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[comic fan]

A look at the making of the Angel:A Hole In The World Comic Adaptation.

Adapting "Angel" - The Hole Story - Comic Book Resources

Adapting "Angel" - The Hole Story

Scott Tipton and Elena Casagrande describe the process behind adapting one of Joss Whedon’s most tragic "Angel" episodes, "A Hole In The World," to an IDW comic, from nailing the characters to making the dialogue sing.

by Kiel Phegley, News Editor

When bringing a popular TV show to comics, nailing the tone, characters and continuity of the series is a must in selling the printed continuation to die hard fans. And making a straight adaptation of the series biggest stories brings an added layer of precision and pressure with it. Luckily for IDW's currently running "Angel: A Hole In The World" mini series (which adapts a popular episode written and directed by show mastermind Joss Whedon), the writer at the helm of the adaptation has experience in this arena.

Scott Tipton helped bring both the classic puppet-themed episode "Smile Time" and the series finale "Not Fade Away" to comics last year. So when it came time to make the dramatic, tragic tale of "A Hole In The World" to comics, IDW called Tipton back to the job as well as artist Elena Casagrande. With the third issue of "Angel: A Hole In The World" hitting comic shops this month, CBR invited Tipton and Casagrande to pull back the curtain on their adaptation from the nuts and bolts of pacing a comic series to match a TV presentation to pulling off covers that evoke the best elements of the episode.


Scott Tipton and Elena Casagrande adapt "Angel: A Hole In The World" for IDW

Scott Tipton: I’ve been lucky enough over the past year or so to have been chosen to adapt some of the most popular episodes of Joss Whedon’s series "Angel" to comic-book form. The first, "Smile Time," was a lot of fun – one of the more fun episodes of the series, “Smile Time” was a Muppets-style action romp, with lots of room for artists David Messina and Elena Casagrande and myself to have some fun with the story and even add a new scene or two. The second, "Not Fade Away," was a more by-the-numbers re-presentation of the series finale by myself and artist Stephen Mooney, in which we felt it best to play it strictly by the book, since the episode was much more serious in tone, and so beloved by the fans.



Our current project, however, "A Hole In The World," brought with it a whole new set of challenges. Artist Elena Casagrande and myself were tasked with adapting what’s considered the most tragic and emotionally wrenching storyline in the entire series, the slow and agonizing death of Team Angel member Fred, and her rebirth of sorts as the ancient goddess Illyria. It’s Joss Whedon at his best, and horrifyingly compelling television, but it’s not exactly action-packed, and depends more on tragedy and pathos than punches and kicks to tell its story. I had to admit, I was a little concerned. Elena, however, had a somewhat different reaction:

Elena Casagrande: For me, it was "Woo-Hoo! I'll be back on 'Angel' and doing one of my favorite episodes!" I was very enthusiastic. I was looking forward to drawing Illyria, her ancient power and the wonderful detachment in her icy eyes. But I was also interested in capturing the love between Fred and Wes, and then their pain and their sadness.


The birth of Illyria, as seen in "A Hole In The World" #3, moving from pencils to inks.


The same page, now fully inked.


And the same page once more, now with colors by Ilaria Traversi.

I was worried about capturing the likenesses of all the actors; I wanted it to feel like it was really them. I think that by the final issue, I'm on the right track! I was concerned also about my ability to achieve the same feelings of the episode; I know it's impossible, but I think that in its differences from the televised episode, the comic adaptation conveys its feelings to the reader, and if I could achieve this, I'm happy.


Wesley and Illyria in happier, action-packed times, in this penciled page from issue #1

Scott: So where do we even start? First off for both of us was watching the episodes in question, “A Hole in the World” and “Shells,” and then watching them again. And then watching them again. I’d only seen the episodes once, upon their original broadcast, and they certainly didn’t disappoint; not only were they some of the best work of the series, they were also brutally sad in places, while surprisingly funny in others – par for the course for a Whedon series, when you think about it.

Casagrande: Before, I had watched them two times, once in Italian and once in the original English. To prepare for the project, I watched them about three times, but often I re-watched the individual scenes every time I needed to consult one of them.

Scott: From there, we had to figure out just how to break up the two episodes over the course of five issues. This required one more viewing of the episodes, this time with pen and paper in hand, taking down every individual scene over the course of the two shows, to give us a list of every sequence we’d need to include in our allotted 110 pages. (And unlike "Smile Time," there was no thought of adding new scenes to his adaptation: not only did it just seem like heresy in a story this serious, but these episodes are so dense, there just wasn’t the room for it.)

Casagrande: I would have liked to, but it was very hard to think of what was really worth including.

Scott: With our master scene list in hand, we then went over the sequences in question and gave each a tag, SHORT, MEDIUM or LONG, indicating how much time we felt we needed to give each scene, not just in terms of action, but for emotional intensity. Since so much of this story is the slow deterioration of the Fred character and Wesley’s helplessness as he’s forced to watch the love of his life die, we knew we had to make sure that those moments got just as much emphasis as the flashier action scenes.

Once we had a rough idea of how the pacing would go, we tried to find four satisfying chapter breaks so as to split the story into five issues, and as luck would have it, things fell right into place; so much so that we were able to take the unusual step of plotting out the entire miniseries, page by page, all at once right from the start.

Casagrande: It's unusual for me to be so involved in the plotting of the series from the very beginning. It was very satisfying and interesting. I really enjoy working as a team: I can better understand the intent of the writer and the writer can understand my work. It's really beautiful to work so very close, and it also makes the process itself much easier.

Scott: With the entire series now plotted out, we decided to get a little ambitious with the covers. Elena suggested doing a mosaic cover, connecting all five issues thematically with the opening maw from Illyria’s sarcophagus, symbolizing the moment when Fred was lost.

Casagrande: I wanted something to give to the readers that would "push" them to buy issue after issue, but also something that links the whole story of the two episodes.

Scott: After we hashed out what the five covers should be, Elena did a rough concept sketch:



That was followed up by a more detailed layout, which went to IDW Bossman Chris Ryall for approval.



Casagrande: The cover concepts are arranged by a specific design. In the first cover, Wes and Fred are together and happy, and in the last they are enemies. In the second cover there's destruction, and in the fourth, creation. And the "nitty-gritty" of everything, the cause of it all was in the center, in Illyria's circle. There's also a color-link between them; if you notice, the color palette changes from the red to the blue, as if to recreate the life and the death...and the passage from Fred to Illyria.

Tipton: Chris loved the idea, but was concerned that the cover concept for issue #3 might not be visually strong enough.

We then came up with two alternative covers, with Chris opting for the second one:





Here’s the final result, which Angel fans will be able to assemble for themselves once all five issues have been released.



With Elena working on the covers, I began work on the script for issue #1. Working from a copy of the teleplay, I began converting the rather sparsely detailed screenplay into a full comics script. Although I had seen the episodes recently at that point, I elected not to review them again while scripting, preferring to let the action in the screenplay dictate how the “camera” angles and panel-to-panel pacing play out. While I always write full-script, describing the page layouts for each page and all the action and perspectives for each panel, I’m also lucky enough to be working with extremely talented collaborators, and always tell them to feel free to do things differently if it makes the page stronger.

Casagrande: I always follow what the writer wrote and then I try to give it what it needs to be as readable as possible. I consult the video before every scene, especially to help me recreate the background. There are a lot of settings that you seem to know, but when you have to draw them in different situations (like for the laboratory scenes in issue #3) you have to recreate them in 3D in your mind. I like to be as close to the original as possible.

I think the toughest to achieve were the sequences of Angel and Spike in England. The scene is really dark on the screen, but I had also to make it understandable on the page.


Spike and Angel face off against an army of demons, in this penciled page from issue #2.


The same scene, in the process of being inked.


The final page, with colors by Ilaria Traversi.

Tipton: One of the real challenges in doing these Whedon episode adaptations, quite frankly, is making sure to retain all the dialogue. Whedon’s dialogue is such an integral part of what makes the show so popular, I’m loathe to cut any of it for space. I’m always afraid the line I might cut is some reader’s favorite. As a result, we were working extra hard to make sure the dialogue flowed naturally with the panel-to-panel storytelling, with Elena even providing marked-up guides for when we would turn the issues in to be lettered.

Casagrande: Whenever I had made some changes on the script, I'd try to provide the guides in order to ease the work for the letterer. The dialogue is so important in these episodes, we want to make sure the timing is just right!


Elena's lettering guide for a page from issue #3

Tipton: In this age of online streaming video and DVD season sets, with more availability for classic TV than ever before, some people have questioned the need for these kind of direct episode adaptations.

Casagrande: I think that if you're an Angel fan, the comic version is another fun and exciting way to experience the series, and for those who never saw the show, well, it's a really good story!

Tipton: For me, it's no different than adapting a film to the Broadway stage, or translating a novel to the movies: the very nature of reconceptualizing the material is a transformative one. The mind takes in the material as comics in a different way than it does as a motion picture, and if we've done our jobs right and worked hard enough, everything we love and admire about the material will show up on the page as well.

If you ask us, that's the only thing that makes it worth doing.

The third issue of "A Hole In The World" goes on sale in February. Issues 1 and 2 are still available at comic shops nationwide.

[comic fan]

Preview pages for Angel #30,"Immortality For Dummies Part III" out this week.

Comics Continuum: IDW Publishing First Looks

FIRST LOOK: ANGEL #30






Angel #30 will arrive in stores on Feb. 17 from IDW Publishing. The issue is written by Bill Willingham, with art by Brian Denham and covers by Jenny Frison and David Messina.

Here's how IDW describes the issue:

"Things are not going so well for either our famously intrepid hero or his 'merry' band of assistant heroes. Spike and Gunn finds themselves committing rooftop shenanigans, Connor is in over his head back at the office, and Angel is starting to wonder if anyone is going to find him before he dies of boredom. And just what is Connor 'chosen' for, anyway?"

Angel #30 will be 32 pages and will cost $3.99.

[comic fan]

I have my copy of Angel #30.I didn't want to comment on all the reactions and my take or feelings until I had read the whole issue and not just preview pages.

There is a lot of negative reaction to how Spike and Gunn are portrayed and the whole Spike losing an leg and being to be able to re-grow it.That this is against Buffyverse vampire canon.

Later in the issue(two pages later actually),it's revealed that Spike is using magics to speed up his leg growing back.Kate comments that his leg is coming along fine and the spell must be working.Spike points out that his leg would be grown back already if he could drink human blood instead of pigs blood and didn't have to be up during the day.Connor called a meeting which is why the group is gathered.By the end of the issue it looks like Spike's leg is fully grown back.I think.It's hard to tell because we don't get a good shot of his lower half but he's standing.

I agree,I don't buy this fully to be in line with the show(s) although they do give an explanation that magic is involved in this case.So that seems to be playing a big part in Spike regrowing his leg.

As for characterization,I'm giving Willingham more time right now in finding the voices.Unlike Kelley Armstrong,Bill Willingham is supposed to be the long term writer so I'm giving him atleast to the end of the first arc on having a firm opinion either way.

As for the rest of the issue.Connor gathers everybody together except Illyria,who has already gone to rescue Angel, because of Connor discovering what Innovation Labs has done.

The group watches in shock a tape recording Connor made as a famous actress named Felicia Valentine goes on a late night talk show and reveals she had herself turned into a vampire via a safe procedure designed and supervised by Angel himself and that she's a good vampire and has her soul.She then eats the host on live T.V.(before the network cut the feed) showing she really doesn't have a soul.Naturally Connor,Spike,Gunn,Kate,James and Betta George want to know what the hell is going on.

The plan is to go out and dust vamps but if they come acrossed any famous people who have been vamped,to try to capture them alive so they can question them for information about Angel and his supposed involvment in turning celebs into vampires.Spike wants the rest of the group to leave Felicia Valentine to him.Gunn points out that Spike just wants to seduce her and get info that way.Kate points out that only Spike,"can turn a desperate situation like this into another chance to get laid."Spike confirms that is a yep."There's more than one way to pierce a woman's heart with dangerous wood,if you catch my meaning."

A new female character is introduced towards the end of the issue.A red headed hottie named Laura Kay Weathermill.She arrives to solve Innovation Labs's little problem that there clients don't have souls when sired by Angel's blood.Weathermill was one of the top research sorcerers for the Watcher's Council.Now that there is no more Watcher's Council.she's gone freelance.When she worked for the council,she worked for the betterment of mankind.Now she works for the betterment of her bank balance.For the right price, she can place souls into all their clients that can be tested and measured.

I saved the Illyria part for last since that's the big shocker that ends the issue.Illyria breaks into Innovation Labs and offers to rescue Angel under two conditions that he has to agree to.She knows ther others still hope she'll become Fred one day and she doesn't like that.They idealize Fred and her memories.She feels caged by Fred and will not have it.But she promised to be good and good and evil are alien concepts for her.She doesn't know how to differentiate between them.But Angel has been both good and evil.So....

1)She wants Angel to be her new guide and moral compass much as she wanted Wesley to be.

Angel is resistant to being Illyria's guide.There exchange is pretty good and Illyria makes some good arguments that seem to change Angel's mind.Everybody should read it,it's the last page of the story before the Eddie Hope backup.It actually brings up something the later seasons of Buffy and especially all of Angel The Series began doing.The idea of Angel(and Buffy too)letting some demons live as long as they conduct themselves to human standards.

Now the second thing Illyria wants is the shocker that ends the issue.Illyria reveals that she's reached an optimal breeding stage which only comes once every millennium or so.She wants to mate and the person she wants to mate with is not Angel(she thinks that would be grotesque).No,what she wants is.......

2)She wants permission from Angel to mate with Connor and have Connor father her offspring.She wants Angel to give her permission to have sex with his son!!!! This is what Connor has been chosen for.

That ends the issue.

I like the ideas Willingham is presenting in this arc but will wait on forming an opinion on characterization still until Part VI of the story.I also like this new character,Laura Kay Weathermill.

The Eddie Hope back up was good but it's still not enough there yet for me to form an opinion really.

[comic fan]

IDW books for May.

IDW Publishing | The home of 30 Days of Night, Star Trek, Terminator, Transformers, G.I. Joe...

Angel #33

Bill Willingham, Bill Williams (w) • Brian Denham, David Messina (a) • Jenny Frison, David Messina (c)
Now that Angel is back in the fold, Connor must readjust to life as the Chosen One's son. Lu ckily, he has an army of demon women at his beck and call. But nothing could really prepare anyone for what Illyria has in mind.
FC • 32 pages • $3.99



Angel: Barbary Coast #2

David Tischman (w) • Franco Urru (a) Urru, Dan Panosian (c)
The New World is turning out to be more than Angel bargained for as he's confronted with a monstrous, mythical beast, and continues to try and find a "cure" for his painful new soul. But when the earth begins to shake, Angel finds himself facing the cause of one histories great "natural" disasters.
FC • 32 pages • $3.99



Angel: Last Angel in Hell Volume 6 HC

Brian Lynch, Juliet Landau (w) • Franco Urru, Stephen Mooney (a) • Mooney (c)
In possibly the craziest Angel volume yet, we find out what happened to Gunn, Drusilla, Angel, and Spike in the aftermath of the Fall, which includes comas, insane asylums, a comic con, and even Angel's movie adaptation. With stories by fan-favorite writer Brian Lynch and a two-issue arc co-written by Drusilla herself, Juliet Landau, this collection shows you just how insane Angel's world can get.
HC • FC • $29.99 • 192 Pages • Size • ISBN: 978-1-60010-732-0

Spike: After the Fall TPB

Brian Lynch (w) • Franco Urru (a) • Tony Harris (c)
Poet, vampire, murderer, lover, hero, prisoner, slave-Spike has been called a lot of things. But, by the time this fight is over, he'll have one more name: Lord! Or "dust"... maybe we'll just call him dust, considering how it seems things are going in his immediate future. But after enjoying this collection of the four-issue Spike: After the Fall series you'll be looking at the events of Angel: After the Fall in a whole new light, courtesy of Brian Lynch and Franco Urru!
TPB • FC • $19.99 • 136 Pages • Size • ISBN: 978-1-60010-665-1

[comic fan]

Here's the other cover for Angel #33.

Comics Continuum by Rob Allstetter: Sunday, February 21, 2010

[comic fan]

Preview Pages For Buffy Season 8 #33,"Twilight Part II of IV."Or the issue where Twilight's identity as Angel is revealed.Although not in these pages naturally.

Newsarama | Exclusive DHC Preview: BUFFY SEASON 8 #33 "Twilight Pt 2"

Exclusive DHC Preview: BUFFY SEASON 8 #33 "Twilight Pt 2"
22 February 2010




Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 #33: Twilight part 2
Creators: Joss Whedon
Writer: Brad Meltzer
Penciller: Georges Jeanty
Inker: Andy Owens
Colorist: Michelle Madsen
Cover Artist: Jo Chen

Acclaimed novelist and comics writer Brad Meltzer (The Book of Lies, Identity Crisis) continues his pivotal story arc! The Slayer army has suffered heavy losses throughout Season Eight and faced all kinds of threats new and old, but the one mystery connecting it all has been the identity of the Big Bad: Twilight. In this issue, Buffy finally confronts Twilight one on one, setting the stage for Twilight's unmasking in Buffy #34!

Brad Meltzer, series artist Georges Jeanty, and executive producer Joss Whedon up the stakes as Buffy's most epic season yet races to a climax!
Publication Date: March 03, 2010
Format: FC, 40 pages
Price: $2.99













I assume this is the explanation for the change in voice font we've been seeing for Twilight.Amy was the one masking his voice.

[comic fan]

New Spike miniseries announced.

RyallTime: The Devil You Know

Monday, February 22, 2010

The Devil You Know

One of the new series you'll see in Previews this Wednesday is a new Spike miniseries called SPIKE: THE DEVIL YOU KNOW. It's written by Bill Williams, who's handling the "Eddie Hope" back-up strips in ANGEL now, with art by Chris Cross. I previously showed a couple of Cross' pages here, and below is another one, along with cover artist Franco Urru's first cover image for the series.

[comic fan]

Preview Page for second part of Buffy Season 8 Tales of the Vampires:Carpe Noctem web comic.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Comic - MySpace Dark Horse Presents Tales of the Vampires - UGO.com

Exclusive Preview: New Buffy the Vampire Slayer Comic

See what's next in the Buffyverse with pages from the upcoming Tales of the Vampires comic by Dark Horse.

By Tracey John February 26, 2010


Tales of the Vampires: Carpe Noctem Part 2 - Page 1

Written by Jackie Kessler.
Drawn by Paul Le.
Colors by Dave Stewart.
Letters by Comicraft.


















and if you missed Part 1,you can read it here.

MySpace - MySpace Dark Horse Presents Free Online Comics & Comic Books on MySpace

[amy2345]

Interesting that they put the little twilight poster in there...

[comic fan]

Originally Posted by amy2345 (View Post) Interesting that they put the little twilight poster in there...

I didn't even catch that until you pointed it out.

Georges Jeanty's Full Slayalive Q/A for Buffy Season 8 #32 is up.

SlayAlive - *COMPLETE* Q&A with Georges Jeanty Session 10

Q&A with Georges Jeanty Session 10 *COMPLETE*


Hey all!

Rules are simple: Maximum of three (3) questions per member until I submit your questions to Jeanty. I will post a note to let you know when I send off questions to reopen the floor. As always, there is a possibility of a delay, so thanks for your patience. Keep it clean, keep it civil. Simple right? Entries are welcome until I post a closing post. ALL QUESTIONS THAT MAY SPOIL TWILIGHT'S IDENTITY FOR THE UNINFORMED MUST BE POSTED IN SPOILER TAGS.

Anyone who's reading this and not a member, I'm accepting questions at wenxina@slayalive.com. Feel free to send me your questions and I'll add them to the queue with credit to you.

Alright... GO!

1. AndrewCrossett: There's a star in the upper left corner of the Twilight symbol. Is that supposed to represent Venus, the "evening star," which also symbolizes women?

Georges: Nope. That emblem is important and it does represent something which will come around in the last arc written by Joss.

2. bamph: This new arc from Brad Meltzer is very superhero centric. As an artist who has worked in the superhero genre, most recently on the Manhunter co-feature in Batman: Streets Of Gotham, what has it been like bringing the extreme superhero aspects to Buffy in Meltzer's arc and have there been any challenges as a result?

Georges: It has been great to mix it up! Brad is a big comics fan as you well know, and he's a big Buffy fan, so a comic about Buffy almost begs the superhero element. I know Brad has been loving his run in this season. And he's gotten some meaty stuff to write about! The only real challenge that I kept running into was how to make these characters feel real while they are stepping into this superhero element. Willow was a problem like that for me in the beginning. It was established that she has really grown into her Wicca powers but I tried to stay away from making her look too cartoony or comic book-ish when she's doing her thing. It has been real important to me to make sure these characters have a sense of realism while they are going through their adventures.

3. bamph:Angel's reveal as Twilight is coming next issue and Scott Allie said it happens on page 12. What was it like for you drawing that page knowing how much it will mean for Buffy fans?

Georges: It's a nice close up of his face, so it's pretty prominent. I spent a lot of time and a lot of faces trying to get that right. What I like most about that issue is that you find out when Buffy finds out. It would have been an amazing reveal, and still will be to those who haven't seen the spoiler. It's such a shame. It would have become the page that went down in Buffy history with its reveal. I'm still upset that it got leaked.


4. bamph:This is sort of a follow up question to one I asked last month. Last month I asked about Buffy leaning into Angel more than Spike in issue 3 and whether this was setup for Twilight being revealed as Angel since it would hurt Buffy so much.

You replied that it was more aesthetic and not really a setup per se and that in your opinion," it's no secret that Buffy loves Angel more than Spike so having her lean into him just made more sense."e

Now in his interview last month at CBR about Twilight's identity being spoiled, Joss confimed he has plans for Spike and most are assuming he'll be showing up before season 8 is over possibly in the final arc. Without getting into spoilers for any upcoming appearances or plotlines in the comic. Based on your viewing of the show only, how do you see Spike's role and relationship with Buffy in comparision to Angel's role and relationship with her plus last month you talked about the challenges of drawing Angel, do you see similar challenges coming in having to draw Spike?

Georges:Was that a question or a dissertation? Okay, let's see if I can get some of this. Spike and Angel's relationship with Buffy resonates on two different levels, I think. Let me make it simple. Angel is Home and Spike is the Cabin in the Wood (How to you like that plug?!) Angel is where Buffy lives but there are times when she just has to get away to the Cabin for a while, y'know to clear her head, or when she's not feeling right about herself. That's what I think, anyway. Also, you assume Spike is coming to Season 8 and further assume that I've drawn him.....


5. wenxina: Hey, is that Scythe gonna show up again anytime soon?

Georges: It will. More about that later.

6 moscowwatcher:In the upcoming issue have you tried to depict Angel as Buffy's nemesis or as her sweet romantic love? Were you drawing your inspiration from Angel scenes or Angelus scenes?

Georges: There's gonna be a whole lotta both. I don't want to spoil it, but you might want to bring a rain coat...

7. moscowwatcher:Is the surrealistically orange coloring of the sky on several battle panels in issue 30 an aesthetic choice or a necessity to keep Twilight on the battlefield without making him go poof?

Georges: That is a good question. He is called Twilight for a reason...

8. woundeddwarf: I have a question about the rectangular text boxes on some of the pages. The boxes are outlined in different colors and I want to know if the different colors are used as a way for the reader to know which character the text inside the box is associated with.

Georges: That is right. When you have a lot of characters in a scene and there's a lot of talking, (like in most Buffy stories) it gets hard to keep track, so you have to color code.

9. AndrewCrossett: Buffy's outfit in this issue seems to be based on Jenny's from "The Doctor's Daughter" Doctor Who episode. Any particular significance to that choice, or was it just a tribute?

Georges: I was wondering if anyone would notice. Yes, it is a direct homage to the Doctor's Daughter! When I saw that episode I was 99% sure that Russell Davies, a huge Buffy fan, made her very Buffy-like to pay homage. SO I was just returning the nod. I'm so happy someone noticed! She doesn't have the most distinct costume! Major points for you, Andrew!

10. wenxina: Okay, I know you're in the biz and all, but when Brad Meltzer said that he wanted that "death trap" machine thingamajig, did you know exactly what it was that he was referencing, or did you have to do a lot of research for that?

Georges: What death trap thingy? I referenced a lot for that issue but I don't remember that.

11. wenxina: Your work in this issue was particularly good, the best from you in a while (yeah, I said that last issue, but then I read this one). Has the pacing been a little more relaxed (considering that the script for #35 wasn't in yet as of a couple of weeks ago... is it in yet? Yes, sneak question!) to allow you do spend more time on each issue lately?

Georges: I wish! I am on the same hectic schedule as before. If the work looks better, I don't know what to say. Maybe there was something more from the inker or colorist? I have been pouring my heart into these last issues. I hope it's coming across. Also, I think I'm at that point where I'm pretty comfortable with drawing most of these characters. Just as we get to the last issue of Season 8 I will have nailed it their likenesses! Doesn't that always happen?

12. bamph: The new issue has lots of comic bookish moments and geek nods. Was there one you enjoyed the most?

Georges: I was really geeking out when I read the script! It was such a joy to read what Brad had written. Brad's a great writer, but also when he was writing the Buffy scripts he wrote it more as if he was talking to me specifically. A lot of writers do that when they know who they're working with, and a lot of his writing was more for me and as a result, very funny. There wasn't one thing that stands out, maybe the nod that he did to Kitty Pride where Buffy doesn't understand her power. That was nice (because we all know Buffy and Kitty's relationship).

13. bamph: Your covers for this whole arc are homages to famous comic book covers.

Action Comics #1 for #32
Amazing Spider-Man #289 for #33
Action Comics #568 for #34
Uncanny X-Men #138 for #35

Do you have a personal favorite? Which was the most fun to draw and the hardest or most challenging?

Georges: They were all fun to draw, but I guess I would have to say the first one is my favorite purely for selfish reasons. Issue 32. That Action Comics homage has a cameo on the cover of me, Joss and Scott Allie, the editor. I just got the idea to put the 3 men who have been on this book since the beginning. Thinking about it now, I should have put Brad in there too, and the Assistant editors who also work on this book, maybe the next one.

14. bamph: I asked this of Scott in his chat that's occuring right now but I want your thoughts too since you debunked it through wenxina and it was someone claiming this to be your work.



Back when the shows were on the air we had foilers(fake spoilers) that fans put out there but I think this was the first time that we had something like this with the comics.The exception being the authorized foiler page of vamped faced Angel that Brian Lynch had Franco Urru draw and release to hide the surprise that Angel would be revealed as human in Angel:After The Fall.But that was put out by the publisher to hide a story point from leaking early.

Can you give your thoughts on someone putting out that fake page and claiming it was drawn by you and what was your reaction when you found out about it from wenxina?

Georges: I thought it was great. As an artist I'm totally into that 'flattery is the most sincere form of compliment.' Just the fact that someone put that much work into it impresses me. As a fan I picked up on it right away as being an image from Season 7's second to last episode “End of Days”, so right away I knew I hadn't drawn it and just forgotten. While I use references, I try not to trace anything directly from the show.


15. wenxina: Do you intend to make any more cameos in the series? I'm of course referring to your cameo (and Joss and Scott's too) in the #32 variant.

Georges: I don't like to do that too much because then it becomes expected and then you feel obligated to do that, and I never want to take the reader too far out of the story. If you have to stop every issue and do a “Where's Waldo?” that becomes stagnant. I'm not against doing it and I do put things in from time to time as you well know, but it's more when inspiration hits rather than getting a new issue and asking 'where can I put stuff?' I like keeping it organic. Joss is even more so iffy about that sort of thing. While he's not against an homage he doesn't want the book to become a parody of itself. I remember back in the first issue cover with Buffy fighting that monster with teeth, I had put on Buffy's shirt the Serenity ship marking. Joss allowed it but said not to do that too often, which I can understand. That, and one of the characters reading a Fray comic, are the only things that I really thought Joss would veto.


16. wenxina: Heard you turned in all the covers for the rest of the season. Is there a particular one that you're really proud of? And this one is an off the cuff question... can we see it? Unfinished or otherwise?

Georges: I haven't finished all the covers yet, but I'm close and I want to really thank Dexter Vines, the inker on most of my covers for doing me a huge solid and inking them when asked. I think issue 36's cover will be one fans will either praise or bash. It's an homage cover, but not to comics.

17. wenxina: Now that you've started on #35 (perhaps completed?), can you tell us which of Brad's issues have you enjoyed illustrating the most? Why is that?

Georges: I like them all. Really, it's all one big story the issues that Brad is doing so I never really looked at them as single entities. I will say I am really proud with the way Issue 33 and 34 came out artistically. It was good story telling and I feel like I really amped up an already good script to a point where you the reader will enjoy the visuals. And #35 should be done in the next couple of days).

18. wenxina: Are there any conventions that you'll be at, or plan to be at this year?

Georges: I will be hitting as many as I can. I'll be finishing my tour on Buffy by the end of the summer so I will be doing more shows come the fall. But more recently I will be attending Mega Con down in Orlando Florida in March, along with the Phoenix show in May. Check my site from time to time to see updates on Conventions: Welcome to the KABALOUNGE!

19. wenxina: Speaking of conventions, which ones do you enjoy more than others, and why?

Georges: I love all the shows. I really like talking to the fans, not because I need the praise but because I'm a fan too and it's always nice to be around your own kind. Starfury is a company that does shows in the UK and they have been amazing! Definitely the shows I have partied the most in! Dragon Con is a great show because it has a little bit of everything as well as a strong Buffy presence. Maybe that's a question I can ask all of you? What are the best cons to do from a Buffy slant? Let me know and I'll try and get booked there!

[comic fan]

Tales of the Vampires:Carpe Noctem writer Jackie Kessler interview to go with the preview.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Jackie Kessler Interview - Tales of the Vampires: Carpe Noctem Part 2 - Dark Horse - UGO.com

Comic Scribe Jackie Kessler Talks Writing for the Buffyverse

We've got an exclusive preview of the new Buffy comic, and the writer gives us the lowdown on what's next.

By Tracey John February 27, 2010



MySpace Dark Horse Presents the newest issue in its Buffy the Vampire Slayer series, Tales of the Vampires. We've got an exclusive preview of "Carpe Noctem Part 2" here (and read the first part here) as well as an interview with writer Jackie Kessler.

Kessler is known for her dark fantasy/paranormal novels, and this Whedonverse vampire comic is her very first comic. Read on as she sheds light on the experience as well as what's next for the Buffyverse.

UGO: Can you tell us about the new issue, "Tales of the Vampire: Carpe Noctem Part 2"?

Jackie Kessler: Scott Allie, the editor, asked if I would like to write a "Tales of the Vampires" comic book story, one that showed what it's like for vampires now that things have changed for them in the Buffyverse. So I thought about how these immortal creatures would react to suddenly being (A) outed and (B) thrown into the spotlight, thanks to a celebrity-centric culture.

The more I thought about it, the more I decided that while some vampires would take advantage of the new world order, some would absolutely loathetheir new role. And no matter how you dress up a vampire -- brooding, glittering, sexy, friendly, funny, what have you -- at the core, the vampire is a monster. Can you ever defang a monster?

That's when I came up with Cyn, the pissed-off protagonist of "Carpe Noctem," and Ash, her bubbly nestmate.

UGO: How has it been writing your first comic?

Kessler: So. Freaking. Cool.

You have to understand that growing up, my dad and I would go to the comic book shop every weekend, and we'd spend Saturday afternoons reading comic books and talking about the stories. My bat mitzvah present was Uncanny X-Men #94 - 100 in mint condition. One of my grad school papers was called "Of Spiders and Steel," and it was all about how comic book stories changed with the decades. I'm not a regular comic book reader any more, other
than Buffy Season 8, but I'll always, always, always love comic books.

So when I had the chance to write a comic book script...and for the Buffyverse...well. Dream come true.

UGO: What has been the most challenging and rewarding aspects of writing comics so far?

Kessler: Rewarding? Dude, I WROTE A COMIC BOOK!!! And not just any comic -- a comic set in the Buffyverse! That all by itself is the reward.

As for challenging, the biggest thing I had to tackle was the new format. Not only was I writing a script for the first time, I was writing a script with art direction as well as narration and dialogue. My editor, Scott Allie, was a mench and gave me quite a few tips, as well as almost
instantaneous feedback. (I seriously believe that man doesn't sleep.) And working with Paul Lee was an absolute dream. He's brilliant.

UGO: Do you talk to Joss Whedon at all for this project?

Kessler: I'd love to lie and say of course, he's on my speed dial.

But no, the closest I've personally gotten to speaking with Joss is him calling Scott while Scott and I were on the phone. Scott said to me, "Jackie, that's Joss on line one, can I call you back?" And I was like, "Oh, sure thing." But I was thinking to myself something along the lines of, "OH
MY GOD THAT'S JOSS WHEDON ON LINE ONE!" That being said, Scott cleared the synopsis with Joss before I wrote the script.

UGO: What's your favorite Buffy episode? Or favorite Buffy moment?

Kessler: Ooh. My favorite episodes include "Once More, With Feeling" (I cannot wait for the Joss-directed episode of Glee), "Earshot" (Joss took the concept of mind-reading to the extreme, and I loved every second of it), "Hush" (a storyline that is mostly without any dialogue? BRILLIANT), and "The Body" (one of the most powerful, moving episodes of any series I've ever seen, and
it's a crime that the script, the writers and the actors didn't win awards for it).

My favorite Buffy moment? From season 2, when Buffy realizes that Angelus is once again Angel...and she still has to send him to Hell. Absolutely heartbreaking.

Favorite line? Dark Willow in season 6, saying "Bored now."

UGO: What direction would you like to see the Buffyverse go in, in your comics as well as for the franchise overall?

Kessler: I'm very happy with the direction of the Buffyverse. Joss and company have done a terrific job with Season 8, and I'm looking forward to what happens next. As for me, I'd love to do more vampire-themed stories. Maybe I have a soft spot for monsters. Or maybe I just have a thing for blood.

[comic fan]

Newsarama interview with Brad Meltzer about this weeks Twilight reveal.

Newsarama.com : BRAD, BUFFY & the BIG BAD: Meltzer Talks Twilight Reveal

BRAD, BUFFY & the BIG BAD: Meltzer Talks Twilight Reveal



By Vaneta Rogers
posted: 01 March 2010



After years of waiting, Buffy fans will discover the mysterious details behind the story's "Big Bad" this week, and best-selling novelist Brad Meltzer has the job of revealing it.

The masked villain known only as "Twilight" has been a mystery ever since Joss Whedon first created him 2007 in the pages of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, the Dark Horse comic that serves as a canonical sequel to the TV show. As other writers have worked on Whedon's series over the last three years, Twilight continued working to "end magic" and tear apart Buffy's army of Slayers.

The official reveal of the character's identity within the story takes place this week in Issue #33, but some readers already found out who's behind the mask. In January, an accidental internet leak of upcoming covers for the comic book series was picked up by Buffy message boards, revealing Twilight's surprising identity, although the character's motivation has yet to be explained.

Meltzer began his story arc in February with Issue #32, working with ongoing series artist Georges Jeanty to explore Buffy's new superpowers, giving the story a "comic book" flavor. But this week, the writer's second issue gives Meltzer the chance to reveal Twilight to the world and begin exploring what his identity means for the Buffyverse.

Newsarama spoke with Meltzer about the story, and the writer requested that we not name Twilight's identity, just in case there are readers left who haven't seen the leaked cover and still want to be surprised.

Newsarama: Brad, you seemed to find the voices of these characters easily – or at least you made it look easy. Was that because you were such a big Buffy fan? Or did you have to work at it?

Brad Meltzer: I just like the characters. And whether you own the property or not, the most vital thing is always being respectful of the characters. I know it sounds odd – as if these imaginary people are real – but they are real. We know them. We know how they speak. We know their behaviors. And we know when they're not acting like themselves. In fact, some of us spend more time with these imaginary people than we do with real friends. That says something about the characters. For me, the groundwork was laid on the TV show. That was the one thing I was determined to stay true to.

Nrama: Issue #32 has a lot of references to things us comic geeks enjoyed, with a lot of humor about superheroes as Buffy discovered her powers. Was that something you were told to do, or something you felt fit the story?

Meltzer: I couldn't stop writing the jokes. When we first talked about Buffy having powers, I told Joss about the faster-than-a-speeding-bullet joke. But as I sat with the page, I couldn't stop. Xander couldn't stop. They just kept coming... because let's be honest, if you read comics... that's the moment we dream of. The moment we realize we can fly. And then, greedy bastards we are, we want to know "What else we got?"

Nrama: How do you think Buffy having superpowers enriches her story? And will more be revealed about the cause of those superpowers?

Meltzer: People think the powers are a cute magic trick. But the powers are the story. Think of it. For a full season, Twilight has had powers. Now Buffy has powers. The question is: Why? All I care about is that big picture.

Nrama: There has been plenty of drama in the series, particularly now, but Issue #32 tempered it with a lot of humor. Looking back at your Justice League of America run or even the DC Universe: Last Will and Testament issue, you've been working on very serious comics lately. Did working on something lighter like Buffy challenge you? Or was it a welcome break?

Meltzer: I think the number one email I get about my novels is, "Yeah, I liked the thriller... but I was surprised it made me laugh." In comics, though, I think humor is harder. Brian [Vaughan] does it in Ex Machina and Y [The Last Man] with beautiful restraint. And a few others try here and there. But humor is hard to pull off. Thankfully, Buffy's always had that humor built in. But let me also say, I think my favorite part of writing this series has been the variety of genres we're able to tackle with each issue. Part 1 (issue 32) was certainly comedy. In part 2, you'll see the drama. In part 3... just wait. And in part 4, it's action and... just wait.

Nrama: What are some other differences about working on Buffy from other comics? How different has it been working with Joss, or dealing with the fans of Buffy?

Meltzer: I don't see a real difference between the two. But what I always love is when there's intelligence behind the passion. In both audiences, it's a real literate crowd, who gets every obscure literary/pop/religious reference I try to tuck in there. And there are few things more rewarding to me than being understood.

Nrama: The whole Buffyverse is watching Issue #33 because of the big Twilight reveal. Are you feeling a lot of pressure? Did that make writing your story more difficult?

Meltzer: You mean do I feel any pressure that I'm revealing the moment that people have waited nearly a decade of their lives for? That the whole series is built around? That has been overhyped and revealed and therefore commented on before anyone knows anything? Let me answer honestly: The only pressure I felt was to Joss. I just didn't want to let him down. He placed his trust in me and all I cared about was that one set of eyes. If you worry about what every other person out there thinks about you, you shouldn't be in this business.

Nrama: When you found out who Twilight was, what did you think? Were you surprised?

Meltzer: When you really think about, it should be no surprise at all.

Nrama: At what point did you find out about the leak of Twilight's identity? And were you disappointed by that? How do you think it will it affect the impact of your storyline?

Meltzer: I think after [Dark Horse editor] Scott Allie had his heart attack, he called Joss, then me. From his voice, I thought he was shot in the chest. And for sure I was just... bummed makes it sound so stupid – but after I was over the initial "that sucks," I just couldn't shake one thought and that was: Man, I just feel bad for Joss. In the end, this is his story. His secret. And I remember on Identity Crisis when we spent two years holding that secret. Or JLA, when we spent a year not telling anyone who was on the team. And then to just see that secret spill out there because someone clicked the wrong button... That was a secret that a small group of us were carrying for three years. How could I not feel bad?

Nrama: How did you decide to approach the anticipation in the issue for the Twilight reveal? Was your approach changed at all by the fact that some readers will already know who Twilight is?

Meltzer: It's always about the story. It has to be. But when someone tells you the secret in the middle of the mystery, the mystery just has to lose something. The only good news was, to me, I was always less concerned with who Twilight was. I cared about the why. Why is this happening? What's the big picture? And what does it mean to the characters?

Nrama: Can you run through how the reveal and explanation will work as far as your issues go? How much will we understand at the end of Issue #33? After Twilight's reveal, where does the story go?

Meltzer: The reveal is on page 15. And there are some hints of the big picture in Issue #33. But the next issue is where the Buffyverse mythology really comes into play. And that mythology is what I love.

Nrama: Without naming who is Twilight, suffice it to say that it's someone who has turned toward the dark side before. Is this the same kind of thing?

Meltzer: This is different than those.

Nrama: We've been told that Joss had an outline that he gave various writers. How much freedom did you have in your story arc? How involved has Joss been?

Meltzer: I have a plot brain. I know how to plot – that's what comes naturally to me – and then I hang the characters on that plot like clothespins on a clothesline. But what I've always admired about Joss's writing is that he has such a character brain. That's what comes naturally to him. And that's what intrigued me about the series. So three years ago, when he asked people what characters they'd like to work on, I sent him my big wild dreams about the Buffyverse. It was filled with everything my plot brain could think of. I waited for a response. And he said: I like some things, I don't like other things, but you're going to write the penultimate arc. And without question, his involvement, and input, and commitment to these characters has been the very best part of working on the series.

Nrama: For those of people who still can't believe the spoiler, is there a possibility that the "leaked" reveal of Twilight is a set-up? That you'll reveal someone different?

Meltzer: My God, you're a suspicious bunch. Think! You'd kill us if we took it back now.

Nrama: Since you're getting to write the big reveal of the "Big Bad," will there be anything left for Joss to do in the final arc of the season?

Meltzer: The best, as they say, is for last. Just wait.

Nrama: You've built up quite a fan base among comic book fans, particularly writing about characters in the DC Universe. Is there any chance we'll see more comics from you after your Buffy run ends?

Meltzer: If I can dig out the time, I hope so.

Nrama: Since Issue #32 was so well received by fans, is there any chance we'll see more Buffy comics from you in the future?

Meltzer: If I can dig out the time, I hope so.

Nrama: Fair enough. What else are you working on that you can tell your fans about?

Meltzer: Putting the finishing touches on my first non-fiction book – Heroes For My Son, a collection of heroes throughout history (Jim Henson, Rosa Parks, Mr. Rogers, etc) that I've been collecting since the day my son was born. If we time this right, the site is now officially up (heroesformyson.com) so people can stop by there or Facebook or Twitter and let us know who their real life heroes are.


Buffy Season 8 #33 is out on Wed.

[comic fan]

New Buffyfest interview with Scott Allie about tomorrow's Twilight reveal.And a new preview page.


Buffyfest: Scott Allie Talks about the Man Under the Twilight Mask (Major Spoilers)

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Scott Allie Talks about the Man Under the Twilight Mask (Major Spoilers)

(Beware: Twilight Identity Spoilers)

Tomorrow's release of Buffy Issue #33 means a lot to fans of Season 8 because Buffy will finally get to see the face under the Twilight mask. Not only that, but 99.9% of us will be free to talk openly about Twilight's true identity as Angel. Even though we've known for a while now, it doesn't mean we're not chomping at the bit to find out the why of it all.

With all the praise, publicity and backlash going on in the fandom these past few months, we figured it was time to ask Dark Horse Editor Super Scott Allie (pictured left) a few questions about Angel and his opinion on what drives the character, the importance of the shanshu, his favorite season and a bit more. If you squint hard enough, there's definitely some (very) subtle hints at what's to come in here. Plus, check out the piece of new preview art at the bottom of the page!



Buffyfest: Let's start with the basics. What do you like most about the character of Angel and what do you dislike most?
Scott Allie: My favorite novel is Frankenstein. To me, Frankenstein is the epitome of the Byronic hero, wonderful but flawed, poetic but monstrous. I'm a big fan of the Dexter TV show, and there's a similar thing going on there. It's this that I love in Angel, same as Spike. All of these guys are monsters and heroes, romantic figures with terrible downsides. These are all poignant figures, genuinely tragic. With Angel, he's got so much to atone for, and even as he strives to make up for it, he's heading toward something worse. It's amazing.

Buffyfest: Not only are you an editor at Dark Horse, but you've also done quite a lot of writing, such as your work on Solomon Kane and Exurbia. If you could write one episode of Angel on TV which Season would it be in and why?

Scott Allie: Final season, because I think it has the most interesting mix of characters.

Buffyfest: It's fascinating that some fans love every season except 5 and others think it's the strongest season. What specifically do you think makes the season 5 group of characters more interesting than the earlier seasons?

Scott Allie: The characters had really become themselves, they'd settled into their personalities and in some cases powers. Some of the character dynamics, the relationships, were in really good shape. The whole thing with Fred, with Spike and Angel. I don't remember how much Connor was in it. Was he in it much? I think it's a little like the Rolling Stones. They did their best stuff, they stood on their own the best, after the Beatles were gone. Between the Buttons compared well to some Beatles records, but with Sticky Fingers the Stones were entirely, perfectly their own band, and only then were they the Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band in the World. What were we talking about?

Buffyfest: Ha! Great metaphor. Next up, if you could write a scene between Angel and either Buffy, Giles or Faith who would you choose and why? What would happen in that scene?

Scott Allie: If it was a choice between those, it'd be Giles. It'd be fun to write a scene with Buffy, because I love writing real love scenes, characters that genuinely have that level of connection. But the thing I'd like to deal with in a scene with Giles is Angel's much greater age and experience. Given my personal interests, my background, I'd love to write a scene between these two amazing occult detectives.

Buffyfest: Angel is a very controversial figure for many reasons, but one being his decision to take over Wolfram & Hart. Do you feel that decision makes him less of a hero or was he backed in a corner and trying to do the best he could with his choices?

Scott Allie: I dunno. That wasn't my favorite development. Doesn't make him less of a hero, but it does play into the flawed thing I was talking about before. And it did make me a little less interested in him.

Buffyfest: Buffy and Angel are about to be thrown into each others paths in Season 8 with the revelation of Twilight. What do you think Whedon finds so fascinating about their relationship that he keeps coming back to it?

Scott Allie: These characters spawned a whole genre, this paranormal romance thing, with that other Twilight. It's a big deal. He created something epic, iconic, archetypal with this relationship. That was something I put a lot of thought into with Conan, the few ideas that come along once in a while and really speak to us in a huge, permanent way, spawning unlimited imitations.

Buffyfest: Staying on the topic of these two characters, what do you think makes Buffy and Angel similar as heroes and what makes them different?

Scott Allie: They're similarly moral, heroic, flawed, arrogant. Part demon, with a sharp wit, mad ninja skills. But they're real different, in interesting ways, more personal ways. She's defined by her friends, he connects in limited ways with just about anyone but her. She's got a strong moral compass, that's only undermined by her selfishness. Well, it's not as simple as that, but that is an aspect of her. His morality is more self-serving, but not selfishly so.

Buffyfest: What are your feelings about the shanshu? Do you think Angel will be rewarded at the end of his story? Do you think he should be?

Scott Allie: I'm conflicted on this. I would love to see the shanshu through, but I don't know if Angel really needs to be defined by it. I personally think that at the end of the day, that prophecy is not the most important thing for Joss when it comes to Angel.

Buffyfest: So then, what do you think is the most important thing for Joss when it comes to Angel and following up on that, in the most general sense, what matters most to the character of Angel?

Scott Allie: One word to answer both questions, and this is not gonna be popular with some fans, but you can see it coming ... Buffy.

Thanks to Scott for a really interesting interview. If you haven't seen the preview for Issue #33, check it out here.

See below for an extra preview page where, to quote Scott, "Giles explains the secret history of vampires and slayers." What? What secret history? Oh man, Season 8 is about to get really interesting.

[comic fan]

Well,I have my copy of Buffy Season 8 #33.Twilight Part II of IV.

Picking up from where the preview pages left off.Faith attacks Twilight recognizing it's Angel.Twilight/Angel is invulnerable(a kick to the nuts does nothing) and easily takes down Faith.

Buffy can sense that Twilight hurt Faith.She can sense other slayers.

The General,Amy and Warren are helping the gang track Twilight's lair.Dawn and Xander point out that they can't be trusted.

Twilight has the same abilities that Buffy has and Giles knows something.Giles knows what's going on and Twilight knows he knows.

Giles:I-Invulnerable..He's invulnerable.And faster than....

Twilight:Superspeed.PlusSuperstrength.I can fly too.You know where this is headed,right?Every watcher wonders if his slayer might be the girl....and you've had more reason than any.

Faith(groggy):What's he talking about,G?

Twilght:Wait.You haven't even told her yet,have you?And you haven't told Buffy either.I figured with all your recent Jaunts to England...To Germany...I thought they all knew what you were really looking for.But now thanks to your silence,she has no idea what she's become.

Andrew dressed geek gear(Punisher shirt,Captain America shield,Star Wars rebel fighter helmet attacks Twilight and is about to have his head handed to him when Buffy flies in and attacks Twilight having tracked him.

They fight in the sky and this is when the reveal happens.There's is also a funny little shout out to the Twilight books/films.

Buffy:You listen to me Twilight...My god,is that really the name you picked?TWILIGHT?Y'Know I lived that idea first,right?And my vampire was so much better.

That's when the reveal happens.Twilight pulls off his mask.Shot of Buffy's shocked face as we are revealed a smirking Angel.

Angel:I missed you too.

Buffy drops him in shock.

We cut back to Giles,Andrew and Faith and Giles confirms Twilight is Angel and that Buffy won't beat him this time.No matter what Buffy does,there is no winning.

Buffy and Angel fight.

Angel:Buff?I know your out there.Your even stronger than I hoped.That was the first blow I've felt in a long while.But you need to stop.You need to think about what's happened.

Buffy ripping up a tree:That's not Angel.It's not.It's gotta be Angelus.

Angel:And don't think I'm Angelus either.I'm me.And you know I'm me.I know you feel it.Oh and Buff....

Buffy shouting:STOP TALKING!YOUR BEST ASSET WAS THAT YOU WEREN'T A TALKER!

She hurls the tree like it was a stake at Angel and it has no effect.

Buffy shouting:YOU KILLED MY GIRLS!TWO HUNDRED AND SIX GIRLS!

Angel then reveals that he didn't kill any of her slayers.That this was why he put on the mask.That the government considered her and her slayers terrorists and were going to wipe them out.So were demons.He put on the mask and to distract them to buy Buffy more time and to maneuver Buffy in place for the powers she now has.

Angel:I didn't kill anyone.This was happening.

Buffy trying to punch Angel and him super speeding out of the way:Stop saying cryptic crap like that!IT HAPPENED BECAUSE YOU MADE IT HAPPEN!YOU MADE THEM HATE US!

Angel:You really don't know how much worse it could've been?Powerful...goverments lining up to wipe out "terrorists you created.Demons weren't thrilled either.I put on a mask.Talk about MASTER PLANS"....Distract them.Keep the body count as low as I can while I push.

Buffyush me,why?So I can absorb the power of my DEAD FRIENDS?

Angel:Who told you that?Willow?I thought she'd see further than that.That's not why you have these powers.And stop trying to punch me.It won't make you feel better.

Buffy angrily:IT WILL(punches Angel threw a tree.

Angel:See?It won't.Not this time.Not if you hit me a hundred times.It's different now Buffy.Your power...like my power...has nothing to do with the other slayers.What's happening to you..to us...This is what we've been waiting for.What we earned.What we need.

Buffy tackles Angel:STOP LYING TO ME!i KNOW YOU'RE LYING!Why else would you be-be-be- be HIDING for all this time?

Angel then mentions the events of After The Fall in the way Joss said they would.

Angel:I wasn't hiding.See,that didn't feel better either,did it?And I wasn't hiding.I was in L.A.Things got very funky.I'm okay now.I'm better than okay.

Buffy yelling:I DON'T GIVE A CRAP ABOUT L.A.!WHY DID YOU PUT US THROUGH THIS F%%%ING HELL FOR THE PAST YEAR!?

Angel:You fundamentally shifted the balance of power in this world,Buffy.People die when that happens every time.It can never be as simple as you hoped.Not on this plane.But it was a Pure act and it meant you were ready.

Buffy tries to punch him again.Angel super speeds out of the way.

Angel:The mask,The cult...it wasn't just to distract the bad guys.It was to focus YOU,too.To push you to be what you've become.That twist in your belly isn't just rage or confusion...and for once,it's not even guilt.You fell ME,Buffy.You feel us.

Buffy thinking to herself:I'd never tell him he's right.But as he says the words.

Buffy to Angel:THERE IS NO US!

Angel:There's always been us.You can keep swinging but you know I can feel you coming.

Buffy to herself:I know he's right.

Buffy:Get away from me!

Buffy's arm glows

Angel:Y'see see that there?That glow on your arm every time you get close?This isn't just another fistfight,Buffy.This is history.Oh,and look at that...now your glow's starting to expand.

The glow spreads

Buffy:There's no glow.You're imagining a glow.

Angel:Buffy,Let go.For one minute,let go of what you think you understand and let your body tell you the truth.

Buffy looking at her glowing hands:My body..isn't talking.

Angel:It's SINGING.It's JOY,Buffy.You and I don't have a lot of experience with joy.But I feel it being this close to you.I feel a connection even I wasn't prepared for..Forget what I said about history...This isn't just history.This is US,Buff.This is our future.

Buffy looks down at herself,looks away,looks back at Angel:You don't know me like you used to know me.

Angel:Maybe I don't.But I do know there's a reason we're both standing here.Flushed with this unholy power.

Angel's face softens:There's a reason I loved you the moment I saw you.There's a reason we can't be happy with anyone else.And there is a reason your whole body is glowing right now.And there's a reason that,despite all this power coursing through me.What I feel right now is weak.I'm terrified you'll go.You'll leave before we have a chance to explore what this really is.This glow.What if,just once,the right thing for us to do is also the most wonderful?Buffy..don't you want to be happy?

Buffy with a tear in her eye.

They are both glowing.They both rise up in the sky.

Buffy and Angel kiss with the glow at its brightest.

Xander,Dawn and Willow have been watching the whole thing.

Xander worried:What was that?

Dawn:Another Sonic Boom.

Willow:I think they're F%%%ING.

end of issue.

Next issue is titled,THEM F%%%ING and I see why Allie couldn't reveal that title before this issue came out.I also assume this is why next issue has the mature readers warning.

Also the preview page that was with the Buffyfest interview wasn't in this issue so I assume it's for next issue.

It was a great issue although yeah,I'm worried for Buffy and for Angel This issue raised more questions then it answered although Scott said it would.