Blood From A Stone

Gargoyles #4

"Blood From A Stone" is the fourth issue of the Gargoyles comic book published by Marvel Comics. It was released in May, 1995.

• Story: Martin Pasko & Mort Todd
• Dialogue: Mort Todd
• Pencils: Amanda Conner
• Inks: Alberto Saichann
• Colors: Anthony Tollin
• Lettered by: John Costanza
• Editor: Hildy Mesnik

Summary

Main Plot

Dr. Phobos transforms LaVonne into a cross between a gargoyle and a vampire. Her physical form resembles a gargoyle, but like a vampire, she craves blood, and dies if she's ever exposed to sunlight. When Dr. Phobos' treatment nearly kills her, he believes his plan has failed, and dumps the body. However, she survives and swears revenge on everyone who is responsible for her condition - in particular, Dr. Phobos, Xanatos, and Dracon, and the gargoyles, who she also blames for her condition.

She befriends Broadway in the hopes of using him to get revenge on the entire clan, but when she realizes how nice he is, she can't go through with killing him. Because she still craves his blood, she begs him to kill her before she loses control. In the midst of their dispute, the sun rises, and she dies.

Subplots

The other members of the Trio briefly develop crushes on LaVonne and vie for her affection too, after Broadway introduces them.

Another murder occurs at the club where LaVonne was abducted, and this time the body is drained of blood. When Elisa goes back to investigate the following day, she encounters LaVonne trying to kill Glasses.

Elisa's sister Beth is also attacked at that same club, prompting Broadway to rescue her, and LaVonne to introduce herself to him. Elisa and Beth also get into an altercation later, in which Beth complains that Elisa is treating her like a child.

Xanatos orders Dr. Phobos to focus on the Medusa Project.

Dr. Phobos complains to himself that Xanatos keeps demanding more from him, despite all the success he's had, and reveals that he's been genetically engineering another specimen - who appears to be female - which he will use just in case Xanatos ever tires of his services.

Tidbits

Beth Maza appears in this issue, although she did not appear in person on the TV series until "The Cage", which originally aired six months after the publication of this comic. Beth had already been mentioned, and appeared in a family photograph, in the episode "Deadly Force".

The Trio begin to compete for LaVonne's affection in a flying scene which is strikingly similar to the one in Turf, a canon episode which did not appear until months later. Among other similarities are the boyish nature of the Trio as they insult each other, trying to gain her favor, and a scene in which they get so distracted fighting each other that they crash into a building while wrestling in mid-air. As in the canon material, Broadway is the one who ultimately gets the girl, although she dies in the end of the issue.

This issue also contains a scene in which Broadway turns to stone in mid-air - an event which also takes place in the canon episode The Price, and is later mentioned by Lexington in Turf when he is vying for Angela's affection.

When Hudson is watching television, a news program appears on the screen saying "We interrupt the The Lou Grant Show to bring you this special report." This is, of course, an inside reference to Lou Grant, the character Hudson's voice actor, Ed Asner is most well known for playing.

The confrontation between Xanatos and Dr. Phobos underscores a tension which was never seen between Xanatos and the canon material's counterpart to Dr. Phobos, Anton Sevarius (except in the episode Double Jeopardy, where their tension was the result of subterfuge by Thailog, and not genuine tension between employer and employee.

In some ways, LaVonne more closely resembles Beth as she is drawn in the canon material, than does the character of Beth in the Marvel comics.

Links

• "Blood From A Stone" at the Avalon Archives

<< Preceded by: "Rude Awakening"

Followed by: "Venus In Stone" >>