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Gargoyles Volume 1: Classic Years
Not yet published
Expected 31 Mar 26Gargoyles Volume 1: Classic Years.
272 pages, Paperback
Expected publication March 31, 2026
12 people want to read
About the author
Martin Pasko
332 books9 followersMartin Joseph "Marty" Pasko (born Jean-Claude Rochefort) was a Canadian comic book writer and television screenwriter.
Pasko worked for many comics publishers, but is best known for his superhero stories for DC Comics over three decades. He wrote Superman in various media, including television animation, webisodes, and a syndicated newspaper strip for Tribune Media Services, as well as comic books. He also co-created the 1975 revamp of Doctor Fate.
Pasko worked for many comics publishers, but is best known for his superhero stories for DC Comics over three decades. He wrote Superman in various media, including television animation, webisodes, and a syndicated newspaper strip for Tribune Media Services, as well as comic books. He also co-created the 1975 revamp of Doctor Fate.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 29, 2025
Concurrent with the airing of the Disney action adventure cartoon Gargoyles Marvel comics (then not owned by Disney) did an 11 issue comic book tie-in telling more adventures of the Gargoyles in 1995 New York city. This book collects all 11 issues of the comic. As a teenager visiting my local comic shop in the 90s I remember seeing one issue (#4 the Lady is a Vamp!) sitting on the shelf for years afterwards and I noticed it even if I never bought it. I was a fan of the cartoon when it aired, but this was not enough. In later years as I regretted it a little, so when a kickstarter for the reprint appeared I had to support it.
The 11 issues contain stories that overflow any one issue, but there is not one over riding arc plot. Rather most stories feature a main plot that may take two or three issues to resolve (a fight with a specific villain) and secondary minor plots that often blossom into the main plot of later issues. Gargoyles always had a comic book feel to me, a story that threw in everything including the kitchen sink in terms of combing technology, magic and mythical creatures with Shakespeare and social commentary, but in a very comic book scale and form: larger than life heroes deploying strange powers in a modern setting to battle criminals and neerdowells. Thus in some ways Gargoyles fits well with this comic adaption, but there are differences.
The comic does have a the feel of a 90s super hero comic both in its somewhat decompressed story telling format (with conflicts taking an 2 or 3 issues to resolve instead of rapping up in one) and with the style of the artwork with its human forms filled with bulging muscles and square jaws (reminding one of Rob Liefeld's artwork). The most prominent Gargoyle the leader Goliath at times appears more like Frankenstein's monster than I think he should. It also has some of that 90s Grim and Grittiness about it. Gargoyles was often a more mature or sophisticated show in terms of the themes of the story and motives of the character, this comic adds a certain amount of sleaze and gratuitous violence (hookers and a serial killer makes an appearance). Combined with a certain obliqueness about such matters (love interests being obliquely referred to as friends in an awkward way rather than say "lover"). The result is something a bit cruder and less cerebral than the TV show, the characters are a bit more broadly and simply characterized, but still I found it fun and interesting.
The stories involve villains much like those in the show. The main villains Xanatos and Demona are often prominent in the comics as in the show. In terms of the more minor villains of the week in some cases as with the gangster Tony Dracon and the mercenary celebrities the Pack these are villains from the cartoon show. In other cases they are invented for the show, but suspiciously similar to villains from the show. As with the villainous geneticist Dr. Phobos who has much in common with Dr. Sevarius. In this vein Dr. Phobos creates a clone gargoyle named Venus with hybrid characteristics of Goliath and detective Eliza Maza, later in the show Goliath's clone Thailog created Delilah a female Gargoyle hybrid of Demona and Eliza. The comic would reference events from the show, but I don't think the show ever referenced anything from the comics. Also the appearance of the Pack is not if I remember correctly consistent with their appearances in the show if I remember correctly. With all this established much as in the show a mystery, a series of crimes or a fight must overcome by the Gargoyles thus giving the plot of an issue.
The comic ended with some dangling threads. A mysterious wizard was attempting to recruit the Gargoyles for some purpose and had made use of the aforementioned hybrid-clone Venus. The 11th issue ends with the title for the never released 12th issue "The day the sun kissed the Earth." I'm not sure not having kept up on the new comics, but I doubt any of this or other things unique to these comics like the medical examiner with a crush on Eliza ever had any follow-up. Still an interesting might have been.
The action in the comic, which order to read panels and word bubbles in can be a bit confusing in some pages. Otherwise I don't really notice any major problems with the artwork. The paperback edition I own is serviceable and free of defect.
The 11 issues contain stories that overflow any one issue, but there is not one over riding arc plot. Rather most stories feature a main plot that may take two or three issues to resolve (a fight with a specific villain) and secondary minor plots that often blossom into the main plot of later issues. Gargoyles always had a comic book feel to me, a story that threw in everything including the kitchen sink in terms of combing technology, magic and mythical creatures with Shakespeare and social commentary, but in a very comic book scale and form: larger than life heroes deploying strange powers in a modern setting to battle criminals and neerdowells. Thus in some ways Gargoyles fits well with this comic adaption, but there are differences.
The comic does have a the feel of a 90s super hero comic both in its somewhat decompressed story telling format (with conflicts taking an 2 or 3 issues to resolve instead of rapping up in one) and with the style of the artwork with its human forms filled with bulging muscles and square jaws (reminding one of Rob Liefeld's artwork). The most prominent Gargoyle the leader Goliath at times appears more like Frankenstein's monster than I think he should. It also has some of that 90s Grim and Grittiness about it. Gargoyles was often a more mature or sophisticated show in terms of the themes of the story and motives of the character, this comic adds a certain amount of sleaze and gratuitous violence (hookers and a serial killer makes an appearance). Combined with a certain obliqueness about such matters (love interests being obliquely referred to as friends in an awkward way rather than say "lover"). The result is something a bit cruder and less cerebral than the TV show, the characters are a bit more broadly and simply characterized, but still I found it fun and interesting.
The stories involve villains much like those in the show. The main villains Xanatos and Demona are often prominent in the comics as in the show. In terms of the more minor villains of the week in some cases as with the gangster Tony Dracon and the mercenary celebrities the Pack these are villains from the cartoon show. In other cases they are invented for the show, but suspiciously similar to villains from the show. As with the villainous geneticist Dr. Phobos who has much in common with Dr. Sevarius. In this vein Dr. Phobos creates a clone gargoyle named Venus with hybrid characteristics of Goliath and detective Eliza Maza, later in the show Goliath's clone Thailog created Delilah a female Gargoyle hybrid of Demona and Eliza. The comic would reference events from the show, but I don't think the show ever referenced anything from the comics. Also the appearance of the Pack is not if I remember correctly consistent with their appearances in the show if I remember correctly. With all this established much as in the show a mystery, a series of crimes or a fight must overcome by the Gargoyles thus giving the plot of an issue.
The comic ended with some dangling threads. A mysterious wizard was attempting to recruit the Gargoyles for some purpose and had made use of the aforementioned hybrid-clone Venus. The 11th issue ends with the title for the never released 12th issue "The day the sun kissed the Earth." I'm not sure not having kept up on the new comics, but I doubt any of this or other things unique to these comics like the medical examiner with a crush on Eliza ever had any follow-up. Still an interesting might have been.
The action in the comic, which order to read panels and word bubbles in can be a bit confusing in some pages. Otherwise I don't really notice any major problems with the artwork. The paperback edition I own is serviceable and free of defect.
October 31, 2025
I was pleased to back this project on Kickstarter because I’m a huge Gargoyles fan. This volume collects the original Marvel series of comics. Only 11 issues were released, leaving the story incomplete. Some of the content in these is more mature than I remembered. I can understand why there may have been lower sales amongst kids.
Some of the lettering is blurry and there are a handful of typos. I wish Dynamite had taken the time to clean that up before reprinting. Otherwise, I’m very glad to have this.
Some of the lettering is blurry and there are a handful of typos. I wish Dynamite had taken the time to clean that up before reprinting. Otherwise, I’m very glad to have this.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews