I got the best chimney guides at: https://chimneycleaningspokane.com/. You should also check it for brilliant chimney tips.
Andrew Jacobs - [andrew_333 at gmail dot com]
jacobs
posted @ Sat, Aug 16, 2025 12:13:36 am EDT from 103.120.71.167

A little more about the latest "Voices From the Eyrie" podcast.

[SPOILER] I was surprised and amused at the mention of how Beth's describing the gargoyles as "so alien" was misinterpreted by some viewers as meaning that the gargoyles were aliens. I'd known about other cases where moments in the series were misread that way (such as Brooklyn talking about "the world that we came from" in "Temptation" - not to mention "Sentinel", of course), but this was the first I'd heard about that line of Beth's being mistaken. (I've mentioned this before, but such cases got me imagining a hypothetical crossover between "Gargoyles" and "Young Justice" where G. Gordon Godfrey suggests on one of his broadcasts that the gargoyles are aliens - and some members of the real-life audience believe it's evidence that the gargoyles *are* aliens. Of course, we can be certain that Greg Weisman's never going to do such a scene, precisely to guard against that misapprehension growing.)

I also liked the bit about Xanatos being compared to both Odysseus and Tony Stark - and they even brought up that solicitation. Like Bishansky, I'm more likely to compare Xanatos to Odysseus, largely because I'm much more familiar with Greek mythology and Homeric epic than with Marvel Comics. [/SPOILER]

On a different topic; I have a book on historical events for each day of the year. Yesterday's entry was one we'd all be familiar with: Macbeth's victory over Duncan in 1040 (the book's entry included a lot about the differences between the Shakespearean and the historical Macbeths). Today's entry was on [SPOILER] Kublai Khan's attempted invasion of Japan in 1281, the one defeated by a major storm at sea. I was surprised at that, since I'd earlier this week brought up Kublai's two unsuccessful attempts to conquer Japan, inspired by the first one taking place in 1274, which we know is the year that "Demona #5 will take place in. With the second "Kamikaze" invasion due seven years later, of course, I initially thought it wouldn't be mentioned in that issue, until it struck me that Katana might be narrating it - as an echo of how Angelika and Donald Canmore narrated #1 - and might (depending on how large a role Kublai Khan's invasion takes place in the story) mention their later attempt from a vantage point of some years after the events in 1274 - maybe narrating it from a "present-day Manhattan" perspective. Whatever the case, I was surprised and amused at that event being mentioned in a "today in history" book for this day, in the same week that I'd brought up Kublai's efforts to conquer Japan. [/SPOILER]
Todd Jensen
posted @ Fri, Aug 15, 2025 7:52:43 pm EDT from 68.99.93.213

[SPOILER] Just a quick addendum: My memory was mistaken, and Michael Horse does not have Navajo heritage as I had incorrectly stated. [/SPOILER]
Craig
posted @ Fri, Aug 15, 2025 5:12:43 pm EDT from 69.118.30.106

Another great Voices from the Eyrie! [SPOILER] And really wonderful to hear from Erin, especially the very sweet insights about Greg as a storyteller when she and Benny were kids. I think Greg has tangled up the "Maza" name background a bit with the distance of years, though. Per the story memo for this episode and very old Ask Greg answers, the show-runners originally had Elisa as half-Sioux (I remember having an illustrated "meet the characters" book as a kid, which said she was half-Sioux as well). Obviously, that later had to be revised to be appropriate to the Arizona setting. Based on any information I've ever found, "maza" is indeed Lakota Sioux for "iron" (e.g., Wasú Máza--"Iron Hail"--a warrior who fought at the battle of Little Big Horn). So the show-runners DID get the terminology right...they were just focused on the wrong tribe/region. I know Greg said Michael Horse told him that "maza" is not Sioux for "iron," but in Michael's defense, he's not Sioux as far as I know (based on publicly-available biographical information, he's descended from various tribes in the Arizona and New Mexico regions, including the Navajo). As a big Twin Peaks fan, I've followed Michael for years, and I know he's devoted to Native American studies and activism beyond just his own tribes. I'm sure he's vastly more knowledgeable than I am, but given that we now have access to the Internet (which he didn't), in this case, it does appear to me that he was incorrect (and, as Greg says, it probably wasn't fair to put an actor on the spot, especially regarding a tribal culture and language that he may not have had first-hand knowledge of).

Anyway, that tangent aside, this has always been one of my favorite World Tour episodes, and it was really wonderful to revisit it and hear everyone's reactions.
[/SPOILER]
Craig
posted @ Fri, Aug 15, 2025 5:00:16 pm EDT from 69.118.30.106

Voices> [SPOILER] Wonderful as always. And the serendipity of having Greg and Erin on in an episode with a heavy father-daughter focus was very nice. And yeah, the most excitement I think I have ever heard from Greg Weisman was at Bishansky's suggestion of gathering to converge at the Shakespeare festival! I'd be down. We could certainly have fun crashing another event. Let's do it! [/SPOILER]
Matt
"My daughter?! How dare you mock me! I have no daughter." - Demona, 1996
posted @ Fri, Aug 15, 2025 8:28:43 am EDT from 204.184.178.1

Voices of the Eyrie: [SPOILER] I would have been quite frustrated if the staple gun wasn't mentioned, lol.

I just wanted to share, as a kid, how cool it was to watch "Cloud Fathers" for the first time and see my home state become a stop on the Avalon World Tour. Granted, growing up in Phoenix is an entirely different experience than living in Flagstaff (let alone further north in the Navajo Nation, where -- given the terrain -- most of this episode must have taken place in). My parents that were daytrip enthusiasts, and they often drove my siblings and me across the state on the weekend or during our school holidays. So, even during my first viewing of this episode as a kid, I recognized how the show nailed the distinct red rock country of northern Arizona (which is quite different from the ubiquitous cactus terrain in the southern half of the state).

In short, you best believe I was ready for the next trip to Flagstaff just so I could press my face against the window of the van and see the episode come alive.

Other thoughts:
I was happy to see Erin Weisman-Robinson and her thoughts on the episode. A tangent, but one of my strongest memories from the 30th anniversary celebration at CONvergeance was meeting Erin for the first time and talking about (and thanking her) for her contribution to Young Justice: Phantoms, specifically providing adults uncomplicated but accurate language to explain someone's death to particularly young children. It's an understatment to suggest those scenes with the Kents packed a punch, but as an educator myself (though with older students), those scenes in season four were nothing less than substantial.

Kinda wish we had a name for the multi-trickster story Greg's hinted at over the years, if only to have a proper page for it on the GargWiki. Fingers crossed we see it in the comics!

And man, I don't think I've ever seen Greg Weisman so excited as the thought of a Gathering celebration in Ashland, Oregon. I was lucky enough to visit in the fall of 2017 (catching Henry IV, Part 1, Julius Caesar, and The Merry Wives of Windsor), and would delight to visit it again in the future -- let's not wait until 2034, please! [/SPOILER]
Phoenician
Gus: "I always forget you're there." Hooty: "I forget I'm here toooooo."
posted @ Fri, Aug 15, 2025 1:43:00 am EDT from 68.2.64.232

And "Voices From the Eyrie" has just come out with its podcast on "Cloud Fathers" - with an unexpected guest alongside Greg Weisman. Great listening, as always.
Todd Jensen
posted @ Thu, Aug 14, 2025 10:27:44 pm EDT from 68.99.93.213

Little Golden Book> My copy arrived yesterday. I have not read anyone else's thoughts yet, but I had a few of my own: [SPOILER] I was quite surprised that the book covered more than just the "Awakening" story and further astonished that there was a fair amount of Season 2 content. Seeing the Mutates, Gabriel, and Boudicca was particularly unexpected. I always love seeing eggs and rookeries, so that was fun, and I like Goliath assigning Tom to watch over the eggs. Not canon, but kinda fun. The tone was definitely geared towards children and there was little mention of the Wyvern Massacre, but I did spot one smashed gargoyle! Great writing, of course. And I really liked the art! [/SPOILER]

Very cute and fun and a welcome addition to my collection. I hope the sales are good and it is yet another sign to the powers that be that this property should be invested in!
Matt
"My daughter?! How dare you mock me! I have no daughter." - Demona, 1996
posted @ Thu, Aug 14, 2025 9:17:56 am EDT from 204.184.178.1

Little Golden Book: [SPOILER] Not much to add, but I loved how even in a story designed for the youngest of fans, it's still a cast of thousands. Also cool to see the journey to Avalon referenced. Bought myself a copy and two others for my various niblings :--) [/SPOILER]
Phoenician
Gus: "I always forget you're there." Hooty: "I forget I'm here toooooo."
posted @ Wed, Aug 13, 2025 1:44:21 am EDT from 68.2.64.232

I bought a copy of the "Gargoyles" Little Golden Book today at the local Barnes and Noble.

[SPOILER] It's, naturally, an introduction to the series and its main characters for younger children, and does quite well in that regard. It gives a brief account of the gargoyles' back-story (presumably because of the target audience, the Wyvern Massacre isn't directly described - but a picture of the Vikings charging into Castle Wyvern shows what look like a few smashed gargoyles, so there's a hint of it there), the individual members of the Wyvern clan and how they awaken in Manhattan and meet Elisa. A few of their adversaries, such as Xanatos and Demona are briefly dealt with - plus also Coldstone and the Mutates, with the focus on how the Mutates end up becoming friends to the gargoyles. It ends with the grown-up Tom arriving in Manhattan to inform Goliath about the eggs, leading to Goliath meeting Angela (Gabriel and Boudicca are also shown in the picture), and her joining the clan. While it's based almost entirely on the first two seasons, there's one picture in it that might be influenced by the Dynamite comics; it shows Goliath defeating the three street thugs while Billy and Susan are watching and cheering for Goliath; that last detail evokes their meeting and making friends with Gnash in the Halloween Special. (It also mentions Hudson's fondness for "Celebrity Hockey" - and brings in Brooklyn's motorcycle, though with the latter, it gives the impression that Brooklyn got to ride it longer than a few minutes. [/SPOILER]
Todd Jensen
posted @ Tue, Aug 12, 2025 8:49:46 pm EDT from 68.99.93.213

Todd> I've had a lot of similar thoughts.

Like you, I suspect that [SPOILER] if the Xanadu Clan is brought up at all, it will only be mentioned in passing. Like Demona or Angelika saying to each other (or the Ishimura Clan) that they encountered a clan in China that had many beasts or something like that.

As for Magni and Modi, I wonder if the latter might already be dead by the time we see him in #4. And I agree that Magni will likely die in that chapter. Though how that happens, I have no idea. The loss of those two gargoyles (not to mention their own histories) might be what spurns Angelika and Demona to head east in search of safety and other gargoyles. Europe seems to be eradicating its gargoyle population, but perhaps there are rumors that gargoyles still thrive in Asia (which they in fact do).

I also think Angelika's death will finally inspire Demona to hold a Wind Ceremony. Even then though, I wonder if she will be unable to let go of her daughter or whatever killed her (likely the Hunters). I feel the locket with Angelika's hair is a good symbol of Demona refusing to heal. Gargoyle remains are cremated and cast into the wind, not held on to as keepsakes. Of course, the hair in the locket is blond, not gray, so who knows when the hair was put in the locket. It could've been shortly after the end of #2, I suppose. [/SPOILER]

Interesting stuff and I'm excited to see how it all plays out.
Matt
"My daughter?! How dare you mock me! I have no daughter." - Demona, 1996
posted @ Tue, Aug 12, 2025 8:39:41 am EDT from 204.184.178.1

I'm just here for the count. I'm avoiding spoilers for future issues.
Matthew the Fedora Guy
You're Gonna Carry That Weight
posted @ Mon, Aug 11, 2025 9:22:55 pm EDT from 184.23.35.150

A little more on "Demona" #5.

[SPOILER] I suspect we'll have only a mention, at most, of the Xanadu Clan. For a start, I suspect that, while the Mongol invasion would have to be mentioned - it'd be too far-fetched to have a story set in Japan in 1274 not mention it - the evidence is that the main antagonist will be the Hunters who show up, and who, I suspect, will kill Angelika. Probably Canmore Hunters - which would certainly make an effective piece of symmetry with "Demona" #1. (Of course, they might have accompanied the Mongol invasion to help fulfill their goals. I doubt that the Xanadu clan would take part in it, however; from what we've seen of gargoyles, they seem to prefer a defensive approach, protecting their homes, over being part of invasions.)

Incidentally, Angelika's death at the hands of the Hunters (assuming that indeed happens, which seems very likely), could offer a new perspective of Demona's horrified response in "Hunter's Moon Part Two" to learning that the current Hunters almost killed Angela, and her line "I will not let those vermin slay another gargoyle".

Angelika was described as widowed in that same solicitation, and I have my own theory about Magni's fate (he's the obvious candidate for her deceased mate). In 1204 (just nine years after the events in "Demona" #4, which we know will feature Magni and be set in Constantinople), Constantinople was sacked by Crusaders. If Magni and Modi were still alive then and in the Varangian Guard, they'd have probably been killed in the siege - the Crusaders might even have smashed them in their stone sleep. (And not necessarily out of anti-gargoyle hysteria, either, though that might be likely. Historically, the sack of Constantinople in the Fourth Crusade was an especially destructive one, with the Crusaders demolishing practically everything; they could easily have misinterpreted the stone gargoyles they were smashing as ordinary statues, and shattered them for the fun of it.)

One other thing I've just wondered about "Demona" #5. We know that so far, Demona turned down giving a Wind Ceremony for the gargoyles slaughtered by Constantine and Gillecomgain in 997, or the gargoyles massacred by Canmore in 1093. When Angelika is slain (all the evidence points to her being killed by the Hunters rather than dying from natural causes), will Demona give her a Wind Ceremony? Or will she pass that up, again? [/SPOILER]
Todd Jensen
posted @ Mon, Aug 11, 2025 8:50:18 pm EDT from 68.99.93.213

I'll have to track one of those Little Golden Books down! Thanks for reminding me!

[SPOILER] And thanks as always for your historical and literary musings! I had not even thought about the possibility of a mention of the Xanadu Clan! That would be amazing. I had thought about the parallels between young Angelika and young Katana. I'm looking forward to #5 a lot! [/SPOILER]
Matt
"My daughter?! How dare you mock me! I have no daughter." - Demona, 1996
posted @ Mon, Aug 11, 2025 11:53:05 am EDT from 204.184.178.1

They're coming out with a "Gargoyles" Little Golden Book this week.

Another thought I just had about "Demona" #5, based on the solicitation. [SPOILER] It's set in Japan in 1274. I looked up that part of Japanese history, and learned that that same year, Kublai Khan made an attempt (unsuccessful) to conquer Japan. (He made another, even bigger attempt to conquer it seven years later, which resulted in his fleet getting destroyed by a major storm at sea - which came to be known in Japan as the "Divine Wind" or "Kamikaze" - the original "Kamikaze".) I wonder whether that will be woven into the story as a background event.

Kublai Khan is, particularly thanks to Coleridge, associated with Xanadu - which got a mention through its namesake in "Her Brother's Keeper". And (although this is still canon-in-training) Greg Weisman's mentioned that there's a clan of gargoyles at the original Xanadu, though I don't know if they'll get a mention in this story or not. (Kublai was also Genghis Khan's grandson - though I doubt his grandfather will be depicted in the Gargoyles Universe as an immortal who's been around far longer than Demona has.)

On a more immediate story-telling level, it strikes me that the young Katana in this story will probably be designed as a counterpart and foil to the young Angelika in "Demona" #1; it would make a great piece of symmetry for the mini-series. [/SPOILER]
Todd Jensen
posted @ Mon, Aug 11, 2025 9:00:51 am EDT from 68.99.93.213