene, there was going to be a Chip 'N' Dale Rescue Rangers movie in 1991, and someone on the IMDb forums claims to know an artist who did storyboards for the movie. Do you know anything about this project?

Antiyonder writes...

My first attempt at reviewing The Spectacular Spider-Man (I ask that you don't have any banana creme pies in the room while reading).

Overall, the designs really don't bother me, given that I got use to ones from Teen Titans and Legion Of Super Heroes. Plus as has been said, the designs complement the movement well.

While I enjoy the classic Lee/Ditko run I have to say you've done well to evoke the feeling without it being like a formula. Not to mention that like Gargoyles it is a nice blending of serious storylines and lighthearted moments. Just a few questions and comment for the moment.

1. You mentioned drawing story elements from various continuums rather than just using the version of the character that was introduced in 1962. Are you also using elements from the other Spidey shows (The ones that you've seen of course, cause you mentioned not seeing the MTV series) and movies in your stories?

2. Just a confirmation. Spider-Man's line to the Lizard in Natural Selection "Can you say halitosis? (Lizard growls) I knew that you could." is a reference to Xanatos' line on Hunter's Moon Part 1 isn't it? I think so but several people think it's a common line.

3. Speaking of Gargoyles/Spider-Man, despite the differences between parenting methods brought up I kind of see this Norman to be a cross between Xanatos (reaction to being in danger) and Willaim Dafoe's (praising Peter, lecture/berating Harry) take on Osborn. Would you agree with this?

Keep up the great work.

Anonymous writes...

How long does it take to get a divorce if you file it yourself in the Florida courts

Jess writes...

Hey Greg! "Market Forces" was another great episode! Poor Peter managed to make progress with Eddie only to blow off Harry. Speaking of Harry, all the money Oscorp stands to make in those shady dealings with the Big Man will come in real handy for the years of therapy the kid's going to need, thanks to Daddy Norm's nonexistent parenting skills.

I did like having an in-story explanation for the dearth of Super Villains we'll be seeing in the future, and am especially looking forward to the Green Goblin.

On the plus side, Peter is now employed, this time with actual money involved! That said, I liked Aunt May being initially reluctant to take his money, and that even though she relented, made him promise to save up for a new camera.

Somehow I have a feeling Peter well end up running into MJ just in time for the school dance, and when that happens he won't be complaining about her "wonderful personality".

A quick question about Peter's first choice of date: How old is Betty Brant? I guessed early twenties, but wasn't sure.

ColdFusion writes...

Sorry if you didn't understand, I just meant Aunt May is mothering Peter in a way we haven't really seen before in other versions of the franchise. He's got the kind of "mom-troubles" that older-Peter doesn't.
It's one thing to juggle a social life with the life of a superhero, it's another entirely when, on top of that, you're underage and thus have fewer personal liberties, eh?

Man Mountain writes...

Hey Greg. First I want to say I love the comic, the artwork, and the story so far and hope it continues on and on. Second, same goes for Spiderman! You are hitting everything that IS Spiderman while still making it your own. Finally to my question, I don't know if you have any comments (or time), but could you comment on your Spiderman episodes as you do for Gargoyles? I always love behind the scenes insights. As always, thanks for your time and effort.

Kelsea writes...

Forgive me if this question has been asked before. Which episode does Elisa first show up in?

Bill Rodebaugh writes...

Hello Greg,

I'm an animation fan....particular from the days when everything was animated in the US....such as the earlier Hanna-Barbara days or Filmation's cartoons. Has "Gargoyles" and the new animated "Spectacular Spiderman" animated overseas? Do you have direct input into all the stories that go or have gone into these series?

Sincerely,

Bill

Marjorie writes...

It's me! Again. Another Macbeth thought.

I just finished reading your ramble on the episode "Enter Macbeth." I find it very ironic that at that time, you were only aware of the Shakespearian Macbeth. I guess the same goes for me the first time I watched it, but it's interesting how even though his (the show's Macbeth) back story hadn't been completely known to you at the time, he doesn't come across as the paranoid-perhaps-a-little-crazy-kill-a-guy-in-his-sleep character I remember reading about in the play. Maybe it's his sense of honor, however skewed? I think that this is especially interesting, considering you were most familiar with Shakespeare's Macbeth, who DID kill Duncan in his sleep, that the show's Macbeth wouldn't stoop so low to attack the gargoyles while they were sleeping....Was this intentional? At the time, even though you were only familiar with Shakespeare's Macbeth, did you have any plans to make Macbeth more like his Shakespearian counterpart, or did you already know from the beginning that he would be different?

I hope you don't get sick of people thanking you for Gargoyles, because I'm thanking you right now. I love it, and I admire your talents as a storyteller and your dedication. You're so wonderful to the fans. Spider-Man is also great right now. I can't wait to see what happens in the future, in both series. Thanks!

Anonymous writes...

Do goliath and Elisa get married

Anonymous writes...

What episdoe does Elisa get a shiny badge?

Algernon writes...

I'd like to start by wishing a happy Easter to those who cerebrate it and to those that don't, have a great day anyway. Now lets talk Spidey...

S
P
O
I
L
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Market Forces

Another solid episode with a lot of different threads running through it. We start getting to know J. Johna Jameson and he's a lot of fun, I especially liked the whole hyperactive 'perpetually ten minutes to deadline' attitude they gave him. Interestingly this incarnation of ole Jolly Jonah doesn't seem to be particularly Anti-Spidey, I don't know if you've completely dropped it or if you're going to incorporate it later.

Also returning are Flint Marko and Alex O'Hirn AKA the future Sandman and Rhino respectively. O'Hirn's "ram him with a truck" move is a very Rhino-esque tactic, nice bit of foreshadowing.

When I first heard that Shocker wasn't going to be Herman Schultz I was a little weirded out but this episode erased all my doubts. Montana makes for a pretty charismatic villain with warped sense of honor. by the way, how weird is it to see the bad guy espousing the Moral of The Day(TM)?

We also meet Betty Brant and Robbie Robertson, I'd guessed that Randy from Peter's school was indeed his son but it's nice to have confirmation. big shout out to Phil LaMarr who managed to make father and son sound both reminiscent yet distinctive. Some nice interaction between Pete and Betty but is he trying to get the poor women tossed in jail.

Norman Osborn gets some nice development in this episode, teaming up with the Big Man to set up a sort of Supervillians'R'Us. That's what sets Osborn apart from Spidey's other rogues. Take away Vulture's wing and he's just a bitter old man. Take away Electro's lightning and he's just the school handyman. Take away Venom's symbiont and he's just a dweeb with a persecution complex. But take away Green Goblin's Glider and Pumpkin Bombs and he can still make your life a living hell as plain old Norman Osborn.

When I first heard that Keith David would be replaced as the Big Man I was rather disappointed but I was very impressed by Kevin Michael Richardson's performance. he really nailed the part, so much so that I wouldn't have noticed the change if I hadn't heard about it before hand.

All in all another job well done.

Jonny Modlin writes...

Hi Greg,
If sales are good for the first two DVD sets of Gargoyles Season 1 and Season 2, Volume 1, Disney may release Gargoyles Season 2, Volume 2 on DVD that will contain the final 26 episodes with the uncut versions along with special features that I will get to complete the entire series of Gargoyles on DVD! I know that I am keeping my fingers crossed and waiting very patiently for Gargoyles Season 2, Volume 2 to get released on DVD. Thank you.

Todd Jensen writes...

Saw the fourth episode of "The Spectacular Spider-Man" this morning, and enjoyed it. In fact, I laughed several times during it, including at the J. Jonah Jameson scenes (yep, that's definitely him all right), and Peter/Spider-Man's difficulty getting rid of the garbage smell.

The Shocker was a great villain, and truly felt like a menace to Spider-Man. I also liked the touch about his remark about carrying out his responsibilities hitting home to Peter, fitting in with his abandoning Harry and his worries about Aunt May.

And we see an alliance formed between the mysterious unseen boss and Norman Osborn, something that could lead to some big episodes ahead.

Keep up the good work.

Greg Bishansky writes...

MARKET FORCES

Another terrific episode. I really enjoyed Greg's take on the Shocker, and making him Montana really works in the context of the series. As I've said before, who is Herman Schultz? Who cares?

Lots of pipe laying here. Sandman and Rhino both, plus a lot of foreshadowing on where Norman Osborn is going.

The Big Man is no longer voiced by Keith David, unfortunately. Kevin Michael Richardson is a decent substitute, but I can't help but miss Keith. There's a certain quality to his voice work that Richardson can't quite capture.

Aunt May wants to introduce Peter the neighbor's niece, Mary Jane Watson. She has a "wonderful personality". Naturally, Peter shudders.

Norman Osborn was great in this episode, telling Harry to "cowboy up", take responsibility and do what he has to do. Like Halcyon Renard. An evil, cold, sadistic, borderline insane version of Halcyon Renard...

... actually, I got kind of a Tony Soprano vibe from Norman's little pep talk. "What happened to Gary Cooper? The strong, silent type. That was an American. He wasn't in touch with his feelings. He just did what he had to do."

Peter finally landed a job at the Daily Bugle, working for jolly J. Jonah Jameson. But, don't fret. JJJ is a decent man deep down. Mariana's trench deep. Dante's Ninth Circle deep.

"Don't go emo on me, bro."
- Eddie Brock to Peter. I'm guessing Eddie's seen "Spider-Man 3"

Jarrod writes...

Hi Greg,

I love Spider man! congrats!

But i was combing the archives and I cant seem to figure out why the comics stopped... Is there a legal problem? I was just wondering whats going on? i know you are very busy, but Id love to know.

Thank you much!!!

J

Todd Jensen writes...

I noticed that you're nearing the end of the "This Day in Gargoyles Universe History" feature; you began (according to the archives) on April 7 last year, and it's March 21 now. So there's less than three weeks left until it comes to an end.

I'll miss it. I enjoyed that feature, especially your inclusion of real-world history connected to events in "Gargoyles" (such as the lives and deaths of various people in 11th century England such as Canute, Edward the Confessor, and Harold Godwinson, the Parisian catacombs, and the Kennedy assassination). And it even introduced new information that often got our attention (Gruoch's suicide, for example, or Quincy Hemings getting his present job just one day after the Kennedy assassination - you just know that's going to encourage the conspiracy theories!).

At least we have the whole year's cycle now (or will, in another eighteen days). I'd like to thank you for this feature at "Ask Greg".

Beatrice writes...

I've heard you hate what if questions, but I have a question that's been rattling in my head...

Puck's spell has her turn human in day and gargoyle at night. So my question is if she were to have another child, would it be affected by the spell? And if not is it because Puck's spell directed at her?

Marjorie writes...

If Alex is still alive (and over 200 years old) in 2199, how old exactly does he look?

Ricky writes...

Hey Greg,

I was just wondering who decides if and when cover images get released before the issues come out? I'm guessing they're released to entice readers, so I was wondering why we haven't seen more cover images that are finished. Obviously since Gargoyles #8 is expected to be released soon, the cover is finished, but we haven't seen it yet. You also told us, at the beginning of Feb., that #9 was finished and inked, but had to be colored, is it finished? Also, we've seen some unfinished Bad Guys covers but not the finished versions, except for #4.

I'm not trying to rush you or anything, and if it sounds like I'm being annoying, I am truly sorry, that is absolutely not my intention. It's just that I live for those little peeks at the covers to hold me over until the issues come out.

Most likely, this all has nothing to do with you, but I figured asking couldn't hurt. Do you know anything about this process? Is there any way to release the cover images of G#8 and BG#2 before the issues themselves are released?

Thanks a lot for your time! I'm incredibly grateful.

Kchishol1970 writes...

I'm sorry if my last question about Maggie seemed unsettling, but it seemed logical to ask.

Anyway, is Maggie truly aware of what Brooklyn felt for her? For instance, in "Kingdom" when she approached him to help Derek, did she understand how tempted he would be to refuse her? I mean, he tried to help her repeatedly in the past and all he got in return from her was fear, hate, emotional manipulation and physical pain.

For that matter, does she realize the reason Brooklyn's keycard slight-of-hand trick was so convincing was because he was venting his real feelings of frustration, betrayal and jealousy to a certain degree into the act? If she did, then it would seem rather ungrateful or thoughtless to embrace Talon like that in front of him, considering it was obviously a knife through the heart to see what he could only accept was not to be.

I don't know if you think I'm being too judgmental about her, but part of the reason why "Kingdom" is my favourite episode is because it made me realize what television narrative brilliance you were creating with Brooklyn. In short, I could feel his pain as he accepted certain realities and sacrifices as he became a "man," and can't help but resent Maggie for making it so difficult for him.

Moe writes...

Hey Greg! I'm really excited about the Spectacular Spider-Man series and the direction its taken so far. I seriously haven't been this into an animated series since back when I was a kid. At first I was a bit skeptical about the decision to make the character designs more simplistic, but I found it to work quite well with the speed of the animation and the story line in general. Can't wait to see the next episode, and I hope there will be several seasons to come :).

CanusShamus writes...

Hey Greg! Long-time reader, first time writer </cliche>

Well, typically Entertainment Weekly waits for the first three episodes of a new series to come out before they write a review, so I thought I'd do the same. Short version: I liked it.

I'll admit I was skeptical at first, since WB's new Batman show not only didn't live up to movie, it wasn't even better than the 90s TV show. I am, however, one of the few who despised the Spider-Man movies, and going back to the 90s Spider-Man, I realized it didn't hold up too well over time, so I would tentatively say your version surpasses both of them.

If I had to pick the show's strongest point, it would be the animation. When Spider-Man fights Lizard on the train their fight technique is all one fluid motion, and each comes back from a hit right away, using the momentum for their next strike. It reminded me of a martial arts film, and was better looking than all the CGI that was dumped into the films. Also, I liked how Peter's tag is always sticking out of his shirt; it's a subtle thing, but it works great to play up the 'nerdiness' of his everyday persona.

Another development i enjoyed was the characters. I'm interested to see where you're going with Brock (especially after the animosity he showed at the end of episode 3), and I think not bringing in MJ right away was the smart thing to do (personally, I hope she doesn't show up for a good long while; it will make it seem more significant when she does). My only complaint is Gwen: not that I don't love the way she's written, it's just...well, as any Spider-fan knows, it's Gwen's destiny to die, and the fact she may do so before she even leaves high school just seems unbearably bleak. But you never know; she could go the distance after all.

Summing up, I haven't had occasion to watch ANYTHING on Saturday morning for a good long while now, but you can bet I'll be coming back for Spider-Man. Heck, the average fan would probably prefer this to the "Brand New Day" storyline that's going on in the comics right now.

Oh, and since this is a Q&A column: are there plans for any crossover episodes with other Marvel characters, such as Spider-Man teaming up with Daredevil or fighting against Dr. Doom?

Thank you for taking the time to read my comments. Hope to hear from you soon.

P.S. I thought I was so clever for catching the Broadway cameo, but I apparantly completely missed the Hudson one. Blerg.

Michael N writes...

How about asking Cary Bates to write the intro for the next trade paperback. It'd be a nice tie-in to your early comic book work on Captain Atom and he's certainly had a hand in shaping Gargoyles to what we know today. If nothing else it'd be nice to hear his take on Gargoyles.

I'm really enjoying Spider-Man so far. I think there's a lot of smart storytelling in the show; the same thing that attracted me to Gargoyles. I like that stereotypes are skin-deep. For example Flash fits the jock stereotype nicely, but you see some of his jock friends definitely don't. Likewise not all geeks are, well, geeks. That'll make Eddie's turn especially hard to watch.

I think you're a great match for the job of writing/editing Spider-Man. It's filled with characters that are neither "bad" or "good", but all sorts of in between. You've got an annoying (but in a good way!) habit of developing those sorts of characters in ways that make it hard to hate them and root for the "good guy". Xanatos awakens the gargoyles to use them for his own purposes like they're just tools. Then he tries to "discard" them. Then he helps them. Then he gives them a place to stay and helps to protect them. I want to hate him. I know he's going to try and (ab)use the gargoyles again. They know it as well. But I can't hate the guy. It's damn frustrating (but in a good way!) and Spider-Man is going to give you more opportunities to do that with other characters. You've already started doing that with Electro and Vulture.

My understanding is Electro was "created" when Max was struck by lightning. Was the change in his creation a nod to Gargoyles with respect to the creation of the mutates or was that more coincidence than anything else?

Thanks Greg!

Chelsea Schuchman writes...

What's gonna happen to the show? Is it really gonna show some of Chiro's past? Will Skeleton King win? Are you really going to end the show. Will someone die again?I hope not. I don't want the show to end. What about the Alchemist? What about Valina, Mandarin, and Sokko?

Zabrian writes...

Now i noticed and a may be wrong but Titania seemed less effected by iron as did puck then Oberon himself. I was wondering if maybe this was because they are less Allergic to it being his children, and is Titania just less effected in general?

Greg Bishansky writes...

Clan Building Volume 2 Forward Candidates.

- Michael Reaves seems like an obvious choice, and he's popular in the animation/sci-fi/fantasy circles.

- Cary Bates? His Superman run is still well regarded, I think. He seems like a logical idea, and you're both old friends.

- Crispin Freeman? He's extremely popular in anime circles.

- Frakes or Sirtis? Might help boost interest among the Trekkies.

- Tad Stones. He seems to be having hits with his Hellboy DVD movies, and being that he was at Disney for a long time, and suggested a "big heroic gargoyle", he seems like a good choice.

- Very Long shot, but according to my brother, Brian Michael Bendis liked "Gargoyles". He says at G2003, he was in an elevator with Bendis. If you remember, they had that big comic convention at Madison Square Garden that weekend, and a lot of the guests were staying in our hotel. I heard this from my brother though, but thought suggesting it would be harmless.

Charlie writes...

You asked people who should do the forward in the next trade and so far the only name I have seen come up is Joss and I figured given that you indicated that may be easier said then done I figured another good name to throw out there is Paul Dini.

Charisma82 writes...

Okay, I hadn't planned on giving a review for each Spidey show that came out, (& I'm still not planning on it as of right now) but I had to give you and all the people who worked on the episode "Natural Selection" props. I feel this has been the best episode so far, and hey, this is only the 3rd one. I really felt for Spidey at the end of the episode, having to look like a coward in front of his friends so he could keep his Spiderman secret. I guess I'm just a sucker for characters who save the day and never get the recognition they deserve, and even worse, look like they wimped out when they really didn't. The whole story was great, and I can't wait to see more.

Thank you for your time and all that you do.

-Charisma82

Jess writes...

Hey Greg! I'm still keeping up with Spectacular Spider-Man and "Natural Selection" didn't disappoint. I feel like each episode is slightly stronger than the one before it as everyone gets more in-tune with the material and each other.

I think you found just the right note with the Billy subplot, where it was genuinely emotional and not cloying. I liked the "I took a cab" bit with Eddie at the zoo. Just a fun little jab a typical cartoon logic. I was not expecting Peter to be fired, so that was a cool moment for me as well. Somehow I have a feeling we'll be seeing the serum again.

Nice continuity nods with the ring-tone alarm, the mention of Electro, and especially Peter and Eddie calling each other "Bro", then having Spidey try to cover it up when he does the same.

One thing I noticed was that during Peter's voice-over before he plans on taking the serum is that he mentions "a hard 9PM curfew" where before it had always been 10.

The cast continues to be amazing (or rather spectacular). In particular, Kath Soucie and Lacey Chabert just completely nailed their parts this week.

Since this is "Ask Greg", I do have a quick question: For small parts i.e. the people at the coffee shop in "Interactions", or Thug #1 in this past episode do you have certain people in the cast in mind, or do you just ask whoever's in that day if they want to do it?

Thanks for your time!

Amanda writes...

If you had wirten a story How would you do it t make people intersted more in the book?

Peter Sunnergren writes...

I love your work and would really value your advice; I have decided to produce a comic/graphic novel from one of the stories I have designed. I have no experience of any budget to speak of and in this moment I can only recruit people who are willing to use it as a learning experience with just a hope of reward if all goes well. So far so good, I have a couple of writers on board, a few artists in training and a colourist. I guess this won't be a straighforward question as such, I ask for advice really. How much time is reasonable to spend on one issue, where do I turn to for recognition, do you have any general tips you could give on getting published or sponsored?

thanks!

Anonymous writes...

How can Owen/Puck have a relationship when he can't age?

Harvester of Eyes writes...

Thoughts on the Spectacular Spider-Man episode "Natural Selection."

First off, I like this incarnation of the character of Peter Parker a lot, more so than in other cartoon versions. He's still a kid with a lot to learn, and like most kids, he thinks he knows everything. I like how even getting a good picture of himself as Spider-Man is a learning process.

And I also like the continuity in the series. In the previous episode, we see Connors's formula get shocked. And Curt puts it in his pocket. And now we see the consequences (unless, of course it just resulted from months of him injecting himself, and that last one was the proverbial back-breaking straw). The animation was awesome, in particular his morphing into and out of the Lizard. I like how the tail was formed. And the pacing of the fight scenes reminded me of the movies, which was fine. Those gave us a fantastic sense of Spider-Man's agility, as do these.

I also didn't expect to find myself saying this, but I like Eddie Brock as a character. I wasn't thrilled when I first saw his name in the cast, but I love what you've done with him so far. Giving him this personal connection with Peter Parker might actually make Venom more interesting. He seems to be building a reputation of not being able to successfully tackle baddies in Connors's lab. And I like the way he and Spider-Man worked together at the end. He's a bit reckless, but he also seems to have a strong moral sense. So he and Peter have that in common. I'm actually finding myself caring about what sets him on the road to becoming Venom.

Anyway, favorite moment in the episode: Billy Connors confronting his mutated father. I'm not sure Curt recognized him, and I'm wondering if this might come up again. And I also like how Peter Parker chose not to take what might cure him of his powers, but he also didn't throw it away. More foreshadowing, I suppose.

All in all, you and the rest of the crew have done a fantastic job so far. I was never a regular reader of the Spider-Man comic, but I'm getting more and more excited about this show the more I watch it. Keep up the good work.

David Blyth writes...

In the new Spider-Man animated series, Gwen already has a small inkling into Peter's financial problems, so why get irritated when she perceived his photo-taking of The Lizard as selfish when it was to benefit his Aunt? Is she just following the crowd's attitude, or was she afraid for Peter's safety and her anger is a result of that?

alex writes...

hey greg wats upp! ur a good wirter but bad guy. why did u end gargoyles u @ss. u suck really. come on ! u mad epeople sad when u ended it and now i will get my revenge lol joking.

Miranda Doughty writes...

How would you like to team up with Kevin Eastman, Peter Laid, and Kevin Munroe, and Make the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles meet the Gargoyles based on a script I am Writing?

dph writes...

Previous in Ask Greg you've stated (from this page - http://www.s8.org/gargoyles/askgreg/search.php?qid=10195)

Matt writes...

I've been crunching some numbers concerning the Avalon Clan and their breeding cycles.

Now, the beasts on Avalon should have already started breeding by 1996. No eggs should've hatched yet, but there should be one egg on Avalon waiting to hatch in 2038.

The gargoyles however are another matter since they must be much older than beasts to reach breeding age.
Lets take Ophelia for example. In 1996, Angela and Ophelia (who hatched in 1058) are about 39 years old. The need to be about 50 before their first mating. For Angela, in the real world, this will come 11 years later when she concieves the egg containing Artus in 2007. For Ophelia on Avalon however, 11 more years will equal 264 real world years! Which means she wouldn't be old enough to mate until the year 2,260 AD (To get her in tune with the Earth rhtyms we'll say the fall equinox of 2,267AD.)

So, what I'm wondering is, you've said that the Avalon Clan would be bringing eggs to Queen Florence Island in 2198, but I think they are only gonna have a beast egg or two to bring since none of the gargoyles will be old enough yet, is this correct? What are your thoughts on this?

Thanks Greg.
Greg responds...

I'm not sure your premises follow...

I'm fairly certain Ophelia will lay an egg at the same time as Angela -- assuming she's alive at the time. The physical maturity to lay an egg may be reached before the planetary bio-rhythm is, if that makes sense.

The truth is... I've worked all this out in the past, but I just don't have the energy or the time right this minute to go back and confirm my math. But I think I'm right.

Also, previous in Ask Greg you've stated - ( http://www.s8.org/gargoyles/askgreg/search.php?qid=7564 )

Faieq writes...

A while ago I noticed a short ramble of yours entitled 'While I'm thinking of it...' It was rambled on Monday 4th March 2002. I won't repeat the whole thing here, however the beginning started off with you repeating an exchange between you and Aris Katsaris concerning the date Angela and the other eggs on Avalon would have hatched and underneath your response you wrote;

"With all this in mind...

I know I've established -- both here and in my own head (particularly with regards to G2198) that eggs hatch on the Spring Equinox.

But does anyone remember whether (and where) I've established what month the eggs are laid in?

I can't recall if this has come up yet.

Anyone know? And would this solve my problems at all?"

Recently I remember another question previously submitted on Friday October 13th by Aris Katsaris that may help you.

"Aris Katsaris writes...
A small tidbit that you revealed through the last contest was that the hatching of the eggs takes place in March 21st - the Spring Equinox, that is.

Now, I always felt it would be on an equinox or a solstice- those are the only dates that make sense really... Is the laying of the eggs also done on the Spring Equinox (ten years earlier ofcourse)?

How about the egg's conceiving? Have you decided how much time is spent between the eggs's conceiving and laying?

Greg responds...
That's interesting. Maybe.

As for conception, maybe I'll make it a six month term and put it on the fall equinox.

The truth is I chose March 21st because it's my son's birthday. But sometimes things in the Garg Universe just seem to come together. It's cool that way.
recorded on 10-20-00"

From your above response I assume that the eggs would be laid on the spring equinox, with the females being fertile on the fall equinox from the previous year.
I don't know whether this would clarify any problems over when the eggs hatched, but I hope it helps.
Greg responds...

I agree, it helps. Thanks.

I also don't know if it fixes my math problems, but I'm hopeful. And I like the idea of females being in heat at the fall equinox and laying their eggs in the spring (and the eggs hatching ten years later in the spring). For a race, that is so attuned to the bio-rhythms of their planet, it just feels right.

I don't think that literally all the eggs are conceived on the EXACT same night. Same with laying. Same with hatching to some extent too. There's probably something like a three night window for these things (say, two nights on either side of the equinox).

Now, here's my questions: Assuming that the fall equinox of 2008 is at night time on Avalon,
1)is the window of opportunity for Ophelia to became pregnant on Avalon a few hours or a few days? I know this sounds rather dumb, but given that time passes more slowly on Avalon and the in real world, you've there a window of opportunity of 2-3 days before and after, I was wondering if that window of opportunity was shortened on Avalon because of the difference in the way time passes.

2)Normal gargoyle pregnancies are 6 months. If that time was spent on Avalon, that amounts to 6 months * 24 Avalon time differential to equal 144 months or 12 years in the real world. If Ophelia was to become pregnant in 2008 and stay on Avalon the entire duration of her pregnancy, her egg wouldn't be ready to be laid until 2020. 2020 is 2 years after eggs normally laid in 2008 would normally hatch. Would Ophelia be able to lay the egg in 2020 or would she have to wait until 2028 to lay the egg?

Aldrius writes...

Ramble on Spectacular Spider-man episode 3.

That attitude is gonna get Peter into a lot of trouble... so is actually having a happy life. Don't you read comic books, young man? Any time you're life is going WELL, that's when fate smacks you upside the head.

Still like that theme song.

Aunt May is okay. I think I jumped the gun when I watched the first episode.

Hmm... is Stan Lee always the executive producer on these marvel animated programs?

Stop meddling with weird science, Curt! It never results in good things. Though I do like the attention here. He's well intentioned. He's not selfishly just trying to heal his own arm. He's trying to save decapitated people all over the world.

Go Gwen. Yay! Random jock friend who's name I should really learn. Is he a classic Spider-man comics character that I don't know about?

"What are we celebrating? Oh... crazy god-defiling science!! This will end well."

Smart AND perceptive. Quite a man this Parker boy.

So Billy's a scientist too. They start them so young these days.

That's a very nice lizard design.

Peter the coward. That's nice of him. He could have come up with a better excuse than 'My aunt may won't be able to sleep unless I get home.' But I guess he didn't have much time.

Still very funny. I like Peter's banter. Feels very natural. And of course it fits the character perfectly.

Spider-man seems to like fighting on the subway/train lately. I guess the subway's a subterranean place for the Lizard to hide out.

People really should check on those over-anxious kids more often.

I wonder what kind of Lizard Curt blended his DNA with... a cocktail of iguana, and crocodile, or what?

Heh. Peter even cares about Polar Bears! What a guy.

And Aunt May proves herself more dangerous than the Lizard! That's three super-villains that she's beaten out with her telephone!

And the Lizard reverts back to normal.

That ending was really, really powerful. I'm feeling that one in my ribs. And hey, great responsibility, there are consequences for Peter's actions. Even if they weren't his fault per se. Halcyon would be proud.

The ending REALLY sold this one to me. And the general mood and feel of it. And I'm still not sure about the spider mask in the sky at the end. It's... interesting... but... yeah. Not sure about it.

Over-all. Bravo.

Algernon writes...

Just stopping by to share my thoughts on the latest episode of Spectacular Spider-Man.

SPOILERS AHOY!

Survival of The Fittest.
I've always thought one of the best aspects of the Spidey mythos was the fantastic cast of supporting characters and this episode just proves it.

I absolutely love this version of Gwen, standing up to Flash, helping save Dr. Connors she's pretty heroic in her own right. Speaking of heroic, how about Eddie Brock using himself as lizard bait. It's going to be interesting to see what turns him into a Spidey hating psycho later in the series.

The Connors family are also noteworthy. In most other versions I've seen Martha and Billy don't seem to be much more then appendages to Curt's character but they really shine. I particularly liked Billy's understated yet heartbreaking portrayal of a traumatized kid desperately afraid of losing his dad.

But the real star of the show is of course everybody's favorite wall-crawler. A classic Spidey touch is to see Peter do the right thing despite being vilified for it. It's one thing to save the day expecting a medal or a parade afterwards, it's quite another to save the day knowing your going to get spat on for your trouble. That's something else Spidey has in common with certain other defenders of the night.

juan writes...

hi mr weisman again.

I was wondering what kind of beliefs do gargoyles incorparate from peoples religions into theirs

Rebel writes...

Hey Greg!

I just wanted to say that I really liked the transformation scene from human to lizard in "Natural Selection". I especially like the part where his head started to cave in. I dunno if that was your idea or not, but I applaud it. It really emphasizes that he's turning into a simple-minded, primal beast.

Also, some of The Lizard's roaring sounded a lot like Fox's in "Eye of the Beholder". Did you use a similar effect?

UmbrellaFish writes...

Hello! First off, I want to say thank you for creating Gargoyles. It was an amazing show, truly. And it certainly modeled bits of my personality. When it premiered, I was still pretty young, but I can remember drawing pictures of Goliath and me. When I later rediscovered the show, I found out that the voice actor of my favorite character, at least when I was younger, Keith David, had the same first name as me! I just find that so cool, kinda geeky, but cool.
The comic books are great! I never would have imagined that one day there'd be more Gargoyles to enjoy. I have all the comics so far, and I plan to buy the book later. I'm still waiting for a little more Demona, though. Demona, I would say, is my favorite character. Then Macbeth and later Goliath.
I missed the premiere of The Spectacular Spider-Man, but I did watch the third episode today. First off, I know next to nothing about Spider-Man, so I'll admit I was somewhat confused with the characters. I do know some basic stuff, though, and when I watched it, I thought it was really great! I'm definitely going to tell my cousin about this, at least if she hasn't already discovered it. She's a big Spider-Man fan, and of the little knowledge I know of the franchise, I learned it from her.
Now, I hope its okay to ask a question that's not about any of the stuff above. Have you seen the film "Enchanted" yet? I'm a huge Disney fan, so I might be a little biased, but it is a terrific movie. I pre-ordered the film in January!

Todd Jensen writes...

A few comments about the Lizard episode of "The Spectacular Spider-Man".

I enjoyed it. Another good capture of Peter's life; he starts off still taking poor photos of himself as Spidey, he has to give up dodging water balloons when he realizes that everyone else is going to get suspicious - and worst of all, after finally getting a good snapshot of himself as Spidey, he convinced everyone else that he deserted them in a crisis and now they're all angry at him! Yep, that's definitely Peter Parker all right.

Some great humor as well; I especially liked Spidey's indignant response to Lizard being able to walk on walls ("If you start spinning webs too, I'll sue!") and his element of surprise ruined by his cell phone going off (and wouldn't you know that its tune would be "Itsy Bitsy Spider")?

I noticed that he doesn't throw the gene cleanser away, but merely web-stashes it under his bed. Why do I get the feeling that it's going to return later, in another episode?

Keep up the good work, both you and everyone else on the production team.

Claire writes...

Hey Greg,
This is Claire i am a big fan of your work especially Witch
Gargoyles and other marvelous episodes u make.
I want to know if u are planning to make any new episodes of witch and if they will stop playing the episodes late at night. i have to wait till 3:oo just to watch witch.

Thanx for your time please respond back Hope Witch does not end
Your biggest fan Claire