Wes’s Guide to Gargoyles: Gargoyles #8

It was been a long time since I’ve posted anything in this blog. I sincerely apologize for the lack of recent updates but sadly, real life kept getting in the way and my writing fell by the wayside. In any case, we’re picking back up with Gargoyles. To recap, since it has been a little while, Tony Dracon’s more competent Uncle Dino has been released from prison and is causing chaos for New York’s major crime families and the rest of the city by proximity. Meanwhile, Goliath has been arrested for the crime of… being a Gargoyle and now awaits a hearing to determine if he deserves human rights, aided by a good natured attorney named Tobe Crest. As the gang war instigated by Dino Dracon rages on, fan favorite Gargoyles villain Wolf, who it turns out is the son of a Russian mob boss (because I guess the guy’s entire family tree is nothing but criminals and scumbags right down to the roots) as well as an old friend of Dino Dracon, the latter of whom has given the Wolf Man his blessing to go after Tomas Brod in Riker’s island (Dino framed Brod for bombing Wolf’s Dad’s car you see). And, since Goliath is locked up in Riker’s too, he may kill two birds with one stone.

As we open, we see that this time around, it’s Coldfire handling narration duties. Coldfire remarks on how unusual it is to be conscious in the light of day as well as the enhanced abilities that come with her robotic form. Coldstone arrives and remarks that while he loves and respects Goliath, both as his brother and the clan leader, he cannot agree with Goliath’s decision to await trial and leave his fate to the human justice system. Coldfire reassures her mate that while the humans are not always trustworthy, she has faith in Goliath and trusts his judgment.

Speaking of the big guy, we join Goliath waking up from stone sleep in his cell in Riker’s, Brod and Dracon in the cell across from his getting a good laugh out of the guard’s liberal use of the electric shock collar our hero has been fitted with. Turns out, even in the comics, this franchise’s weird obsession with electrocution is alive and well. However, things suddenly take a turn for the crazy as who should come busting through the wall like the Kool-Aid man but our old pal Wolf. And to make matters worse, Wolf Man is not alone. Joining the furry muscle brained thug is our favorite pair of psychotic cyborg siblings, Jackal and Hyena. That’s right people, The Pack, is Back!! Except Fox, she’s happily married and raising a child. And Dingo, he’s off playing superhero in his native Australia. And Coyote, he’s probably under a sheet in Xanatos’s basement hiding from Hyena’s sexual advances. Okay, Half of the Pack is Back!!

As the Brotherhood of Body Horror storms the prison, the twins argue over who gets the first crack at Goliath. Wolf reminds them that there will be plenty of time for that after they finish the job they were hired to do, waste Tomas Brod. Jackal takes aim at the Czech gangster, and Tony tells him to watch where he’s pointing that blaster, but Wolf tells the little weasel that Dino said he’s okay with, and in all likelihood counting on, Tony winding up as collateral damage. There you have it folks. Tony Dracon is such a waste of flesh and blood that even his own flesh and blood is okay with him getting wasted. Goliath tells the guard that he can save everyone, but only if he’s released.

Back at the castle, Brooklyn is chewing out Lexington and Broadway for disobeying his direct orders, something he knows they would never do with Goliath. Lex and Broadway brush their brother off, leading Coldfire to wonder that if the clan can even stay together without Goliath.

Back at Riker’s, while the guard is hesitant to release Goliath, with Hyena looking to carve off his skin and make a scarf, he doesn’t really have much choice. With Goliath free, he effortlessly rips the cell door off its hinges and, after a long and intense fight, manages to subdue The Pack. The guard asks if Goliath plans to escape now, but Goliath says if he wanted to do that, he’d have done so when his clan attempted to bust him out. Goliath agrees to return to his cell once he’s thrown helped lock The Pack in cells of their own.

Our comic ends with more narration from Coldfire as she ruminates on all her clan has survived over the centuries and her concern that this upcoming court hearing may be the one thing they cannot.

This was a solid issue. Admittedly, Coldfire’s narration didn’t really add much, but I still like the rotating narrator gimmick. It was absolutely awesome to see The Pack back in action. Their role in the overall story wasn’t that important, but as per usual, their presence lead to a pretty cool fight scene. Next time, Goliath finally has his day in court.