Writer: Greg Weisman
Art: George Kambadais
Publisher: Dynamite Comics
Price: $3.99
Release Date: September 13, 2023
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THE DISPATCH
Here at last is the long-awaited trial of Goliath! Writer Greg Weisman lost creative control of the series in season 3 of the show. Gargoyles #9 loosely resembles a plot point of the show in the episode, “And Justice For All” but presents it as how Weisman would have told that story. We see the return of series regulars like Halcyon Renard. This story re-examines the question that was posed in the series during season 3, on whether gargoyles have sentience and are deserving of the same rights as humans.
Weisman makes a good effort to make this a well-written courtroom procedural story, and even includes time stamps to show the reader when this is happening, which important considering the gargoyles’ sleep schedule. Lexington serves as a good narrator for this issue, and it’s interesting he’s communicating via text as opposed to just voicing his own inner thoughts like previous characters have done. We also learn in this issue that Elisa Maza’s middle name is “Nichelle”, most likely as a tribute to the late Nichelle Nichols, who voiced her character’s mother on the show. There isn’t really any action to speak of in this story, but it presents a good alternative take on Goliath’s trial from the series, and arguably does so much better.
ART
The artwork in Gargoyles #9 continues to be consistent and resembles the show’s animation style well. The pages that particularly stand out are the full page scenes, such as the gargoyle clan huddled around the television to watch the trial and Goliath testifying before the court. We also see panels of just television screens, showing the perspective of the rest of the gargoyle clan watching at home, as well as the average human citizen. It almost makes the reader feel like they are watching the trial unfold themselves.
FINAL THOUGHTS
While Gargoyles #9 is lacking in terms of action, it does do a good job of re-examining themes from the show, such discussing whether gargoyles possess sentience and if they’re deserving of rights the same as humans. The characters are depicted consistent with how they’ve been portrayed in this comic thus far and in the first two seasons of the show. How might this trial turn out? And what other surprises might be in store?