Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...

A recent question about the relationship between Hudson and Demona got me thinking...

There was one off note in the question (the rest of the analysis was pretty cool)- Hudson would not have any discomfort at the idea that his rookery children were mated to each other. Given that the chance of multiple births is statistically zero and the strong predilection to marry within ones own rookery there is nearly no chance of biological incest ever happening so there would be no sibling taboo.

I recalled a factotum that caught my attention a few months back- Even the most gung-ho kibutzes in Israel got rid of true communal child raising in the 70's because their children were forming sibling bonds and not marrying. Of the thousands of children raised in the system, about 30 married within their own community and not even one married within his or her age group. (err... I suppose, by definition, two would be the minimum for that....) These children were raised with the intention of being future potential spouses but humans are hardwired not to look at siblings that way, even none biological siblings. A similar problem arises in some endangered animal sanctuaries - I remember a documentary mentioning that if male and female rhinos are housed together they eventually stop mating completely - it may have been anthropomorphizing, but they called it developing a sibling relationship. Obviously there are degenerates and incest does happen, Egyptian royalty was designed with sibling marriage, but we are biologically wired against it even when it is not based on blood and therefore dangerous on a Darwinian level.

It makes sense that Gargates, having evolved as very different species with different circumstances would be fundamentally different at times, but they are so very similar in some ways is it surprising when the differences pop up.

1) Do gargoyles have an incest taboo or does it just not come up?
2) If they do not have it, or, at least no strong one, what do they think of it when it occurs with humans? (I don't mean abuse, rather, for example, if they read about Egyptian kings marrying siblings does it give them pause or it just passes as an oddity.)
3) Are there any other instances that come to mind of there being a basic difference between humans and gargoyles? Not a culturally based one - or if it is culturally, it as outgrowth of their biological reality.

Sorry this last one is so vague. It is hard to think of examples. You once answered that racism puzzles Goliath. It makes sense that a species that seems to have nearly uinlimited skin color possibiilities even within a small and relatively isolated population would think the human skin tone based racism is plain odd. (Granted, gargoyles might have their own version of nonsensicle racism that makes no sense to humans.) I can think of where similar differences would be rooted- they are completely nocturnal, they have wings, the do not share the sleeping experience in any way etc…- but it still seems more the sort of thing that occasionally pops up and surprises you. Maybe...a creature with usable wings would be hardwired against agoraphobia or fear of heights. err. Maybe, not so much, they can still fall if their wings get bound up, so at minimum the concept of falling might lurk somewhere even in their minds.

thanks

Andrea writes...

Hi Greg, i've heard about some unaired 15-minute pilot episode of W.I.T.C.H. with a different story on halloween and i know they wore made for some test or something like this. I've heard on a topic on a forum that they are on a tape and it was just one copy of that. Now i was wondering if you can tell me were can i find those 15 minutes, because i didn't find anything on internet or maybe you know were it is or you can find that copy and share it with me. I really want to see those 15 minutes.

Anonymous writes...

i know this is gonna be a "im not inclined to tell" or "no comment" but this really has been bugging me. Emily Osborn literally did nothing on the show so what exactly were your plans for her. my only guess would be that she takes over oscorp since harry is too young. if im right PLEASE tell me.

GA FAN writes...

First off congrats on the new series...
Secondly, I would like to comment on the Green Arrow featurette... It was brilliant, it perfectly showed Green Arrow for what he is... Human (probably the most human of any costumed hero, no powers, not an expert martial artist, or worlds greatest detective, just a guy trying to make a difference) I sincerely thank you for your interpretation. If you were the writer on GA/BC it probably wouldnt have needed a reboot, you seem to really get him, and his relationship to Dinah.
Okay, first question... will the Shorts DVD in November have a longer version on it?

2) Are you personally a fan of either Green Arrow or Black Canary...?

3) How much experience do you have with Green Arrow and Black Canary?

4) I am looking forward to Young Justice, and from reports (here and on other sites)GA & BC seem to have somewhat prominent roles in the young teams mentoring process... Is it too early for you to confirm or deny these reports? If you can please do...

5) and finally, is there a possibility of a sequel to the Green Arrow featurette?
or you writing a featurette for another DC character for future Direct to video release?

Thank you for your time... and best of luck with the new series... me and my kids will be watching...

Stacie writes...

My question is aimed towards Princess Katharine's mother. Has Princess Elena actually passed away before we see Katharine as a child? Are we jumping to conclusions and assuming again? As so often happens in "Gargoyles."

Kylie writes...

I've been a fan since 1994. Now I'm 24 and still a huge fan. My question is this:

At any time were/are you going to introduce Guinevere or Lancelot into King Arthur's past? Were you saving them for the future? Like the King Arthur spinoff? I know you have the whole "Bastard" character down, yet were you ever going to bring Mordred to light or did you decide that it'd be considered more complicated?

CapFan writes...

Is there a taboo against using Nazis in cartoon shows? I know "Gargoyles" featured Nazis in one episode, but most cartoons, even when they have flashbacks set during World War II seem to do everything possible to not address the enemy as Nazis.

Take the new "Avengers" show for instance, they got rid of the Nazis in Captain America's past and replaced them with Hydra. Hydra was now conquering Europe.

Did you have trouble getting Nazis and swastikas onto MIA? And why are so many cartoons scared to say the word Nazi?

TwEaKz writes...

Hey Greg,
I am really looking forward to Young Justice. My question is more of a personal one. Basically, how happy are you truly to be working on YJ? Yes, you're happy to have a gig again but are you really passionate about this show as you were for your past stuff? And do you feel YJ will have enough legs to get past 26 episodes? I know I can't wait to see it and I feel this has the makings of being something very special.

One final thing I want to touch on is that I want to applaud you on the script you did for Batman: The Brave and the Bold. I thought "Requiem for a Scarlet Speedster!" was FANTASTIC! I really enjoyed it.

Thanks so much for all you do.

Later.

Anonymous writes...

what is 7/100

Justin writes...

Dear Greg,

Recently watched "Long Way Til Morning"

And this is hopefully the first question that leads to what I hope to complete soon as a long essay on how fascinating Demona is as a character as well as her impact on her estranged clan "family".

In this we see three characters. All with relatively strong familial bonds. First we have the Father, Hudson. Then of course the rookery children Goliath and Demona.

My actual question is this:

What had to be going through Hudson's mind during all of this? I know he acknowledged the two as a mated pair, but in essence he had to save his son from his daughter. That could not have made him all too plussed.

Secondly, the dialogue in this last scene really shows how even now, they still have latent feelings of being family...

Hudson: "Give it up girl, you can't win.." Which even as a boy, first watching this I always received as a Father being parental in some way to his daughter.

Then there is Demona, who is as bananas as it gets. She, even in her tirade tips her hand. She, through raw, volatile emotion expresses she still has love for Hudson.

"I would have ended this quickly! Your pride will cost you your life!" Even though I know at this point in her life she is past redemption, I still feel that the way she exclaims these sentiments is a tell she doesn't want to HAVE to say them. She loves her rookery father. And in a way, still NEEDS him. As all grown children do once we reach adulthood. But nothing can stand in the way of her vengeance. The vengeance for her murdered family. Not even surviving FAMILY.

All too fascinating Greg, and thank you!

Justin