Discussion of "Angel: After the Fall # 1" Release 11/21/07

[nerd4hire]

Comes out tomorrow. Well start this discussion thread different this time with a review from someone who's seen it.

Newsarama Review

Turn back the clock to 2004. Angel goes off the air after one of the best finales in recent memory. Of course, it wasn’t supposed to end that way. Its parent show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer got to end on its own terms, but Angel, despite growing its audience in its fifth season, was the victim of a premature cancellation. Though Joss Whedon and the gang managed to give the show “an ending”, it was open-ended enough to allow further continuation. Now, just as Buffy’s adventures continue elsewhere, Angel gets to realize a longer journey in comic form.

Now granted, if you were a fan of the show, then you remember the apocalyptic ending. Amazingly, Whedon and Lynch show a way around that and start things off squarely in the middle of the action. It’s also written tightly enough that a newbie could jump in, though there’s of course a tremendous advantage associated with being familiar with the material. There’s a sensible new status quo for the characters and their environs in this issue, and we’re introduced to Angel’s latest ally in a truly funny bit on the second page.

Part of the enjoyment of this issue is seeing members of the extensive cast turn up again in surprising ways. Though they haven’t all been glimpsed by the end of this first issue, a fair number of regulars and supporting characters crop up. I was particularly happy to see that two female members of the expanded roster will apparently have a bit more to do in the book than in the final televised season. And if you’ve been following the work that Brian Lynch has done on previous Angel comics (the very work, in fact, that led Whedon to invite him to this gig), then you’ll be thrilled to see the return of giant telepathic fish Betta George. Yes, that’s “giant telepathic fish”.

There’s a bit about this issue that I won’t discuss, primarily because I avoid spoilers in advance reviews and partially because it’s been requested that I not reveal certain details. It’s sufficient to say that the new lay of the land carries a goodly number of surprises, and at least one well-worn character gets a new injection of life by the rather startling ending.

The art by Urru, while strong at capturing likenesses, could be sharper. There’s something of an undefined softness around the edges of many scenes where they should be crisp and blunt. That could be because of a loose line, or it could be because of certain color choices. It’s reasonably good art, but it doesn’t have the weight of that terrific Tony Harris cover.

Honestly, the real draw of Angel: After the Fall is the promise of seeing familiar characters continue on their way. Whedon and Lynch really have found a strong new direction, and I look forward to seeing how they push Angel onward through his ongoing last stand.

Reviewers Note: Fans reading both Buffy the Vampire Slayer from Dark Horse and Angel would do well to remember that the action of BtVS at present would be occurring concurrently with the fifth televised season of Angel, as Buffy season seven ended at the same time as Angel season four. The eleventh episode of Angel season five, “Damage”, shows a meeting between Angel’s crew and members of Buffy’s slayer army that are presently active in that comic series.

BEST SHOTS EXTRA: ANGEL: AFTER THE FALL #1 - NEWSARAMA (http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=136958)

[Keanoite]

I can't wait for this! but's going to be Christmas before TFAW deliver! I may go insane!

[Clem Rocks]

Ooooo tomorrow?!?

Can't wait =D

[Lyri]

the site i get the comics from says Novemeber 28th...or maybe that's the day they start delivering? ::huh1::

[Keanoite]

the site i get the comics from says Novemeber 28th...or maybe that's the day they start delivering? ::huh1::

I think that was the original date but it was put forward. It's definitely out tomorrow. where do you get them from?

[Lyri]

i get my comics from THIS (http://www.closeencounters.co.uk/index.php) site. it's still saying available from the 28th...

[Keanoite]

i get my comics from THIS (http://www.closeencounters.co.uk/index.php) site. it's still saying available from the 28th...

It looks like THIS site will only have it from the 28th...like you said it says its available not released on the 28th on the site. That's not too bad, I have to wait until next month before it will be delivered!!!::crying2:

[GATEGOD]

It looks like THIS site will only have it from the 28th...like you said it says its available not released on the 28th on the site. That's not too bad, I have to wait until next month before it will be delivered!!!::crying2:

why do you have to wait that long?

[Keanoite]

why do you have to wait that long?

Because I can't get them in any comic shop in Limerick (where I live) so I'm ordering them from TFAW but they don't ship until 2-3 days after they arrive in their warehouses and then it takes about twenty days to get to Ireland after that. Normally I get the comics by the 25th of every month

[GATEGOD]

It'll take 5 days for me :( i guess your worse off :(

[Keanoite]

At least I still get them..it will be like an extra Christmas present or something! I might change where I get them from, I had never read a comic before in my life before season 8 so I didn't really know where was best to buy.

[Lyri]

Keanoite, i live in Belfast, and i get all my comics from the site i posted above. i usually get them 2-3 days after the release date stated on the website.

i used to order them from TFAW, but then they said that they couldn't deliver to me anymore. something about being outside of their delivery range.

[Keanoite]

Keanoite, i live in Belfast, and i get all my comics from the site i posted above. i usually get them 2-3 days after the release date stated on the website.

i used to order them from TFAW, but then they said that they couldn't deliver to me anymore. something about being outside of their delivery range.

Really? I must look into that! How can TFAW deliver to Limerick but not to Belfast? they're like 45 mins by plane apart?? its crazy!

[VisionGuy]

I have every single Buffy or Angel comic pre-ordered. I don't be getting them till the next one be coming out though. TFAW takes a long ass time. I'm still upset I got the variant for that one issue though. :(

[Allycat]

I've pre-ordered them from a local comic-book store. They usually get the american comics in on thursday. With Buffy that always means that I get them a day after they're released. (Unless I don't get the chance to pick them up immediately) hopefully I will be able to get my issue tomorrow.

[Buffy obsessed fan]

Oh, oh, oh *Excited girly squeal* I've nearly finished watching season 5 at Angel then I'm totally gonna get the comic!! <33 *Happy dances*

[nerd4hire]

Here's the 5 page preview again if you want a taste before your full comic arrives.

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/34862

[Senior Watcher]

***I HAVE WRITTEN NO SPOILERS BELOW, FEEL FREE TO READ***

I didnt see any threads yet for the first issue of season 6 of Angel, but if there are any, im sure this thread will be moved appropriately.

Anyway......

I bought Issue 1 today, read it, and so far I think it is great. I like the art work and story line just as much as Buffy Season 8.

I give it 2 thumbs up.

[GATEGOD]

I could wait 2 days, then go to a comic book store and pray they have it lol
Or order it online now and wait a week or two... ^_^

[Angel's Avenger]

I wonder when we AUssies will get it. My comic book shop has new orders in on Friday and hopefully my pre-ordered copy will be there! But I cannot go to the shop until next week. So I will be waiting awhile yet. Damn.

[Allycat]

:'( my comic book store ordered mine too late... I won't get it until next week... I'm so very sad now.

[Clem Rocks]

Not sure if spoilers are allowed in this thread so

*SPOILERS!*














Finally got issue one and read it. First impression is what we all already knew, man the art is shit! The only characters i could actually recognise are Connor and Gunn, everyone else was just a half assed attempt by the artists.

And apparently you can do strong things to characters in just one comic, like make Gunn rock, and completely ruin Wesley D=, one of the best characters in Angel and they ruin him in one comic for god sake D=

Story's not too good yet, but that's to be expected with it being the first issue, and seeing as we supposedly have big shocks coming, we can assume it's gonna get better, especially seeing as we know Spike's in the next issue =D and then Illyria =D

The one good thing about this comic, and it's a really good thing, is the length =D, why can't Buffy season 8 be that long? D=

Overall, a slow start to a comic that has a lot of potential, can't wait for the next issue *checks back of issue one*, if only they had told us when the next one's out...

P.S The artwork really is shit! That just needed to be said again...

[nerd4hire]

*** Discussion of Issue. Expect Spoilers If You haven't Read It***

I got it.

Comic guy gave me a choice - official cover, or variant. I took the official for collectibility, but then I was walking out the door and I actually looked at it. It's this fruity, cherry colored thing with kind of a 70s pschychedelia motif. No offense, but there's no other way to put it. It's gay. I went back, and traded it for the variant, which isn't completely horrible.

I got it home and read it. It was better than the first IDW Angel comic I ever read, but that's all the flattery I can force out of myself.

In Brian Lynch's new Angelverse Wolfram & Hart killed Fred. That wasn't the impression I got in the series I saw, but I don't see a big connection between this Angel and (The) Angel even if they are calling this comic canon.

Apparently Joss says he was interested in Lynch because he felt Lynch had the voices down. For the first time ever I'm going to disagree with Joss. Not here Lynch doesn't. I don't know who these characters are, but they're not the ones I know from Angel.

Remember when Wesley died rebelling against W&H. OK now the ghost of Wesley is a W&H toadie. And the motivator for this about face is W&H has a contract with him. So fear of death couldn't make Wesley play ball, but this contract can...uh, yeah...OK.

Remember self-healing Angel? Now he needs some kind of parasites. I played with the idea these were the hallucination parasites from Soul Purpose, and maybe this is all a dream, but I don't think Lynch is that clever. I think, he just wanted some cool little healing parasite things, so he made Angel easier to wound.

There's no Spike, or Illyria yet, but hey we do get Lynch's telepathic fish thing from his previous, definitely, non-canon Spike comics. And we're supposed to what? Thank him. Not today.

And no explanation as to how they got out of the alley. They can say it's about story exposition, but I can't help thinking it's a cheap ploy to suck us into buying more issues. Rots o Ruck.

And on the last page Gunn's a vamp. This is the big story ending surprise, is it? We knew that 2 years ago.

So, in case you're wondering, I didn't like the first issue of Angel: After the Fall much. I want my 5 bucks back.

Get some real writers IDW. Did you hear the news? Drew Goddard is on strike. He might want to make a couple easy bucks writing a comic, or three.

[Clem Rocks]

*** Discussion of Issue. Expect Spoilers If You haven't Read It***

Remember when Wesley died rebelling against W&H. OK now the ghost of Wesley is a W&H toadie. And the motivator for this about face is W&H has a contract with him. So fear of death couldn't make Wesley play ball, but this contract can...uh, yeah...OK.

Well Lilah was kinda different when she came back thanks to her contract, but yeah, this issue is really not what i was expecting, can only hope it gets better

[Lyri]

wait, they actually made Gunn a vamp...? *insert random swear words*

i thought the whole point of Wesley dying was so that Gunn wouldn't. Joss changed that for a reason. i expected Gunn to die, but vamping him seems like Lynch is hanging onto Joss's coattails. i get that this comic is canon, so Lynch probably wants to stay true to what Joss had already planned for S6, but the show getting cancelled made Joss change a few things, and i think Wes dying in place of gunn was one of those things.

it seems to me that by turning Gunn into a vampire, Lynch is taking the easy way out when it comes to thinking up storylines and actually writing the thing. i haven't even read this and already i'm not impressed!

i got an email today to say that my copy was being delivered and should be here within 2-3 days (so much for the 28th!) so i'll probably be back Sunday with some more remablings.

[Black Eye Guy]

Eh.. Not impressed. I didn't even realise that was gunn at the end! I really don't like the art, The only real part I was intrested in was the Gwen/Nina/Connor bit I thought that was cool.

I'll read it again and come back.

Oh and the fish was stupid!

[Clem Rocks]

Eh.. Not impressed. I didn't even realise that was gunn at the end! I really don't like the art, The only real part I was intrested in was the Gwen/Nina/Connor bit I thought that was cool.

I'll read it again and come back.

Oh and the fish was stupid!

I didn't realise it was Gunn either, i had to check to see if Gunn was wearing the same jacket as the vamp

[Tranquillity]

I think i'll add a positive perspective and say that i really liked it. I reckon it's got massive potential to build into a really great story. I like the artwork - very masculine which suits the macho world of Angel. As to Gunn being a vampire - i'm sure i read somewhere (an interview with david fury (or greenwalt?) perhaps?) that this was always intended - that Gunn would have been the big bad of season six should it have been filmed, so i thought that rocked. Gunn has the potential to be a pretty good nemisis for angel - legal knowledge, sympathy for W&H(?), intimate knowledge of Angel and Co.. It would seem that the glowy thing Gunn took out of the skeleton guy is particularly important

"It started with a girl" - I think Wolfram and Hart were implicated in Fred's death because they made sure that Gunn's brain upgrade was temporary, they knew he'd have to make a deal for a permanent fix and they knew that the doctor would get him to sign the customs release for illyria's sarcophigus. They also did nothing to help Team Angel when Gunn requested help to save Fred - thus condemning her to Death (well that's how i've always see it anyway).

I will agree that Wesley did seem a bit weird but i'm prepared to accept this part of his perpetual contract (for the moment). I'm glad they are promising us 'First Night' when we'll find out a little more about the acctual fight in the ally, at least we know the fill-in information is coming (which is more than we can say for Buffy). I like that Connor, Gwen and Nina are present.

I'm just happy to have Angel back!

Edit:

darn, too late to edit.

Apparently it was Amy Acker and J. August Richards who spoiled the would-have-been season six story lines at a convention sometime last year.

[nerd4hire]

As far as the Gunn as vamp talk goes. It goes back to the John Kerry fund raiser radio talk thing. I don't know how many years that's been. Including that one, off the top of my head, I can count 3 mentions by Joss, saying Gunn would have been dead, then later Amy Acker confirmed the talk Gunn was to be a vampire. There were rumors before that. There's at least 3 threads, and multiple mentions on this board alone concerning the progression. This is why I said the big surprise at the end was not surprising. Also it's presented clumsily and not much of a shocker.

Concerning W&H's involvement in Fred's death, OK yeah you can make a fan wank argument for them being in back of Knox and the doctor's agreement in spite of the fact Knox was in the cult of Illyria before he joined W&H, and the fact W&H weren't happy about Illyria's appearance, but why would Angel think there was a connection? He knows Fred's death was organized by Knox and his Illyria cult. He saw W&H help to take down Illyria. He heard Hamilton tell him W&H didn't get along with Illyria. The suggestion was they didn't want her around.

Nevertheless they say A:atf is canon so I guess we have to accept it now. W&H was behind Knox's actions. Doesn't make sense is all.

[Angel's Avenger]

I hate the art and I'm pretty sure I'll hate the story arc. I haven't gotten my copy yet but what a disappointment it's turning out to be.

Get rid of Urru!!!

[Keanoite]

*** Discussion of Issue. Expect Spoilers If You haven't Read It***

I got it.

Comic guy gave me a choice - official cover, or variant. I took the official for collectibility, but then I was walking out the door and I actually looked at it. It's this fruity, cherry colored thing with kind of a 70s pschychedelia motif. No offense, but there's no other way to put it. It's gay. I went back, and traded it for the variant, which isn't completely horrible.

I got it home and read it. It was better than the first IDW Angel comic I ever read, but that's all the flattery I can force out of myself.

In Brian Lynch's new Angelverse Wolfram & Hart killed Fred. That wasn't the impression I got in the series I saw, but I don't see a big connection between this Angel and (The) Angel even if they are calling this comic canon.

Apparently Joss says he was interested in Lynch because he felt Lynch had the voices down. For the first time ever I'm going to disagree with Joss. Not here Lynch doesn't. I don't know who these characters are, but they're not the ones I know from Angel.

Remember when Wesley died rebelling against W&H. OK now the ghost of Wesley is a W&H toadie. And the motivator for this about face is W&H has a contract with him. So fear of death couldn't make Wesley play ball, but this contract can...uh, yeah...OK.

Remember self-healing Angel? Now he needs some kind of parasites. I played with the idea these were the hallucination parasites from Soul Purpose, and maybe this is all a dream, but I don't think Lynch is that clever. I think, he just wanted some cool little healing parasite things, so he made Angel easier to wound.

There's no Spike, or Illyria yet, but hey we do get Lynch's telepathic fish thing from his previous, definitely, non-canon Spike comics. And we're supposed to what? Thank him. Not today.

And no explanation as to how they got out of the alley. They can say it's about story exposition, but I can't help thinking it's a cheap ploy to suck us into buying more issues. Rots o Ruck.

And on the last page Gunn's a vamp. This is the big story ending surprise, is it? We knew that 2 years ago.

So, in case you're wondering, I didn't like the first issue of Angel: After the Fall much. I want my 5 bucks back.

Get some real writers IDW. Did you hear the news? Drew Goddard is on strike. He might want to make a couple easy bucks writing a comic, or three.


I know this is in no way your fault but you just broke my heart a little! I had such high hopes for this comic and from what you say I'm disgusted. If it's as bad as you say then Joss should pull the tag season 6 from it and just leave us with the fantastic ending that we already have.

[Clem Rocks]

@Tranquillity&nerd4hire: I think the reason Angel blames Wolfram and Hart is simply if they hadn't have taken the jobs, Fred would still be alive, Knox wouldn't have met her so he wouldn't have chosen to use her as the vessel for Illyria

[Karl]

Just read it and I think it sucks, it sucks bad. I don't like the premise, I don't like the art and I hate what they have done to Wesley & Gunn.

[nerd4hire]

I know this is in no way your fault but you just broke my heart a little! I had such high hopes for this comic and from what you say I'm disgusted. If it's as bad as you say then Joss should pull the tag season 6 from it and just leave us with the fantastic ending that we already have.

If you'd like to read some more positive opinions there's some here.

Whedonesque : Comments on 14804 : (SPOILER) Angel:After the Fall #1 released today. (http://whedonesque.com/comments/14804)

Most of them love it.

[Angel's vision]

This could go in the way of season four-either love it or hate it.

I had my copy and to be honest I was surprised to see Gunn as a Vamp mainly because earlier he was getting rid of an Evil Demon and had no signs of being evil, plus the remarks concerning Gunn I assumed were part of Josses' jokey remarks reg who survived the Ally.(I also took Amy's remarks to mean that's what would of been if they hadn't cancelled the show and did S6,
Clearly they are doing this in comic form...)
What I didn't like was what they did with Wes it makes his death piontless!
Can't they make him rest in B***dy peace? Still it is interesting how Angel is gonna take things judging by the closing dialogue, and what is it with the healing parasitie? I thought Vamps had quick healing properties! I'm still not liking the Hell LA unless they are moving towards Angel finding a way to bring hell away from LA I'll be dissapionted.

The Story has potential to be something so I'll give it a few Issues before thinking it crap.

[Tranquillity]

@Tranquillity&nerd4hire: I think the reason Angel blames Wolfram and Hart is simply if they hadn't have taken the jobs, Fred would still be alive, Knox wouldn't have met her so he wouldn't have chosen to use her as the vessel for Illyria

Sorry, that should have read tranquillity AGREES - Good point (must have clicked the wrong box by mistake)

It ties in nicely with what Angel says early in the book about going to W&H being the biggest mistake in a life defined by mistakes.

[GATEGOD]

I finally got it! Off to read it ^_^

Edit:


I had my copy and to be honest I was surprised to see Gunn as a Vamp mainly because earlier he was getting rid of an Evil Demon and had no signs of being evil,

The Story has potential to be something so I'll give it a few Issues before thinking it crap.



:Spoilers:


The fact that Gunn is still 'alive' well not alive, but not dead, well he is but... the fact that he still walks the earth ^_^ Is great.

He didn't seem evil at all when we first see him... Could he have just killed those things because they were demon worshipers or is he evil?

I can't tell maybe he is soul Gunn or Evil Gunn idk... Do you?

The beginning was a bit weird... and i hoped they would have just started the moment the show ended... but atleast they promised to explain what happened in latter additions.
Even though they should have in the first :) I liked most of it, but psychic fish? and weird demon things.. they don't look like demons they look like 'Gew/goo' monsters :lmao:

[Canon]

Just read it, and I thought it was alright but I found it really confusing at times so I think I'll need to go back and re-read. And I'll agree that the art isn't that great either, I'm finding it hard to figure out who's meant to be who and such....

[tommy]

My copy of ATF 1 came in the mail this morning all unexpected and it made me happy.

It's a good comic. I like the art by Urru and I have the variant which he also did the cover for. Sure, I wouldn't have recognized say, Nina, if the words "werewolf" and "Nina" weren't on the page, but that doesn't bother me. I know what comic Nina looks like now. I managed to read ish 5 of Buffy without realizing Andrew and certain slayers were in it until I looked on Wikipedia. I like the design for Wesley - he looks kinda creepy.

I get that some people are mad at the way certain characters are acting, but one issue isn't really enough to go on. It make sense that characters would behave differently - they've been through things. Like death. Maybe in the next few issues you'll start to find out why people are doing what they're doing. Wesley being all differenty and mysterious is interesting and I want to know more.

The telepathic fish is my least favorite thing so far. Seems unnecessary. Could turn out to be a really important character.... but it's a big fish!

It would be much easier to tell that the vamp on the last page is Gunn if his eye scar was still visible a little. That seems to be the big new feature of his face.

[GATEGOD]

My copy of ATF 1 came in the mail this morning all unexpected and it made me happy.

It's a good comic. I like the art by Urru and I have the variant which he also did the cover for. Sure, I wouldn't have recognized say, Nina, if the words "werewolf" and "Nina" weren't on the page, but that doesn't bother me. I know what comic Nina looks like now. I managed to read ish 5 of Buffy without realizing Andrew and certain slayers were in it until I looked on Wikipedia. I like the design for Wesley - he looks kinda creepy.

I get that some people are mad at the way certain characters are acting, but one issue isn't really enough to go on. It make sense that people would behave differently - they've been through things. Like death. Maybe in the next few issues you'll start to find out why people are doing what they're doing. Wesley being all differenty and mysterious is interesting and I want to know more.

The telepathic fish is my least favorite thing so far. Seems unnecessary. Could turn out to be a really important character.... but it's a big fish!

It would be much easier to tell that the vamp on the last page is Gunn if his eye scar was still visible a little. That seems to be the big new feature of his face.
Plus they jumped from Gunn then came back, at first I'm like what did they do to Angel...?
But is Gunn killing them because they were evil or because he is? :drunk:

[tommy]

I think he was just hungry.

Interesting that he has his own crew again, kinda like how we first met him on the show. Just hanging out on the streets, killing stuff.

[eunsoma]

i cant believe what evry1 is saying!! Gunns dead?! i almost dont wanna read it now!!

[alexa]

I guess this is better then any Angel IDW comic I've picked up out of boredom.. but still didn't love it. I liked it, but not until I forced myself to read it again, then I noticed things I missed. I've read all the speculation that Gunn will be a vamp, but the last page still baffled me! I was like 'uh ok, who the hell is eating the girls' ..didn't recognize Gunn for a while. Something is up with the symbols on the walls..
And how did W&H get control of Wesley? And the basically naked girls, and even the clothed ones just annoyed me.
I did like the quality of the paper this comic is printed on though. And I'm convinced that the cover artist assumed Angel had something to do with being an Angel, hence the praying. I really wanted the dragon cover, but they didn't have it at the store.
I'm also of the opinion that the characters didn't sound like themselves in this comic... much. I could hear Angel saying 'resume your looting'. Didn't get the same connection.

Edit:

I still think my Wesley being in hell with them because he also happens to be dead, is much better then him being under contract.. I suppose we don't know for sure why or how he is there. But yeah.. not loving that he's back, but possibly evil.

[Angel's Avenger]

So far a mix of good and bad news. Will be getting my copy on the 7th (hopes)

[VisionGuy]

I didn't like it. I was disappointed with everything from the art to the story itself.

[Ronin]

*** Discussion of Issue. Expect Spoilers If You haven't Read It***

I got it.

Comic guy gave me a choice - official cover, or variant. I took the official for collectibility, but then I was walking out the door and I actually looked at it. It's this fruity, cherry colored thing with kind of a 70s pschychedelia motif. No offense, but there's no other way to put it. It's gay. I went back, and traded it for the variant, which isn't completely horrible.

I got it home and read it. It was better than the first IDW Angel comic I ever read, but that's all the flattery I can force out of myself.

In Brian Lynch's new Angelverse Wolfram & Hart killed Fred. That wasn't the impression I got in the series I saw, but I don't see a big connection between this Angel and (The) Angel even if they are calling this comic canon.

Apparently Joss says he was interested in Lynch because he felt Lynch had the voices down. For the first time ever I'm going to disagree with Joss. Not here Lynch doesn't. I don't know who these characters are, but they're not the ones I know from Angel.

Remember when Wesley died rebelling against W&H. OK now the ghost of Wesley is a W&H toadie. And the motivator for this about face is W&H has a contract with him. So fear of death couldn't make Wesley play ball, but this contract can...uh, yeah...OK.

Remember self-healing Angel? Now he needs some kind of parasites. I played with the idea these were the hallucination parasites from Soul Purpose, and maybe this is all a dream, but I don't think Lynch is that clever. I think, he just wanted some cool little healing parasite things, so he made Angel easier to wound.

There's no Spike, or Illyria yet, but hey we do get Lynch's telepathic fish thing from his previous, definitely, non-canon Spike comics. And we're supposed to what? Thank him. Not today.

And no explanation as to how they got out of the alley. They can say it's about story exposition, but I can't help thinking it's a cheap ploy to suck us into buying more issues. Rots o Ruck.

And on the last page Gunn's a vamp. This is the big story ending surprise, is it? We knew that 2 years ago.

So, in case you're wondering, I didn't like the first issue of Angel: After the Fall much. I want my 5 bucks back.

Get some real writers IDW. Did you hear the news? Drew Goddard is on strike. He might want to make a couple easy bucks writing a comic, or three.


i pretty much agree with all of that.

[Allycat]

First off, I love the art. Urru fits Angel just as much as Jeanty fits Buffy. It helps create a really dark tone, which suits the story perfectly. While it is true that it's hard to recognise some of the characters at first, I don't really think it's that big of a deal. The only real problem I had was with Nina, but then she was only in a few eps and she doesn't really have a distinctive look about her, that say Gwen does have.

Now, as for the story.

Interesting. The dialogue isn't quite as good as Joss' or even the other Brian's, but it's not THAT bad either. Page 6 "It's not work, when you love what you do." I can totally hear Angel saying that. And the voice of Wesley if perfect. Sure, it's not the cute and loveable Wesley, but a new stern and serious, and quite possibly evil Wesley, but that doesn't mean his voice is off.

I like the general set-up of the story. LA sucked into LA. Demons ruling the place. I think I'm also one of the few people who enjoy seeing familiar faces in unfamiliar situations. Of course, like everyone I want to know how they got in these places. But I think that not-knowing, puzzling out who's doing what and for whom, and finding out gradually how they got in these new places, is a big part of the suspense.

I never really cared much for Gunn, but I'm very intrigued by this new Vampire Gunn. Of all the characters that could be sired, Gunn is dramatically the best choice. I wonder what his plan is. Of course, he has this "firepower" that Angel needs to get out of "here"? (Does here mean Hell or under W&H's power?) Gunn also says "one lord down" after he's killed Kr'ph; does this imply that he's going to try to take the rest out too? Something Angel is afraid to do it seems. Although then again, he does kill the Son of Burge in the end.

Then there's ghost Wesley working for W&H. I really wonder about him. He could be evil, but I somehow doubt that very much. I think it's more likely that he has a scheme of his own that he's not letting anyone in on. Or at least he simply has a slightly different agenda that he believes in the end will lead to the least amount of casualties. I also think the dynamic between him and Angel is really interesting; I'd like to see that explored more.

I'm glad they included Nina, Gwen, and Connor. I hope they'll have recurring roles in this series. I know a lot of people don't like Nina, but I think of this as her second chance. With that new sun/moon deal I doubt her character is going to be as bland as some people accused her of being in Season 5.

All-in-all, I think this first issue only makes us ask more questions about what happened after the NFA, rather than answer them all. I'm definitely going to keep reading/buying this series to find out more.


A lot of people here mentioned that they think the characters are too far removed from the place they were in in NFA. To those people I only got one thing to say: middle of page 3 "Hell, for the last few months, it's the same song and dance.' The story doesn't start the day after NFA, or even the week, but months! Of course, the characters are different from what we're used to, because God knows what they've been through. The same thing was with S8 applies here.


A few side-notes:
Healing-Parasite: Vampires can heal pretty quickly by themselves; at least faster than humans, but they're no Claire Bennets either. Remember Drusilla and later Spike in Buffy Season 2 needing time to heal? Angel probably would've healed by himself all right, but the parasite speeds up the process considerably.
"They Killed Her": W&H didn't have a hand in killing Illyria. However, wasn't it Cordelia's death that opened Angel's eyes? Not that W&H had a hand in her death either, but that's beside the point. Also, if you really wanna fanwank here, you could always say that the "they" in this sentence didn't refer to W&H but evil scum bags in general. Also if we really want to blame someone here, why not blame Joss. He shouldn't noticed the error here, when he read the script, just like he knew that Warren couldn't be alive... oh wait, never mind.

[alexa]

I always loved Gunn... cept for when he was giving Wesley crap about Conner.
Don't get why people wouldn't like him. And I know it seems like I love everyone :p (can't stand Kate for instance... and Nina is fairly dull, especially for a werewolf. Harmony can annoy me.) I guess I've accepted that he's a vampire, but it's just so horrible after all he's been through with his vampire history. Reminds me a little of Long Nights Journey.. when the human vampire fighter dies bravely, but gets turned. I hope he doesn't end up as dust.. or completely evil.

Owh and I'm also really happy that Conner is back, almost as much that Wesley is.

[Angel's Avenger]

I finally got my copy and I dislike it. I hope issue 2 gets better.

Where was Illyria and Spike? Why is Harmony (a useless character) in it?

I don't like the art but it's something to get used to.


A telepathic fish? Oh please.

[CharmedSlayer85]

I haven't read it yet, but I read what happens on wikipedia and I dont' know if I like the whole Wesley still around thing, however I mean can we really be surprised? I mean they've done the same thing for basically all the dead people of Wolfram & Hart so why would Wesley be any different. The whole LA Hell thing I don't like cause it makes the Buffyverse seems a little bit too fantasy. Plus wouldn't that kind of alert the entire world to the presence of demons if all of LA is one giant hellfest? And Gunn being a vampire doesn't surprise me cause if the show would have lasted that would have been his fate anyway, however they get Willow to give him a soul though lol. Then we'll have 3 souled vampires. Then Spike, Angel, and Gunn can form the Charmed Vampires.


PS- Now that Season Six is out shouldn't there be an Angel Season Six thread kind of like how we have Buffy Season Eight?

[Ashxking]

Well Wesley could have signed a contract to free Lilah's soul. When it comes to the parasite, how is the new LA setting effecting a vamps healing power. Hell-A could have a mirror spell so to someone from the outside its nice and normal once you step inside you see it for what it realy is

[Clem Rocks]

PS- Now that Season Six is out shouldn't there be an Angel Season Six thread kind of like how we have Buffy Season Eight?

Yes but let's not start that again D=

[TabulaRasa]

I thought I was going to hate the comic visually and when I got it I was like..wow, it's pretty great. I also love the nice thick shiny pages. I'm a girl, whadya want?!!!? :) I also enjoyed the storyline, even tho I have no clue what to think about a certain dead person. And another certain undead dead person. It's all very odd. Oh well, I am in for the ride.

[Spike Angelus]

I just read issue number 1, I liked it, because ANY post TV stories, especially those penned by Joss himself, are bettr than the ending the TV show gave us. That being said, i hope the whole L.A. in Hell story isn't dragged out for the entire "season". Sure, Angel was always darker than Buffy, but we have to have hope that our Dark Avenger will find a way to save the day.