Wheeljack writes...

Hey Greg,
just watched Temptation again. Right after Brooklyn escaped from Officer Morgan, he throws out the rest of his Donuts out of his BROKEN car window. When did the glas break? Was the chase originally planned a bit longer?

senthusan writes...

hi Mr. Greg i wanted to tell you that i enjoyed watching gargoyles. One question is when you ended the show, are you going to continue it from the comics in animated version this year because that would be wonderful for all the fans out there. also i wanted to ask you why did you end the show quick before in the 1996? thank ou very much.

Matthew writes...

When is season 3 of Gargoyles going to be available on DVD?

Wheeljack writes...

Hi Greg,
I finally made that order at amazon and got my personal gargoyle-fan-package (both DVD sets and Clan Building Volume 1) delivered overseas to Europe. Better late than never. I would have ordered issue #7, too, but for some reason amazon doesn't have it on their site.
Well, for now my plan is to get the TPBs, since shipping costs for single comics would be a little high, I guess. So Clan Building Vol. 2 and Bad Guys TPB (please tell me, this is planned) are next on my list in a couple of months.
Just wanted to let you know, there is another guy with an incomplete collection keeping his fingers crossed for Disney to make the Season 2 Vol.2 DVD and for you to be able to write a lot more comics.

Shane writes...

Greg, Long time fan. In fact, Gargoyles got me interested in writing my own stuff and, like every other Gargoyles fan, into Shakespeare.

But I wanted to ask something about two of the Spidey characters that seem to be neglected in the questions. Namely the two most important girls in Peter's life: Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane Watson.

I noticed that the latter was out, which, while I thought it was a bold move, did lead to some questions in my mind. In the origional 616 comics, Peter meets MJ through Gwen, and through their mutual grief over Gwen's death, become the couple we know today. That fact, coupled with Gwen looking upset that the cheerleader was giving Peter some attention have poked extreme thoughts into my mind: Will you be doing a "Death of Gwen Stacy" rendition in your series? As someone who believes that was one of the best comic book story lines of all time, I would much appreciate seeing that finally acknowledged (unlike in the movies) correctly (unlike in the Ultimate title, which you seem to be loosely following). I know this is a kids TV show, and the manner of how Gwen died (Peter caught her in a web line, causing her neck to snap due to whiplash) is somewhat gruesome for Saturday Morning TV, but it seems the trend of most Spiderman media to include Gwen with her death sentance. Very few do it right though, and I was hoping that after almost a decade, you would still be capable of pulling another "Deadly Force" on us.

Quexinos writes...

Hmmm... I just realized... that Sims 2 comment isn't counted as an original idea or concept is it? You know the Sims? The simulation game by Maxis... you can create your own skins for characters and I made the sisters... well I hope this goes through. If not, oh well I'll try again.

Quexinos writes...

Hi Greg,

First off before I say anything I was going through the archive and I found some old questions by me... I want to apologize because I was somewhat of a jerk back then. Apparently, I went on a rant about "the webmaster should get in here and do this and that and all this other stuff." I don't even remember doing it, but I'm sorry :( I'm not on my high horse anymore though so I won't be a jerk anymore =P

Well, uhm questions... I have so many but there's one I've wanted to know for a long time. It's about the Weird Sisters. I know you don't like "what if" questions that much and you're free to not answer at all if you wish. I've always wondered though, what if somehow one of them died or even was separated really far? I know they're like three women sharing the same soul so that just makes me wonder. I also know Oberon's Children can't die so easily and they have to be in a mortal form to do so (I think, right?), but I've always liked the Weird Sisters. You should see all the trouble they get into in Sims 2.

Thanks for your time.

Adam writes...

Hi Greg. This is an odd question, but I don't think anyone else has asked this(though I maybe wrong). How old is Fu-Dog supposed to be when Brooklyn and company return from their Timedancing quest?

Gabriel writes...

Hey Greg,

Watched the first 2 episodes of "The Spectacular Spider-Man" and I gotta say thank you.
Thank you for putting the humor back into Spidey, specifically his banter (the movies seriously lacked this). I like lighter toned Spidey. Drama's great, but I love the Spider-Man zingers!
Thank you for the jam-packing of continuity references- both to the comics, and between the episodes.
And I don't know if this thank you goes to you or Sony, but I'm thankful we're getting at least 26 episodes of this series.

Couple questions since this is "Ask Greg":

1. While watching "Interactions" the opening teaser looked vertically stretched when it aired on KTLA- was it? Maybe I'm still getting used to the designs, or maybe you guys were trying some low-angle perspective stuff, but it looked like it also happened sporadically throughout the episode. I mainly noticed it when seeing Conners or Brock. This is assuming you watched the broadcast- since you've seen the episode countless times already I wouldn't be surprised if you passed.

2. I enjoyed the theme song. Is that the whole song or is there an extended cut?

3. Will you post the lyrics to the theme song? Or since you can be a stickler for phrasing- What are the lyrics to "The Spectacular Spider-Man" theme song?

4. I'm not super familiar with Gwen's classic personality- the most I know of Gwen comes from Loeb/Sale's "Spider-Man: Blue" and Busiek/Ross's "Marvels" so is her characterization in this series a dramatic departure, a subtle re-working, or spot-on?

Couple observations.
I was a little shocked that MJ wasn't in the opening credits- until the scene with Anna and May at which point I went "Oh, there introducing her like in the comics, cool."

Loved the Flint Marko cameo at the start of "SotF".

Looking forward to both Sandman and the Scorpion (whenever they show up).

I've been seeing here, and on other boards across the 'net, that some folks are having trouble with the designs. For me, it reminds me of my initial reaction to the "Batman: The Animated Series" designs when I first saw them- I laughed out loud. At the time I didn't "get it." Now course I love those designs, so first impressions can be misleading. I personally don't have an issue with "TSS-M" designs- I've seen Cheeks' work on the Hellboy DTV's so I know they can be dark and dramatic if necessary. But again I like light and funny, so take from that what you will.

I don't have to tell you to keep up the great work, since I know you will anyway- but don't forget to get some sleep and take a break every once in a while.

Ciao,

Gabriel

Confused, Frustrated, but Ecstatic writes...

First of all thank you for creating this show. Second of all, you're the creator of this show! You came up with a cartoon about living stone and more than ten years later people are being loyal to this to the tomb. How is it that something others would see as an impossible achievement can become a testament to your immense creativity and yet you can't find a way to get Elisa to conceive Goliath's child? Forget about the impossibilities and the ethics about such a thing. How many people told you it was impossible for "Gargoyles" to ever become something? Ethics and biology? Please. We're talking about a 2-dimensional world where rocks come to life at night after 1000 years. Biology, really, that's what's stopping you?

You are a genius. Greg.

Anthony Tini writes...

Greg,

I don't know if it gets said enough, but I just wanted to say thank you for being you.

JanAlexandra writes...

There's a scene where Fox & Xanatos in the helicopter of episode City of Stone part 1, and she said "Take it from a professional David,that Demona broadcast isn't exactly riveting TV". She seems very familiar with the media field. im wondering does the 'professional' referring to her academic achievement?

Mara writes...

Spectacular Spider-Man Episode 2
Interactions

And classic one word titles.

And Max looks like Crispin Freeman!

See? Martha's kinda lonely for her hubby. Get the sense that if she didn't remind him he'd not eat.

Nice ring tone.

Hey... wasn't that lizard juice the stuff he put into his robot arm last episode?

Yeah, on second thought, maybe leaving the tank out wasn't a good idea.

Oh: Theme song is updated but keeping the beat of the old. Nice.

Yaye! An El train coming from Brooklyn/Queens going to Manhattan. I'm sure eventually I'll get tired of glowing about all the NYC detail but since I haven't lived there for about six years anything like this just really tickles me.

C-minus! Sweet!

Unmasked Spidey sense.

Reason for the suit. Explanation for the villain's appearance. Always good.

"I'm not sure you understand. Flash so totally called you and Peter having a THING last episode."

No tv and no coffee makes Max go something something. Go crazy? Don't mind if he does!

And Peter learns the #1 way of attracting girls: Complete indifference.

Spiderman works on his MySpace photos.

Uh oh, inadvertent creating of a super villain. Although Electro was heading that way, poor guy.

God, what IS that ringtone? Oh. It's Itsy Bitsy Spider. Spectacular.

Liz: "It's up to me? Oh I can't resist indifferent boys!"

Cop is not helping. Is the bioelectricity making his so... temperamental or is it that he's always had a temper and we just didn't know?

Liz is made awkward by the nerds.

Gwen gives meaningfully wistful look.

Nice both Peter and Eddie were gonna make a move. But Eddie didn't take the time to quip.

Lightening Butt? No, not that! More nice fighting. Throwing the computer monitor at him made me giggle a little.

Great time to set limits, Aunt May.

Electro makes water go kablooey.

Petey and Liz have nice moment. Liz is apparently mean, but is also saving Peter from getting his butt whooped by the jocks. High school is never simple.

Gwen gives meaningfully wistful comment. High school is never simple.

Is Martha referring to helping Electro, or to helping Conners, since he seems to have some fixation on the odd lizard juice... We'll have to tune in and see.

/end ramble for episode 2.

Mara writes...

The Spectacular Spider-man episode 1
Survival of the Fittest

Ramble, as I re-watch:

Opening: Nice landscape shot. Hudson! Stone... at night? Eh, it's a different universe. Really, really nice backgrounds. You definitely get a sense of the normal NYC landmarks (like Cheesewedge building.)

We have title.

Spider sense tingling!

It looks like the spidey signal is sticking it's tongue out because of the placement of the bag.

Marco needs to rethink his life. I like how they're stealing rough jewels instead of finished jewelry. More easy to fence, I guess.

Opening credits: A little gratuitous to put the creator cameos in there? But I like it. Oh, we have venom costume too.. I missed that on my first viewing.

REALLY great backgrounds.

On Peter's design: He has a beauty mark near his eye... doesn't that mean many tears ahead in his life, or some junk? Poor Peter.

I *like* the eyes. I think they're expressive without going overboard. Excessive eye detail is too anime. On the streamlined design in general- it's not as excessively done as the Batman stuff of a couple of years ago. Just the right amount, I think.

Anna looks like the lady from Apartment 3-G.

Aw! Peter's sweet, pretending not to have heard.

Mr. Toombs looks like Robert Englund. Awesome.

Osborn has that hair curl thing going. Looks nice in this version.

Midtown Manhattan Magnet High School. ... Wait for it.

Gwen! *bliss.*

Don't criticize the World Tour, Harry. It was universe building.

It's like reverse Buffy, for a second there. The sidekicks weren't in town while the hero fought crime. Neat.

M cubed. Nice. I was thinking 3M. But this will work.

Pink-haired girl: The e-surance girl went to Spiderman's high school? Really?

Background music for cheerleader watching=awesome. Haha! Nice sound effect of the record scratching.

Interracial couples= yaye. Sally's Bay Ridge accent? Even better.
Seriously... it's a nice touch. (Possibly Bensonhurst- but in any case, she sounds like she's from Brooklyn.)

Flash: WAY to put ideas in Liz's head, there, buddy.

And we have episode title, albeit in blackboard form.

Peter looks kyoote with the glasses, but I'm glad those got dropped for his current design.

Yeah, I really like the different accents in the characters. The science teacher sounds vaguely British, but more in the schooled-in-Cambridge kinda way.

No no, Peter. He's a RUTHLESS scientist. Ruth-less. Lacking Ruth.

Harry calls his dad Sir? And there's characterization in a split second.

Poor Vulture- terrorism never works. Especially not on Ruthless mean men.

Great power and great responsibility mentioned but not drilled into my head? Thanks!

Webshooters! Thanks!

Martha's not a big fan of overworking. Hopefully there'll be more to her in the future. Pretty sure there will be.

Train and bus, Cheesewedge building again. Love the attention to detail.

JJJ > (is greater than) lots.

JJJ's assistant is so not intimidated by JJJ.

Spider senses tingling, same eye thing as the opening when he DOESN'T say it.

The crumbling gargoyle statute. So does that mean Spidey and Goliath are now even? (Since Goliath broke the flag pole in Awakenings and all.)

REALLY nice smooth animation for the fight scenes. Flag pole!

You can kill Norman, but he will NOT apologize. Ever.

Nice how Spiderman's buff but in proportion to other people he's fighting, still teenage tiny.

Also loving how the webs seem to CONNECT to actual buildings. Thanks!

Bedtime! Haha.

Mmm, pie.

And you still have amazing pie, Peter. You still have amazing pie.

/end ramble for episode 1.

Mich writes...

I got a few about demona...

1- even though demona has had a hard long run at life, will she ever measure up to her mistakes? i mean a thousand years of repeating them is enough...and its kinda sad that she lost everything she everloved because of it.
2- isnt it kind of hypocritical that she hates humans because they hurt her kind so much...when she kinda sprung that when she herself hurt a human who was innocent due to what happened at the castle back then...thus creating the hunter. Will she realize how stupid that is...i know its unlikely but some ppl are bound to find things out eventually.
3- its very irksome how she's running away from her problems and blaming humans for stuff she caused...its like saying how one person in one country hits another person in another country and the person who got hit assumes instantly that everyone in the other country is as bad as the one who hit them and goes on a killing spree on people who didn't do anything with it. With this concept in mind...doesnt that make demona the most human like gargoyle of all? she's turned into the very thing she hates....
4- will demona and macbeth ever be free from that binding spell?

Mich writes...

Hi, I especially enjoyed the series like many others here. I particularly like how the characters were portrayed and developed. Shari seems to be very interesting and I hope we get to know more about who she is later on. Also her relationship to Thailog, whom I never found to be evil. I mean, sure Thailog is a bit maniacal and not so nice, but he's never done anything heartless. I mean even though his body is fully developped, he's still kinda like immature right? Like a child still sorta...he's like someone who's never really been taught why doing wrong was wrong. Why else would he not have killed Goliath or Elisa when he had the chance. Sure he said that "suffering" is just a bonus...but is that kinda like a mask to hide something he always yearned for? Is Thailog truly evil? Will he ever learn to cherish anything?

John Pannozzi writes...

Who first originated the initial idea of Bonkers and (roughly)when?

Ricky writes...

Hey Greg,

This is something I've been wondering about for a while now..ever since Gargoyles #7 came out, and since we found out that #10 is called "The Gate." You've begun to incorporate plot points that were supposed to be from Pendragon and, with #10, Timedancer, into the main book.

1) Are there any other titles you can reveal, GargWiki has Gargoyles #11 as "Tyrant" and Bad Guys #4 as "Louse." Have you figured the titles out anywhere past those?

2) Is incorporating these elements into the main book a contingency plan, in case the spin-offs don't end up getting their own series, so that elements from them can still be used? Or is this to provide a jumping off point for the spin-offs to pick up from once they're being made?

3) Is there any word on how successful Bad Guys has been?

I know it's only been one issue for Bad Guys and ridiculously too soon to ask, but I'm also curious as to your thoughts about how likely Pendragon and Timedancer are at this point.

Last question:
Are the release dates set for Gargoyles #8 and Bad Guys #2? I know you're busy, and by the time you get to respond to this, they might both be out, if that turns out to be the case, you can disregard the question. ;)

Thanks a lot!

Grant writes...

You are so the man. I was afraid the new Spider-Man series might just be a rehashing of old stories for the youngins but I'm having a ball with it. How does it feel to write a script and know it's gold? :D I had some solid laughs, and that line about "...Harry losing his dad..." was chilling. The voice acting is quality (some familiar ones in there too, I don't know all the names like some of the hardcores here I do remember them ;)). I've only seen the first episode yet and I love how it wasn't just linear with one villain, one small fight where Spider-Man gets beat down, and one big fight Spider-Man eventually wins. Multiple arcs, both high school and super hero life, and multiple villains building in the same episode is where it is at. I didn't actually realize you were so involved in this project but I am so glad you are. The powers that be chose wisely! No pun intended. Every since it went off the air I've urned for Gargoyles to make reappearance on the small screen or, be I so bold as to say it, the big screen! I guess in some way your legacy will live on vicariously through this series, not that Spider-Man should fit in a Gargoyle's mold, but you get my drift. Keep it real pisano.

kyle tonarella writes...

dear greg weiman i love watching garoyles as a kid i thought it was a bad ass show and watched the first 2 episodes of The Spectacular Spider-Man and say this show is going to be pure bad ass i love the vulture robert englund was ment to play him and thank go you made a marvel comics cartoon sticking to the comics unlike prevoius series and now my question will Shocker in the episode "Market Forces" have charatcer development and will be one of the mebers of this shows version of the sinster six

Antiyonder writes...

I'm going to work on a review for The Spectacular Spider-Man episodes 1 and 2 later today. I'll probably review them in the same style I review the comics, but I have been working on some paragraph styled reviews on tv.com. So I thought I'd present some for some episodes of Gargoyles and the Kim Possible episode Big Bother and see what you think of how I do:

1. This is for the Gargoyles Series as a whole:

"A show worth watching, and owning. The current comics from Slave Labor Graphics is equally worth buying.

I probably couldn't do the series justice in my review, but I'll certainly try.

Like many, I enjoy the show for it's appealing characters and interesting stories. The show demonstrates originality in coming up with rarely used ideas or putting a spin on established cliches.

An example would be the episode "Future Tense". The episode at surface appears to be a copout as the events were a dream. When infact it serves to foreshadow future episode/comic story elements.

The show is also well balanced. While I do have a share of favorite adult cartoons, Gargoyles manages to be adult/mature without relying on adult content nonstop. It's serious without being depressing.

Here's hoping the comic will continue for a long time."

2. Possessions (This review of course predated #6 being released):
"Didn't expect to see an immediate follow up on Puck teaching Alexander the use of his powers. It was also fun to see the return of Coldstone and crew. Coldstone's appearance in the Himalayas will be explained in #6 of the Gargoyles comic series.

What helped to make the soul transfer interesting was the choice to keep Broadway, Angela and Brooklyn's voice the same. That decision payed off even more since Brooklyn's behavior was puzzling.

As far as the forshadowing goes, I'm embarassed to admit I didn't see the pairing between Broadway and Angela coming. I thought she would end up with Brooklyn."

3. The Journey:
The episode could have done without the opening monologue as it can't hold a candle to the "Previously On Gargoyles" segment.

It's easy to see the differences between this and the rest of the season. One being that this is the only episode to deal with Xanatos' amoral nature (that he can't be trusted completely). This episode also brought up more of the Gargoyles continuity than the remaining episodes.

Seeing Vinnie make peace with Goliath was a nice little twist. Still where the episode fails, the comic improves.

4. Kim Possible - Big Bother:
"I saw it on Disney Channel.com, and made sure to record it during it's premiere. Recently my stepsister had a baby last summer, she's really adorable. So, I can really understand the Stoppable's feelings towards Hana. Right up there with Alexander Xanatos, as one of the best animated babies introduced.

Favorite moments include Ron's attempt at taking care of a sack of flour and sugar, Ron breaking the news to Yori concerning him and Kim and of course the end of the episode."

So, are my paragraph reviews ok, good or needs more work?

Rachel writes...

Hi Greg! I don't have a question, just a few thoughts on your Spider-Man.

I really enjoyed it, although I'm not the target demographic (24-year-old woman). I'm also not a comic book fan (except for your Gargoyle comics), so the only Spider-Man stuff I'm familiar with is the movies--and even then, I've only seen the first two and wasn't even that impressed by them. Actually, my three favorite aspects of your cartoon are also (in my opinion) major differences it has from the films.

1) It's pretty darn funny.
In the first episode, I loved the minor storyline about his shoes, but my favorite part was [wording approximate] "Haven't you heard the one about great power coming with great responsibility?" Hilarious. And it's nice that the humor is more often radiating from Peter than simply being at his expense (see also #3).

2) What I think of as a Weisman trademark: the shade-of-gray villain.
Vulture and Electro each had an element of the typical-comic-villain "I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE!" thing going on, but I'd have to say that on the whole, each of them was more sympathetic than not. Vulture's demands from Osbourne? Extremely reasonable. (Speaking of, I also want to endorse your decision to keep the line about not letting Harry lose his dad the way Peter had lost his uncle. Because, again, Vulture had a valid point when he wondered why Spider-Man was siding against him [besides the whole kidnapping/assault thing, of course], from his and the viewers' point of view.)

3. I really like Peter's positive attitude.
It's a problem endemic to storytelling of all media that to keep up dramatic tension or the conflict that the writer has set up, the hero has to be, in a way, obstinate and narrow-minded. The audience is supposed to be convinced there's a problem because the hero is convinced there's a problem. Or maybe it's just a personal preference, and I happen to like plucky determination better than brooding pessimism.

Anyway, I liked it a lot and am eager to find out what happens next!

ColdFusion writes...

Hey Weis guy! :D
I saw the new Spider-Man series, it was truly excellent. Good to see something remotely intelligent on Saturday morning for a change.
Interesting look for Peter (mole?) and interesting how he's experiencing mom-troubles instead of the more familiar social-appointment-troubles.. what with him being younger.
Of course I caught the gargoyles reference, very nice.
One thing I found kinda funny is how Pete explicitly mentions the almighty hyphen (love that hyphen) but then just a few scenes later a newspaper lacks it. C'est la vie.
Keep up the excellent work, can't wait for Gargs 8!

Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

Catching up on my reviews/feedback to the comics... random thoughts as usual, and not very thorough.

Unfortunately, I can't afford to buy the Trade Paperback, since I'm unemployed and low on money. Maybe someday. But I intend to continue buying the individual issues. I sincerely hope that the comic continues long after #12! And I really hope #8 comes around soon.

I forgot to mention, I like that #7 visually confirms that Delilah turns to stone like an ordinary gargoyle.

Issues #3-5:
I read these a while ago, and watched the Radio Play online before reading #5. Lots of new revelations about the Illuminati in this set. Overall, I didn't find the Illuminati stuff in the series as interesting as this. They really are sinister and scary. Whatever they're doing, it won't be in the clan's best interest.

Art
The different art styles in the three issues makes it strange to read them in sequence. Being the critic that I am, I notice many flaws, but I don't think that the art in #3 and #4 these issues was bad overall. I'm just not as good at describing the parts I like.
David Hedgecock's art isn't as good in this issue as in the latest issues drawn by him, which I already mentioned in my reactions to #7. It appears he was still getting used to all the various characters. Some good character asides are worked into the frames -- like Margot's obnoxious expression as she walks out of the meeting, and Brooklyn facing Malibu while Al talks to Shari. I don't understand the frame in which Talon is covered in warts, though. That wasn't in Metamorphosis, though it could have happened off-screen. I prefer Dustin Evans' shading style to Will Terell, but Morgan, Matt, and Thailog are colored oddly. I dislike the lines stabbing out of the gargoyles' eyes when they glow. As I've already said, Hedgecock's art looks best in #7, and with Robby Bevard's colors.
I quite like Nir Paniry's art on the Mutates, I think they looked very good. I also generally like his art for gargoyles' faces, I think he does good facial expressions in general (except the first page which looks more cartoony). I think he does a great job on Hudson. Talon's face when he says "I'm not leaving Maggie!" is especially well done, and very expressive. But the lines on Angela's face look like eyebrows. And I don't like seeing the gargoyles with such huge muscles. The split frame of Goliath's and Thailog's faces looks good. I also like the effect of the frame with just Goliath, Elisa, Morgan, and Delilah standing alone, as if the party is not all around them. It conveys the emotion of the situation (for Elisa and Goliath, at least) more effectively than words or faces could. I also enjoy the frame where Broadway and Lexington go after the food.
Karine Charlebois' art is amazing, it looks just like the animated show! The art in #5 is excellent, both the lines and the colors. Morgan still does look paler and Malibu's hair greener than I remember, but otherwise this issue is spot on the models in most frames. Brentwood is even drawn with the extra spikes he has on his shoulders. I am also pleased that the blood was drawn (not avoided) but also was not gratuitous or excessive -- especially considering that Thailog was not trying to kill anyone.
My main problem with these three issues is the inconsistency with the Mutates and the Clones, who are off-model in various ways in #3 and #4. In #3 the Mutates have tails. In both #3 and #4 the Clones have white teeth and red mouths, and Thailog and Brentwood look black instead of blue and purple. (Actually, I was kind of hoping at first that the Clones' mouths and teeth had simply changed to the normal color over time, as I find their black teeth and green tongues rather nasty.)
The inconsistency with Broadway's costume was less avoidable, though dramatic. Angela's footwear also seems to change from #4 to #5, but that is hardly noticable. Maybe they changed clothes?
In any case, such things also happened in the animated series, they were just harder to notice in moving images. They'll probably be rarer once every issue is by the same art team (you are going to pick a permanent color artist eventually, right? Please make it Robby Bevard!)

#3
Ugh, Margot. She's just so hateable. I don't really know why, some other antagonists are more of a threat.

I think Hacker is lying to everyone he talks to here. The Illuminati manipulates and uses its lower members. Probably Hacker isn't totally in the loop either. They can't want to kill all gargoyles, because they already know where the Manhattan clan sleep. I think I know what they're up to with the Quarrymen, Taskforce, and Xanatos, but would guessing in print be an idea?

The conversation between Lex and Fox is funny, though less than last time. But I notice he takes her word for it.

I really like how Goliath and Elisa's relationship is handled. Too many fantasy stories have inter-species romances in which the characters don't act at all sensibly. They just jump into it as though cross-species mating is normal and they expect healthy children and total social acceptance. But Elisa has a realistic reaction. She may be a gargoyle-lover, but she isn't crazy. Goliath's behavior surprises me more, that he has no doubts at all. Is it because falling in love after losing the first mate is so rare that he doesn't question it? Because his life is already so different from how he grew up, that he just goes with it?

LIMITED is right.

And Demona takes the crystal. Nice to see that, to know what happened to it.

#4
Hudson! I like Hudson, he's one of my favorite characters.
If people didn't want to believe real bad that gargoyles are just animals, if the idea of sentient gargs wasn't so impossible for a person, I doubt they'd fall for the "I'm wearing a mask" trik. No way a garg's face looks like a rubber mask.

"Excuse me? Cyborg." Somehow this line is very funny to me. But how does his costume just happen to be identical to the one in Future Tense? Did Puck see the costume in a prophecy? It can't be a coincidence. Of course it is only a costume, but from an in-the-universe point of view, the perfectly identical appearance is pretty creepy.

Go Claw! He has some guts in him.

Roebling is hilarious. Clearly he is wasted. And Delilah is so naive! Who would ever say such things in public, to total strangers... wow. English she has learned, but not basic social niceties.

I wonder why Alex is growing so fast. Is it his magic training? And I can't fail to notice that this Ambassador Chung has a son named Terry... he's pretty young yet, though.

I was very worried about Maggie when I read this. Now having #7 I'm not worried anymore of course.
Clearly Derek has a lot of feeling for her.

I love the way Owen handles Thailog. He knows that if his head is blown off, he will be dead like any mortal. But he's deadpan calm as always.
And that line about endlessly repairing the castle had me laughing so hard!

#5
The bloody cover of #5 with the Disney logo on it is ironic/amusing/strange. I'm sure most people don't expect that from a Disney comic! But I was sure you weren't ready to kill Goliath yet, so I didn't worry.

I already watched the Radio Play but of course it is much better with visuals. Because I watched the Radio Play, I get to hear Brentwood's hilarious lines in my head. I gasped along with the audience at the end.

There are Mary and Finella. It has to be them. And using their old clothes as costumes.

Morgan sure takes that news very well. That's kind of him.

I was very surprised that Duval is only #2, and I'm eager to learn who #1 is. We will find out eventually, right?

I laughed so hard at the Super-Garg pose! Brooklyn looks hilarious there.

Never expected Angela to start dropping profanity.

The way the clan treat the clones is kind of sad. I understand that for the Manhattan clan, the clones are unsettling and perhaps frightening, and it is difficult to think of them as being their own separate selves, partly because until now they have mostly seemed fairly passive, serving Thailog or going to the Labyrinth because they were told to. Yet I can also see that the Manhattan clan are being very inconsiderate and dismissive, and I imagine it makes the clones feel pretty bad.

I wonder about what led them to choose the Labyrinth over Thailog. Angela phrases it in terms of good and evil, but I have the feeling the clones did not reject Thailog for that reason. They aren't really old enough to have a good grasp of "good" and "evil" yet, though of course that isn't to say they can't or won't learn about such things in time. I think it was more a matter of freedom and slavery to them, than a concrete conviction that Thailog has done immoral things. Probably also it was a matter of their personal liking for the Mutates, and for each other, versus Thailog. Whereas Brentwood likes Thailog as a person more than he likes the Mutates or his siblings, but I don't get the feeling that he has a clear sense that Thailog has been "evil," either. I could be wrong, but it seems they are too young to expect that of them yet. Nevertheless, Delilah knows when she herself has been wronged, whether or not she phrases it that way. I was certainly surprised by her and Breentwood's choices here.

The scene with Jeffery Robbins is very nice. But does Hudson really smell like concrete? The stuff is made of limestone I think. And how does Robbins know that gargoyles are strictly nocturnal? Seems like the Quarrymen are telling people about stone sleep...
But I'm glad to see Robbins and Dr. Sato become friends to the gargoyles here, even knowing what they are. It even looks like Brendan was the one who got the doctor.

Quincy and Xanatos interacting is amusing. Xanatos making wisecracks at the #2... he's rather full of himself. But amusing.

In the end Elisa and Goliath kiss. And he says something very wise about free will. Brooklyn becomes funny. And Sevarius gets in a rather grotesque line.

Anthony Tini writes...

Greg,

I don't know if Peter Jackson or George Lucas are/were fans of Gargoyles, but an intro by either of them for the TPB Vol 2 would be awesome.

Also, I know you were a fan of Gummy Bears. Were the creators of Gummy Bears fans of Gargoyles? Maybe people involved in Gummy Bears like Art Vitello, David Block, Diane Dixon, Jymn Magon, Bruce Talkington, Alan Burnett, Bryce Malek, or Mark Zaslove could do an intro for you?

Maybe you can have a contest and the winning fan can have a shot at it?

Ricky writes...

Hey Greg,

It would be incredible if you could get Joss Whedon to write the intro for Clan-Building Volume Two. I know that might be a bit of a stretch, but it would be great, and could probably turn some Buffy/Angel fans on to the series, who may have been previously unaware of Gargoyles.

Just a fanboy's wishful thinking.

Dustin writes...

Hi Greg,

I just watched the first two episodes of The Spectacular Spider-Man and I loved it!
I was surprised how young Aunt May looks, even younger than the Ultimate Spider-Man version, but that's fine, if there was one thing that always annoyed me, it was her poor health and the heart attacks she almost had, whenever Spider-Man was mentioned. A younger and stronger May is what Peter needs, he has enough things to worry about. I was surprised that Sally was included (let's face it, in the comics she's practically a nobody), the supporting cast is bigger than I expected. I hope we'll see more of the Bugle characters in the next few episodes, once Peter manages to take good pictures of himself.

I'm glad Mary Jane is not part of the show yet, I love her, but Peter had a life before MJ and it should be shown, if only for a few episodes, I'm pretty sure we'll meet her soon.

I thought the animation was great, and I like the character designs, although the eyes are kinda scary ... no pupils, strange.

I'm going to watch this show every week and I'm so buying the DVDs, you and everyone else involved did a great job!

Charisma82 writes...

Hey! I just thought I'd post my congratulations to you and all the talented people who worked on the new Spectacular Spider Man show. I watched it a couple days ago, so I'm not going to go into a big ramble on it, but I will write a few things I remember off the top of my head.

First things first, I LOVED the Spider Man humor. This is coming from a person who never read the comics, who heard how funny and witty Spiderman was, and saw the movies & was disappointed. The movies were good, but that humor wasn't there. I like how Peter is his smart-mouth self as Spiderman and then his nerd/geek self when he's back to Peter Parker. Great job at establishing the differences in his two personas.

I thought Peter's eyes were a bit huge. It kinda bugged me (pun intended). I can't remember the other characters that had huge eyes like that, but I definitely remember Peter had them.

I was suprised not to see MJ. For some reason I had the impression she was going to be in the TV series, but I guess she won't show up right away.

I liked having the variety of bad guys. I also loved all the hints in there about the bad guys to come.

And, most of all, the gargoyle cameos! And only a few seconds into the show! I recognized a Broadway looking gargoyle (at the beginning of the 1st show) and a Hudson looking gargoyle (that almost smashed into Spidey when he was fighting the guys in the helicopter).

All in all, I think the show started off well. I can't wait to see what else happens.

Thank you for your time and all that you do.

-Charisma82

Phoenician writes...

Hey Greg,

A little behind on the my review for the comics, will get to those one day (just know right now I've loved each and every new issue that comes out:) ).

That said, I did want to post some random thoughts about Saturday's Spiderman. I must admit that my only exposure to Spidey thus far has been the 90's incarnation as well as the three feature films . . . I've never had the chance to delve into Peter's comic origins.

That said, some thoughts:

- Love seeing the tributes to Hudson and Broadway. Shame about the Broadway statue though. Don't the folks in Spidey's world know how much us fans would pay for a collectible Gargoyles statue?? :P

- You really are a weaver of great stories, and that can be seen with all the set-up of stories to come. We meet the characters of the Green Goblin, the Lizard, Venom, and (from what I've gathered in the CR) other Spidey antagonists that I never knew about. And though I vaguely knew about the Vulture and Electro (was Electro even in the 90's version? I can't remember . . .), I still loved these two episodes -- both characters had amazing lines.

- I'm totally sympathetic for Peter with his cell phone constantly ringing during his fights, and I have no good reason why. It's not like I've been webslinging in New York City fighting crime, right?

- Speaking of web-slinging, I found it interesting that Peter's using web-cartridges, instead of having spinners. I know the movies had Peter with spinners, and the 90's show had the web-cartridges.

- I also loved Peter ripping his costume. I think my favorite part of the films was just how much his suit got torn-up in his final battles, so that little moment gave me a chuckle as well.

- I could have sworn that the classic "bad-guy-crashing-into-fellow-bad-guy" trick from Gargoyles was going to be used in one of the aerial flights, but I can't remember if it actually happened or not. I don't think it did, but I really got the impression that it was going to happen. Maybe it was because Peter was on Vulture's back that triggered the thought.

- Love the Banana Cream Pie scene.

- I really love this version of J. Jonah Jameson. While I loved him in both the 90's cartoon and the films, my memory of him is that "His bark is worse than his bite, but his bark is still totally see-through." As of Spiderman 3, he was pretty much "cute." But Saturday was the first time I actually got scared from him. Was it the voice actor, the words he said, or just the animation of Jameson ripping one on Peter? Not totally sure -- but I know my eyes went as big as Peter's. So kudos on that!

That's pretty much it -- be happy knowing you've got at least one more college guy getting up early on Saturday Morning for cartoons!

legion writes...

you said before that you came up with the name Thailog from listening to Goliath's name backwards but wouldn't it be spelled/pronounced htailog instead of thailog?

Vaevictis Asmadi writes...

This is not a question, but a comment about "Heritage." I enjoyed the story (even though I prefer a less malevolent version of Raven), but I think there must be an error in it. Maybe you're already aware of it. I don't aim to make the show look bad, but only to inform you, because you have said you have future plans for Natsilane and the Haida.

The scene with the error is when Natsilane ascends the volcano to battle Raven. He is dressed in a buckskin jacket, buckskin pants, and a feather headdress. This is the kind of clothing that many people think of when they imagine a Native American chief, but this kind of clothing was only worn in or near the Great Plains. Before European clothing became common, each region of North and South America had a separate style of clothing, with further variation between the different cultures within each region. The traditional clothing in the Northwest Coast area did not include any buckskin or feather headdresses. In general, in the Northwest Coast people traditionally wore brightly colored woven cloaks and wide-brimmed conical hats.

Anonymous writes...

hey i cant find places to watch gargoyls do u know were i can find places to watch them i tried megavideo and youtube but nuthin so can u help

Greg Bishansky writes...

Just a few comments. I'm sure we'll discuss it in more detail soon.

Okay, first two episodes were pretty damn good.

- Loved Keith David as the unseen Big Man.
- Spidey's quips were funny, and as Pete he was very geeky and awkward, which was cool.
- I am really liking Gwen Stacy here, she's like a spunky version of Willow when she was in High School.
- On that note, you can tell that Greg is a Joss Whedon fan, but in a way, this had a bit of a Buffy feel, especially in the High School scenes.
- I liked Vulture a lot. The re-design was great. Loved hearing Freddy Kruger's voice come out of him.
- Electro was both an imposing an sympathetic villain. Crispin Freeman did a great job with that voice.
- Eddie Brock was great... I never thought I'd ever say that, but I like this Eddie. Giving him a connection to Peter is a brilliant move, which will make things all the more tragic when he becomes Venom.
- Cameos, cameos, cameos. Flint Marko and the Rhino as criminals before they become supervillains.
- Nice foreshadowing for the Lizard. I like how the villains are interconnected. Works better than random radiation accidents.
- And Gargoyles fan service. Goliath, Hudson and Broadway statues... Broadway shattered in the fight with Vulture.
- Norman Osborn is perfect in this series. He was a ruthless businessman. Unscrupulous, amoral and a bully. His one scene with Harry said all we needed to know about what kind of father he is, and how disappointed he is in his son. I love how Harry calls him "Sir."

I also loved how Vulture didn't even manage to faze him. He is being held hundreds of feet up in the air, and dropped, and he still insults him. Yes, this is the Norman Osborn I always read in comics. Much better than the 90s version who was reduced to being the Kingpin's whiny victim, and who wasn't a bad guy before he got powers.

Mera writes...

Hi, Greg.

I’m compelled to tell you that I have never been interested in comics much less read them until Gargoyles and BUFFY/ANGEL (they are the only ones I read and I have every issue). I had a dream once about you and Joss Whedon collaborating in something but I woke up before I saw what it was. Therefore, please keep up the amazing work in bringing out the comics (or show if the stars align) and maybe, who knows, one day I can see both your names on something I’m reading/watching. My selfish fantasies have come true before.

Here’s the question. Even though I adore all the characters Gargoyles had brought to life for me, I, as everyone have a soft one for one or two particular characters. Depending on how you look at it. Will Owen (or Puck) ever get his own storyline or particular focus? Not asking about romance, unless there is one! Won’t say no about it. But he is a very interesting character and I hope for us to see more of him and his sharp witty one-liners.

Thanks.

Algernon writes...

My Thoughts on The Spectacular Spider-Man

Wow, I am truly gobsmacked by these first two episodes. I'm particularly impressed by how many figures of Spidey-lore you have managed to squeeze in here. From big names like Norman Osborn and Gwen Stacy to the insanely obscure ones like Sally Avril and Stan Carter. Most comic-based shows don't intro this many familiar faces in a whole season, this show does it in the pilot. Pretty much every single character with a speaking role is lifted directly from the comic page. But on to the episodes themselves...

Survival of The Fittest

A whole lot going on in this ep, Vulture's vendetta against Osborn, Foswell and the Enforcers cracking down on Spidey plus a whole lot of pipe laying for future story lines. It really is a great running start for the series, hope you keep up the momentum.

Interactions
Another episode bursting at the seems, lots of different plot lines interweaving. Seriously I'm amazed these episodes are only 22 minutes long. Electro's never been a fave of mine but I like what you did with him here.

Random Thoughts

*Keith David's Big Man is the standout for me. I especially dig the unseen ominous voice angle, Kingpin, shmingpin I Say.

*It seems your going the Ultimate route with Eddie Brock's character development. Not my favorite incarnation of Brock but it'll be interesting seeing where you go with it.

*I'm pretty sure this is the first time Sandman's been animated since the eighties.

*Who does the voice of Norman Osborn? It kinda sounds like Kelsey Grammer

Great work so far, keep it up.

Wesley Nichols writes...

You mentioned that other Gargoyles would join the Manhattan clan besides Katana, Nashville, Fu-Dog. Will we see these gargoyles soon? Also does the manhattan clan have enough Gargoyles for Atermis to have a mate by the time he reaches full adulthood?

Jordan writes...

Hey Greg,

I caught the spider-man premire and I have to say it was one of the best saturday mornings I've had in years. Congrats to you and your crew.

In the time between Gargoyles and Spider-man, how would say the overall process of creating an animated show has changed, for better or worse?

Chuck Logan writes...

Greg I have enjoyed reading the new gargoyles comics immensely. I have bought each issue along with the paperback edition. To find out when each issue is going to hit the stands I go to the SLG publishing website. You are a terrific storyteller, and I would love to see your take on the red tornado. The SLG website has a link posting their publishing schedule for certain comics. Does the DC website do the same? Will you let us know on AskGreg.com when these issues are supposed to hit the stand at our local comic book store? I get the same feeling from reading the comic book as I did from watching the show so many years ago. I will continue to buy anything having to do with the gargoyles universe in the hope that season two volume 2 is released and furthering the growth of the franchise. If buying other projects you work on will also help the gargoyles I will be right there showing my support.

chuck logan writes...

Saw the new Spider-Man series and I have some quick questions:
1. Why does Doc conners have a robot arm?
If he has a perfectly fuctioning macanical arm, that may work better then a real one, why is he in such a hurry to grow a new arm? With this macanical arm (unlike in the comics) his life and ability to function is not hindered like it would be without it. The machanical arm deflates his motivation and the urgency to experiment on himself. I understand his wanting a flesh and bone arm but with a wife and child and a perfecly good maybe better robo arm his motives come across purely selfish and even more unnessisary.

2. Why do all the characters have eyes like the children in those old marionette/claymation christmas specials? This is especilly distrubing on Peter Parker.
3. Why introduse eddie brock so eairly in the series and not marry jane? Both these characters came much later in spider-man's life.
Mary Jane The Amazing Spider-Man #42 November 1966 (full apperence) \
Eddie Brock Web of Spider-Man #18 (Sept. 1986 Venom)

4. There are a couple other things that bug me, those are the big ones. Aginst my better judgment I actully like the new look of Vulture and Electro. My only problem with Electro is he is basicly a mutent. I would like it better if he uesed the suite to as a means of power not a way of containing it. This way he can lead an outwordly norm life and look like any rondom guy on the street until it is time to strike. At the end of the episode electro shattered his helmet. I hope he dosen't get another one he lookes cooler without it.

The animation on Spider-man during the action sequeces is great.
Thank You, Thank, You Thank You for giving Peter Parker/Spider-Man web shooters.
Is it true Kingpin will not appear in this show?

Todd Jensen writes...

I saw the first two episodes of "The Spectacular Spider-Man" this morning, and enjoyed them. I immediately spotted a few of the elements that people have commented on here before me: the stone gargoyles in the first episode (knowing that you'd written that one, I wasn't at all surprised that they showed up), Keith David being cast as the mysterious boss determined to get rid of Spider-Man, and the way that Electro's accident evoked "Metamorphosis".

I'm looking forward to seeing the others - and I'm pleased that it's easy to follow for someone who (like me) has only a general familiarity with Spider-Man (though I got a few of the allusions, such as to Uncle Ben's death and the significance of lizards in Dr. Connors' lab). Congratulations.

Chuck Logan writes...

Greg I have enjoyed reading the new gargles comics immensely. I have bought each issue along with the paperback edition. To find out where each issue is going to hit the stance I go to the SLG publishing website. You are a terrific storyteller, and I would love to see your take on the red tornado. The SLG website has a link to that post their publishing schedule for certain comics. Does the DC website do the same? Will you let us know on AskGreg.com when these issues are supposed to hit the stand at our local comic book store? I get the same feeling from reading the comic book as I did from watching the show so many years ago. I will continue to buy anything having to do with the gargles universe in the hope that season two volume 2 is released and furthering the growth of the franchise. If buying other projects you work a lot and will also help the gargoyles. I will be right there showing my support.

You mentioned that the Red Tornado is one of your favorite characters. Would you explain why this particular character stands out in your mind and why you are excited about getting to write about this character.

Ricky writes...

Hey Greg,

This is my last question-posting, it'll be my third today, so I'll have filled my geekly quota!

I just (not two minutes ago) read about SLG switching formats to only putting out graphic novels. If the license is renewed, I think this could bode incredibly well for Gargoyles. Here are my thoughts on why:

1. Given the fact that a graphic novel is the same as a trade, and we got three complete stories in Clan-Building Vol 1, this would mean we would get a much larger helping of Gargoyles in one sitting. Whether it's an entire arc in one book, or one arc and the beginning of the next, or just a bunch of standalones, I think it would feel really satisfying, especially to those of us who crave Gargoyles like addicts.

2. Increased sales (which I'm sure appeals to everyone for a multitude of reasons). What happens a lot, which I'm sure you know but I'll say anyway, is that a lot of people by the individual issues and then don't by the trade, or people simply wait for the trade, which means lower sales for the issues. Releasing Gargoyles as a graphic novel and not as individual issues could mean that sales for the individual issues and the trade won't be sort of competing in that way.

3. No delays between individual issues and less delay between the completion of a story arc. Personally the delays don't bother me, I'd wait years if I had to for the next issue (I'd probably just run around like a chicken without a head). But I know that some people get discouraged and become uninterested as a result of them.

4. Less production costs. I'm assuming printing individual issues AND a trade would cost more than just producing graphic novels.

5. Hopefully less approval time from Disney. This might be a stretch, but I dunno… it's good to be hopeful.

6. Well, I'm sure there are plenty more reasons that my feeble little brain have yet to think of, but I'm sure someone else will, and you've probably thought of them all by now anyway.

Ok, so, now that I'm done with all my blabber, we can get to the actual questions.

1) You said in the past that you were unsure about whether or not the Gargoyles license will be renewed. Has there been any change, good or bad, that may have changed your feelings about that?

2) I read on a forum (yea, I know, not a very reliable source) that Dan Vado had stated that he planned to let every Disney license lapse except for Gargoyles. Do you know if there's any truth to this? Is it something he might have said in the past that may have changed? Or…is it just BS I read on a forum? 

3) Dumb question. Will you be discussing the possibility of Gargoyles continuing in this format before the final decision is made about the renewal of the license?

Ok, that's all for now. Sorry to take up so much of your time, I've just got a lot of things running through my head at once, and wanted to get them all out.

Thanks again for everything!

Demonskrye writes...

I'm really glad we're able to give you our feedback on "Spectacular Spider-Man". My husband and I watched it this morning. We're big Spidey fans - the kind with all the Essential volumes on a easily accessible bookshelf - so I'm sure you'll be pleased to hear that we both loved it. The "Cheeks" designs look great in animation and I'd even say this series looks better than any previous animated incarnation of Spider-Man. My husband got a kick out of seeing the Enforcers and we both really liked the takes on Liz Allen, Gwen Stacy, and Eddie Brock. Great buildup to the upcoming Lizard episode and nice subtle tease of the Sandman too. I was also impressed that we're two episodes in and there's no direct reference to Spidey's origin. I think by now it's fair to assume most viewers know what happened. I'm sure I won't be the first person to comment on the cameo by Hudson and a couple of Broadways (or was the other one Hollywood?)), but it was really fun.

So since I feel like I should ask a question, do I recall correctly that you mentioned reading "Untold Tales of Spider-Man" in a previous interview about the show? It's one of our favorite Spider-Man comics and we'd both be thrilled to see some aspects of it make their way into the show.

I know the show has been a lot of hard work for you and likely everyone else involved, but it looks like you're having a lot of fun too. Keep up the great work; it's paying off big time.

KingCobra_582 writes...

**SPOILERS**

Weeks of waiting, and it's finally here. Video-taped "The Spectacular Spider-man" this morning on Kids WB! (the only reason I would ever watch that channel) and thought I'd leave my two cents.

It has a lot of nice touches to it. Loved the brief, but still informative info on the characters. Peter's infamous spider-bite, etc. I figured the entire first episode would've been devoted to it, instead of a little scene. Nice to be proven wrong, for once.

Of course, I loved the little nods to 'Gargoyles'.

Recognized Robert Englund right off (having been watching Fred Kruger movies since I was 7 or 8, not to mention his other horror films over the years, how could I not?) and thought he was just spot-on as Vulture. Vulture is now on my growing list of favorite Spider-man characters, thanks to Robert's performance and your writing. I don't know much about the character in the comics, but in the series, I think you did Vulture justice. Hope I get to see him again!

Electro. Another great villain, and another character that I could get used to. Gotta feel sorry for the guy, thrown into a situation that he didn't ask for nor could do anything about. I am curious, though. Why, when Dr. Connors said he needed more time for a cure, did Electro rage "I don't have time!"? Was he dying? Did he have something that's now impossible to do? Or was he just being impatient? Curious...

Captivating show, Greg. Definitely can't wait for next week's episode.

Never used to be a Spiderman fan, but then the movies came out, which (Not as much on part 3, though I still liked it) made me like it a little. Now we have this show, and now I just want to start reading the comics. I think I'm on the path to full fledged-spidey geek.

Thanks for that. :)

Rachel N. writes...

Hi Greg!
I got the Clan-Building Vol 1 TPB, and I think it's really great! I especially loved the Introduction by Wendy Pini. This past summer I attended the 20th Anniversary fan convention for the Beauty and the Beast TV series (1987-1990) where I got to meet Wendy Pini in person (she was a special guest at the Con). She's terrific, and I like the fact that being both a BatB fan and Gargoyles fan, she wrote the intro to this Gargoyles TPB.
My question is: Did you contact Wendy and ask her to contribute, or was she the one who contacted you to say she'd like to contribute an intro to the TPB?

Jess writes...

Hey Greg! Just watched the premeire episodes of Spectacular Spider-Man, and I loved them! The scripts were tight as usual. I thought the way you used voice-overs for Peter was perfect. It didn't feel gimicky at all, and gave a lot of insight into Peter's thoughts. My favorite moment is during the fight with the Vulture, where Spidey's quipping away and then all of a sudden we hear "I can't let Harry lose his dad the way I lost Uncle Ben." Beautifully understated and very powerful.

The animation style took a little time to adjust too, but it grew on me, and IMO felt very fluid. Also, I noticed the Gargoyles that showed up during the opening shot and at the end of the first episode. Nice shout out.

I'll also add that the cast is very strong. Was it just me, or was Keith "Goliath" David the mysterious man on the phone?
I'm amused at find out that Josh Keaton and James Arnold Taylor have played each other's characters in various videogames, but both were great at the parts they won in the series.I was also very very happy to hear Crispin Freeman as Electro. I'm something of a fan, espicially since I just finished The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.

I can't wait 'til next week!

Ed Reynolds writes...

Hi Greg.

I love the trade. Wasn't sure what I'd make of the size, but it's actually great (and seeing the art large-format is a good incentive for people not to trade-wait, hopefully). Some of the writing looks a bit grainy on the inside front and back pages but otherwise the presentation is superb -- sleek and attractive, nice paper, and a lovely clear spine that can be read from the bookshelf. Thanks to Scott Saavedra and everyone else who made it happen.

Couple of questions about the future of the comic...

1. When will a decision on the lisence renewal be made?

2. Since SLG's announced that it's moving to mainly producing graphic novels, is it possible Gargoyles could continue in that format after #12? I'm enthusiastic for whatever format, but I can see a lot of positives in moving away from "floppies". (More accessible for newbies given the huge casts and complex plots; a less frequent release schedule might help fend off the perception that the comic's dogged by delays; infrequent comic-readers buying mail order would save on postage, etc.)

Lumpmoose writes...

Hey, I just saw the first 2 episodes of Spectacular Spider-Man and I thought they were fantastic. I found them very engaging, so the writing-on-multiple-levels thing is working great. I caught three Gargoyles references: Hudson at the beginning, Broadway crumbling in the middle, and the policewoman that had Elisa's hair and skin color. Did I miss any? ;)

I have only one technical question. Victor Cook said at the Comic-Con panel that the series was being produced in high definition. I was watching my local affiliate of CW in HD, but the show was in 4:3 pan and scan. All the publicity screenshots before the premiere were released in 16:9 widescreen, including one in an HD resolution: http://marvel.toonzone.net/specspidey/media/gallery/04.jpg

So it seems the HD content is there, but someone just didn't put in the right tapes, or something. Spidey was born to be in widescreen, HD, digital sound, etc. Is that something you can fix?

Thanks! Love the show so far!

Matt writes...

Before Thailog showed up at the Eyrie on Halloween, 1996, what was Goliath's reaction, if any, to Lexington's costume?

Aldrius writes...

Okay, there's my spider-man ramble. Now here's a question about Gargoyles.

One character who always intrigued me was Desdemona. Great design (I love her wings) and great voice. (The regal, but very tough tone of CCH Pounder was great.) But one thing that always bothered me was... well... she always just kinda struck me as a more moral Coldstone. She was well written, and she obviously served her purpose in the storyline, but to me, it was almost as if she wasn't meeting her potential. Often being stuck in Coldstone's head in the few episodes she was in. Which brings me to my question.

Now that Coldfire is free of Coldstone's brain, will we begin to see her in other arenas? Possibly interacting with other characters outside of her three brothers?

And as a side-question, would you mind if I posted some rambles on old episodes of Gargoyles or has that ship sailed?

Ricky writes...

I'm back!

Great first episodes, just as I expected! The Spectacular Spider-Man has totally lived up to all my geeky hopes and expectations.

A few questions about some things:
The gargoyle that fell off the building and smashed..was that Broadway? I'm limited to a plain old cable box, no tivo or DVR to rewind or rewatch.

Loved the Gargoyles references, whether they were just plain old gargoyle statues or our favorite Gargoyles characters, it's nice to see them stuck in whenever possible.

Keith David is great, I love having him as a part of this show, he could probably voice just about anything and make it interesting, compelling and just plain fun. Every time I hear him I can't help but think, "it's Goliath!"

Also, did I catch Jeff Bennett's voice in there, as one of the enforcers?

Anyway, keep up the great work and thanks again!

Aldrius writes...

Here's my ramble on the first two episodes of Spider-man. Sorry the ramble is kinda disjointed. I just wrote each thought as it occurred to me.

Okay, so by the intro we already have Keith David and Clancy Brown. I think that Keith David might be the Kingpin. Which I wouldn't mind at all. And the intros really cool. Looks like we're getting a black suited spider-man soon. Which I don't mind. Always liked the look of the black suit.

By the way, was that Hudson as one of the gargoyles at the beginning? Can't go 8 seconds without a gargoyles cameo, eh?

Just teasing.

Commercials suck.

Peter Parker's design is a little creepy...

I can't recognize May or Anna's voices.

I like Peter's characterization here. Thinks he's such a smooth operator. Is a huge nerd. That's our Peter Parker.

Wow. Three villains' alter-egos in the first episode. Norman Osbourn, Adrian Toomes, and Flint Marko. Not bad. Norman kinda reminds me of Xanatos a little bit. Which isn't a bad idea all things considered.

...Eek. Harry. That's kinda disappointing Maybe it'll change.

Phil LaMarr is the random jock friend of Flash. That's so great. "It's cool." I can tell I'm going to like you Mr. Jock Friend.

Oh man. I love Keith David. He plays every role he does so well. He's hilarious, heart-warming and cunning and all that. And we have Hammer Head here too. So I'm starting to wonder who he's playing. Still think it's the Kingpin.

Curt Connors now.

And oh... Lacey Chabert is Gwen Stacey, huh? That's not bad casting.

... and here's the Vulture.

GOD DAMMIT HARRY. HARRY. WTH IS WRONG WITH YOU!?

Norman is still pretty great. Reminds me a lot of what Wilhem did with it. The super-proud manipulative father.

And so we continue the Spider-man TAS trend of Osbourn pissing people off and getting kidnapped. What was that joke in Batman: The Animated Series? "Another super-villain provided by a fund from the Wayne Foundation"? Something like that anyway.

Dear god. That vulture is persistent. And now we have some random guys in a helicopter too. And more Jeff Bennett, which is always great.

"YOU WILL APOLOGIZE!"

...is that really all he wants? An apology? I kinda drifted out there for a second...

And Osbourn won't give it to him? What the hell?

This show is actually pretty funny.

Aunt May is useless Amazing Spider-man Aunt May. Guh! Curses! Hopefully that'll change eventually.

Oh no. Random mechanic. I wonder if he'll turn out to be a bad guy.

That would be a twist...

Curt Connors is an irresponsible father-figure! Damn him!

Haha. Aunt May, worse than the Green Goblin, Electro and Venom combined. "You're to be home by ten young man!!"

Oh no, random mechanic just was in a strange accident.

I wonder if he has superpowers now...

Oh shoot. I recognize the doctor's voice, is that the same actor who played Talon in Gargoyles?

The hospital even provides super-suits for their super-villains now. That's service!

Aha. Liz Allen.

Ah, this kinda reminds me of that Justice League villain who couldn't touch anyone.

Ah, the Superman cut. I like the jazzy spider-man theme. That's a really nice touch.

I like Electro... his design is cool, and his voice is kinda neat.

Ah, so next up is the Rhino... that could be interesting...

I think one thing that makes Greg such a great writer is that he puts depth where there really is none. This is all typical super-hero fare, but it's given a lot of life and energy by the writing.

And is that... oh shoot... the fellow who played Matt Bluestone as the cop? Tom Wilson. That's it. That's type-casting for you. Heh. Tom is great.

"We're all nerds. Join us!" The future is at hand.

Everyone's eyes creep the heck out of me...

Liz Allen's 'petey' bit is interesting.

Haha. Spider-man is an irritating bastard.

Electro seems a lot more powerful than the Vulture was.

Again, this show is actually really funny. The light-heartedness (that's a word, I swear) really comes across well.

Aunt May, I kinda hope she gets in on 'the secret' so to speak. Sooner rather than later.

Liz Allen... is that... Maria Canals?

Maybe wrecking the lab wasn't such a hot idea, Electro.

That was actually a really good hour I think. I like this series and I think it has 'marvelous potential'.

The spider-man's head in the sky thing is an interesting way to end each episode. I'm not sure if I like it or not.

Sorry if it sounds like I'm being snarky. I really love the show and what you're doing with the mythos. I snark because I like it.

All in all. Bravo.

Ricky writes...

Hey Greg,

Can't wait for The Spectacular Spider-Man, by the time you read this it will have already aired, and you'll probably have another message from me telling you how incredible it was. I'm a huge Spider-Man fan (and an even huger Gargoyles fan) and I know that with you behind the wheel, we're in for a great show.

That was more of a comment, so here's my question:

Any chance that you could give us an update on how things are going for:

a) Gargoyles #8 and Bag Guys #2, any updates on how things are coming along, whether they've been approved or approximately when we can expect them? Sorry to bug you about it but I'm just so excited to see where both new issues will take us.

b) Clan-Building Volume 1, did it sell well? I know I did my part, I bought 4, and I've reread it at least 20 times. It's nice to have them in a compact form, and I love the size of the book. I was expecting it to be about the size of the individual issues, but I was pleasantly surprised (it's the perfect size to read in class and not get caught :P).

I also bought two of the new t-shirt, so hopefully that'll help send Disney the message that we want more Gargoyles merchandise!

Thanks a lot for everything, it's so great to have Gargoyles to look forward to again. Here's to hoping for the Season 2, Volume 2 DVD, and the renewal of the license for the comics!

Anthony Tini writes...

Greg,

Based on the information you shared with us on Monday, February 11, 2008, I compiled the list below for my website. Would you say the list below is accurate on the potential release dates for the future comics of Gargoyles? If not, what dates should I change? Thank you.

March 2008
Gargoyles #8

April 2008
Bad Guys #2

May 2008
Gargoyles #9

June 2008
Bad Guys #3

July 2008
Gargoyles #10

August 2008
Bad Guys #4

September 2008
Gargoyles #11

October 2008
Bad Guys #5

November 2008
Gargoyles #12

December 2008
Bad Guys #6