Ed: Thanks for the feedback. I'm still really rusty when it comes to the voices/acting, but I'm getting back in the swing of it. I used to do a lot of voice over way back when but I fell off doing it for personal reasons. I'm really nervous about crossing a line with copyright/fair use. So I'm hesitant to do any more sound design than just putting in my voice without sound effects or music.
Alex (Aldrius)
posted @ Sun, Apr 23, 2023 10:06:36 pm EDT from 70.27.162.19

Something about it made me think of a hornless relative of a triceratops.
Todd Jensen
posted @ Sun, Apr 23, 2023 8:39:13 pm EDT from 174.72.60.154

I wonder if that's a Scottish trait.
Matthew
Ain't nothing crazy 'bout me but my brain!
posted @ Sun, Apr 23, 2023 6:27:34 pm EDT from 64.85.245.77

I wouldn't say dinosaur-ish. More lizard-like. At least to my eyes.

Interesting to me that none of the Wyvern beasts have hair. At least, none we've seen yet.
Matt
"Well, I'm back..." -Samwise Gamgee, Lord of the Rings
posted @ Sun, Apr 23, 2023 3:55:07 pm EDT from 24.107.111.141

The Gargoyles News page on Twitter showed a piece of "concept art" for "Dark Ages", including one of the pre-Bronx gargoyle beasts, who has a fierce, almost dinosaurish look.
Todd Jensen
posted @ Sun, Apr 23, 2023 10:00:25 am EDT from 174.72.60.154

Can't believe I forgot the cave artwork - yes, that's one of the longest-running mysteries in many ways since it was really intriguing in Season 1 and wasn't addressed through the whole of Season 2.

Matthew: Yes, I'd love to see Greg's take on the time of the Beaker people.
Ed
posted @ Sun, Apr 23, 2023 8:46:18 am EDT from 86.140.47.50

Actually, the megaliths of Britain pre-dated the Druids (the notion that they built the great stone circles such as Stonehenge seems to have arisen because they were the only pre-Roman inhabitants of Britain whom people knew much about). But, yes, the Megalith Dance was probably built in that era - with the big question of why it was built in a cave, when all the other megaliths were raised above ground.
Todd Jensen
posted @ Sun, Apr 23, 2023 8:40:21 am EDT from 174.72.60.154

I always wondered if the caves and the megalith dance had something to do with the Scottish druids. It's not something that gets discussed a lot, the history of the UK before the Romans. Or maybe it does have something to do with the Third Race or the Lost Race.
Matthew
Ain't nothing crazy 'bout me but my brain!
posted @ Sat, Apr 22, 2023 11:58:57 pm EDT from 64.85.245.77

The cave itself has an additional mystery; those weird cravings on the walls. We know that one of them must have been made by the Archmage - the one of him striking down the gargoyles - but I have the impression that the rest of them predated him. Who carved them? (I'm tempted to speculate that they have some link to the Lost Race, but that's just a speculation at present.)
Todd Jensen
posted @ Sat, Apr 22, 2023 9:35:54 am EDT from 174.72.60.154

Todd: Oh yes, that'll be interesting to see. Also, and perhaps this is just me being a bit dim, but I don't feel like we've fully understood the Megalith Dance. We know it's another incarnation of The Rock but who/what it is, its powers, its relationship with the Archmage and with Wyvern generally... I feel all of these are on the table.

Craig: I'd assume the CBS pitch but you're right, it could be either.

Alex: Good podcast again - hadn't noticed that about George Kambadais' name (which is embarrassing because I'm sure the team would have pronounced it on the Voices from the Eyrie podcast).

Phoenician: Great spot, thanks.
Ed
posted @ Sat, Apr 22, 2023 5:29:24 am EDT from 86.140.47.50

Might be called Dark Ages, but this comic is going to very much be in color . . .

https://twitter.com/drew_moss/status/1649155962484187136
Phoenician
Gus: "I always forget you're there." Hooty: "I forget I'm here toooooo."
posted @ Sat, Apr 22, 2023 12:41:06 am EDT from 68.2.64.232

Super pumped about Dark Ages! I've always wanted to see more history from the Wyvern Clan, more young Demona, I also *love* Demona and Goliath as a duo. They're just so attractive and cool as a duo.

Incidentally I did a new episode for my podcast. It's about 17 minutes, so it's not too long. I do a quick read through of the comic with character voices and then a brief review.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Y9CV03H97hYGNMkGnYdVv?si=ef1a55fe56784a2d on Spotify, YouTube link I'll upload later on the weekend. (Let me know if you need another service, I think it's up on everything but itunes)

I'm going to do the third issue in 2 weeks then I'll take a break from Gargoyles and do something else for a bit because I want to put some space between the comic issue releases and the podcast recordings.

For Antoinette Dracon I decided to basically do her as Marisa Tomei from My Cousin Vinnie. It's kinda hard to make all the female characters sound distinct but I think I did. Katana I based on a really soft version of Tom Wyner.
Alex (Aldrius)
posted @ Fri, Apr 21, 2023 9:39:20 pm EDT from 70.27.162.19

I wonder if the "pitch artwork" variant covers for Dark Ages will be from the Dark Ages TV show pitch to CBS, or artwork we've previously seen from the Gargoyles main series pitch (much of which could work quite well with the Dark Ages theme). I'm hoping for the former, but I'd still buy the latter.
Craig
posted @ Fri, Apr 21, 2023 8:10:28 pm EDT from 63.143.200.203

Nice blog. Keep up the good work.

https://accountantswinnipeg.net
builder16
posted @ Fri, Apr 21, 2023 10:55:03 am EDT from 120.29.76.109

One other element I'd rather like to see explored in "Dark Ages"; Greg once mentioned that there were the ruins of an earlier castle at Wyvern Hill when Prince Malcolm first met the clan - ruins that served as the starting point for the familiar Castle Wyvern. I'm curious about that earlier castle, and hope that we get a few hints about its story, at least.
Todd Jensen
posted @ Fri, Apr 21, 2023 9:25:10 am EDT from 174.72.60.154

I mean besides having enough of the cast we know in a different context and getting to see more of the clan back then, I do consume some stuff with the trappings of the time period (if not the most accurate*).

So yeah looking forward to it. Especially hoping we to the point someday of seeing Vows from the 975 AD side so to speak.

*The Dragon Quest games being the most prominent.
Antiyonder
posted @ Fri, Apr 21, 2023 3:27:45 am EDT from 71.84.183.196

This attached article mentions pitch artwork from the show being a variant cover - very cool.

Jurgan: The fact it's a mini-series makes other spin-offs more likely which is good (although being greedy I'd love to see the day where the comic does so well that Greg can move to full-time scripting Gargoyles universe books and we get multiple concurrent series, though I expect he may not want to step away from television as I assume it's pretty hard to get back if you leave the loop). But I disagree about lack of material.

With 23 years, dozens of gargoyles and multiple Scottish clans, my only regret is that it will be impossible to cover more than a fraction of this content in the equivalent of one television episode per quarter, even if the series were made ongoing (and I think it's a great candidate for an ongoing). There's Hudson's mate, the fate of Elena and Malcolm, we still don't know if "by the dragon" is a seed for an actual adventure, we know very little about the other Scottish clans, let alone the English clans of the era. Then there's the Illuminati, the Archmage and Duval - plus inevitably new villains - Scotland isn't short of monster myths. What about the Children of Oberon? The Lost Race? And it will add so much to the clan to see the Trio's siblings, Hudson's rookery parents, Demona's steps into darkness... And I think the scope could be way broader than just Wyvern - Elena's family takes us to France at least, a time dancing Brooklyn could well visit at some point in the run and all that's before you consider flashbacks to earlier points still which, given the gargoyles' slower ageing, could take us back through the 800s.

Even if DA only had enough material for 13 television episodes, that would be over four years of monthly comics, and since it's Greg he's probably got scores of DA stories in his brain, probably ranked in order of importance.
Ed
posted @ Fri, Apr 21, 2023 1:32:14 am EDT from 86.140.47.50

I'm happy to see Dark Ages is a mini-series. I think there are a few good stories there, but I feel like there wouldn't be enough material for an ongoing. Anything is possible, but it feels like the prequel series would necessarily be smaller since it would focus on Wyvern.
Jurgan - [jurgan6 at yahoo dot com]
posted @ Fri, Apr 21, 2023 1:05:32 am EDT from 69.247.67.113

Curiously, Drew Moss also appears to be the fill-in artist on #8 (link). I was really hoping we'd get a clean sweep with George Kambadais for this arc but if it helps keep the schedule it's all good and it'll dovetail nicely into 'Dark Ages'.
Ed
posted @ Fri, Apr 21, 2023 12:14:57 am EDT from 86.140.47.50

Craig: Yes, to be clear, I'm sure they'll include the term Gargoyles but 'Bad Guys' had Gargoyles smaller whereas here it looks more like an arc title than a spin-off name. I think you're right though that this will be the format they'll use even for spin-offs going forward though and frankly that's fine by me if it increases sales which it probably will because, as you say, of brand recognition.

I take traditional to be non-electronic - pencil and India ink I'm guessing. Looks good.

And if it helps balance statistics out in terms of favourite spin-offs, Dark Ages is... well, to be honest, I'm not sure there's a cigarette paper to put between most of them as all corners of the universe are interesting to me but I guess if there's an order it's something like 'Timedancer' and 'Pendragon' then 'Dark Ages' and '2198'. However, given how great the Scottish history stories have been, there's good reason to think that this spin-off is going to be a very big deal indeed, even by the comic's lofty standards.

Todd: (Cover) Good point if it was deliberate although it feels a bit of an eerie thing to foreshadow in a scene of children playing.
Ed
posted @ Fri, Apr 21, 2023 12:09:41 am EDT from 86.140.47.50

Oh, and about the cover displaying the younger version of the trio.

Brooklyn's helmet is tipped over one eye, and I wondered if that might have been intended as foreshadowing. Then I checked the character design for post-Timedancer Brooklyn, and his eyepatch goes over his left eye, while the helmet that "Dark Ages" Brooklyn's wearing tilts over his right eye. So it's probably a coincidence.
Todd Jensen
posted @ Thu, Apr 20, 2023 9:03:08 pm EDT from 174.72.60.154

Thanks for stopping by, Bishansky. It's great to have you back.

Apparently they're going to link up to the regular series by having the opening page being Hudson in present-day Manhattan recalling the events in 10th century Scotland, which then leads into the "Dark Ages" story itself. That strikes me as a great way to open the spin-off.

And I got a smile at the cover featuring the younger edition of the trio.
Todd Jensen
posted @ Thu, Apr 20, 2023 7:49:46 pm EDT from 174.72.60.154

Antiyonder: Next week. :)

Logo and Fonts: It was Gargoyles: Bad Guys, but the words "Bad Guys" were fonted differently (though I do recall some low rez early preview for the cover of "Strangers" had the entire title written in the main series font).
Phoenician
Gus: "I always forget you're there." Hooty: "I forget I'm here toooooo."
posted @ Thu, Apr 20, 2023 7:32:17 pm EDT from 72.216.220.229

Just to be sure, Gargoyles #5 isn't out this week, right?
Antiyonder
posted @ Thu, Apr 20, 2023 7:22:13 pm EDT from 107.77.212.236

Ed > I could see them continuing to use the Gargoyles logo on future spin off covers (God willing) as a matter of brand recognition. They used it on Bad Guys, which only had one main character who was a gargoyle (and incidental appearances by the Japanese clan and Demona). I suppose they could alternately use a "From the world of Gargoyles" type tagline on the covers, but especially if the main book is selling well, they'll probably want to have that Gargoyles logo pretty prominent on all spinoffs, especially since casual readers aren't going to be aware of a connection.

Does anyone know what Moss means when he says he tried to do the art "traditionally"? Does he mean drawing and inking by hand, as opposed to on a computer program? I agree that the art looks great, and I expect it to be B&W based on these pages. They seem very much designed to be contrast-y with a lot of solid blacks.

It's funny how the reaction to this news here and on reddit seems pretty evenly split between "Dark Ages is the spin off I was most excited about" and "Dark Ages is the spin off I was least excited about." I'm definitely in the former camp. I love Hudson, love the mythology, and love the moodiness of the Scottish landscape. This sampling of the art has me all the more excited.
Craig
posted @ Thu, Apr 20, 2023 7:13:16 pm EDT from 63.143.204.130

B> Which Black/Green deck from Magic are you referring to? The Golgari from Ravnica are all about the cycle of life, death and rebirth (though they do tend to change depending on who's in control).

The other big use of the color combo is Witherbloom from Strixhaven and they're all about finding the balance between life and death.
Matthew
Ain't nothing crazy 'bout me but my brain!
posted @ Thu, Apr 20, 2023 5:20:27 pm EDT from 64.85.245.77

Oops. I meant to say that Belos instantly saying "What have they done?" Is my speculation on what his thoughts were.
Antiyonder
posted @ Thu, Apr 20, 2023 4:44:26 pm EDT from 71.84.183.196

Incidentally when it comes to how Demona and Jon Canmore can be parallels to Belos, I the TOH villain himself differs mainly by the likeliness that once he killed Caleb, his take is "What have they done?" VS Demona and Jon's "What have I...? What have they done?".

Todd Jensen> On the note of what The Ghost and Molly McGee has in store, you think they're leading to Scratch [SPOILER] being revealed as a wraith and his body still being alive is the mayor's aide (Guy who looks like Scratch) [/SPOILER]?
Antiyonder
posted @ Thu, Apr 20, 2023 4:43:15 pm EDT from 71.84.183.196

Yes, B5 is great. The first season seems like it’s quite disconnected but it’s actually very tight and the juice is worth the squeeze as Vince Gilligan says.

Craig: Good points.

Greg: Superb - thank you!


Interesting. Very interesting.

Loads of striking things in this article:

- Stories are 4 pages, confirmed. Spot illustration suggest it’ll be mostly text so these feel like they’ll be more substantial than what we've already read. Excellent.

- A few of things that confuse me a bit. The UK digital version is listed at the same price as GARGOYLES #7 but these covers say $4.99 so a $ more than the mainline books? If the prose stories are ‘complementary’ and 4 pages. I’m a little confused as to what the 40 pages and the price is actually for. I mean, it’s not going to stop me buying a bunch of copies, I just can’t quite work out the rationale . Lower print run so it’s more expensive to produce? Or just a canary down the mine for an inflation-related cover price bump? Surely not just the card stock cover?

- The logo is kind of obvious but still cool. I do think ‘Dark Ages’ makes so much sense as a first spin-off because it’s the same cast largely - we’re not travelling to some outer edge of the GU but gradually baby-stepping out. These covers really emphasise that and that’s terrific. (Although hopefully of course we do take those broader steps out in due course. Difficult to imagine other spin-offs being able to foreground “Gargoyles” over the spin-off title, especially the Heroes of Ulster one which may not even have gargoyles in the lead cast.)

- Greg talks about pitching a few things but since we know this was the story he wanted to do next in the 00s, I’m unsurprised it’s back here. I do wonder though if Dynamite and Disney will have stronger views on spin-offs in the future if there are any.

- Also surprising that I see no reference to colour and of course no colourist is listed. I hadn’t expected any books in B&W but ‘Dark Ages’ could absolutely rock it and those are some beautiful inks. But the price point does suggest it’ll be colour. It could just be that Drew Moss will digitally colour over his inks but that’s a lot of darks.

- Although pleasing, I’m slightly surprised that Disney allowed preview art to be released before they’d cleared it. I thought they might be more controlling over stuff like that.

- Excited to see the wide array of digital platforms. When I was struggling with Amazon to get #2-4 digitally, it was frustrating that Dynamite especially didn’t have their own series up.

Great article.
Ed
posted @ Thu, Apr 20, 2023 3:17:37 pm EDT from 86.140.47.50

I haven't posted here in what feels like forever.

But I thought that I should drop this off: https://www.comicsbeat.com/dynamite-announces-gargoyles-dark-ages-miniseries/

It's great to see so much "Gargoyles" discussion again.
Greg Bishansky - [<----- Voices from the Eyrie - Gargoyles Podcast]
https://spidey-dude.com/category/podcasts/voices-podcast/
posted @ Thu, Apr 20, 2023 2:32:50 pm EDT from 67.189.167.107

Phoenician> Incidentally, the Bird Tube himself will be the curator of the museum shown in the blueprints.

History with Hooty.:-D
Antiyonder
posted @ Thu, Apr 20, 2023 1:49:54 pm EDT from 71.84.183.196

Dark Ages: Always ecstatic for new canon, and I do appreciate the perspective shared here that we are on track to matching the amount of issues in just one year with Dynamite as we had in the three year (38-odd months) SLG run. I was not expecting bonus material in the form of a "new illustrated text story" with this spin-off, and "Once Upon a Time There Were Three Brothers..." does seem the likeliest suspect for this additional content, but even if that is the case, I can't wait to see the transition from canon-in-training to canon. :--)

I know its mentioned there will be cardstock covers, but you gotta wonder what the variant game will be for this series d:

B - I have finished the main run of Babylon 5 and have seen all the television movies except for A Call to Arms. Legend of the Rangers, Lost Tales, and Crusade are also on my to-watch list. Given that its original run took several years, I've been taking my time, not wanting to finish it all on a binge or marathon sweep. I was sad to see it leave HBO Max sometime last year, but I've purchased a copy of the DVDs well before they disappeared. From what I have watched, I can't recommend it enough.

Owl House . . . I may have bought a certain plushie Owl-worm-demon pillow. Thought many of you might appreciate that splurge, lol.
Phoenician
Gus: "I always forget you're there." Hooty: "I forget I'm here toooooo."
posted @ Thu, Apr 20, 2023 12:50:43 pm EDT from 72.216.220.229

Babylon 5 has been on my “shows to watch” list for many years, but I’ve never gotten around to it.
Jurgan
posted @ Thu, Apr 20, 2023 11:32:51 am EDT from 69.247.67.113

*making people so hopeless
B
B
posted @ Thu, Apr 20, 2023 10:42:57 am EDT from 74.74.246.146

Jurgan> Dark Ages was the one I was least excited about, too (since we know how it ends), but that's only in comparison. The ones I'm most interested in seeing are 2198 and The New Olympians, which are more fleshed out, and also Heroes of Ulster and Pendragon since we have the least idea what the heroes of those two will be getting up to (in the former case, what the conflicts will be and in the latter case, where they'll adventure to in their quest towards Merlin and New Camelot). TimeDancer can provide an indefinite wealth of story material, and I'm curious about Caliban's role in it and how he's evolved since the events of "The Tempest".

Thanks for that insightful review of the Outsiders season! I would add that in the comics, the Anti-Life Equation is often depicted as making so hopeless they give up on making their own decisions. Vandal Savage very much reminds me of the philosophy of the Shadows from Babylon 5 (or a particularly nasty Green-Black dual-color combo deck in Magic: The Gathering with the Nature plus Social Darwinism). Is everyone here familiar with Babylon 5?
B
B
posted @ Thu, Apr 20, 2023 10:42:25 am EDT from 74.74.246.146

MASTERDRAMON - Thanks for the information. Downloading that will have to wait, though; I've an older computer which will probably need to be replaced soon; it's old enough that its browser is having difficulties getting updated.

I rewatched "Deadly Force" on DVD last evening. I took a closer look at Owen's scenes in it, after noting in the "Voices From the Eyrie" podcast discussing that episode that he might have been manipulating Goliath into helping to recover the stolen guns - and the way he spoke to the gargoyles about how getting them off the street was important to Elisa does fit that. (Though the plan wound up backfiring in a very big way, of course.) Of course, it feels all the more worth watching with the role the Dracon family's playing in the Dynamite comic.

I was curious to see how my cat Zoey would respond to Cagney, since my previous two cats (Merlin and Obie) had both sat up when Cagney meowed in this episode; this is the first time I've watched a "Gargoyles" episode featuring Cagney since adopting her. However, she didn't seem to notice, though she later on sat next to me in my armchair - after the scenes in Elisa's apartment. (When I told Greg Weisman about my first two cats' response to Cagney, he replied that none of his cats ever noticed Cagney - and none of his dogs ever paid attention to Bronx, either.)
Todd Jensen
posted @ Thu, Apr 20, 2023 8:39:18 am EDT from 174.72.60.154

Ed > I agree that 8pp. of text material per issue seems unlikely (but would be awesome!). It's possible that they're including the covers in the page count of 40 pages (front/back inner/outer), which is something the industry sometimes does. So that would mean the issues would only be four pages longer than the Gargoyles issues, which seems more realistic.

Either way, just the idea of seeing "Once Upon a Time..." in official, printed form on a physical page (with illustrations) is so cool and exciting. I could not be more amped for this.
Craig
posted @ Thu, Apr 20, 2023 12:26:17 am EDT from 63.143.202.52

Interesting. I had got used to thinking of "Once Upon A Time..." as "complete" insofar as it set up the beginning of 'Dark Ages' so it hadn't occurred to me that it might actually be continued in prose. I think I'd want to see the alliance of Hudson and Malcolm in comic form for preference as it's such a formative moment, although if the comic takes place non-sequentially across the DA period, you could imagine the comic and prose stories dovetailing - maybe four issues of Brothers back-ups and then #5's comic takes place in 971. But yes, an expansion/development of that story would be awesome - it's easily my favourite of all Greg's prose/playscript canon-in-training works if only because it adds so much to the background of this world.

(Incidentally, I realise that I've just assumed this is a six-issue series but actually it doesn't say that anywhere. Seems a safe bet, I guess though.)

Craig: Most comics are 22 pages and have been for years. I seem to recall there was a short period where companies tried getting away with 20. Even in the 00s, I remember thinking that SLG was an outlier in giving us an "extra" 2 pages. I guess the logic or justification is that there are on average 21-22 workdays a month and many artists complete a page a day. Obviously it saves money too but I can't blame Dynamite on this one when it's been an industry standard for decades.

Good spot about the 8 pages - doesn't necessarily mean the stories will be 8 pages but does suggest it. In which case, even allowing for illustrations, I'd imagine these would be a good bit more substantial than the Ask Greg excerpts. Which would be amazing although purely in the interests of expectations-management I'm going to go in assume that the major part of these prose elements won't be new to us (simply because Greg's been relatively prolific with DA on Ask Greg and it makes sense to draw from those first) - anything new is a bonus.
Ed
posted @ Thu, Apr 20, 2023 12:11:23 am EDT from 86.140.47.50

JURGAN: Agreed, that's a fantastic piece of analysis. It's unfortunate that Kirby's vision of a planet embodying tyranny and hopelessness remains perennially relevant in our modern world. See also how G. Gordon Godfrey evolves from Billy Graham as his original antecedent to Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson, Glenn Beck, etc. in the YJ incarnation, without ultimately changing much at all in terms of characterization - because the times may change, but bull**** artists still gonna bull****.

TODD: Kindle is both a piece of hardware (the e-reader device you're probably thinking of) AND a piece of software. The Kindle app can be downloaded on a number of devices to allow you to read anything you've purchased digitally from Amazon, including smartphones, tablets, and "regular" computers. Indeed, that's how I'm reading the comic myself: the Kindle app on my laptop.

If that's something you may be interested in, you can download it for free by going to this link and clicking the "Download for PC & Mac" button:

https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/storefront?storeType=browse&node=154606011

Anywho, I didn't have time before work to do more than drop the link in here, but...YOWZA! I'm beyond excited to see the first announcement of one of the spinoffs through Dynamite, and I'm crossing all my fingers, toes, and wings that it won't be the last.

Seconding everything Matt said. What a time to be a fan indeed.
Masterdramon - [kmc12009 at mymail dot pomona dot edu]
"It can be a hobby, or really, anything else, but I love when people have fun doing what they love. It’s like they’re sparkling." - Marin Kitagawa
posted @ Thu, Apr 20, 2023 12:04:39 am EDT from 98.150.138.224

Same here, Todd. I was always thrilled to get an episode like "Long Way to Morning" that gave us more glimpses into that era, and I've been dying for a continuation to "Three Brothers," which I loved. It's so exciting to have a full series set in that period.
Craig
posted @ Wed, Apr 19, 2023 8:30:20 pm EDT from 209.140.33.229

I'll certainly be looking forward to it; the "medieval Scotland" scenes were some of my favorite moments in the series. (They often reminded me, in a good way, of the animated sequences in the PBS adaptation of David Macaulay's "Castle"; it might be just a coincidence, but the castle in that story was named Aberwyvern....)
Todd Jensen
posted @ Wed, Apr 19, 2023 8:25:51 pm EDT from 174.72.60.154

Todd > I took it to mean that the illustrated text material will be back-up material at the end of the issue, after the main comic feature. It says that the first story will be a "special" 24 pages (as was the first Dynamite Gargoyles story...presumably future stories will be 22 pages as with Gargoyles. When did the length of comic stories shrink by two pages, anyway? Is this just corporate penny-pinching?). But unlike Gargoyles, we'll also get a text piece. Note that the overall length of each Dark Ages issue will be 40 pages, eight pages longer than the Gargoyles issues are (including ads etc.).
Craig
posted @ Wed, Apr 19, 2023 8:23:17 pm EDT from 209.140.33.229

Oh, and the mention of cardstock does suggest physical printing after all.
Todd Jensen
posted @ Wed, Apr 19, 2023 8:06:56 pm EDT from 174.72.60.154

CRAIG - I'd assumed, since it was only mentioned for Kindle, that it wouldn't get a physical printing, but it might indeed be available in other formats, including regular computers.

Incidentally, it described the "Dark Ages" story as "an illustrated text story", which suggests a different, non-comic format.
Todd Jensen
posted @ Wed, Apr 19, 2023 7:50:15 pm EDT from 174.72.60.154

Great review Jurgan. Before going on to season 4, I'd recommend checking out the audioplay "The Prize." It's set in-between season 3 and 4 and is canon.
You can find here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZPMvV65AIk

Control is a huge theme in the series and best shown during this season. It begins with Luthor using his position to hamstring the Justice League and we see the methods and depths both villains and heroes will go to for that control. Granny has her Anti-Life Equation, the Bedlam Syndicate has their control chips, Branchwater used Mad Hatter's mind control tech, and the Anti-Light had their manipulations. Even Vandal, who loves and cares for his daughters has molded them to following his commands and shaped their perspective. And the moment he didn't have control over Olympia, simply because of the effects of age, she was put down.
But as you pointed out, the removal of one's agency, even for the best of intentions like Batman and his cohorts had done, does harm that isn't easily repaired. And the shadow politics has cost them relationships and friendships. At the same time, there's a great theme of the abused defeating those that had abused them. Gabrielle and the Mother Box both suffered greatly and together as Halo managed to wipe away the Anti-Life Equation and defeat the goddess of child abuse. Terra manages to overcome the abusive machinations of Slade and for the first time in the character's history, defies her biggest character trait. Even Brion killing his murderous uncle has elements of that (dark though they may be), and serves as a harsh reminder of what happens when you poke the bear too much.

As for Brion, well he didn't look exactly happy about bringing Dr. Jace in, it's quite possible that was part of Baazovi's manipulations. As for what the future hold? Will he be a king or a tyrant, a protector or a usurper? You'll have to find out.

By the way. I first learned about Hobbes and the Leviathan through a graphic novel series "The Unwritten." It's a bit of a different take there where Leviathan is both what Hobbes described as well as a collective consciousness among the people, as well as living creature. It's kind of a long story.
Matthew
Ain't nothing crazy 'bout me but my brain!
posted @ Wed, Apr 19, 2023 7:08:40 pm EDT from 64.85.245.77

Wow! Dark Ages! Awesome news! I have to assume that this means that the Gargoyles comic is performing well and will continue for a while at least!

I'd love to see an adaptation of "Three Brothers" or "Hyppolyta" or anything. It'd be fun to see other gargoyles of the Wyvern Clan that didn't survive, including gargoyles we saw briefly in the pilot or biological relatives of some of the main characters. It'd be neat to see the Scone and Loch Ness Clans as well. But really anything is great. I'm sure Greg will give us a great story regardless!

What a time to be a Gargoyles fan! I too am just amazed and thrilled. Good times! Never the End!
Matt
"Well, I'm back..." -Samwise Gamgee, Lord of the Rings
posted @ Wed, Apr 19, 2023 6:07:00 pm EDT from 24.107.111.141

"Dark Ages" was probably the spinoff I was least interested in (that or New Olympians), but I'm definitely going to read it. I'm sure there will be some great stories, and success will make more Bad Guys and Pendragon more likely

Young Justice Season 3 Recap

I watched this season gradually over several months, so I might not remember all the details, but I want to give some thoughts on the themes I saw presented.

The concept of Anti-Life fascinates me. It sounds dumb when you hear the name, like it's a death ray or something. I'd heard of the "Anti-Life Equation," but I didn't think much of it until I read Kirby's Fourth World and saw what it was. The idea that there's a secret technique to obliterate someone's free will and replace it with your own is terrifying (Asimov's Mule had a similar power). The opposite of life isn't death. Life is about relationship with the environment around you. You take, you give back, you have an impact and you die. Anti-Life is to take away your ability to have an impact on the world at all. The Equation itself isn't much more than a plot device, at times a mere maguffin, but the ideology is very real. It's a view where people exist only to further the will of those more powerful and can be sacrificed at will. Kirby stared fascism straight in the eye during WWII, and Darkseid was his vision of the ultimate tyrant. Be it Hitler, Stalin, or Nixon, anyone who used others for their own gain was part of the same force of evil in Kirby's eyes.

Young Justice is at base a coming of age story, so it makes sense that the god who tries to take their free will is in the form of a cloying authority figure. Granny Goodness is herself a tool of Darkseid's ideology. Her most direct nemesis is Garfield Logan, who rejects being a tool for anyone's will. Making her a Hollywood producer allows for some satire about the commodification of actors and other "talent," but teenage rebellion is pretty universal, so the themes of "coming of age" and "demanding free will" merge seamlessly in the dehumanizing world of entertainment production. Garfield starts The Outsiders with the express purpose of telling people, especially young people, that they don't have to follow dehumanizing orders, they have the right to stand up for themselves.

Violet and Victor are the other characters with the most pronounced arcs. Both of them are a mergence of technology and organic life, but they come at it from opposite directions. Violet is a Motherbox using the corpse of Gabrielle to act, while Victor is a human kept alive with a Fatherbox. Violet is a newborn teenager trying to figure out what she is, while Victor is a teenager who lost what he was. Both of them come into their own by giving up what they thought was important- Victor accepts the end of his football career and "normal life," while Violet gives up her relationship with Brion. Makes me think of Renard saying he lost "his Anastasia" in preserving his integrity. Death and rebirth is an old part of the heroes' journey, and the two V's are blatant examples stretched over the course of a season. Cyborg's acceptance is signalled, funnily enough, by saying "booyah" for the first time. Life, as these two learn, isn't about what kind of cells are in your body. It's about your ability to make choices that matter. Vic trying to hold onto his past and Violet trying to run from hers/Gabrielle's were anti-life. Opening up to their teammates was a chance to be accepted.

I've historically been more of a Marvel fan, but I'm starting to appreciate DC's conception of heroes as mythological embodiments of concepts. If Darkseid is Anti-Life, it makes sense for his nemesis to be Superman. I recently saw the movie Kill Bill for the first time. The late David Carradine gives a great speech about the mythological significance of Superman, and it's hilarious because he's blatantly wrong. Bill can't imagine a powerful person being happy with a mundane life, so he assumes Superman's Clark Kent persona is a bumbling dope because Superman is mocking normal people. This is not meant to be taken at face value, it's a sign that Bill doesn't understand people with different worldviews. Either that, or it's just a mockery of the kind of pretentious nerd who writes essays about the philosophy of superhero stories. *coughs nervously* (Bishansky, if you're reading, I'm guessing you've had to yell about this before.) Superman has great respect for normal people, after all he was raised by them, and his heroism is all about helping them live up to their own potential. In the stories where he does decide to make people's decisions for them, like Red Son, he quickly becomes as much a tyant as Darkseid. His origins are reminiscent of Moses, so he fights against slavery in all its forms. It's all in service of Life.

If Darkseid is Anti-Life, then what is Vandal Savage? He kind of took a backseat in this season, and I wonder if he's really on the same scale as Darkseid. He's earth-based, but he's moving into the bigger leagues. This is why he breaks his alliance with Darkseid once the latter gets the Anti-Life Equation. There's something surreally funny about Savage just knocking on the door of the Team's headquarters. I would say Vandal Savage represents the State of Nature. "Nature" is a word with largely positive connotations today, but when Thomas Hobbes used the term he meant a cruel war of all against all where life is "nasty, brutish, and short." This is Savage's utopia. He desires constant struggle in the belief that it will make people stronger. This is why he's willing to work with Darkseid temporarily but can't allow him to obtain complete victory. Maybe that's why he calls his group The Light- he sees them as fighting against tyranny of Dark(seid), but his enlightenment is a lesson of violence. On this axis, Savage's philosophical nemesis is Batman. Batman, of course, is motivated to protect children from the senseless chaos that took his parents. Batman is a Hobbesian, and Batman Inc. is his Leviathan. (Disclaimer that I'm specifically talking about Young Justice here, Batman has had many different characterizations.) He resigns from the Justice League because he thinks only he has the will to do what is necessary and his decisions cannot be compromised by a corrupt leader. This is a decision Superman can't make because he's simply too powerful and needs self-imposed restraints, so he chooses to compromise. But Batman's fight against the State of Nature leads him into embracing the methods of Anti-Life. He lies, he manipulates, and in doing so he takes meaning away from the decisions others make. I don't want to conclude that it's simply a matter of balance. Life is opposed by both the violent actions of murderers and the subtle control of tyrants. The season doesn't end with a conclusive defeat of Anti-Life, and maybe it shouldn't. Kirby never got a chance to defeat Darkseid, and Weisman doesn't like definitive endings anyway. When your enemy represents a concept, it makes some sense that they're always ready for the next fight. Fascism was defeated in 1945, but it has come back in recent years. Darkseid is always preparing for the next round.

I guess the only arc left is the Markovs. How do they fit? Brion, I think, is Batman if he fully embraced Anti-Life. He is angry because he could not protect his family, so he becomes a tyrant. Dr. Jace is extremely Anti-Life, treating children as nothing more than puppets, yet he hires her. Here's a question: Why does Brion accept tyranny while Tara turns her back on it? Why does the traitor become redeemed? I think maybe Slade did too good a job on her. He taught her an anarchic philosophy where you should be suspicious of everyone, and she turned it on him. The Team embraced her with a simple love. They accepted her as she was. Philosophical arguments only get you so far. In the end, human connection wins out. And so the Team and the League turn the page on the chapter by rejecting the methods of Anti-Life. They may not be perfect and they can't do everything, but they can set an example. From now on, the heroes will embrace a harmonious existence. No one is above anyone else, no one takes and gives in unequal measure, they are all equally valuable. Information and care will flow freely between them as they attempt to make the world a better place.
Jurgan - [jurgan6 at yahoo dot com]
posted @ Wed, Apr 19, 2023 5:33:43 pm EDT from 143.120.100.115

Hooray!
B
B
posted @ Wed, Apr 19, 2023 5:15:38 pm EDT from 74.74.246.146

Todd > Why do you think you'll need an eReader? It looks like this will be a similar rollout to the main series: Comixology release that can be read on a computer, as well as a physical release (the description mentions cardstock covers). Is there some difference I'm not seeing?

Dark Ages is my most desired spinoff (love Hudson and love that period of the mythology), so this is very exciting. I wonder if the text piece will be a continuation/reworking of "Once Upon a Time There Were Three Brothers," or "Hippolyta" as Ed speculates? Or both, or something else entirely.
Craig
posted @ Wed, Apr 19, 2023 5:02:00 pm EDT from 209.140.35.149

This is great! The Dark Ages wasn't a story I was expecting to get printed but I'm so glad we're getting it. Really looking forward to this prequel series.
Matthew
Ain't nothing crazy 'bout me but my brain!
posted @ Wed, Apr 19, 2023 4:07:29 pm EDT from 64.85.245.77

That is great news (and means I'll probably now need to get an e-reader for when it comes out).
Todd Jensen
posted @ Wed, Apr 19, 2023 2:49:49 pm EDT from 163.116.139.114

Absolutely phenomenal!!! I searched up Drew Moss (link below) and, no surprise with Dynamite's track record on the comic, it looks like we're in really good hands and... are we finally going to get "Hyppolyta" in canon?

It's funny, I was just thinking yesterday how strange it will be if/when we ever get any of these spin-offs. It's been so long that the launch of "Bad Guys" actually is closer to "Awakening" than to "Here in Manhattan".

5th July is soon... if it keeps to the first week of the month, there's a chance that we could reach the comic's first anniversary with as much material released as the whole of the SLG run. A year ago, I wouldn't have imagined that would be possible. I don't think this is ever going to stop feeling magical.

Can't wait!
Ed
posted @ Wed, Apr 19, 2023 2:35:12 pm EDT from 86.140.47.50

Hey, look!

https://www.amazon.com/Gargoyles-Dark-Ages-Greg-Weisman-ebook/dp/B0C24RYW82/ref=sr_1_9

It's a thing!
Masterdramon - [kmc12009 at mymail dot pomona dot edu]
"It can be a hobby, or really, anything else, but I love when people have fun doing what they love. It’s like they’re sparkling." - Marin Kitagawa
posted @ Wed, Apr 19, 2023 1:23:49 pm EDT from 98.150.138.224

Well,, I was thinking more in the general parallel of [SPOILER] the guy she's attracted to being dedicated to hunting down the "mythical beings" she's made friends with, along with his family. But it's likely to have a different tone beyond that, thanks to the two shows being different genres; "Gargoyles" being action-drama, and "The Ghost and Molly McGee" being more domestic comedy with ghosts [/SPOILER].
Todd Jensen
posted @ Wed, Apr 19, 2023 9:36:11 am EDT from 174.72.60.154

Todd Jensen> Hard to say. [SPOILER] I mean I think even with some opposing Elisa and Goliath there was the expectation of them being endgame with Jason being a temporary love interest. Heck, despite being for say Molly and Libby, I don't think it would be shocking to see Oliver having better luck compared to Jason. [/SPOILER]
Antiyonder
posted @ Wed, Apr 19, 2023 12:56:44 am EDT from 71.84.183.196

Speaking of "The Ghost and Molly McGee", does anyone else here who's seen the opening episodes of Season Two think that [SPOILER] Molly and Oliver feel a bit like a younger counterpart to Elisa and Jason Canmore [/SPOILER]?
Todd Jensen
posted @ Tue, Apr 18, 2023 7:43:29 pm EDT from 174.72.60.154

Antiyonder> Right now I'm focusing on my upcoming review for the third season of The Mandalorian, after that, who knows? I'll tell you right away that anything I watch is just going to be for my viewing pleasure, I want to direct more of my writing to creative works.

Alex> I kind of have Miguel Ferrer's Silvermane voice for how I imagine Dino sounds. He did the "older but still dangerous gangster" character incredibly well. Grey Griffin does a pretty good mature, husky voice that I could imagine for Antoinette.
Matthew
Ain't nothing crazy 'bout me but my brain!
posted @ Tue, Apr 18, 2023 5:50:33 pm EDT from 64.85.245.77

What do you guys imagine some of the newer characters from the Dynamite Comics sounding like?

That is, Antoinette and Dino Dracon, and anyone else I've forgotten.
Alex (Aldrius)
posted @ Tue, Apr 18, 2023 4:27:42 pm EDT from 70.27.162.19

Over the Garden Wall and Infinity Train are wonderful miniseries if you haven't seen them already.
B
B
posted @ Tue, Apr 18, 2023 3:47:39 pm EDT from 74.74.246.146

Matthew> So any animated shows next for viewing? As I said before, The Ghost and Molly McGee, as well as Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur are great watches.:-D
Antiyonder
posted @ Tue, Apr 18, 2023 2:06:00 pm EDT from 71.84.183.196

I've read "Cleopatra in Space" myself, and rather liked it.

Belos/Philip may be one of Disney's creepiest animated television villains - on the same level with Demona and Jnn Canmoe/Castaway. He might have even outdone them by manipulating his targets into helping him, unaware (mostly) that they're assisting their own upcoming demises.
Todd Jensen
posted @ Mon, Apr 17, 2023 9:28:37 pm EDT from 174.72.60.154

Antiyonder> Yes, I saw that strip the other day, it was neat. Luz definitely would.

I've heard of Cleopatra in Space.

Yeah, I hate that dude. He's painful to watch. Though you have to admire how Matthew Rhys does a totally different voice from his Perry Mason voice.

Todd Jensen> Thanks! I already had the Elephant and Black Cat ones on my calendar but not Panda Day yet.
B
B
posted @ Mon, Apr 17, 2023 9:23:03 pm EDT from 74.74.246.146

Todd Jensen and anyone else following OH> A nice little detail brought up is Belos saying that Luz will be as bad as those witches if she doesn't show in compassion VS being as bad as him. Cause even to the end he still can't acknowledge his wrongdoing.
Antiyonder
posted @ Mon, Apr 17, 2023 7:58:00 pm EDT from 71.84.183.196

I looked up a couple of other appreciation days for animals; elephants get September 22 (which is also Bilbo and Frodo's birthday), and black cats get August 17 - yes, black cats get their own specific holiday. And pandas get March 16 (sandwiched between the Ides of March and St. Patrick).

I've thought it a bit of a pity that we didn't get the fan-suspicion that Evelyn was a Clawthorne confirmed, though it's a small matter; what we did get in the finale was thoroughly enjoyable.
Todd Jensen
posted @ Mon, Apr 17, 2023 7:53:48 pm EDT from 174.72.60.154

1. B> Ahh yes. My mistake.

Speaking of stepsiblings: https://moringmark.tumblr.com/post/712319491077537792

[SPOILER] And yeah, I would even imagine Luz would have a "Congratulations on becoming stepsiblings" banners ready for her Bro and GF. [/SPOILER]

2. https://www.deviantart.com/antiyonder/art/Collection-Addition-Picture-6-958383636

Recent haul. The usual being the Batman and Star Trek comics. Got the Marvel Tsum Tsum Takeover at the library store.

Turned 41 on Saturday and celebrated with the purchase of Cleopatra in Space Volume 1-6, plus the DVD Adventure Times Distant Lands.
Antiyonder
posted @ Mon, Apr 17, 2023 7:45:56 pm EDT from 71.84.183.196

Thanks B! I figure that in a proper season the finale would've been three maybe even four episodes long. At least enough time to give everyone a moment in the spotlight.

I knew about the Hieronymus Bosch influence, one of the characters is named Boscha after all. What I didn't pick up for the longest time was the Pokemon influence, such as King and the Titans being based off of Cubone.
Matthew
Ain't nothing crazy 'bout me but my brain!
posted @ Mon, Apr 17, 2023 5:13:56 pm EDT from 64.85.245.77

Matthew> Thank you so much for your awesome review!

Speaking of Steven Universe, the Collector's backstory reminds me of both Spinel (focused on playing and friends, abandoned indefinitely by being told they would play a game of hide and seek) and Lapis Lazuli (trapped in a mirror for thousands of years due to a misunderstanding).

Having Owl House Hooty stomp Belos would have been fitting. I guess they just didn't think of it. Too bad he couldn't be in the finale more, since he's the titular Owl House. We never did find out more about the Bat Queen's owner, either. I agree with Dana; there's always another chapter and new challenges, but a current chapter can end happily. (Which leads me to think of what George R.R. Martin said about wanting to interrogate what it "and he ruled wisely and well" meant re: Aragorn.) I found this finale more satisfying than Amphibia's because Luz stayed in touch with the Demon Realm and all her friends, and as I said before because Camila insisted on going with her, and has adopted Vee.

So that it's been said explicitly here now, the implication was that Caleb Wittebane fell in love with a witch named Evelyn and she was pregnant when he was stabbed in the back by Philip, with Evelyn and Caleb being ancestors of the Clawthorne family (known for their bird palismen) and Flapjack having originally been Caleb's palisman.

That's a perfect description of the ending theme. I've been rewatching Season 2 episodes as they come on and off of On Demand via Spectrum and I was struck by that the other day, especially after having seen the last version of it in the finale. And obviously, large chunks of the finale were highly quotable.

Flying foxes are my favorite bats, they're so cute. That mouse-eared bat is cute, too, in an ugly cute way.

Antiyonder> I've been going through those comic strips by myself and really enjoying them, thanks again for introducing us!

You mean half-brothers. Stepbrothers aren't biologically related.

Todd Jensen> King's dad had cool parent energy. I didn't know the Isles were inspired by Hieronymus Bosch, that's one of my favorite artists, thank you for mentioning it.

Yes, there's a day for just about everything. There's even an International Mermaid Day (March 29).

Karrin Blue> Thanks for that piece of information about vampire bats! You probably know the word "vampire" literally means "bat thing" (vampus, bat + pireen, thing). Which is why I roll my eyes whenever a fictional setting has vampires that scoff at being connected to bats but still call themselves "vampires". Buffy did not make that mistake. The new, evolved vampires even got more bat powers in the canonical comics.

Of course, Bats are special because they're the only mammals that can truly fly.
B
B
posted @ Mon, Apr 17, 2023 3:34:05 pm EDT from 74.74.246.146

Those are some great pieces of information on bats. Thanks for sharing them.
Todd Jensen
posted @ Mon, Apr 17, 2023 9:17:32 am EDT from 174.72.60.154

Happy Bat Appreciation Day! Did you know that vampire bats will not only help their colonymates, but will feed neighbors or strangers in need?
Karrin Blue
posted @ Mon, Apr 17, 2023 9:07:02 am EDT from 72.10.127.194

In honor of Bat Appreciation Day, I'd like to share a few of my favorite bats and bat facts.

The Spectral Bat is the largest carnivorous bat in the world, it feeds on insect, small birds, rodents and even other bats! However, they're also attentive parents and the males are known to wrap their mates and pups in their large wingspans to keep them warm.

https://wildlife.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Spectral-bats.jpg

The Flying Fox (commonly known as "Sky Pupper") is the largest species of bat and the largest of the frugivore bats. They navigate with the help of their keen night vision and sense of smell as they don't use echolocation. Flying Foxes are important figures in human culture, showing up Oceania all the way to India.

https://capronparkzoo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Indian_flying_fox.jpg

The Myotis or Mouse-Eared Bats are among the most wide-spread genus of bats in the world. Despite their small size, they have an incredible lifespan for small mammals, some living as long as 20 years! They come in all kinds of shapes, but the wildest may be the Nimba Myotis which wears a shade of bright orange.

https://cdn.sci.news/images/2021/01/image_9249f-Myotis-nimbaensis.jpg

Bats are important figures in Spain. According to legend, King James of Aragon was awoken by a bat in the middle of the night which alerted him to an imminent attack by the Saracens. This led to a key victory which gave them control of Valencia. Since then the bat (or Reremouse in Heraldic) has been an symbol of luck and recurring figure in crests among Spanish cities.
Matthew
Ain't nothing crazy 'bout me but my brain!
posted @ Mon, Apr 17, 2023 8:46:26 am EDT from 64.85.245.77

Second.

B - Is that an actual holiday? Then again, I understand that there's a Squirrel Appreciation Day in January (I think it's the 21st, though I'll have to look it up), so I wouldn't be surprised if bats had their own day as well.
Todd Jensen
posted @ Mon, Apr 17, 2023 8:28:59 am EDT from 174.72.60.154

First! Happy National Bat Appreciation Day, everyone!
B
B
posted @ Mon, Apr 17, 2023 7:05:45 am EDT from 74.74.246.146