Phoenician writes...

I'm a little late posting this three-year anniversary review for "Idyll or Nightmare" to the Ask Greg queue, but that's kind of fitting since we saw the digital release arrive a week before the physical. This also marks the first time I wrote something in the S8 Comment Room during the time of the comic's release, but it is admittedly not much. So I'll first post those S8 thoughts from 2023 before jotting down my observations revisiting the issue. To add to the temporal displacement, I've no idea when you'll read this, but (at the time of this post) it is being submitted a week away from the release of the first issue of the Gargoyles Meets Darkwing Duck crossover, which I suspect will be all sorts of zany fun. Okay, enough delay -- on with the show.

From 2023:
My digital copy of Gargoyles #2, "Idyll or Nightmare" has been corrected, with no action needed on my part it seems. I just refreshed the page just a moment ago, and yay. :)

Will be picking up my physical copies tomorrow. Won't be hunting for as many covers as #1, but I am keen to find the G Cover by George Kambadais that's been admired by others here d:

As for the current issue, Bako working double and potentially cast as Antoinette Dracon is certainly intriguing. I'm recalling her cold dismissal to the thugs in "M.I.A" as tonal reference.

We now return to 2026, where rereading this issue highlighted a few details I might have forgotten, but more likely must have never noticed in the first place. But no worries, that is one of the joys of revisiting these stories.

I do recall this was the first issue where we began to notice George Kambadais's enthusiasm for double splash pages, which given how kinetic his style is, really serves his art well.

Like many fans in the comment room, I loved discovering/confirming that the rookery was moved with Castle Wyvern to the top of the Eyrie Building. I also loved Bronx and Fu-Dog there protecting Egwardo, and yet I can't help but be distracted just a bit, wondering about that iconic glowing moss stuff lighting up the rookery.

Speaking of Egwardo, Katana learning it was a joke name that Brooklyn came up with was not only well-drawn, but a well-timed moment, panel-wise. I can practically pace the comedic beat as if it were animated (especially the "Don't count on it" follow-up).

First time I noticed Dr. Sato's glasses have fallen off while he and everyone else in the Labyrinth was gassed unconscious.

Also the first time that I noticed that Antoinette refers to Pal Joey by his full name. But not exclusively; she throws it at him like he's a toddler in trouble, lol.

I had the joy to watch the non-canon "Religious Studies 101: A Handful of Thorns" at the last Gathering in 2009, and caught the little hint about what Dominic Dracon's been up to since "The Silver Falcon". Still, I was delighted to see, canonically, that not only has Dominic been dotty since he found his marbles, but -- once in the limo -- that it might have been all been an act to enjoy the 'comforts' of Bellevue (compared to Rikers or Sing Sing, anyways). I'm sticking with 'might' because future issues have me wonder if ol' DD is in fact slipping a little bit (or if he's acting even amongst his family). But that's a musing for another day.

Looking at my thoughts from three years back, perhaps Brigitte Bako was on the mind is because Angela was also narrating this issue. Of course, Antoinette's "Stop calling me Toni!" is just admittedly reminiscent of Angela's reaction to the Trio in "Turf".

Mary's another returning face, and it's great to see her (evidently) as a colleague of Doctor Sato's. I'm not expecting revelations here, so I'll just note my eagerness to one day learn about her (to borrow from her son, Tom) "long and strange" tale of arriving and adjusting to the 20th Century.

I love how Delilah was there for Maggie until dawn arrived, and even as stone, was still looking out for the mom-to-be. Hmmmm, and now I I just noticed it was Shari to share that Mary's gone too . . . and offering the notion to Talon that the kidnapper must want Maggie safe if they are also abducting the midwife. That won't be enough to calm him down before confronting Thailog, of course. Of course, Talon's not (yet) off to confront Thailog, but his usual suspect, Xanatos.

Tony and Antoinette is a dynamic I wish we not only had in the original series, but more of in the comic as well. Perhaps in future issues!

Mary and Anton Sevarius is another dynamic that I would love to see more of -- rarely do we see the good doctor rattled, hehehehe.

And then we end the issue with a little more dramatic irony. It doesn't help matters that innocent Xanatos sounds identical as guilty Xanatos, because he's so often cool and collected. Because sure, we readers know Thailog's been behind this plot since last issue, but Talon and the others don't.

At least for a little while longer.

Until next issue! In the meantime, I eagerly look forward to what 2026 will bring to the Gargoyles Universe. :D