Brian Dumlao         3-2-97                English 3                     Mr. Frankel

Gargoyles: The Series, The Fans, and Fan Impact

In all the years that television has existed, very few shows really capture the interests and the imagination of the fans in a startling manner. Shows such as Star Trek, The X-Files, and Mystery Science Theater 3000 have all had it’s share of fans that show their admiration for the series; these acts include fan conventions and the purchase of anything related to the series. The quality of the series, says many of the fans, is why they admire it above anything else on television. You can now add to that list Gargoyles, an animated series by Disney. The fans of Gargoyles do anything to prove how much they love the show, from buying the toys and collecting the trading cards to creating fan fiction and artwork based on the show’s characters. These fans have banded together to both save the series from cancellation and continue it in case their pleas fall upon deaf ears.

The Emmy-nominated Gargoyles is one of the few dramatic animated series on the air. One thousand years ago, creatures known as gargoyles existed among us. By day, they are stone statues sitting atop castle towers. By night, they are living, breathing, intelligent beings. Blessed with wings, talons, and great strength and endurance, gargoyles have an instinctive nature to protect the innocent. They protect the humans during the night and the humans protect them during the day. After being betrayed by the humans they swore to protect, most of the gargoyles were destroyed during the day by invading Vikings. The six surviving gargoyles were frozen in stone by a magic spell for a thousand years. They were to remain in permanent stone sleep until the castle they protected was raised above the clouds. Only then would the spell be broken, causing these creatures to live again.

The year is 1994. Billionaire David Xanatos hears of this legend and orders the castle, along with the gargoyles, be brought to New York and placed above his building. With that completed, the gargoyles awaken to a new time and a new location. In the pilot episode, Xanatos asks Goliath, the gargoyle leader, and his clan to retrieve disks that were supposedly stolen from him.  While deciding whether or not to go ahead and help Xanatos, Goliath befriends Elisa Maza, NYPD detective and the only other human to know of the existence of gargoyles. He also discovers his mate Demona, who he thought was destroyed in the massacre. Once Goliath discovers the truth about Xanatos and the disks (the disks contain data stolen from another company and will be used to program Xanatos’s robot gargoyle squad), he defeats Xanatos as well as Demona, who has vowed to destroy all humans and those that are against her cause.

In subsequent episodes, new allies and villains are introduced, each possessing their own history and immense depth in character. Also, many interesting plot threads and situations are presented: the discovery of other gargoyle clans around the world, gargoyle cloning and genetic engineering, the revelation that Demona and Macbeth are immortal (the Macbeth used in this series is the historical Scottish king of the same name, used also in the Shakespeare play), and the romantic relationship between Elisa and Goliath just to name a few.

The fan-base for this three year old series is supposedly aimed at the children ages 3-11. However, the series has found that a majority of the fans are in the 13-40 age group. Most of the older fans, usually around 20-40 years old, became fans only after seeing an episode of the series several months after it began. Rob Girard writes, “I prematurely made up my mind and prejudged the show as one of the mindless attempts at entertainment that attempts to pass as kids TV. My wife, who had seen the show, told me to open my mind and watch the show. I did and was hooked.” (e-mail). The fans had a variety of responses when asked what got them hooked to the series and why they enjoy it. The reasons include animation style, music, storylines, and character development.

All of the fans agree that the animation style and music is pivotal in the series’s quality. The dark colored animation gives the series a dramatic mood and the musical score enhances the effect; the score is similar to those featured in both the Disney animated feature films and major Hollywood films such as Braveheart and Batman Forever.

“I have seen very few animated sequences as exquisitely rendered as some of the ‘metamorphosis’ scenes on Gargoyles. The grace of a gargoyle in flight... is truly dazzling. Again, attention to detail is superlative, be it minor changes in facial expression, wind stirring a character’s hair and clothes, or the action-reaction timing in chase/combat sequences. And the music. Carl Johnson’s distinctive orchestrated score rivals anything done by John Williams or Alan Menken.” (Batya "The Toon" Levin, e-mail)

The storyline of the series is another of it’s strong points. There is an actual chronological order with the events that take place in each episode.  “Many episodes begin with brief montages of previously-seen footage, as on NYPD Blue and ER.” (Batya "The Toon" Levin, e-mail). Without these scenes, the overall storyline would be too convoluted to follow. The subject matter and accuracy of myths and historical elements are other touches unique to the series. An animated series rarely deals with subjects such as illiteracy, gun control, revenge, parenthood, and interracial relationships in a mature manner. The lessons are never forced down the throats of the viewers but are subtly implied instead.  Accuracy of myths and historical elements also play a major part in the series.  Mythical figures such as Africa’s Anansi (the spider-trickster god), King Arthur Pendragon, Ireland’s Cu Chullain, and the Native American god Coyote are portrayed in a similar manner to the mythical stories they come from. Gargoylesalso presents almost accurate representations of historical figures that affect the story. Aside from the aforementioned Macbeth, for example, the history of Scotland in the series is true (to a point). Historical figures such as Constantine III and Kenneth II are portrayed accurately and flawlessly. Also, the Vikings in the first episode are not done in a stereotypical manner. “I was especially pleased that they (Disney) did the Vikings the right way: without horned helmets and bearskins.” (Todd Jensen, e-mail). Many fans have claimed to become interested in world mythology and Scottish history because of the influence of the series.

Most animated shows have characters that are very one-sided; the person is either good or evil with no alternative available to him/her. Gargoyles, on the other hand, has a plethora of characters that are not simply good or evil; they are more complicated than that. Most of the characters have internal problems to deal with and this aspect makes them more human than any other character in animated television. Death, revenge, loneliness, betrayal, love, forgiveness, and trust are just some of the subjects that both heroes and enemies deal with as the series progresses. The good and evil borderlines are diminished between people when they work for a common goal that benefits everyone. “Gargoyles is not the traditional story of two powers battling for the fate of a third party. The characters encounter obstacles, do what they consider best, make mistakes, explore, learn, and go on with their lives.” (Aris T., e-mail).

Not only are the fans praising the show and learning from it, they are also engaged in various activities pertaining to the series. Gargoyles fan clubs have sprouted up in various high schools and universities. Known as ‘clans’, these clubs not only discuss various aspects of the show and certain episodes, they also engage in community service activities as well. “My Gargoyle Club made $48 at our bake sale today! We're keeping to the ‘Gargoyles protect’ theme, so we're using the money to sponsor a soup kitchen!” (Lady Aislinn, Internet posting). Collection of Gargoyles merchandise has also become sacred to certain fans. The merchandise is rare and those that happen to get the items are considered lucky. “I’ve got one and a half bookcases of merchandise as well as the top shelf in my closet. I worked for Toys-’R’-Us for a year and a half. The only reason I applied there was because they had Gargoyles movie promotional pins and I really wanted one.” (Blaqthourne & Crimson Fury, e-mail).

The Internet has become a haven for Gargoyles fans. Many fans create web pages dedicated to the series; “(Gargoyles) inspired me to build a website to profess my adoration, so I therefore learned HTML code.” (Lex Wyvern, e-mail). Web sites such as Station 8 and Castle.net are regarded as the primary sources for Gargoyles information, links to other Gargoyles related sites created by fans, and sources for fan-inspired creations. The fans also converge in chat rooms, comment boards, and e-mail lists to discuss the series and find other fans. “It (the Station 8 comment board) has given me the opportunity to ‘meet’ a bunch of kindred spirits who see the world in the same light I do.” (Kathy, e-mail).

By far the greatest way a fan can show his/her love for the series is to create something based on the show. “Unimpressed by institutional authority and expertise, fans assert their own right to form interpretations, to offer evaluations, and to construct cultural canons.” (Bruckman, Whole Earth Review, 99). Gargoyles has indeed been an inspiration for many fans. Not only do they create web sites to profess their love for the series, they create artwork and fan-fiction as well. Artists such as Raptor Woman have created many Gargoyles based pictures, including the one featured on the cover of this report. To them, Gargoyles is the perfect subject for creating awe inspiring pictures. Budding authors also find the show to be great source of writing ideas. They write fanfic as a means of creating the stories and situations involving these characters they would never see done on the series. They also provide alternatives to episode storylines and create different futures for the characters. For example, many of the fan-fiction stories on the Internet delve with the Elisa and Goliath relationship the series has only hinted on and touched lightly. Other fan-fiction involves the lives of the enemies, the lives of the rest of the gargoyle clan members, and the introduction of the writer’s own creations into the Gargoyles universe.

At the beginning of 1997, many rumors began to appear that the series was going to be canceled. Due to low ratings, the show would not continue to air beginning this fall. As of late, the fans of the series are working harder than ever to ensure that the show stays on the air. Many petitions to save the show have been signed and numerous fan letters sent to the various heads at Disney programming asking that the show be renewed for another season. Fan-fiction and artwork is still being created and the Gargoyles based sites are still active.  Taped episodes of the series are being passed around from fan to fan in hopes of keeping the fan base alive and possibly recruiting new fans. A convention called “The 1997 Gathering of the Gargoyles” will be held this July in New York.  This non-profit event was created by fans to showcase the fan artwork and fan-fiction, meet other fans, and promote the series they love dearly. The most stunning announcement, however, was The Gargoyles Saga (TGS). Written and produced by a select number of fans, TGS, which premieres in September, is a fan-fiction based series on the Internet that continues the Gargoyles storyline according to the outline provided by the former producer and creator of the series. It is being heralded as a tremendous task and the alternative when the series departs the airwaves.

With an upcoming live-action movie to hit the theaters in 1999 and the fan base still going strong, Gargoyles is seen as more than a simple entertainment.  Like a great novel, it has introduced us to new characters in a universe filled with fantasy and reality combining as one. The fans of the series know this and have embraced these characters, holding them as heroes and the series as a classic tale that never grows old once it is retold several times over. One fan puts it best when she says, “Gargoyles is about living the drama and mystery of life.” (Aris T., e-mail).