Gargoyles #1 Review: Picking Up the Cartoons' Story and Quality

After a decades-long dormancy, Gargoyles has returned thanks to an all-new ongoing comic series from Dynamite Entertainment. While some may be quick to throw the title aside as another low-effort licensed title, readers should be delighted to know this new Gargoyles series is canon with the events of the cult classic television series, creating a seamless continuity between the show and sequential storytelling. That means little time passes from the ending of the show and the beginning of this comic, and that much is evident from the leap.

That's largely thanks to Dynamite's hiring of de facto Gargoyles creator Greg Weisman to pen the series and shepherd the new universe of titles at Dynamite. With Weisman's involvement, these characters don't miss a beat, teaming with Elisa Maza in the comic's opening moments to help stop a high-speed chase across town.

Like the show before it, many might classify Gargoyles #1 as a slow burn. Weisman takes his time reintroducing the ensemble to readers, and given the size of the cast, characters only get a few panels each to building whatever little character they can before a new Gargoyles is introduced. Unfortunately for the overall cohesiveness of the issue, that's probably the biggest flaw given the kinetic line art of George Kambadais. The artist specializes in larger-than-life action set-pieces, and only a brief moment or two is included in this debut. Instead, Weisman's script largely focuses on exposition and re-establishing this world for a new generation.

But again, that's a true testament to the dedication Dynamite has to this series. The Gargoyles show is arguably best known for its long-form Mignolian storytelling in that characters and storylines introduced in one episode may not be dealt with until much later down the road. If you come into the comic with the same mindset you have after watching the series, it's hard to go wrong with this issue. It brings back the characters many of us spent hours watching growing up in a familiar world with a similar tone. If you're hoping for a large reimagining or tonal shift, you may walk away from this disappointed. Either way, Weisman and company stay true to the property's roots, and that should prove beneficial in the long run.

Published by Dynamite Entertainment

On December 7, 2022

Written by Greg Weisman

Art by George Kambadais

Colors by George Kambadais

Letters by Jeff Eckleberry

Cover by David Nakayama