Writer: Greg Weisman
Artists: Gordon Purcell, Dustin Evans (color artist)
Publisher: Slave Labor Graphics
This issue of Gargoyles opens in the present day with a spectacular splash page of Angela--daughter of Demona and Goliath. Greg Weisman makes her dialogue ebullient. Gordon Purcell and Dustin Evans craft her joy to emanate off the pages.
From there we draw into the other side of the coin where Thailog--Goliath's "evil twin brother," actually his malevolent clone-listens to a bedtime story told by his own Scheherazade. Her barding leads into what amounts to a harmless inventory story set in the Gargoyles’ past.
Goliath, Elisa, Angela and Gargoyle dog Bronx, are in the midst of a quest. In the process, they discover Coldstone--very much alive--in mythical Tibet, home of Buddhist monks, Yeti and Shangri-La. The story appears to bridge the gap between Coldstone’s two appearances in the Gargoyles television series.
If the relationships of the characters, based on my review, seem a little heady, don't worry. Weisman does a good job explaining them within dialogue that never reads clunky. The artwork conveys the emotions at play in each scene, and the whole jalapeño makes Gargoyles a good if not great issue in the series.
The trouble with this issue of Gargoyles is that the story within a story, for this is a tale told by “Scheherazade,” is that it's entirely dismissible. Elisa and Goliath have moved on from being just friends. The discovery of Coldstone isn't exactly a surprise, and I really didn’t have a burning desire to know how Angela knew about Coldstone in the television series.
This issue of Gargoyles does act as filler, but readers can breathe a sigh of relief since Greg Weisman is still writing. Gordon Purcell and Dustin Evans do such an excellent job that they really should be considered for the position of regular art-team.
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