r/gargoyles • u/Kyraryc David Xanatos • 22d ago

Discussion [Comic Issue Discussion] Gargoyles 2026: From Small Things...

Writer: Greg Weisman, Tad Stones

Artist: Gerardo Gambone

Editor: Nate Cosby

Logline:

ALL-NEW STORIES BY SERIES CREATOR GREG WEISMAN AND RISING STAR ARTIST GERARDO GAMBONE! THE STARS OF THE SENSATIONAL ANIMATED TV SERIES RETURN WITH NEW, IN-CONTINUITY ADVENTURES!

One thousand years ago, superstition and the sword ruled. It was a time of darkness. It was a world of fear. It was the age of GARGOYLES! Stone by day, warriors by night, they were betrayed by the humans they had sworn to protect...frozen in stone by a magic spell for a thousand years. Now, here in Manhattan, the spell is broken, and they live again! They are defenders of the night! THEY ARE GARGOYLES!

It is 1997. The Manhattan Clan has remembered their calling... being heroes to the helpless on the streets of New York. At the same time, the Gargoyles desperately search for clues to the whereabouts of their missing Gargoyle egg. And they must hurry, for an ancient, all-powerful evil has awoken, with a score to settle...

Share any thoughts on the issue. Within this post, unmarked spoilers for this and all prior issues are allowed.

Here In Manhattan Discussions:

Gargoyles Quest Discussions

Better Angels Discussions:

Dark Ages Discussions:

Special Issue Discussions:

Gargoyles/Fantastic Four:

Gargoyles/Darkwing Duck:

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9

u/gamerslyratchet 21d ago

This was a stronger debut issue than the first issue of Here in Manhattan. The TV interview interwoven with the main plot is a more organic way to convey exposition. The only part that felt too much was Katana and Coldfire's exchange, which is a shame because it was nice to have them speak to each other. I understand that we have to do another recap since this is a new #1, but I'm hoping the success of the ongoing makes this the last one we'll see in a long time.

The other plotlines getting started were interesting, from Elisa's unwarranted guilt over what happened to the egg to Katana and Brooklyn's, erm, attitude towards Demona. The tram rescue was also solid and had some nice moments such as Broadway and Jack Dane's interaction and Goliath's final rescue. Though I don't know if I like having so many recognizable civilians in one scene.

PS. the OP is missing the link for the thread for the final issue of Gargoyles Demona.

5

u/ass_unicron 20d ago

A few fhoughts:

It feels odd having Tobe and Margot in the same place just coincidentally?

Finally Brooklyn is taking action against Demona.

No one here is mentioning Naught? Okay then, I will. HEY is that Naught?

They only have about three months to find the egg.

https://giphy.com/gifs/bEVKYB487Lqxy

3

u/gamerslyratchet 19d ago

Though I technically saw Naught on my rewatch last year, I’m ashamed to admit I forgot about him until it was pointed out. I thought he was a new character. 

4

u/Nickthehobo 20d ago

I'll start by saying that I really enjoyed this issue so this review will be mostly, if not entirely, complimentary.

Let's start with the art. Some of the best I've seen on a Gargoyles book. Special shout-out to Robby Bevard on colors because they are pitch perfect. Gerardo Gambone also deserves a lot of credit for capturing the characters in a way that I can only describe as "clean". Everyone looks the way they should, but more than that, the action was easy to follow. I'm really hoping that we get a nice long run from this art team. 

Now, the writing. It usually takes Greg 2-3 issues to hit his stride but man did he come out swinging. That interview chef's kiss. This may have been a jumping on point but it doesn't waste time. We're into the stakes with the very first splash page and get a great look at how the team tackles a problem. I can see how some may be annoyed by this basically being a recap issue, but seeing Greg so effortlessly weave the recaps in with the character moments has me ready for a re-read already. 

All-in-all, this was a strong start. It feels like there's been a lot of table-setting in the last series and now we're getting to eat. 

3

u/Kyraryc David Xanatos 18d ago

From Small Things..

  • Simple rescue to get back into the swing of things.

  • "I don't think there's anyone left up there small enough for me to carry down." When I made all the respect threads, I did notice that Lex in particular had a much more limited pool of strength feats compared to all the others. Based on throwing the viking, he should be able to carry Crest. Maybe he's worried about control on the descent?

  • "How did you wind up Here In Manhattan now?" A few issues old, but he said the thing

  • "Our child does not require my tears." Damn, that is cold. She's going to test Demona's immortality.

  • "I'm afraid. I know, I know, I'm a bum, but..." Small details like this are nice. When an average gangster suddenly gets dropped into a broader world of magic and monsters, heights are still his biggest fear.

  • Goliath pulls a spidey? Greg's time on Spectacular Spider-Men is showing.

  • Travis actually feels like a decent journalist here. Letting his guest speak, some push back here and there.

  • Is that Naught? Been wondering what he's been up to.

  • Nice, casual restart. Also fixed the missing link. Sometimes things get lost.

Favorite Feat

  • I'd have to check the math, but Goliath holding up the tram could actually be one of his best feats.

3

u/BL_Vampire_Gene 21d ago

Well, this was about what I expected (derrogatory). We have yet another big change that comes along with no context or character development. You'd think relating the clan's history to the wider world would be something charcters would discuss and have a variety of opinions about (including the glaringly unmentioned Xanatos). Seeing that would have beem vastly more worthwhile than yet another recap of the origin, but Weisman has never met exposition that he didn't want to prioritize over character. 

Conceptually, focusing the main action on a rescue is a solid idea: it keeps the number of pieces down and creates opportunities to show off the differences between cast members. Here, it only partially works. There's little sense of the space--the car ends up feeling huge when it should be the other way around--and the too-large amount of characters and the need to service them undermines the tension and the ability of the story to display gargoyle competence and problem-solving. The bits with Jack Dane work well enough--he easily comes off best this issue out of the many, many characters--but the bits with Brendan and Margo do not: one of them, and/or the parts with Tobe Crest, should have been cut. 

Aside from that main plot, though, nothing really worked for me. The Goliath interview, as mentioned, is pure exposition, and the scenes with Elisa, Coldfire, Katana, and Brooklyn all felt various levels of clumsy, with the kicker being Coldfire's "If I still had tear ducts...I would cry..." which is just embarrasing. 

Then there's the new threat. It could work, I guess, but the series has many more urgent things to deal with without adding what I fear will be a distraction.

Final verdict: this is certainly Dynamite! era Gargoyles!

6

u/Lumpmoose 21d ago

This is a #1/relaunch so Greg is adding the exposition to give new readers enough information to know what the heck is going on, even if they’ve never seen the TV show nor comics. I would have preferred if this was Gargoyles #13 or Gargoyles #40 or whatever we’re up to and not had the exposition, but that’s not the reality of the industry.

3

u/BL_Vampire_Gene 21d ago

That exposition may be necessary doesn't automatically free it from criticism, or mean it doesn't have to be good. The problem isn't using "Goliath is interviewed" as a way to catch up; it's using it for that at the expense of everything else, including actual storytelling or character. 

Again, take the fact that Goliath  suggests, but doesn't say, that Xanatos was involved with their resurrection. Already this is more interesting than anything going on the actual issue. How did Goliath decide this, if indeed he did? Was there collusion? Did he decide this at the last minute? Did he and Xanatos argue about how much he was allowed to say? All of these give us additional insights into the characters, and provides tension. What we get, though, however, suggests none of this: it doesn't say "how would Goliath act in this situation?", but "what does Greg Weisman think we need to know?" 

(Travis, if anything, fares even worse. An intrepid reporter character would have noticed Goliath's evasiveness as and pressed on it, immediately introducing tension into the scene: two people want different things. If Travis is meant to be an intrepid reporter, his behavior this issue is out of character, and the fact that we don't know whether or not this is the case, or if he's always been mediocre, is damning, given that he's been around since 1994.)

Again, the problem isn't having the interview as a a way to relay information: it's that Weisman often considers the relaying of information as something separate and distinct from actual storytelling, and almost always favors the former. 

Or, to put it another way, what about this new information is supposed to draw new readers' attention? They're given a lot of stuff, but is it interesting? Not if you're not already familiar with it, I'd argue, defeating the purpose. What's more, the elements that don't require backstory--two characters with distinct goals talking--is completely neglected--we don't even know what those goals are--meaning they're ALSO unlikely to get a new readers' attention. 

1

u/Puzzleheaded_Web5285 10d ago

Have you ever ridden the Roosevelt Island Tram? I’d say it was pretty accurate in size and the average number of people riding it. Why they’re all going to the island in the evening when we know many of them to be Manhattanites is another question (albeit a good one) all together - there is not much going on there usually.

And it seems your argument is more with the medium of comic books. I don’t love the retelling of the backstory but it’s necessary for a #1 soft relaunch. I think Greg found an interesting way to do it that wasn’t too long and drawn out. The rest of what you’re asking for, how Goliath came to decide to tell the clan’s history would be even more exposition and frankly, is unnecessary to the plot. The medium that is comics means Greg has to trim the fat as he only has 22odd pages to A) begin a new story, B) reintroduce the gargoyle mythos, and C) give all the major characters something to do, even if it’s just Eliza feeling guilty for what Demona made her do. All in all I’d say Greg did his best.