GARGOYLES #9, from Dynamite Comics on 9/13/23, puts Goliath on the witness stand in a NYC Court to determine if he deserves rights under the law as a non-human.
The Details
- Written by: Greg Weisman
- Art by: George Kambadais
- Colors by: Giulia Giacomino, Giovanna La Pietra
- Letters by: Jeff Eckleberry
- Cover art by: David Nakayama
- Comic Rating: All Ages
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: September 13, 2023
Is GARGOYLES #9 Good?
GARGOYLES #9 is the big issue you’ve been waiting for in Greg Weisman’s latest arc that puts the Gargoyles in the public spotlight. To Weisman’s credit, he handles the semantics of a Court hearing with solid pacing and accuracy, but readers looking for a riveting comic may find this one less than ideal.
When last we left the Gargoyles, Goliath weathered at least two attacks on his prison from competing forces. Meanwhile, the carefully staged events designed to instigate a citywide mob war are drawing suspicious looks from some of the smarter mob bosses. Now, GARGOYLES #9 is all about Goloath’s hearing to determine if gargoyles are afforded the same rights and protections under the law as humans.
To be clear, the entire subthread about a blossoming mob war is not shown, referenced, or acknowledged in any way in this issue. It’s all about the hearing and absolutely nothing else. If you find the prospect of a citywide conflict more interesting than a pair of lawyers arguing before a judge, plan your purchase accordingly.
What’s great about GARGOYLES #9? Weisman handles the lawyerly aspects of Goliath’s hearing well. The examination and cross-examinations make their points, you get a little bit of drama with a surprise witness, and at least one surprising revelation comes out.
What’s not so great about GARGOYLES #9? In the wrong hands, a legal drama is about as captivating as watching paint dry. GARGOYLES #9 isn’t as bad as all that, but the dramatic energy rises only to the level of two lawyers snipping at each other.
How’s the art? It’s fine. We’ve noted before how George Kambadias’s painterly style and propensity for fish eye lens distortions doesn’t work in certain stories, but it fits right in with Disney cartoons.
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What’s GARGOYLES #9 About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our GARGOYLES #8 review to find out what happened just before Goliath’s hearing.
We begin with the defense and the prosecution attorneys standing before an NYC judge to discuss pre-trial… err, pre-hearing motions for Goliath’s hearing. The defense motions to hold the hearing at night so Goliath can testify on his own behalf. The judge agrees.
When the hearing begins, the lawyers tussle back and forth about whether or not Goliath is intelligent, able to speak, and why he chooses to protect humans. With each point up for debate, witnesses are brought in to confirm different aspects of Goliath’s behavior.
We conclude the issue with a surprise revelation and a surprise witness.
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Final Thoughts
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GARGOYLES #9 puts the simmering mob war on the back burner and slows the overall pacing down for Goliath’s hearing to determine if gargoyles deserve protection under the law. Weisman presents a reasonably solid hearing, and Kambadais’s art is decent enough, but this is not a thrilling issue by any stretch.
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