| Gargoyle | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Real Name |
Gargoyle |
|
First Appearance |
European Myth |
|
Created by |
European Myth |
Origin[]
In architecture, and specifically Gothic architecture, a gargoyle is a carved or formed grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building, thereby preventing it from running down masonry walls and eroding the mortar between. Architects often used multiple gargoyles on a building to divide the flow of rainwater off the roof to minimize potential damage from rainstorms. A trough is cut in the back of the gargoyle and rainwater typically exits through the open mouth. Gargoyles are usually elongated fantastical animals because their length determines how far water is directed from the wall. When Gothic flying buttresses were used, aqueducts were sometimes cut into the buttress to divert water over the aisle walls.
In fantasy and horror stories, the gargoyle monster inspired by the architectural element. While they were believed in mythology to frighten away evil spirits, the idea of such statues physically coming to life is a more recent notion. Like golems, they are usually made of magically animated or transformed stone, but have animal or chimera traits and are often guardians of a place such as a cathedral or castle. They can also be depicted as vessels for demonic possession or as a living species resembling statues.
The 1908 children's book Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz featured a Land of the Gargoyles, wooden creatures with hinged wings.
In the novelette Conjure Wife (1943) by Fritz Lieber, a dragon sculpture is animated by a witch and sent to kill an archaeology professor.
Public Domain Appearances[]
All published appearances of Gargoyles from before January 1, 1929 are public domain in the US.
Some notable appearances are listed below:
Public Domain Literary Appearances[]
- Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz (1908)
- Conjure Wife (1943)
- Isle of the Gargoyles (1936)
Public Domain Comic Appearances[]
- Captain Marvel Story Book #4: Featured the story Captain Marvel and the Gargoyle Men.
- Space Detective #2: The Avenger, The Space Detective and Teena track escaped criminal called the Gargoyle across the solar system including Mercury, Mars, and Saturn.
- Blue Ribbon Comics #20: A group of German archaeologists enter a cave looking for artifacts, and discover a hideous Gargoyle, who springs to life when it comes into contact with the blood with one of them. The gargoyle then becomes that madman's servant, killing and maiming...until Mr. Justice comes along.
- Airboy Comics v9 #7: In 16th Century France, a sculptor's apprentice steals one of seven gargoyles made for a Duke, who puts sculptor Rondelaire to death for the theft. The sculptor's blood falls upon the stone image, and weirdly, the idol combines with the life of thief Chavet and it terrorizes the local village townspeople. Every year at the same time, the beast returns only to be chased away by the populace. Years pass and the town has suffered immeasureably, and the Heap must help the people of that town fend off this beast when it returns to exact revenge.
- Captain Aero #4-5 (vol. 1 #10-11): When hard-boiled reporter for the Daily Star, Dan Collins, was framed for murder, he was forced to clear his name by becoming the costumed vigilante known as the Gargoyle.
- Psycho #8,20; Nightmare #10, 13-15, 19-20, 23: The Human Gargoyles were creatures named Edward and Mina Sartyros & their infant son Andrew who had decorated a cathedral in Friedberg Germany since 1427. In 1972 the statues were removed during a renovation, and left in a nearby graveyard. A group of Satanists came to the graveyard late at night to perform a ritual, and were shocked when the gargoyles came to life and attacked them. They wandered about Europe, trying to find a place for themselves. All the while they were hounded by the forces of Satan that wanted to dominate them. Even after they left for the United States they found themselves attacked by demonic forces and in constant trouble with the authorities.
- Mad Hatter #1-2: The Hatter finally tracks down wanted criminal Frank Faro, who was soon executed in the electric chair. Soon after, a doctor claims the body, takes it to his lab, and removes the brain, placing it in the skull of a gorilla. When the gorilla comes to, he kills the doctor and disguises himself as a human, calling himself the Gargoyle, and vows revenge on the judge, jury and Mad Hatter.
- Strange Stories from Another World #2: A sweet old man runs a horror carousel with twisted gargoyles for rides. Two adult brothers smell foul play. The creatures look like deceased people they used to know. When one brother is killed by a monstrous fiend, the other starts investigating. Retracing the steps of vanished corpses he discovers the hideous truth: The old man is a vampire transforming his victims into rides on his horror-go-round.
- The Beyond #23-24: In issue 23, "Atop a medieval castle in Spain, there stands two huge stone gargoyles..." A hunchback runs off with the daughter of a castle owner. They fall in love, but when the hunchback is killed, the daughter becomes a hunchback too and dies. The cover of issue 24 features a hunchback unleashing his gargoyles on the world.
- Famous Funnies #94: Dr. Fang sends his vicious gargoyles out to kidnap Jack Bradley and they bring him to the vacant Martian Tower, the scene of mysterious activity for which Jack has been hired to look into. He is thrown into a cell with Ruth Parsons, the daughter of one of the owners of the tower, and must transform himself into Fearless Flint in order to save her from being thrown off the tower by one of the gargoyles. However, the two are once again captured by the creatures and returned to the doctor's lair.
- Daredevil Comics #4: In the story titled The Glass Gargoyle, Thirteen decides to go to the museum to see the famed Egyptian Buddha that has gruesome tragedies associated with it. While he's there, a gang of crooks enter and make off with the exhibit which contains a key to an Egyptian code.
- Police Comics #4: Dr. Scratch with the assistance from Gargoyle (his Igor) his is trying to build an electronic brain, using the actual brains of famous scientists. Chic Carter, now abandoning his former role of the Sword and content just to be a reporter, tackles this eerie case.
- Web of Mystery #6: Stone mason Joost creates fearful gargoyles for the decoration of the guild hall in the capitol of Bosnia. Evil spirits inhabit those gargoyles, they kill when being attacked. Joost is ordered to destroy them and dies in the process when the guild hall collapses.
- Black Magic #31 - Features a 6 page story titled the Gargoyle by Mort Meskin.
Notes[]
- "The Maker of Gargoyles" is a short story originally published in the August 1932 issue of Weird Tales by Clark Ashton Smith, it centers on Blaise Reynard, a master stonecarver of Vyones, who carves two gargoyles so lifelike that they begin attacking residents. The story has been credited with introducing the idea of gargoyles as monsters rather than mere architectural decoration.