GARGOYLES: DARK AGES #2, from Dynamite Comics on 8/9/23, concludes Prince Malcolm’s battle against King Culen with losses, victories, and a hostage.
The Details
- Written by: Greg Weisman
- Art by: Drew Moss
- Colors by: Martina Pignedoli
- Letters by: Jeff Eckleberry
- Cover art by: Clayton Crain (cover A)
- Comic Rating: All Ages
- Cover price: $4.99
- Release date: August 9, 2023
Is It Good?
GARGOYLES: DARK AGES #2 brings the great human battle to a close on the shores adjoining Wyvern Hill in Greg Weisman’s chaotic, battle-heavy script. Gargoyle fans who crave scenes of Gargoyles letting loose in all their combat glory will have plenty to crow about, but a particular art choice might be a mood killer.
When last we left the Gargoyles, they decided to aid Prince Malcolm in his quest to reclaim the throne from King Culen. Despite their leader’s orders, some of the younger Gargoyles, including Demona, couldn’t resist joining the battle once it started. Now, we join the battle in full chaos as wizards, warriors, and winged ones fight to the death.
What’s great about this comic? Weisman’s script is effectively one long battle, so if you like medieval battles, complete with spellcasting wizards and winged gargoyles, you’re in for a treat. The fight choreography is solid, and as a good battle should, the momentum swings from one side to the other until the very end to keep readers on their toes.
What’s not so great about this comic? The same critique from issue #1 applies here, and in the course of a chaotic battle, is amplified. The human characters look too much alike in physical appearance through their faces and their armor. During the battle, you can’t easily tell who’s who or which army (if “rooting” is the right word) you should be rooting for.
It would have helped greatly to give the competing armies greater differences in their armor or standard colors so you could at least keep track of which way the battle was trending at any given moment. As it is, the battle looks like a jumble of random bodies sprinkled with Gargoyles.
In terms of artistic delivery, the battle choreography is generally solid, and the Gargoyles are distinctive, but the major down point of the issue, as noted above, is the sameness of human designs.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our GARGOYLES: DARK AGES #1 review to find out why the Gargoyles decided to join the human fight.
We begin with the battle already in progress. The Gargoyles provide a clear advantage to Prince Malcom’s forces, but King Culen has a secret weapon. The King signals his sorcerer to conjure water constructs from the nearby ocean and encase opposing fighters in water. Fortunately, Prince Malcom has his own wizard available to counteract the opposing spells.
Before the battle is done, many of King Culen’s men will fall, some of Prince Malcom’s men and a few Gargoyles will fall, and one Gargoyle will become a hostage.
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Final Thoughts
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GARGOYLES: DARK AGES #2 delivers one big bombastic battle, pitting humans against humans and Gargoyles against humans for the right to King Culen’s throne. The action is energetic, and the cliffhanger ending generates curiosity for what happens next, but the unfortunate human designs make all the characters fighting (except Gargoyles) look like a mass of confusion.
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