Grey Wolf writes...

Will there eventually be a happy ending for Puck? I won't ask for details. Where season two left off, he seemed to be in a bit of a 'tough time'. (Although, not as much as some characters) But you know what they say, it has to hurt if it is to heal.

Charisma82 writes...

I was watching "Double Jeopardy" last night and it reminded me about a question I've wanted to ask for a while. After Thailog puts Elisa, Xanatos, Sevarius, & Goliath in the oil tank, he tells Goliath that he had considered sharing the money with him but decided not to because Goliath had "disappointed him". What exactly disappointed him? I've been looking though the archives and the closest I've come to finding an answer is that Thailog didn't like it when Goliath called him an abomination. I'm sure that Thailog didn't like being called that, but that couldn't have been the main reason for not letting Goliath in on his scheme. There's got to be more to it. I've also wondered if it had to do with Goliath wanting to protect humans, because Thailog does mention something about not wanting to play "guardian angel" to the city. But then I figure that Thailog would've already known this about Goliath in the first place. He was smart enough to set everything up in "Double Jeopardy", wouldn't he be smart enough to do some research on Goliath to find out that protecting people was what he did? And if this is the case, why did Thailog even decide to include Goliath in the money part in the first place? The way I heard it was that he didn't decide until that night that he didn't want to share the money. So, why did he change his mind about Goliath?

Thank you for your time and your answer.

-Charisma82

Shadow Wing writes...

ISSUE 3 - INVITATION ONLY

Eleven years haven't dulled your skills, Greg.

Glad to see Jason again - Elisa really did care about him, it feels right that she wouldn't just abandon him.

When Elisa told Goliath that they needed to talk, I winced - most fans might have been upset by this, but for me it's more than that. My girlfriend broke up with me a month ago - I still love her, deeply, but for her, the spark apparently died some time ago, and she'd only been keeping the relationship going because she didn't want to hurt me. So tell the guy that, if I could, I'd give him a sympathetic hug bigger than he is.

I suppose I should have guessed that Thailog would be making another appearance this issue - the exposition with the Clones should have been foreshadowing enough for that. And I wonder if anyone has noticed his closing line: "Trick or Treat?" I suppose that the radio announcer's safety odds weren't quite as good as he/she thought.

Martin Hacker returns, and I get the feeling that he is going to serve as our face of the Illuminati (at least, until Mr. Duval is revealed). As for the Illuminati in general: backing three different groups, with three different agendas - the webs of the Illuminati are complex indeed, but if they control the world, they'd have to be.

Anything else I have to say here has already been said, unfortunately, except for this: the next two months are going to be torture. It's been ten years since I bought an individual issue comic book, but I don't think that even then, I was so anxious for the next issue.

Afterthought: Is "Sleep well" going to be your signature farewell phrase in Etched in Stone? If so…nice, I kinda like it.

Shadow Wing writes...

(Lexington boots up his computer, signs onto the 'net, types in a web address, and there we see it)

ISSUE 2: THE JOURNEY

"Medieval scholar Lennox Macduff," eh? What research does he do? Read his old diaries?

On that note, the irony of A.D.A Yale's statements, nicely contrasted by the events happening in our story, have always amused me - especially "Our children are not safe!"

Xanatos, Mr. Duval, and the Illuminati - I have to admit, I don't think I ever really understood what was going on here from the TV version - I think I always assumed that Alex's piggyback ride was on the way to the phone, Xanatos following Owen's implied advice. But here, his smirk makes the point much clearer - it's not wise to ceep the Illuminati waiting, but Xanatos doesn't care. Baby Alex needs some daddy time!
But I can just see Owen back at the phone: "I'm sorry, Mr. Duval, I'm afraid that Mr. Xanatos is in the middle of something vitally important - it cannot wait, and requires his full attention. He hopes you understand."

Broadway and Angela - I don't recall the TV version calling it a reading lesson, so nice touch there. But I don't think that Shakespeare is the best material to learn to read (and frankly, I'm not that fond of reading Shakespeare at all - seeing it, however, is another story).
Angela's been off of Avalon for the better part of a year, but still, like Broadway with literacy, she has so much to learn.
Semi-random thought: How's Hudson's progress towards learning to read? I don't remember seeing anything of that since High Noon.
Brooklyn's line - "Parting is such sweet sorrow" - knowing what I do now, I wonder if this was a subtle foreshadowing of Timedancer - he parts with the Clan for forty years, but finds love.

After Vinnie leaves, Goliath's statement about life is very true - life is a journey, and the road is often hard. But we can't let that stop us, for each new day brings an exciting new adventure. Don't think about the journey's end, because as someone said, destination is a state of mind.

Not much else to say, now. Some people have commented that they miss the voices, but I can here them still, playing in my head with perfect clarity - right down to Margot Yale's voice not being Marina's.

So, to Greg Weisman, and everyone else at Creature Comics: keep up the good work.

(Lex logs off, and shuts down the computer.)

Shadow Wing writes...

CLAN BUILDING: ISSUE 1 - NIGHTWATCH

First point: I like that you cut out Banquo and Fleance - they are established characters, working for Macbeth, and sticking them in with the Quarrymen seemed like just treating them as extras (I'm assuming that they'll be used again if/when Macbeth makes an appearance). The mother and the jogger were better for such a role - while they had function in their past appearances, it was simple, and they haven't had even five minutes total screen time in all 65 episodes.

The Lois and Artie scene amused me - "You may keep your weapon" - too bad for Artie, he can't use it anymore.

I seem to remember that some people disliked the exposition pages - I, however, felt they were a nice adaptation of Keith David's monologue from season 2 to introduce new readers to what has happened to the Gargs over the past two (or 1002) years (and of course, Goliath is speaking it).

The Bluestone-Chavez scene, with the Captain on crutches, brings a thought to mind - John Canmore, if I remember right, was always a little unsure about the Hunt - I seem to recall at the very least that he was willing to spare Goliath and company, and simply Hunt "the Demon." Yet now, as Castaway, he shows the same recklessness that his older siblings had before (Casualties? Innocent bystanders? Who cares?). He strikes me as being blindly dedicated to the point of obsession, or even insanity, and uncaring of how many people get between him and the eradication of the Gargoyle species.

As for the scene itself: Maria Chavez didn't reach Captain by being stupid - Matt was nervouse when she asked about Xanatos, and I doubt that escaped her notice. She probably guesses that he's hiding something.

Elisa's wakeup - I only have this to say - boxers or panties?

Vinnie's recruitment, Part 2: "I think you'll see the necessity [for the hammers]." - Castaway is so sure of what he's doing, he doesn't see how anyone could disagree with him.

On Elisa's balcony: "No way you're fighting this hard if stone-face weren't the real thing…" Let's skip the poor English and go straight to the fact that the statement is total bull!! If it were just a statue, one like that would have to be worth a fortune! I remember that bugging me even in the TV version.

That's it for Nightwatch.

mage_cat writes...

Just writing to let you know that at least one Gargoyles fan watched the second season of W.I.T.C.H. I have to say I very much enjoyed my little fan-girl laugh in "I is for Illusion" when one of the girls asked "How do we beat up a beach?" The season as a whole was very well done, even more so when compared to the first. The first season was largely a march toward the inevitable. I mean really, who didn't know that sooner or later Elyon would wise up, and Phobos would be defeated? The second season had many more interesting twists and turns. The character development was also fun to see. With such things as the Matt/Shagon situation and the revealing of Lillian as the Heart of Earth, the relationships were much more dynamic. I also loved the choice to make Nerissa Caleb's mother. Since Caleb has no parents in the comic you were free to make his mother whoever you wanted to, and it just fits Nerissa so well. I mean, in her own twisted way, she was working toward the greater good, at least in her mind, and it just makes sense that someone like that would conceive a child just so that child could led a rebellion. I have to admit I didn't think much about the character Gargoyle other than to think that it was strange to go from the clan to this wingless creature roughly the size of a tool shed that didn't speak. In short, great job to everyone who made the season so great, and I hope to see more.

Shannon 'Shan' Muir writes...

Greg, you mentioned in a recent post that the writings of Stephen J. Gould may have influenced you on GARGOYLES? How did you come to be exposed to his writings? For me, they were required reading in my Advanced Stats class for my MA in Communications (prof was a Gould fan). Thanks.

Charisma82 writes...

I read somewhere that you've been to Disneyland many times. What is your favorite ride there?

Thank you in advance for your answer and for your time.

-Charisma82

Nelio writes...

I was wondering if the Gargoyles Comics were eventually going to reprinted as a graphic novel once enough issues are put out? I'm not sure if you would know about this or not, but I've always liked the material that graphic novels are printed on more than the paper back comics, and I feel that Gargoyles is worthy of that type of medium.

UKHoneyB writes...

Hey, I'm not sure, but do you still take Max Steel questions? I've got a couple I've been sitting on:

1) For all intents and purposes, the Max Steel series is canceled in the USA (there's a large fan base in Latin America, with three movies produced so far). As such, do you feel able to discuss your plans and ideas for the show, or not? If so, would you be willing to share?

2) You've references a Max Steel "Bible" in a few earlier questions: do you still have it and would you be able to share any information in it if you still do?

Thanks for reading, even if you don't reply!

Todd Jensen writes...

Not a question, but a comment. I'd like to thank you for your periodic contributions to GargWiki. They've been a big help to it. Thanks, Greg!

Antiyonder writes...

You mentioned not hearing about Daredevil The Director's Cut, so I'll explain it as much as I can. Daredevil as was originally planned was R Rated. Characters like Foggy Nelson and The Kingpin (who's sense of menace is built upon more) got more screen time. It includes a murder subplot missing from the theatrical cut, which had Coolio playing accused murderer Dante Jackson (Though his name was left in the credits in the theater). Overall the murder case plays a part of how Wilson Fisk was revealed as the Kingpin.

As the commentary would describe it, the Director's Cut puts more emphasis on Matt representing the underdog, less on the love story. You'd probably like it (better than the theatrical cut).

Antiyonder writes...

Got #3 today, as well as a copy for my brother. While it still is a bit different, the art does look a bit more like the show than #1-2.

Like everyone else stated, Castaway is more interesting than he was portrayed in TGC. If I'm correct, I believe this is the first time since Hunter's Moon Part Three that Morgan has appeared.

After seeing Brooklyn's luck (Or therefore lack of), Timedancer can't come soon enough. No pressure minded you.

Keep up the great work. Sorry if my review wasn't as good.

Eric Starr writes...

What is the significance of the numbers in the Illuminati greeting, "Thirty-Six" / "Thirty-Two"?

BatFu writes...

Do you think that Demona is justified in pursuing her agenda against humanity?

BatFu writes...

After reading through issue #3 of gargoyles, I have a few questions:

1 - In your mind, who did you cast as the voice actors for the new cops on the Gargoyles Task Force? On a related question are they newly created characters for the comic or did you have rough ideas for them even back during the 90s?

2 - Does the scene at the Cathedral with the crystal mean that Atlantis: Lost Empire is part of your vision of gargoyles?

Duskrider Q writes...

Nobody Asked for My Two Cents (Clan Building, Issue #3)

But, I always give to a worthy cause, however little!

I hadn't realized that the letter under the Masque Invitation on the first page was officially from the government. It looks a bit like themed stationary. Still, MY how Xanatos is moving up in the world. He has amazing status, power, and connections unrelated to his finances.

While we're on the topic of Xanatos, I always like seeing he and Fox being loving parent. This adds to their believability to make them first and foremost people before they are EVIL people. For instance, Fox appearing from the shadows as she invites the gargoyles to try on costumes is suspicious at best, and later Xanatos is dangerously playing the gargoyles as pawns in a game he doesn't have full control over. Yet earlier when she and he are not being malicious and treacherous they're swinging their son around and smiling in the picture-perfect family portrait!

Also, thought Morgan plucking up the courage to ask Elisa out was so cute and sweet and-- dare I say-- she may actually want to go or more than the reason that he's human! I think it's tragic that Jason makes a perfect date now that he's reformed, but crippled as well.

Next, I'm so excited to see the Illuminati in action again. The networking is intriguing. I like that Hacker is unimposing but charismatic. Then he can be threatening enough that you don't try him, like with the shoulder squeeze and an insistence of "Don't be coy." Furthermore, he has every player thinking the Illuminati is backing his respective plans. On that note, I understand why Castaway wants the Gargoyles dead and why Matt wants them protected, but why does Xanatos want them exposed? What good does this do him, and if he's still trying to pay back his debt to Goliath and the clan? I don't think the clan would appreciate the gesture?

Also who is this perfect hypocrite to deny the gargoyle's true identities? Elisa, as a gargoyle-lover? Thailog as a clone but not the real deal? Demona? I'm on the edge of my seat.

Speaking of Demona I find it equally interesting as I find it odd that there is an intact shiny crystal in the middle of the cathedral rubble. I don't think I'm even sitting on my seat anymore.

Anyway, I wanted to like Hedgecock's art (I got the correct artist this time) I really did. But some places I didn't feel he captured the scene or the emotion. Issue #2 was good, great if you like his style. For instance, the chase scenes have a real since of moving fast paced, and the angles are dynamic. But here in issue 3, for example, where Elisa and Goliath are having their gulp break up I don't see the face always reflecting what he says. The resentment, sadness, or hurt looks very nonchalant in some frames. (But maybe the numbness is the point?) I prefer the frame where there's a huge space between them and Goliath is bracing himself against the stone because the emotion is subtle and the space is metaphorical. I suppose I most dislike the lack of details in the background. Characters do not seem to have a lot of distinctive features either. I would give him anoher chance but I can't deny my excitement to see the other artists after this.

And for my last comments…

Lexington and Fox are still great with the wry sense of humor.

Goliath is a BLOCKER! Brooklyn needs lovin' too.

And the safety of the Labyrinth ain't all that safe. Like… most of the time!

Again, I am teeming with anticipations. Can't wait for the party when everyone bumps heads.

Alex Garg writes...

Without traffic, it's a 30 minute drive to my comic book store. With traffic, it's one and one-half hours. The latter is what I fought in order to get my copy of Gargoyles #3, but I say it was worth the trek.

Of course, there's the required sigh of relief: After 11 years of waiting, new canon! In this true follow-up to "The Journey," we still have some character introductions and blunt exposition, but we might as well get them in one story rather than drag it out; that way we can get to the real meaty canon waiting for us in months down the line.

The non-spoiler version:

The art shows plenty of improvement, and plenty of places where improvement can be had. I think the coloring in this issue matches Hedgecock's style better, but it's still not going to get any rave reviews. I'm somewhat lukewarm to the new characters, but then... they're new. There's a long way to go with them.

But with the SPOILERS (and LOTS of them):

First, let's jump into the art. This is a comic after all, so there's no point in ignoring it. Hedgecock asked for three issues before we cast judgment, and this is issue number three, so: No, I'm not wild about the penciling, but I don't think it's been worth a lot of the fuss that's been made over it. Obviously the fandom has had its share of stellar artists, most of whom I *would* prefer to see taking on a project like this, but I don't see the art here as being too out of synch with a lot of new comics.

Frankly, I found more fault with the coloring of the first two issues than the pencil work, and I think Dustin Evans' work is a better fit for Hedgecock's style. And there's plenty of evidence in this issue that Hedgecock is getting a hang of the character models, so on the whole I feel positively towards the artwork of this issue.

Now, on to the meat:

I liked the reference to the upcoming visit to the White House in the opening page - subtle, but there - although to whomever was in charge of that page: You, er, missed the comma between Washington and D.C.; and even more technically, for an address you would use the postal abbreviation DC and not the D.C. form. I'm just pointing it out as a local, not a critic.

The use of the background radio chatter was a nice way to set the stage in the opening panels, and it segued nicely into the Task Force's meeting, where we meet two new detectives, and three cheers for the reappearance of Martin Hacker! I've been a quiet fan of his for a long time - I just like the idea of a guy who on the outside seems like a pretty mid-level management/agent kind of person, ultimately forgettable, but who in another realm is someone of real consequence. Matt clearly is still a bit upset about having been lead around the bushes by Hacker for so long, and I think that comes out very nicely in their brief "on scene" exchange.

After the meeting, I'm glad it was Officer Morgan who approached Elisa, as there's no way I would see Elisa approaching Officer Morgan - pre-talk with Goliath, anyway. Clearly Elisa was dealing with the many issues which presented themselves in recent nights, and I doubt she was of the mindset to approach a colleague and proposition him for a date.

I was also particularly fond of the exchange with Jason. He's letting her go before anything else needs to be said, and I think it shows that he still has a pretty strong character to be able to fess up to that. And who brought Jason the flowers sitting on the table at the foot of his bed?

Next scene with the gargoyles awake, I like Brooklyn's silent reactions to watching Broadway and Angela make nice as a couple. First it's angst, but by the last panel of page nine, he looks really annoyed at how obvious the two are making it, or perhaps just repulsed by how clingy they seem (they definitely have the new-couple clingy thing going on). It's no surprise he wanted to bail to the Labyrinth (with an appropriate choice of words: primp. Good word. Apt word. Primp).

I did end up feeling particularly bad for Goliath his conversation with Elisa. "I realize your options are limited-" "Limited?!" The laundry list of things she wanted that he couldn't offer, she might as well have pulled out a picture of Norman Rockwell's work and said, "You see this? This is what I want. Can you cook a turkey?"

And that was a very clever way to bring back Demona.

Jumping ahead a little bit to put together all of Hacker's conversations with Bluestone, Xanatos, and Castaway, it's clear he's lying to *somebody,* but I'm hesitant to say that he's lying to *everybody.* Clearly the Illuminati either wants something to do with the gargoyles or nothing to do with the gargoyles. If it's the former, then clearly Castaway's being lied to, and if it's the latter, it seems like the Illuminati are going to excessive lengths to get rid of the gargoyles. Giving Xanatos an order to walk out onto the parapets with a sledgehammer at dawn would be sufficient for that cause.

Of course, I'm not writing the thing, so I can only make guesses at this point.

Getting past the exposition of the Labyrinth, more angst for Brooklyn! It's bad enough he's in proximity to one of the females who outright rejected him, but then he has to suffer a block from Goliath. I mean, wow, the guy has worse luck than I do.

As for the new character introduced in the Labyrinth, I have to say that I gave her a lukewarm reception. She strikes me as awfully third wheel: an apparent acquaintance of an associate to a minor villain doesn't strike me off the bat as someone worth raising much of an eyebrow for. But, then, there are many issues down the road to find out things about her.

I like the approach to Castaway. He wants the gargoyles destroyed, not his reputation and budding standing within the city. With this kind of character, there are plenty of places Castaway can go, and I'll look forward to following him.

And three cheers for the dramatic return of Thailog! Guns at the ready and everything, it's a great jump off to issue #4.

On the whole, it's a fine way to return to canon stories. Plenty of story arcs are open for business, and I'm looking forward to May to get back into them. Well done, Greg, and kudos to your team!

Anonymous writes...

I've got a few oppinions/questions about Oberon. Many fans seem to veiw him as a 'bad guy'. I really don't see him as such. Yeah, he's immature,(the kind of person you don't know wether to laugh at or stranggle at times) but he's a KING. In his mind, he's supposed to get what he wants. For the most part, I often dissagree with his judgement, but I try to look at it from his point of veiw too.
For example, his punishments for the Banshee and Puck (expecialy for Puck) made many fans unhappy with him. I agree, they were harsh.... very harsh. However, I have to remember his feelings of superiority as a lord and the way HE sees it.
I interpreted his POV when punishing the Banshee and Puck to think himself pretty fair. Girl yells a lot, make her shut up. Servant doesn't want to come back to Avalon, fine, banish him. Servant wants to play mortal, fine, take away his powers. Heck, maybe he was event thinking ahead. If he ever desides to change his mind, a harsh punishment might have been better. He could always chalk it it up to being merciful or to have been 'teaching them a lesson'. Or, the subject is so releaved about having the punishment lifted they don't take the time to wonder WHY Oberon changed his mind. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, if you will. That way, Oberon saves face. I supose I should get to the questions now.

1. During the series, will Oberon be given the chance to mature?
2. How does the poor guy keep order in his kingdom? When almost all you subjects are magical, that must be tough. Makes you wonder how he finds time to sleep...
3. You've said Oberon loves his children, does that include Merlin?

Anonymous writes...

Hi Greg,
I searched through through the archives and didn't see the answer to this so thought I would go ahead and ask.
You've said previously that Petros Xanatos was a Greek immigrant.
1. Assuming you gave it any thought yet, what part of Greece is he from?
2. How old was he when he came to the US?
3. Was David's mother from Greece as well?

That's all for now, but I also wanted to say thanks for continuing the story in comic book form, I'm really enjoying it so far. :)

Jonny Modlin writes...

I wanted to know what is Buena Vista Home Entertainment's Phone Number that I have to get Buena Vista Home Entertainment's attention all over again about (i.e. increasing sales of Season 1 and Season 2, Volume 1) releasing the rest of Gargoyles Season 2, Volume 2 on DVD (second half of Season 2). I have been very good about waiting very patiently for Gargoyles Season 2, Volume 2 to get released on DVD to complete the entire series? Are there any DVD news for future Gargoyles DVD's about the release of Season 2, Volume 2 in Gargoyles #3 issue by Slave Labor? Thank you and have a nice day.

Vid the Kid writes...

A few comments on Issue #3...

My opinion is mixed on the artwork. I mean, it's a different medium from the animated series, so it's not going to look exactly the same. Without motion, more detail is needed to convey the same feeling that was done through gestures in the cartoons. Just like a radio play needs narration. (Which, by the way, you are AWESOME at...) On the other hand, I'm not entirely sure that this particular character drawing style is necessitated by the medium. (Somehow, Agent Hacker looks a lot more organic than everyone else; why can't the other characters have a little bit more of that organic feel in their designs?) And there is a bit of inconsistency. Bluestone struck me as looking a lot like David Hyde Pierce in his second panel. Although the artwork may be less than perfect, it is still at least acceptable, and certainly does not distract from the story.

And the story is great! Already an order of magnitude better than The Goliath Chronicles. I especially like the layered reveal of what organization Hacker really represents. I have a tendency to forget details, so I didn't get it until the second shot. Anyway, great job! I really look forward to future issues!

Elana writes...

Dear Greg,

Here is a question I've been meaning to ask you for a long time.

Demona and Macbeth's link implies that they will basically live eternally until one kills the other. However, I wonder - does that not mean that they can still be maimed, crippled, or permanently physically disabled? Mentally damaged? They seem to have survived things that should have been fatal, and because of the enchantment it is acceptable that they survive. But why not even sustain serious injury? On top of surviving, will their bodies always be restored to a state of full health?

Additionally, gotta say that I'm loving the comic book! I'm not going to say a lot about it here, because I'm sending a letter through the snail mail, but just gotta let you know that it's good to be back in the Gargoyles' universe!

Charisma82 writes...

These questions have to do with your spin-off ideas for Gargoyles:

1a. I know that you are doing the BAD GUYS spin-off in comic book form and that you said you did that particular spin-off because it was next in your timeline. If Disney aloud you to bring back one of your spin-offs as a TV show, would you do the same? I mean, would you keep it in order and do BAD GUYS, or, since you could only do one of them, would you choose another spin-off?
1b. If you decided not to keep them in order according to your time line and didn't do BAD GUYS for the TV show, which spin-off would you do?

2. I know that you have posted up 6 different spin-off show ideas. Do you have any other spin-off ideas in mind that you have not posted up yet? I mean, do you have any other story lines in mind that could become spin-offs all on their own, but have not mentioned anything about them (for whatever reason)?

Thank you for your time.

-Charisma82