Mooney Draws a Pretty Eve

What Is It?: Angel- Not Fade Away adaptation #3. Original teleplay by Joss Whedon & Jeffrey Bell. Adapted to comic script by Scott Tipton with art by Stephen Mooney.

Timing: Final third of the Angel: Season Five episode, "Not Fade Away."

Note: Adaptations are now ranked on this scale: EPIC FAIL, FAIL, BAD, OKAY, GOOD, VERY GOOD, GREAT, OUTSTANDING.

REVIEW: First off, I feel like a douche. This book came out for most last week, and the least I could do for the gracious Scott Tipton was to have a review for his book the day it came out, especially after he gave me that awesome interview. However, my shop didn't get the comic in until today for some reason, so the review was destined to be late. It might be a New York thing, though, the same thing happened with an issue of Smile Time. Either way, here it is.

Scott Tipton has done the impossible. "Not Fade Away" is, to me, the best hour of television ever produced, bar none. It's a perfect episode, a perfect finale, and a perfect set-up for what (no one really knew at the time) was to come. Tipton managed to make a comic version of the episode that I was able to fully enjoy as a comic. It pays homage to the episode, shows us some different angles (via artist Stephen Mooney), and lets us re-watch this classic episode in a different medium... without comparing it to the original the entire time. No, certain lines don't have the same resonance (particularly the exchange of "I love yous" between Wesley and "Fred," which definitely needed the actors to perform it, but the majority of the major moments capture the essence of the episode. Far better than the already very good "Smile Time" adaptation, this is something I will be coming back to time and time again.

There's not much to say, story-wise, as we all know what happens. Tipton cuts a few lines here and there, allowing the softer moments the room to breathe and the bigger moments the room to bang. He's a master at pacing and maintaining the heart-racing tension as well as the tragedy of the episode within these twenty-two pages. I don't think the book read as smoothly as the second installment, because some of the transitions between scenes feel a bit awkward (Angel's last words to Connor going into Angel's conversation with Eve, for example), but there are only a few of these slightly off notes in this otherwise terrific adaptation. I have all three issues, but I will certainly be purchasing the TPB as well. Great job, Mr. Tipton. Bring on the tragedy with A HOLE IN THE WORLD/SHELLS!

Art: Mooney's art here is better than ever. His likenesses are so sharp and he no longer seems to rely on promotional images to attain the perfect likenesses. His evolution as an artist has been documented on the pages of the ANGEL books, and it's been fantastic to see. I love his work, and truly hope that when the new on-going ANGEL writer is announced, that Mooney is announced as the on-going artist. One thing I do have to saw about the art, though... there were two instances of exclamation and question marks drawn into the panel to very Manga-like effect. In the first instance, an exclamation point appears in front of Spike when he realizes that the Fell is upon him. I sort of get this, because there wasn't really another quick way to show his realization, and it is a very, very busy book... but I still didn't like it. The second was completely odd, though. Connor says "Huh?" but a question mark and an exclamation point appear over his head, as if the "Huh?" wasn't trustworthy enough to get the point across. I don't know if this was in the script, an idea of the letterer, or something that Mooney was experimenting with, but I found these moments, however little, to be intrusive.

Oh, and... Mooney's vampface Angel should be a poster. Best vampface art in any Buffyverse comic, for sure. ALSO I wish that the formerly deceased vamp named after me in ATF #11 would date Eve in this comic, because as Borat would say, VEHHY NICE!

Covers: For some reason, this cover seems to have come back from the printer considerably darker than the version that was released online. It's still a gorgeous cover, probably one of my favorites, but the darkness really obscures the phenomenal detail that Mooney gave to the faces of these characters in this iconic moment. Illyria's face is blackened beyond recognition here, but in the actual original file, her most prominent details stand out, illuminated by the dull blue glow of the alley. I hope that, for the collection, this gets lighted so Mooney's art can shine the way it deserves to.

Characters We Know: Spike, the surviving members (not for long, of course) members of the Circle of the Black Thorn, Wesley, Angel, Hamilton, Connor, Gunn, Illyria, Eve, Lindsey, Lorne.

Rating: GREAT.

Exclusive SCOTT TIPTON Interview

This man needs no introduction. If you're a fan of Angel comics, you know who Scott Tipton is. He did a lot of work on the pre-After the Fall series, including a handful of one-shots and the well recieved miniseries, Auld Lang Syne. Recently, he's been working on adaptations of some of the most popular episodes from the fifth season of Angel. Scott was kind enough to do an interview with me about his past work, as well as his new A Hole in the World miniseries.

BUFFYVERSE COMIC REVIEWS: To start things off, how did you first become involved with IDW?

SCOTT TIPTON: Back when it was still around, I was Associate Editor and Newswriter for Kevin Smith's pop-culture Web site, Movie Poop Shoot.com, which was run by one Chris Ryall. When Chris got the top job at IDW, I told him that if there was anything he thought I'd be a good fit for, I'd love to talk about it. Not long after, he offered me a writing assignment, adapting a Richard Matheson short story for their late, lamented horror anthology DOOMED. He must have liked it, as he assigned me a second one not long after.

Months go by, and in the intervening time, IDW acquired the license to produce comics based on the television series ANGEL, of which I had long been a fan. Throwing caution to the winds, I mentioned to Ryall that, if anything should ever open up on an ANGEL project, I had plenty of ideas for stories. Not long after that, I get a call from him, informing me that they’re doing a second SPIKE one-shot book, and the plan was to submit three or four pitches from different writers to FOX, and let them choose, and did I have any ideas?

Absolutely, I said. Give me a day or two and I’ll send you a pitch.

About a half an hour later, my pitch for SPIKE: OLD WOUNDS was in Ryall’s e-mailbox, and I was on pins and needles. Not long after came Ryall’s response. “Hey, this is pretty strong. Do you know how it ends?”

And in my head, my inner Mister Burns rubbed his leathery hands together and went “Eeeeeeexcellent.” You see, I had remembered what Marvel editor Mark Gruenwald had told me years ago about pitching a comics proposal. According to the Gru, the key to a proposal with a chance of selling is to come up with a story that doesn’t alter the status quo of the series you’re pitching for, but makes the reader look at the character in a slightly different light from that point forward. And, he said, make sure to leave your proposal unresolved, with a strong hook. If the editor asks for more, you’re on the right track.

So off went the proposal to FOX along with the other writers’ pitches, and after what seemed like an interminable wait (but was really quite swift in the scheme of things), the news came down: my proposal had gotten the nod, and the 48-page Spike one-shot was mine!

Spike: Old Wounds

BCR: Can you talk a little about your experiences with the SPIKE one-shot and the ANGEL ones that followed?

SCOTT: It was a great experience, but at first, it was sheer panic. After all, my previous assignments had been short stories. I had just talked myself into 48 pages. Now what am I supposed to do?

After the panic subsided, I sat down and sussed out just exactly how I was going to do this thing. Through a series of crude stick-men page breakdowns (which will never see the light of day, incidentally), I plotted out the story panel by panel and began scripting, and the work went fairly smoothly, much to my pleasant surprise.

I look back at the books now with a lot more experience under my belt, and I see all the places where I could have made it stronger, but overall, I'm pretty happy with them. I think they hold up pretty well. Fernando Goni's style was a perfect fit for this kind of book, combining a slightly exaggerated approach to the action and storytelling with really strong likeness work. In fact, as the pages came in and I saw how well he was able to draw David Boreanaz, I decided to make my next one-shot, LOST AND FOUND, a Spike/Angel “buddy” adventure.

LOST AND FOUND was a lot of fun, since I got to play with the Spike/Angel antagonistic relationship all the way through. I also enjoyed taking advantage of the Los Angeles setting in that one, and mapping their chase sequence all through the city – That was the first time I really went out of my way to provide the artist with tons of photo reference, which I've done on every book ever since.

Spike: Lost and Found

BCR: What was the pitching experience for your "Auld Lang Syne" miniseries like? Was there anything you wanted to do, but couldn't?

SCOTT: Not remotely, no. Working on AULD LANG SYNE was a dream from start to finish. David Messina and I had only worked together once before, on a short story for the Angel Halloween special MASKS, and so this was where we really got to know each other, and I've been lucky enough to have been working with David practically nonstop ever since, both on STAR TREK series like KLINGONS: BLOOD WILL TELL, INTELLIGENCE GATHERING and MIRROR IMAGES, and more recent ANGEL projects like SMILE TIME.

AULD LANG SYNE was such a smooth-running machine that even David's taking ill in the middle of it didn't slow things down, as his then-assistant Elena Casagrande filled in so ably that I didn't even realize the change until much later!

BCR: Where would you place "Auld Lang Syne" in the Angelverse continuity?

SCOTT: I intentionally tried to keep it vague. It could be taking place during Season 5, or at some point after the series ended. Come to think of it, it could even take place after the events of AFTER THE FALL. I think. I'll have to go back and look at it again…

Angel: Auld Lang Syne #3

BCR: How did you and Brian Lynch collaborate with the Gunn story in "First Night"? Did you break the story together?

SCOTT: That story was Brian's baby, make no mistake about it. When he asked me to come in and co-write one of the "First Night" stories, I was delighted (primarily because Gunn was the only Angel character I hadn't really had the chance to tackle yet), but I had no idea it would turn out to be one of the most integral chapters. As I recall, Brian and I talked over the story, what would be happening and what he wanted to get across. I put together the first (very) rough script based on Brian's direction and story points and then we would swap drafts back and forth until we got it to where Brian wanted it. Brian deserves the lion's share of the credit, but there is a moment or two in that story that I brought to the table, and the fact that it appears in Brian's masterful story arc pleases me to no end.

BCR: Now, onto the new stuff. You've been doing a lot of adaptations of Angel episodes recently. Do you pick the episodes to adapt and pitch them to Chris Ryall, or are you assigned an episode?

SCOTT: More often than not, they come from Chris. He came to me last year and asked if I would be interested in adapting SMILE TIME with David Messina, and naturally, that didn't take much convincing. Nor did the offer to adapt NOT FADE AWAY with Stephen Mooney. The only one that I came to him with was the one I'm currently writing, A HOLE IN THE WORLD.

About the adaptations, I see some of the feedback from some fans who say they don't like the straight adaptations of episodes, and I can understand that position, if I don't agree with it. I can only speak for myself, but I like the adaptations for the same reasons I buy DVD sets of television series I've already seen: I love these stories, and there's satisfaction to be found in seeing them again, and especially in seeing them re-interpreted in another form. Plus, there's a long tradition of comic-book adaptations of TV and movies, and I've always enjoyed them. I remember as a kid knowing STAR WARS backwards and forwards, but that didn't mean I loved the Marvel adaptation by Roy Thomas and Howard Chaykin any less. Just the opposite: I read those comics till the staples fell out.

A page from Scott Tipton's adaptation of "Not Fade Away."

BCR: Is there any information you can give us about the "A Hole in the World" adaptation? Artist/number of issues?

SCOTT: A HOLE IN THE WORLD will be a five-issue miniseries, adapting both parts of the Illyria origin story, "A Hole in the World" and "Shells." The artist will be the amazing Elena Casagrande, who's done series like GHOST WHISPERER for IDW, as well as providing finishes for our recent SMILE TIME miniseries.

BCR: "A Hole in the World" is a very emotional episode, but it doesn't have much action. Was the lack of action a factor in adding the more action-packed "Shells" as the second half of the miniseries?

SCOTT: Actually, the action consideration didn't really enter into it; the drama in these is so compelling I wasn't worried about that at all. Rather, it's just that only doing the first episode would really feel like just half the story. So when the word came down that we'd get to adapt both, we were absolutely delighted.

BCR: How has it been like working with Elena?

SCOTT: It's been great. Elena is a huge fan of the series and this episode in particular, and has been very involved in breaking down the story into issues and determining the pacing. We just finished another project, a single-issue "Q" story for the STA R TREK: ALIEN SPOTLIGHT series (which will be out in August), so now we're both feeling warmed up and ready to tackle such a larger and more ambitious project. As the pages on Q came in with panel after panel of dead-on likenesses of Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes and John deLancie, I couldn't help but think how great her renditions of Wesley and Fred were going to look. And having seen some of the beginnings of the work already, I'm not disappointed.

A sample of Elena Casagrande's art, from Ghost Whisperer #1

BCR: What about ANGEL, the character and the series, draws you in as a fan and as a writer?

SCOTT: For me, it's the opportunity to contribute to this marvelous world Whedon created. It's a fantastic mix of gothic horror, comic-book style continuity and wry humor that really appeals to me. And thanks to Whedon and his team of writers on the series, the characters are so well established and firmly delineated that writing them is an absolute joy. It’s like Spike's voice is in my head just waiting to get out.

BCR: Just for kicks: Favorite character, favorite episode, favorite season?

SCOTT: Favorite season is Season 5, no question. Not only did the Wolfram & Hart angle really spark up the series, but adding Spike to the cast added both a much-needed regular dose of humor and an equally welcome steady antagonist for Angel. When I got the chance to do my Wesley issue in ANGEL SPOTLIGHT, I made sure to set it during Season 5. I could do nothing but write stories in between Season 5 episodes, and I'd be a happy man.

Favorite episode? That's a little tougher. I've been very lucky in that so far, my four favorite episodes have been the ones I've gotten the opportunity to adapt: "Smile Time," "Not Fade Away," "A Hole in the World" and "Shells." But I'm also really fond of "The Cautionary Tale of Numero Cinco."

As for my favorite character, it depends what day you get me – some days it's Spike, some days it's Wes, some days it's Illyria. But in terms of my favorite character to write, it’s Spike, no question. Angel is the most challenging, but Spike is the most fun.

BCR: Some more kicks: What was your favorite issue to write?

SCOTT: I think the issue I'm proudest of as a writer is still the WESLEY SPOTLIGHT. I love that one because I managed to pull off an ending that's entirely different depending on how well you know the series. I've had fans approach me who are only just getting into the ANGEL universe tell me how much the ending affected them, and yet the ending is entirely different if you know what's to come in "A Hole in the World." Plus, I got to do a Wesley/Spike adventure, and they never had all that much interplay in the series, so it was a great opportunity from a character standpoint.

Scott Tipton's WESLEY Spotlight: No Sacrifice

BCR: Are there any other projects, Angel or otherwise, that you have in the works?

SCOTT: Well, let's see… ANGEL: NOT FADE AWAY #3 will be out very soon, as will the third issue of ASTRO BOY: UNDERGROUND, the prequel series for the upcoming animated film. Also starting this month is SPOCK: REFLECTIONS, my new STAR TREK series with David Messina, a prequel of sorts to Messina's outstanding series COUNTDOWN.

August will see the premiere of the official ASTRO BOY MOVIE ADAPTATION, co-written by my brother David (collaborator on all my TREK projects as well) and drawn by the astounding E.J. Su. Also coming out in August is the aforementioned Q SPOTLIGHT with Elena Casagrande, and the hardcover collected edition of SMILE TIME, which I'm very excited about. And finally, A HOLE IN THE WORLD is currently scheduled to begin in November.

For anyone interested in my prose work, my book COMIC BOOKS 101, a history of the art form, the creators and the characters, (co-written by me and one Mr. Chris Ryall) is currently available at Amazon. (http://www.amazon.com/Comic-Books-101-History-Methods/dp/1600611877/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1246511968&sr=8-1) And my weekly columns on comic-book history can be found every Wednesday like clockwork at my Web site, http://www.comics101.com/.

BCR: And lastly, what would a fan have to do to get word to the big cheese that we want an original Tipton ANGEL story?

SCOTT: Well, the best way to show your support would probably be to keep buying the adaptations, I'd imagine. Me, I'm just happy to be on the team.

Thanks a lot to Mr. Tipton for doing this! That's a lot of information for us to chew on as we anticipate the November release of A Hole in the World/Shells #1! Check back next week for an interview from ANGEL artist David Messina! Also, don't forget to pick up Scott Tipton's ANGEL: NOT FADE AWAY #3, which comes out this month!

Lily From "How I Met Your Mother" Reunited With The Sarcastic Amish Dude From "Sex Drive"

What Is It?: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Issue #26: Retreat part I (written by Jane Espenson).

Timing: BtVS, Season Eight. Short while after "Safe."

Warning: The bigger spoilers will be written in black text. Simply highlight to read. As this is a review, there will be some minor "spoilers" sprinkled throughout the text that don't warrant being hidden. If you have not read the issue and don't want to know anything about the plot, don't read this. Spoilers for previous issues will obviously not be covered.

REVIEW: The first time I read this issue, I was let down. It had a lot to live up to. Joss Whedon announced Oz's return almost two years ago at SDCC 07, and the anticipation has been gaining momentum ever since. Also, after a disjointed arc of one-shots, this was said to be the issue that would launch Season Eight toward the big shiny climax of Meltzer and Whedon's respective arcs. Stakes would be raised, everyone would be united, and the plot would go into hyperdrive. Also, from #1, to #6, to #12, to #16, all the first issues of each arc have been consistently fantastic. The arcs don't always live up to what the first chapters start, but it was almost a given that this would be a fantastic issue.

But, upon first read, I just thought it was okay. There weren't any jarring moments or awkward paneling like in Espenson's "Harmonic Divergence," which is something that I feared, but what didn't sit well with me was how over-the-top the issue was. I've never been a fan of God-Mod Willow, and having her a) immediately know that demons and friends alike were making their way towards Scotland, b) find out how the demons found them by teleporting a demon away and then apparently talking to Warren (I'm sure more will be revealed about that later), and C) having the power to glamour (or transmogrify, it's debatable) herself and Buffy to look like a seagull carrying a floppy fish. Take that, throw in the ever controversial submarine, add demons with tanks and a catapult that uses impact bombs, and sprinkle it with gigantic goatmen, and you've got the most bizarre issue of Season Eight so far. The magic stuff is slightly grounded by the fact that a Wiccan slayer gets her braid fried from magical strain and that Giles is questioning Willow's use of Magicks, but it is all still a bit too much for me. It really overwhelmed me, and made me even more worried about the fate of Season Eight than I have been for the last few months.

And then, I decided to take a deep breath and re-read. I mean, it's Jane Espenson. She wrote the best episode of Dollhouse so far, as well as some great Buffy episodes... she knows what she's doing. I had to give the issue another chance, now that I knew what to expect. The second read definitely didn't make those problems disappear, but I was able to look past the outer exterior of wonky stuff and really see what was going on with the characters. I think there had to be this outburst of crazy magic stuff, because the issue ends with Buffy saying that she's going to stop Willow's overuse of magic. It probably won't go over well, but all that is to be determined. What I'm getting at is that I enjoyed reading the issue a lot more the second time around. It still bugs me to no end that the writers are putting more stock in seeing how much they can play around with a budgetless Buffy than they are in keeping the story grounded and believable, but there are definitely some great character moments here. A lot of funny stuff, too, which is to be expected from Espenson.

One of the best moments of the issue is the surprise reunion of (SPOILERS:) Andrew and Warren. It's way to quick, but it's both funny and tense. Of course, Andrew is quick to fall into Warren's, "I want to be your friend" again trap, but I think it was smart not to let it go too far. Andrew's redemption was flimsy until recently, and throwing it all away would be a waste, but it would also be a waste not to explore his connection to Warren, which is still fresh. What I didn't like about the moment was how it ended. Warren's manipulation of Andrew is cut short by a rush of goatmen that the slayers are fighting, and Warren must have escaped... but shouldn't that have been shown? It just cuts from the fight to Andrew and his slayers, bruised and battered, heading towards Buffy. We've been waiting a long time for this moment, and we don't even get to see Andrew watch Warren escape? Don't even get to see Andrew's reaction? Sloppy choice.

Something cool about the moment, though, was Andrew hitting one of the goatmen with a bone and saying, "I bet you won't find this too humerus." Only he could get away with a line like that, and I love it. Another hilarious bit was Willow, Xander, Dawn, and Kennedy standing outside Buffy's room, now knowing that they have to knock every time they want to go in her room. It's little moments like this that really connect the different arcs and make it feel like a cohesive season. A lot of stuff like the fate of General Voll, the fact that no one (except Giles, now) knows what happened to Buffy in the "Time of Your Life" arc, and the entire "Predators vs. Prey" arc make this season feel very random. References to events like the Buffy/Satsu thing and Buffy's confession to Giles that she killed future Willow help to bring the season together.

What follows is the big magical battle, the Buffy/Giles conversation (not as volatile as I imagined... pretty much just sweet, but it works), and the submarine stuff. Some cool character moments and good dialogue (not Whedon, Goddard, or Vaughan good, but good) make the battle scene easier to swallow, and the Buffy/Giles stuff is great. There is one moment during the battle that really jumps out at me as strange. When Willow whisks one of the demons away, Faith freaks out. "No, no, no," she says, "I'm done with this kind of crap." But... huh? Why is she so angry? When does she care about using magick in a battle? I really don't think Faith would mind what Willow was doing with a demon enough to complain about it, mid-battle. Any thoughts as to why she freaked out, commenters?

The issue ends strong with, no surprise here, the Oz appearance. It leaves the big stuff for next issue, but leaves us on the edge of our seat with one big Oz reveally panel. Good ending to a good issue that had both moments of greatness and moments of blah.

Art: Really hit and miss. A lot more hit than Jeanty's been doing recently, and it wouldn't be that bad at all if we didn't know for a fact Jeanty could do better. Compare an average panel from this to an average panel from any of the first fifteen issues, and you'll see what I mean. There are utterly fantastic panels, like the first Warren panel, the Oz reveal, and a two panel sequence of Buffy's face (the "Which everyone?" one). Then, there are pages as sketchy as the one where Buffy and Willow enter the new headquarters. Wide-shots used to be Jeanty's thing, but now they're utterly lacking. Overall, way better than Jeanty's worst, but no where near his huge potential.

Covers: Jo Chen's cover is easily her best, Georges Jeanty's cover is easily his worst. Jo Chen creates perfect likenesses in this iconic image of good and evil characters. It's as good as her TPB covers, and actually sort of looks like one. Oz, Willow, Buffy, Andrew, and Twilight are perfect, and Warren is simply terrifying. What's astonishing is that he actually has the bone structure of Warren Meyers, so even when the character would look passable as a random skinless dude, Jo Chen goes all out with her likenesses. Jeanty's cover is just weak. The colors are oddly cheery, none of the likenesses really stand out, Faith and Kennedy look like each other, Dawn... take a look for yourself, and it just seems like a really awkward attempt at an iconic image of way too many people. It's like trying to mix the concept of Jo Chen's TPB #1 cover with Urru's #17 spread. Just doesn't work.

Characters We Know: Buffy, Willow, Xander, Kennedy, Dawn, Satsu, Faith, Giles, Andrew, Warren, Amy (? Was that her?), Jonathan (Andrew's mind), Oz.

Rating: 7/10

It's a mystery how I seem to be something less than myself.

What Is It?: Angel #23- Become What You Are (Written by Brian Lynch)

Timing: After Angel #17, before Angel #18.

Warning: The bigger spoilers will be written in black text. Simply highlight to read. As this is a review, there will be some minor "spoilers" sprinkled throughout the text that don't warrant being hidden. If you have not read the issue and don't want to know anything about the plot, don't read this. Spoilers for previous issues will obviously not be covered.

REVIEW: The dream team of Brian Lynch, Franco Urru, and colorist Fabio Mantovani are back to deliver the story we've been waiting for. Check out how anticipatey I was, I even made a list. But now the wait is over. The issue has been released, I've read it, and I loved it. It was a unique mix of somber reflection, wonky humor, and good old fashioned scrappin' that made After the Fall so special.

Gunn takes center stage for this issue, as we get a look at what he's been up to. Before "Aftermath," Gunn was in a coma... but then we saw a quick flash of the dude in a car, driving with Illyria to an unknown destination. It was a weird thing, but Brian Lynch took advantage of the inconsistency and spun a really cleverly written story that examines the repercussions of Gunn's actions in Hell. As Angel said in #17, "a man isn't measured by the mistakes he's made. He's measured by what he does about them." This issue focuses on just that: What Gunn is doing (and preparing to do) about his mistakes.

The issue starts with a classic "How Did They Get To This Point." Joss did it with naked Mal in Firefly, and Brian does it with naked Gunn about to be killed by Illyria in this. The issue flashes back to Gunn in the hospital, and fills in the blanks, first with Gunn's recollection of all the people who came to visit him, from Gwen to Groo, from Angel to Betta George. This is all really sweet and sad stuff, especially George's olive branch and Gunn coming to terms with the fact that less and less people are going to be visiting. It's very real, very human. But it's not all tears and singin' the blues, because Groosalugg's reading of Green Eggs and Ham might replace his greeting in #4 as the funniest Groo line ever: "Ha! This scrawny one's sophisticated palate is proving most frustrating for his companion, but proving most entertaining to me!"

Then, the meat of the issue kicks off. Gunn has to deal with two ladies he wronged in Hell, and the first is the evil pixie Non, who was the Big Bad in Spike: After the Fall. Non's dialogue isn't as punchy or quirky before, but I did like the role she played. She was still pretty funny, but she was also really sad and pathetic. Maybe her new found lack of confidence (she's definitely feigning it when she boasts here, as she's been ripped down from a position of power) is the reason she's not speaking as cocky or slick as she used to. Either way, she could have been a simple plot device to wake Gunn up from his coma and get him to a brand new state, but instead, she played a vital role in the issue. More on her later.

Gunn and Illyria are a really interesting pairing, that's for sure. The whole opener of "Is Illyria Going to Kill Gunn" is settled with one of the funniest scenes in the book, which shows Illyria (SPOILER:) writing all the different ways she could have killed Gunn on a wall. The ways are hilarious, especially "drown in mud," but it's also just a smart way to handle things. As she gains more humanity, she's starting to behave like Fred, who, as we all know, was a notorious wall-writer when she was at her weakest. The two of them then have a conversation that shows how far they are removed from the norm at this point, how they can't be what they were, but have to find something new to move onto. Gunn has this darkness, Illyria is, in her own words, "infected with humanity." That they can help balance each other and, together, move towards something new is pretty beautiful.

And we also get a trip to Mosaic, which... let's just say it's a pretty damn well done mislead. I won't even spoiler box this, you guys will just have to read to see it. It's a pretty quick moment, but it's hilarious.

The issue ends how most of us expected. Gunn and Illyria in a car, driving off into the distance. But in true Buffyverse fashion, Brian Lynch crafts a metaphor out of Illyria driving. After Gunn says that she shouldn't drive, because she doesn't know how, she says, "We're surrounded by nothing but vast emptiness. That is an ideal situation to learn." I never thought we'd get such a tender, brilliantly written moment out of Gunn playing driving instructor to Illyria of all people, but I guess the Angel title just continues to surprise.

Hilarious, tragic, pensive, brilliant, and just what we needed to give this series a push in the right direction.

Art: Really, really good. I'm big on Franco, and I just love what he does with these characters. They're strong when they're supposed to look strong, graceful when they're supposed to look graceful, pathetic when they're supposed to look pathetic, and so on. He is the perfect compliment to Brian Lynch's writing, with his uncanny ability to pack the same emotion and humor into his art as Brian does with his writing. Urru has been impressing me since I first picked up a copy of Spike: Asylum #1, when I immediately said, "This is the guy."

Covers: This time, we've got covers from Franco Urru and Nick Runge. Runge is back to his old, and in my opinion, better style. He was doing a painted look for most of his Aftermath covers, but here he's back to his realistic looking pencils. He shows Gunn enveloped in a misty blue nothingness. It's simple, but effective. Overall, one of my favorite Runge covers. The Urru cover definitely isn't Franco's strongest. It's a cool image, of Non's shadow looming over a helpless, comatose Gunn... but some of it is just off. Gunn's face looks strange and his right hand is ginormous. Definitely not a bad cover, but not among the best of Franco's work.

Characters We Know: Gunn, Illyria, Groosalugg, Lorne, Gwen, Connor (flashback), Wesley (flashback), Angel (flashback), Betta George, Talking "Are You High?" T-Rex, Non, Anna (from Asylum).

Rating: 9/10

Top Ten After the Fall Moments

Over a year and a half ago, I did a "Top Ten Angel Moments" countdown, all leading up to the release of the first issue of Angel: After the Fall. Back then, all we had was a promise of good things to come. We had awesome names attached to it (Brian Lynch, Joss Whedon, and Franco Urru). We thought the series would be twelve issues long. We thought a lot of things, but all of our expectations were blown out of the water by the actual product. Reading Angel: After the Fall has changed how I read comics as much as the show itself changed how I watched television. It was smart, hilarious, dark, emotional, and challenging, right up until the final installment. All of the characters, particularly Gunn, were in such interesting places. Illyria was finally dealing with the fact that she took the life of a person that her team (would it be wrong, at this point, to say "friends"?) cherished above anyone else. Spike was left wondering his place as a champion in this world. Betta George was free. Connor was still pretty chill, coping well with the fact that he had been killed by the vampire version of someone who stood in as a father figure to him during Angel's stint in the deep blue sea. Angel was left to come to terms with the death of his best friend Wesley, and also the fact that, though his son is alive, he witnessed his other best friend shove a flaming sword through his chest.

And Gunn. Oh, Gunn.

Either way, all the characters had such interesting roads ahead of them. Unfortunately, Angel: Aftermath didn't explore any of the things that After the Fall had set up, focusing more on a new plot instead of character development. But now, after five issues without Brian Lynch, we have been wondering what is truly going on with these characters, especially Gunn, and when we're gonna find out.

Well, tomorrow is the day. Tomorrow, the issue of many names (Angel #23, Become What You Are, Angel: After the Fall-Epilogue) comes out, and gives us the skinny on what Gunn and Illyria have been doing. Betta George, Lorne, and Non make appearances as well. We've all read the preview, and that writing that drew us in in the first place is just as good as ever. Click here to read.

To celebrate the fact that we're getting more of the story we've been waiting for, here are the top ten moments of Angel: After the Fall.

10. Cordelia's Reveal (Issue #12)

"I imagined you. I talked to you the entire time."

In the previous issue, all of the magic that Angel had used to heal himself was taken away by Gunn, so our hero was left to die. Between life and death, a spectre Angel walks through the halls of Gunn's lair, approaching... Cordelia. His transitional state allowed her to appear to only him, and the way she was revealed was just so beautiful. We'd been anticipating learning the dragon's name, thinking it would be funny, but as Angel approaches his unseen friend, talking about how he would talk to Cordelia while he was in pain and the dragon thought he was talking to it... well, it was beautiful. Brian Lynch slowly let the reader catch on to who Angel was talking to, allowing the emotions to blossom just in time for the big reveal page of Cordelia.

9. Angel and Spike Talk It Out (Issue #17)

"You guys just thanked each other in your heads! Simultaneously!"

Angel and Spike had very different adventures in hell. Spike fought a deadly pixie, lost a bunch of new friends, and became the object of a lot of warrior chicks' affection before he met up with Angel, and the two didn't spend much time together once they did cross paths. However, much like their chat in "Damaged," their heart to heart conversation at the end of this big epic is what brings the entire series home. These two help each other make sense of their own situations. Through dialogue that couldn't have read better if Whedon himself wrote it, Angel tells Spike why he thinks that Spike doesn't appear in the history books, while Spike gives Angel hope that he won't be the downfall of man, as predicted. Plus, Betta George gives some pretty hilarious commentary from the backseat of the car the two are riding in. If that doesn't make for an amazing moment, friggin' Kr'ph is in the trunk.

8. Angel and Wesley Say Goodbye (Issue #16)

"Thank you, Rogue Demon Hunter."

Always similarly minded, Angel figures out how to win at the same moment Wesley does. Wesley knows that once Angel is killed, they will all be sent back to the last moment that he was in one piece... and that was in the alley, when Wesley was dead. Angel knows that either way this goes down, he's never going to see Wesley again. Though the look they gave each other in "Not Fade Away" spoke for everything that had happened between the two characters, the time they've spent together in Hell during After the Fall brought them to the place where they can finally talk to each other in a way they hadn't been able to since Wesley stole Angel's child years before. Wesley tells Angel that being his friend and fighting by his side has been an honor, and Angel says the quote listed above. In any other situation, it would have been a hokey line, but evoking where Wesley had been at when Angel met him, he underlines Wesley's beautiful sacrifice by showing just how far he had come. It's a quick moment in the middle of a battle, but it's tragic, heroic, and probably the last time we'll ever see Wesley, my favorite character.

7. Wesley and Fred's Library (Issue 17)

"Warm breeze. Each and every time."

After the climax of After the Fall, we picked back up with Angel, the dynamic of his team rocked, researching with Nina in a seemingly random library. But when he leaves, he puts his hand on a sign that reads "Burkle Wyndam-Price Wing," bidding goodbye to his lost friends. The next page is one that has surely misted many an eye, as Angel reminisces on Fred and Wes, contemplating where they are right now. Though he'd like to think they're together somewhere, it's hard for him to stay positive... But Cordelia sends a warm breeze past him every time he thinks that way, letting him know not to worry about Fred, Wes, and--the way I read it--her. That a series as epic and action packed also has moments as tender as this is really special.

6. Angel Saves Gunn (Issue #16)

"Sorry, Charles. It's Not That Easy."

Yeah, I know that most of the moments so far have been from the same two issues. The fact is, they're the pay off from everything that had been set up before. After this, we'll really start to get into the other issues, but this is a big one and sort of spans two issues. In #8, it's revealed that Angel left Gunn vulnerable to gain control of the dragon during the alley fight, and this is what lead to Gunn being turned into a vampire. This time, as soon as Angel finds Gunn's scent, he knows what to do. Despite just seeing a sired Gunn murder Connor, Angel knows that he has to save his friend the way he should have in the first place. It's a poignant moment of redemption for Angel, and the most tragic moment of Gunn's life, as he lies in his own blood, remembering everything he did, begging Angel to let him die. Of course, Angel doesn't. Also, there is just something so badass about Angel dealing so quickly with the DesmondFromLost-esque vampire that sired Gunn.

5. The Prophecy (Issue #12)

"It is written. It has been witnessed. It is inevitable."

This is a big one. It shocked me that the series had balls this gigantic, because in one moment, the entire Shanshu mythos, one of the biggest parts of the Angel mythology, had been flipped on its head. Since Angel first read it in the season finale of the first season in the 2000, it had been an object of hope for him, the white light at the end of the tunnel. So the Senior Partner's using Wesley to deliver the vision to Angel that the Prophecy means he'll fight for the side of evil (and win) in the Apocalypse, the entire way Angel views his redemptive fight is rocked. In this issue, it's a moment of complete despair, but it's worth mentioning that as incredibly sad as this reveal is, Angel takes his destiny by the balls three issues later, saying, "All this time, I did what I did because of the Shanshu Prophecy. Time to start doing what I do despite it."

4. Angel is revealed as a human. (Issue #3)
"Which, of course, would mean so much more... if I were still a vampire."

That sentence, much like the previous moment, changed the entire mythos of Angel. The story was always about an ensouled vampire fighting for his redemption. But when Angel is so causally revealed to be human, you know this is going to be a big story. I mean, I definitely knew it was going to be epic from the start. I mean, Angel has a freakin' dragon, Gunn was a vampire, and Wesley was back. But knowing that Angel had his greatest burden and, furthermore, greatest weapon stripped away from him at the one time he really needs it most, it's... well, brilliant.

3. The Alley Fight. (Issue #16)

"Hey, another one of your girlfriends is resurrected."

So Angel and Wesley had a plan, but we had no idea what it was. Just that something pretty damn big had to happen. Gwen, the Dragon, Groosalugg, Connor, maybe Illyria, and now Angel himself were dead. How could the series continue from here? Well, the moment that Angel was decapitated by Gunn, his and Wesley's plan went into effect. They knew Wolfram & Hart would have to send them back to the alley fight (see Moment #8), and they do. But here's the catch. Everyone remembers everything, and everything is changed because of it (as evidenced by the BestMontageSceneEver in #17). And what happens next definitely ties into not only Moment #8 but also #6... but it very much deserves its own spot. We see the alley fight from start to finish, which, after many brief flashbacks, we thought we would never see. It was a wonderful climax and eucatastophe to After the Fall, and definitely the most clever way to make everything that happened matter, but still make all of the characters we love usable for future series.

2. Connor Dies, Illyria Falls (Issue #15)

"Vampire or not... you're a good man."

When I first read this issue, I called it the most emotional thing I had ever read. As an English major, I would have thought that my English teachers would want to kill me for that statement, if they weren't avid Angel fans themselves. There is just no deny the beauty and tragedy of the last few pages of Issue #15. In a moment of incredible violence, Gunn stabs Connor through the chest with a sword. Always the hero, Angel puts his emotion and terror aside long enough to give Spike, Wesley, and Betta George a way to take Illyria down, which is sad enough in itself, for Angel. As George floods Illyria with Spike and Wesley's memories of Fred in one of the most beautiful pages of comic art I've seen (Franco and Fabio are really an incredible team, bringing such emotion to such a monstrous figure), Angel rushes to his son's side, just in time for Connor to die in his arms. It was unexpected, tragic, and poignant, because with his last breath, Connor tells Angel something he'd been waiting to hear forever. That he was a good man in the eyes of his son.

1. Angel's speech to Gunn. (Issue #17)
"...A man isn't measured by the mistakes he's made. He's measured by what he does about them."

This moment never fails to choke me up a little bit. A lotta bit. It's like Marley and Me, only without dogs and with vampires. And ex-vampires, and a green demon. Also, way better. But yeah, it's a beautiful moment, and just works so well as the final big moment of Angel: After the Fall. At its core, Angel has always been a story about redemption, so when Angel sees Gunn, beated and brusied in a hospital bed, he gives him the speech that would have helped him out so much years before. He tells Gunn that it wasn't him. That he will have to make amends, but that he knows that Gunn isn't the monster that murdered his son. It's a packed moment, because Angel is a) making amends with Gunn, b) in a way realizing that he isn't responsible for what he did as Angelus, and c) setting out on a new quest to right his own wrongs. Another awesome thing about this moment is the dichotomy of this and the last time Angel visited Wesley in the hospital. In that moment, Angel tried to smother his friend for stealing Connor as a child. This moment, without specifically referencing it, shows that Angel has risen above that. The silent Lorne, the Angel Investigations card, and the "voice-over" as Angel walks off into the light all make this a perfect moment and a perfect way to end ANGEL: AFTER THE FALL.

Now... you guys ready to see what happens to Gunn next? I know I am.

Annnnnd Aftermath Is Over

What Is It?: Angel #22- Aftermath part V (written by Kelley Armstrong).

Timing: Directly after Angel #21.

REVIEW: Reading Angel: Aftermath has been an... experience. Interesting, frustrating, at times even infuriating. The main beef I've had with the entire series is the structure. And by that, I don't mean just the way the plot points are hit, I mean the structure of the plot, the dialogue, the character arcs, and the actual panels. None of the conversation flows like actual conversation, important moments (Kate running into Angel for the first time in years in #18, Angel barely addressing the fact that Cordelia is standing in front of him in #21) are sped through and never resonate, and internal monologue meant to flesh out characters (Gwen throughout, Kate in #21) is shoehorned awkwardly into the story in an unsuccessful attempt to flesh out the characters that the story has turned into one-dimensional cut-outs. It all stood in harsh contrast to what Brian Lynch had done with After the Fall. In that epic seventeen issue arc, Lynch took the momentum that the stellar finale (and the best episode) of Angel had built and ran with it, creating a funny and tragic story that changed the 'verse forever and resonated with fans. Going from this story to Aftermath was an awkward change of pace to say the least. So all in all, what I was hoping for was that Armstrong would pull a rabbit out of her hat and deliver an issue that, at the very least, gave a decent end to a wildly uneven arc. I wouldn't say that this is a good issue, because there are still no transitions from panel to panel and the art is bad... but it's markedly better than the bulk of Aftermath, which I generously gave a 4/10 to.

I didn't hate this issue. I wasn't confused by this issue. I didn't feel that "how could you do this?" shock only a true fan could feel, as I felt after reading the terrible exchange between Angel and Cordelia in #21. The plot takes a turn for the better, steering away from all the "animals are being turned into humans" stuff (that boiled down to be nothing but a means to give back story for Dez and a way to beef up a five issue arc that should have been a four issue arc) and tackling the Angel vs. angels story. The dialogue is actually a lot better, and gives the characters opportunities to be funny and even throws in a rather nicely crafted Angel speech. Connor says and does some stuff that sheds some light on his character and pokes fun at his inability to work with hot chicks without falling in love with them. Some father/son drama between Angel and Connor is needlessly thrown in, but it's quick, and doesn't really matter in the long run.

The issue deals a lot with destiny, which is what I thought Armstrong was setting up in #18 with all the prophecy talk. Unluckily for the middle issues, she decided to pay all of that off in the last issue only, but it does make this conclusion a lot better. Definitely not good enough to save the arc from being a major letdown, but enough to give it a somewhat decent ending. It sets up a surprising amount of plot for the issues to come, and I have to wonder if the new on-going writer (who comes in at #28 after Brian Lynch's #23-27 run) will go with this plot or ignore it. I hope it's a mix of the two; that the potentate plot isn't forgotten, but that it doesn't become the main story. Whoever takes over the title next (it will be announced at Comic-Con, and I'm betting his name rhymes with Schmeter Save-it) has the unique chance to make something fun out of what Aftermath was and make it, in retrospect, a worthwhile chapter of the Angel saga. Hint: It might involve retconning the Angel/Cordelia conversation, which is definitely possible judging on the dark plans of the "Powers" that are giving the potentates their orders.

One more thing about transitions. On the final page, Angel is fighting a potentate... and then without showing said potentate disappear, it cuts to Angel talking to the Elohim. You can't explain how the climatic battle ends, you have to show it! I really don't get that choice, nor do I get a lot of the transitional choices, but it is what it is. The actual end of the issue isn't bad. It makes it seem like Dez and James are on as full-on main characters, which is an... interesting choice. I'm not sure how I feel about it, but I want to see how the upcoming writers handle it before I make any judgments. Overall, Armstrong gave it a somewhat decent end, and I'm happier with it than I thought I would be. Still massively let down by the majority of the story, though.

Bring on the Lynch, Urru, and (a bit later) Landau, and (a bit later) Mooney.

Art: Dave Ross is back, for some reason, and none of the characters look like themselves, all of them (especially Angel) are wearing strange clothes again, and the fights and interactions between the characters are awkward. Ross knows not subtlety; when Connor is being snarky, he draws Connor as an enraged beast that Dez has to hold back. Can't wait to see some awesome Angel art from the IDW team of Urru, Mooney, and Messina. I'm not sure why they weren't used on this arc, as they might have been able to make something readable out of even the worst of Aftermath issues, but Ross's style just 100% does not work for Angel.

Covers: I love Gabriel Rodriguez, and I love Nick Runge. Both of the drew up awesome covers for this issue. Rodriguez's cover shows a badass design for the potentates that I wish Ross had used, but alas. It features a ready-to-fight Angel in a somewhat homoerotic position in front of a potentate, but it still manages to be badass. Runge's is even cooler, as he shows Angel, Kate, and Gwen ready to face off by potentates, who have surrounded them... and they're actually wearing clothes that these characters would wear. It's sort of bittersweet, because the cover is fantastic and by far Runge's best cover work on the arc, but it also just makes me think of how different from this the characters actually look on the inside.

Characters We Know: Angel, Kate, Gwen, Connor. (From now on, both Dez and James will count as Characters We Know).

Rating: 5/10

BLOOD PONG

I know this is way late, but...

My new short film, Blood Pong, has been released!



Be sure to watch in high quality. The difference is seriously amazing. I don't know why YouTube doesn't make it automatic, but it's like eating french fries compared to eating way better, crispier, and less sucky french fries.

Hope you like!

Chad and John aren't your average vampires. They don't talk in sexy accents, they don't wear capes, they don't fall in love with klutzy girls named Bella, and--wait, what? No, no, of course they don't sparkle, what the fuck? But what they do do... is play blood pong. When they run of of blood, however, they need to act like real vampires for a change and go on a hunt. Written and directed by Patrick Shand (Ultimate Couples Therapy; Buffyverse Comic Reviews) and starring Patrick Shand and Steven Wisnowski (Whatz Good Studios), this short film takes aim at the state of horror today. No Eli Roth will go unPWNed, no neck will be left unravished, and no blood pong game will be left unwon.

STARRING
Patrick Shand as John the Vampire
Steven Wisnowski as Chad the Vampire
Joe Vono as the Douchey Boyfriend
Laura Montaruli as Chick
Chris Halton as Dead "Bill Haverchuck" Body