Gargoyle is a name shared by two fictional characters appearing in

American comic book An American comic book is a thin periodical literature originating in the United States, commonly between 24 and 64 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publ ...

s published by

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...

. The first Gargoyle, Yuri Topolov, created by

Stan Lee Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber ; December 28, 1922 – November 12, 2018) was an American comic book author, writer, editor, publisher, and producer. He rose through the ranks of a family-run business called Timely Comics which later bec ...

and

Jack Kirby Jack Kirby (; born Jacob Kurtzberg; August 28, 1917 – February 6, 1994) was an American comics artist, comic book artist, widely regarded as one of the medium's major innovators and one of its most prolific and influential creators. He grew ...

, is a

supervillain A supervillain, supervillainess or supercriminal is a major antagonist and variant of the villainous stock character who possesses Superpower (ability), superpowers. The character type is sometimes found in comic books and is often the primary ...

and the first enemy of the

Hulk The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''The Incredible Hulk (comic book), The Incredible Hulk ...

, who first appeared in ''

The Incredible Hulk The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of '' The Incredible Hulk'' (May 1962). In his comic book ...

'' #1 (May 1962). The second Gargoyle, Isaac Christians, created by

J. M. DeMatteis John Marc DeMatteis (; born December 15, 1953) is an American writer of comic books, television and novels. Biography Early career J. M. DeMatteis's earliest aspirations were to be a rock musician and comic book artist. He began playing in ban ...

and

Don Perlin Donald David Perlin (; August 27, 1929 – May 14, 2024) was an American comic book artist, writer, and editor. He is best known for Marvel Comics' ''Werewolf by Night'', ''Moon Knight'' (a character he co-created), '' The Defenders'', and ''Ghos ...

, is a human/demon hybrid

superhero A superhero or superheroine is a fictional character who typically possesses ''superpowers'' or abilities beyond those of ordinary people, is frequently costumed concealing their identity, and fits the role of the hero, typically using their ...

and a member of the

Defenders Defender(s) or The Defender(s) may refer to: * Defense (military) * Defense (sports) ** Defender (association football) Arts and entertainment Film, television, and theatre Film * ''The Defender'' (1989 film), a Canadian documentary * ''The D ...

, who first appeared in '' The Defenders'' #94 (April 1981).

Publication history

The first Gargoyle, Yuri Topolov, appears in ''

'' #1 (May 1962), and was created by

and

. The appearance of Gargoyle in ''Rampaging Hulk'' #1 is merely part of one of

Bereet Bereet is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Melia Kreiling portrayed the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film ''Guardians of the Galaxy'' (2014). Publication history Bereet first app ...

's fictional techno-art films. The first Gargoyle received an entry in '' The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition'' #17, where his real name was revealed. The second Gargoyle, Isaac Christians, is a human/demon hybrid and a member of the

. He was created by writer

and artist

. Perlin's design was inspired by a sequence in ''

Prince Valiant ''Prince Valiant in the Days of King Arthur'', often simply called ''Prince Valiant'', is an American comic strip created by Hal Foster in 1937. It is an epic adventure that has told a continuous story during its entire history, and the full s ...

'' in which the titular hero disguises himself as a gargoyle. During his long run on ''The Defenders'', Gargoyle also was the co-star of ''

Marvel Team-Up ''Marvel Team-Up'' is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series featured two or more Marvel characters in one story. The series was originally published from March 1972 through February 1985, and featured Spider-Man as ...

'' #119, written by his co-creator DeMatteis, who later described the issue as "one of my favorite ''favorite'' stories". In 1985 Marvel published a four-issue ''Gargoyle''

limited series In the field of comic books, and particularly in the United States, a limited series is a comics series with a predetermined number of issues. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is finite and determined ...

, written by DeMatteis and drawn by

Mark Badger Mark Billings Badger (October 16, 1958), known as Mark Badger, is an American illustrator who has worked as a penciler, inker, cover artist, painter, and occasional colorist in the American comic book industry. In addition to his career as a comi ...

. DeMatteis said of the series, "It was a psychological fantasy. You take the interior life and make it concrete... give it substance... and play with it". Explaining why he decided to do a limited series starring Gargoyle, he said, In a 2013 interview DeMatteis said that Gargoyle "is a character I still have tremendous fondness for".

Fictional character biography

Gargoyle (Yuri Topolov)

Yuri Topolov is a Soviet scientist and the Hulk's first foe. An atomic accident caused from working with

radiation In physics, radiation is the emission or transmission of energy in the form of waves or particles through space or a material medium. This includes: * ''electromagnetic radiation'' consisting of photons, such as radio waves, microwaves, infr ...

that mutated him into a grotesque large-headed dwarf. The Gargoyle was informed about the

by an imprisoned spy using a miniature

transmitter In electronics and telecommunications, a radio transmitter or just transmitter (often abbreviated as XMTR or TX in technical documents) is an electronic device which produces radio waves with an antenna (radio), antenna with the purpose of sig ...

. By firing a gun with will-weakening pellets, he succeeded in capturing both him and Rick Jones. Bruce Banner cured him of his mutation via gamma rays. He gratefully used his rocket to send them back into the United States. Topolov managed to destroy several Soviet generals and 'die like a man' in an explosion he set off. However, he passed this deformity onto his son, the

Gremlin A gremlin is a mischievous fictional creature invented at the beginning of the 20th century to originally explain malfunctions in aircraft, and later in other machinery, processes, and their operators. Depictions of these creatures vary widely. ...

. Topolov later turned up alive, because of his own deliberate fake death. He was frozen by the USSR in a cryogenic sleep near the

Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...

's end, along with some other agents. They were accidentally awakened in this modern day and fought the Order.

Powers, abilities, and equipment

As the first Gargoyle, Yuri Topolov was a superhuman genius. Either human or mutate, he knows numerous sciences and is well-versed in

mechanical Mechanical may refer to: Machine * Machine (mechanical), a system of mechanisms that shape the actuator input to achieve a specific application of output forces and movement * Mechanical calculator, a device used to perform the basic operations o ...

theory A theory is a systematic and rational form of abstract thinking about a phenomenon, or the conclusions derived from such thinking. It involves contemplative and logical reasoning, often supported by processes such as observation, experimentation, ...

. He utilizes a pellet gun with will-sapping effects.

Gargoyle II (Isaac Christians)

Isaac Christians was an elderly man who sold his soul to an alliance of minor demons styling themselves as "The Six-Fingered Hand" in exchange for prosperity for the dying hometown that his ancestors had founded (the fictional town of Christiansboro, Virginia). Christians made a pact with the demon Avarrish to inhabit the body of a legendary gargoyle and act as an agent of the Six-Fingered Hand. The demons of the Six-Fingered Hand transferred Christians' life force into the Gargoyle body and sent him on a mission to capture

Patsy Walker Patricia "Patsy" Walker is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stuart Little and Ruth Atkinson, Patsy Walker first appeared in ''Miss America Magazine'' #2 (November 1944), published by Marvel prec ...

, at that time operating as

member Hellcat. Christians battled the Defenders, but rebelled against the Six-Fingered Hand. He was trapped in the gargoyle's body, but joined the Defenders. The Defenders then helped him defeat the Six-Fingered Hand. As a member of the Defenders, Gargoyle helped the

Squadron Supreme The Squadron Supreme is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, of which there are several notable alternate versions. The original team was created by Roy Thomas and John Buscema, derived from the previous ...

defeat the Overmind and Null the Living Darkness. The Gargoyle briefly fell under the control of an Afghan wizard, and he was forced to battle the Defenders. Christians later returned to Christiansboro, and was later released from the Gargoyle body and the original demon spirit re-inhabited it. Christians, to prevent the chaos being wreaked by the gargoyle, re-assumed the body with the help of a druid and killed his original human body to prevent the demon from returning.

Moondragon Moondragon (Heather Douglas) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Bill Everett, Mike Friedrich, and George Tuska, the character first appeared in ''Iron Man'' #54 (January 1973). She has achieved ...

, under the influence of the

Dragon of the Moon Emmanuel da Costa Emmanuel da Costa is a fictional character appearing in American comic book published by Marvel Comics. Emmanuel da Costa is an Afro-Brazilian businessman and the father of Roberto da Costa. Dagger Dagoth Daggoth is a fic ...

, later separated Christians' life force from the gargoyle body. The body was to be used as a vessel for the Dragon of the Moon, and it became larger and more grotesque. The gargoyle body was carbonized and transformed into a statue of ash, when the Defenders defeated Moondragon and the Dragon of the Moon. Christians' life force came to reside in a crystal talisman. He reconciled with the spirit of Moondragon, and journeyed with

Pamela Douglas Pamela Douglas is a fictional character from the CBS soap opera, ''The Bold and the Beautiful'', portrayed by Alley Mills. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on December 1, 2006. Pamela was introduced as the sister of esta ...

Titan Titan most often refers to: * Titan (moon), the largest moon of Saturn * Titans, a race of deities in Greek mythology Titan or Titans may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Fictional entities Fictional locations * Titan in fiction, fictiona ...

, where he witnessed the rebirth of Moondragon. The former Defender known as Cloud created a new body for Christians, with the ability to switch between his gargoyle and human forms at will. Alongside the Presence,

Starlight Starlight is the light emitted by stars. It typically refers to visible electromagnetic radiation from stars other than the Sun, observable from Earth at night, although a component of starlight is observable from Earth during daytime. Sunlig ...

Jack of Hearts The jack of hearts is a playing card in the standard 52-card deck. Jack of Hearts may also refer to: * Jack of Hearts (Marvel Comics) (Jack Hart), a fictional superhero appearing in Marvel Comics * Jack of Hearts, a member of the Royal Flush Gang ...

, and others, he returned to Earth from the

Stranger A stranger is a person who is unknown or unfamiliar to another person or group. Because of this unknown status or unfamiliarity, a stranger may be perceived as a threat until their identity and character can be ascertained. Different classes of ...

's laboratory world. When the final confrontation between Gabriel, Devil Hunter, and Hellstrom left Gabriel irretrievably insane, only capable of babbling incoherently, Hellstrom left him in the care of the Gargoyle. Following the "

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

" storyline, Christians was one of the registered superhumans seen in '' Avengers: The Initiative'' #1. He was shown flying in an attack against HYDRA; this helped save the President from an assassination attempt. He is shown in battle against

KIA Kia Corporation (, formerly known as Kyungsung Precision Industry (京城精密工業) and Kia Motors Corporation) is a South Korean multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. It is South Korea's second larges ...

. Gargoyle was also seen aiding Hellcat. He ignored Nighthawk's offer to join the Last Defenders and remained at Camp Hammond to serve as an instructor training the Initiative cadets before retiring. He returns to assist in defeating a deranged copy of Thor called 'Ragnarok'.

Alyosha Kravinoff Kraven the Hunter (Sergei Nikolaevich Kravinoff; Russian language, Russian: Сергей Николаевич Кравинов) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artis ...

later captured Gargoyle and placed him in his zoo for animal-themed superhumans which also consisted of Bushmaster,

Tiger Shark The tiger shark (''Galeocerdo cuvier'') is a species of ground shark, and the only extant member of the genus '' Galeocerdo'' and family Galeocerdonidae. It is a large apex predator, with females capable of attaining a length of over . Popula ...

Kangaroo Kangaroos are marsupials from the family Macropodidae (macropods, meaning "large foot"). In common use, the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, the red kangaroo, as well as the antilopine kangaroo, eastern gre ...

Aragorn Aragorn () is a fictional character and a protagonist in J. R. R. Tolkien's ''The Lord of the Rings''. Aragorn is a Ranger of the North, first introduced with the name Strider and later revealed to be the heir of Isildur, an ancient King of ...

Vulture A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to Nort ...

Mongoose A mongoose is a small terrestrial carnivorous mammal belonging to the family Herpestidae. This family has two subfamilies, the Herpestinae and the Mungotinae. The Herpestinae comprises 23 living species that are native to southern Europe, A ...

Man-Bull The Man-Bull (William Taurens) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Man-Bull made his live-action debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe television series '' She-Hulk: Attorney at Law'', portrayed by N ...

, Dragon Man, Swarm,

Mandrill The mandrill (''Mandrillus sphinx'') is a large Old World monkey native to west central Africa. It is one of the most colorful mammals in the world, with red and blue skin on its face and posterior. The species is Sexual dimorphism, sexually ...

Grizzly The grizzly bear (''Ursus arctos horribilis''), also known as the North American brown bear or simply grizzly, is a population or subspecies of the brown bear inhabiting North America. In addition to the mainland grizzly (''Ursus arctos horr ...

Frog-Man Frog-Man (Eugene Patilio) is a comedic superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer J. M. DeMatteis and artist Kerry Gammill, the character's costume is actually borrowed from a previously existing vi ...

, and

Rhino A rhinoceros ( ; ; ; : rhinoceros or rhinoceroses), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant taxon, extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates (perissodactyls) in the family (biology), famil ...

. Isaac Christians later opened up a restaurant called Isaac's Oysters in

Greenwich Greenwich ( , , ) is an List of areas of London, area in south-east London, England, within the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Greater London, east-south-east of Charing Cross. Greenwich is notable for its maritime hi ...

with Eugene Patilio as his busboy. Both of them were approached by Iron Man for help in rescuing James Rhodes from

Korvac Korvac is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in '' Giant-Size Defenders'' #3 (Jan. 1975) and was created by Steve Gerber and Jim Starlin. Publication history Korvac debuted in '' ...

Powers and abilities

The second Gargoyle is the result due to a magical transfer of Isaac Christians' spirit into an ancient gargoyle body. In this form, Gargoyle possesses supernatural strength and durability, as well as a thick leathery hide. He has the ability to manipulate "biomystical" energy for numerous effects, such as

shapeshifting In mythology, folklore and speculative fiction, shapeshifting is the ability to physically transform oneself through unnatural means. The idea of shapeshifting is found in the oldest forms of totemism and shamanism, as well as the oldest existen ...

, concussive blasts, and fear inducement. He could siphon life-forces from other people, causing temporary debilitating weakness onto them. Surrounding himself in a mystical field granted Gargoyle immunity to certain spells. Gargoyle is able to fly via levitation (his wings were incapable of producing sufficient lift, but useful for

navigation Navigation is a field of study that focuses on the process of monitoring and controlling the motion, movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another.Bowditch, 2003:799. The field of navigation includes four general categories: land navig ...

). Christians can regrow lost or damaged limbs, even although they would differ wildly in appearance from the original. Overexpenditure of these

energies Energy () is the quantitative property that is transferred to a body or to a physical system, recognizable in the performance of work and in the form of heat and light. Energy is a conserved quantity—the law of conservation of energy sta ...

in such a short time might weaken or even kill him. Not only that, he could also be commanded to act against his will by an evil wizard who spoke a particular obscure spell. Christians was a student in the

occult The occult () is a category of esoteric or supernatural beliefs and practices which generally fall outside the scope of organized religion and science, encompassing phenomena involving a 'hidden' or 'secret' agency, such as magic and mysti ...

with minor mystic capabilities. Prior to his transformation, he had considerable knowledge of magic, including rudimentary spellcasting and summoning demons.

In other media

Television

* The Yuri Topolov incarnation of Gargoyle, referred to as Gorgon, appears in the Hulk segment of ''

The Marvel Super Heroes ''The Marvel Super Heroes'' is an American animated television series starring five comic book superheroes from Marvel Comics. The first TV series based on Marvel Comics, Marvel characters, it debuted in broadcast syndication, syndication on Amer ...

''. * The Yuri Topolov incarnation of Gargoyle appears in ''

'', voiced by

Mark Hamill Mark Richard Hamill (; born September 25, 1951) is an American actor. He is best known for starring as Luke Skywalker in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, and the Joker (character), Joker in various animated DC Comics projects, starting with ''Batm ...

. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information. This version seeks to find a cure for his mutation, which leads to him begrudgingly working under the

Leader Leadership, is defined as the ability of an individual, group, or organization to "", influence, or guide other individuals, teams, or organizations. "Leadership" is a contested term. Specialist literature debates various viewpoints on the co ...

. In his most notable appearance in the episode "Mortal Bounds", he accidentally releases a gamma virus, which partially restores his human form.

Video games

The Yuri Topolov incarnation of Gargoyle appears in ''

Lego Marvel's Avengers ''Lego Marvel's Avengers'' is a Lego-themed action-adventure video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, for the Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, Windows, ...

''.

Collected editions

References

External links

* *
Gargoyle (Isaac Christians)
at Marvel.com {{Stan Lee Characters created by J. M. DeMatteis Comics characters introduced in 1963 Comics characters introduced in 1981 Characters created by Jack Kirby Characters created by Stan Lee Fictional characters from Virginia Fictional characters with dwarfism Fictional communists Fictional Russian people Fictional Soviet people Gargoyles in popular culture Hulk (comics) Marvel Comics shapeshifters Marvel Comics characters who use magic Marvel Comics characters with accelerated healing Marvel Comics characters with superhuman durability or invulnerability Marvel Comics characters with superhuman strength Marvel Comics demons Marvel Comics mutates Marvel Comics superheroes Marvel Comics supervillains