Of course he's an animist, he's been working in animation for decades.

*roll on snare drum*
Friendly CIA Spook
Watching the watchmen who watch watchmen watching other watchmen
posted @ Fri, Feb 4, 2022 4:32:19 pm EST from 71.56.248.200

Well, I did not know Greg identified as an "animist" in real life. Interesting. Anyway, I would say Greg does as much diligence about representation issues as anyone can reasonably expect.

"New Olympians" was, I felt, an idea that had more potential than we saw in the episode. It was just too big an idea to introduce and cover in 22 minutes, so most of the New Olympians we met felt like one-dimensional stereotypes. Taurus was really the only one that had any depth. It's an example of a very common pattern in the World Tour, that of our heroes wandering into a conflict that isn't really about them (Elisa was targeted, but more as a symbol for preexisting factions to fight over). So it's not my favorite ep, but I'm sure I would have (will?) enjoyed the spin-off series

Also, learning that Brent Spiner's birthday is also Groundhog Day leads me to one inescapable conclusion:

Puck is the one who trapped Bill Murray in a time loop.
Jurgan - [jurgan6 at yahoo dot com]
posted @ Thu, Feb 3, 2022 5:22:45 pm EST from 98.48.124.192

Also Groundhog Day.

So if Claw sees his shadow these winter storms will persist.

Or whatever.
Friendly CIA Spook
By night, I fight crime as MK-Ultra Boy
posted @ Wed, Feb 2, 2022 11:01:07 pm EST from 71.56.248.200

On an unrelated note:

A happy birthday to our favorite trickster and our favorite atomic-powered superhero, Brent Spiner and Michael T. Weiss.
Matthew
When you return to your unobservable but empirically determined dimension of origin--tell them CARL SAGAN sent you.
posted @ Wed, Feb 2, 2022 9:28:52 pm EST from 64.85.245.77

Well that is certainly quite a...thing.

Unfortunately it seems like issue of representation will continue on, probably long after we're all gone as well. And while representation can and must progress further I think it's only fair that we also reflect on the progress made.

I remember a time especially after the Cold War, that the only representation Middle Eastern Muslims could have were that of terrorists (or victims of Islamic extremists). And that only got worse post-9/11; there was simply too much negativity from the media (and it certainly wasn't helped by a growing jingoism) to properly represent such a vast and diverse culture.

But we can't set aside the progress that has been made, not the big leaps nor the small steps. While we live in social world where complaints can be elevated over criticisms or critiques, that in no way makes those complaints more important than the efforts to do right in how we depict people of other faiths and creeds.
Matthew
When you return to your unobservable but empirically determined dimension of origin--tell them CARL SAGAN sent you.
posted @ Wed, Feb 2, 2022 9:17:38 pm EST from 64.85.245.77

Anonymous - I appreciate that. But we have rules at ASK GREG, and the poster didn't break any of the rules. Beyond that - foolish or not - I felt the need to respond. So I did here: https://www.s8.org/gargoyles/askgreg/search.php?rid=1239
Greg Weisman
posted @ Wed, Feb 2, 2022 7:48:10 pm EST from 70.227.91.143

Oh, I didn't expect you to be here. Sorry for my language, but that really grinded my gears.

Mr. Weisman, you don't deserve being treated like that. Don't you think you already get enough disrespect on Twitter? That "question" is not even constructive. It comes from a place of arrogance, self-righteousness and bile.

I hate how "cis white male" is use to dismiss and discredit their voice on LGBT or POC matters.

If you dignify that attack with an answer, it will only validate their self-entitlement and fuel it. Because they won't accept whatever answer you give. They don't want explanations or apologies; they want power over you. That's why it's pointless apologizing to Cancel Culture. It never works. Ignoring them is the best thing to do, because they'll tire and move on to the next target.

You've been giving out prime content for years. You deserve more respect.
Anonymous
posted @ Wed, Feb 2, 2022 2:14:47 pm EST from 37.19.211.23

Anonymous - I don't want it to be deleted.
Greg Weisman
posted @ Wed, Feb 2, 2022 1:50:48 pm EST from 70.227.91.143

https://www.s8.org/gargoyles/askgreg/search.php?qid=26496

This cunt is going to be deleted, right? It's not a question. It's a veiled attack.
Anonymous
posted @ Wed, Feb 2, 2022 12:21:32 pm EST from 37.19.211.75

Since today starts the Year of the Tiger, we should probably give a nod to Claw.
Todd Jensen
posted @ Tue, Feb 1, 2022 6:46:11 pm EST from 70.176.217.135

I think Kirby was fascinated with the concept of a secret, mythological sort of "wainscotting society" living alongside human beings. He used that in both Inhumans and Eternals, a little bit in New Gods and maybe even Thor, plus a few of his more minor creations (including, I believe, Fantastic Four villains Salem's Seven and even Klarion the Witch Boy, who supposedly came from "Witch World").

Unfortunately, most of these creations don't seem to have gotten too much attention in Kirby's lifetime. Of course the only New Gods character who's widely recognized is Darkseid. And the Inhumans pop up occasionally but rarely helmed their own book (even in modern times, they've mostly been retooled to be an adaptation-friendly X-Men stand-in). So even if someone tries to go into depth on their society, those stories always seem to lose momentum before they go anywhere. The effect of which is, appropriately enough, the relationship between Attilan and normal humanity is logically building up to something spinoffworthy that never actually gets here.

As an aside I'm fairly certain "The New Olympians" was the first Gargoyles episode I ever saw.
Friendly CIA Spook
There are wheels within wheels, trusted friends
posted @ Mon, Jan 31, 2022 10:19:38 am EST from 71.56.248.200

Thanks for your post on the New Olympians, Matthew. I'm not familiar with the Inhumans, but I thought you gave a good point on the strengths of the New Olympians concept - the focus on the different factions and their goals.

I*d sometimes thought that one potential drawback to the New Olympians in "Gargoyles" was that they seemed at first a little too close to the gargoyles concept - a second intelligent non-human (though, unlike the gargoyles, they apparently had some human ancestry) people who were feared and hunted by humans, who were forced into hiding, and who inspired many myths and legends among humanity. Then I realized one important distinction. The gargoyles, from the humans' perspective, are simply strange creatures; most of the humans don't even realize that the gargoyles are intelligent beings. (As I've mentioned here before, the gargoyles' being revealed to the world would seem more like Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster turning out to be real than like a human minority group moving into the neighborhood.) But the New Olympians reveal themselves to the world in a manner that right away makes it clear that they are an intelligent people - that it's more a "First Contact" scenario (only they're as native to Earth as humans are), and leads to open political interaction rather than simply hiding in the shadows and patrolling the city at night.
Todd Jensen
posted @ Mon, Jan 31, 2022 8:35:00 am EST from 70.176.217.135

So I've been thinking a lot about The New Olympians and how very Jack Kirby they felt. Now checking Greg's Rambles, he makes it clear that Kirby was a big influence especially the Inhumans.

One thing I think the New Olympians have over the Inhumans is that the planned political factions: the isolationists, the diplomats and the conquerors, offer a much broader range of storytelling than the "Good guys being Black Bolt's entourage and the bad guys being Maximus and whoever he ropes into his schemes." And that's not even getting into the New Olympus Clan and where they fall in the conflict. There's so little we know about them in terms of appearance, size and relationship with the New Olympians that they could easily be a wild card in the conflict.

And the protagonists coming from all walks of life feels so much more...I don't know personal than what's usually the internal squabbles of the Inhuman Royal family. Because the conflict involves nearly all the inhabitants, like the X-Men it's easy to imagine your own place within this mythical society and how human, or inhuman you'd appear. Honestly, I'm half-tempted to share my own original characters and where they lie in the conflict, especially after reading The Age of Gargoyles.
Matthew
When you return to your unobservable but empirically determined dimension of origin--tell them CARL SAGAN sent you.
posted @ Mon, Jan 31, 2022 2:25:10 am EST from 64.85.245.77

... fiiiiirst?
Friendly CIA Spook
There are wheels within wheels, trusted friends
posted @ Mon, Jan 31, 2022 1:29:26 am EST from 71.56.248.200