Is After The Fall Canon?

[Allycat]

Angel: Aftermath

What is Joss Whedon's input in the story?

The story will be approved by him.

Is it going to be canon?

Ah, there's the question and the answer is...it depends. It will follow from the events of Angel: After the Fall, it will continue that storyline and subsequent storylines will follow from it. So, yes, it's considered canon. That said, though, I know to many readers, if it didn't come from Joss Whedon himself, it's not canon, and I'm fine with that. If readers don't like my contribution to this amazing universe, they're free to dismiss it as some kind of alternate reality blip in the series. Just pretend it never happened. :lol

Therefore It's just as canon as AtF is...

Every tie-in comic or novel has to be approved by Whedon, but that doesn't make them all canon. I'd really like to hear Joss confirm its canonicity.

 

[BrianLynch]

Every tie-in comic or novel has to be approved by Whedon, but that doesn't make them all canon. I'd really like to hear Joss confirm its canonicity.

He already has, at conventions and in interviews and so forth, but if you need him to double-super-confirm, I'm afraid you're out of luck, as he gave up double-super-confirming years ago.

Sorry to all those that don't like it, but more importantly, thank you so so much to everyone who does!

 

[nerd4hire]

There's another aspect to the canon question people rarely consider, nevertheless, I personally, think it's important.

I don't think it's as simple as "If Joss says it's canon, then it is".

Stuff like Tales of the Slayers, and Tales of the Vampires are now considered canon by the larger portion of fandom, where at one time there was some question on that. The reason is canon is now implied by linking with the canon Season 8. It's not "because Joss specifically said so".

So I suggest it isn't just Joss saying it's so. In the end a consensus of fans accepting something as canon must be shown.

I keep going back to the old Dark Horse entry Angel: Long Night's Journey. By every rule of canon applied to Angel: After the Fall LNJ should be canon, but I don't think it is. People don't accept it as such. If they did you would see it in message board posts when the subject of the gypsy curse is brought up. People would be saying "Yeah, but that gypsy curse was never meant for Angel". But they don't, therefore the final test of canon which would be fan acceptance does not apply to LNJ. Therefore for me LNJ is not canon.

Also, for me, that final test of canon will apply to Angel: After the fall, and anything spun from it.

 

[Allycat]

There's another aspect to the canon question people rarely consider, nevertheless, I personally, think it's important.

I don't think it's as simple as "If Joss says it's canon, then it is".

Stuff like Tales of the Slayers, and Tales of the Vampires are now considered canon by the larger portion of fandom, where at one time there was some question on that. The reason is canon is now implied by linking with the canon Season 8. It's not "because Joss specifically said so".

So I suggest it isn't just Joss saying it's so. In the end a consensus of fans accepting something as canon must be shown.

I keep going back to the old Dark Horse entry Angel: Long Night's Journey. By every rule of canon applied to Angel: After the Fall LNJ should be canon, but I don't think it is. People don't accept it as such. If they did you would see it in message board posts when the subject of the gypsy curse is brought up. People would be saying "Yeah, but that gypsy curse was never meant for Angel". But they don't, therefore the final test of canon which would be fan acceptance does not apply to LNJ. Therefore for me LNJ is not canon.

Also, for me, that final test of canon will apply to Angel: After the fall, and anything spun from it.

I agree that the final test of canon is whether fans except it as such. But in the case of LNJ I have to point out that Joss never declared it canon. His involvement isn't what makes something canon, neither is his seal of approval (which is needed for all tie-in materials), but his declaration of canon. I think in the case of LNJ, he had no intention of creating a canon story, he instead wanted to try out the comic-format with a little what if-story.

 

[nerd4hire]

I agree that the final test of canon is whether fans except it as such. But in the case of LNJ I have to point out that Joss never declared it canon.

I think you want to go check out the letters section of Angel: Long Night's Journey. Without double-checking myself, I'm going to suggest according to Scott allie Joss did declare it canon. According Allie Joss began the story himself with the idea of taking Angel in a different direction. He got diverted by other projects while into LNJ. Matthews was brought in to co-write, and finished the project, by following to Joss's road map for the story.