ATF: Any good?

[TheGrandmaster]

ok so i'm a massive fan of the tv shows and was thinking about getting volume one of after the fall. tbh though i am unsure whether to or not, having never read a graphic novel before. having seen some of the buffy season eight shizzle i was kinda put off because the story lines in it were so ridiculous. is atf like that? cheers.

 

[ubi4soft]

I'm not very experienced in the comics (these are the first I have read because I wanted more Buffy/Angel). I think the general consensus is that AtF is the closure of NFA Battle and it was written under Whedon specifications of a Season 6 development.

Therefore its as good as the tv show.

 

[TheGrandmaster]

cheers bud, thats pretty helpful. Liking your banner n'all.

 

[Buffyverse Fan]

I agree with everything ubi4soft said. In addition, it is far more satisfying than Buffy Season Eight has been... yet.

Over the course of 18 issues + Spike After the Fall there is huge payoff in terms of character development, more so than we've had in 30-issues of Buffy. That said, AtF benefited from having been mapped out back when Angel was still on the WB.

In 2011, we might say Buffy Season Eight turned out to blow After the Fall out of the water, but as of 2010, AtF is the best written Buffyverse material out there, imo.

 

[Tranquillity]

I really loved ATF - it was such a great story and Brian Lynch had the voices down really well. At the moment I would say I like it a little bit more than Buffy season 8 but that is because it was very focused and had a particular story to tell in a particular number of issues. Buffy Seson 8 can feel like it is all over the place but it, of course, is being told over a much longer time span, and I'm sure it will all pull together and be awesome in the end.

 

[TheGrandmaster]

Are the new ATF comics being produced? I have no idea coz the only place i can get them is in big books from amazon.

 

[Skytteflickan88]

I don't like Atf's plot as well as what was going on in season 1&2 of Angel, but compared to the later seasons, plot-wise, I think it's as good as the show.

Lynch can write Spike really well (which is why I like Spike Atf, Spike:Shadow puppets and Spike:Asylum better than Angel Atf) and he does a good job on the rest of the characters (Angel's monolouge is as annoying as ever, lol).

There's action, comedy, a bit of drama, grief, pretty pretty art.

I'm not sure if it's the perfect story to get you started with comics if you've never read them before (it took me a while to warm up to the medium) but if you like Angel, and wanna know what happened after Not Fade Away (because Joss himself said this was the official continuation), buy the first book for cheap at ebay.

 

[Tranquillity]

After the Fall is finished. Then there was another series written by Kelly Armstrong just called "Angel", it followed on from ATF but it wasnot widly liked by the fans. I think it was about five issues long. Then we got a story about Illyria and Gunn in a mini series called "Almost Human" It was fairly good. Brian Lynch has written a couple of other things, After the Fall: Epilogue, the truely excellent two part "Boys and their Toys" and Lynch and Juilette Landau (Drusilla) wrote a two part story about Drusilla and her experience with LA being in hell. The pay-off in the second issue is really great. There is also "Blood and Trenches" by John Byrne which is a story about Angel set in WW1 and it is excellent, as is "Angelus vs Frankenstein". New writers (Bill Willingham and Bill Williams) have just come in to continue the Angel story, and their first story (issue #28) came out in December. It looks like it will be really good. And lastly, Brian Lynch is going to be writing an ongoing Spike series which will come out sometime this year.

 

[Skytteflickan88]

Actually, the Armstrong series is called Aftermath.

I'll try to map out the comics

Issue 1-17 Angel Atf
18-22 Aftermath
23 (about Gunn and Illyria, I can't remember the name. That series was later followed by the 5 issued mini-series Only Human with Gunn and Illyria)
24-25 (about Drusilla, not even sure if it had a name)
26-27 Boys and their toys

And then there's a new arc going on right now. It seems like Angel will live on for a while.

Then like Tranquility said, there's other one shots and mini series, both old and new. There used to be another Angel ongoing series published by Dark horse (who sold the rights to IDW who are publishing the Angel comics now) but I suggest you wait with that series for a while, since it's not as good as the new stuff.

 

[Buffyverse Fan]

theiniative, I agree with Tranquility's opinions, and good summations all around.

But to give you a quick breakdown, many comics have been put out about Angel & co.

The only ones that we can take to the bank as "canon," meaning a real part of the heroes' lives like the TV Series were, are:

Angel: After the Fall (Issues #1-17 and #23)
Spike: After the Fall (Complete Series)

Those were scripted by and/or based upon boarding by Joss Whedon, owner and creator of the Buffy franchise.

 

[Skytteflickan88]

Just FYI, I'm not sure if Spike After the fall got any more than approval by Joss Whedon. I'm pretty sure it's still just as canon as Angel Atf, but it's something to consider.

Buffyverse Fan agrees: Pst, "18" issues. #1-17 + #23 = 18 total issues of Angel: After the Fall 😉

I think that's a stretch, since I doubt Brian Lynch has ever thought about counting issue 23 to the Atf arc. So ;P hehe

 

[TheGrandmaster]

Cool shiz. Where does Spike: ATF fit into the story arc?

 

[Skytteflickan88]

Cool shiz. Where does Spike: ATF fit into the story arc?

Kinda in the middle.

Basically, issue 1-5 of Angel Atf is one timeline. Then for a few issues (6-9 or 6-8, can't remember) we see earlier events, scenes from just when LA went to hell, set a few months earlier than issue 1-5. Then we get back to the main story for the rest of the arc.

Spike Atf is set between the early timeline we see in issue 6-9and Angel atf issue 1-5, 10-17.

It's still easy to follow Angel atf without reading Spike atf, but it does fill in a few gaps.

Buffyverse Fan agrees: Actually Brian refers to #23 as "Angel: After the Fall: Epilogue"...

Weird. But to each their own.

 

[Amanda108]

Yeah, I don’t feel we can fully judge season 8 until it's over. Hell, maybe not until season 9 is over. I hated season 6 while watching for the first time, but after knowing the whole story from start to finish I love it.

I found ATF to be more satisfying than the show. It’s my second favorite of the ‘seasons’. The character development is massive (Illyria and Gunn in particular) and the dialogue is as brilliant as anything Joss Whedon himself wrote. I fully consider Brian Lynch one of the ‘gods’ now. I worship him right along with Joss himself and Darlton (a non Buffyverse reference; major love to you if you know who I’m talking about).

The comics have changed the way I view things about the show. It’s even made me love Angel (both the show and the character at times) more than Buffy. Something I never thought possible…

 

[Tome]

I liked some parts of it. I liked how the characters still sounded like themselves. But to me it's just not the same thing as seeing the gang back together on TV =x

I didn't really like the whole demon lords thing. Gunn was pretty cool as a vampire though! And Spike is awesome in these.

 

[Pryce]

Well. I think brian lynch is pretty hilarious,I love his podcast party truck usa. And I first found out who he was because of a movie called a better place and his appearences in kevin smiths stuff.(By the way if you ever get a better place on dvd,look up the secret commentary his performance on the commentary as the editor of fangoria magazine is pretty much the funniest thing ever) So I guess im bias but I dug it. I think lynch has got a huge grasp on the characters,but honestly in a way i kind of wish it would of ended with not fade away. Thats not to say im not glad theres more angel,I am. More angels never bad. But I thought not fade away was perfect. Honestly,My favorite thing to come out of after the fall is spike after the fall. I'd recomend the lynch angel comics,theyre full of many crowd cheering moments,not to mention its super entertaining. There are flaws but the comics are probably some of the best of the buffyverse comics cause theyre so loving and affectionate. You can tell while writing it they love the characters. If nothing else its worth it for betta george. Anyway after that you get into aftermath which frankly is pretty atrocious. then lynch comes back for a few issues. Pretty much anything lynch writes on angel is worth it.

 

[Buffyverse Fan]

Well. I think brian lynch is pretty hilarious,I love his podcast party truck usa. And I first found out who he was because of a movie called a better place and his appearences in kevin smiths stuff.(By the way if you ever get a better place on dvd,look up the secret commentary his performance on the commentary as the editor of fangoria magazine is pretty much the funniest thing ever) So I guess im bias but I dug it.

Wow, I didn't know any of that. I am a big fan of his though, just because he knows the characters' voices as well as Fury, Noxon, etc, imo. He's also very humble based on the interviews I've read.

I think lynch has got a huge grasp on the characters,but honestly in a way i kind of wish it would of ended with not fade away. Thats not to say im not glad theres more angel,I am. More angels never bad. But I thought not fade away was perfect. Honestly,My favorite thing to come out of after the fall is spike after the fall. I'd recomend the lynch angel comics,theyre full of many crowd cheering moments,not to mention its super entertaining. There are flaws but the comics are probably some of the best of the buffyverse comics cause theyre so loving and affectionate. You can tell while writing it they love the characters. If nothing else its worth it for betta george.

If not for Buffy Season Eight and Fray, I might have agreed with you. But since those canon books do exist, we know there are big goings-on in the Buffyverse, so personally, I would have felt cheated somewhat if we didn't get to see what Angel & Spike were doing during these big events.

Anyway after that you get into aftermath which frankly is pretty atrocious. then lynch comes back for a few issues. Pretty much anything lynch writes on angel is worth it.

I agree completely!

 

[Tome]

I didn't bother reading Aftermath yet. Any of you think it's worth it? And if so, why?

 

[Buffyverse Fan]

I didn't bother reading Aftermath yet. Any of you think it's worth it? And if so, why?

Yes and no. Keep in mind, the following are my opinions, but I think most of the fandom's with me:

1.) Aftermath is abysmal.

2.) Kelley Armstrong writes the characters as if they're completely new people (According to her, Angel's not even on a Mission of Redemption anymore!).

3.) Objectively, Aftermath might be decent if you've never seen or read Angel before, but if you're expecting Whedon/Boreanaz/Lynch's Angel, you're in for a major disappointment.

4.) Brian Lynch does not treat Armstrong's Aftermath as canon (Brian Lynch is the true producer of Canon Angel comics, as he's been collaborating with, and appointed by Joss Whedon).

5.) Bill Willingham does treat Armstrong's Aftermath as canon. Bill Willingham is currently running the Angel comics (from #28 onward) as Lynch has left to develop an upcoming Spike series.

I hope those 5 points help you Zalos.

 

[Tome]

Yea, Aftermath not being canon and the characters not even sounding like they used seems like good reasons not to read it ::bbat::

By the way, where are these pics in your sig coming from?