One thousand years ago, superstition and the sword ruled. It was a time of darkness, it was
a world of fear, It was the age of Gargoyles.

We are again in the Age of Gargoyles…comics.

The Gargoyles animated series opens up in New York, 1994. We get flashbacks in that episode and several others to one thousand years ago when superstition and the sword ruled in Scotland, 994 A.D. Dynamite Comics Gargoyles: Dark Ages takes readers all the way back to 971 A.D. to give fans the gift of the story that happened before the events of the Gargoyles animated series.

Today, we will take a look at Gargoyles: Dark Ages #3 published by Dynamite Comics.

Release Date: September 20th, 2023.

Writer: Greg Weisman

Artist: Drew Moss

Color Artist: Martina Pignedoli

Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry

Editor: Nate Cosby

Covers by: Clayton Crain, Alan Quah, Mirka Andolfo, Kenya Danino, Erica Henderson, Jeff Parker

Official Synopsis: As Angel languishes in chains, Mentor comes to the rescue – but this escape attempt may cause more harm than good. Meanwhile, construction continues on Castle Wyvern, but the noise awakens something that was better left undisturbed!

Featuring high-quality cardstock on every cover, this limited series debuts with a special 24-page main story – and every 40-page issue will include a new illustrated text story by Greg Weisman!

Covers

Gargoyles: Dark Ages has the amazing Clayton Crain as the main A cover artist for the series. His variant covers for Dynamite Comics Gargoyles #1 and Darkwing Duck #1 are among my favorite covers. His cover for Gargoyles: Dark Ages #3 features Desdemona. Clayton Crain’s cover will definitely be on my pull list each month. Desdemona gets double love this month as the cover subject for Alan Quah’s Cover B.

The other Gargoyles: Dark Ages cover in my monthly pull list file is the action figure variant cover by Jeff Parker. This issue’s action figure cover features Goliath frozen in stone.

My Review

*STOP READING HERE IF YOU WANT TO AVOID ALL SPOILERS*

This story arc is titled Alliance and the third issue is Chapter Three: The Oath.

All is one with the wind…

The previous issue ended with Angel being captured by King Cullen and his army. With the help of Prince Malcom’s wizard, lightning rains down on King Cullen’s castle setting fire to the castle. This gives the gargoyles that will later be known as Hudson and Goliath the cover and distraction they need to rescue Angel. The castle is completely engulfed in flames. Hudson has a vengeful encounter with King Cullen, but we do not get to see the full fight. Goliath successful rescues his Angel of the Night.

The gargoyles spare King Cullen’s newborn, Prince Constantine. At a royal coronation, Kenneth is crowned king, and Malcolm becomes Prince Malcolm of Wyvern. Kenneth will raise Constantine as his own son.

The gargoyles have a vigil for the gargoyles in their clan that were lost in battle including Hudson’s mate. Angel accepts an apprenticeship with King Kenneth’s wizard. Prince Malcolm tells Hudson of a plan to build a grand castle that his people and the gargoyles can call home and protect each other during the day and at night. Malcolm gives Hudson the name “Mentor.” The issue ends with the yellow eye of an evil creature that has been awakened that we will encounter in the next issue.

The issue ends with a few pages of text from Greg Weisman which gives readers more story and lore from the human side of what is going on around the time of Gargoyles Dark Ages. This is top tier bonus material for a top tier comic.

A prequel comic series to the animated Gargoyles series is a dream come true, and I can’t believe that it was finally made into a reality in 2023. What a great gift to Gargoyles fans. Readers get to meet a whole cast of new gargoyles like Hudson’s mate. Drew Moss nailed the character designs for the gargoyles in his own original art style. Gargoyles: Dark Ages feels authenticate to the franchise, and a comic book series is the perfect medium to get these stories told. This is mandatory reading for all Gargoyles and Disney Afternoon fans.

With two Gargoyles comic series published by Dynamite Comics and helmed by Greg Weisman with amazing artwork by Drew Moss and George Kambadais, Gargoyles fans are definitely not in the Dark Ages. We live again!

I can’t wait for the next issue of Gargoyles: Dark Ages which is tentatively scheduled to be released October 18th, 2023. Please make sure to support Dynamite Comics other great Disney Comics while you are out buying Gargoyles: Dark Ages: Gargoyles, Darkwing Duck, Negaduck, Disney Villains Maleficent, and Disney Villains Hades.

Gargoyles fans…WE LIVE AGAIN!

Let us know what you thought of Gargoyles: Dark Ages #3 in the comments below. What cover(s) did you get?

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