So Lost

[Willow-Tree]

Hey everyone, I've been out out of the Whedonverse loop lately and need some help getting back in.

I got behind in the Buffy issues so just decided to wait for the TPB to come out, and now that it has (I just ordered it), and I'll be done with Season 8, I have a few questions before I approach Season 9.

Since I obviously will read both the Buffy and Angel/Faith titles, will I need to be updated on the Angel Season 6 run? I got through the actual Whedon-scripted arc and stopped before Aftermath. Should I go back and read Aftermath and beyond?

Also, I'm really confused about all these miniseries and one-shots Allie has been mentioning lately? Will those be like the Willow and Riley one-shots in S8? And where is Spike in all of this? In LA with Buffy or with Angel and Faith?

Thanks!

 

[BuffyElevated]

Hey and welcome back!!! 🙂 There are lots of informational threads around the forum with lots of great spoilers you can read to get you caught up on what's going on.

 

[VisionGirl]

I don't know enough about the IDW Angel comics to answer that question (just started reading After the Fall). But Spike will be a part of Buffy's series. We don't know yet the specifics of the one-shots or miniseries yet. If you look around this specific board you'll find threads that have preview pages from both the upcoming first Buffy & the first Angel & Faith issues.

 

[Tranquillity]

You don't need to have read the IDW Angel comics to be up with events of season 9. After the Fall is excellent but you don't even need to have read that to make sense of the story. Very little (other than the fact that LA went to Hell) is being bought over from the IDW stories.

 

[BffyAngelBoi]

I don't know, Tranquility. I think more of the IDW stuff is going to cross over than most people expect.

Conner, Illyria, and Drusilla have all been confirmed for Season 9 appearances, and all of Drusilla's character growth didn't happen until after AtF wrapped up (I'm talking stuff that I'd have a little problem with if it was ignored). Also, I'm a huge fan of Pancakes (see Angel: Illyria: Haunted) and really hope s/he crosses over as well.

And Willow-Tree, as for Aftermath itself, Armstrong's arc is probably the weakest in the entirety of the IDW's Angel run, and the quality of writing, story, and (above all else) character-growth really pick back up when the team of Tischman, Huehner, and Lynch take over for the final issues of the series starting from Angel #38 and continuing through the end along with the Spike and Illyria mini-series.

Check out my reply to the the Season 8 Reading Order post for a full listing of how to enjoy the Buffyverse. (I can't post a link yet, because I haven't been posting to the boards long enough... 🙁 )