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Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...
Quick couple of comments on the recent graphic novels...
It was such a pleasure to read new material and emerse again in the world of gargoyles. I hope we get a chance to do so again quite soon.
Clan Building-
Loved the Star Wars homage cover
I was a little confused by the events with the stone. The explanation helped, but I still liked it.
There is a thread on the Girl-Wonder forums about female characters who look fantastic and none sexualized. Coco met with approval. I'd have to go back and check, but I believe the word was "awesome" :)
I found it odd that the Rosetta Stone was included among the list of stones. Are there legends about the stone? I thought it was just the one in the British Museum. Absolutely loved the "Hey" "Hey" between the stone and grail.
Also surprised by the "Bugger Off". Isn't that rather obscene in the UK? I know the intent to keep the comics as all age friendly as the cartoon has slipped a bit. (Strangely the hand being cut off flew by me (no pun intended). Dingo's mother's death shocked me.) But a substitution phrase would be easier that replacing events. (Of course I am blanking on such a phrase at the moment...unless Sod Off is a smidge more polite. Drop Dead doen't sound particularly British.)
Loved the Timedancer part. Had you always intended to start Time Dancer so soon? Had the cartoon continued on air, would Brooklyn have gone and returned season 3 or did it come sooner in response to the new medium. In general did any events move up for the comics?
I know I am in a minority, but I didn't love the art at the end. It's probably just a question of personal taste. The line was more detailed, but the distortions less to my taste. I've heard some say it looked a little more anime looking, and that only sometimes appeals to me.
The relationship between Gilcomgain and the king was wonderfully creepy.
I would have thought Bodhe to be older than Gilcomgain.
Odd.. in the Gargoyles universe it seems sparing a child's life comes back to haunt you. Bodhe's father did it, Macbeth did it, death, war and heartbreak follow.
As whenever we go back in time in these stories, there is a bittersweetness to it. Most, and most probably all, of the gargoyles we meet will be murdered in the next few years. Especially when we see child gargoyles. (I think, though not prominant, one of the gargoyles we saw smashed was a child.)
"Call me Gnash" :)
"Egwardo" :)!
(I don't remember knowing that was coming, but I may just have missed it.)
Bad Guys
Already mentioned, the murder of Dingo's mother shocked me. As did Tasha's suicide earlier, (though I could see how that might have been finageled into the cartoon). Similarly, when I read over the begining of the trade I realized that we had briefly met Tasha and the others as humans. Even in that little bit it made it all the more poignant. A little thing I noted aside from all the big things others have already noted was how the aligator thug was instinctively hugging and holding the little girl to comfort her. Not just the guy with a gun we met before.
I'm a little tight for time, so I'll just say I really enjoyed it and I felt it was very successful in setting up a new series. Yes it is connected, but in the back of my mind I was expecting it to just be an extension of Gargoyles- a way to see more of that universe and extend the stories we were seeing. Instead this is its own story, in that universe, but its own.
Greg responds...
Rosetta Stone is what it is.
Same with "Bugger Off". Perhaps because my primary audience is in the U.S. it just doesn't feel as dirty as it is.
The start and finish of TimeDancer was always supposed to occur in Season Three of Gargoyles. The forty years in between was always a spin-off idea.
I'm glad that in general you liked the stuff!
Todd Jensen writes...
One of the big changes you made from canon-in-training to canon, in "Clan-Building", was having the Phoenix rather than the Phoenix Gate be the cause of Brooklyn's timedancing. I thought about it recently, and think that it was a good change.
Aside from it providing a good explanation for why it took so long for Brooklyn to get back (it would probably have seem far-fetched if each time the Phoenix Gate appeared during those forty years, he always failed to grab it before it disappeared again), I think it added something to his journey. While we don't know exactly what the Phoenix is as yet, or what its agenda is, the way it was depicted (and Brooklyn's own comments) made it clear that it deliberately took Brooklyn to Scotland in 997, that this was not just some accidental fluke, that the Phoenix has a purpose and intentions like those of any sentient being. Brooklyn isn't being battened about the time-stream by an out of control magical talisman, but is being sent places to fulfill a mission, like Goliath and his companions on the Avalon World Tour. His adventures up and down history, past and future, are the product of a plan, not just the whims of chance. I think it made for a much better story.
Greg responds...
Thanks.
Chip writes...
Some questions bubbled up in my mind while reading Gargoyles Clan-Building, first about the Timedancer arc.
1)Is Fu-Dog’s gold collar affected by the humility spell?
2)Does Katana speak English? I note that she had no lines in “Phoenix†and in the non-canon Radio Play…is the reason she doesn’t speak because she can’t speak English?
3)Somewhat related to question 2, is Brooklyn able to understand the languages of times/places he goes automatically, or does he need to learn them?
Greg responds...
1. It's up to him.
2. She speaks English.
3. I haven't fully decided, but I'm leaning toward the Phoenix compensating magically.
Clark Cradic writes...
Does Brooklyn meet Katana before or after his adventures in the future with Samson and the resistance?
Greg responds...
Both.
Anonymous writes...
In the comics are we ever going to find out what happened to Brooklyn in his 40 years of time travel?
Greg responds...
If I'm given the opportunity, yes.
gipdac writes...
1. When was Katana hatched?
2a. How old is Katana biologically when Brooklyn & Co. return to Manhattan 1996?
2b. How old is Katana chronologically when Brooklyn & Co. return to Manhattan 1996?
3. What year did Katana and Brooklyn first meet?
4. I hope this doesn't sound vulgar because it's not meant to be, but when did Brooklyn and Katana find time to mate with Nashville hanging around? I just imagine lots and lots of awkwardness:-Z
Greg responds...
1. I'm not revealing that at this time.
2a. Same age as Brooklyn.
2b. I'm not revealing that at this time.
3. I'm not revealing that at this time.
4. Parents manage. (Otherwise, I wouldn't have TWO kids myself.)
Vaevictis Asmadi writes...
==== SPOILERS!!!!!============SPOILERS!!!!!========= SPOILERS!!!!!========
TWELVE: PHOENIX
Amusing cover. When I first saw it I wondered what guy had tattooed his face like that. Mother always told you if you make ugly faces, your face could stick that way. Good thing it's only paint, and that hair grows back. Too bad he'll die like that.
The art in the battle scenes is very detailed and good. I love all the different gargoyles. But all the gargs seem to have belly-buttons... I don't think that's right.
That poor gargoyle, Demona's second-in-command, loses his mate. I wish there were enough pages to get to know all these gargoyles. But even without knowing them, it is tragic to see them all die. Tragic, and infuriating to see how genocidal some of the humans are.
And I think Demona blames Brooklyn almost as much as the humans.
That sorcerer, Valmont, got his hand (or both hand?) hacked off, but he got up and just walked away! Yikes!
We get more background about Findlaech and Gillecomgain. It neatly explains why Gillecomgain grew up as a peasant, even though his father is related to Findlaech. This would almost make Gillecomgain's desire to kill Findlaech understandable... almost, if the rain of arrows weren't blindingly obvious to everyone else at the battle. Besides, I can't feel actual sympathy for a guy who so joyfully murders gargoyles. The way he keeps trying to kill little Bodhe doesn't help my impression, either.
I can't help thinking that Demona is rather gullible. She believes Brooklyn when he claims that half of the Gate is enough to control the phoenix... and why should he know she has the Gate, anyway? That was a private moment between her and Goliath. Luckily she falls for it, though.
The ending of this book is a surprise. Not because I didn't know how Timedancer was supposed to finally end. But I expected Brooklyn to freak out and start kissing the ground or hugging people. Plus, I was seriously expecting Coldstone and Coldfire to keep hunting Coldsteel, and for some of the London gargoyles to join the Manhattan Clan. After all, the London Clan is facing severe population pressure, while the Manhattan Clan is way too small.
I am relieved that Brooklyn only lost an eye, instead of an entire limb. An eye I don't mind, but a whole limb would have been disturbing. It is bizarre though, how the Future Tense models keep showing up, first at the Halloween party and now here. How could Puck have predicted these specific outfits? Even if he has the power to see the future, it's quite bizarre that he can see things that specific. Is it just a meta-universe joke?
I like that Katana has a beak, although her face looks kind of squished. I wish more gargoyles had beaks. I like her model.
And they named the egg? That has to be the most pointless... and least gargoylean... thing to do, EVER. Your egg does not need a name! Neither does your sword! Or the sky! Heh. Time to reconnect with your gargoyle roots a little, you three.
I'm actually glad that I read about Timedancer on Ask Greg before reading this comic. I think the whole "40 years, a mate and kid" thing would have been too much of a shock for me otherwise. I tend to be quite averse to change. I also think it might have worked better (if there was room) to show his second jump and one panel of his second destination, to drive home that the Phoenix took him to many times and it was going to be a long trip.
I'm also sad that there wasn't room to show any bits and pieces of Brooklyn's other trips. I would very much like to have seen some of the Ishimura and Xanadu clans, or the Lost Race. Or a glimpse of the future.
I sincerely hope this is not the end. We'll see. Good luck convincing somebody to pick up a graphic novel license some day!
==== SPOILERS!!!!!============SPOILERS!!!!!========= SPOILERS!!!!!========
Greg responds...
Showing a second jump would have ruined the shock value of his arrival. Defanged it.
That's not to say I wouldn't eventually like to show ALL his Dance, but that moment of him leaving one era (at the beginning of the Dance) with Finella and Mary and arriving (in another era at the end of his dance) with Katana, Fu-Dog and the kids was ALWAYS my plan since as far back as 1995.
Cynthia from Riverdale writes...
Dear Greg,
I just finished reading Clan Building Vol. 2 and I wanted to know, will there be more Gargoyle trade paperbacks? I know there is one for Bad Guys coming out, but I wanted to know about stories concerning the main Gargoyles. Also, speaking of Bad Guys, how many issues will be in the trade? Lastly, I thought the trade rushed Brooklyn's time traveling story, will there be a trade paperback to cover what wasn't told? Thanks so much for giving fans the unpublished issues.
Greg responds...
Bad Guys Trade is out. Contains six issues worth of content, including covers.
Brooklyn's story wasn't all that rushed to my mind. IF you're asking about his ENTIRE time-travel journey, then please understand there was NEVER any intent to show all of that here. That story takes place over FORTY YEARS of continuity. I hope to tell more of it eventually, but let's be honest -- there's no way I'm ever going to cover all forty years in my lifetime.
And, yes, I hope there will someday be more Gargoyles trades. Dan Vado and SLG are working on that now.
stanley dean cowens writes...
I reading a question someone asked you about if demona and goliath would ever be a couple again and you said no. I was some what unhappy about that development as I was always had hope they would be a couple again at some point. I also find Elisa to be a some what uninteresting character to be honest compared with demona. I know many shows will take into consideration input from the fanbase and bring certain characters back to life,give popular characters with a small amount of screen time more time and so one. I was wondering if you basically have a vision set in stone for your characters or do you ever make any changes in gargoyles or any other show based on fan feed back? I hope this questions does not violate your rules for answering questions,but I was really wondering about what level you take fan input into consideration regarding existing characters and events? Great show and keep up the good work. I'm kind of burnt out on spiderman to be honest,but now that I know you're involved in it I guess I'll have to buy the box sets and check it out.
Greg responds...
Hmmm... I really don't change stories based on fan desires. First off, fans don't all agree on what they want (for example a lot of folks think Elisa is great), and sometimes (like Demona getting back together with Goliath) they want things that just don't make any story sense and would be bad for the property.
On the other hand, I do respond to what the fans respond to. Brooklyn's popularity was probably one of the things that lead me to the creation of TimeDancer.
G2009 Radio Play
G2009 Radio Play - Act Two
BIG MAN STANDS.
247. NARRATOR
Act Two. The Big Man of Crime enters his offices, but finds he’s not alone…
248. BIG MAN
You spend so much time here, I’ll need to buy you your own chair. So you’ll stay out of mine.
Green Goblin STANDS.
249. GREEN GOBLIN
Surprised to see me?
250. BIG MAN
Not particularly.
251. GREEN GOBLIN
Then you won’t be surprised to learn I’m still running things…
252. BIG MAN
If you can run them from a hospital bed…
253. NARRATOR
Catching Gobby off guard, Lincoln punches him right through the window…
254. GREEN GOBLIN
<impact grunt>
255. NARRATOR
The goblin-glider swoops in and catches the Goblin, who pulls out a Pumpkin Bomb.
PUMPKIN BOMB STANDS.
256. GREEN GOBLIN
Ever the gracious host. And ever the gracious guest, the Goblin must show his appreciation. Here. I brought a gift.
257. NARRATOR
Gobby throws his “giftâ€, but Goliath swoops in, catches it and throws it back.
Goliath and Spider-Man STAND.
258. PUMPKIN BOMB
<shriek>
259. GREEN GOBLIN
<impact>
260. NARRATOR
Not far away…
261. SPIDER-MAN
No, no, no, no, no… I was hoping I’d never hear that trademark Pumpkin Bomb shriek again…
262. NARRATOR
Spidey swings in to find Goliath and a recovering Gobby together…
263. SPIDER-MAN
So that’s what these gargoyles are… more of the Goblin’s Halloween creations…
264. NARRATOR
Spidey swings into action against Goliath.
265. GOLIATH, SPIDER-MAN
<ad-lib battle sounds>
266. GOLIATH
The Bugle was right about you: you are a threat and a menace!
267. SPIDER-MAN
Wait, you can talk? And read?! And what you read is the Jolly One’s editorials?!
268. GREEN GOBLIN
I know I should assassinate Mr. Lincoln. But I’m so enjoying the show. Really, someone should make more Gargoyles. I know: I’ll call Walt Disney.
Green Goblin, Spider-Man, Goliath, Pumpkin Bomb and Big Man sit. ANGELA, BROOKLYN, BROADWAY and LEXINGTON STAND.
269. NARRATOR
Meanwhile, atop the Eyrie Building, Brooklyn, Lexington and Broadway watch Angela playing with Brooklyn’s son Nashville…
270. ANGELA
That’s great, Nashville. This time try the axe…
271. BROADWAY
Wow, Angela looks so adorable playing with Gnash. I mean, Gnash is cute too…
272. BROOKLYN
Thanks. I know he hatched in another decade, but Katana and I discussed it, and we want the whole clan to be Gnash and Egwardo’s Rookery parents…
273. BROADWAY
We’d be honored…
274. LEXINGTON
I still can’t quite take it all in. I go to Britain for a few weeks, and everything changes…
275. BROADWAY
At least you were gone for weeks. Try adjusting in forty seconds.
276. BROOKLYN
Hey, I had forty years to get ready for this, and it’s still strange…
277. LEXINGTON
But, dude. You’re so… old.
278. BROOKLYN
Thanks.
279. LEXINGTON
Older than Goliath.
280. BROOKLYN
Yeah.
281. LEXINGTON
Almost Hudson’s age.
282. BROOKLYN
I get it. I’m old.
283. LEXINGTON
It’s not that. Everything about you is different.
284. BROOKLYN
Oh, come on…
285. BROADWAY
No, he’s right. The way you talk. The way you move. All those weapons you carry now. It’s like you’ve outgrown us.
286. BROOKLYN
That’s not fair. I can’t tell you how much I missed you both.
287. LEXINGTON
We get that. And we’re not mad. But…
288. BROOKLYN
Look, this isn’t all on me. As I recall, things were already changing. Broadway spent all his time with Angela.
289. BROADWAY
Not all my time.
290. LEXINGTON
Uh… pretty much.
291. BROADWAY
Yeah, well, you’re practically on the internet non-stop.
292. LEXINGTON
It’s addictive! Do you know they have porn on that thing? There’s this one website, Blue Mug Prodâ€"
293. BROOKLYN
I don’t wanna know. The point is we’ve all gone through some changes. That’s just life.
294. BROADWAY
I guess our Three Musketeer days are over…
295. LEXINGTON
Yeah…
Zafiro and Obsidiana STAND.
296. ZAFIRO
Gargoyles of Manhattan!
297. OBSIDIANA
We need you’re help!
298. NARRATOR
At just that moment, the sun rises, turning Brooklyn, Lexington, Broadway, Angela and Gnash to stone. Obsidiana and Zafiro are unaffected, thanks to their mystic Mayan pendants.
299. ZAFIRO
Mierda.
300. OBSIDIANA
Nuestro cronometraje apesta hoy.
Obsidiana, Zafiro, Lexington, Broadway, Brooklyn and Angela sit. Spider-Man, Green Goblin and Pumpkin Bomb STAND.
301. NARRATOR
Across town, Goliath also turns to stone.
302. SPIDER-MAN
What the heck?!
303. GREEN GOBLIN
Well, that was… unexpected.
304. SPIDER-MAN
All right, that’s enough. I know you’re not the real Gobby.
305. GREEN GOBLIN
Yes, yes, “It’s not the voice; it’s the words. Not the tech, but the moves.†I’ve heard it all before…
306. SPIDER-MAN
Then I know exactly who you really are: Chameleon!
307. GREEN GOBLIN
That would ease your conscience, wouldn’t it? To think I’m Chameleon â€" and not the ghost of the man you killed!
308. SPIDER-MAN
I don’t believe in ghosts.
309. GREEN GOBLIN
Then maybe you’d prefer I was the Spawn of Goblin.
310. SPIDER-MAN
Oh, you’d just love to shift the blame to Harry. Sorry, Gobby â€" I mean, Chammy â€" but we’ve been there, done that. Besides, no matter who you are, there hasn’t been time for the Globulin Green to kick in and truly Goblify you. So I’m gonna take you down now while you’re still just a cheap imitation.
311. GREEN GOBLIN
You could do that… or you could save stoneface over there.
312. NARRATOR
Gobby throws a pumpkin bomb at Goliath. Instinctively, Spidey webs it away…
313. PUMPKIN BOMB
<shriek>
Pumpkin Bomb and Green Goblin sit.
314. NARRATOR
By which time, the Goblin is gone, leaving a confused Spidey perched on Goliath’s head…
315. SPIDER-MAN
So in hindsight, I’m thinking maybe you weren’t part of the Gob-Squad, right?
(beat)
Fine. Stonewall me.
May STANDS.
316. NARRATOR
That morning in Forest Hills, Spidey sneaks in through his bedroom window, hoping to catch a few Zs.
317. MAY
Peter, are you awake.
318. PETER
Uh, sure Aunt May. Just getting dressed.
319. MAY
Well, hurry up. I’m… “conferencing†with all the other parents.
Robbie, ROSIE THOMPSON and George STAND.
320. ROBBIE
Are you sure you don’t mind, Mrs. Parker? Cuz I gotta say, what you’re proposing would be my worst nightmare.
321. MAY
<laughs> Oh, I don’t believe that for a minute, Mr. Robertson. It’s a joy to be around Peter and his friends. And I won’t be alone. Anna Watson and Mrs. Osborn will be with me.
322. ROSIE
Emily? She’s so… odd. I don’t think she’s ever said one word to me…
323. MAY
Well, I don’t know her very well, Rosie, but Harry is Peter’s best friend â€" no offense to your Eugene â€" so she must be doing something right.
324. ROSIE
May, you never change. Always seeing the best in people.
325. MAY
I’ll take that as a compliment, dear girl.
326. GEORGE
In any case, I’m glad to get Gwen out of Manhattan for a few days. The streets are looking pretty grim right about now.
327. MAY
Oh, I’m sure your officers will have things under control in no time.
328. PETER
Aunt May, what’s going on?
329. MAY
Oh, didn’t I tell you, Peter. I’m chaperoning your trip to Miami Beach!
330. PETER
Wow. Great.
Peter, May, George, Rosie and Robbie sit. Big Man and Dominique STAND.
331. NARRATOR
Meanwhile, back at L. Thompson Lincoln’s office…
332. BIG MAN
And how can I be of help, Ms. Destine.
333. DOMINIQUE
I think I can help you, Mr. Lincoln.
334. BIG MAN
What makes you think I need any help?
335. DOMINIQUE
Oh, little things. The shattered window, that unusual statue on the ledge outside…
336. BIG MAN
Point taken. How about you cut to the chase?
337. DOMINIQUE
Fine. Tony Dracon. Tomas Brod. Silvio Manfredi. All in jail. Hammerhead. Sable Manfredi. On the run. This gives you a unique opportunity to reclaim what was lost.
338. BIG MAN
I’m sure L. Thompson Lincoln has no idea what you’re talking about. But go on…
339. DOMINIQUE
You have three problems. Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus and the government watching your every move.
340. BIG MAN
And you have the solution…
341. DOMINIQUE
I have the manpower. Three… “super-villains†to take down the competition and Dominic Dracon to use as a figurehead.
342. BIG MAN
The old man? I heard he was shy a few brain cells.
343. DOMINIQUE
It’s easy enough to spread the word he was faking insanity to avoid prosecution. And easy enough to assign him a keeper. Meanwhile, he’s a Dracon. And that name still carries weight, I believe.
344. BIG MAN
It does. But what would you want in exchange?
345. DOMINIQUE
Nothing extraordinary. Just the services of the Tinkerer.
346. BIG MAN
I believe that can be arranged.
347. DOMINIQUE
Lovely. But let’s not allow the moss to gather. You’ll want to move fast. Before the Octopus retrieves his arms…
Dominique and Big Man sit. SILVER SPOON MANAGER, Vulture, DOCTOR OCTOPUS and Electro STAND.
348. NARRATOR
The weather has turned cold. At the Silver Spoon, three men in trench coats and hats wait for their coffee.
349. SILVER SPOON MANAGER
Sixty-nine!
350. VULTURE
Yes. Here.
351. NARRATOR
Vulture sits down with Electro and Doctor Octopus.
352. DOCTOR OCTOPUS
Thank you, Adrian. Now. My arms?
353. VULTURE
In an OsCorp vault.
354. ELECTRO
At Rykers?!
355. VULTURE
<shhhhh> Not THE Vault. A vault. Still very high security, and the police are bound to expect our arrival, but…
356. DOCTOR OCTOPUS
Indeed. <sigh> OsCorp. Even in death, Norman Osborn torments me. But it cannot be helped. I must have my arms. We go in under cover of darkness tonight.
Doctor Octopus, Vulture and Electro sit. Silver Spoon Manager remains standing. Peter and Mary Jane STAND.
357. NARRATOR
The three men exit through one door. Two teenagers enter through another.
358. SILVER SPOON MANAGER
Seventy!
359. MARY JANE
Try to understand, Tiger. I just can’t do that to Gwen. She’s really become my best friend at Midtown.
360. PETER
But it’s not like we’d be making out or anything, right? Uh, right?
361. MARY JANE
Right.
362. PETER
Right, right. We’d be going as friends. Hanging out when the couples were … you know, coupling.
363. MARY JANE
And that would be great. But look at it from her point of view. She took all the risks, and you still wound up with Liz. There’s no way, she’d see me as anything but a threat. Wait, that sounded really conceited.
364. PETER
Have you looked in a mirror? Not conceited. Just fact.
365. MARY JANE
Ooh, nice one. Such a player.
366. PETER
Yeah, right. The world’s loneliest player.
367. MARY JANE
Stop it. I know you don’t want to hurt Gwen either. Not after all the two of you have been through.
368. PETER
Yeah… I wonder if Ms. Brant likes Miami. Kidding, kidding… Wow, pretty good. That was practically the Look.
369. SILVER SPOON MANAGER
Seventy-One!
SEYMOUR O’REILLY stands.
370. PETER
So you’re just not going?
371. MARY JANE
Oh, I’m going. It’s 48 degrees outside and 82 in Miami. I asked Tiny to be my plus one.
372. PETER
Tiny?! Tiny McKeever?! The guy’s got the brain of an amoeba. He makes King Kong look like a genius. Hell, he makes Flash look like Stephen Hawking!
373. MARY JANE
(shrugs)
He’s cute.
374. PETER
<argggh> I just wish I could skip the whole thing. But Aunt May’s going, and after her heart attack, I really think she could use some fun in the sun--
375. SEYMOUR
Sorry to interrupt. Couldn’t help overhearing.
376. PETER
Oh, hey, Seymour.
377. SEYMOUR
Just wanted to let you know Harry invited me too. And I’m totally going stag. I mean who wants a ball and chain when Miami Beach is full of hotties, right?
378. PETER
Uh…
379. SEYMOUR
Just don’t expect to hang out, okay. You’d fully cramp my style.
380. PETER
Of course I would…
381. SILVER SPOON MANAGER
Seventy-two!!
Silver Spoon Manager, Peter, Seymour and Mary Jane sit. Dominique and TINKERER STAND.
382. NARRATOR
Meanwhile, the Tinkerer arrives at the Destine Mansion…
383. DOMINIQUE
You have the devices?
384. TINKERER
Five was all I could put together on short notice. Unless you want to bring Mysterio in…?
385. DOMINIQUE
Our stage is crowded enough. And five should do quite nicely.
Dominique and Tinkerer sit. May, Mary Jane, GREG BISHANSKY, Sally, Gwen, Harry, Kong, Rand, Flash, Liz, Jason, Peter and Seymour STAND.
386. NARRATOR
Later that afternoon, Harry’s rented a party bus, and the gang is en route to the airport, stuck in heavy traffic on the expressway. A very prepared May Parker has a clipboard…
387. MAY
All right, we have three adults and sixteen children â€" sorry, sixteen teenagers. That’s nineteen sojourners bound for Florida. So why did my headcount come to twenty?
388. MARY JANE
I think you counted the bus driver, Mrs. Parker.
389. MAY
Oh, that I did.
390. BISHANSKY
Hey, twist my arm! I’ll go to Miami with you guys!!
391. SALLY
Was anyone talking to you?
392. BISHANSKY
Uh… no.
393. SALLY
Then eyes front.
394. BISHANSKY
Eyes front.
395. GWEN
Harry, are you all right?
396. HARRY
I dunno. All this stopping and starting. My stomach’s a little queasy…
397. KONG
Dude. Does this bus rock or what?!
398. RAND
‘Scool.
399. FLASH
Damn right it’s cool. Wouldn’t mind taking this baby all the way to Florida.
400. SALLY
Excuse me?! It’s a bus.
401. LIZ
Sally’s right. We’re not ditching the private jet for a bus. Right, Jason?
402. JASON
Uh…
403. SALLY
Right.
404. PETER
It really is a very nice bus though.
405. BISHANSKY
Hey, I’m not offended. I still can’t believe the Osborns hired me again. The last time, I got in two-- <impact grunt>
406. SEYMOUR
Dude, you totally rear-ended that guy at the tollbooth!
407. BISHANSKY
Not again…
408. SALLY
Wonderful. Now, we’ll be stuck here forever!
409. MAY
Everybody stay calm.
410. HARRY
Ah, man, gotta use the john…
411. KONG
<laughs> I think Osborn’s gonna hurl!
412. SALLY
Oh. My. God! If my hair starts smelling like vomit, I’ll sue you for bus-driver malpractice!!
413. BISHANSKY
Sorry, sorry…
Bishansky, Sally, Kong, Harry, May, Seymour, Peter, Jason, Liz, Flash, Rand, Gwen and Mary Jane sit. Brooklyn, Lexington, Broadway, Zafiro and Obsidiana STAND.
414. NARRATOR
The sun sets. At the castle, the gargoyles awaken…
415. BROOKLYN, BROADWAY, LEXINGTON
<awakening roars>
416. BROOKLYN
You must be Zafiro.
417. ZAFIRO
How did you know?
418. BROOKLYN
Strong family resemblance.
419. ZAFIRO
¿Perdón?
420. BROOKLYN
Long story. Time travel. The future. A whole other spin-off. Two actually…
421. OBSIDIANA
We don’t have time for your “spin-offsâ€. ¿Donde esta Goliath?
422. BROADWAY
He didn’t sleep here.
423. LEXINGTON
But I’m sure he’ll be back soon.
Elisa STANDS.
424. ELISA
He’d better. We have trouble. Demona trouble.
425. OBSIDIANA
Elisa!
426. ELISA
Hi, Obsidiana. I’m betting you have trouble too…
Elisa, Obsidiana, Lexington, Broadway, Brooklyn and Zafiro sit. Kraven, Calypso, Curt and Gulyadkin STAND.
427. NARRATOR
And while the clan awaits Goliath’s return…
428. KRAVEN
It is time, Calypso.
429. CALYPSO
Yes. The forces gather. We can make this one our own.
430. CURT
I demand you let me go!
431. KRAVEN
Hold your tongue, American dog. Or Gulyadkin will hold it for you.
432. GULYADKIN
<low lion growl>
433. CALYPSO
Calm yourself… This change will not be difficult. The primitive bound within is barely skin-deep…
434. CURT
I-- I don’t know what you’re talking about.
435. CALYPSO
I think you do. You see my companion. The details may have been created in a laboratory…
436. KRAVEN
But the soul of the Hunter â€" the beast inside â€" was always my own.
437. CURT
What are doing with that doll?
438. CALYPSO
Turning it inside out.
439. CURT
Listen to me, please. Even if you can release the “beast insideâ€, you don’t want to! It can’t be controlled.
440. KRAVEN
<laughs> Nyet. Not by you perhaps. But my Calypso is not so easily trifled with.
441. CALYPSO
It is time…
442. CURT
Noooo!!!! <transformation scream>
443. NARRATOR
Curt Connors is transformed by Calypso’s magic into the Lizard.
444. LIZARD
<roar>
445. KRAVEN
Now… to the Hunt!
Kraven, LIZARD, Calypso and Gulyadkin sit. Obsidiana, Zafiro, Angela, Elisa, Goliath, Broadway and Brooklyn STAND.
446. NARRATOR
Back at the Castle, Goliath has returned, and the entire clan has gathered. Elisa’s revealed what she knows about Demona. Now, it’s Obsidiana’s turn…
447. OBSIDIANA
It came from somewhere further south. Two human smugglers carrying an object of great power through the Green…
448. ZAFIRO
My mate is sensitive to these things. We tracked them, but they boarded a jet airplane and were soon out of our reach.
449. OBSIDIANA
Pero still I could sense great forces gathering. I asked Jade and Turquesa to teach us the way to Avalon…
450. ZAFIRO
Gabriel says hello, by the way.
451. ANGELA
Oh, I miss him. How is he?
452. ELISA
Angela, honey, let’s stay on point. I take it Avalon sent you here.
453. OBSIDIANA
Yes. We nearly achieved the totem, but a ridiculous human dressed in red and blueâ€"
454. ELISA, GOLIATH (UNISON)
Spider-Man…
455. OBSIDIANA
He did spin webs like a spider. Though from his hands, not hisâ€"
456. ZAFIRO
Focus, mi amor.
457. OBSIDIANA
Lo siento. This Man-Spider, he interfered. The smugglers escaped again. Now, power builds on power, rising to a crescendo.
458. BROADWAY
And that’s bad, right?
459. NARRATOR
Elisa’s cellphone rings.
Matt STANDS.
460. ELISA
Maza.
461. MATT
It’s Matt. Something’s going down at the OsCorp vault off the Expressway. Most of the Taskforce is already here. Stacy and his men too. But I’m thinking we might need… “back-upâ€. Lots and lots of back-up.
462. ELISA
We’re on our way. Brooklyn, can Bronx and Fu-Dog baby-sit Egwardo?
463. BROOKLYN
Of course.
464. ELISA
Good. Because otherwise it’s all hands on deck.
Elisa, Brooklyn, Broadway, Obsidiana, Zafiro, Goliath and Angela sit. George, Morgan and O’Neil STAND.
465. MATT
Okay, Captain. The rest of the Taskforce is on its way.
466. GEORGE
My men are deployed.
467. O’NEIL
And just in time! Cuz we got Gobby and his Pumpkin-Heads at 12 o’clock!
Green Goblin and Pumpkin Bomb STAND.
468. GREEN GOBLIN
Playtime!
469. PUMPKIN BOMB
<shriek>
470. MORGAN
And a gargoyle at 3 o’clock!
471. GEORGE
That’s not a gargoyle. That’s the Vulture!
Vulture STANDS.
472. VULTURE
You were right, Otto. The police were waiting. And the Goblin is here too. You don’t think it could actually be Osborn, still alive, do you?
Doctor Octopus and Electro STAND.
473. DOCTOR OCTOPUS
Do not get distracted by old grudges, Adrian. It hardly matters who wears the Green. His intent is still to prevent me from regaining my arms. You must keep the Goblin and the authorities occupied.
474. VULTURE
Of course.
475. DOCTOR OCTOPUS
Now, Electro. Open the vault.
476. ELECTRO
Roger that, Doc!
477. NARRATOR
Electro, already inside, short-circuits the vault’s electro-magnetic lock.
Tinkerer and Demona STAND.
478. TINKERER
Electro’s breached the vault.
479. DEMONA
So predictable. Send in your operatives.
480. NARRATOR
Tinkerer opens a burlap sack, releasing his five “operativesâ€.
HOMUNCULUS #1, HOMUNCULUS #2, HOMUNCULUS #3, HOMUNCULUS #4 and HOMUNCULUS #5 STAND.
481. HOMUNCULUS #1
Homunculi to the rescue!
482. HOMUNCULUS #2
Dirty work to be done!
483. HOMUNCULUS #3
Peach Cobbler!
484. HOMUNCULUS #4
Uh oh, somebody’s language system’s off-line again.
485. HOMUNCULUS #5
You know it, girlfriend!
Calypso, Kraven and Lizard STAND.
486. NARRATOR
And down in the sewer…
487. CALYPSO
It is right above us, my love. The Power and the Glory. The very keys to the Kingdom.
488. KRAVEN
And Kraven will lay them all at your feet.
489. LIZARD
<lizard roar>
490. NARRATOR
Up top, a stretch limo skids to a stop outside the vault. Dominic Dracon and Fancy Dan emerge.
Dracon and FANCY DAN STAND.
491. DRACON
All right, boys. Get me those jewels!
492. FANCY DAN
I think what the boss means is… Destroy the competition!
Carnage, Colonel Jupiter and Venom STAND.
493. CARNAGE
<evil chuckle> Carnage time?
494. FANCY DAN
Yeah. Go. Kill. Whatever.
495. COLONEL JUPITER
Colonel Jupiter will stop the Green Goblin and Vulture in their tracks!
496. FANCY DAN
Knock yourself out. But what are you waiting for?
497. VENOM
Someone worthy of our hate. But we have faith… He’ll come…
498. GREEN GOBLIN
My, my, the field’s getting crowded. Let’s thin the herd. Pumpkin-Heads, release the hounds! <ahem> That was a metaphor. Throw your pumpkin bombs already!
499. PUMPKIN BOMB
<multiple shrieks>
Pumpkin Bomb, Green Goblin, Venom, Fancy Dan, Colonel Jupiter, Carnage, Dracon, Lizard, Kraven, Calypso, Homunculus #5, Homunculus #4, Homunculus #3, Homunculus #2, Homunculus #1, Demona, Tinkerer, Electro, Doctor Octopus, Vulture, George, Morgan, O’Neil and Matt SIT. May, Peter, Bishansky, Flash, Kong, Sally, Mary Jane, Gwen and Harry STAND.
500. MAY
Goodness, what was that?
501. PETER
Something The Bugle will want pictures of. Open the door.
502. BISHANSKY
Uh…
503. MAY
Peter Parker, I am not letting you off this bus in the middle of the expressway.
504. PETER
Aunt May we’re at a complete standstill. And you don’t have to worry. I’ll use my telephoto lens. I won’t be anywhere near the action.
505. MAY
I suppose it is your job… Open the door.
506. BISHANSKY
Yes, ma’am.
507. PETER
Thanks, Aunt May. You rock!
508. FLASH
If Puny Parker’s going, I’m going too!
509. MAY
Eugene Thompson, you sit your backside down in that seat right this minute.
510. FLASH
Yes, ma’am.
511. KONG
<laughs>
512. SALLY
What’s he going to take pictures with? I saw his camera get blown up two months ago.
513. MARY JANE
Pete’s a professional photographer, Sally. I’m sure he has more than one camera.
514. GWEN
Harry… Are you all right in there?
515. HARRY
<vomit noise> Ugh, don’t come in. It really isn’t pretty.
Harry, Gwen, Mary Jane, Sally, Kong, Flash, May, Peter and Bishansky sit. Broadway, Goliath, Brooklyn, Angela, Elisa, Zafiro and Obsidiana STAND.
516. NARRATOR
The clan alights on a rise overlooking the battlefield.
517. BROADWAY
Whoa, what a mess…
518. GOLIATH
We will split our forces. Brooklyn, Lexington, Broadway, Obsidiana, Zafiro with me.
519. BROOKLYN
Shouldn’t I lead the other contingent?
520. GOLIATH
I need your experience and your weapons at my side.
521. ANGELA
Don’t worry, Brooklyn, we’ve got it covered.
522. NARRATOR
Angela, Hudson, Katana, Gnash, Coldstone and Coldfire glide toward the battle.
523. BROOKLYN, BROADWAY (UNISON)
Be careful!
Angela sits.
524. ELISA
You know I’m going with you.
525. GOLIATH
Not this time, Elisa. You must join your fellow officers…
526. ELISA
Butâ€"
527. GOLIATH
When all is settled, we shall need your help to cover our retreat from this conflagration… You know this is true.
528. ELISA
(defeated)
Yes.
Elisa sits. Spider-Man STANDS.
529. NARRATOR
Elisa makes her way down the hill. Goliath and the others glide to the Vault’s roof. Spider-Man lands there at the same time.
530. SPIDER-MAN, ZAFIRO (UNISON)
You again!
531. GOLIATH
Hold, Spider-Man. I have a friend who knows your Captain Stacy.
532. SPIDER-MAN
Really?
533. GOLIATH
This policeman believes in you. So I choose to believe in you as well.
534. SPIDER-MAN
Says the eight-foot tall medieval monster. But I get it. We’re on the same side. So let’s go kick some Pumpkin-Butt!
535. ZAFIRO
¡Idiota! That battle is a mere distraction.
536. OBSIDIANA
The true danger lies within…
537. SPIDER-MAN
All right, all right, you had me at “Idiotaâ€.
538. NARRATOR
The gargoyles rip open the rooftop. The seven heroes descend, but someone watches…
Spider-Man, Obsidiana, Zafiro, Goliath, Broadway and Brooklyn sit. Venom and Fancy Dan STAND.
539. VENOM
And there goes our Bro…
540. FANCY DAN
You going in? That wasn’t the plan!
541. VENOM
And how do intend to stop us?
542. FANCY DAN
Fine, go. But if you see my Ricochet suit, bring it out!
Fancy Dan and Venom sit. Foswell, Jonah and Robbie STAND.
543. FOSWELL
See, J.J. The tip from Dracon’s old chauffer was right on the money.
544. JONAH
Whaddaya want, a fershlugginer medal?! Let’s get in there!
545. ROBBIE
Slow down, Jonah. I promised Joan I wouldn’t let you lose your head, figuratively or literally.
546. JONAH
Forget my head! Who cares about my head?! My boy needs me!
Ned and Colonel Jupiter STAND.
547. NED
Looks to me like your boy’s doing pretty well, Chief!
548. COLONEL JUPITER
Take that, miscreants!
549. ROBBIE
Ned, how did youâ€"
550. NED
Tip from one of the pumpkin-heads. Foswell’s not the only one with sources.
551. JONAH
You two can naked mud-wrestle over who’s the biggest brown-noser later. For now, Robbie, if you don’t let go of me in zero-point-zero seconds, I’ll dropkick you to next Season! And there’s no guarantee there’ll be a next Season!
552. NARRATOR
Jonah breaks away from Robbie, but his path is blocked…
Elisa STANDS.
553. ELISA
Get back! You want to wind up street pizza!
554. JONAH
But that’s my son up there.
555. ELISA
Yeah, well, at least he’s fighting on the right side.
556. COLONEL JUPITER
Nothing stands against the might of Colonel Jupiter!
557. ELISA
Does he always talk like that?
558. ROBBIE
Bombasticism runs in the family.
Robbie, Elisa, Colonel Jupiter, Jonah, Ned and Foswell sit. Vulture, Carnage, Green Goblin, Angela, Fancy Dan, Matt and Dracon STAND.
559. NARRATOR
Jupiter takes down Pumpkin-Heads right and left. Hudson squares off against Vulture.
560. VULTURE
Why do I get the old guy?
561. NARRATOR
You’re old. He’s old. It’s parallelism. Get over it.
(beat)
Coldstone and Coldfire isolate Carnage.
562. CARNAGE
No fair! These two don’t spatter at all!
563. NARRATOR
Angela and Katana take on the Goblin.
564. GREEN GOBLIN
Oh, goody. Gobby likes getting down and dirty with the hotties.
565. ANGELA
Oh, you did not just say that.
566. NARRATOR
And little Gnash goes after Fancy Dan.
567. FANCY DAN
Admit it, you gave me the kid because I’m short?
568. NARRATOR
Even Detective Bluestone gets into the act.
569. MATT
Freeze, Dracon!
570. DRACON
You’re confused. I’m G.F. Benton, a certified public accountant. I think I’ll be going now…
571. MATT
Yeah. Back to Ravencroft, you old nutter!
572. NARRATOR
But inside, things are a bit more serious…
Matt, Dracon, Fancy Dan, Angela, Green Goblin, Carnage and Vulture sit. Electro and Doctor Octopus STAND.
573. ELECTRO
Got your arms, Doc!
574. DOCTOR OCTOPUS
And my Megalo-Pack?
575. ELECTRO
You’re Mega-what now?
576. DOCTOR OCTOPUS
My power-source, Maxwell.
577. ELECTRO
Right, right. No. That’s not here.
578. DOCTOR OCTOPUS
What?!
Homunculus #1, Homunculus #2 and Homunculus #3 STAND.
579. HOMUNCULUS #1
Gotta get the true treasure!
580. HOMUNCULUS #2
Bring it back to the big Smurfette!
581. HOMUNCULUS #3
Blunk hates getting wet!
582. NARRATOR
Three Homunculi fly deeper into the vault to retrieve Demona’s prize.
Homunculus #3, Homunculus #2 and Homunculus #1 sit. Zafiro, Spider-Man, Lexington, Homunculus #5, Goliath, Brooklyn, Broadway and Obsidiana STAND.
583. ZAFIRO
What are those things?!
584. SPIDER-MAN, LEXINGTON (UNISON)
Robots!
585. LEXINGTON
And I got one!
586. HOMUNCULUS #5
Leggo, you big bully!
587. LEXINGTON
<ugh> What an annoying voice…
588. HOMUNCULUS #5
(aside to audience)
Look who’s talking.
589. LEXINGTON
…But I might be able to use it to take control of the others.
590. SPIDER-MAN
I think I can help.
Venom STANDS.
591. VENOM
You’ll be a little too busy for that, Bro.
592. GOLIATH
Friend of yours?
593. SPIDER-MAN
Once upon a time. Not so much now.
594. VENOM
Die, Spider-Man!
595. VENOM, SPIDER-MAN
<add-lib battle sounds>
596. SPIDER-MAN
A little help?
597. NARRATOR
Brooklyn blasts Venom, who collapses.
598. VENOM
<vibrating scream>
Venom sits.
599. BROOKLYN
Sonic Cannon. Circa 2198. Guess my weapons do come in handy.
600. LEXINGTON
Just cover me until I can get this working…
Demona and Tinkerer STAND.
601. DEMONA
What’s wrong, Tinkerer? Why haven’t they returned?
602. TINKERER
Someone’s trying to counter their programming. He won’t succeed.
603. DEMONA
He had better not.
604. LEXINGTON
My hack’s being hacked!
605. TINKERER
He’s overriding my override!
Homunculus #4 STANDS.
606. HOMUNCULUS #4
Go right. Go left. Go right. Go left. Blow up!
607. NARRATOR
Homunculus #4 blows up. But so does Homunculus #5 in Lexington’s hands!
608. LEXINGTON
<pain cry>
609. BROADWAY
Lexington!
Homunculus #4 and Homunculus #5 sit.
610. DOCTOR OCTOPUS
This is madness! Grab my arms and get me out of here!
611. ELECTRO
Workin’ on it!
612. NARRATOR
Electro blasts away, until he and Doc Ock are blindsided by…
Kraven, Gulyadkin, Lizard and Calypso STAND.
613. ELECTRO, DOCTOR OCTOPUS
<impacts>
614. BROADWAY
Look, it’s Claw.
615. KRAVEN
<roar>
616. BROOKLYN
That’s not Claw.
617. BROADWAY
Well, it’s sure not Maggie.
618. GULYADKIN
<lion roar>
619. LEXINGTON
(recovering)
Is that an actual lion?
620. LIZARD
<lizard roar>
621. SPIDER-MAN
Lizard, too? Seriously, this is way over the top.
Homunculus #1 and Homunculus #2 STAND.
622. HOMUNCULUS #1
Got the gizmo!
623. HOMUNCULUS #2
Homunculi never fail!
624. NARRATOR
Two homunculi fly past, carrying a sealed container down a dark corridor.
625. CALYPSO, OBSIDIANA (UNISON)
The totem!
(pointing at each other)
Don’t let her near it!
626. KRAVEN
Go, Calypso! Leave them to us!
627. ZAFIRO
¡Vaya, mi amor!
628. BROOKLYN
We got your back, Goliath! Go!
629. SPIDER-MAN
Think I’ll tag along too…
Spider-Man, Obsidiana, Calypso, Homunculus #2, Homunculus #1, Goliath, Tinkerer and Demona sit.
630. NARRATOR
Calypso, Obsidiana, Goliath and Spider-Man race down the corridor.
631. KRAVEN
Lizard, take the reptile!
632. ZAFIRO
¡No soy ningún reptil! ¡Soy un Gárgolo!
633. ZAFIRO, LIZARD
<ad-lib battle sounds>
634. KRAVEN
Gulyadkin attack!
635. GULYADKIN
<pounce roar>
636. NARRATOR
Gulyadkin and Kraven attack Lex and Broadway!
637. LEXINGTON
Hey, get him off me!
638. BROADWAY
Kinda busy at the moment!
639. GULYADKIN, LEXINGTON, KRAVEN, BROADWAY
<ad-lib struggles>
640. NARRATOR
Brooklyn steps in and pulls both cats off his rookery brothers. They turn on him.
641. BROOKLYN
Uh oh.
642. BROADWAY, LEXINGTON (UNISON)
All for one!
643. NARRATOR
The two gargoyles return the favor, knocking Kraven and Gulyadkin aside. Then Brooklyn blasts them both.
644. BROOKLYN
And one for all!
645. KRAVEN, GULYADKIN
<blast impacts>
646. LEXINGTON
Some things never change.
647. NARRATOR
Zafiro throws Lizard’s unconscious body on top of Kraven…
648. KRAVEN, LIZARD
<oofs>
649. ZAFIRO
We should follow Obsidiana…
650. ZAFIRO, BROOKLYN, LEXINGTON, BROADWAY
<electrocution scream>
651. NARRATOR
The four gargoyles are dropped by Electro’s blast.
652. ELECTRO
Still want out?
653. DOCTOR OCTOPUS
Indeed not. My curiosity is piqued. Let’s see where this leads…
Doctor Octopus, Electro, Broadway, Lexington, Brooklyn, Zafiro, Gulyadkin, Kraven and Lizard sit. Demona, Homunculus #1 and Homunculus #2 STAND.
654. NARRATOR
Electro and Octopus head down the corridor… In a dimly lit room, Demona holds the Spear of Destiny and watches as the two homunculi open the container. Inside… is a crown of thorns.
655. DEMONA
The Crown of Thorns!
656. NARRATOR
Demona removes her tiara.
657. DEMONA
Place it on my head…
658. HOMUNCULUS #1
Placing, placing…
659. HOMUNCULUS #2
Homunculi aim to please!
660. NARRATOR
The Homunculi gently lower the crown onto Demona’s head before disappearing back into the darkness. The thorns bite into her brow, drawing blood. Calypso, Obsidiana, Goliath and Spidey come rushing in.
Homunculus #2 and Homunculus #1 sit. Spider-Man, Goliath, Calypso and Obsidiana STAND.
661. DEMONA
My Kingdom come. My Will be done…
662. SPIDER-MAN
Friend of yours?
663. GOLIATH
Once upon a time. Not so much now.
664. DEMONA
On Earth as it is in Heaven…
665. CALYPSO
Too late…
666. OBSIDIANA
Too late…
667. DEMONA
For MINE is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory for ever and ever…
668. CALYPSO, OBSIDIANA, SPIDER-MAN (UNISON)
Amen…
669. NARRATOR
Light radiates outward from the Spear. Goliath watches in confusion as Calypso, Obsidiana and Spider-Man drop to their knees before Demona. Octopus and Electro enter and likewise fall to their knees. The light reaches the outer vault. Though still unconscious, Venom, Lizard, Zafiro and Kraven lurch to their feet, then drop to their knees. And still the light advances…
Obsidiana and Calypso sit.
670. GOLIATH
What sorcery is this?!
671. DEMONA
The most powerful human sorcery ever created, Goliath. This is humanity’s Armageddon. Their entire race’s final act.
END ACT TWO
NEXT: ACT THREE...
G2009 Radio Play
G2009 Radio Play - Act One
4. NARRATOR
The Spectacular Spider-Man Meets Gargoyles. RELIGIOUS STUDIES 101: A HANDFUL OF THORNS. Act One. Late that night atop the Eyrie Building…
Dominique and Kafka sit. GOLIATH and ELISA MAZA STAND and KISS.
5. GOLIATH, ELISA
<kiss>
6. GOLIATH
There are some human customs I will never get used to Elisa. <kisses her again> This is not one of them.
7. ELISA
You’re in a good mood.
8. GOLIATH
I am. Hudson and Lexington are back from Europe, bringing Coldstone and Coldfire with them.
9. ELISA
<chuckle> Not to mention Brooklyn returning from forty years of TimeDancing with a mate, a son, a beast and an egg.
10. GOLIATH
The clan has doubled in size. What challenge can the Fates throw at us now that we cannotâ€"
11. NARRATOR
The sun rises. Goliath turns to stone.
12. ELISA
<groan> You just had to say that out loud, didn’t you?
Elisa and Goliath sit. MAY PARKER and PETER PARKER STAND.
13. NARRATOR
Meanwhile, in Forest Hills…
14. MAY
Peter, what are you doing up?
15. PETER
Studying for today’s English final. It’s on Midsummer Night’s Dream. And I missed seeing the Cliff Notes version.
16. MAY
Which may explain why you and Miss Allan are no longer a couple.
17. PETER
Aunt May, you know we didn’t break up because I missed her play.
18. MAY
You’re right; I shouldn’t be glib. I suppose there’s no chance that you and Gwen…
19. PETER
I don’t know. Not now anyway. Not when Harry’s hurting so much from the death of his father.
20. MAY
It hardly seems possible that Norman Osborn is gone. The Bugle says he was the Green Goblin, but I’m not sure I can believe that.
21. PETER
Sometimes, Aunt May… it’s, okay, to believe everything you read…
May and Peter sit. GREEN GOBLIN and BLACKIE GAXTON STAND.
22. NARRATOR
At a dive bar downtown, the Green Goblin BURSTS in on his glider…
23. GREEN GOBLIN
<tsk, tsk, tsk> Blackie. This place is scummy even by your pond-scum standards. Quite a comedown from your last gig…
24. BLACKIE
Tell that to the whacko who set a flaming super-villain loose in The Big Sky. Oh, wait. That was you.
25. GREEN GOBLIN
Yes. Yes, it was. <maniacal laugh>
26. BLACKIE
Weren’t you supposed to be dead?
27. GREEN GOBLIN
I was also supposed to be Osborn, but you didn’t buy that, did you? Just one of the many little tricks I keep up my sleeve. Nothing’s changed, Blackie. The Goblin’s still in charge.
28. BLACKIE
You hear me arguing?
29. GREEN GOBLIN
No. Now, gather my Pumpkin-Heads…
Blackie and Goblin sit. Kafka and Dominique STAND.
30. NARRATOR
At Ravencroft, Dominique Destine and Dr. Kafka supervises six inmates who work to excavate a sub-basement.
31. KAFKA
I still don’t understand what you expect to find down here.
32. DOMINIQUE
Vertros Ravencroft, the founder of this Institute, was a quirky soul. An intimate friend of Freud and Conan Doyle, he was a true believer in both psychotherapy and spiritualism.
33. KAFKA
You speak as if you knew him.
34. DOMINIQUE
Now how would that be possible?
35. KAFKA
It couldn’t, of course… But the dig?
36. DOMINIQUE
Yes. Ravencroft was also a collector. I have reason to believe he buried certain items of his collection here. Now, Doctor, didn’t you say you had meetings scheduled…
37. KAFKA
You’ll be all right down here alone?
38. DOMINIQUE
Your orderlies are in the hallway. And I’m quite self-sufficient. So run along.
Kafka sits. OTTO OCTAVIUS STANDS.
39. DOMINIQUE
Excellent work, Doctor Octavius. Very precise.
40. OTTO
Thank you. I appreciate having something to occupy my hands…
41. DOMINIQUE
Your hands? Not… your arms?
42. OTTO
Arms? I… I hope you’re not referring to my unfortunate… b-b-breakdown.
43. DOMINIQUE
What would be the point? Believe me, Doctor, no one better understands the advantage of creating a false front.
ELECTRO STANDS.
44. ELECTRO
I’ve blasted away another section of cement.
45. DOMINIQUE
Thank you, Maxwell.
46. ELECTRO
Don’t. Call. Me. That.
47. DOMINIQUE
Don’t. Tell. Me. What to do… Electro.
48. ELECTRO
Uh… okay.
(asides to Otto)
She’s a little scary.
49. OTTO
Indeed.
Otto and Electro sit. DOMINIC DRACON, JOHN JAMESON, EDDIE BROCK and CLETUS KASSADY STAND.
50. DRACON
I blame Mace. When that crook cheated me, I lost face. But when I get the jewels back, they’ll respect me again. Did Mace bury the jewels here?
51. DOMINIQUE
Maybe he did, Dominic. Keep working.
52. JOHN
What’s the point? How is tearing up a basement supposed to bring me Colonel Jupiter’s power?!
53. EDDIE
Shut up and dig.
54. JOHN
You like doing this?!
55. EDDIE
I hate it. But I need that hate. I need to keep the hate alive.
56. DOMINIQUE
Such an interesting crew. And what do you want out of life, Cletus…
57. CLETUS
Nothing too fancy. <chuckles> Just a little carnage.
Cletus, Dominique, Eddie, John and Dracon sit. GWEN STACY and Peter STAND.
58. NARRATOR
That afternoon, at Midtown High…
59. GWEN
Hey, Pete. How’d you do?
60. PETER
Ugh, horrible, probably. I mean you know English is like my worst subject. It’s all so subjective andâ€"
61. GWEN
Peter.
62. PETER
Okay, okay… not the look! I probably aced it. Happy?
63. GWEN
That you did well. Always.
64. PETER
Thanks. Look, Gwen, I--
HARRY OSBORN STANDS.
65. HARRY
Well, what have we here? My best friend and girlfriend conferring in a corner. Planning a surprise party for me?
66. PETER
Uh, it’s not your birthday, Harr.
67. HARRY
I thought maybe it was a thank you bash. For giving you both these…
68. GWEN
(reading)
“You are cordially invited to spend Spring Break traveling by private jet to Miami, where you’ll stay, all-expenses-paid, at the Osborn Winter Compound on the Beach…"
69. PETER
You’re inviting the three of us to spend a week together in Florida?
70. HARRY
Not just the three of us…
KENNY KONG, FLASH THOMPSON and MARY JANE WATSON stand.
71. KONG
Osborn, dude! You rock!
72. FLASH
Seven days in the sun and surf.
73. KONG
All you can eat!
74. FLASH
Girls in bikinis!
75. FLASH, KONG (UNISON)
Score! <laughter>
76. MARY JANE
Hi, Sha Shan. Hi, Glory.
77. FLASH
Sha Shan… uh… So… how much of that did you hear?
78. KONG
Look, Glory, you know I meant you, right? I mean who else would I want to see in a bikini. Uh, you’re not gonna break up with me again, are you?
Kong and Flash sit. SALLY AVRIL, RAND ROBERTSON, LIZ ALLAN and JASON IONELLO STAND.
79. SALLY
Oh. My. God. Harry, I just found the invitation in my locker. And all I have to say is that you can be my super-dweeb sugar-daddy anytime you want!
80. HARRY
You okay with that Rand?
81. RAND
‘Scool. You can be my super-dweeb sugar-daddy too.
82. PETER
Exactly how many people did you invite to this thing?
83. HARRY
A handful. Kenny and Glory. Flash and Sha Shan. Rand and Sally. Hobie and Mindy. M.J. Gwen. Oh, and you and Liz, of course.
84. GWEN
Harry… Liz and Peter broke up.
85. HARRY
You did?! Wow. I had no idea. Guess I’ve just been so focused on my own problems. My Dad dying and everything. That’s why I need this trip. Gotta clear my head, you know? But maybe you two could reconcile…
86. SALLY
I don’t think so!
87. LIZ
It’s too late for that Harry. I’m with Jason now. We totally fell in love doing the play together.
88. JASON
We did?
89. SALLY / LIZ (UNISON)
Yes, you did. / Yes, we did.
90. LIZ
You don’t mind if I bring Jason instead of Petey, do you.
91. HARRY
The more the merrier.
92. LIZ
Thanks, Harry. You’re a doll. Kisses!
Liz, Sally, Jason and Rand sit.
93. HARRY
Pete, you’re still invited too. Course, it’s more of a couple’s thing. But M.J.’s guy is in prison…
94. MARY JANE
Thank you, Harry. Hadn’t been reminded of that in the last five minutes.
95. HARRY
Sorry, sorry. It’s just that I can’t help remembering the Fall Formal. You two made such a great pair! Don’t you think so, Gwen?
96. GWEN
Great.
97. PETER
I… suppose we could go… as friends. Just as friends.
98. MARY JANE
We’ll talk later, Tiger.
Mary Jane, Peter, Gwen and Harry sit. Kafka and CURT CONNORS STAND.
99. NARRATOR
Late that afternoon in Dr. Kafka’s office…
100. KAFKA
Doctor Connors, it’s good to see you. I’d heard you moved to Florida.
101. CURT
I did. But I never stopped working on a cure for Max Dillon. I think I’ve made some real progress.
102. KAFKA
That’s wonderful news. Max is downstairs… doing “work-therapyâ€. I’ll take you to him…
Kafka and Curt sit. Otto, Dominique, Electro, Dracon, John, Eddie and Cletus STAND.
103. ELECTRO
Ms. Destine. I think I found something.
104. DRACON
Is it my jewels?
105. OTTO
It… it appears to be a spearhead. It looks quite old.
106. DOMINIQUE
Give it to me.
107. ELECTRO
Sure, sure.
108. DOMINIQUE
Yes. This is it. I think we’re done, boys.
109. OTTO
Indeed. And just as the dig brought us right up against Ravencroft’s outer wall.
110. ELECTRO
You mean this wall?!
111. NARRATOR
Electro blasts a huge hole in the wall. When the smoke clears, the Vulture is waiting. He grabs Octavius.
VULTURE STANDS.
112. VULTURE
You’re coming with me, Otto.
113. OTTO
No, no, stop. I don’t want this life anymore… I’m trying to get better!! Let me go!!
114. ELECTRO
Shut it, Doc! It’s for your own good!
115. OTTO
Nooooooo!!!!
Otto, Electro and Vulture sit.
116. NARRATOR
Vulture and Electro leave with Octavius. Dominique watches them go.
117. DOMINIQUE
Well, that was diverting. And such excellent timing as well: it’s sunset. <transformation scream>
118. NARRATOR
With the setting of the sun, Dominique Destine transforms into a gargoyle… just as Kafka and Connors enter…
Kafka and Curt STAND.
119. KAFKA / CURT
Oh my god… / What in the world?!
120. NARRATOR
Demona effortlessly slams them both against a wall and turns to the remaining inmates…
121. CURT, KAFKA
<impacts, moans>
122. DEMONA
Listen carefully, humans. For I have listened to you. I can make all your petty little dreams come true. Dominic demands respect.
123. DRACON
Yes.
124. DEMONA
John craves power.
125. JOHN
Yes!
126. DEMONA
Eddie needs hate.
127. EDDIE
YES!
128. DEMONA
And all Cletus desires is a little carnage.
129. CLETUS
Or a lot. I’m not picky.
130. DEMONA
Then stick with me, boys. Respect, power, hatred, carnage. These are things I know…
DEMONA, Cletus, Eddie, John and Dracon sit. ALAN O’NEIL and GEORGE STACY STAND.
131. NARRATOR
Later, the police arrive to investigate…
132. O’NEIL
And you never met this broad before in your life…
133. KAFKA
She had excellent references, Officer O’Neil. It’s not like I grant just anyone access to my patients…
134. O’NEIL
And you wonder why people think they belong at Rykers.
135. GEORGE
There’s nothing else you can tell me, Doctor?
136. CURT
I’m sorry, Captain Stacy, but no. It was a creature.
137. GEORGE
Like that Lizard-thing from last fall?
138. CURT
No! No. Nothing like that. More like… like those things on the news that blew up the clock tower.
139. GEORGE
You mean the 23rd Precinct.
140. CURT
Yes.
141. GEORGE
You’re saying a gargoyle kidnapped those men.
142. CURT
Yes. No. I don’t know. Can I leave now?
George, O’Neil and Kafka sit. DILBERT TRILBY and NED LEE stand.
143. NARRATOR
But outside…
144. TRILBY
Doctor Connors! Dilbert Trilby, Action News. What can you tell our audience about the escape?
145. CURT
Nothing. No comment.
146. NED
Hey, Doc. Remember me? Ned Lee from The Bugle. Can you just tell me who escaped? Doc Ock? Electro? Colonel Jupiter â€" I mean, Colonel Jameson?
147. CURT
I’m sure the police will issue a statement. Now, I have to go.
Trilby sits. CALYPSO EZILI, KRAVEN THE HUNTER and GULYADKIN STAND.
148. NARRATOR
Connors hurries away down the street, as a limousine with dark-tinted windows pulls up in front of Ravencroft.
149. CALYPSO
We are too late, my love. The Christian Totem is gone.
150. KRAVEN
Gulyadkin and I will track it for you.
151. GULYADKIN
<low lion growl>
152. CALYPSO
I’m afraid that is beyond even your impressive abilities, Sergei, my love. But I have my own ways, as you well know…
153. KRAVEN
Of course, Calypso.
154. CALYPSO
Who is that? That man trying to hail a cab?
155. KRAVEN
He is a stranger to my eyes. Yet his scent is familiar.
156. CALYPSO
His aura glows with primal energies and may be of use to us.
(to Curt)
You need a ride.
157. CURT
What? No. No, thank you. I’ll get a cab.
158. KRAVEN
She wasn’t asking.
159. CURT
<scream>
160. NARRATOR
Kraven drags Connors into the limo, which quickly drives away…
Curt, Kraven, Calypso and Gulyadkin sit.
161. NED
Hello, Robbie? I’ve got something.
J. JONAH JAMESON, JOE “ROBBIE†ROBERTSON and FREDERICK FOSWELL STAND.
162. JONAH
Is that Lee? Put him on speaker.
163. ROBBIE
Now, Jonah, stay calm…
164. JONAH
Don’t you tell me to stay calm, Joe Robertson. It’s not your son at risk. Lee, you there?! I’ll give you exactly three-point-seven seconds to tell me John’s all right!
165. NED
Wish I could, Chief. But he disappeared with the rest. There are six inmaâ€" uh, patients missing. It’s not clear if they busted out or were kidnapped.
166. JONAH
Well, of course John was kidnapped. You think my son would--
167. ROBBIE
Ned, give me the whole list.
168. JONAH
Who cares about the listâ€"
169. ROBBIE
It could provide a lead to John.
170. NED
Doc Ock. Electro. John. Uh… let’s see. Edward Brock Jr., Cletus Kasady and Dominic Dracon.
171. FOSWELL
Dominic Dracon? The old mob boss? There’s a name I haven’t heard in a while.
172. JONAH
Foswell, you know that world! Find out where Dracon might have gone!
173. FOSWELL
You got it, J.J.
174. JONAH
Lee, you stick to the damn super-villain angle! Ock, Electro. What’s their next move?!
175. NED
Right, boss!
176. JONAH
Robbie, I want every available man on this. No, damnit, I want every man, woman and child on this, available or not. Call Parker. Put Benny the copyboy on it. But Ms. Brant on it. I want John Jameson safely back in his mother’s arms in six-point… six-point…
177. ROBBIE
It’s okay, Jonah. We’re on it.
178. JONAH
Good. Good. I’ll… I’ll hit the streets myself. I’m still the best damn reporter in New York City! Just have to make a call first. Well, what are you all waiting for, get out! Out!
Robbie, Ned and Foswell sit.
179. JONAH (CONT)
Hello, is this WVRN? Travis Marshall, please. Travis? It’s Jonah. I got a lead for you on the Ravencroft thing.
(pauses, listening)
Whaddayou care why I’m helping the competition?! I know I hate television! You don’t have to tell me that! I’m not trying to sandbag you, damnit, I… I’m just trying to find my son… any way I can.
Jonah sits. SPIDER-MAN STANDS.
180. NARRATOR
That night finds Spider-Man swinging through the city…
181. PETER (VO)
If I didn’t know better, I’d think Harry was trying to torture me and Gwen. Then again, M.J. is quite the consolation prize. Ah, man, what am I saying? I’m in love with Gwen. Gwen. Gwendolyn Stacy. Just have to get through the next few weeks and then Harry’ll be in a better place, and she and I--
182. NARRATOR
Pete’s ringtone plays Itsy-Bitsy Spider.
183. SPIDER-MAN
Hello?
Robbie STANDS.
184. ROBBIE
Pete. Joe Robertson. There’s been an incident at Ravencroft.
Robbie sits.
185. SPIDER-MAN
Uh huh… uh huh… Wait, who’s missing? Uh oh. Him too? Oh, crap. Sorry, I mean-- What?! Seriously?! Uh, right. Yeah, I’ll keep my eyes open. Camera lens at the ready. Thanks for the heads up. Bye.
(to himself)
Whoa. At least this day can’t get any worse!
SMUGGLER #1 stands.
186. SMUGGLER #1
What the hell are those things?!
187. SPIDER-MAN
When am I gonna learn not to say that out loud?
188. NARRATOR
Spidey swings down to find two men in a van being attacked by two gargoyles, Obsidiana and Zafiro…
ZAFIRO and OBSIDIANA STAND.
189. SPIDER-MAN
Hi there. Hate to interrupt, but this lady-esque-blue-creature-thing matches the description of another lady-esque-blue-creature-thing who just busted some folks out of Ravenâ€"
190. ZAFIRO
What is he babbling about?
191. OBSIDIANA
I have no idea. I sense no connection between him and the source of the disturbance. But these two…
192. SMUGGLER #1
Keep her away from us!!
193. SPIDER-MAN
You see, now I’m on the horns of a dilemma… Uh, no offense. It’s just an expression; I wasn’t referring to your rather striking… Never mind. See in this particular Spider-Man’s experience, when genetic misfits attack ordinary human beings, I’m gonna have to side with the humans.
194. ZAFIRO
Qué sorpresa. A human with no knowledge of the situation leaping to defend one of his own.
195. NARRATOR
Zafiro attacks Spidey.
196. ZAFIRO, SPIDER-MAN
<ad lib battle efforts, impacts>
197. NARRATOR
Obsidiana rips open the top of the van.
198. OBSIDIANA
<rip effort>
199. SMUGGLER #1
Stay back!
200. NARRATOR
The two humans open fire on her, forcing her to leap away… The van peels out. Obsidiana tries to follow, but Spidey webs her wings together.
Smuggler #1 sits.
201. OBSIDIANA
Por favor! You don’t understand the powers that are gathering!!
202. SPIDER-MAN
And you’re the one doing the Gathering, I take it!
203. OBSIDIANA
No!
204. ZAFIRO
Enough!
205. SPIDER-MAN
<impact grunt>
206. NARRATOR
Zafiro slams Spidey into a wall. By the time the web-slinger recovers, the gargoyles are gone…
Zafiro and Obsidiana sit.
207. SPIDER-MAN
<groan> For a guy with no legs, that snake-thing can move…
Spider-Man sits. George and MARIA CHAVEZ STAND.
208. NARRATOR
Not far away…
209. GEORGE
Captain Chavez.
210. CHAVEZ
Captain Stacy. What brings you to what’s left of the 23rd?
211. GEORGE
It’s the Ravencroft thing. I’ve got corroborating witnesses telling me a gargoyle was involved.
212. CHAVEZ
<sigh> I miss the days when being a cop didn’t involve a working knowledge of The Twilight Zone.
213. GEORGE
Welcome to the Freak Show.
214. CHAVEZ
Anyway, as it happens, the Gargoyle Taskforce is meeting right now. First trailer on the right. Ask for Bluestone.
Chavez sits. MATT BLUESTONE, MORGAN MORGAN, MARGOT YALE and Elisa STAND.
215. NARRATOR
Minutes later…
216. GEORGE
And that’s all I know…
217. MATT
Well, that is interesting, or, you know… really, really scary.
218. MORGAN
I’ll say, Detective. With or without a gargoyle, I’ve heard Ock and Electro are bad news. And that Cletus Kasady: he killed five people before--
219. MARGOT
Forget Kasady. Any idiot can bring a serial killer down. It’s the gargoyle we should be concerned with. It’s what I’ve been saying all along! Those monsters are dangerous!
220. MATT
I think what A.D.A. Yale is saying, Captain, is that the Taskforce is on it. We’ll let you know if we hear anything. And we’ll be checking in with all our sources, won’t we, Detective?
221. ELISA
And fast.
Elisa, Matt, Margot, Morgan and George sit. Smuggler #1 and Demona STAND.
222. NARRATOR
Meanwhile, a van with a torn up roof pulls up to a Gramercy Park Mansion… The driver speaks into the intercom…
223. SMUGGLER #1
Longinus sent me.
224. DEMONA
Leave the package. Then take your money and go. While you still can.
225. SMUGGLER #1
Geez, who lives here? Dracula’s daughter?
Smuggler #1 sits. Eddie, John and Cletus STAND.
226. NARRATOR
Demona collects her package.
227. EDDIE
The old guy’s asleep. What’s that?
228. DEMONA
A simple wooden shaft. The prize of Adolph Hitler’s personal collection. After his… demise, his remaining followers smuggled it to Brazil. I paid handsomely to have it smuggled to me.
229. EDDIE
Why? I mean sure, it’s the shaft of a spear. Completes the set with that arrowhead you took from Ravencroft. But why do we care?
230. DEMONA
Here’s why.
231. NARRATOR
Demona joins the spear and spearhead together. Instantly, it radiates incredible power.
232. DEMONA
The Holy Lance. The Spear of Destiny. The weapon that pierced the side of the Christ. Do you still want power, John? This is power.
233. JOHN
Give it to me. Give it!
234. DEMONA
No. This power is mine. But I will use it to give you back your own…
235. NARRATOR
She points the Spear at John Jameson. The magic surrounds him and transforms him into Colonel Jupiter!
236. COLONEL JUPITER
<transformation scream> Yes! The power is mine! I am Colonel Jupiter!
237. DEMONA
For what that’s worth… Now for Eddie.
238. VENOM
<transformation scream>
239. DEMONA
Happy now?
240. VENOM
Extremely. We are Venom again.
241. DEMONA
And what about you, Cletus?
242. CLETUS
(pointing at Venom)
I’ll have what he’s having…
243. DEMONA
As you wish… Carnage.
244. CARNAGE
<transformation scream>
245. VENOM
All right, Demona. You’re the Mirror Universe Wizard of Oz. But what now?
246. DEMONA
Mine is the Power. But I still require the Kingdom and the Glory. This is only the first act, humans… or whatever you are now. The main event is still to come…
Demona, VENOM, CARNAGE and COLONEL JUPITER sit.
END ACT ONE
TOMORROW: ACT TWO...
Brook writes...
Hi Greg,
Ok, ergh, in the last post a "other" was missing - it should have said "other potential mediums", "potential mediums" makes it as if comics were second grade... talking bout making mistakes...
Anyways, I've got another question: with the comics being limited to a few books per year - are there any "minor" story arcs you've dropped along the way? I don't want to ask if there were "less important" ones, because who's yet to tell what is of importance in the future? I'd just like to know this, for the last Season of Gargoyles (Season 2) was so hughe and massive, that I'd like to know how you're working here (it's obvious that the Timedancing, for example, can't take as long as the Avalon-tour did, for there's not enough room). Are there side-storys you've dropped for now or that are on ice? Or are you just formulating the main storyarcs?
Thank you so much for awnsering, and once more - thank you for your time and work.
Greg responds...
I haven't DROPPED anything. I'm just in no hurry (anymore) to catch up to the present. I'm fine with the setting being the late nineties for the time being.
TimeDancer is MUCH longer than the World Tour. The latter lasted a few months. The former, forty years. But again, I'm in no hurry to tell it all at once.
Litwolf writes...
I just did a few quick calculations. Now, correct me if Im wrong, I believe you have said that Brooklyn and his rookery hatched 958 and Goliath and his rookery hatched twenty years earlier, in 938. Then, in the 1997, Brooklyn begins his TimeDancing adventures (Im so excited to read the se upcoming comics!) and he travels and ages for fourty years to then return to 1997 five minutes from when he left. This would now make Brooklyn fourty years, two gargoyle generations, older than his leader Goliath.
Along with these calculations, I believe you have said that leaders generally pick their seconds from younger rookeries. This would make sense because they would want to be able to let their seconds rule if the leaders ever reach an old age when they cant lead (such as Hudson choosing the much younger Goliath). However, upon his return, second-in-command Brooklyn is now older than the leader of the Manhattan Clan, Goliath.
Because of this new age difference after the TimeDancing adventures, will Goliath pick a new second? Angela, Lex, and Broadway are all younger and Angela even has experience of being a second-in-command on Avalon. I dont want Brooklyn to lose his position as second but it does seem a likly step for Goliath to take. What do you think?
Greg responds...
1. Turned out to be closer to forty seconds as opposed to five minutes.
2. Brooklyn was about forty (twenty biologically) when he hit the timestream. He travels for forty years, aging twenty years.
3. Since Goliath is about sixty (thirty biologically) and Brooklyn - post timedancing - is about 80 (forty biologically),Brooklyn is now ONE generation "older" than Goliath.
4. As for your question, it's a definite issue -- but not in CLAN-BUILDING.
Brenden Thoreson writes...
Hello Greg, long time fan of gargoyles, and most of my questions about the Gargoyles universe have been answered by browsing the archives but these questions.
I see from the archives that Angela and Broadway will raise their children in the traditional gargoyles fashion, and I am assuming that Brooklyn and Katana will try to do the same. But this has led me to some interesting questions about the relationships between generations of gargoyles in the same clan.
I have seen that from the first episode that gargoyles from the same rookery generation call one another rookery brother or rookery sister, or if there are close bonds just brother and sister. So my first question is do gargoyles have the same endearing names for an older or younger generation with in the clan, for example rookery mother, rookery father, rookery son, rookery daughter, or some other term like those? Yes I do know that Goliath's generation calls Hudson My Mentor, I am assuming that is so only because he was the leader and teacher of the clan before Goliath.
Another is I have noticed that Hudson has a stronger relationship with Goliath then any other of Goliath's rookery siblings, or at least just the ones we have met so far. I am assuming this is do to, that Hudson saw Goliath's potential as a successor and paid special attention to him to prepare him for the role. I have also noticed that gargoyles in one generation develop strong ties with a few siblings like Coldstone's and Goliath's relationship. My next question is do stronger relationships develop between certain hatchlings and certain members of the parenting generation or members of another older generation of gargoyles?
But in Mark of the Panther Goliath, who is having trouble dealing and even understanding Angela's unusual need for parents and her attachment to him after she finds that she is his biological daughter, says to Elisa's mother Diane "gargoyle hatchlings belong to the whole clan, I cannot hold one hatchling over the others." So are these kinds of relationships, I have asked about in the previous paragraph, taboo, shunned, frowned upon, or generally accepted as a part of the growing up process of young gargoyles, or are they just Goliath's personal words do to the fact that he is the clan leader?
Thanks for even putting up a general questions website, not many writers do that or post the site on there publications. I apologize for my long winded questions but it just the way I write. Just to let you know Gargoyles has been a huge influence in my own stories and don't worry I have absolutely no fan fictions of Gargoyles and I have never understood why people have to do them, they don't make sense to me any ways.
I can't wait for Brooklyn's little trip, especially the clan's reactions when he gets back five minutes later, they will be priceless. I might have to scan the images in and use them as a desktop. I just can't see Time Dancer done in six issues like I heard the spin offs will be done in, too much happening from what I have found on Ask Greg. Well I guess that is why it is third in line and thanks again.
Greg responds...
Some gargoyles will develop stronger relationships with some. With that many parents, siblings, children, etc. running around, it's natural. But neither "shunned, frowned upon, or generally accepted" fits the bill to my mind. Amd citing Hudson/Goliath hardly proves anything. Hudson's pre-massacre relationship with anyone else in Goliath's generation has not been explored. Nor has Goliath's relationship with anyone else from Hudson's generation even been touched on.
In Panther, Goliath is NOT having trouble with Angela's "unusal need for parents". He's concerned about what her specific need to acknowledge their BIOLOGICAL relationship might mean... both in terms of his relationship to the rest of the Avalon Clan and especially HER relationship to her biological mother.
Not all of Brooklyn's TimeDancer adventures are designed to fit into one six episode mini. Just one six-part story. I could tell TimeDancer adventures for forty years. And I hope I get that chance.
lobo writes...
why could't you hav brooklyn sweapt away by the Phoenix Gate as soon as Goliath tossed it thru the time stream
Greg responds...
Didn't happen that way.
tsume writes...
how did you come up with the names for brooklyns wife and kids
Greg responds...
The names for Brooklyn's mate and daughter are names of Japanese style swords. The rationale for the name of Brooklyn's son -- is something I'm not revealing yet.
tyler writes...
I had a few questions about the comics
1.when will we met lexingtons mate in the near, mid, or far future? can u give the approximent comic book number?
2.when will we met Katana,Tachi,fu-dog,and nashville within the next year, or in a long while?
3.Also if timedancer becomes a comic how do u plan to run with the normal comic? r u going to have broklen already be back with his family and timedancer is just his story?
Greg responds...
1. Not saying.
2. Not telling.
3. Not revealing.
lonewolf writes...
Hi greg I'd like to know what made katana fall in love with brooklyn and why did she go with him
Greg responds...
You'll have to wait and see.
lonewolf writes...
what made brooklyn wan't to bring fu-dog with him
Greg responds...
Wait and see.
Rebel writes...
This question is in regards to the LXM Robots. How closely will they resemble Lexington? Will they resemble him to the extent that Coldfire resembles Desdemona, or to the extent that the original Coyote resembled Xanatos? If they do resemble him closely, could a timedancing Brooklyn accidentally confuse one with Lex? If they do look a lot like Lex it has occurred to me that something like that might happen. I've noticed in the wiki it says they will be five feet tall, but I have no idea what Lex's height will be when he fully matures or how tall he is if he stands up straight, so I don't know if that means they will be a lot bigger than him or about the same size. Thanks for giving any info you can!
Greg responds...
They look like metal Lexington's -- kinda like chrome Lexington's. Brooklyn couldn't confuse one for Lex himself, though he couldn't help noticing the resemblence. They sound like Lex too.
ashley writes...
how will brooklyn and fu-dog get allong when the meet how will fu-dog responed to brooklyn what will be brooklyns reaction to fu-dog
Greg responds...
You'll have to wait and see, I'm afraid.
ashley bourke writes...
how will brooklyn and katana get along when they first meet what will katana be like how will brooklyn feel about her and how will katana feel about brooklyn
Greg responds...
Patience is necessary for all concerned.
ashley bourke writes...
what will brooklyn be like when he gets back from his timedancer adventures is he more grown up or still the way he was when he left and what will be the clans reaction
Greg responds...
Wait and see.
ashley bourke writes...
will you ever write about timedancer
Greg responds...
See my last response.
ashley bourke writes...
when will you write about timedancer in the comics
Greg responds...
When the time is right. Specifically, if both the Bad Guys and Pendragon mini-series are a financial success to SLG, then TimeDancer will be the third mini-series.
Evan writes...
Are we going to see the events of Time Dancer take place (Ie Brooklyn disappearing then coming back with his wife and kids) in the comic anytime soon, or do you want to wait until a Timedancer spin off is greenlit?
Greg responds...
I'm not responding to this at this time.
Dan writes...
Hi Greg. Wanna thank you for doing Ask Greg, so few people are willing to take time to discuss their series like this (and I enjoy reading the Gathering write-ups you do). If only Invasion America got that treatment... Books never finished the series. I digress. I have two questions I was hoping you could answer.
1. Since the phoenix gate has a cyclical existence throughout history, it only goes so far back in time and only up to a certain date in the future (which would be whenever Brooklyn was leaving the latest date he traveled to I suppose). Is there a reason that the gate is constricted to a specific time range?
2. While Brooklyn traveled to times in his future did he try to avoid learning about events that affected his clan? After returning home it might be kind of awkward to know exactly how your friends will die and what events will claim them...
Thanks.
Greg responds...
1. I don't know how to answer this without confirming parts of your question which are not confirmable and/or not correct and/or I don't want to confirm.
2. Yes.
Lloyd Frisone writes...
When, in the Gargoyle Universe, do you plan on sending Brooklyn on his TimeDancing adventures? Like what specific date in relation to Halloween 1996, which is when issue # 3 and 4 of your comic series takes place. Is is going to happen really really soon or in a couple or months or a couple of years? Oh, and would it be too much trouble to email me the answer as I don't have much time to check on the website these days?
Greg responds...
Even assuming I wanted to reveal this (which I don't at this time), I make it an ASK GREG policy NOT to e-mail posters directly. If I did it for one person, I'd have to do it for everyone. And frankly, I don't give out my e-mail address to strangers. Not to mention that the idea of this forum is sharing info (when I'm so inclined) with everyone, not giving personal responses.
But what's REALLY funny about this is you didn't leave me your e-mail address to e-mail you even had I been so inclined.
So instead, I'll send the answer to you psychically, which seems like a fair compromise.
HERE GOES!!!!!
Don't tell anyone.
Charisma82 writes...
Will you ever tell who Tom's father is in the comic books or in a TV show if you made one? If so, would it be in GARGOYLES or in one of the 5 spin-off shows?
Thank you for your time.
-Charisma82
Greg responds...
Eventually, I'd get to everything. This might happen in Dark Ages, but a Gargoyles flashback or even a TimeDancer episode might get us there first.
FordPrefect writes...
For your Gargoyles Future Spinoff, was the idea of Brooklyn travelling into the future to help against the alien invaders from the old Superboy and Supergirl comics where they travel into the future and join the Legion of Super Heroes?
Greg responds...
I can't deny that as a possible influence -- since of course I'm familiar with the Legion -- but I wasn't specifically thinking of that. The TimeDancer idea came to me before I thought to include Brooklyn in the cast of what eventually became Gargoyles 2198. It just seemed to make sense that if Brook was bouncing around, that one of the eras he'd bounce to is 2198.
Anonymous writes...
Quick comment on a statement you made.
"After a few years of this, Brook's attitude toward the Gate changes. Pretty much a 180 from the way you see it changing."
So I guess that means he dreads seeing the Gate, since that'd upset whatever life he's managed to make for himself since he returned, eh? "Run away!!!'
Oh, feel free to answer this sarcastically. I know it's just a petty way for me to sound like a know-it-all. I'm probably wrong anyway.
Oh yeah, and great show. Hope it comes back.
Greg responds...
I'm not sure of the context of your quotation. (And is that a direct quote or a paraphrase?) Who does the "you" refer to? What preceded it?
I'd love to be able to tell you that I remember every conversation and post and exchange, but the truth is that I don't. Without the context of the quotation, I can't reply with confidence -- let alone sarcasm.
Let that be a lesson to you all. If you're going to reference an old post, give me a complete reference.
Gipdac writes...
1a. What year was Katana hatched? 1b. When did Katana first meet Brooklyn? 1c. When did Katana get her name?
2a. What year was Fu Dog hatched? 2b. When did Fu Dog first meet Brooklyn?
3a. What year was Nashville hatched? 3b. Where was Nashville hatched? 3c. How old is Nashville when the TimeDancers appear back in 1997 on the Eyrie Building?
Greg responds...
1a. I have yet to do my research to nail this information down.
1b. I have yet to do my research to nail this information down.
1c. I'm not revealing that at this time.
2a. I have yet to do my research to nail this information down.
2b. I have yet to do my research to nail this information down.
3a. 1978.
3b. I'm not revealing that at this time.
3c. In 1997, Nash was 19 in chronological years. About 10 in biological years.
Heather writes...
I got a Timedancer question, why the name Katana? Isn't that a bit cheating on names with just naming her after a weapon? Same thing goes with Tachi.
Greg responds...
How is it cheating?
Francois Ferland writes...
Hi Greg! I'm posting for the first time and it feels wierd, since I tried to send questions 4 or 5 years ago and they got deleted. Anyway...
First of all, I'd like to thank you for having been (and still being) such an important part of the Gargoyles franchise. You (and others of course) provided me with easily THE single best animated show ever. A well written series great voice acting, continuous plots, characters that are believable, and a complex universe that manages both to include lots of existing legends and myths while still retaining a distinct identity. I truly think that in terms of all-around quality for a dramatic show, Gargoyles was easily Disney's best effort by far. Reboot is the only other animated show that I've seen that seems to exhibit the same qualities, meaning well-written, clever and quite enjoyable for both kids and adults.
Also, I'm happy to learn that Gathering 2004 will take place in Montreal, meaning I might actually be able to attend! I don't know if you're the one who chose the location, but if you are, thanks on behalf of us Canadians!
Finally, I'd just like to thank you for actually answering the flood of questions we fans send your way. And especially your god-like patience towards people who obviously never took the time to read the FAQ OR archive. I can understand asking about a minor detail that could have been missed, but among the questions being submitted, I know there are some LAZY people I wouldn't mind slapping once or twice in the face...
Anyway, I have a number of questions on different subject, so expect a few one-question posts from me.
This one would fit in a "Writing" category if there is such a thing.
1. Regarding your current master plan (i.e. your ideas for the various spin-offs), it's obvious you've given lots of thoughts to the initial setting of each. The main characters and their immediate goals for example, as well as ideas for early stories as well as a few ideas for on-going plots. A lot of course would be dictated by the characters (and your muse I'm sure) as the shows would go along.
a) Now here's my question: Do you have an idea about the possible endings of some of your spin-offs? I don't want you to tell me anything, just if you have some "Ultimate goals" in mind for all your spin-offs.
Gargoyles itself has always been very open-ended. There never was a single overlying theme to the series, it just kept going on on its own, the plots and characters growing in complexity in a very organic and sometimes unpredictable way. It could potentially keep going on for years and years.
But some of your spin-offs have very specific premises. There ARE stories that are better told if planned from beginning to end as a whole. Others however are better if left to evolve on their own. An aimless story could potentially "find its voice" after a while, leading to an ultimate ending of sorts. Or, the initial premise could be transformed over time, leading the story in a quite different direction.
For example, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Initially, the show is about our heroes trying to restore a people (Bajorans) to a stable society following years of occupation by an enemy race (Cardassians). Yet, after two years, the show introduced a much bigger menace, a race who sought to conquer and control all others (the Dominion). From then on, the show eventually lead to a huge war with the ending signaling the end of the hostility.
a) How do you feel about long stories? About those that are open-ended and those that have some finality set for them? (I hope I'm not being to vague here. I'm really interested in how you feel about this)
And about some specifics spin-offs:
b) Bad Guys: The basic idea is about our main characters seeking redemption. Do you know if they ever find it? And would that be the goal of the show?
c) TimeDancer: Ultimately, the very final ending is, in a way, already known. Brooklyn makes it home a lot older with a family. But do you already have some sketchy idea about how he finally makes it there, like some final adventure dealing with the Phoenix Gate itself, or were you planing on dealing with it once you were forced to, like a series' finale?
c) Gargoyles 2198: This one seems to be mostly about the war against the Space-Spawn but as you often say, "Things aren't that simple". Would the liberation of Earth signal the end of the series, or would you keep the series going with the existing setting once the war is over? After all, there might still be other threats like Coyote-X, the Illuminati, etc.
d) Dark Ages: Since this one could theoretically run up to the beginning of "Awakening", I won't ask if you have an ending in mind.
e) Pendragon: It's obvious now that Merlin, Mr. Duval and Holy Grail would be important part of the story. Do you have an ending in mind for this one, or where you again planing on seeing where the story ultimately took you?
f) New Olympians: This one feels pretty generic, and feels like it could run forever like Gargoyles. The ultimate goal I suppose would be the acceptance of New Olympus by humanity, but judging by the response toward gargoyles, wouldn't likely fit within an entire series, no matter how long it might be. Still, got an ending in mind, even if it's pretty open-ended, like "Hunter's Moon pt.3"?
Thanks a lot for answering.
Greg responds...
Francois,
Well, time delay means that I believe we met in Montreal (and, no, I didn't choose the location -- I don't make those decisions). You played Lex in the radio play, right?
1a. Some yes, some no. I know where Dark Ages ends -- with "Awakening, Part One". I know where "TimeDancer" ends... right where it began. I have a VERY good idea of how the Space-Spawn thing is resolved, but I don't think that necessarily marks the end of 2198. And likewise, I don't have a firm ending for Pendragon, Bad Guys or the New Olympians... but I have a good idea where I want to go with the first major arcs. As for Gargoyles itself -- that would end in 2198.
1a) [You had two (a)s.] Some stories -- whether long or short -- need closure. They're one-shots... no matter how long they last. Others can be open-ended. I lean toward the latter personally... because life is ongoing -- even after individuals die. But I respect the other form as well.
b) I'm not going to reveal whether or not they find redemption, but yes that's the goal. The thing is... even if I were to redeem all the original cast, the concept can survive them. And new characters may be introduced that give us a reason to continue. I will say, that I wouldn't be shy to bring a series to an end if I had no more stories to tell. That just has never happened to me within the Garg Universe. Not yet anyway.
c) See above for confirmation of your basic thesis. But I have a fairly clear general idea of how the whole dance, including the finale choreographs. But I won't pretend I have all forty years worth of adventures planned out to the last detail. I don't.
c) [You had two (c)s, as well.] See above. The war doesn't end the series.
d) See above.
e) I have endings in mind for some of the arcs that I plan to set in motion. But even the ultimate death of Arthur himself (which I was not planning anytime soon) might not end this series. I have at least one significant idea to go beyond Arthur...
f) Same deal. I have specific arcs in mind, and I have a solid idea of how they end. But I doubt that they wouldn't lead to more stories. If in fact they didn't and I was out of juice there, I'd shut it down.
John writes...
Hi Greg,
Some years ago, people kept permanently asking 'bout Brooklyns permanent "injury" or "disfigurement" he got during his Timedancing. You never told...
By now, you revealed other, in my mind bigger secrets 'bout the future masterplan (especially that Lex is gay), so I ask again, hoping you are in a good mood and want to spoil it:
What is Brooklyns permanent injury/disfigurement he receives during Timedancing? Andif you don't want to tell us, what sort is it? Scar? Loss of Limb? Loss of wing???
So, however, have a nice day,
CU, John
Greg responds...
Eh, sorry. It's a fair question, but I'm just not in the mood.
Mandy writes...
Are the Timedancer, Dark Ages, and other such stories from another site, have anything to do with the orignial show?
Second, I have read several questions that mention future tense stories, are they on TV or where?
Thank you for your time and consideration with putting up with our questions. It is appreciated.
Greg responds...
There may be fanfiction sites that have used the tidbits I've revealed, including plans for "TimeDancer", "Gargoyles: The Dark Ages", and "Gargoyles: 2198" (formerly known as "Future Tense"), among other spin-offs. But I've never read any of them.
None of this stuff has appeared on television.
Gothic Cowboy writes...
Good day. I just have a quick question concerning the character of Katana, Brooklyn's mate. Would she have actually utilized a katana, or was her name meant to be a metaphor (as in: She struck with the fury of a katana)?
Greg responds...
Both.
jbakura writes...
Dose Brooklyn have a girlfriend?
Greg responds...
Eventually, yes. I've revealed that he eventually mates with a gargoyle from feudal Japan named Katana.
Anonymous writes...
When Magus gave his magic book to Finila (because he couldn't bring it to Avalon)Hpw the hell did it get to David
Greg responds...
Long story. But it involves TimeDancer, Demona, Puck, Owen, Finella, Mary, Brooklyn and Xanatos.
Galax writes...
Concerning the Time-Dancer story: Was it meant to be a complete new series, or should it have played within the normal gargoyles episodes?
Greg responds...
The first episode -- a sort of back-door pilot was designed to play within the regular series.
After that Time-Dancer would have been a spin-off series of it's own spanning 40 years.
(Yes, I was very ambitious in those days.)
Now, I'd be happy with whatever I could get.
The Nique writes...
On the topic of Timedancer, I read through the whole archive for it. First off I notice a lot of the questions you answered at the bottom, were asked again at the top and had smart ass responces... that's my favorite.
I notice you said Brooklyn is always 'chasing' the gate... so it appears before him... he runs to it, a portal opens up... does he HAVE to jump in? What if he wants to stay somewhere or can't find his children or something? And the first portal that appeared, did it just grab him, or did he willingly jump in?
Greg responds...
Probably, over the course of forty years, all of the above.
Stanley writes...
In your Timedancerspinoff, does the Gate have a "mind of it's own" like Avalon's boats, taking Brooklyn to time periods that it decides on, or is it completely random?
Greg responds...
It depends on your point of view, I suppose. In my mind, it is random and yet it has to do with eddies and currents and whirls in the timestream... The end result is the same: Brooklyn winds up in times & places where we have the best stories to tell.∂
Dave writes...
Hey Gregg, I'm new to this site, and I was just wondering... is there something I missed about Gargoyles? I mean, I know of Gargoyles, and The Goliath Chronicles, but was there some other Gargoyle show that aired after?
What lies ahead for Gargoyles? Do you plan on bringing them back to the air at some point? I'd really like to see some new Gargoyles cartoons....
Thank you.
Greg responds...
There were proposed spin-offs, sequels and prequels, including
Gargoyles: The Dark Ages
TimeDancer
The New Olympians
Pendragon
Bad Guys
Gargoyles 2198
plus plenty ideas just to continue the "Gargoyles" series itself.
I haven't been able to convince Disney to do any of these things.
But who knows?
"Firefly" was dead. It sold a TON of DVDs and now they're making a movie, "Serenity". "Family Guy" was dead. It sold a TON of DVDs and now they're making new episodes.
Up until this year, the best single way you could help relaunch the show in some way, shape or form was by attending the Gathering, our annual convention. That's still true. So if you haven't heard, check out this year's con at their website:
http://www.gatheringofthegargoyles.com/
The good folks at Walt Disney Home Entertainment took notice of the fandom, largely thanks to these conventions. They'll be attending this year with a video crew to tape footage of the con to put on the Gargoyles DVD, to be released later THIS year (2004!).
The DVD will contain all 13 episodes of the series' first season, complete and uncut. It will also have a commentary track and other extras (in addition to the con footage) that are still being discussed.
If you want to see the 2nd Season on DVD, and if you want to see Disney make more Garg Universe materials, there's no better way to get them to take notice than by buying the DVD. If the fans demonstrate an audience with disposable income, Disney will respond. It's not far-fetched. It's happened before.
Rebecca writes...
Who the hell is Katana??
Greg responds...
Brooklyn's mate, to be introduced in Feudal Japan (as part of the Ishimura Clan) during the course of the proposed TimeDancer spin-off series.
But why are you cursing? It's kinda rude.
DPH writes...
Another timedancer related question: If you had the opportunity to do the Timedancer spinoff, how many seasons would you want that series to list to cover those 40 years of Brooklyn's life?
Greg responds...
40.
DPH writes...
If you got the chance to do a Timedancer spin-off, how would you plan on having a strong continuity?
I mean, unless Brooklyn visits same places/people 4 or 5 times, how could you have strong continuity for that series?
Greg responds...
Brooklyn is the continuity. But I also planned on some longer stops. And some other characters that would recur throughout the ages in one form or another.
BIG MIKE writes...
IN TURF, BROOKLYN MENTIONS TO GOLIATH, ASKING HIM WHEN DO WE GO ON OUR WORLD TOUR ? MY QUESTION IS, WERE THERE ANY PLANS OF MAKING EPISODES WHERE THE TRIO GOES ON A AVALON WORLD TOUR?
Greg responds...
There were plans for Brooklyn to go on a Time Tour that would have also taken him around the world. It was called TimeDancer.
Zarok writes...
Something I've been thinking of regarding the proposed Timedancer spin-off. If Brooklyn spends 40 years bouncing back and forth through time then after the first few years, he probably realises that the phoenix gate keeps appearing in front of him. Now the problem starts when he meets Katana and they have Tachi because they would have to keep in close proximity to Brooklyn at all times just in case. This would mean effectively zero privacy, I mean what happens when Brooklyn and Katana want to "do it", do they just toss Tachi a blindfold and tell her to stick his talons in her ears?
Greg responds...
Tachi doesn't hatch until after the ride is over, but there's Nash and Fu Dog to consider.
After a few years of this, Brook's attitude toward the Gate changes. Pretty much a 180 from the way you see it changing.
Roxz writes...
why does Brooklyn always end up alone? Im starting to feel sorry for him.
Greg responds...
Well, he doesn't in my mind. He eventually winds up with a Clan Ishimura Gargoyle named Katana. Someone he meets while TimeDancing.
ConfuZed writes...
Hello there,
All the gargoyles episodes have not been shown over here so i dont really know about some of th episodes although i have heard stuff about them....
1. Has "timedancer" ever actually been aired?
2. And what exactly IS "gargoyles 2198" is it going to be another series or what?
thanks
Greg responds...
1. No. It's a potential spin-off/sequel series.
2. It's a potential spin-off/sequel series.
Check out the archives and you'll be less confused.
Chapter XXXIV: "Avalon, Part One"
There's no memo, outline or script for this one on my computer, so we'll head right into my ramble on...
"AVALON, PART ONE"
DIRECTOR: Dennis Woodyard.
WRITER: Lydia Marano.
STORY EDITOR: Brynne Chandler Reaves.
THE RECAP
...is all over the place. So much was coming together in this three-parter. The Weird Sisters, the eggs, the Archmage, Tom, Princess Katharine, the Magus, Macbeth, Demona. This was our most ambitious story yet. Which given episodes like "The Mirror" or "Vows" and multi-parters like "Awakening" and "City of Stone" was saying something.
Of course "Avalon" was never designed to be the cohesive single story movie that "City of Stone" was. It was designed as a tryptych. Part one would bring our heroes up to date. Part two would bring our villains up to date. Part three would pit them against each other.
"Avalon I" also represented the first episode in our fourth tier. The three-parter was what we called a 'tentpole'. We knew we couldn't air it until all the Tier 3 episodes had aired. And we knew we couldn't air any other Tier 4 episodes until this three-parter had aired. Despite the fact that "The Price" aired out of order, generally our Tentpole/Tier system worked very well. Out of 66 episodes that I worked on only two: "The Price" and "Kingdom" aired out of order, hopefully with minimal damage to the continuity.
THE TITLE
The title was one of mine. But initially I wasn't sure that we were going to call the island Avalon. Now, it's mind-boggling to me, but I actually had my assistant Monique Beatty (who's now a producer in her own right) research Brigadoon to find out if that name was created only for the musical, or if it was something pulled from legends. I was thinking of Avalon, but looking for something from a Scotish tradition as opposed to British. Fortunately, Brigadoon was created for the musical. So we were 'stuck' with Avalon. Which made including King Arthur a natural.
Many series don't reveal that an episode is going to be a multi-parter until you get to the 'To Be Continued' line at the closer. "Avalon, Part One" could have just been titled "Avalon". The conventional wisdom is that people are reluctant to commit the time to a multi-parter in advance. That it is better to hook them on the story before revealing that they HAVE to come back to see the end. I always felt that was cheating. What is your reaction to seeing "Part One" attached to a title?
OPENING
Another cool shot of our gargs waking up. Always nice to reiterate that at the start of our bigger stories.
Bronx gets left behind. Of course, this often happens. It was one of the things that the World Tour would set about correcting in a BIG way. But we made his getting left behind a bit more obvious here. Usually, he just doesn't go. This time they won't take him and he's sad. We were laying pipe.
My 5-year-old son Benny asked where Hudson and the Trio were going. I had to think about it. "On Patrol, I guess."
OLD FRIENDS
Then the GUARDIAN shows up. I love his cool, Goliath-inspired armor. My 7-year-old daughter Erin immediately demanded to know who he was. I wouldn't tell her. (I'm so mean.) Did any of you guess?
Of course he immediately encounters BRENDAN & MARGOT. (What would one of our multi-parters be without him?)
Then comes the three gang-bangers from "AWAKENING, PART THREE". As usual, Keith David does the voice for one of them -- making it distinctive from both Goliath and MORGAN, who's about to come in and speak. The problem is we got a touch confused. In Awakening, Keith voices the bald white guy. Here he does the same voice, but it's assigned to the black guy. Hard to say which is wrong, except by virtue of which came first. It annoys me though.
Morgan's fun in this. I really like him. No one but Simon DelMonte will get this, and I don't know if he even reads these rambles, but Morgan kind of reminds me of Jeff Goslin, a character that Cary Bates and I created in Captain Atom.
Anyway, I like how Morgan talks Guardian down. And I like how the sword is much heavier than he thought it was going to be. His cop buddies tease him, but he maintains his sense of wonder and goodness when talking about the Guardian to Elisa.
That's kind of a cool scene. First off he describes Guardian's armor: "Real armor. King Arthur stuff." Anyone think this was a clue to what was coming in the next episode? Even with the Avalon title? Then he tells her the guy's looking for Gargoyles. Elisa of course discourages her fellow officers from taking Garg reports seriously. Everyone who's seen one must be a nut-case. These guys should form 'a club'. Then she finds out that this Guardian was asking for Goliath by name. BOOM.
BELVEDERE CASTLE
Site of our last encounter with Demona and Macbeth. Another clue.
Once Elisa got a look at the Guardian's armor, she must have thought -- yeah, there's a Goliath connection here all right.
Goliath shows with Bronx, who gets to come along and come along and come along for once. Bronx always seemed underutilized to us. We knew we couldn't bring the whole clan along. (Too many characters and no poignancy.) But Bronx was an easy addition. Of course, Bronx is also useful as a kind of living personality test. If Bronx likes you, it's a damn good sign. Bronx likes Tom. Does he remember him? What scents do you figure the Guardian carried back from Avalon. Anyway, Bronx engenders immediate trust in the Guardian for Goliath.
I love this scene. Guardian gives everyone so little time to catch up. He talks about the Archmage, reveals that he's Tom and talks about 'the eggs' being in danger. *That was a fun idea. Keep you guys thinking in terms of eggs for twenty minutes and reveal that it's just a pet name for the Avalon Clan.*
Benny asked: "What kind of Eggs?"
Erin: "Gargoyle Eggs."
Benny: "I didn't know Gargoyles hatch out of eggs." [Well, keep in mind it's been a year since he saw the first thirty episodes. And he's too young to remember the first time he saw the ones we're watching now.]
Then there's the skiff. Elisa: "Where'd that boat come from? ... To where? The other side of the lake? ... Wait for me!"
This all sounds fishy to her. Nothing makes sense. I wanted to get a clear shot in there of the pond in Central Park so that you could see objectively that it doesn't go anywhere. But I never quite managed that. I wanted you guys to be confused. Or at any rate to have a million questions. But like Elisa, no matter how suspicious, I figured you'd want to go along for the ride.
FLASHBACK
Mary, Katharine, the Magus and young Tom are all reintroduced. It's very clear that the first three have all learned their lesson from Awakening. They've all really become better people. Tom, of course, didn't need to learn that lesson. But he does learn to be a hero. He officially becomes the Guardian. It begins, I believe, as just a nice gesture on the part of the Princess. Later, of course, it'll become the truth. Then there's the long journey. I like the montage there. Hardship. We never had the time to show enough of the hardship of tenth century life.
Our gang heads into Edinburgh. Constantine's followers are all over the place. They all seem to look like Disney storyboard artists for some reason. ;)
VOICES
There's some stellar voice work in this ep. Morgan Shepard as King Kenneth II. Sheena Easton making her Garg Premiere as Finella. Ian Buchanan as Constantine. (I've already mentioned Keith's versatility.)
But as usual, real props must be handed out to Jeff Bennnett and Kath Soucie.
Jeff plays Brooklyn, the Magus and Maol Chalvim. (No Bruno or Owen or Vinnie in this ep, I'm afraid.)
Kath plays Katharine, Mary and all three Weird Sisters.
They're amazing.
SOAP OPERA
Benny saw Finella and said: "That's one of the witches."
A year ago, Tom was his favorite character. Now Tom barely registered. And he really is fascinated with the Weird Sisters. Anyway, I corrected him, but I was glad that they were appearing later.
Ian Buchanan, once of General Hospital, is playing a cad here. We have to very quickly set up a lot of politics, sexual and otherwise. This story was as historical as we could make it based on the available research, the fact that we had to fit in a few fictional characters and eggs, and screen time compression.
Believe it or not, we also had another character originally that we cut early on because it was just getting too damn complicated. Katharine and Maol Chalvim's cousin: the future King Kenneth III. The father of Bodhe. Yep. That Bodhe. The father of Gruoch.
Kenneth III winds up being made High King of Scotland after Constantine is killed. To get a sense of their relationship, at least as I see it, you might want to check out "Once upon a time there were three brothers..."
(Or to give you a hint, ten years after the events depicted here, King Kenneth III would be murdered by Maol Chalvim's operatives during a civil war. Maol Chalvim was also known as Malcolm Forranach, the Destroyer. We used the Maol Chalvim version of his name so as not to confuse him with Katharine's father Prince Malcolm. Just as in City of Stone we emphasized Malcolm Canmore's Canmore name for the same reason.)
Anyway, Maol Chalvim seems intense but right on the money here. He's even kind of heroic when he and the Magus bring Tom back to Katharine's apartment, and he begs Katharine to go. Kind of heroic. He still leaves her. We were trying very hard to balance out his minor role here with his future roll as the grandfather of and major influence on Duncan. (Of course, he's also Macbeth's grandfather, as well.)
After Katharine tells Maol to go, there's a weird cut of him just standing there smiling. We needed some kind of transition before he took off running, and I guess that was the best we could do. But it's still awkward as hell.
THE MURDER
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
We establish early on that Katharine doesn't think much of Constantine. You wouldn't know it from Awakening, but obvioulsy she's learned to be a decent judge of character.
Kenneth isn't quite so sharp. Everyone can see that he's a fool for Finella. And he doesn't recognize Constantine's threat (despite the fact that Constantine's father was a bitter enemy and) despite the fact that his son flat out tells him to beware. My thinking was that the crown had kept bouncing back and forth between different branches of the royal family. Kenneth had hoped that by taking Constantine in, instead of banishing him, he'd be able to be a positive influence on the boy. A nice idea perhaps, but maybe Kenneth was too innattentive to pull it off. And Maol probably was too covetous to really be a brother to young Con.
Anyway, Constantine tricks Finella and kills the king. We hear Finella sobbing, just to prove that she was neither in on it nor that she would approve of it. (Though one wonders what her reaction would have been down the road if Constantine hadn't spurned her in favor of Katharine. Would she have adjusted to the crime? Or did Constantine become an unredeemable villain in her eyes immediately? I hate to say it, but I tend to think it's the former. Actually, I don't hate to say it. She's more interesting to write that way.)
Erin asked: "He killed King Arthur? Why?"
That's a tough question. So first I had to explain that it was King Kenneth, not King Arthur. Then my wife Beth helped out by explaining that Constantine wanted to be king.
We come back from the act and we see that Constantine was ready for the takeover. The Banners are immediately changed in a scene clearly inspired by the Ian McKellan (spelling?) movie version of Shakespeare's Richard III. (A version I heartily recommend, by the way.)
We also continue to set up the Magus' own tragedy. He loves Katharine. Has loved her since before Awakening. That feeling is shown to deepen here when she is once again in danger. And when Constantine tries to coerce her into marrying him. (The astute Mary and Tom have to hold him back.) Here, we sense that maybe Katharine might some day return that love. That's what I wanted you all to think anyway. Did you?
Constantine takes his crown. Originally we wanted to stage this with the Stone of Destiny as we did with Macbeth. But again, I think we just had too many sets.
Michaelmas. I just like that word.
Constantine is fairly astute himself: "You have 36 very good reasons to obey." We kept reiterating the number of eggs for what was coming later.
THE ESCAPE
The Magus disguises broken pots as eggs and vice-versa. But it always seemed to me that the kitchen staff at Edinburgh sure broke a lot of pots. I mean a LOT!
I like the lines: "Taking the wee bairns for a walk?" and "I don't think I like Gargoyle eggs." Very menacing.
Princess K burns her wedding dress. She feels she cannot leave because C will follow her to "the ends of the Earth." So the Magus responds: "Then I will take you beyond them." Again. Very romantic moment between them.
Finella joins the troop. The WOMAN SCORNED. She's really fun now. Dangerous. I always laugh when Constantine drinks the brew and collapses so abruptly.
Erin: "The Weird Sisters". My kids are just fascinated with this trio. I wonder if they still will be by the end of this three-parter or if like many fans, they will be disappointed?
They get turned into owls. But the Magus worries about giving up the source of his power. K doesn't care about that.
And Finella and Mary agree to take the book. I love these two. I think they'd make a totally kick-ass team. I doubt it would be commercial enough, but I'd love to do a spin-off show just with these two women. At any rate, there was the plan to include them as recurring characters in TimeDancer.
Tom has to leave his mother and his childhood behind. Now his role as the Guardian is a way for Katharine to make him accept the loss. It is the start of their relationship, though neither knows it. I watch this now, and I can't help thinking of the Anakin & Padma relationship and where that's destined to go.
AVALON
Back to the present. We see the impressive shores of Avalon. Very cool painting.
Bronx reacts. Guardian: "He's found the eggs..." And the music swells and two gargs and a garg beast appear on the cliff.
Now is that a cliff-hanger or what? What was your reaction?
Erin and Benny wanted "to see ther rest!" I told them they'd have to wait a week and we got a lot of protesting. Just what I was hoping for.
Anyway, that's my ramble. Where's yours?
Lord Sloth writes...
1) I was reading FAQ and in the timedancer section you talked about an antagonist called Calaban. Who is Calaban?
2) In the FAQ for bad guys, you mentioned an antagonist named Falstaff. Who is he?
3) Thanks a bunch
Greg responds...
For both these guys, I have no intention of revealing my intentions at this time. But if you want a look at the original sources...
Caliban appears in William Shakespeare's THE TEMPEST.
Falstaff is introduced in Shakespeare's HENRY IV, PART ONE. He reappears in HENRY IV, PART TWO and is spun-off in THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR. He dies off-stage in HENRY V.
Gipdac writes...
What year was Katana hatched?
Greg responds...
I haven't yet done the research necessary to give an exact date. Sorry.
Gipdac writes...
1) Will Fu-Dog have a mate?
2) Who will she be?
3) What clan will she be from?
Greg responds...
1. Probably.
2. Don't know at this stage.
3. See the answer to Number 2. Above. Right up there. It's very similar to the answer to this question 3. Right here.
Bruno writes...
Hi, Greg,
Some little questions about TimeDancer:
1a-When does Brooklin finds Mary and Finela, in old Scotland?
1b-They timedance together to which year in 20th century?
2-When does Xanatos and Demona first met?
3-How old are Katana, Nashville, Tachi and Fu-dog, rigth after the Timedance?
4-A tricky question: If the Phoenix Gate is out of control, why is it always popping in front of Brooklin?
Thanks.
Greg responds...
1a. You mean what year? Late 995 or early 996.
1b. I'm not saying.
2. By 1993.
3. Katana is Biologically 40.
Nash is 19 (bilologically 10).
Tachi is an egg.
4. Why indeed?
Aris Katsaris writes...
How old do you think a hatchling would need to be before the Manhattan clan allowed him/her to take part in the patrols around the city? Would 13-year old Nashville (of the older conception) take part in patrols? The 9-year old one of the current conception?
Greg responds...
I don't know. Honestly. I think that gargoyles (traditionally) as in most quote-unquote primitive societies expected children to take on adult responsibilites at an earlier age than we generally do these days. But I haven't thought that out.
Of course, the interesting thing about Nashville is the notion of permission. You have a kid who's spent literally his entire life as a virtual temporal fugitive, it's going to be a little difficult to get him to just sit at the castle once he's in the relative safety of a static environment surrounded by an extended family of protectors.
That tension interests me. But I won't pretend to have worked out the details yet.
Gipdac writes...
This is a second post because you might never see it, but why forty years of timedancing?
Why an entire series? I personally think that the timedancing would go over much better as a mini-series where you have him gone for maybe fifteen twenty years. From what I know about the series (and, granted I don't know much) to me it sounds like there would only be a few changes. Thanks for your time.
Greg responds...
Matter of opinion, but I feel like it would work.
Gipdac writes...
When Brooklyn gets back from his timedancing he'll be about biologically forty years old, Goliath is only biologically twenty-nine years old as of 1996. I thought the second was supposed to be young because s/he would take over command of the clan. So…
1) Will post-timedancing Brooklyn still be second-in-command?
2) Will Goliath choose a new second after Timedancers?
3) If so who will it be, Angela, Broadway, Lexington and Nashville?
Greg responds...
1. For the time being at least.
2. Not saying.
3. See 2).
Gipdac writes...
While answering a question from Lord Sloth you said "Initially, Katana is not with Brooklyn when he first arrives in 2198".
1) Does this mean that Brooklyn will do some timedancing in between his stay on G2198?
2) Will Katana be with Brooklyn during any of his stay in the year 2198?
Greg responds...
1. Not clear on what you mean here.
2. Not saying.
Gipdac writes...
Were you ever planning to show on screen the original Magus casting the spell of humility on the gargoyles at the request of Caesar Augustus?
Maybe in TimeDancers?
Greg responds...
Exactly. Maybe. That is, I would have liked to. Depends on the S&P situation, probably.
Anonymous writes...
Trio
Is any of the trio alive in 2198? How about the trio¡¯s children?
Greg responds...
You mean not counting Brooklyn who TimeDanced there? No.
Not saying.
Anonymous writes...
Foreshadowing in Future Tense
Does the Alexander of 2198 own any exo-suits like the one seen in the Future Tense episode?
Does Brooklyn and Demona look like the Demona and Brooklyn in Future Tense?
Greg responds...
Generally, I try to avoid making 'decisions' here that will inhibit the artistic freedom of future collaborators, but...
Alex. Potentially, yes. But since, Alex is kidnapped and put in stasis in the first episode it's going to be a non-issue for some time.
Brooklyn. Initially, Brooklyn would look very much like Brooklyn from Hunter's Moon. Later he may wind up with a look similar to Future Tense -- though with one major change.
Demona. Potentially.
Anonymous writes...
What does Katana look like?
Greg responds...
I have a vague notion, but I'm consciously trying not to design her in my head, so as to give potential artists the freedom to come up with something, someday.
John writes...
Hi Greg,
OK, OK, I know, that you've been asked this question before, but we've never get a real awnser out of you for this one. But I'll try it again: Why does Katana and Brooklyn name their son Nashville? Well, we know, that the name was Brooklyns idea ( why should Katana name her son by a city, she (probably) never visited or even never knew? ) but why to hell Nashville???
Oh, by the way, are Nashville and Tachi twins? I allways thought of them as.
Anyway, hope you'll awnser these two. Damn, this time I'm really a pain. LoL
CU, John
Greg responds...
No they are not twins.
There's a very specific TimeDancer reason. But I'm just not in the mood right now cuz you swore at me.
Audra writes...
Hi Greg!!!
Gargoyles is such a great TV show. It's my favorite TV show. And it shows cartoons are not just for little kids. Anyways, I remember reading about your plans about Brooklyn's mate. I was just wondering, did you, or any or any other creators plan on what she was going to look like? Does she kind of have a "beak" like Brooklyn? It's ok if you don't want to answer, but I just wanted to know. But I am glad that Brooklyn would get a mate. I felt very sorry for him after Maggie rejected him when he was trying to help her and Anglea chose Broadway. I was just wondering if you guys planned what Katana was going to look like. Thanks for reading this. ^_^
Sincerely,
Audra
Greg responds...
Not yet, no. I have a few vague ideas, but that's it.
matt writes...
1. as gargoyles in Japan have been living with humans for centuries, have they been using names throughout most their history, or all of it?
2. was there ever a time that the Ishimuran clan didn't use names? if so, when?
3. did Katana have her name when Brooklyn first meets her?
Greg responds...
1. "Most of their history" would be a hell of a long time. But some of it.
2. Yes. Long ago.
3. Not saying.
Vashkoda writes...
Referring to that Tootsie Roll quote, did you mean "my sympathies" to those who know of it because it would mean that we're old, or were you apologizing to us for using that quote as your answer? Anyways, like Sapphire said, it's not *that* old--in fact, it played when Gargoyles was still part of The Disney Afternoon (I know because it's on one of my tapes, though it's a version with a robot and a dinosaur monster instead of "Mr Owl" and "Mr Turtle").
I know I had a question to insert in here somewhere.... Ah yes:
You also just said, "Tachi will also get some individual rearing, because B&K will be the only parents in range." Maybe I misheard you, but I thought that at the Gathering you said that from your timeline calculations, it turns out that Tachi will still be an egg when Brooklyn returns from his timedancing. So did I misunderstand, or did you do some re-calculating?
Greg responds...
Tachi will be born after they return. But she'll be the only egg to hatch in 1998 and thus the only set of rookery parents will be Brooklyn and Katana. She'll have a lot of rookery aunts and uncles though.
But basically, I was splitting hairs a bit.
Cabal writes...
Ok, again my question. I heard that many fans wrote their own story about timedancer... But how can I read the official Story about Timedancer... Or excist only fanworks about that? Who is the author from Timedancer? .. And at least... will Timedancer be shown on TV anytime?
Thanks :)
Greg responds...
I came up with the idea for TimeDancer while I was still at Disney. I'd love to do it someday, but there are no current plans. I have a few TimeDancer stories and significant events in my head and in my timeline, but I haven't written any of them out as prose fiction.
matt writes...
1. Brooklyn and Katana will return from the Timedance with their two children and Fu-Dog, right?
2. are those two children their first two children? will they have another child in Manhatten? that would make Brooklyn's last child be in the same generation as Broadway and Angela's first.
Greg responds...
1. With one child, one beast and one egg.
2. There's no reason biologically why they wouldn't have a third kid. But I'm not answering this question by confirming that they do. Lots of things MIGHT happen. As to the generational thing, I believe you are right in theory. But I don't have my timeline with me and I'm nervous about making mistakes. My memory for numbers is NOTORIOUSLY awful.
Lord Sloth writes...
In 2198, should I take it that Katana Isn't with Brooklen at that point? And, does Brooklen stay with the resistance for the magority of the spin off?
Also, sence eggs take 10 years to hatch, do Brooklen and Katana have to lug each of their eggs around with them always to be sure that the egg time dances as well?
Greg responds...
Initially, Katana is not with Brooklyn when he first arrives in 2198. Though Fu Dog is.
And yes, Brooklyn and Katana had to lug Nash's egg around for ten years. Tachi's for almost as long.
Lexy writes...
Hey Greg!:)
Brooklyn TD's to 2198 so he knows some things that are going to occur. But by him being in that time line, and not gone TDing doesn't that change things? I guess with Goliath and Griff the events that had to occur did, they just came about in different ways, because Goliath was there to change things. Is this correct?
By the time Brooklyn returns from TDing would he be resigned to letting things happen as they would?
Just keep his mouth shut, and let things occur?
Or at least warn ppl if he felt it necessary?
(IE: They can't stop a bomb from dropping, but they can at least be prepared to deal with it, in the very least, emotionally?)
I hope this wasn't too messy..
Greg responds...
Uh, Lexy, I'm just not following your first paragraph, which may mean that you aren't getting the rules of time travel in the Garg Universe... or am I just dense?
What I will say is that Brooklyn intentionally does NOT learn much about the immediate future of his friends and family. What he knows of the future is of events two centuries removed. He doesn't go back and research the time between.
JEB writes...
During TimeDancer, would Brooklyn et al visit future time periods beyond 2198? Or the truly distant past (pre-dinosaurs)?
Thanks.
Greg responds...
No plans for him to go beyond 2198 (or 99 or so). No plans for him to go pre-dinosaur either.
Lord Sloth writes...
What is the year, and month, that Brooklen starts, and finishes, his time dancing? What happens in the 5 minutes he is gone?
Greg responds...
My current thinking is that Brooklyn vanishes in 1997. (I haven't pinned down the month.) And he's probably gone less than five minutes actually. Broadway and Angela (and maybe Lex) just have time to say something like, "Oh no, will we ever see our dear friend again?" (only better dialogue) before he reappears.
Lord Sloth writes...
When Brooklen became leader for a short time, did he choose a 2nd in command from Lex or Broodway?
Does Katana have a beak like Brooklen?
Greg responds...
Not saying.
Not saying.
Gipdac writes...
1) Will Angela and Broadway raise their kids like humans, by only two parents, or will they be raise like gargoyles, in a collective rookery?
2) If so, will that trend continue into the future?
3) What about Brooklyn and Katana's children will they raise their children collectively or individually?
Greg responds...
1. Like gargs.
2. Generally.
3. Nash will be raised individually, initially, or communally if you consider that his TimeDancing parents represent the complete community of adults. Tachi will also get some individual rearing, because B&K will be the only parents in range. But both kids will get a lot of community parenting from the Manhattan Clan.
Laura 'ad astra' Ackerman writes...
I was looking over the [finally] completed description of the future series and after happily ooing and aahing, I had a few questions.
-1- I noticed that Broadway and Angela's biological children had similar sounding names, (arthurian in my mind). Since they were not named specifically by the parents but rather as clan children, (I assume), I was wondering if this was intentional. Are rookeries intentionally named with similar names, like the angel theme with the Avalon eggs? Do near rookeries share somewhat similar names and distant ones more different ones? Am I reading way too much into a statistical sample of three?
[Side question- Broadway, raised by Gargoyles would not care who was his biological child, but Angela was raised by humans, even if they did try to follow the gargoyle mode. Does she care a little, or at least think about it?]
-2- Nicolas Natzilani Maza, (please excuse my spelling, I am composing this offline): From which of the current Maza siblings does he descend?
-3- Alexander Fox Xanatos IV: I have a feeling I am being a bit dense here, but is he the same Alex as Alexander Fox Xanatos I but covering for extreme longevity?
-4- I don't remember any mention of the New Olympians. Do they play a notable role? If not, where are they?
-5- Logistically I am confused about something- In a perfect world all the Gargoyle spin offs would be running at the same time for an indefinate amount of time. More specifically Time Dancer and Gargoyles 2198 would be running at once. [Which leads to another side question: What you call the series after the first year?] As I see it the first year or two wouldn't be a problem- Timedancer Brooklyn would be a couple of years younger than future Brooklyn and we just wont see him describing in detail events that haven't happened yet in Time Dancer to people in 2198.
The problems start when it comes time for Time Dancer Brooklyn to go to 2198. The easiest way I can see it is, we see him leave, we see him return ten years older all in one ep, "wow! I just spent ten years fighting aliens in the future! But I wont say anything more as not to let you know too much about what will be." Then we have a Time Dancer Brooklyn ten or so years older than the Future one and a massive, sustained chuck of time that he can't give away to the audience. It seems like it would be a very awkward.
Thanks... And enjoy the con!! I hope you give a passing thought to those of us stuck on the other side of the continent. (This whole being an adult with a job kinda sucks sometimes.)
Greg responds...
1. You probably are reading a bit too much into a statistical sample of three. Plus, keep in mind that the Manhattan Clan doesn't exactly have deeply held traditions in naming. The whole concept is fairly new to them.
1a. I think Angela does think about it. But keep in mind, she was group raised. This way, as a parent, she has more children to love. That suits her fine.
2. I'm SO not telling.
3. Yes.
4. They will eventually play a roll. Technology-wise, the rest of the world has caught up to them. I wouldn't fully re-intro them right away, although their leader will be kidnapped along with Alex.
5. You worry too much. I should have such worries.
Cabal writes...
mmm, sorry, i'new here.. i have one question about Timedancer... Were can i read the orginal about that?
Greg responds...
The original what?
Justin writes...
Greg,
I have a few questions about Brooklyn and Katana's relationship.
1) How long are they mated before Nashville and Tachi come along?
2) How long did they know each other before they fell in love?
3)Given the traditionalistic upbringing that Bushido would offer would she at first find Brooklyn to be a fool?
Greg responds...
1. I don't have that info with me at the moment.
2. Depends on how you define "fell in love".
3. There's conflict. I once described their relationship as Sam & Diane-esque. No one got that, but the intellectual crowd here did understand a Beatrice & Benedick reference. Made me feel old and young, simultaneously.
Jessica Cotten writes...
Hey Greg,
Well, either I can't find my answered questions(there are a lot)or I just asked them in a way that wasn't appropriate. Oh well. Anyway, if you ever get to do gargoyles again would you use Timedancer or would you maybe use a different idea if a better one surfaced? Timedancer is good, but I wouldn't put Brooklyn with someone so different. Maybe, but then again; you are the one writing the shows not me.
Since I can't find my questions. Could you e-mail me at Alexlyons3@hotmail.com
Greg responds...
I'm sorry, I don't respond with personal e-mails. Defeats the purpose of this forum.
I'm always open to using the best possible idea at my disposal at a given time. But I'm pretty sure that would include TimeDancer. I'm not sure what you mean by 'putting Brooklyn with someone so different'. You don't know enough about Katana to know how different or not she is.
Michelle S. writes...
Hi Greg, I just started watching gargoyles a few mo. ago so i'm not fully awear of ever thing that has happened so i was just wondering if you could ever see brooklyn getting a girl friend?
Greg responds...
Yes. (Check out the TimeDancer Archive here at ASK GREG for more info on KATANA.)
matt writes...
given that Mary (Tom's mother) will do some time-dancing with Brooklyn and Tom has had a long life on Avalon, have they or will they ever be reunited?
Greg responds...
That would be telling.
Anonymous writes...
If the Brooklyn is able get his hand on the gate and get home then why doesn't he keep the gate?
Greg responds...
I never said he got his hands on it.
Anonymous writes...
Why did you send Brooklyn on a forty-year journey? Why not Broadway or Lexington?
Greg responds...
On at least one level, because that's how it happened. That is, the characters seem to tell me what happens to them next. It just seems right.
But basically, I felt Brooklyn needed to get away, break out. This was symbollically the most extreme way. BW and Lex don't need to leave.
Anonymous writes...
In what period would Timedancing Brooklyn arrive in Xanadu, China?
Greg responds...
Not telling. Neener, neener, neener.
Anonymous writes...
Why does Brooklyn stay so long in 7th century Ishimura? Was it because of Katana or was it because of something else?
What is Brooklyn's mate Katana like?
Greg responds...
When did I say 7th century?
WereFox writes...
Hi Greg
I wonder how Goliath would have reacted to some of the other
tennets of Bushido. We saw how the code teaches redemption of honor through acceptance of personal responsibilty for your actions. However, this is pretty much a universal creed.
There were other aspects of the Bushido code, practiced by the Samaraii, that were very alien to western ideals. For instance, an unredeemable failure is seen as such an affront to the Bushido code, that ritual suicide or Seppaku, was often the only way to restore ones honor. The samarai disembowels himself with a curved knife. Then his "second" decapitates him.
Vengeance is a highly valued right among the practicers of bushido, as evidence by the classic story of the 47 Ronin. When a feudal lord was killed due to treachery of another, his 47 samaraii were shunned and disgraced as warriors without a master. There sense of honor demanded that the offender and his family be hunted down and killed, so the 47 Ronin dedicated the remainder of their lives to this task. Upon completion, the surviving Ronin committed Seppaku.
Surrender was also not tolerated by the bushido code. The samarai would fight to the last man, and enemies who did surrender were executed on the spot.
Were the Japanese gargloyes more selective in their practice of Bushido. I think it would have been interesting to see how Goliath would have reacted to ideals practiced by Japanese gargoyles which would have been so at odds with his own sense of what honor demanded. Dedicating ones life to vengeance? Summarily killing a helpless enemy? Failures so great that ritual suicide is a reasoned expectation, rather than an expression of anguish? There have certainly been instances where his anger or grief might have driven Goliath to these actions. Yet, Bushido enshrines such behavior as honorable and necessary.
Greg responds...
All good points. All stuff I had hoped to explore in TimeDancer with Brooklyn and Katana.
Anonymous writes...
Why exactly is does Brooklyn name his son Nashville? Does he name him after the city or does he name him after something else that bears the name of the city?
Greg responds...
Not answering this now, but you might do a little research.
Justin writes...
Hi Greg
Ok now am I too assume correctly that when the 78 ( 39 biologically) year old Brooklyn returns from his dances he is stronger than he was when he left right? I mean he had been fully grown by that time and plus the perils of the dance could cause for a greater need to thicken up.
So the big question,
Can the (39) year old Brooklyn hold his own or maybe even win in a fight against the (29) year old Goliath?
Thanks
Greg responds...
Why would they fight?
Anonymous writes...
Why are Brooklyn's travels in time called dances?
Is something or someone controlling where he goes?
Could you tell us who or what it is?
Greg responds...
Again, control is executed or not, depending on the extent (if any) of YOUR PERSONAL BELIEF in a HIGHER POWER.
As to the name TimeDANCER, well, mostly, I just like the way it sounds. And it sort of indicates the way he SKIPS around from era to era. Just seemed right, I guess.
Justin writes...
Ok forgive me if this is confusing but this is the only way I could figure out how to word this question. You have mentioned that a Time Dancing Brooklyn would be a character in 2198. Now, since Brooklyn come home eventually, wouldn't a ver old Brooklyn also be present? or at least Nashville and Tachi? What I am asking is during his Time Dancing wouldn't Brooklyn encounter older versions of himself, Katana, Nashville and Tachi? Seeing as how they do come home, thus are a part of the timestream from 1996 on?
Thanks again!
Greg responds...
They did come home, but do the math as to whether it's feasible that they'd still be alive in 2198.
Jim R. writes...
I'm still a little baffled about Timedancing Brooklyn and the story behind him. You state that when Goliath threw the Phoenix gate into itself without a mind to guide it, it would be forever lost in the time stream. Then you went on to say that it lands in front of Brooklyn.
1. Why did you choose Brooklyn?
2. When does it land in front of him, in what time?
I was reading through the archived responses about this, and you say that he never lays a finger on the gate.
3. But how is it possible for him to travel forty years leaping in and out of random time shifts the gate creates? The gate is just a talisman, without a mind or the incantation it really can't go anywhere, which leads me to my next question.
4. If Brooklyn is susceptable to random time shifts, how long does he or can he stay, in one time?
5. Why couldn't he lay a finger on the gate? I mean surely he would eventually find out how the gate works in some time, grab it, speak the incantation, and boom! he's back home again in his own time exactly when he left. Brooklyn isn't that stupid, he surely would have had some pre-existing knowledge from Goliath about the dangers of the gate.
Please. Maybe you could explain this whole Timedancer mess in better detail or in a nutshell, or at least point me out someplace online I could go to read more about it in further detail.
Greg responds...
No, I stated that Goliath threw the Phoenix Gate into the Timestream -- not itself.
1. He chose me largely. He was ready for the next step in his character's evolution. And I felt he could carry a series.
2. In "the present". Originally, that meant 1996. I'm not sure now. I'm leaning toward '97 though. Not 2001.
3. No, it goes everywhere and everywhen. It seems to be random. But the timestream itself may have currents and eddies guiding it.
4. There's no consistent rule.
5. He can never get to it in time.
The only place I can point you for more detailed info is the TimeDancer archive here at ASK GREG. (This doesn't seem that complicated to me, however. I certainly wouldn't call it a 'mess'.)
Adam writes...
1. When he returns from Timedancing, is Brooklyn aware of the time and place of his own death?
2. If so, is he also aware that there is nothing he can do to change the circumstances of his demise?
Greg responds...
1. No.
Adam writes...
If I understand Timedancing correctly, it occurs at unpredictable intervals. The Phoenix Gate suddenly appears and whisks Brooklyn off to a new time period. So my question is: when Brooklyn does his final Timedance, the one that brings him back to just minutes after he originally left, how does he know that his Timedancing is over? Does he know that the Gate will not appear again, or does he expect to be Timedanced(?) away again at any moment?
If he knows that his journey has come to an end, is it because he has gained control of the Gate? If he does have control of the Gate, why did he choose to come back just a few minutes after he left? Didn't he have anyplacetime better to go after forty years of Timedancing? What does he do with the Gate once he gets back?
Greg responds...
I'm not answering any of this. If you think about it, you'll see why.
Justin writes...
Here we go again...
1) Will Goliath and Elisa ever have kids?
2) Will Brooklyn and Katana have kids in the 2008 rookery?
3) Will Lexington?
Thanks
Greg responds...
1, 2, and 3. They will be parents to all the children of the clan.
Anonymous writes...
Were you inspired in someway by Quantum Leap while making Timedancer?
Greg responds...
Not really. Plenty of time travel stuff pre-dates QL.
And I'm much stricter about time-travel rules than that show.
Bruno writes...
Hi Greg,
Thoughts about time travel:
There is a little controversy about time travel vs. free will. If the past is unchangeable -and also the future, for consequence- then there is _no_ free will?
On the contrary; The events in the past can't be changed, but they WERE and ARE done by us. That's easy to guilt the others or the timestream, but, quoting Rorschach, from Watchmen:
"That's not God who kill the children, nor the chance who shred they, nor the destine who feed the dogs with they. They're us. Only us". (I'm translating to english from a translation to the portuguese. :-)
Plus, on the contrary of the common sense, change the past is not use free will, but kill it: Demona betrayed Wyvern. If she came back and change this, she should be obstructing her OWN free will. And her responsability, to boot. And responsability is one of the series' themes.
This is a paradox, but, with time travel, what else did you want? The unchangeable past universe IS the free will universe. :-)
Oh, well, now back to my time travel questions:
1- Roughly, when was the Phoenix Gate "created"? Meaning when it droped in Avalon, starting the time loop.
2- If the Phoenix Gate is a "steam valve" and it exists among two time points (??? or before and 2198 or after), what was the steam valve before the Gate? And after?
Ps. I just wanted to say that I fully understood the time loops in Vows, Avalon II and M.I.A. and I loved then. Vows and Avalon were amazing and smart, and M.I.A. was just too fun: Goliath couldn't change the history, but he was so smart that he could trick it! Great work.
Greg responds...
Before we get to your questions, Bruno, let me just say that I agree with you on your time travel/free will thing.
1. I don't want to reveal that yet. It's intrinsic to the whole TimeDancer story.
2. Stories for another day.
Thanks.
LSZ writes...
Would the Loch Ness Monsters ever be featured in Dark Ages or Timedancer?
Greg responds...
Maybe.
(The Guppi) writes...
Did Brooklyn and Katana lug each of their kids' eggs around with them for the 10 years it took for them to hatch?
Greg responds...
Yes. Largely.
Camcuru writes...
Do you have any ideas as to what Katana, Nashville, and Tachi look like, if so will you tell me?
1)Is Tachi a girl? When I looked the name up in the encyclopedia on Jeb's page it said Tachi was a male.
Greg responds...
Yes and no.
1. Tachi is female.
Todd Jensen writes...
Your description of how important it is to control the Phoenix Gate (or else you wind up, to cite your example, at Burger King instead of Fort Knox) got me wondering just now: is this one reason why it takes Brooklyn forty years to get back home during "Timedancer"? That he didn't concentrate in the right manner on his desired destination until the final "dance"?
Greg responds...
No. Brooklyn, try as he might, never (or almost never) lands a finger on the Gate. He's basically leaping into portals that the Gate opens "at random".
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