Customer Reviews

Gargoyles #1

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This superb series is picking up where it let off in its debut comic headed by some of the originators. The show broke ground with it on going story arcs and dramatic, action adventure story lines that were previous unheard of in shows of its kind, save Batman the Animated Series. It encouraged viewers to read classic literature such as Authorian lore, and Shakespaer by incorporating famous caracters. It encouraged viewers to read, period. It is widely considered one of the best animated series ever, and now... IT'S A COMIC BOOK.

This first issue is the episode "The Journey" from the widely hated One Saturday Mornings Goliath Chronicles, or unofficial third season by most fans' opinions. However, the first episode of that season was written by the one of the show's original creators, Greg Weisman. Basically it's one of the decent episodes, and now it's starting a brand new story arc by Slave Labor Graphics. The story stops in the middle with a to be continued. There's a letter from Weisman in the back explaining that the third issue in this comic series will be never before seen and telling the story that should have been told. GO PICK IT UP AT YOUR LOCAL COMIC BOOK STORE NOW! I got the last copy at mine. I thought it was coming out on the 28th, but there it was a week early.

Anyway, If you've never seen the Disney show it's very friendly to you. Goliath,the gargoyle clan leader, gives a backstory and we meet most of the old characters by name again, including Hudson, Brooklyn, Elisa Maza, Zanatos, Capt. Chavez, and Matt Bluestone. Where the issue begins, New York is freaking out about the the "urban myths [becoming] urban reality." News footage show the gargoyles leaving the clock tower which in the eye of the news and the public the gargoyles seemingly destroyed. And no, the Gargoyles did not destroy it; they lived there until a three parter called "Hunter's Moon" at the second season's end. The issue follows Goliath who is distressed about the hoplessness of ever being accepted and finding some peace in their new world. Elisa provides a comfort until a new hate group called the Quarrymen arrive destroying gargoyle statues systematically. They haven't gotten a real gargoyles... yet.

All the same, If you have the DVD's or have watched Toon Disney lately, you know that. What you don't know is that this issue promises to not hold back. There's blood, not just red bruises like in the show, if even that. Goliath gets shot through his wing and a bullet grazes his face. It seems that the comics aren't held to the same censorship. A Quarryman who arrives on Elisa's balcony nearly gets away with calling her a "dirty monster loving wh-" until she punches him in the face.

The art is interesting, different from the show, but well penciled and inked none the less. There are many dynamic angles and frames such as of John Castaway, the Quarryman leader, swinging a sledgehammer at a statueque in a full page spread. It's not high stylized like Jim Lee or anything, but it is clean and fairly consistent. Some of the characters are slightly off model in a couple of frames, though. This is very noticeable with Elisa, but not often enough to draw attention to it. On a related note, It's nice to see human characters in several different outfits, too. Maybe Elisa has more than black shirts and blue jeans after all!

Overall, I'm exicited and would give the new issue a 7/10. Well worth buying. Support Gargoyles if the series is to continue! While you're at it buy a used copy of the Second Season Vol 1. That's roughly $32 dollars for 26 of argably the best episodes of the series. Disney's not so convinced that the second season is selling well enough to merit bringing the last of it to DVD.

Issue #1 starts off right where season 2 of the show finished. Greg Weisman had nothing to do with the creation of the season 3 episodes, but his storyline is back with a new jump getting started in #3. 1-2 is finishing off where "Hunter's moon" began. I loved the artwork and can't wait to see where Greg Weisman takes the comic.

Although no new Gargoyles plot or material is introduced yet, this issue sets up the scene for the true continuation of the series from the end of season 2 (many fans know that the Goliath Chronicles, or seaon 3, was a rushed and forced project that did not follow the intended story arc that creator Greg Weisman had in mind...)

While the dialogue is a little on the simple side and the character art a bit inconsistent, the comic's potential to deliver the next authentic Gargoyles saga leaves me salivating shamelessly for the next issue.

Fans waited more than ten years for new stories in the Gargoyles universe, and it's amazing that we're finally getting them! I adored Gargoyles as a teenager and still miss it terribly as an adult. The complexity and depth of the storylines just amazed and inspired me. The gargoyles truly inhabit an entire universe of characters and secrets, from King Arthur to alien sentinels to Puck the trickster. There was still so much more to be explored when the series ended. It is *so exciting* that we're getting a second chance to visit this universe.

The comic picks up where the show left off, at the end of Season 2. The clocktower has been destroyed. Goliath and his clan are living with Xanatos once more. Elisa and Goliath have admitted at last that there's more than friendship between them. And most importantly, the gargoyles have finally been revealed to the world, losing their urban myth status when they're blamed for the destruction of the police station. The gargoyles find themselves in a hostile city, with only a few allies to join them against those who would destroy them in fear and hate.

This is a great time to take a first look at the Gargoyles universe. The comic makes an effort to include some of the backstory of the series so newcomers won't be too confused. (The first season and half of the second season are now available on DVD as well, if new readers would like to see the original stories that led up to the comic.)

I haven't been this excited in years. If you like good storytelling and intelligent, realistic characters, pick up a copy of the comic and take a look at Gargoyles.

This comic book was great. If you're a gargoyles fan, you've already seen this first issue in cartoon form for the show. I could go on to talk about the show or about this comic book, but I figure you can look at the other reviews to get a good sense of those things. What I want to tell you about is what comes up after this first issue. The next one should be about the second part of the episode it takes after. After this, the third issue is going to start in a new direction. It will have new characters introduced and new story lines that have not been seen on television. While doing this, Greg Weisman (creator of the series) still keeps all the old characters and themes, and puts them together with the new ideas for the series. I highly recomend that you get this comic book so that you are not lost in the dark when the next comics come out. They've started this first issue off so that even though you haven't seen the gargoyles episodes on tv, you can understand everything that is going on. Trust me, you'll never find another show/comic book as great as this one. And if you ever get confused with the comic or you want to know more about the show, you can always talk to the producer of the show on line at [...]. It's all explained there. Enjoy!

Living in Germany I luckily had no problems to acquire the comic and have to say I'm not disappointed.

The pictures are great, though there are some minor flaws disturbing there else solid work, yet this isn't the heart of the comic. Gargoyles live of its story, a mix of magic and science as of tragic and comedy, making it truly shakspearean and its characters completely believable. The comic continues where the story of the second season, the last one to be considered canon by the fans ends, dealing with how the gargoyles, a clan of winged humanoids who turn to stone by day try to find their place in a world now knowing of their existence and overwhelmingly fearing and hating them.

This comic sees the rise of a new and deadly enemy for the clan, the quarrymen, lead by Jon Castaway, coming out of the mid of the society they yearn to protect.

The artwork was a little disappointing but it was nice to see the Gargoyles continued in some form. I will continue to collect the comics with the hope that the artwork will improve. As with most comics, it was too short and I hate to be left hanging in the middle of a story. The cover art is beautiful though and its nice to see Elisa in something other than black t-shirt and jeans.

FINALLY!!!!I'VE WAITED SO LONG FOR THEM TO CONTINUE ON THIS!!!!AND NOW!!!!I'VE GOT ALL FIVE!!!...hells yes imma make sure i'm up to date with ordering them....i've even got issue signed!!!!!!!^_^....yes!!!!...so happy!!!i love this show, love the story, EVERYTHING....can't say anything about bad about this cuz it's just so awesome. except....just one thing..the artwork for book 3 *i think it's that one*...i didn't like the drawing form that they used...it sucked, but eh....that's not gonna make me stop buying it...^-^..that's it.

"And so it begins - Gargoyles chapter 2; or is it chapter 3? I've lost count." ~ Brooklyn "Hunter's Moon III"

And so it begins again indeed - after a 10 year absence the Gargoyles are back and their adventures continue in these brand new canon adventures from Greg Weisman and Slave Labor Graphics.

And what a way to come back - in this the first of a two part story Weisman adapts the script of his final episode "The Journey" to introduce new readers to the characters and events of the series.

New York is reeling from the revelation that these nocturnal gargoyle creatures are no longer myth or urban legend, but in fact real living creatures; previously the gargoyles have long stayed hidden from local inhabitants and the media (though not without close calls - often with precarious results) but are now thrown into the limelight as New Yorkers try to make sense of their new neighbors. And from the ashes of the feud with the Hunters grows a new threat - the Quarrymen headed by ex-hunter John Castaway.

This issue entitled "Nightwatch" sees Goliath voice his fears for his clan and their future in a world filled with humans prejudiced against his race; Weisman nicely juxtaposes Goliath's worries with Castaway's recruitment hate speech. Hopefully Weisman can incorporate some life into Castaway's Ku Klux Klan, unlike his previous successors who certainly failed to do; the Goliath Chronicles (the "Gargoyles" sister series that Weisman and the rest of the fandom would love to wish away as a nightmare hellish vision of `what could have been') handled the Quarrymen so badly that ever since a stigma has been attached with the group even to this day. However, even in this the first issue, we can see the Klan being fleshed out; Castaway aims his racist views at a frightened populace - directed at faces we can recognize as background characters from the original series (such as `Billy and Susan's Mom' from "Thrill of the Hunt"). These people (unlike the mindless thugs of the Chronicles whose only real reason to join was to "pummel some gargoyles") have real fears and worries that Castaway plays on convincing them to join the Quarrymen.

If that wasn't enough the gargoyles now have to live an uneasy truce with a former foe; David Xanatos has invited the gargoyles back to their ancestral home Castle Wyvern. But can the clan trust him not to destroy them whilst they sleep? And how will he react once the Illuminati Society learns he's harboring Manhattan's Most Wanted? All budding questions that set up future stories for us to wait for.

Greg Guler, lead character designer from the original series, gives us a gorgeous front cover (colored by Stephanie Lostimolo). The interior artwork (provided by David Hedgecock/Will Terrell) whilst shaky at times, provides us with a view of Manhattan reminiscent of the original series. At times, however it feels like Hedgecock is still treading the waters, trying to get used to drawing these already well established characters. Nonetheless, his style is unique and the Hedgecock/Terrell duo paint a gloomy and oppressive world which couples stunningly with Goliath's depressive outlook on his clan's future. The gargoyles look stunning, majestic and seemingly blend beautifully into this bleak world that they now have to adjust to.

Despite being a re-hash of the first half of Weisman's final episode, "Nightwatch" plays out as a brilliant introduction to the Gargoyles universe; little space is wasted in recapping the previous seasons (a mere two pages gives us an adequate summary).

"Nightwatch" is the first of the "Clan Building" 12 issue arc and jump starts Gargoyles with a jolt! It brilliantly sets us up with the well awaited return of our favorite winged heroes. In the nonchalant words of Travis Marshall: "Welcome Back!"

This first comic was a wonderful start! However I did find myself disappointed that the comic is based on the episode "The Journey," I was hoping for something new.

However the artwork did not disappoint. It was amazing!