Gargoyles: Demona #5 (Dynamite Comics)
Hello there! Padawan J here, the resident Star Wars expert from the ODPH! This week I'm going to be reviewing the 5th issue of Gargoyles: Demona from Dynamite Comics!
A series as timeless as Gargoyles is needs a couple of important things. The first is a great cast, and I would hold the cast of that show up against any other one in media history. The second is a great story, and the story of Gargoyles is one of the best one’s ever written. Lastly is a great villain to go against the heroes, and Gargoyles has some great villains. One such villain is Demona, a vengeful gargoyle with an eternal hate for humans. This series has been following Demona in the time after Goliath & his clan have been frozen in stone! So with that said, let’s jump into it!
Credit: Dynamite Comics // Greg Weisman (Writer), Frank Paur (Artist), Robby Bevard (Colorist), Jeff Eckleberry (Letterer) & Meghan Hetrick (Cover), is a heartfelt story that shows a different side of Demona than we’re used to
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
The Story
Greg Weisman really caught me off guard with the story in this issue. I’ve been a fan of Gargoyles since the 90s and it first came on TV, and my love for it has never gone away. I won’t pretend that I think I understand all of the intricacy's of each of the characters like some other people might. However I really thought I had a pretty firm grasp on Demona. I’ve watched the show a bunch of times, read the comics a number of times and I thought I knew her. Greg Weisman proved me 100% wrong.
We pick up the story in 1274 in Ishimura, Japan where Demona & her daughter Angelika have settled down in an effort to help a local clan raise a new generations of Gargoyles. What plays out between Demona & her now elderly daughter Angelika is incredibly beautiful & heartbreaking at the same time. It’s a rare moment we get to see Demona smile and be happy.
However the happiness can’t last forever, because we see her home is attacked by a force of Gargoyle hunters. It’s an epic battle but one that ultimately doesn’t end in Demona’s favor as she would like. It’s like the saying says war is hell. It’s an incredibly sad, and poignant ending to the issue (and the series) that is sure to give readers a new found understanding about just who Demona is.
There is of course the final page, which doesn’t act as a cliffhanger in the traditional sense. However it does leave a lose thread hanging in the proverbial wind. Knowing Greg, I’m sure it’s going to get picked up sometime in the near future. It’ll be exciting to see how it plays out. I have my own theories. Though I’ll save those for another time.
The Artwork
Frank Paur & Robby Bevard both did an incredible job with the art in the issue. There is a LOT going on in the panels of this issue but they both use the panel to maximum effect. Also seeing the overall tone of the art & color shift from happiness to sadness was just brilliant. Also the final three pages are some of the most beautiful pages I’ve seen in some time. I really can’t sing the praises of the artwork in this issue enough.
FINAL POINT: Greg Weisman has shown me a side of Demona I didn’t know she had in her. It’s a beautiful story that will appeal to some of the most powerful emotions. It’s a series that every Gargoyles fan should read, and needs to be at the top of their list. The artwork is just spectacular & the story is just top notch.
Overall Grade: 10/10
Thank you for taking the time to check out my review. Be sure to reach out to me on Twitter, and let me know what you thought of the issue!
