A Nightmare You Sympathize With: Talking ‘Gargoyles: Demona’ With Writer Greg Weisman
by Tom Smithyman
Greg Weisman has a long history with the Disney cartoon series Gargoyles. He co-created the 1990s cartoon and has been writing the comic book series for Dynamite. Now he’s back with Gargoyles: Demona, which chronicles the centuries-long backstory of one of the series’ main characters. Most importantly, it gives Demona a daughter. In this exclusive interview with Comicon, Weisman discusses why Demona is such a great villain and how self-sabotage turns her into a creature bent on destroying humanity.
Tom Smithyman: This series introduces readers to a new character, Demona’s daughter Angelika. How exciting is it to introduce a new character to this long-running story, and what does she bring to the overall Gargoyles tale?
Greg Weisman: Angelika will bring a new perspective to Demona’s story, during the first couple centuries of her millennium-long journey. Don’t want to drop too much in the way of spoilers, because, well, I’m me. But Angelika is the protagonist of her own life story, while simultaneously being a major influence on Demona’s long, long life.
Smithyman: What makes Demona such a good antagonist, and how does this story help to flesh out her story?
Weisman: Demona is a nightmare you sympathize with. She represents anyone and everyone who has ever faced prejudice. Yet, at the same time, no one is a greater enemy to Demona than she is to herself. She refuses to take responsibility for her own actions, let alone what results from those actions. Everything is always someone else’s fault. She’s never fully to blame for her troubles, but she’s never not to blame, either. We’ve all had moments when we’ve felt that way, I think. So, she resonates.
And in this mini-series, we’ll see a bit of how she transformed from a well-meaning person whose self-sabotage also sabotages everyone around her, to the kind of monster who wants to eradicate the entire human race.
Smithyman: Demona’s story takes place across centuries. Does that create a challenge for you when the time comes to write the full story or the individual issues?
Weisman: Demona’s story takes place over 1059 years, so far, from her hatching in 938 to Gargoyles: Quest, set in 1997. That’s a long time, and it’s challenging enough. But I don’t focus on ever writing the “full story” in any one episode or issue. We’re showing a snapshot of who she is at that moment. The full story emerges only over time and multiple episodes [or] issues, and its ending isn’t – forgive me – etched in stone. At least, not yet.
Smithyman: You obviously have a long history with Gargoyles. What keeps you coming back to these stories?
Weisman: Mostly, it’s the characters. They just keep telling me what happens to them next, and I’m always eager to reveal their stories. But, also, it’s the fans. We have a strange symbiotic relationship that has been a joy in my life for thousands of years. No. Wait. Just for 30 years. Hm. Seems longer.
Smithyman: Were you excited to learn that readers will get a sneak peek of Demona in Dynamite’s Free Comic Book Day issue. Is there a secret to writing a prologue there to entice readers to buy the regular series?
Weisman: It’s wonderful. Hopefully, FCBD will offer an opportunity for longtime fans, as well as people who’ve never experienced Gargoyles before. Frank Paur and I had already broken down what happened in the five issues of the Demona: Better Angels mini-series – and I had already written the script to issue #1 before we found out about Demona #0. So, then it was just a question of stepping back and thinking about the ramifications of the mini-series (set in Demona’s past) to Demona’s present (i.e. 1997), and writing a brief prologue set in the midst of Quest, which sets the stage for Better Angels.
Smithyman: What is it like re-teaming with Frank Paur, your fellow showrunner from the original animated series?
Weisman: Honestly, it’s been great. Frank came to me with the basic idea for this mini-series, and it fit in perfectly both with my overall plans and Dynamite’s needs. Add in colorist Robby Bevard, who colored multiple issues of the book back in the SLG era, and it really feels like editor Nate Cosby and I have gotten the band back together. Plus Frank and Robby’s work is simply gorgeous.
Smithyman: What’s next for Gargoyles? Are there other characters you are thinking about shining a spotlight on with their own series?
Weisman: There’s a lot on the horizon for Gargoyles at Dynamite. We have no less than three other series in the works, in addition to Demona. Plus ideas for much, much more. Unfortunately, I’m not allowed to spill details at this time. But I do love saying that it’s never the end…
Smithyman: We’ll just have to wait and see what you and the team come up with. Thanks for taking the time to speak with Comicon.com.
