Gargoyles Was the Most Important Cartoon of my Pre-Intellectual Black Childhood

I have a complex about people thinking I’m stupid. I look for judgment from others when I share an idea, I expect most things I say to have at least a degree of stupidity, and I live with the Imposter Syndrome that waits on the front porch of anyone who writes, or records, or expresses themselves in any way that leaves them vulnerable to condescension. And it’s because of it that I’ve always been keenly aware – even as a child – when someone was talking down to me. It means they thought I was stupid. I hated feeling stupid. And as much as I loved cartoons, I felt a lot of them spoke to us like we were stupid. Then there was Gargoyles.

One thousand years ago superstition and the sword ruled, yet two decades ago – yeah, it’s been 21 years – we met Gargoyles, and I was given one of the deepest, most progressive and thoughtful series I had ever seen. And while it might seem on the surface that it’s a regular action cartoon, Gargoyles proved itself each episode as a program with a message. That message was simple, yet profound in its rarity among its peers. It took off the kid gloves, put both hands on your shoulders, and said, “You’re old enough to handle this.” The story followed an intelligent, nocturnal species called Gargoyles that turn stone during the day and awaken at night. Their bond with humans was one of protection – they lived alongside us safeguarding ancient castles and families for hundreds of years, until they were betrayed by humans in 994 AD and frozen in stone…