Difference between revisions of "For Not Everything With Wings..."
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The previous night, [[Angelika]] and [[Demona]] settled on the roof of the cathedral much to Angelika's confusion. Demona had strongly affirmed that [[France]] and its [[human]]s hate their kind but still insists on hiding their treasures in the forest while sleeping atop this cathedral. Demona bitterly points out the irony in humans hunting gargoyles to extinction then superstitiously believe that sculptures will protect them. Still, Demona decides they can take advantage of this "perversion" to hide in plain sight. | The previous night, [[Angelika]] and [[Demona]] settled on the roof of the cathedral much to Angelika's confusion. Demona had strongly affirmed that [[France]] and its [[human]]s hate their kind but still insists on hiding their treasures in the forest while sleeping atop this cathedral. Demona bitterly points out the irony in humans hunting gargoyles to extinction then superstitiously believe that sculptures will protect them. Still, Demona decides they can take advantage of this "perversion" to hide in plain sight. | ||
| − | We return to the following day where Archbishop Ambrosius expresses doubt that the village council will compensate Reynard for his "ambitious new works". But Blaise, tired of this conversation, departs for home - to his wife and son. As he approaches the [[Reynard House|house]] his son, [[Martin-Pêcheur Reynard]], rushes toward him in excitement to show his father what he made. A miniature, hand-held [[Demona statuette|sculpture of one of the new gargoyles]]. Martin-Pêcheur knows it's not as good as "the one he just put on the cathedral", and while Blaise begins to tell his son that the new statues aren't his work - he pivots to teach his son not to compare his work to other sculptors and to maintain his own artistic integrity. But then his wife, [[Heloise Reynard|Heloise]] steps in to lecture her husband that a man with true integrity would provide for his family - work faster and cheaper so the village council wouldn't replace him - and not carve two new statues for free. Blaise again claims the new statues aren't his, but Heloise doesn't believe him. Blaise protests that Heloise doesn't believe in him at all - and never truly did. Not wanting to continue this argument in front of their son, Heloise takes Martin-Pêcheur away as Blaise decides to head to the [[Vyones Tavern|tavern.]] | + | We return to the following day where Archbishop Ambrosius expresses doubt that the village council will compensate Reynard for his "ambitious new works". But Blaise, tired of this conversation, departs for home - to his wife and son. As he approaches the [[Reynard House|house]] his son, [[Martin-Pêcheur Reynard]], rushes toward him in excitement to show his father what he made. A miniature, hand-held [[Demona statuette|sculpture of one of the new gargoyles]]. Martin-Pêcheur knows it's not as good as "the one he just put on the cathedral", and while Blaise begins to tell his son that the new statues aren't his work - he pivots to teach his son not to compare his work to other sculptors and to maintain his own artistic integrity. But then his wife, [[Heloise Reynard|Heloise]] steps in to lecture her husband that a man with true integrity would provide for his family - work faster and cheaper so the village council wouldn't replace him - and not carve two new statues for free. Blaise again claims the new statues aren't his, but Heloise doesn't believe him. Blaise protests that Heloise doesn't believe in him at all - and never truly did. Not wanting to continue this argument in front of their son, Heloise takes Martin-Pêcheur away as Blaise decides to head to the [[Vyones Tavern|tavern]] as it begins to rain. |
| + | |||
| + | Storm clouds have rolled in and [[Nicolette Villom]], the tavern maid, pours him a drink while insisting that Blaise refer to her by her first name. As he drinks, he is approached by a sneering [Guillaume Maspier]] and Mazzal. Mazzal accuses Blaise of trying to show him up with the two new gargoyles on the cathedral while Maspier smirks that the village council will keep funding Mazzal. But Blaise accused Mazzal of slipping Maspier kickbacks from his fees, which outrages Maspier. Mazzal then tells Blaise that he lost his commission because his sculptures were too expensive, slow, grotesque and frightening. Now Reynard protests as gargoyles are supposed to be frightening. Nicolette watches this from a distance feeling sympathy for Blaise, asking if her [[Jean Villom|father]] can stop this - while Mazzal accuses Reynard of being just as monstrous as as his sculptures. | ||
| + | |||
| + | As the sun sets, Blaise stands on the roof of the cathedral, his son's gift in hand as Demona and Angelika explode from their stone sleep. Demona is immediately on alert to the human's presence while Angelika believes that had he meant any harm, he would have attacked them while they slept. Blaise then spoke of his admiration for [[gargoyle]]s and while some relegated them to myth, he still remembered when the night sky teemed with gargoyles while he was still a child. Demona snarled that humans destroyed them, which Blaise apologized for before explaining that he sought to honor their memory with his creations: [[Grimalkin]] and [[Satyre]]. Angelika expressed admiration for his work, while admitting that Grimalkin gave her chills. Demona, on the other hand, was did not care for them at all - but admitted that Reynard captured a certain fierceness. Suddenly, Grimalkin's eyes and mouth began glowing, the statue began to animate and took to the skies as Demona, Angelika and Blaise watched. | ||
| + | |||
| + | As Mazzal and Maspier wandered the streets of [[Vyones]], drunk, Grimalkin stalked them both and murdered the two humans. While this took place, Demona accused Reynard of sorcery - recognizing the spell as one that brings [[Stone Golems]] to life. Reynard began denying it until Demona pointed her [[Demona's Sword|sword]] at his throat. The human admitted to practicing the dark arts and offered Demona a partnership - that the people of the village were narrow-minded and cruel and would destroy all three of them for what they were. | ||
| + | |||
| + | At that moment, [[Raoul]] burst into the tavern and summoned both Villoms to the scene of the murder. Nicolette cried into Raoul's arms, horrified by what remained of the two men. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Back at the cathedral, Angelika expressed surprise that Demona agreed to Reynard's terms rather quickly, noting that he did seem sincere. Demona cynically reminded Angelika that all humans hide their cruelty - sometimes even from themselves. But Angelika side-eyed Demona asking if only humans did that, causing an agitated Demona to ask what what was supposed to mean as the second golem, Satyre, also came to life. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Reynard arrived at the tavern finding everyone in shock over the deaths of Mazzal and Maspier (Raoul still comforting Nicolette), the humans suspecting that possible a bear had wandered into the village from the forest. They began forming a hunting party and ordered Reynard to get a torch and a weapon. Nicolette was still in shock, unable to get the sight of the killings out of her mind. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Angelika pursued Satyre into the sky, wanting to see where it went. Demona warned her adopted daughter that she was still too rash. But Angelika reminded Demona that she was no longer a child and that Demona taught her to make her own decisions since she was a rookling. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Blaise Reynard observed the affection between Raoul and Nicolette barely succeeding in hiding his envy as Satyre burst into the tavern while laughing - stalking straight toward Nicolette. Villom stood between his daughter and the stone golem only to be cast aside like a rag doll while Raoul drew his sword but also proved no match for the beast. Satyre seized Nicolette before returning to the skies. Reynard left the tavern and followed from the ground below. Angelika continued her pursuit only to be knocked aside before righting herself in the air as she and Demona continued their pursuit. | ||
| + | |||
| + | At they Reynard house, Heloise was putting Martin-Pêcheur to bed, but the boy wished to stay up and wait for his father to return home. But Heloise kindly urged the child to go to sleep - not knowing when her husband would return - as Grimalkin arrived and seized Heloise. Blaise heard the screaming from outside and ran to the house - dropping the Demona-shaped statuette his son carved for him. He entered his home and armed himself with a sledgehammer before headed back outside where Satyre presented him with an unconscious Nicolette while Grimalkin "gifted" his creator with Heloise's corpse. Reynard protested that he never wanted this - but his creations growled that he did. As Reynard swung his hammer, he too was seized by his creations who flew him into the skies above Vyones - their hands in his flesh and carrying him back to the cathedral. Upon dropping Reynard atop the rooftop, the human swung his hammer into Grimalkin's arm, shattering it. But the golem's right arm and claws were wrapped around his throat. Struggling against the vice-like grip, Reynard lost his footing and fell to his death - Grimalkin's talons buried in his neck. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Demona and Angelika landed on the cathedral with the younger gargoyle wondering if this is what they looked like in the eyes of humans - but Demona bitterly sneered that humans were too corrupt to note any differences between true gargoyles and such creatures. As Demona reached for a sledgehammer, Angelika briefly protested, asking if Demona would do to the golems what humans have done to their kind. Demona didn't hesitate, reminding Angelika that she does what she must as she took the hammer to the golems and destroyed them while her daughter watched in the rain. Once Demona was satisfied, she left the hammer within the stone remains and ordered that they leave this cursed town. | ||
| + | |||
| + | As the sun rose, all the people of Vyones could do was process their horror of the previous evening's events. Nicolette Villom comforted the now-orphaned Martin-Pêcheur Reynard - the remains of the statuette he carved for his father lying forgotten on the street while Archbishop Ambrosius mourned the dead at the cathedral. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Deep in the forest, Demona and Angelika slept as stone - some distance apart. | ||
==Review== | ==Review== | ||
Revision as of 13:28, 13 September 2025
"For Not Everything With Wings..." is the third issue of the Gargoyles - Demona comic by Dynamite Entertainment. It was released on September 10th, 2025. [1]
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Contents
Solicitation
HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT!
The year is 1138, and the immortal Demona and her now adult-aged adopted daughter Angelika have left the nomadic Viking life behind them in an effort to find some stability in a dangerous and uncertain world. The two living Gargoyles have settled down in the French city of Vyonne, where they can spend their days resting among the stone gargoyles of the cathedral.
But their rocky counterparts turn out to be less inert than they first appear, having been carved by a local magician who can animate them to do his bidding. Upon discovering the presence of Demona and Angelika, the warlock proposes an alliance to further each other's interests. But are the two Gargoyles equal partners in the arrangement - or unwitting accomplices?
Find out in the third issue of Gargoyles: Demona, from the all-star creative team of Gargoyles creator GREG WEISMAN and animated series collaborator FRANK PAUR - featuring expertly sculpted covers by PAUR, MEGHAN HETRICK, JAE LEE & JUNE CHUNG, and DAVID COUSENS!
The Story
Some time in the year 1138, a full moon is clouded by a thunderstorm as Blaise Reynard sits at his workbench, struggling. Half asleep, he dreams of a tombstone, and carving "HEL--" into it. The sound of thunder wakes him and, in the candlelight, he ponders two gigantic slabs of stone and he begins chiseling away at them. In his anger, the image of his wife screaming at him in rage enters his mind, and in his anger he spills his own blood as he keeps chiseling. He then chisels away at the second slab, and he fantasizes about the buxom tavern maid as his blood spills onto his second creation.
Many months later, as Blaise passes the Vyones Cathedral, he is stopped by Archbishop Ambrosius who wishes to ask him about the two new gargoyles he had sculpted for the cathedral. Blaise is confused, his two newest creations were installed weeks ago - one at each corner the cathedral's roof. But Archbishop Ambrosius points out two new statues front and center on the roof of two female gargoyles wearing plate armor and wielding swords. Blaise denies that they are his work, but Archbishop Ambrosius refuses to believe they are the work of Reynard's competitor, [[Gerome Mazzal] (whom Archbishop Ambrosius insists has no such skill) - nor can he fathom why the town council handed Reynard's commission over to Mazzal before settling on Mazzal's work being both cheaper and inferior. Still believing the statues are Reynard's work, Archbishop Ambrosius expresses his concern over Reynard's labor, materials, costs and pains.
The previous night, Angelika and Demona settled on the roof of the cathedral much to Angelika's confusion. Demona had strongly affirmed that France and its humans hate their kind but still insists on hiding their treasures in the forest while sleeping atop this cathedral. Demona bitterly points out the irony in humans hunting gargoyles to extinction then superstitiously believe that sculptures will protect them. Still, Demona decides they can take advantage of this "perversion" to hide in plain sight.
We return to the following day where Archbishop Ambrosius expresses doubt that the village council will compensate Reynard for his "ambitious new works". But Blaise, tired of this conversation, departs for home - to his wife and son. As he approaches the house his son, Martin-Pêcheur Reynard, rushes toward him in excitement to show his father what he made. A miniature, hand-held sculpture of one of the new gargoyles. Martin-Pêcheur knows it's not as good as "the one he just put on the cathedral", and while Blaise begins to tell his son that the new statues aren't his work - he pivots to teach his son not to compare his work to other sculptors and to maintain his own artistic integrity. But then his wife, Heloise steps in to lecture her husband that a man with true integrity would provide for his family - work faster and cheaper so the village council wouldn't replace him - and not carve two new statues for free. Blaise again claims the new statues aren't his, but Heloise doesn't believe him. Blaise protests that Heloise doesn't believe in him at all - and never truly did. Not wanting to continue this argument in front of their son, Heloise takes Martin-Pêcheur away as Blaise decides to head to the tavern as it begins to rain.
Storm clouds have rolled in and Nicolette Villom, the tavern maid, pours him a drink while insisting that Blaise refer to her by her first name. As he drinks, he is approached by a sneering [Guillaume Maspier]] and Mazzal. Mazzal accuses Blaise of trying to show him up with the two new gargoyles on the cathedral while Maspier smirks that the village council will keep funding Mazzal. But Blaise accused Mazzal of slipping Maspier kickbacks from his fees, which outrages Maspier. Mazzal then tells Blaise that he lost his commission because his sculptures were too expensive, slow, grotesque and frightening. Now Reynard protests as gargoyles are supposed to be frightening. Nicolette watches this from a distance feeling sympathy for Blaise, asking if her father can stop this - while Mazzal accuses Reynard of being just as monstrous as as his sculptures.
As the sun sets, Blaise stands on the roof of the cathedral, his son's gift in hand as Demona and Angelika explode from their stone sleep. Demona is immediately on alert to the human's presence while Angelika believes that had he meant any harm, he would have attacked them while they slept. Blaise then spoke of his admiration for gargoyles and while some relegated them to myth, he still remembered when the night sky teemed with gargoyles while he was still a child. Demona snarled that humans destroyed them, which Blaise apologized for before explaining that he sought to honor their memory with his creations: Grimalkin and Satyre. Angelika expressed admiration for his work, while admitting that Grimalkin gave her chills. Demona, on the other hand, was did not care for them at all - but admitted that Reynard captured a certain fierceness. Suddenly, Grimalkin's eyes and mouth began glowing, the statue began to animate and took to the skies as Demona, Angelika and Blaise watched.
As Mazzal and Maspier wandered the streets of Vyones, drunk, Grimalkin stalked them both and murdered the two humans. While this took place, Demona accused Reynard of sorcery - recognizing the spell as one that brings Stone Golems to life. Reynard began denying it until Demona pointed her sword at his throat. The human admitted to practicing the dark arts and offered Demona a partnership - that the people of the village were narrow-minded and cruel and would destroy all three of them for what they were.
At that moment, Raoul burst into the tavern and summoned both Villoms to the scene of the murder. Nicolette cried into Raoul's arms, horrified by what remained of the two men.
Back at the cathedral, Angelika expressed surprise that Demona agreed to Reynard's terms rather quickly, noting that he did seem sincere. Demona cynically reminded Angelika that all humans hide their cruelty - sometimes even from themselves. But Angelika side-eyed Demona asking if only humans did that, causing an agitated Demona to ask what what was supposed to mean as the second golem, Satyre, also came to life.
Reynard arrived at the tavern finding everyone in shock over the deaths of Mazzal and Maspier (Raoul still comforting Nicolette), the humans suspecting that possible a bear had wandered into the village from the forest. They began forming a hunting party and ordered Reynard to get a torch and a weapon. Nicolette was still in shock, unable to get the sight of the killings out of her mind.
Angelika pursued Satyre into the sky, wanting to see where it went. Demona warned her adopted daughter that she was still too rash. But Angelika reminded Demona that she was no longer a child and that Demona taught her to make her own decisions since she was a rookling.
Blaise Reynard observed the affection between Raoul and Nicolette barely succeeding in hiding his envy as Satyre burst into the tavern while laughing - stalking straight toward Nicolette. Villom stood between his daughter and the stone golem only to be cast aside like a rag doll while Raoul drew his sword but also proved no match for the beast. Satyre seized Nicolette before returning to the skies. Reynard left the tavern and followed from the ground below. Angelika continued her pursuit only to be knocked aside before righting herself in the air as she and Demona continued their pursuit.
At they Reynard house, Heloise was putting Martin-Pêcheur to bed, but the boy wished to stay up and wait for his father to return home. But Heloise kindly urged the child to go to sleep - not knowing when her husband would return - as Grimalkin arrived and seized Heloise. Blaise heard the screaming from outside and ran to the house - dropping the Demona-shaped statuette his son carved for him. He entered his home and armed himself with a sledgehammer before headed back outside where Satyre presented him with an unconscious Nicolette while Grimalkin "gifted" his creator with Heloise's corpse. Reynard protested that he never wanted this - but his creations growled that he did. As Reynard swung his hammer, he too was seized by his creations who flew him into the skies above Vyones - their hands in his flesh and carrying him back to the cathedral. Upon dropping Reynard atop the rooftop, the human swung his hammer into Grimalkin's arm, shattering it. But the golem's right arm and claws were wrapped around his throat. Struggling against the vice-like grip, Reynard lost his footing and fell to his death - Grimalkin's talons buried in his neck.
Demona and Angelika landed on the cathedral with the younger gargoyle wondering if this is what they looked like in the eyes of humans - but Demona bitterly sneered that humans were too corrupt to note any differences between true gargoyles and such creatures. As Demona reached for a sledgehammer, Angelika briefly protested, asking if Demona would do to the golems what humans have done to their kind. Demona didn't hesitate, reminding Angelika that she does what she must as she took the hammer to the golems and destroyed them while her daughter watched in the rain. Once Demona was satisfied, she left the hammer within the stone remains and ordered that they leave this cursed town.
As the sun rose, all the people of Vyones could do was process their horror of the previous evening's events. Nicolette Villom comforted the now-orphaned Martin-Pêcheur Reynard - the remains of the statuette he carved for his father lying forgotten on the street while Archbishop Ambrosius mourned the dead at the cathedral.
Deep in the forest, Demona and Angelika slept as stone - some distance apart.
Review
Featured Characters and First Appearances
| Gargoyles | Humans | Others |
|---|---|---|
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| Places | Objects | Miscellaneous |
|---|---|---|
|
Quotes
- "I do not care for these . . . forgeries . . . yet I will admit, you've captured a certain fierceness in this Stone-Flesh." - Demona
- "You would do to them what was done to your clan and mine?"
- "As always . . . I do what I must." - Angelika and Demona
Tidbits
As noted on the title page, this issue was inspired by Clark Ashton Smith's short story, "The Maker of Gargoyles".
Blaise Reynard's sculpted gargoyle, 'Grimalkin', is yet another reference to William Shakespeare's Macbeth.
Cover Gallery
See Also
"The Maker of Gargoyles" by Clarke Ashton Smith
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