The Fantastic Four and the Gargoyles are two properties that seem wholly incompatible when you take a look at them. In the case of the Four, you have a family empowered by cosmic rays who embark on scientific voyages that defy explanation. With the Gargoyles, you have a group of creatures that come from an age where superstition and the sword ruled, and stories that often traffic in myth and magic. Greg Weisman and Enid Balam deserve a gold medal, because Fantastic Four/Gargoyles #1 works surprisingly well!
The First Family and the Manhattan Clan cross paths when they discover the Grey Gargoyle is terrorizing Manhattan. This ends up being a precursor to a plot involving the Fantastic Four’s enemy Diablo, as the mad alchemist seeks the Gargoyles’ blood for an elixir that will make him immortal. Further complicating matters is the inclusion of mastermind David Xanatos and his encounter with Tony Stark, better known as Iron Man.
Weisman is no stranger to the world of Gargoyles, having served as the co-creator of the animated series while also writing its continuation comic for Dynamite; he’s also one of the masterminds behind the woefully short-lived Spectacular Spider-Man. Weisman’s script expertly blends the Marvel Universe with the Gargoyles universe, revealing a connection between Diablo and the gargoyle Demona, while also packing in plenty of action and humor. One hilarious scene concerns the Manhattan Clan and the Four’s first meeting, especially when the Thing says “So we’re not havin’ a misunderstanding leadin’ to a hugely pointless battle?” Weisman deserves credit for poking fun at a popular team-up trope while deftly sidestepping it.
Marvel
I also love that Balam manages to capture the essence of the Gargoyles animated series and applies it to Fantastic Four/Gargoyles. There’s plenty of dynamic movement; the Gargoyles glide through the air while the Human Torch soars through it, Demona looks like a horrifying winged figure of vengeance as she confronts Diablo, and a fight between Xanatos and Tony in their respective armored suits results in plenty of destruction. Balam also switches between past and present, with Raul Angulo adding a sepia-hued tone for the former sections and a cool blue in the latter section to represent New York’s beautiful night sky.
Fantastic Four/Gargoyles #1 also manages to tell a complete story within its one-shot, which I appreciate. While Dynamite and Marvel have partnered for another Fantastic Four/Gargoyles crossover later in the year, you can pick up this one and enjoy it on its own, which is something I feel that Deadpool/Batman #1 could have benefited from. It’s fun to explore all the possibilities of a crossover, but you also have a set number of pages to work with in a comic, and a good creative team makes every page count. Weisman and Balam definitely cement themselves as one of those teams.
Fantastic Four/Gargoyles #1 works far better than expected, blending the beloved cartoon with the Marvel Universe for an action-packed, character-driven crossover. In a year that’s been full of crossovers, this one is flying – or gliding – to the top.
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