History
About Gargoyles and the Gathering
A Brief History
Sure, everyone knows a gargoyle is a gothic architectural ornament - cold, unliving, stone, a "glorified drainspout."
Well, not exactly...
In Scotland, 994 A.D., the Magus of Castle Wyvern in mistaken anger and grief cast a spell on the gargoyles. Once living defenders of the castle, they slept as stone statues for a thousand years... until 1994 A.D., when a billionaire named David Xanatos purchased the castle "lock, stock, and gargoyle," and moved it to the top of his skyscraper in Manhattan. With the castle above the clouds, the spell was broken... and New York City will never be the same.
Unsure of who they can trust in this strange new world, the gargoyles befriend Elisa Maza, an NYPD detective. With her help, they commence their struggle to survive. With dramatic story lines, striking animation, fully developed characters, and an excellent cast (if you're wondering what Marina Sirtis, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, and Michael Dorn did after Star Trek: The Next Generation ended, this is the place to be), the show has gathered a dedicated following.
Gargoyles first aired in syndication on October 24, 1994, and ran for two seasons, sixty-five episodes. On September 7, 1996 the show made its third season debut as part of ABC's Saturday line up. Retooled for a younger audience and renamed Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles, the final thirteen episodes were the subject of intense debate among the show's vocal fan base.
The original Gargoyles series continues to air in syndication on the Toon Disney cable network, and both Season 1 and the first 26 episodes of Season 2 are available on DVD. If you are new to the series, there is an episode list at The Gargoyles Fans Web Site which lists the episodes in story order.
So That's Gargoyles... What's The Gathering?
The first ever "Gathering of the Gargoyles" happened in June of 1997, when about 80 people who had all met mostly over the Internet traveled to New York City to spend a weekend together sharing their love for the show at a small convention held at the Mayflower Hotel. Series creator Greg Weisman was the Guest of Honor, and Keith David, the voice of "Goliath," stopped in on the last night of the convention for a surprise appearance, much to the delight of everyone who had come. The convention took its name from one of the late second season episodes, "The Gathering," which in part focused on Oberon's Children being called home to Avalon from all around the world. To those first con-goers, as well as all those who were unable to attended except in spirit, the name seemed more than appropriate.
In August of 1998 fans returned to New York City, this time to the New Yorker Hotel. Greg Weisman made a second appearance as Guest of Honor and began a tradition of his own with the first of his now-famous Radio Plays. With two successive years, The Gathering was now a tradition in its own right, and with the third convention in 1999, it hit the road in its own "World Tour," another all-too-appropriate reference borrowed from the show.
The Gathering took its act on the road in 1999. Leaving New York for the first time, it debuted in Dallas, Texas. Special guests that year included the voice of "Lexington" Tom Adcox, Greg Weisman, Steve Jackson of Steve Jackson Games, author P.N. Elrod and artist Jamie Murray (with his mischievous alter-ego Myrh). Attendance grew as more people learned of the convention, and the Gathering continued to grow. In 2000, the Gathering traveled to Orlando, Florida, with Thom Adcox and Greg Weisman returning again as guests, joined by character designer Greg Guler and storyboard artist Victor Cook. In 2001, the Fifth Annual Gathering of the Gargoyles was held in Los Angeles, California, drawing over 50 special guests and the largest fan attendance to date.
The year 2002 took the Gathering to historical Williamsburg, Virginia. In 2003, it returned once more to New York City. In 2004, the Gathering went international when it traveled to Montreal, Quebec, Canada. And in 2005, Gargoyles fans from around the world converged on Sin City for the ninth annual convention in Las Vegas, Neveda. In 2006, the Gathering of the Gargoyles returned to Los Angeles, California for their 10 year anniversary, and celebrated with their largest attendance ever!
It's been 10 crazy years.. and we're not done yet! Start your planning and saving now, and keep an eye out for updates as we prepare to take the convention to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee in 2007!