Angel: After The Fall (1st Issue, November 2007)

[Darth Sinister]

From the IDW panel at the SDCC.

Ryall then introduced Angel: After the Fall, the upcoming 12-part + series that will pick up the Angel franchise following the cliffhanger at the end of Season 7. Angel creator Joss Whedon was named as the “Watcher” on the series, which will be written by Lynch, and illustrated by Franco Urru, with covers by Tony Harris.

The series will start in November, and will, Ryall said, “tell the story that people have wanted to read since we started with the Angel and Spike comics.”

Ryall said that IDW had approached Whedon about doing the series earlier, but the creator was reluctant to do it until he read Lynch’s Spike one shot, which got him thinking that he could do the series with Lynch, as he liked Lynch’s sensibilities on the characters.

The 12 issues of the run will be broken into arcs, separated by a month, with a special filling in each month that a regular series issue isn’t being released. The first special will be called First Night and will feature several stories looking at other characters in the mythos who will not be playing larger roles in the main story.

Lynch: “The cast was about to fight a fight that they were going to lose, and this series deals with the fallout of that; Angel knew going in that he was going to lose, and this is the fallout of him taking a stand against a force that he couldn’t beat”

http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=123012

[Just Jeans]

Is this a canon continuation from series 5? I was hoping we would get the Angel continuation through Dark Horse as well, so that they might be able to inhabit the same continuity.

Joss only acting as watcher over the series makes me nervous. I was hoping that Joss himself would continue the story.

[Alex DeLarge]

Joss was originally going to write it but time problems prevented it. But he is very involved with it. And this IS a continuation of the series, it's canonical and will be in the same continuity as Buffy Season 8. There won't be any full on crossovers (though as long as he didn't call it Buffy/Angel, Joss could already because he owns all the characters and Angel and/or Spike might make one or two, albeit limited for story, not rights, purposes, appearances in Buffy Season 8) but he choses not to in order to let the shows (or comic series as it is) stand on their own.

[Darth Sinister]

Exactly. Basically, in the future, Whedon will make references to both series whenever he does interviews or future commentary updates for the DVD's.

[Toejam]

I'm going to be all over this.
I loved Angel and cried like a little girl when it ended.

[Alex DeLarge]

Yeah, some of my least favorite moments were early on when Whedon broke that. For example, the end of Angel Season 2. Good little moment, HORRIBLE way to end Angel Season 2. Had nothing to do with the season or an explanation. Buffy would never end a season that way for Angel and Angel shouldn't have for Buffy. But as it went along, it stood more on its own two feet and was all the better for it.

[Darth Sinister]

I actually thought it was cool to see Willow come to the hotel to let them know what happened. It had nothing to do with the season, but it had everything to do with Buffy and Angel's relationship. His worst fear come to light. That Buffy would die and he couldn't help prevent it, because he was in Pylea.

[Alex DeLarge]

Oh, no, I totally agree! It was a great moment for sure, but if you're watching through the DVDs or not even a Buffy fan, it just seems a weird way to end the season.

[Just Jeans]

You mean like the Doctor popping up and swanning off with Jack at the end of Torchwood? It's pretty much the same thing -- ending the season on a pretext from the parent show.

[Alex DeLarge]

You mean like the Doctor popping up and swanning off with Jack at the end of Torchwood? It's pretty much the same thing -- ending the season on a pretext from the parent show.

Yeah, but it's not a pretext, it's a posttext. It's not a cliffhanger for something to happen on Buffy. Angel didn't leave to go to Sunnydale, it was a coda for Buffy. I dunno, but that's different to me.

[Just Jeans]

They couldn't ignore it, and due to the timing it would have been awkward waiting until the next season to address it.

I'd like for something similar to happen in Buffy regarding Cordelia, but since it's set a few months after the season 5 finale, it's not likely.

[Spade]

I'd like for something similar to happen in Buffy regarding Cordelia, but since it's set a few months after the season 5 finale, it's not likely.

I think it would be great for them to at least mention Cordy. Her character came a long way. She started out being a spoiled, stuck up, California rich kid and ended up being a brave, superpowered, demon fighting hero. In many ways she reminds me of Buffy.

Take care and God bless.

Spade

[Darth Sinister]

Well, this is as good as a time as any.

http://www.stakesandsalvation.com/2007/07/angel-retrospective-with-tim-minear.html

Tim Minear talks about how he got involved on "Angel" and he even talks about how season two ended.

[Darth Sinister]

Cover for issue one.

http://www.newsarama.com/IDW/Angel/AtF/Angel_AtF1.jpg

[Just Jeans]

Any news on when it hits the street?

[Darth Sinister]

Sometime in November. A specific date hasn't been mentioned yet.

[Darth Sinister]

Covers to issue two.

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o170/darth-ermac/Whedon/angel-season-6-issue-2-after-the-fa.jpg

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o170/darth-ermac/Whedon/angel-season-6-issue-2-after-the-1.jpg


Black and white preview page for issue one.

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o170/darth-ermac/Whedon/angel-season-6-comic-book-issue-bw-.jpg

[Darth Sinister]

Ain't It Cool News has the first five pages of issue one.

http://origin.aintitcool.com/images2007/Angel-ATF-1-5-1.jpg

http://origin.aintitcool.com/images2007/Angel-ATF-1-5-2.jpg

http://origin.aintitcool.com/images2007/Angel-ATF-1-5-3.jpg

http://origin.aintitcool.com/images2007/Angel-ATF-1-5-4.jpg

http://origin.aintitcool.com/images2007/Angel-ATF-1-5-5.jpg

http://origin.aintitcool.com/images2007/Angel-ATF-1-5-6.jpg


BTW, before you ask, the girl refers to Fred. Remember in "Power Play", Angel states that when Fred became Illyria, that's when he realized what Cordelia's gift was all about.

[Darth Sinister]

Another cover for issue one.

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o170/darth-ermac/Whedon/angel-season-6-issue-1-special-cove.jpg

[sickboy]

I really hope that's not really an alt cover... they look deformed.

[Spade]

Illyria(Sp?) doesn't look right in that pic.

[Just Jeans]

She looks like Bizzaro Illyria.

[Darth Sinister]

Covers to issue three.

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o170/darth-ermac/Whedon/angel-season-6-comic-book-cover-mq-.jpg

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o170/darth-ermac/Whedon/angel-season-6-comic-book-cover--1.jpg

[Spade]

Now those Illyria pics look better.

[Darth Sinister]

So the first issue is out this week. I'll details spoilers this weekend. Pre-Order sales have been very good. IDW has apparently had a second and a third printing. This is the highest selling book that IDW has had.

[Just Jeans]

I expect Angel and Doctor Who will be two of their best selling comics over the next few months (there's going to be a lot of folks in the UK ordering Doctor Who in particular.)

[Rick]

The story was pretty good. It didn't start the way I thought it would.
I just don't think the art is very good. The cover looks great but I don't like the actual style inside the book.

[Alex DeLarge]

I expect Angel and Doctor Who will be two of their best selling comics over the next few months (there's going to be a lot of folks in the UK ordering Doctor Who in particular.)

Wasn't there a big uproar at Outpost Gallifrey about it being near impossible to get in the UK? Something to do with rights and Pannii and the DWM strips I think (wasn't sure), but they're not selling it in the UK except at (possibly) American retailers and people have had trouble even ordering it from American websites.

[Just Jeans]

Last person I talked to about it said they were going to be able to pick it up in their local shop. :confused:

In any case, I'm sure people in the UK will just order it from IDW's website, and if they can't get it there they'll order it from Amazon.com (either the main site or through outside sellers), or they'll get it from WHO NA.

[Alex DeLarge]

Since OG is down (and the Doctor Who Forum is almost up!), I don't know, but I thought you can only buy it in the UK in American-owned shops and something about not even being abled to be shipped from those sites you mentioned. I dunno, maybe I read it wrong.

[Darth Sinister]

Lynch stated that he was going to show the fight in the alley in issue one, but Whedon felt that it should be saved for a few issues. Set up the status quo. However, it's obvious that the Dragon is what turned the tide. Though the real question is who sired Gunn. That in itself matches up to the rumors that we were hearing about season six and the TV-Movies. Betta George, from "Spike: Asylum" is back again. Whedon liked the character and since fans did as well, he was resurrected. Both "Aslyum" and "Shadow Puppets" are canon, so pick those up when you can. They're by the same creative team and take place during season five. Conner showing up wasn't a surprise, but Nina was and it makes me wonder about her sister and niece.

I'm sure that most everyone who can order online will get it from IDW or another comic site which will ship overseas. Though with the book going back for a third printing, it'll take a little while.

[Darth Sinister]

Issue 4 cover by Tony Harris.

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o170/darth-ermac/Whedon/angel-after-the-fall-comic-book-iss.jpg

Special cover for issue 3.

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o170/darth-ermac/Whedon/angel-season-6-comic-book-after-the.jpg

[Toejam]

Is anybody reading this?
I thought the first two issues were average at best (although I liked the reveal ofGunn as a vampire),
but the third issue kicks some serious ass.


Super spoilers!!!
Angel isn't a vampire anymore!!!,
Although he doesn't say he is human either, that is what is implied.
That twist will make you want to reread the first three issues. Yikes:eek:

[Darth Sinister]

I've been reading it. I've found it to be pretty good all things considered.

[Rick]

I've read the first two issues and thy were pretty boring, the art isn't making me appreciate it anymore either.
If things don't get interesting soon I don't think i'll follow it past the first 4 issues.

[Lance Lives]

I'm not feeling these covers at all...I just about forgot about this.

[Darth Sinister]

Issue four this week.

We find out what made Angel mortal and it's as I figured. Also, more returning faces.

[Toejam]

Issue #4 was alright. We got some answers but nothing too surprising happened.
Lorne having a safe haven in the middle of Hell reminded me of Flycatcher's Kingdom of Haven in the middle of The Adversary controlled Homelands in Fables.

[Lance Lives]

Where are you guys getting these? From comic shops? I've been getting my Buffy Season 8 comics from Borders but they don't have these.

[Darth Sinister]

I've gotten them at either Krypton Comics or Dragon's Lair Comics. Boarders probably won't carry IDW. They usually carry DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, Bongo and Image. Check online for comic stores near your location.

[Lance Lives]

Finally saw some of these in a comic shop about 2 hours from my place. I didn't pick them up because I would've been lost...is there any news about Trade Paperbacks?

[Darth Sinister]

Well, issue five is due out this month.


http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o170/darth-ermac/Whedon/AngelAtF_5_Franco_Paolo_rgb.jpg

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o170/darth-ermac/Whedon/angel-after-the-fall-comic-book--1.jpg

The trade is due June 25th. Amazon is taking pre-orders now.

[Darth Sinister]

SPIKE GETS AN OFFICIAL STORY IN SPIKE: AFTER THE FALL

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It’s a good time in comics for fans of Joss Whedon’s Buffy-verse.

Dark Horse is telling of Buffy, the Vampire Slayer’s adventures following the conclusion of her television series and IDW’s Angel: After the Fall is officially continuing that character’s story post Season Five of the television series’ finale.

But what about Spike? Does his official (read: approved by Whedon) story get explored and told anywhere?

While the character has appeared in Angel: After the Fall, there were certainly some questions left unanswered. Those burning questions will be answered in Spike: After the Fall miniseries launching in July from IDW, by Brian Lynch and Franco Urru. As for the continuity…hang on…

Angel: After the Fall #6, #7 and #8 tell stories of how the cast of characters was affected by the fight in the alley that ended the series. Issue #6 will feature Spike, Connor and Lorne; issue #7 will feature Wesley and a surprise return of a character from the Whedonverse; while issue #8 will feature Gwen, the effect of LA being thrust into hell on the city’s residents, and the fate of Gunn. Issue #9 will pick up from the cliffhanger at the end of issue #5, and will feature the new art team of Nick Runge and Art Lyon. #8 and #9 will both ship in June.

Spike: After the Fall will spin out of the “First Night” events seen in Angel: After the Fall and events in issue #7, and tells of Spike’s first few months in hell and co-stars Illyria.

Spike: After the Fall will run four issues.

http://www.newsarama.com/IDW/Spike/AfterFall/final.jpg

[Lance Lives]

I'd interested in that as Spike is one of my favorite characters, but I'd probably be lost without having read the Angel issues.

[Darth Sinister]

The Angel trade will be out before the mini-series hit.

[Scarecrow]

Thats good to hear, I may give the trade a go.

- Scarecrow

[Darth Sinister]

Issue #5 came out on March 19th and #6 hit this past week. #8 and 9 will be out twice in June.

[Darth Sinister]

Okay, issue 1 of Spike is out now. So pick that up. As to "Angel: After The Fall", the series will wrap up with issue 16. After that begins "Angel: Aftermath" which will be writing by various writers.

[Darth Sinister]

In case some of you are wondering, I'm going to give my .02 cents on issue 12. Spoilers for those who haven't read the issue yet. Read this post after you've read the issue. Not before.

Back when Angel signed on board to run Wolfram & Hart in "Home", he and the rest unknowningly gave the Senior Partners what they wanted. Everyone has been manipulated here, including the Black Throne and the Powers That Be. Their goal was to torment Angel after turning him human, so that he'd reach the point where he'd die. Then, with his soul giving up, he'd be resurrected as a vampire minus a soul. Thus freeing Angelus and he'd destroy humanity through the apocalypse.

[Toejam]

I'm enjoying this as much, if not more, than the Buffy comic.

When does this run end? I think I read issue 16 somewhere, but I'm not sure.

[Darth Sinister]

It ends with issue sixteen. Then the next mini-series will come out.

[Darth Sinister]

Two bits of news.

"Aftermath"

The arc will be written by Kelly Armstrong and then Brian Lynch will return with the six issue arc ends.


http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk27/Darth_Ermac/Whedon/Illyria.jpg

Illyria will guest star in the pages of "Fallen Angel" by Peter David. The story will focus on how Illyria tried to regain her full abilities following "Timebomb". The series is about Liandra, aka Lee, a former angel who has been sent to Earth for taking revenge for the death of one her charges.

[Darth Sinister]

More news. IDW will publish comic adaptations of "Smile Time" starting this week and next month, as well as three issues of "Not Fade Away" beginning in April.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk27/Darth_Ermac/Whedon/SMILETIMECOVER2.jpg

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk27/Darth_Ermac/Whedon/NotFadeAway-3.jpg

[Darth Sinister]

The IDW panel from New York Comic Con.

Ryall said that “Fallen Angel goes away with issue #33.” Peter David explained that as sales drop month after month, something needs to be done. Since a new creative team wasn’t an option and the series had reached a natural breaking point, a new #1 seemed like a good idea. “Frank miller doesn’t do Sin City every month, or Mignola Hellboy,” David said. The relaunched Fallen Angel will guest star a character from the Buffy universe, the writer hinted. David said that okaying the appearance involved “Me walking up to Joss” in San Diego last summer and expressing interest in a guest appearance. Whedon replied, “You’d do a great job with that, okay.” The arc will be set during Buffy’s fifth season.

“If sales are strong, we’ll keep going. If sales drop, well hit another natural breaking point,” he joked.


A five-issue Angel series by Kelly Armstrong and Dave Ross will spin out of Brian Lynch’s current Angel story. Lynch will be coming back to do a couple special issues, including “everything dealing with Spike’s death,” he joked. Juliet Landau co-wrote two chapters in an upcoming story, after she and Lynch “met randomly at a Facebook bar.” An upcoming issue will show what happened to Gunn. Franco Urru will be handling the art.

Angel: Blood & Trenches, by John Byrne, sees Angel in World War I, a setting Byrne wanted to explore with the character. Byrne is “doing some special things with the art.”

A new Spike series, by Lynch and Urru, will debut. It will continue “just do until I’ve had enough,” Lynch said, suggesting that it will probably run around a year in length. It will be “a big horror, fun, sci-fi thing.”

[Darth Sinister]

Upcoming Drusillia two parter, cover.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk27/Darth_Ermac/Whedon/angel-aftermath-comic-book-issues-2.jpg
ADDED:
There will be an upcoming mini-series dropping in August, called "Angel: Only Human". It centers around Gunn and Illyria dealing with the aftermath of what they did in "After The Fall". It is written by Scott Lobdell and drawn by David Mensia.

[Darth Sinister]

From Comic Con.

-Bill Willingham will be taking over as regular writer on Angel starting with #28.

-At the end of the year, an Angel annual will be released. Angel and Spike learn of a movie beign made based on what happened in "After The Fall". Several ads will be included based on the film and included in the annual.

-Brian Lynch and Franco Urru will launch a Spike monthly series next year.

-Illyria will have a mini-series coming up, by Scott Lobdell.

-An adaptation of "A Hole In The World" will be released. It's five issues.

[Darth Sinister]

The Spike monthly series will begin in September by Lynch and Uru. Spike moves to Las Vegas and sets up shop there. Willow will make a cameo appearence and this story will take place one year before the Buffy series and show how he got to where he is in "Twilight" and "Last Gleaming".

Mariah Huehener and David Tischman will take over the creative duties on Angel with issue #39.

[Darth Reaper]

I wonder how they're going to fit the world of Buffy and Angel together with Fallen Angel's world.

I'd like to see them do something with Fred again. I think she deserves better than to simply cease to exist. Maybe have Angel discover that although her soul was essentially broken up and scattered when her body was taken over by Illyria, it still exists and can be reintegrated with the proper methods. After all, energy can neither be created nor destroyed, it can only change forms. The soul could be interpreted as energy, so it can't be destroyed, it only takes on another form.

[Darth Sinister]

Get ready for this.

ANGEL to Return to Dark Horse in Late 2011

“What’s next for the Whedon clan and Dark Horse? How about a Dollhouse comic written by Jed and Maurissa, who wrote key episode of the show, and the return of the Angel series to Dark Horse in late 2011, in tandem with our Buffy Season 9 relaunch?”

That’s pretty big news to announce within the text of an in-house promotional page at the back of a comic, something pretty easy for a reader to skip over. On IDW’s official forums, chief creative officer and editor-in-chief Chris Ryall wrote, “We’ll be addressing this soon, so please bear with us. Thanks, for your patience and your support. Back soon.”

The character of Angel has appeared in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 comic, but his post-TV series ending adventures have continued in IDW’s comics, starting with 2007 miniseries Angel: After the Fall. Like Buffy Season 8, the current Angel IDW comics are considered canonical, picking up from where the TV shows left off — in Angel’s case, after season five ended in 2004. Dark Horse and IDW collaborated on IDW’s Spike miniseries, meant to bridge the gap between Season 8 and After the Fall.

Angel and Buffy creator Joss Whedon has been involved with these comics, overseeing both and scripting several issues of Buffy. Before 2005, Angel starred in many non-canonical Dark Horse comics, starting with 1999’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Angel three-issue miniseries, collected as Angel: The Hollower.

Angel is moving from IDW Publishing back to his original home at Dark Horse Comics, as both publishers confirmed late Thursday afternoon.

The news first broke in odd fashion on Wednesday, in the "Horsepower" column appearing in the back of Dark Horse's releases this week. Dark Horse senior managing editor Scott Allie wrote that readers could expect "the return of the Angel series to Dark Horse in late 2011, in tandem with our Buffy Season 9 relaunch," leaving fans confused as to what brought about the move, and what it meant to the Angel comic books currently being published by IDW.


Following statements from both publishers, the picture is a little bit clearer. IDW's Angel ongoing series starts its final arc with November's #39, which sees both new co-writers in David Tischman and Mariah Huehner, and the return of a familiar Angel enemy, interdimensional law firm Wolfram & Hart. The six-issue arc is meant to transition directly to where Dark Horse Comics will pick things up in late 2011.


According to Allie in Dark Horse's statement, the return of Angel and his supporting cast is "necessary" to Buffy and Angel creator Joss Whedon's plans for the upcoming Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9 series, not entirely surprising given the key role Angel has played in the currently unfolding Season 8 comics. No specific plans for a new Angel-starring series from Dark Horse were detailed at this time.

IDW's press release states that they did not coordinate the "Horsepower" announcement with Dark Horse.

"Dark Horse really regrets that this news was released before a joint statement from both companies was issued," Allie said in the statement. "Behind the scenes, we’d been working closely with IDW to ensure that the hand-off went smoothly. It was never our intent to catch Angel or IDW readers unaware."

Dark Horse was the original publisher of Angel comic books starting in 1999, before IDW acquried the rights to the character in 2005. Like Dark Horse's Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8, much of IDW's comics have been canonical follow-ups to the Angel TV series, starting with 2007 miniseries Angel: After the Fall.

Angel, starring David Boreanaz as the title vampire-with-a-soul, spun off from Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV series in 1999, lasting five seasons on the since-shuttered WB before ending in 2004. Angel and Buffy had been distributed by separate sources before — the last two seasons of Buffy were on a different network than Angel, the similarly defunct UPN.

[Darth Sinister]

The rights will revert to Dark Horse this summer and in August, the new books will start at the same time Buffy's new season starts.