The Lost

Gargoyles: Bad Guys #2 by Greg Guler & Robby Bevard

"The Lost" is the second issue of the Gargoyles: Bad Guys comic by SLG, and Chapter Two of the Redemption story arc. It was released on April 30, 2008. The issue was reprinted in Gargoyles: Bad Guys - Redemption.

• Writer/Creator: Greg Weisman
• Artist: Karine Charlebois
• Art Director/Cover Pencil Artist: Greg Guler
• Cover Color Artist: Robby Bevard

Solicitation

The Japanese gargoyle Yama has been banished from Clan Ishimura until such time as his lost honor can be restored. Truly alone for the first time in his long life, he becomes a target of the Hunter, a human who has spent her life training to destroy the gargoyle race. So when Hunter and her new teammates, Dingo & Matrix, catch up to him, Yama is offered no mercy – and a job?

Summary

Main Plot

The Redemption Squad survives the helicopter's explosion thanks to Matrix. As robots begin to attack the team, Fang flies off and Yama gets pinned to the island's cliffside by a robot.

Two months earlier, Yama reflects on his banishment from the Ishimura Clan. He cannot return until he has restored his honor, and he is to be his own judge of that. He is soon apprehended by Hunter, Dingo, and Matrix. Hunter offers Yama the carrot of honor restored through service and the stick of threatening the Ishimura Clan. Yama joins the Redemption Squad, and Hunter announces that team is off to Paris to train and then to New York City.

Subplots

Vinnie Grigori has arrived in Tokyo, looking for the train to Ishimura, on his way to the job he was offered in “The Journey”.

Hunter reveals that her main intention to recruit Dingo was to recruit Matrix.

Shahrizad continues to frequent her days in the Labyrinth.

Anton Sevarius infiltrates the Labyrinth to free Fang.

The Story

The helicopter Redemption approaches a mysterious island. Three missiles originating from the island strike the aircraft in a fiery explosion. As the wreckage splashes down and sinks into the ocean, a metallic orb floats above. The orb opens. It is Matrix and he has protected the Redemption Squad from the attack! Meanwhile, a large door opens in the island's mountainside and eight massive robots emerge. They fly to intercept the Squad. Matrix suggests that it is perhaps time to go on the offensive. As the robots draw nearer, Dingo and Hunter begin firing their guns at the new threat. The robots respond by zapping their arm laser weapons at the Squad still hovering upon Matrix's disc-like platform. Matrix morphs himself to avoid the hostile laser blasts and Fang uses the opportunity to fly away from the rest. Yama too opens his wings to depart and Hunter questions his intentions. Yama assures her that he knows his duty. He glides off towards the island and one robot follows him. Heading towards the steep mountainside, Yama deftly soars upward at the last possible moment. The robot, unable to correct its course in time, slams into the cliff and explodes. Yama, high above, digs his claws into the rock and looks down at the explosion. He suddenly glances up just in time for another robot to approach the gargoyle. The robot extends its huge hand and pins Yama against the mountain. He is trapped and the the robot raises its laser cannon arm and takes aim...

Two months earlier, in Tokyo, Japan, Vinnie Grigori greets a passerby in broken Japanese and asks, in English, where to find the train to Ishimura. He admits that after being in Japan for only three days he is already lost. High above, Yama observes the streets below and recollects his own feelings of being lost.

He remembers being in Ishimura and betraying his clan. The clan leader, Kai, told Yama that he was banished for his actions. Yama asked for how long and Kai tells him that he may return when his lost honor is restored. Yama asked who is to judge when this has happened. A young gargoyle, Sora, told him that she had suggested someone. Kai objected to this suggestion as it was too harsh, but eventually the clan agreed: Yama is to judge himself. Kai told Sora and Yama to say their goodbyes. Yama had little to say, the punishment was appropriate for betraying the clan. Sora didn't want to talk about that. She wants to talk about the feelings they share. Yama pulled away from her. "There can be no us, Sora, until honor is restored." Sora told Yama to ask for her to go with him, but Yama would not ask her to share in his shame. Bushido demands that he face his punishment alone. Sora admitted that Kai was right: the judge chosen is "rigid and unforgiving" and is lost to her.

Yama stretches out his wings atop the buildings of Tokyo. He is heavily armed with various swords and other weapons. He glides out into the night. Far below, a metallic puddle rests on a rooftop. It morphs into the head shape of Matrix who reports that he has sighted their target. Multiple Matrix puddles on multiple rooftops closely observe the gargoyle and report to Dingo via intercom that Yama is heading his way. Dingo copies and prepares himself while musing that he had no idea that when Hunter told him they'd be hunting a Tengu that she meant a Japanese gargoyle. He's had his fill of hunting gargoyles, but admits to himself that one more won't matter. Finding Yama in his weapon's sights, he fires a rocket. The projectile explodes right in front of a gliding Yama and releases a net which quickly ensnares the gargoyle. He plummets downward to the city below. Matrix forms himself into a sort of safety net between two buildings ready to catch Yama. But Yama has other plans. He manages to free his talons enough to pull two swords from his back and cuts the net from his body. As he falls to Matrix he points his swords downward and pierces right through Matrix's cradle-like form. He finally lands in an alley below. As he pulls the remnants of Dingo's net from his body, Hunter watches from above. She tells herself that if she wants something done right, she should do it herself. She does an impressive series of jumps and flips to make her way down into the alley. As she points her gun at Yama, Dingo hops down as well and Matrix oozes on to the alley street beside him. Yama is surrounded. Hunter asks Yama, in Japanese, to not fight them. Yama, in English, tells her that that is up to her. Hunter is surprised that he speaks English and the gargoyle replies that he does speak it. Better than she speaks Japanese certainly, noting her atrocious accent. Dingo, amused, remarks that her accent in English is just as bad. Annoyed, Hunter apologizes to the gargoyle, or does he prefer tengu? Yama tells them that he prefers to know why he was attacked. Hunter explains that it wasn't truly an attack, they just needed to talk to him. She holsters her gun as Matrix offers an explanation that they serve law and order. Hunter elaborates that she is putting together a team of unique individuals. She wants him to join and feels that he needs to join for his own wellbeing and interests. Yama still has his swords ready. Hunter points out that she has spent her life hunting gargoyles. A waste of time, admittedly. Still, her studies of the species, tainted by prejudice though they were, are clear: gargoyles do not choose to live in solitude (with one known exception). She knows there is no clan in Tokyo, so Yama must be banished from his clan. She knows that he seeks redemption and that is what she has to offer. Yama considers this and lowers his swords. Putting them away he asks if they are ronin. Hunter says that they are, "of a sort." They are aiming to do good deeds on a large scale in order to atone for their sins. Yama admits to himself that it is worth considering. Meanwhile, Dingo muses that all of this was Hunter's carrot and next comes the stick. Hunter tells Yama that if redemption isn't enough of an offer, then failure to join would result in a threat to his clan! Outraged, Yama leaps at Hunter, pinning her to the ground and pointing a sword at her neck. How dare she threaten his clan?! She assures him that it is no threat, but an incentive. Yama tells her that his honor cannot be regained under coercion and duress, but Dingo tells him to save his breath. He's been telling Hunter that for days and she doesn't care. However, to Dingo's chagrin, Hunter does admit that she see's Yama's dilemma. Nevertheless, she points out that Bushido dictates that honor can be regained through service. Yama angrily asks if she really would have him swear to serve with a gargoyle hunter? Matrix wonders if that is a problem.

Shortly after, Yama joins Dingo, Matrix, and Hunter in the Redemption helicopter. Dingo makes introductions while sipping a drink and Yama explains that his name means "the mountain". The helicopter departs Tokyo and Yama admits that he has never left Japan. He asks where they are going. Hunter tells him that they are headed for a transport rendezvous and then onward to Paris to train as a unit. After that, they are off to New York City. This bit of news causes Dingo to spit out his drink in shock. He angrily asks Hunter if it has slipped her mind that he is a wanted fugitive in New York. She casually advises him to not get caught there. Dingo, exasperated, tells her that he knows she doesn't like him, but she did go through all the trouble to recruit him after all. Hunter quips that she only recruited the man to get Matrix. "As for New York," she explains, "let's just say we have a doctor's appointment."

On the streets of Manhattan, a bearded and bedraggled man walks past Brendan Quarters and Margot Yale. Margot wrinkles her nose and waves her hand in disgust. The man turns down an alley. Coming to a sewer grate, the man opens the descends a ladder into the vast underground world of New York. He makes his way down the huge pipes and comes to a massive metal door: the gate of the Labyrinth. Al greets the bearded man as "Fred". "Fred" walks through the Labyrinth community and greets Benny, Tasha, and Claw who acknowledge him in a familiar and friendly manner. He turns down a corridor and passes Shari who grins at "Fred" knowingly. "Fred" comes to the detention area which is being guarded by Thug. Thug wonders if "Fred" is lost, but instead of responding "Fred" pulls a taser from his pocket and shocks the guard, who falls unconscious. Inside the glass cell, a mutate tells the man that he has his attention and begins to introduce himself as Fang. "Fred", pulling off his costume beard and clothing, tells Fang that his real name is not lost and some still remember that his original name is Fred Sykes. To Fang's surprise, the man reveals himself as Dr. Anton Sevarius and quips that "Mr. Sykes, it's time to meet your maker!"

Review

Review by Todd W. Jensen.

"The Lost" opens where the framing adventure at the start of Chapter One left off. The Redemption Squad has survived the destruction of their helicopter thanks to Matrix, but is now under attack by a set of giant flying robots (each one bearing a number on his chest). Fang deserts (not surprisingly, knowing him). Yama tricks one robot into flying into a cliff (their programming is clearly not much better than the Steel Clan's), but another robot holds him against the rock wall and prepares to shoot....

The story then shifts to Tokyo, two months before, continuing the origin story begun in "Strangers". Yama has been banished from Ishimura for assisting Taro in his theme park scheme in "Bushido", until he has regained his honor – and he is to judge when that condition is to be achieved. It is clear that this will not be soon, for Yama will make no excuses or justifications for his behavior – if anything, is harder upon himself than the rest of the clan are. The scene where he parts with his mate, Sora, is especially moving (one of its highlights is the look of pain upon his face as he refuses to let her accompany him into exile).

In Tokyo, Hunter, Dingo, and Matrix, have tracked Yama down, and after a brief fight (in which Yama shows himself to be a formidable warrior, able to escape all the traps that Dingo and Matrix set for him), Hunter makes him an offer: join the Redemption Squad and regain his honor by helping it carry out its mission. Yama finds the idea appealing – until Hunter decides to add to the incentive by threatening his clan if he refuses. Fifteen seconds after she makes the threat, Yama has her on the ground with his sword at her throat, but Hunter remains unruffled, and finally persuades him to join.

In the meantime, a mysterious bearded man named Fred enters the Labyrinth in New York, makes his way to Fang's cell, and reveals himself as Sevarius in disguise (complete with the utterly Sevarian line, "It's time to meet your maker!"), an event which is somehow connected to the Redemption Squad's next mission...

Yama gets the focus in this issue, and his stiff, stern nature is well-portrayed here. But Greg Weisman does not neglect the other members of the Squad; all of them have great moments. A few that stand out:

• Matrix's multiple heads reporting Yama's movements to Dingo (just when you thought that Matrix could not get any more bizarre).
• Dingo's comments on how grating Hunter's Scottish brogue can be (says the man with the Australian accent).
• Hunter's description of herself as having "spent my life hunting gargoyles... or rather, wasted my life hunting gargoyles".
• Dingo rolling his eyes as he realizes that Hunter's about to offer the stick to Yama as well as the carrot.
• The introduction line: "I'm Dingo. She's Hunter. The puddle's Matrix."
• Dingo's alarm at discovering they're on their way back to New York, where he's still wanted by the police – to which Hunter merely says, "Then I'd advise you not to get caught."
• And we also (on the final page) learn at last what Fang's real name is, to top this off.

The spin-off continues to make good progress, and I look forward to its succeeding chapters.

Featured Characters

Gargoyles	Humans	Others
Yama Kai Sora Demona (Mentioned Only)	Hunter Fang/Fred Sykes Dingo Vinnie Grigori Cenek Belinsky (First Appearance, No Lines) Anton Sevarius/"Fred" Margot Yale (No Lines) Brendan Quarters (No Lines) Al Tasha (First Appearance) Claw Benny (First Appearance) Shahrizad (No Lines) Thug (First Appearance)	Matrix Eastcheap Attack Robots (First Appearance)

Tidbits

The post-it note pictured on the comic's cover features the Japanese phrase, "Ima denwa Gureggu!"("今 電話 グレツグ!"), which translates as "Now phone Greg!" Out of context and as written, it is unclear whether "Greg" (presumably referring to either writer Greg Weisman or cover artist Greg Guler) has made a call, or whether he is the one that needs to be called.

The "Weisex" brand monitor is probably another reference to Greg Weisman.

The first five pages show more of the Redemption Squad's mission from the Bad Guys Leica reel, whose adaptation began in the previous issue.

"Tengu" (a word mentioned by Hunter at the end of "Strangers") is revealed to be the Japanese word for "gargoyle", confirming the suspicion that the tengu (winged beings from Japanese legend) were a part-original for the Ishimura Clan in "Bushido".

Hunter alludes to Demona in her line "With one known exception, gargoyles do not choose to live in solitude".

This is another good issue for cameos. Vinnie briefly appears in Tokyo, on his way to Ishimura (and already lost). Brendan and Margot appear in a street scene in New York, and Al, Claw, and Shahrizad all appear in the Labyrinth scene. Also, Gargoyles fans Greg Bishansky and Mara Cordova briefly appear in the New York street scene, Kanthara (the fan character of Karine Charlebois, this issue's penciller) in Tokyo, and Greg Weisman's son, Benny appears in the Labyrinth.

Two characters named Benny and Tasha are introduced in this issue. Perhaps coincidentally, two thylacines introduced in the previous issue, "Strangers", were named Benjamin and Natasha.

On the sixth page, 2nd panel, there's a sign (焼き肉) for a barbecue restaurant above Vinnie's head. In the 3rd panel, there's a sign (高島屋) next to Yama's head that says "Takashimaya (High Island Shop)", a department store in Tokyo. [1]

Links

• On Sale at TFAW

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