Defenders of the Night Disney's Gargoyles blend of action, magic, and romance is a hit with online animation fans. By Tara O'Shea

It begins one rain-filled night as chunks of masonry fall over 100 stories to crash to the pavement, and the stink of ozone fills the air as flashes of weapons fire illuminate the black clouds. A young police detective, busy keeping the people of Manhattan safe behind barricades, bends down to examine a chunk of stone and, running her fingers over the deep scores that mar its surface, utters in sheer wonder "Claw marks?" Then before we know what hits us, we are thrown back to the highlands of Scotland in 994 C.E., as Viking raiders attack a stone fortress perched on a cliff above the sea. As their leader climbs the walls, the rays of the setting sun paint the world with fire. Just as he reaches the top, he looks up to see a fierce stone gargoyle frozen in a growl. Then before his eyes, as the sun slips below the horizon, the stone is spiderwebbed with cracks. Shards of thin stone skin explode outward and the Viking finds himself dangling over the walls in the grip of a seven foot behemoth with eyes that glow with white fire, sharp teeth, and one purpose: to protect. Welcome to Gargoyles, Disney's entry into the 1990s resurgence of the animated action adventure genre. When Goliath (Spawn's Keith David) and a handful of other gargoyles survive a brutal 10th century massacre, they are turned to stone by day by a magic spell that can only be broken when the castle rises above the clouds. Hearing of the legend, modern day billionaire David Xanatos (Star Trek's Jonathan Frakes, cast against type to wonderful effect) transports the Scottish castle stone by stone to be placed atop the tallest skyscraper in Manhattan, thus breaking the spell. But Xanatos is soon revealed to be a villain aided by Goliath's former lover, Demona (also a Star Trek veteran, Marina Sirtis), and the gargoyles are forced to abandon their ancestral home to roost atop an NYPD precinct house, protecting Manhattan as they once did Castle Wyvern a thousand years earlier. Currently airing in reruns on USA Network (7-8 a.m. ET), and scheduled to air complete and uncut on Toon Disney, Gargoyles originally aired in first-run syndication and as part of the Disney Afternoon package. In the years since its 1994 premiere, the series has developed a loyal and prolific following on the web, as evidenced by hundreds of sites maintained by fans around the globe--many of whom will gather in Manhattan August 14 - 17 for Disney's second annual Gargoyles Convention. Battling with our brave heroes is a rogue's gallery that reads like a Sci-Fan's dream cast: Fox (an uncredited Laura San Giacomo) who eventually marries Xanatos and may be the first Disney character to conceive and give birth during the course of an animated series; Macbeth (voiced by ex-Slider John Rhys-Davies doing a formidable Sean Connery impression), Coldstone (a cyborg gargoyle with a split personality, voiced by fellow Trek alum Michael Dorn), and mad scientist Anton Sevarius, (Rocky Horror Picture Show's Tim Curry), to name but a few. The show's cult appeal is easy to understand, with a guest cast that reads like a Star Trek reunion: Nichelle Nichols, Kate Mulgrew, Brent Spiner, Michael Dorn, Colm Meaney, LeVar Burton and Avery Brooks all lend their considerable talents to guest roles. From Manhattan to 10th century Scotland to the mythical isle of Avalon, the series combines magic, history, technology, and romance, boasting tight scripts with excellent charactizations that appeal not just to children, but adults as well. The characters live on in a wealth of fan fiction and artwork you'll find on the sites below, which also provide an excellent introduction to the Gargoyles' magical world.

The Gargoyles Fan Website The oldest and still the best. If you're a new fan looking for information, or a longtime fan looking for the latest fan fiction, news, articles, essays and airing schedules, this should be your first stop. Station 8 - Gargoyles Home of the "Ask Greg" archive where creator Greg Weisman answers fan questions about anything and everything Gargoyles, as well as the comment board. If you want to see or be seen, this is the site for you. The Avalon Archive Looking for that one image that you must have as wallpaper? How about galleries of fan art inspired by the show? Sound bytes? Trading cards? The Avalon Archive has every scrap of digitized Gargoyles paraphernalia, carefully organized and easy to download. The Gargoyles Saga When the series was cancelled, the fans decided to provide weekly episodes in the form of fan fiction, which includes "Gargoyles," a continuation of the story began by the television series; "Pendragon," continuing on the adventures of King Arthur and Griff; "Dark Ages," set in the years before the Viking raid of 994 CE that began the television series; and "Timedancer," spanning 40 years, as Brooklyn becomes a Dr. Sam Beckett-like time traveller thanks to the Phoenix Gate. The Gargoyles Encyclopedia A comprehensive guide to the characters, locations, objects and lore that made up the series, plus special sections for entries from fan fiction and the Marvel comics series. The Gathering The official site of the Disney's Gargoyles convention! August 14 -- 17th, 1998 at the New Yorker Hotel in Manhattan. Meet your online friends face to face! Come to the costume ball as your favorite character or a new original character based on the series. Attend panel discussions with your fellow fans on fan fiction, history, myth and literature. The Aeire One of the very first Gargoyles fan pages. Home of the Gargoyles Filk (original song lyrics set to preexisting tunes) archive, poetry archive, "All I Really Need to Know About Life I learned From Watching Gargoyles" and more fan-written humour and insights, as well as a photo album of the first Gargoyles convention in Manhattan. Angel of the Night A site devoted to the ultimate Gargoyles bad girl, Demona. Includes extensive image archive, sound bites, newsletter, mailing list and more! The House of Stone and Sprites There's just something about Xanatos' major domo. That cool, crisp British accent, those ice-blue eyes and unflappable demeanour just cry out for worship! And the Owenite Nuns are always looking for new members. Castle Gorebash Home of the mini-clan, a crazy group of Gargoyles fans and their winged alter-egos. If you're up to the awesome responsibility of being a member, feel free to join the mailing list, write and illustrate fan fiction, and make new friends in this off-shoot of Gargoyles fandom.

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Disney's Gargoyles