Angel: After the Fall

[icemink]

So I finally went to the comic book store and picked up Angel: After the Fall, something I've been meaning to do since it came out. When I was there the guy at the store suggested they could put aside a copy for me every month and I told him no, I wanted to see if I actually liked it first because I'd been so disappointed by Buffy Season 8. He encouraged me to try it again from the point where Joss left and I may do that. I'm thinking of going back next week to pick up Spike: Shadow Puppets anyway, something else I never got around to buying.


So let me start off by saying how much I like this, and I'm really eager to see where it goes. First of all interesting character things have happened to most of the characters (Spike is kind of the exception, he's really just being Spike). Wesley is a ghost and being forced to work for Wolfram & Hart, Angel is apparently human, Connor is learning to be a leader, Gunn is a vampire, Illyria is getting more emotional, and Nina's being forced to deal with the wolf 24/7.

Of all that Gunn is probably my favorite. I think they are doing a great job here of exploring how vampires really do fit into the world and what the soul means. He want's so much to be a good guy, and hates being a vampire, but he can't quite get it right without the soul. I don't think that means there's no hope for Gunn, but as long as he holds Angel responsible for what happened to him, I think he's going to continue down the wrong path.

Angel's possible humanity is interesting, but it bugs me on one level. Why have none of the demons noticed this? I mean Angel's been around a lot of demons, and not one has picked up on the fact that he has a heart beat and is no longer room temperature. Sure some demons might miss this, but there were a lot of different kinds of demons at the LA Lords meetings. Plus Spike and Illyria must surely have noticed. True Illyria might not say anything but Spike? On the other hand, maybe Angel isn't really human, although they've made it clear he's not a vampire. At this point I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

I like the dragon, it's silly and kind of gimmicky, but I like it. My guess on the dragons name, Darla, because Connor says that it's really weird, and I think that's the weirdest name Angel could give the dragon. Or maybe I'm just biased.

One thing I'm definitely curious about is how well known is it that Connor is Angel's son? The implication is that the demons will know, because Angel thinks that his killing the son of the one demon paints a target on Connor's back. But does Spike know? Because Spike finding out that Angel and Darla had a kid is a scene I'd really like to see, and I hope it's not something that happened in the six months between NFA and Angel ATF that we aren't going to see. Or maybe I'll just have to write it myself.

Actually that's one of the things I like the best about this series, is that I see so many fanfic possibilities in it. I mean who doesn't want to play around with a post apocalyptic LA?

So yeah, I'm excited about this series, I think it's going to go well, and maybe I'll even give Buffy a second chance, although I don't see how the two can fit together in any kind of cannon, and I like the Angel comics much better, so they have my vote for being cannon above Buffy Season 8.

Comments

[lafemmedarla]

Hee, Darla is my third option for Dragon name, right after "Myfanwy 2" and "Dragon".

[icemink.livejournal.com]

Hehe. Those are good ones, although he probably wouldn't' have to whisper if it was dragon. There would be definite whispering for Myfanwy 2 though.

[shapinglight]

I'm glad you enjoyed the comic. Theories re: no one guessing Angel is not a vampire any more seem to revolve around the girl Spider's comment to Spike about Angel 'reeking of magic.' Maybe he's put a spell on himself so no one will guess?

[icemink.livejournal.com]

Hmm, that's possible. Although going back and looking at it, maybe Spike does know. He certainly seems to think that Angel needs to be gotten away from the fighting. However, it is a bit urksome that Angel's stigmata vanished so quickly if he's human (although we can always assume Wes had more super healing bugs lying around).

[carinas-carinae.livejournal.com]

I'm enjoying Angel ATF, too. The Angel being human thing came out of left field for me. I re-read the issue and I think Spike does know. Look at the way he helps Angel get unpinned from the wall and so forth. I think Spike already knows about Connor, too, which is partly why they're working together. The other part being that Spike is a good guy.

I encourage you very strongly to get ahold of Shadow Puppets. It's one of the strongest series IDW has done in the 'verse. There are some characters from the earlier Spike Asylum series, but if you haven't read that it doesn't really matter. Shadow Puppets, for me, was laugh-out-loud funny. I thought they got the voice just right for all of the characters. Go get it and enjoy.

[icemink.livejournal.com]

I've ready Asylum, and really liked it. I meant to get Shadow Puppets, just never quite got around to it. And I think you're right, Spike does know, at least that Angel's not a vampire, because he's usually wouldn't be helping Angel out of a fight that way.

As for Spike and Connor, like I said, I hope Spike doesn't know, just because I want to see the scene where he finds out, but he probably does.