ANGEL: Barbary Coast

[Frketson]

FIRST LOOK: ANGEL: BARBARY COAST #1

Angel: Barbary Coast #1 will arrive in stores on April 14 from IDW Publishing. The issue is written by David Tischman, with art by Franco Urru and covers by Urru and Dan Panosian.

Here's how IDW describes the issue:

"A recently souled Angel is on a quest for a 'cure' in San Francisco when, of course, something goes horribly wrong. Seeking out a Chinese healer, Angel encounters a mysterious girl with a strange tattoo, and quickly learns that life in early 1900s America is full of surprises..."

Heres the two covers, and also a six page preview of it.

 

[Buffyverse Fan]

Wow, I was not expecting to enjoy this nearly as much as I did. I'm not going to tell you it's After the Fall-caliber, but it was fun, well-paced, and just had the right feel.

The only criticism I have for #1 is "Chinese Magic only works on Chinese Vampires." I think that's profoundly stupid and nonsensical, but overall, I'm looking forward to #2.

I loved the clear throwbacks to show that the author's been paying attention to Angel continuity from day one through 2010. It turns out Angel's drunk routine he used in the first scene of the series dates a long while back. Brian Lynch was turned into a character here, along with his "World is Ending" homeless guy from AtF: First Night.

 

[Frketson]

Yeah the general consensus is that it was a great issue, and that the writer (Tischman) actually 'gets' ANGEL far more than Willingham does.

 

[Buffyverse Fan]

Yeah the general consensus is that it was a great issue, and that the writer (Tischman) actually 'gets' ANGEL far more than Willingham does.

While I'd tend to agree, I wouldn't go that far.

It's a tough call since Tischman is writing an Angel we never saw much of. He's pitch-perfect as the Angel we saw in the Boxer Rebellion (which he should be).

I'd hope, but can't say that Tischman can write Champion!Angel.

Because for that matter, I'd say Willingham would do a decent job with Sunnydale!Angel, since that's basically who he's writing (not playing up too much of his six years of character evolution afterwards 🙁 ). Willingham's Angel is a little more into the ladies, a little more poetic, a little more vulnerable, a little less assertive, all the things Angel was in Sunnydale.

Willingham is doing a decent job at the moment (but Armstrong really lowered the bar for him). Spike & George are his only failures, and Spike isn't even terrible, but like I've beat to death, TOO MANY SEX JOKES! Hahaha, he has Spike's voice, but not his motivation if that makes sense.

 

[Frketson]

These preview pages dont give me much hope for the next ANGEL issue. :|

http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/1004/27/idwfirsts.htm

 

[Buffyverse Fan]

These writers are just morons, hahaha.

It's kind of crazy as Angel should be the easiest Jossverse character to transfer over into comic books. Angel is this old school tortured detective with a sordid past.

 

[Frketson]

Best news ever!! Well for me, not the Angel-verse.

Just started working near a comic store, so went there after work and picked up Buffy 30-35, Angel 29-32, and Barbary Coast 1 and 2. Will try read some tonight 😀

 

[Frketson]

Bill Willinghams arc:

WTF, none of the characters sound anything like themselves. He's giving the characters all these huge words to say, they all sound like english watchers. I cant understand why he think its a good idea making everyone talk like they're scientists.

I think the story is ok, but characters are so far off what they sound like its quite sad.

I havent read 23-28, but wheres the Gunn/Spike and Gunn/Connor animosity coming from?? Or is that just randomly popping up now?

I think Illyria is done quite well, dunno about the whole mating thing but her dialogue is ok.

And whats with the Dez hate? She's had two words in 4 issues so far, this displeases me.

The Eddie Hope storyline gives me Hope, Eddie. (bad joke...)

One last thing, Denham's art is good but i still think Messina is the best for the series, his art makes me weak in the knees.

 

[Buffyverse Fan]

Bill Willinghams arc:

WTF, none of the characters sound anything like themselves. He's giving the characters all these huge words to say, they all sound like english watchers. I cant understand why he think its a good idea making everyone talk like they're scientists.

lol, yeah. That's what I meant when I said Angel was speaking quite poetically. He's talking like an angsty teenage fan of English lit. But in all fairness, he did kind of speak like that when talking to Buffy back in Sunnydale. Darned odd though six years later in LA...

I think the story is ok, but characters are so far off what they sound like its quite sad.

I havent read 23-28, but wheres the Gunn/Spike and Gunn/Connor animosity coming from?? Or is that just randomly popping up now?

Completely random. Connor & Gunn don't even appear in those issues.

I think Illyria is done quite well, dunno about the whole mating thing but her dialogue is ok.

She's kind of a gimme since she's expected to say random weird things 😛

I'm on the fence about that too, but I will say Connor does make sense as he's pretty much the only hero who's not sterile.

And whats with the Dez hate? She's had two words in 4 issues so far, this displeases me.

The Eddie Hope storyline gives me Hope, Eddie. (bad joke...)

One last thing, Denham's art is good but i still think Messina is the best for the series, his art makes me weak in the knees.

I agree about Dez, it almost seems like Chris Ryall made Willingham include Armstrong's characters for continuity's sake, since Willingham clearly doesn't want to write for them.

One last thing, Denham's art is good but i still think Messina is the best for the series, his art makes me weak in the knees.

What's a good example of Messina's art (I can't think of a specific Messina issue)? To me, Stephen Mooney's seemed amazing, bordering on photo-realistic in #26

 

[Frketson]

lol, yeah. That's what I meant when I said Angel was speaking quite poetically. He's talking like an angsty teenage fan of English lit. But in all fairness, he did kind of speak like that when talking to Buffy back in Sunnydale. Darned odd though six years later in LA...

Completely random. Connor & Gunn don't even appear in those issues.

She's kind of a gimme since she's expected to say random weird things 😛

I'm on the fence about that too, but I will say Connor does make sense as he's pretty much the only hero who's not sterile.

I agree about Dez, it almost seems like Chris Ryall made Willingham include Armstrong's characters for continuity's sake, since Willingham clearly doesn't want to write for them.

What's a good example of Messina's art (I can't think of a specific Messina issue)? To me, Stephen Mooney's seemed amazing, bordering on photo-realistic in #26

He;s never talked like this though, he's never been this 'wordy' i guess is the right term.

The angel guy had a whole sentence, which isnt bad compared to Dez lol.

Also its like an addiction, i went to the comic book store and bought some more issues.

I found 28, also got ATF: Epilogue, Bought the angel special: Last Angel in Hell, the Lorne special and Sugarshock.