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Gargoyles

The Phoenix Gate

Comment Room Archive

Comments for the week ending February 19, 2023

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Speaking of crossovers (spoilers for the next Magic: The Gathering set): https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/a-first-look-at-march-of-the-machine
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Got a peek at the Tony Fleecs cover for #6 - and here, the gargoyle on the cover (Hudson) is spending time, not with a dog, but with a couple of cats. (As a cat-lover, I like this, but I was still surprised at the change of pets for the gargoyles to socialize with.)

And Lexington is the only one of the original clan to not make it onto the Fleecs covers. Which gives us another reason to hope that: a) the comic reaches #7 and b) that Fleecs continues doing covers for it. (It'll also allow the opportunity for Katana, Nashville, and Fu-Dog at least to be shown spending quality time with pets.)

Todd Jensen

Antiyonder> And here I thought it was related to Wander Over Yonder. I was a fan of the Amalgam Comics since I love crossovers in general (for example, I used to imagine Disney's Cinderella/Mighty Morphin Power Rangers crossovers as a kid, among other things).

Matthew> That's why Eda praised his Beast Keeping Track skills. Although come to think of it, anyone with a palisman should need those skills to some extent when they're not in wood form.

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Yeah I remember the Beyonder, I think I still have some old "Secret Wars II" issues stashed away somewhere.

Oh and thanks for reminding me that Batric was just a weird looking bat. Most of the time I see a character with a little animal buddy I think palisman.

Matthew
Ain't nothing crazy 'bout me but my brain!

And whether anyone here is familiar with The Beyonder from MGaDD or Spider-Man TAS, the comics along with DC Comics Anti-Monitor (Crisis on Infinite Earths in both comics or Arrowverse), my screen name is based of both of them.

Plus Marvel and DC's fun crossover in the 90s, Amalgam Comics.

Antiyonder

Didn't pick up upon first watching last week, but Angelo/Syphonator from the Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur episode "The Borough Bully"?

Voiced by a Spectacular guest star you could say.

Antiyonder

Antiyonder> That's a neat factoid! Cool way of going about it.

Matthew> Great review! I love the character depth in this series. Batric is the wild bat that Edric caught in "Adventures in the Elements" last season, rather than a palisman.

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Thanks for the latest review, Matthew.

And, boy, wait until you find out just what the Day of Unity is going to do....

Todd Jensen

Time for the obligatory Tournament Arc.

Watched "Reaching Out" today which gives and interesting look into the Blight family dynamics and a heartfelt look into the Noceda family.

To begin with the Blights, one thing I want to bring attention to is Edric. While we haven't had a full episode dedicated to him and Em, we can extrapolate a few things about him and his relationships. Case in point, how close he is to his twin, which is pretty standard from what I understand with twins. They use glamors to keep themselves looking fairly identical (and hide away the joys that is puberty) and do most everything together. Which leads to the problem of what do you do when you're going solo? Ed sees himself as a screwup, which certainly isn't helped by his situation at home, and therefore leans into the delinquency duo with Emira. There's something really harsh about the cycle people can trap themselves into when it comes to failure and self-worth. That often times experiences and talent are overshadowed by mistakes and failures because they beat themselves up over those mistakes and if not themselves then expectations will. That's why his interaction with Eda was so important for him, besides the fact that she's not beating him up over his mistake she also recognizes talent through unconventional means. And if there's anyone who knows how to recognize opportunity through unmitigated messes, it's Eda.

Speaking of messes, this brings us to Amity and her dad. From what we can gather, he was something of a free spirit in his youth before buckling down and focusing solely on creating abominations. There's a distinct difference in the level of neglect when it comes to the parents Alador unintentionally neglects his kids as opposed to his wife who seems to be rather intentional about it. He recognized Amity's growing power during the "factory incident" but that was only in extent to their shared abilities. If Amity hadn't spoken up and called out the things he's missed, there's a very good chance that he'd once again only connect to her on a bare minimum. One neat little touch is that after their talk she turns down a hug in exchange for a hand shake, a reminder that not everything is solved in 22 minutes.

And finally we have the situation with Luz and the anniversary of her father's passing. It's been a consistent problem that Luz runs away or tries to hide the problems that eat at her. But this isn't a just a case of getting caught up in a lie or pretending to be something she's not. This is about the fact that she's separated from her mother on a day when the two of them rely heavily on each other emotionally. And Amity's problem with her dad undoubtedly bring up a lot conflicting thoughts and emotions that she doesn't know how to process. We don't know how old Luz was when her father passed or how close they were. But this is still an important day and the wistful feelings of loss don't need to make sense.

Some Final Thoughts: Well Eda's starting to put things together about Raine and their memories being tampered with but the Day of Unity is offering some sinister connotations about uniting with the Titan. Considering Belos' previous words about a paradise for the "chosen" something tells me that no one is going to benefit from this unification, at least not in the way Belos does it. I absolutely love Batric, a cycloptic bat palisman sounds like it should be freaky but he's adorable and I want one. The scene at the tree was rather nice, it's early spring here in Northern California and the cherry blossoms are in bloom, won't be long before they start to fall like they did in the episode.

Favorite Lines:

King: What you need is a healthy distraction from your problems. Like breakfast!

Eda: Hey! Blight Brother!
Edric: Edric.
Eda: Nah. Too close to Eda. Here's the deal. I'm trying to make a blabber serum. I need to get certain information out of a certain demon. But, without magic, I'm having trouble getting some of these more lively ingredients. Your beast keeping know-how could really help.
Edric: You think I could help? Okay, I'll do it!
Eda: Dang! I didn't even have to offer to pay.
Edric: Wait, what?
Eda: (Pulls Edric away) Let's get started!

Alador: Edalyn.
Eda: Alador.
(Beat)
Alador: Were you always able to do that?
Eda: Don't you have family stuff to clear up? Also, I heard about the factory incident with Luz. I've got my eyes on you, Blight.

Amity: Do you think they'll reach the Human Realm?
Luz: Probably doesn't work that way, but... it's a nice thought, right?

Matthew
Ain't nothing crazy 'bout me but my brain!

Added a brief BTTF reference from The Fall and Rise of Captain Atom to the film series DC Comics article: https://backtothefuture.fandom.com/wiki/DC_Comics

Yeah fun fact regarding the BTTF comic's reveal on how Doc Brown afforded the alterations to the DeLorean. [SPOILER] He used some silver dollars in his family's possession to purchase copies of Action Comics #1 (First appearance of Superman) and sold them to the Blast From the Past antique store. [/SPOILER]

Antiyonder

Matthew> Thanks for the recommendation and link!

Todd> Sure!

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B - Ah, thanks for filling me in.
Todd Jensen

Todd> The Stone Sleeper made me think of gargoyles too, especially the one that had been hibernating for who knows how long.

And if your in the mood for some more Celtic fantasy stories, I'd like to recommend this: https://unshavedmouse.com/2023/01/25/my-next-novel-is-now-available-for-pre-order/

It's done by author Neil Sharpton, who inspired me to make my own blog.

Matthew
Ain't nothing crazy 'bout me but my brain!

*elderly but still hale and hearty English lady, I meant to write
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No, I'm in the US, but I lived in Scotland as a kid. The neighbour in question is an elderly but still hale and hearty lady (not unlike my 92-year-old Scottish Dad) who lives here in America. She's a former neighbour because my family moved streets but we're still in the same general suburban area around Buffalo. I write "color" without the U but "neighbour" or "neighbourhood" without a U looks naked.
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B - Thanks for sharing about that neighbor. (Fro the way you spell it, you live in England, right? I hadn't realized that before.)

I'd forgotten about the mention of Bogles in the White Witch's army, but thanks for reminding me. (The Bogle in my story is more a Puck-style trickster, though.)

Todd Jensen

Todd> Interesting. Coincidentally, I also re-watched The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe animated film today, and LWW has "bogles" in it. I hope you have good luck finding a publisher!

BTW, one of my former neighbours actually met both C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, because her brother was a student of theirs. She says that Lewis was surprisingly rakish.

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Mind you it helped that I saw fanart and first with them, but yeah shipped Hunter and Willow before even "Follies at the Coven Day Parade" premiered. Even as far back as the Season 2 break.

And their screen time in the episode is how I imagined them interacting. Favorite unexpected bit was her pulling him down from the sky, looking at him in a threatening looking fashion and cheerfully asking him if he will play on the flyer derby team.

And hey, the photo she looks at? Yeah her dads played Flyer Derby in their days.

Antiyonder

B - Thanks. I'm currently looking for a publisher for the fantasy/mystery story, called "The Attenbury Bogle". I hope I find one soon.

One other thought on "Elsewhere and Elsewhen": the "Stone Sleeper" in it feels like it could have made a good ancestor to the gargoyles.

Todd Jensen

Todd Jensen>
* I wasn't sure because Flora's name was only one part of the quote with the focus on Lilith's envy and if one wasn't familiar with Dora the Explorer, it could have just been Luz thinking the name was weird.
* Those stories both sound very interesting and I'd love to see them someday! Also, thank you Matthew for posting that lesson from Neil.
* At that age, my Mom and I were reading The Hobbit and The Chronicles of Narnia together.

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It probably helps encourage vocabulary building. (I'd read a few books with similar archaic wording by the time I was eleven, though I was "reading up". "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Silmarillion" were among them.)
Todd Jensen

Thanks Todd, that wordage seems a bit flowery for books that are supposed to be ages 6-11 according to Luz.
Matthew
Ain't nothing crazy 'bout me but my brain!

Correcting myself - it was Boscha who read that passage (though Luz has to admit she's got a point about the prose).
Todd Jensen

Thanks for the latest review, Matthew.

On the "Good Witch Azura" subplot - we learn, among other things, that Amity's the only person in the Boiling Isles (apart from Luz, who's from outside) who likes those books. I can't help wondering whether it's because, to most of the denizens of the Boiling Isles, the books are (presumably) ridiculously inaccurate about magic (though that might be good for some laughs over how much the author got wrong), or whether, as Boscha states (and the passage that Luz reads winds up supporting her), the prose style is overwritten.

Todd Jensen

How do you do, fellow kids?

Watched "Any Sport in a Storm" today which sees Hunter trying to interact with his peers, Willow showing what a beast she can be and Luz and Amity venturing down that dangerous path of speculation.

Hunter's subplot of the episode is a fascinating one; I didn't know that Golden Guard was a specific title within the Emperor's Coven which means that a magicless teen has a lot to live up to. One neat thing about taking villains of antagonists out of their comfort zone is that you get to explore a side of them that you wouldn't see in their everyday life. In this case that without the mask and mystique, Hunter is kind of a dork that has no idea how to interact with his age range much less convince them to join the Emperor's Coven. The dynamic between him and Willow is fun to watch, the two of them have a certain intensity to them that is off-putting to others, but it also comes from a place of passion, Willow for Flyer Derby and Hunter for the Covens. But the key difference is that Willow does this because she discovered a love for the sport and for Hunter this is the only thing he's ever known. Heck, even his reveal is done as a, "Hey kids! You're going to give up everything about your lives and join a militaristic cult of personality! Isn't that awesome?" But just like with Willow, he's discovered something that he's passionate about and that's gotten him to act in ways outside of his usual behavior too. In this case, passionate, brave and devious, but for the right reasons.

Luz and Amity have a real silly little side quest in the whole "Good Witch Azura" author mystery; and Luz is right, Mildred Featherwhyle is a bit too delightful for a real name. But while the stream of speculation ultimately doesn't lead anywhere, except for yet another bit of humiliation on Tibbles, it does have one reveal hidden away in there. That items from the human world have washed up into the Demon Realm. While the search for a way to make a portal door is still going on, what if there was another, natural form of bridging the two worlds together? One taken for granted except for greedy opportunists?

Some Final Thoughts: Hermonculus' sheer pettiness during the Flyer Derby game was hilarious, reminded me of the teacher vs. student rugby match from "The Meaning of Life." I was curious about Darius' blasé attitude towards Hunter going behind his back, but considering his remarks about Hunter only being a follower and the offhand remark that the Coven heads backstabbing each other all the time, I guess he would consider it a good thing that he's becoming more ambitious and treacherous, even if it goes against what the Emperor probably wants. Going to need some more recruits more competent than Steve is all I'm saying.

Favorite Lines:

Boscha: You guys aren't cute! I still have more friends than you!

Luz: I can't believe we never uncovered this mystery before. I always thought Mildred Featherwhyle sounded too delightful to be a real name.
Amity: Do you think she has her own portal? (Gasps) Do you think she's related to that human guy, Philip?
Luz: What if... the author is Eda? She's been keeping it a secret this whole time because she's embarrassed by all the spelling errors!
Amity: ...Okay, these theories are a little unrealistic. It's obviously your mother as a teenager sent forward in time to train you in the ways of witchcraft!

Steve: I do not envy those kids, man.
Hunter: They just have to go through basic training before becoming scouts. It's not too bad.
Steve: Dude, do you even remember what we had to do? The duels. The mazes with the traps. That time we were left alone on a mountain?
Hunter: Ho ho. Classic.

Amity: Tinella Nosa?
Luz: She's had a name this whole time?!

Tibbles: This is the WORST SCAM I've ever run.
Luz: (Dejected}So the author is human after all.
Tibbles: Oh-ho-ho. Were you expecting some dramatic discovery? (Giggles and then punched)

Matthew
Ain't nothing crazy 'bout me but my brain!

MATTHEW - Both children's fantasy, if different sorts. Without giving too much away, one's a time travel story, and the other a sort of half-fantasy, half-mystery set in an English village or small town.
Todd Jensen

Thanks Todd. What kind of stories, if you don't mind me asking?
Matthew
Ain't nothing crazy 'bout me but my brain!

Thanks for that piece, Matthew. After reading it, I thought about the protagonists of a couple of stories I've been writing, and what their wants and needs were; I even began writing them down.
Todd Jensen

So I was watching Neil Gaiman's Masterclass on writing and he talks about the use of "want" and "need" in characters and that got me thinking about knowing the difference between the two and how both are used in narrative storytelling.

Generally speaking, stories bend in a way that makes the moral for the characters to understand and accept what they need versus what they want, Princess and the Frog makes heavy use of that. But what's rarely spoken on is the importance of both of them. "Needs" are often integral for a character's personal journey and how they work towards that or avoid that is what drives their progression or regression. But "wants" are used to drive a character's direction and indeed help move the story forward.

You're not going to find a person who wakes up one day and says, "Today I need to take stock in what I have and come to realize that cultivating loving relationships with my friends and family is more important than growing my status or profit." One: because people don't talk like that. Two: because it undercuts what kind of story you want to tell when you just lay the moral out right at the beginning. And three: because epiphanies and moments of self-realization rarely come from out of the blue. Knowing what you need requires action, and action is often spurred by want.

I decided to examine this sort of thing through the third episode of Young Justice, "Welcome to Happy Harbor." What M'gann needs for the episode is to understand Earth customs and to properly use her telepathy as well as her other Martian abilities in a way that benefits the Team. But what she wants is to become closer to this group of friends (and Superboy) in part to act out her "Hello Megan" fantasy of an ideal teenage life and in part of her loneliness as a minority on her home planet. Kaldur, Wally and Dick want to be taken seriously by their elders and mentors, in part to prove that they are ready for the big leagues and to disprove what Roy said about them earlier, that their "Junior Justice League" isn't a joke. But what they need is to actually come together as a team through proper communication, cooperation and understanding.

How these characters address their wants and needs is explored in the following episodes of the season and even further beyond that. But without M'gann's accidental intrusion with her telepathy (and later on, not so accidental) there wouldn't be the need to understand how to properly use her abilities. And without the boys dunking on the rookie for a mistake they all participated in, there wouldn't be the need for them to take stock on their positions in this new team and how they could improve and prove themselves to the League.

Pardon the lecture/diatribe but this has been weighing on my brain for some time and I thought I'd share it.
Also, first.

Matthew
Ain't nothing crazy 'bout me but my brain!