[comic fan]

Preview pages for this week's Illyria:Haunted #1 of 4.

http://www.aintitcool.com/images2009...ngelill1p1.JPG

Newsarama has the pages posted separately now.

Newsarama | Exclusive IDW Preview: ANGEL: ILLYRIA #1

Exclusive IDW Preview: ANGEL: ILLYRIA #1

08 November 2010



Angel: Illyria #1 (of 4)

Scott Tipton, Mariah Huehner (w) • Elena Casagrande (a) • Jenny Frison (c)

Re-born out of tragedy, older than time, Illyria has been one of the most mysterious and alien members of Team Angel since her resurrection. Infected with the memories of those who loved Fred, Illyria now struggles with the burden of her guilt. Seeking out help from Angel and Spike, Illyria begins a quest that will take her back into her past, and face the consequences of being made whole again in a world she does not belong in.

FC • 32 pages • $3.99

[comic fan]

Buffyfest previews more of the Illyria miniseries.

Buffyfest: Illyria Extravaganza Day Two

Monday, November 8, 2010

Illyria Extravaganza Day Two

We're continuing to roll out the exclusive (and not so much) previews for the upcoming Illyria series. Today we've got a five page preview along with more pencil art and sketches.

[img]TNg1MPVH74I/AAAAAAAAAjk/tNUyn1cV6YA/s1600/Illyria1.jpg[/img]









And that's not all. In addition we've got glimmers from what you'll be seeing in Illyria's future. Including some things you've seen before and some you haven't!











As promised, here is another panel from Illyria #1 which makes for a delightful desktop background:



Early review and more sketchy goodness tomorrow!

[comic fan]

CBR's Behind Buffy for Buffy #38 with Georges Jeanty.

BEHIND BUFFY SEASON 8: Jeanty's Twilight Time - Comic Book Resources

BEHIND BUFFY SEASON 8: Jeanty's Twilight Time

As the hit series races towards its conclusion, CBR's ongoing look "Behind Buffy Season 8" welcomes ongoing artist Georges Jeanty to discuss issue #38 including how he makes monsters and actors come alive.



SPOILER WARNING: This article contains major spoilers for "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8" #38, in stores now.

Though he's gearing up for big screen glory with a certain Avenging superteam, Joss Whedon is nearing the goal line of the comic book project closest to his heart: Dark Horse's canonical "Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 8." After a series of twists and turns that have stretched over the past three years, the series has reached its final arc.

To help prepare fans for the hit series' impending finale, CBR is back with an all-new installment of BEHIND BUFFY SEASON 8 - a monthly column featuring interviews with the creators and staff behind the creation of Buffy's last two stories highlighting the questions being answered, the characters thrown into crisis, and the future of the entire Buffy franchise. This week, "Buffy" artist Georges Jeanty stops by for the first time to dig into issue #38 – part three of the "Last Gleaming" arc – from the final fate of Xander and Dawn to his theories on monster drawing and making the comic work as the TV show does! Read on for his in depth thoughts!



CBR News: Before we dig into the specifics of the issue, I wanted to talk a bit to you about the whole "Buffy" journey. Did it feel like this project grew to a bigger thing than you'd expected?

Georges Jeanty: Oh yeah. When I started this initially, I thought it was going to be about four or five issues, and that would be the end of it. Then I thought it was going to be 12 issues and then 20 issues. So this project has been growing more and more as I've been doing it. I could have never imagined 40 issue had you told me that at the beginning of this.

There have been a lot of new pieces of the mythology from monster stuff to the cast changes that have carried through the whole run. How tapped in were you to the bigger mysteries like the reveal of Twilight? Were you working in a vacuum on some of this stuff?

[Laughs] There was a little bit of a sense of working in a vacuum, but I do think that's what's great about working with Joss – he's so giving. Even working on something that is so much his own, talking to a lot of the writers I know he's so giving to them as to creating what they want to do and lending their history to this mythology. Most of the writers he's worked with who had worked on the show as well, but the two in particular that come to mind are Brad Meltzer and Brian K. Vaughan who weren't on the show and were essentially Buffy fans who got the opportunity to write arcs. Joss gave them some very important plots to do, and essentially they came up with a lot of it. They pitched to Joss, and if he thought it was cool, he said, "Yeah. Do it." So I think it's very open of Joss to give his mythology to everybody and not just say, "This is my syllabus. You have to stick to it."

The one thing he did have up front was that Twilight is Angel, and yeah...that was tough. Imagine having to keep a secret for four years. [Laughs] That was at the very beginning, and we had to go, "This is something that won't pay off until 2010, and here we are sitting in 2006." With everything else, there was a general overview, but once the writer came on, he was free to roam as he please. I know Drew Goddard is a huge Godzilla fan, so he got to do the arc where Dawn is still a giant in Japan and, of course, has to go up against Mecha-Dawn. That was something he introduced, so it was whatever they wanted to do to make themselves more comfortable with the writing assignment. I don't know who else besides Joss would do that.

There's been a real consistency not just in terms of the cartooning of your art but also in the pacing and visual layouts on the page. Has that been something you've worked with Scott to keep in check as you've gone from writer to writer?

Well, as much as people probably don't believe it, even when Joss isn't writing the story it does say on there that he's Executive Producing. And all of the scripts I've gotten have either been a third or a second draft that have had to go through Joss. He'll take the draft and read it and give notes back and forth. So I think the tone of "Buffy" throughout all of these Season 8 issues has really been with Joss, and he's been there to keep that integrity. And I think really with any book that you see in comics, if you've got a familiarity there – which may be the writer or the artists – I think people tend to feel more comfortable with it. It does have what you said – that normalcy, that thing where you can see it every month and be sort of drawn to it because it's the same as it was last month. Joss was really big on having a main artist on the book because he did want that familiarity month after month. Obviously, it wasn't every month, but more often than not, I got to do the issues. Essentially, you learn what you should and shouldn't do, so even when you do get a new writer you understand what the pacing or the "look" of the book should be. And I can't take any of the credit for being the continuing artist because I really thought I'd only be on for four issues. They were really adamant about saying, "We want a defined look for this book, and we think having one artist for it will help that."



Getting into the issue itself, we've got the reintroduction of Angel's monster/baby universe here, which Scott noted last week you had to draw back in BKV's arc on the book. Tell me about the creation of this character in terms of the specific myths Joss and the writers drew on for you to design.

That – I'm not sure of the exact name, but I believe it is either a griffen or a gyphon. It's a lion with the wings of a bird, and that from way back in Vaughan's arc was already mapped out. I think it was Joss who wanted it as an insert knowing he would come back to it eventually. He addressed that to Brian who just said, "This is what Joss wanted, so I'll put that in there. And it'll pay off at some point." Obviously, it's never shown up in any of the "Angel" series or the "Buffy" series, so I don't know how long Joss has had it in his head or if he just created it for Season 8, but a lot of people have speculated – if you watch the show, there are these entities called "The Powers That Be" – and some speculate that this lion is a new personification of that.

There are certain things artists love to draw and some artists hate to draw. A lion or mythological creatures...is that something that fits into your wheelhouse?

I'm like an actor. When an actor goes into a job, they say "We need somebody shorter" or "We need somebody taller" or "We need somebody fatter." And an actor will say, "I can do that! I can play taller or fatter or whatever!" I'm the type of artist who says, "Whatever you need is my challenge to do because I'm an artist." But in terms of preferences, I must admit that we came to an issue where Jane Espenson came on, and there was a lot of military stuff, and I just don't think I'm very good at guns and soldiers and tanks. There was a little trepidation on my part in doing those issues, but I don't think there'd ever be a time where I'd go, "No! I'm not doing it!" But it probably did take me longer for those issues because I wasn't as comfortable drawing what I'd do normally.

I tend to do feel more comfortable with the cityscapes and the basic character pieces. A lot of what I've done in this book is to try and pace and set the scenes of the characters when there's nothing going on. Like with page two here, if there's a fight then that's an easy thing to stage. You can dialogue around it. But hypothetically when you put two characters together in a room talking about whatever drama Buffy normally talks about, that's a little harder because you have to make it interesting.



Looking at page six, we've got some hoards of monsters attacking the kids. Scott Allie and I have talked about how it seems you've grown into loving doing some of the monster work in this book.

No, actually. [Laughs] I don't mind doing it, but I've never felt my strength to be with monsters. A lot of what you see if me looking through other books of artists I appreciate and feel can draw monsters a whole lot better than I, and I'll take what they have done and tweak it here and there. I'm a big fan of form following function, so depending on what that monster or scene needs to do, I'll probably design a monster around it. If it needs to be more of a biped, I'll start with two legs, or if it's just a monster in the background that needs to be big and menacing, it might be more gelatinous in its mass. I draw for what the scene offers instead of "I love this cool monster and that cool monster." That's probably another thing that took me a while to do. This story had SO many monsters in it that I didn't shy away from it, but it did take them a while to get them all down.

The other thing about this page in particular is that it's the start of the Xander and Dawn thread for the issue that seems to be important in this last arc. In "Buffy," people focus on the character work. It must be harder to keep not just these guys on model but also convey all that emotion, which has typically been carried by actors doing their thing.

It's funny. I'm finishing up the last issue right now, and I'm just starting to feel like "Damn, I'm kind of getting good at these faces." [Laughter] That has been an arduous process. It's been a labor of love, don't get me wrong, but I usually tell people that whenever I do a "Buffy" page as opposed to a superhero page, it probably takes me about 20% more time to do because of the faces. These are people who actually exist. And the people who are reading the book may not be artists, but God knows everyone is a critic. They'll know when a character doesn't look like someone or if you're way off the mark on something. So I have labored long and hard over expressions and faces and trying to capture that feel of the TV show. Because let's be honest, as much as this is a comic, people are reading it to get that old feeling they got out of the TV show.



The next page has a great example of something I didn't know was you at first, but you draw a lot of the sound effect lettering yourself, right?

Sometimes. It depends on what it is and how appropriate or maybe how tricky I think it might be. If I want it done a certain way or behind the characters, then yeah.

Well, it's another example of something I've spoken with the other creators about, which is how much you guys embrace the "comic booky" nature of the project here.

It's funny because that's something Joss was very adamant about when we started off. At the beginning, I had some serious concerns because he had picked me, and I still don't know why. I said, "Look, my career is one where you can go back to the very beginning, and you'd never go 'Oh yeah, he does photorealism very well.'" But Joss said, "That's just it. I want this book not to be a carbon copy. I don't want you to trace photographs." He said it to me so easily when he said, "I want Buffy to look like Buffy and not necessarily like Sarah Michelle Gellar." Just in saying that, he put it into perspective for me in that while I try to emulate the characters, I'm not a slave to what their features are. As a result, "Buffy" is very much a comic book, but you can still get out the presence and the essence of who that character is.



Part of this arc is very much about who Buffy has become over the course of this story and the whole franchise. When you came into this, were you a big fan of the show, and do you draw scenes like this one feeling the weight of all that character development?

No, actually. That's another funny thing where why I was chosen, I'll never know. Before this project, I had never watched an episode of "Buffy" in my life. I was aware of the TV show, but more out of pop culture. So obviously over the four years, I got educated very quickly. I consider myself a fan now, but not at the beginning. And when you watch the show, a large part of the show is melodrama, and I think a large part of why you watch that show and love it is to see these characters talk to each other about how they feel and how they feel about each other. When I do come to a scene like this – and thankfully there have been many over the course of the series – where it's just them sitting and talking, that's where I think I try to be more like the show more often than not. It's something where this is going to have an emotional impact if nothing else. And if I can get that across to you – when all that's sitting in front of me is the written word – visually, then I think I've done my job. I always invite criticism, and I tell people to let me know if I've done something write or wrong. I am a professional, but I'm also drawing this from the perspective of a fan as well.



Here we get some military stuff!

I know! [Laughter]

There is a lot of verisimilitude to this arc as we shift from spaceships to underground caverns to this outdoor wasteland. How do you approach designing the pages differently to get something like the final effect here with this sun-swept background?

Usually you do want to separate things out. Like you said, the previous scene was all done dark, and that's intentional because it's underground and in caves, but once Xander and Dawn come up on top you do want the impression that they're not down in that anymore. The sun was written into the script here because this whole scene and the rest of the series rests a lot on the setting sun to further this metaphor that the story comes together at twilight – hahaha – which is the name of the entity or character or whatever you'll find out next issue about "What is Twilight?" I think that Joss also wanted to have that visually brought forth not just as a metaphor but also the cast approaching that twilight hour as the climax is coming.



And the next page gives you a chance to dig back into that Xander/Dawn drama in giving them each half of the page to really kind of exist each in their own kind of anguish. How did that visual come about?

For that page, I hate to say it, but that's the way it was laid out in the script. I had very little to do with how it was done. I might have changed the perspective a little bit, but essentially, that's how I got it. That was the herring – that Dawn was going to die or something would happen – and at the end of this scene, you're still left with that. Knowing Joss, we'll come back to this scene later and see Dawn dead on the table to realize that we hadn't known this whole time we were seeing her last moments instead of just her in a whole lot of pain.

And it's another example of how the "acting" was very important for you to pull off.

There is that. If you want to get technical with it, it wasn't described as "Panel 2: Xander holds his mouth" or "In Panel 4 he does this." It was said in the script that in panel 6 he turns to the general and confronts him, but it wasn't said that Dawn had her arm over her face because she was in anguish. Those are the little details that I think any good artist tends to put in a book as his contribution. It's how the scene plays and how you as an artist move your actors in that scene that show the testament of a really good artist, or consequently a really bad artist. Some artists feel if it's not in the written word, they can't put it on paper, but I tend to look at what I'm doing as if I'm directing and thinking "What would these actors be doing even if they don't have a line in that sentence?"



The final page of the issue brings two things to mind. First, we've been dealing with Buffy's powers a lot in this arc, and in Brad's arc it was a lot of fun superhero stuff. Here, we instead get a much more sobering take on what's at stake as Buffy's powers start to fluctuate.

Right. And it's funny too because when I first got acquainted with Buffy, I was taken aback by how violent it was. I'm not trying to be PC or anything here, but I am really against violence against women in that sense. So when I saw the first few episodes I saw, because I didn't know how strong she was, I was struck by how often this poor girl gets hit by men or by creatures or whatever. It struck me with this defense mechanism that we as human beings have to go, "Oh this poor little, defenseless thing is getting hurt." In doing this particular scene, I really wanted to bring that home. Here we'd seen Buffy on par with Superman, and now as the story progresses you're finding that Angel has become stronger because he really hits Buffy hard. I tried to illustrate that on the left side of the page as the panel breaks as well. I wanted to get that feeling, and this was a case where I drew in the sound effect too. I didn't want it to necessarily get in the way of the art, but I wanted that sound of him punching her to echo in your head.

I was really taken by how violent that act of hitting a woman is, which is maybe my upbringing, but it's something I don't particularly like. So in panel 4 when you get a close-up of Buffy, it doesn't say in the script that she's bleeding. But I just thought, "Okay, if she got hit that hard and Angel is tipping the balance, this girl is going to have a lot of blood on her face." It's those little things when you act it out that makes an artist bring to the paper.

And the second element of this page is this creepy glint in Angel's eye which I can't tell is sinister or vacant. What were you trying to impress upon the reader with that last panel?

That's just it. I don't think I knew because a lot of this is all in Joss' head, and some of it doesn't make it out to me until the next script. So I knew that Angel was possessed in some way by the end of the issue, but I didn't know if he was malicious or vacant. It's funny that you mention the eyes because at the get-go when I got to this page, I didn't want to color them in like they're regular eyes. I knew that if you wanted to register any change in the character, that would come through in the eyes. So I left them as white, round ovals and told Scott "However you want to do the eyes is your prerogative, but whatever happened to Angel should come through in the eyes." Because whatever it is that people are going to get out of this – it's Angelus, it's Twilight, whatever – it was going to come from the eyes. That's what I did intentionally while having more black in the panel to illustrate those eyes stronger.

"Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 8" #38 is on sale now. And tune in next month for more of CBR's BEHIND BUFFY SEASON 8!

[comic fan]

Buffyfest reviews Illyria #1 of 4.

Buffyfest: Illyria Extravaganza Day Three: The Review (SPOILERS)

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Illyria Extravaganza Day Three: The Review (SPOILERS)



The Preamble: Back when Mariah first took over as the lead editor for the Angel series at IDW, I asked her for one thing, just one. I called dibs on an Illyria series. But did she listen? No. She'd had designs on the blue one all her own and, since she's the editor and I'm, well, the guy who writes reviews about comics, she won out. You win this round, Huehner, but you've not heard the last of… wait, what? Oh, right. Dark Horse.

Hey, Scott Allie? I'm a good writer and an even better ass kisser, do you think I could…. no? Bugger. Alright then. On with the show.

The Review: Since this is a "night before the book is released" kind of thing, let's keep this short, sweet, and spoiler free…t (that was a bad rhyme, that). So! Illyria. Really old, kinda blue, walks around wearing the face of a dead woman that a whole bunch of people really liked. What's a sort of girl to do when she finally gets tired of punching things? Why, she goes on a bit of a spirit quest to figure out her place in the world, of course. And with this first issue we get the introduction to exactly that.

One of the goals here is to do something that hasn't ever been done properly before: get inside Illyria's head. This is the one spot where Mariah and my opinion's differed a little. This incarnation of Illyria is rather chatty, in the voice over department. I imagine Illyria as being stoic and sparsely contemplative, even when she's at the proverbial crossroads. But here she's teeming with things to say. There are times when that works remarkably well but there are a few times it feels a bit forced. That's my one quibble but, if truth be told, we've got some catching up to do on Illyria's identity and there's only four issues to do it in so I get the logic behind the decision.

In this first issue, Illyria seeks out two people for council: Angel and Spike. One of the ways that this issue really excels is at capturing just how different Angel and Spike are in how they relate to the world. Angel can be good at his own journey towards self discovery but he's complete rubbish at helping anyone else. Spike, on the other hand, will be around for several issues because he actually knows how to be, you know, emotionally useful. Both their characterizations are spot on.

The story construction for this issue is simple but effective: philosophical pondering bookended by ass kicking. Sounds like exactly what you'd expect an Illyria story to be. But it's more than that. It's a real character piece, an in depth analysis of what makes her tick and it's very clear that whoever she was, whatever she is right now, is all about to change. In all the quiet moments of this issue you can feel that we're teetering right at the edge of something massive.

More than anything, though, we should be talking about the art which is absolutely magnificent. Elena's pencils and Ilaria's colors combine to make what, for my money, is the best looking book we've seen in the Angel franchise. Not only is it absolutely gorgeous but it also fits perfectly with Illyria as a character and with this particular story. I found myself just staring at individual panels and marveling at just how impressive they are.

When you get to the end of this issue, I think you're going to want to read it again. You might even find yourself reading it not just twice, but thrice. It's that good. And there's a lot more to come, including a homage to Labyrinth, a number of brand new characters, and a return to the Deeper Well.

I give this issue four and three quarters Old One Sarcophagi out of five.

Stay tuned for tomorrow where we'll be previewing some more pencil art and sharing the interview we did with Mariah back at NYCC.

[comic fan]

A first look at Buffy, Angel, and Spike kicking it old school

A first look at Buffy, Angel, and Spike kicking it old school



Dark Horse Comics has provided us with an exclusive first glimpse at the cover of the upcoming Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Tales anthology. The cover feature the series' bizarre love triangle illustrated by Buffy cover artist Jo Chen.

Here's the scoop on the collection, which hits stores January 19, 2011:

Before Season Eight, Joss Whedon brought generations of Slayers and vampires to comics with the help of his acclaimed TV writing team and some of the best artists to ever grace the comics page. Now all those stories, plus selected stories from Season Eight, are collected in one deluxe hardcover with a new cover by Jo Chen.

Joss writes multiple tales: a somber vamp tale, drawn by Cameron Stewart; the story of the first Slayer, drawn by Leinil Yu; and more.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Tales also reprints for the first time new Season Eight stories written by novelist Jackie Kessler (Hell's Belles) and award-winning cartoonist Becky Cloonan (Demo), featuring vampires living in the public eye, killing Slayers and killing each other.

This hardcover collects stories from MySpace Dark Horse Presents #31 and #32; Tales of the Vampires: Carpe Noctem parts 1 and 2; Buffy: Tales of the Vampires one-shot; Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Tales of the Vampires #1—#5; Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Tales of the Slayers #1—"Broken Bottle of Djinn"; Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Tales of the Slayers TPB.

You can also check out the leaked cover for Buffy The Vampire Slayer #39 — the penultimate issue of Season 8 — which hits stores December 19.


I have my copies of Spike #2 of 8 and Illyria:Haunted #1 0f 4.I don't really have time to post dialog right now but both issues have some juicy things on that front.

Spike #2

Wolfram and Hart is back and they've staked claims in Vegas.Not on Spike's watch.

Poor Jeremy

Yes Jeremy is back and he's been possessed by a representative of Wolfram and Hart.They chose him because they knew Spike wouldn't hurt/kill his friend and he'll have to hear him out.If Angel had shown up they would of trapped Cordelia's essence in some object.If Connor had shown up they would brought in a proto ooze version of Darla.Since it was Spike who has shown up they are willing to make a deal since Spike knows that there is evil and then there is EVIL!.Wolfram and Hart is rebuilding after there blow in L.A..This casino is one of those projects.They'll leave the good people alone and only focus on certain people at their casino.If Spike leaves Wolfram and Hart alone in Vegas then they'll let Spike keep tabs and monitor their activities.They'll even give Spike a 15 grand a night penthouse suite at their casino if he's willing to work with W&H.Shades of Angel season 5 which Spike points out.He tells them to take a flying leap and that's when John,the guy with Dru steps in.Good thing Groo flies in to lend a hand at the end of the issue(Spike sent Beck to get Groo as backup before he went to speak with possessed Jeremy).

Thought this was a fun issue but waiting for more info on John.

Illyria #1

Scott and Maria delivered a very juicy first issue.Like I said,I don't have time to post dialog but the Illyria/Angel talk(love Angel's reaction to Illyria bringing up the whole trying to mate with Connor deal) and then the Illyria/Spike talk at a poetry slam(Spike starts a brawl there when a demon does his poetry not in English) that Illyria quickly ends are both worth the cover price.Just a great great talk Illyria has with both vampires.And the issue ends with Illyria taking Spike's advice and returning to the Deeper Well.

A very strong debut issue.

Pat reviews Angel #38.Illyria #1 And Spike #2.

Buffyverse Comic Reviews: Angel #38, Illyria #1, Spike #2

[comic fan]

Buffy Season 8 lunch boxes and glasses out in May(solicitation from Dark Horse in Feb.).

Comics Continuum: Dark Horse Comics for February

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER

After the end of the television series, Dark Horse and creator Joss Whedon teamed up to keep Sunnydale's favorite daughter alive and well in comic-book format. Dark Horse has delved into the rich archive of Jo Chen's award-winning cover art to bring the latest in our line of acclaimed accoutrements -- a shiny new Buffy lunch box and a four-pack of 16 oz. glasses!

Lunch Box, full-color, embossed metal, 8" x 7" x 3 3/4", $14.99, in stores on May 25.

[ashleyt]

I thought those were shot glasses for a second

[comic fan]

Preview Pages For Buffy Season 8 #39.

Preview: Buffy the Vampire Slayer #39 - Comic Book Resources

EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW: "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" #39

Courtesy of Dark Horse, CBR presents an exclusive preview of "Buffy & Vampire Slayer" #39. Written by Joss Whedon and Scott Allie, art and cover by Georges Jeanty and a Jo Chen variant, the issue hits December 1



It's war, and there will be casualties not soon forgotten as Buffy faces her most fearsome enemy.

Buffy creator Joss Whedon and series artist Georges Jeanty join forces for the most emotional issue to date as they approach the finale of Season Eight.

* The penultimate issue!

* Written by Joss Whedon!

[ashleyt]

Interesting

[comic fan]

Buffyfest preview pages for tomorrow's Angel #39 Part 1 of the final IDW Angel arc,"'The Wolf, the Ram, and the Heart."

Buffyfest: Angel #39: Exclusive Preview

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Angel #39: Exclusive Preview



By: Mariah Huehner, David Tischman, Bill WIlliams, Elena Casagrande, Jenny Frison

'The Wolf, the Ram, and the Heart, part 1'

Now that all the weirdness has been explained, Angel and company are looking to get back to what they do best. Except an old enemy with the letters W and H comes back, Angel gets transported, and a whole new can of demony worms is opened. Literally.

Release date: 17 November 2010
Price: $3.99







[img]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_S8NvEtc8_m8/TONJgyrXmfI/AAAAAAAAD1c/***dTqRo8_c/s1600/Angel+39+4.jpg[/img]



*Please note, previews are not final. Any errors will be corrected for the physical release.

[comic fan]

I have my copy of Angel #39.Part 1 of the 6 part,"The Wolf,The Ram And The Heart."The final Angel arc at IDW.

First of all,the error from the preview page where Poly answers Gunn with Connor is in the finished issue.

I really like the dynamic between Connor,Gunn,Laura and Poly.Connor and Gunn may still have issues with each other but it's good that they want to try to work things out.

The Angel stuff in the issue is really interesting.The people who attack Angel in his car in the preview pages are from Wolfram And Hart and they've captured Angel.The person specifically behind it is the dude with the dreadlocks and glasses named Darrow.

Darrow:Hello Angelus,My name is Darrow.

Angel's thoughts:Room looks like something out of Dark Shadows.Last thing I remember is that truck on PCH.Should be fired like an egg.Spitting rocks out of my teeth.

Angel:It's Angel

Darrow:A vampire cursed by gypsies.Loved by a slayer.Father of a impossible child.You brought the Apocalypse.

The gist is that Wolfram and Hart have transported Angel to the future.A future with L.A. in ruins and empty of life.

Angel racing to the roof of the empty Wolfram and Hart building.

Angel thoughts:Are the Senior Partners here?Why now/What do they want THIS time?But dealing with Wolfram & Hart AND James is a double whammy NONE of us are ready to deal with.I need to warn the others.They need to...

Angel burst through the roof door and stops in shock.

Angel: OH.MY.GOD(in a small voice).

Darrow comes up behind him.

Darrow:THIS is why I brought you here,Angel.Times have changed.The firm...Wolfram & Hart....We're NOT the bad guys...Not any more.

Los Angeles

Angel stares out on the roof at the destroyed and deserted looking L.A.

Angel still staring at the ruined cityscape:Who did this?

Darrow:You knew him as James.He turned the entire planet into a FACTORY.A demon breeding ground,with humans as the birthing vessels.Armies of millions,sent out to fight,throughout the dimensions.

And we see the start of this with a scene in the present with James in the issue .

Darrow continued:I think I found a way to STOP him,but I need your help.

Angel facing Darrow while standing on the roof ledge:No way.I've made deals with Wolfram & Hart before,and lost people I loved every time.Send me back.

Darrow:I can't.Not without The SENIOR PARTNERS.And they won't help you....

Angel:Unless I help YOU.

Darrow: Pretty much

Angel:Then it looks like you have a problem,Darrow.

And now comes the moment that I think is the beginning of Angel's road to Twilight.The last page with Angel's thoughts.

Angel jumps off the roof.

Angel's thoughts as he dives off the roof:So this is the future.Somewhere in the past,something went wrong.We lost.I'm going to think about that for the rest of my life.

Next:The beginning of the end.

This really does feel like we have our set up now for Angel becoming Twilight and what was revealed in the flashbacks with Angel in Buffy #36 and what was alluded to in the talk with Angel and Whistler in the Riley One-Shot.The last page of the issue really sealed that for me.

This issue was good.Mariah and David did a good job with the voices and we have a good setup for the next five issues.Angel in the future where they lost the war thanks to James with the others in the present.

We also have the conclusion of the Eddie Hope back up and it's a nice wrap up for the character.

[comic fan]

Buffyverse Comics Reviews interview's Mariah Huehner on Angel #39 and the upcoming issues of Angel,Spike and Illyria and reviews issue Angel 39 as well.The interview is on you tube videos.Watcxh it at the site

Buffyverse Comic Reviews: Interview with Mariah Huehner... and review for Angel #39

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Interview with Mariah Huehner... and review for Angel #39



Angel #39

The Wolf, the Ram, and the Heart part 1

Written by David Tischman and Mariah Huehner

Art by Elena Casagrande

This review is going to be peppered with the best kind of pepper outside of actual delicious pepper. VIDEO INTERVIEWS!

Don’t mind the roar of the audience in the background. Mariah and I were surrounded by adoring fans of Angel and this site. There was a whole coliseum of them.

That, or we were at New York Comic Con.

Now, the issue.

It feels a lot like I wanted “Angel: Aftermath” to feel. Back when “Aftermath” came out, the biggest Angel arc had just ended. The character’s lives were changed forever. I wanted to read something that was simultaneously different from what came before but still consistent with the characters and the tone of the series. My expectations weren’t really met with that series, and now we’re in a somewhat similar place. The arc that Bill Willingham started and Mariah and David carried out has just finished. By the end of the arc, everyone had been changed forever. Connor took over as champion of LA, Spike left for Vegas, Illyria set out to find herself, and Angel decided to take a step back and let his son grow as a man. So again, I was faced with the same expectation. I wanted consistency, but I knew that things couldn’t be the same.

This book excels at doing just that.

The parallel with “Aftermath” continues, as both books feature the main action of the story moving away from the Hyperion. Thankfully, though, Kate doesn’t go around offering anyone churches in this book. Connor decided to sell the Hyperion… essentially because the writers are trying to take a more realistic look at things. It takes a ****load of money to own a place as big as the Hyperion… and the only reason that normal folks are able to afford owning that kind of space is because they rent rooms to paying customers. Angel and co., not so much. And this book finally addresses what I’ve been wondering since early in the series: How in the hell can they afford that place? Well, they can’t. Not anymore. And Connor, Gunn, Laura, and Mr. Polyphemus make a necessary move to new digs.

Now, about that crowd. It’s a good group. I’m still waiting for Laura to have a moment that really sells me on her (Polyphemus’s was when he let Spike use him as a ball), but she’s tolerable. I love the pairing of Connor and Gunn, though. I’ve been anticipating some actual movement for their characters since “After the Fall,” because… well, Gunn killed Connor. And then, last time they were together, Connor said that he wanted to cut Gunn’s throat. A bit unsympathetic, no? This book makes up for that. Connor realizes that he was in the wrong for that, but there is an air of tension between them that goes beyond that. I’m excited to see how the clearly capable Huehner and Tischman explore that.

There is a creepy scene with James. Or Jamerah? Or the other creepy alieny name he had before. Everyone else is going with James, so I’ll agree with them. They’re my fictional buddies. So, James. He kinda… has a goo… baby… thing. It’s similar to the birth of the soul eater, but this one looks very different. No idea where any of that is going, but it ups the horror factor to a level that Angel as a television show rarely took it to. It facilitates the different mood that the comic is playing with.

Now, to Angel. Angel Angel Angel. We knew thanks to the kind and good smelling folks over at Buffyfest that our eponymous hero was going to be removed from our current timeline. Not much I can say about that, other than the folks that pull him out are pretty much from where you’d expect. Good ol’ Wolfram & Hart. While they’re creepy as always, they seem less… lawyery in the future. And this time, when they say what they’ve said before (“We’re not the bad guys.”) I… kind of believe them. At least, they’re not the worst bad guys. James really screwed stuff in the future up, and Angel realizes that that means something he did in the past (his/our present) must have really been off base. They, for some reason, were unable to stop this threat. So Future W&H wants to enlist Angel to somehow make things right.

But Angel would rather jump off a building than do that. So he does.

And because this is a comic, it ends on that dramatic moment. It was solid read, and it felt very much like the beginning of an epilogue. The end of IDW’s Angel is coming, and Mariah and David are crafting what promises to be an excellent story.

Plus, Angel is wearing a hoodie. He sure knows how to rock a hoodie.

--VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH DAVID TISCHMAN NEXT WEEK--



Back-up story: “Eddie Hope- Sunset”

Written by Bill Williams

Art by Elena Casagrande and Walter Trono

While Angel gets a new beginning, Eddie Hope comes to an end. Not a deathy kind of end, though. The “Holy ****, that guy Angel and his crew really beat me up… and kind of for nothing. Gunn wasn’t even on my list, but I went after him anyway. I’m going beyond what my original mission was. Time to say **** that and go home.” And that’s essentially it. The actual writing is more eloquent than that, but as the title implies, Eddie lets the sun set on his vengeance gig. It’s a good, if abrupt, end to the character. Bill Williams has consistently done a great job with shoving a big story into four pages, and while I would have liked a bit more breathing room for Eddie’s swan song, this does the trick. He was an engaging character, and the back-ups were always a pleasure to read. He’ll be missed.

Don’t miss my interview with Bill Williams, where he comments on Eddie’s final chapter: Buffyverse Comic Reviews: Eddie Hope and Bill Williams Bow Out: Exit Interview


Oh, and just a bit of “I hope” here. While Eddie’s story end with the first part of “The Wolf, the Ram, and the Heart,” I really hope that it’s collected with the previous installments in the “Connorland” hardcover. It would be super awkward to have this one Eddie back-up in the final hardcover.


Buffyverse Comics Review also interviews Bill Williams about the end of his Eddie Hope co-feature.

Buffyverse Comic Reviews: Eddie Hope and Bill Williams Bow Out: Exit Interview

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Eddie Hope and Bill Williams Bow Out: Exit Interview

SPOILERS: Read Angel #39. Don't be that guy. You know
that guy. That guy who gets spoiled by reading an interview
because he/she (girls can be "that guy" too, don't be sexist)
didn't have enough patience. Be warned, potential "that guy."

IDW Extravaganza

Pat Shand Interviews Bill Williams

Again: Exit Interview

Writer of the Eddie Hope backups in ANGEL

and SPIKE: THE DEVIL YOU KNOW


Buffyverse Comic Reviews: So, Eddie Hope dies. Very sad.


Kidding.


So Bill, Eddie Hope’s story end with today’s issue. After escaping from Team Angel, everyone’s favorite bright blue devil came to the realization that it’s time for a break. How do you feel Eddie’s decision to return home wraps up the character?

Bill Williams: Well, the plan was to have him introduced into Team Angel, but that was scrapped which works just as well for me. I’m not sure that the vengeance road has room for a full minivan.
For me, I got a solid grip on the character when I had another character ask him why he never went home when Los Angeles snapped back to normal. Eddie Hope’s name became ironic for him in that he considered himself damaged and corrupted by the events of After the Fall. He was afraid that he would poison all of his friends and family if he did not quarantine himself. That put him on an even lonelier road.

So in Angel #39, Eddie has suffered a nasty physical beating and it makes him reconsider what he is doing. There is also a nice callback to the Spike mini-series. It was fun for me to be able to write a few lines of dialogue for Angel in the Angel comics.

My truncated run with Eddie ends with the scene I always intended to conclude the series with, just a bit early. Eddie’s story is over, but in comics anything is possible.



BCR: Fans have been all a-twitter. Is Eddie modeled after Wentworth Miller?

BW: That’s a question for David Messina who is a great guy. An Italian publisher found that we both worked on the Eddie stuff for Angel. They were interested in publishing Italian editions of some work I published in the states and David more or less vouched for both sides so I’m at the contract stage for those foreign rights. Like I said great guy.

When it comes to the art I do my best to leave out any reference to celebrity. It’s one of those things that can really bite you when it goes wrong and I did not know that David would be the lead artist on the Eddie stories until the last minute. I suppose one of the many reasons not to provide reference is the danger that you will end up with bad photo tracing as a result.

I was at the Wizard show in Austin chatting with Brian Denham as he was drawing a Spike commission for a fan and man that guy gets it. He can pull up a photo on his cell phone and draw a likeness that is spot on and not deadened by the process.

That said, I can see a little passing resemblance to the Prison Break actor.




BCR: What was your favorite moment in your tenure as an Angel/Spike writer?

BW: At the end of Angel #38, Eddie has been beaten unconscious by Team Angel. Originally in issue #39, Eddie was to have a hallucination and have a bit of a dream walk where a few stray bits of his character were stitched together and it was surreal and charming and funny. But that bit was cut away in the change over in the creative teams when Willingham left the title.

I liked writing the banter between the Spike and Eddie in the Spike: Devil You Know mini-series, which will be out in trade form early next year. I pitched it as ‘24 with Vampires’, but by the time I was through it was more like ‘48 Hours with vampires’. Spike has such a wonderful sense of humor, that it’s a shame not to use it.



But my favorite bit that hit the shelves was the extended fight between Team Angel and Eddie in Angel #37 and #38. Eddie is fairly certain that the vampires and monsters on Team Angel will kill him if they beat him and Team Angel is furious for the abduction of Gunn. There’s a lot of drama in that fight.


BCR: Now that Eddie's story has wrapped up, what is next for Bill Williams?

BW: I am so far behind in my effort in the National Novel Writing Month. The challenge is to write a 50,000 word novel between November 1 and November 30. To hit that mark, you need to manage around 1700 words a day. I lost a week already as I finished a new comic book project that just hit the digital distributors. So, I need to pull out a few 5,000 word days to hit the writing deadline. The novel is a mystery set in Austin where a young police detective chases a killer and wanders into a variation on a Hitchcock classic.

The reason I lost that week was that I have a new webcomic launching on December 1. A few years back, I wrote a story that is loosely based on some events I lived through when my cat was hit by a car and I had to help him rehab. Biscuit & Lefty: A Cat’s Tale is available for digital download from WOWIO. WOWIO: Biscuit & Lefty: A Cat's Tale by Bobby Diaz, Bill Williams and Thom Zahler It is also in the works with Graphic.ly and Comics Plus and more. It will launch for free as a webcomic on December 1 off of my blog www.billwilliamsfreelance.com which is chock full of fun stuff. The story is so sweet that my letterer Thom asked me if I really wrote it. The art is by Bobby Diaz and me and I’m pretty proud of it. Bobby penciled it and I inked and colored the pages.



At that show in Austin, I talked with Brent Erwin from Ape Entertainment and he seems keen on a pitch I sent in for one of his licensed properties. So I might have a few projects in the cycle from them.

But with the comic book field, you never know.

--
Big thanks to Bill Williams for the interview! Check out the links he provided and be sure to catch the end of Eddie Hope's saga of vengeance in Angel #39.

[comic fan]

IDW books for February 2011.

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

ANGEL #42 (of 44)

David Tischman, Mariah Huehner (w) Elena Casagrande (a) Jenny Frison (c)

Illyria finds Angel in deep trouble, and Angel finds Illyria... altered. The two of them must confront Wolfram & Hart, and the Big Bad, if they have any hope of rescuing L.A. Of course, it's not nearly that simple, and Illyria must make a sacrifice so Angel can do what he does best: be a hero.

FC 32 pages $3.99



SPIKE #5 (of 8 )

Brian Lynch (w) Stephen Mooney (a) Nick Runge (c)

When the going gets tough, the tough call in a witch. FEATURING... WILLOW!

FC 32 pages $3.99



ANGEL: IILYRIA #4 (of 4)

Scott Tipton, Mariah Huehner (w) Elena Casagrande (a) Jenny Frison (c)

Reclaiming some of what she had lost, Illyria must choose between what she was and who she could become. Her choice comes at a price... as well as a final farewell she never thought she'd make.

FC 32 pages $3.99



ANGEL: AFTER THE FALL PREMIERE EDITION, VOL. 1

Brian Lynch, Joss Whedon (w) Franco Urru, Nick Runge, Stephen Mooney (a) Tony Harris (c)

Issues #1-17 of Angel: After the Fall are collected here, in this Premiere Edition hardcover! Dive in as series writer Brian Lynch and Angel overlord Joss Whedon tell the tale of what happened to Angel & Co. on the night that WOLFRAM & HART sent their minions into the alley in "Not Fade Away."

HC FC $100.00 432 Pages 8.5" x 12.75" ISBN: 978-1-60010-861-7

SALES POINTS:
Collects the entire "After the Fall" storyline co-plotted by Joss Whedon in one oversize hardcover!

[comic fan]

Nick Runge Spike #6 cover.

Comic Cove: Whedonesque



Here's my painting for the variant cover to Spike #6 from IDW. Willow guest stars in this issue as well, so a nice simple image of them together seemed appropriate.

Again, like usual, this is acrylic and colored pencils on illustration board. 30"x 20"

Posted by nickrunge at 10:54 AM

[comic fan]

Georges Jeanty Slayalive Q/A for buffy #38 is up.

SlayAlive - Q&A with Georges Jeanty Session 16

[COMPLETE]Q&A with Georges Jeanty Session 16

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. Questions regarding Twilight NO LONGER HAVE TO SPOILER-TAGGED! (Thank goodness... it was a pain having to make sure that the appropriate questions/answers were spoiler-tagged).

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.

Please note that Georges is often not really at liberty to divulge big spoilers, so don't waste those questions here... "No spoilers/comment" is a reasonable response to those.

Alright... GO!

1 bamph: Poor Angel indeed. I really do feel bad for him right now. Bad choices but with good intentions brought him onto the road he traveled this season and that road seems to end in this issue. Now Angel has been forcibly and bodily taken control of by Twilight. Anything terrible he does starting at the end of today's issue and next issue will be completely against his will and by force. I figure Angel under Twilight's control does do something pretty bad next issue that upset you, possibly killing a beloved character. My first thought though is we've seen this sort of plot before from Joss. The Angelus arc of Buffy season 2 and the Cordelia/Jasmine arc of Angel season 4. What's going on in particular feels like what went down with Cordy. Would you agree that this is similar to those two story lines and should we be looking for the differences?

Georges: It's just too depressing to go into (and you'll find out in a couple of weeks!)

2. bamph: This might be a bit spoilerish but will Buffy know Angel isn't in control of his actions next issue and will there be a element of trying to save him by freeing him of Twilight's control while they fight? Is this what,"rescue the prince" meant back in issue 10?

Georges: Wow. Someone has been reading their trades! Issue 10 was foreshadowing, that's all I can say.

3. bamph: How did you approach the end of the issue with Angel under Twilight's control? Art wise, did you have certain directions from Joss Whedon and Scott Allie? It's really subtle but works well when Angel first arrives on the scene.

Georges: What I was really trying to keep in mind was continuity. And that was more on Angel and where he'd been wounded. I tried to keep all the little tears in his jacket consistent and whatever bruises he was getting. I think I might have represented the Twilight factor by making his jacket a deeper black. Like not having any light reflected from it, or not to draw in the individual folds. That was the only conscious thing I did when he was becoming Twilight.

4. drywallman: You indicated in the previous Q&A that Dawn and Xander's relationship will continue, which would seem to mean they will both survive this season. We've already been told that there will be at least one major death this season. Why do you feel comfortable narrowing down the list, or are we misreading your comment?

Georges: I guess I wasn't trying to create a suspense here and the fact that I said their relationship continues does narrow things down a bit, doesn't it? But, where's Andrew? Faith?
Heavens, someone make sure they're alright! And Kennedy. Has anyone seen Kennedy? Is she okay? Pipe down all you K-haters! They'll be no rejoicing from you! Kennedy? Seriously, sweetie, say something...

5. cheryl: I am very confused about which side the PTB are on and who is supposed to be the good guys vs the bad guys. Is it safe to assume that Twilight is the bad guy? (Angel under the influence of the cat thing) Or is Buffy suspect too?

Georges: I thought that was a little vague too. I took it to mean that Twilight entity was more than just good and evil, it is another plain of existence, and such mortal concepts just don't apply. Buffy plays her part but has she ever really been evil? She's been misled, sure, but evil? She's just too cute, and oh that perfect little nose.

6. cheryl: This seems to be a mirror of what happened between Buffy and Angel in season 2 and the Angelus arc, only this time Angel is possessed and Twilight, are we naive to assume that this isn't going to put a bigger emotional burden on the relationship than the Angelus arc did?

Georges: Season 9 anyone?

7. cheryl: Are you guys afraid that the next issue might be so bad and the rage so high, that fans of the series walk away? For good? When you start talking about character deaths, fans get agitated and fast.

Georges: Yes! They'll walk away in rage and scream and shout. And then after a while they'll turn around and start to think that there's still one more issue to be had. Then they'll come back for that one, but that's it. Then they'll remember that there'll be a Season 9 and all hell will break loose again!
I honestly don't know how fans are going to react, I can only say this fan didn't take the news so well.

8. moscowwatcher: Hi, Mr.Jeanty! The new issue was awesome. Your cover and the last panel are forever imprinted in my mind. Thank you for all the wonderful panels. The fights are exciting and visceral with many rich details to make them memorabvle. I particularly liked the detail that Buffy makes herself a stake from Spike's axe. The characters' facial expressions are spot-on. Buffy's last close-up is heartbreaking. Thank you for great job.

Questions:

Several pages feature strange inserts - Angel's face with yellow eyes - on the pages with images, irrelevant to his face. These inserts are framed in yellow. At first I thought that it means that Angel gets information about the events that happen at this or that particular page (in some mystical way). Then, right before the Angel's entrance, the page on which Buffy and Spike fight monsters, there is a similarly framed rectangular insert of the detail of the green monster eyes (I guess these were eyes). Do these inserts mean something?

Georges: The inserts with Angel were supposed to signify that Angel was becoming Twilight while the fight was going on at the same time, that's why the panels were floating. It's a story telling device. The one of the demon was just a beat I thought that page needed before Angel rips it apart. Looking at it again, the borders probably shouldn't have been in yellow. I should have caught that.

9. moscowwatcher: The way the overall disposition is drawn it's unclear if the demons invade the Earth from the Twilight dimension or from many different dimensions. Were you given any notes on that subject?

Georges: I think when this new universe was being created it ripped the fabric of a lot of neighboring universes and created pockets of portals into our world where a the major fighting was taking place. You'll see more of this next issue!

10. moscowwatcher: Spike smokes cigarettes on almost every panel. Was it your contribution or you were given notes to draw him smoking?
Thank you again for answering our questions!

Georges: Some smoke breaks were suggested and others I just wanted to have something for him to do. You know Spike, he's only too happy to light up when he can. I mean, what's he got to fear, lung cancer? (Remember kids, smoking is bad for your health... unless you're a vampire... But when you get into that logic, how could a Vampire expel the smoke if a Vampire “has no breath to give”?)

11. maje77: From Scott and you, we’ve heard all these tragic and shocking ways to describe what happens in issue 39. As you’ve seen, some fans completely believe that Buffy and Angel’s relationship will be destroyed beyond repair, and that he’s the betrayer. Now that the full cover of #39 has been revealed to show Buffy fighting Angel, a fan could almost buy that. But I’m a suspicious person. Are we supposed to be shocked that Buffy and Angel fight because to me it’s more of a mislead of whose truly the betrayer in the sense that there’s a heck of a lot of suspect behavior from other characters going on. So I guess my question is, is there more to the cover than just assuming this massive fight/betrayal between Buffy and Angel?

Georges: Be suspicious. Be very suspicious.

12. maje77: In issue 38, Buffy loses her super strength when she gets close to the seed. Could we assume the same for Angel (even possessed Twilight Angel)?

Georges: Once Angel is Twilight it's a whole new ball game. His strength is no longer the issue... which is bad for Buffy...

13. maje77: The panels with Giles and Buffy gave me the feeling of goodbye, especially Giles’ line, “I’ll see you when this is over”. Is that interpretation valid?

Georges: Giles is ever the reassuring father Buffy never had. I think even if Giles were going off to fight to the death in the French Foreign Legion he would tell his little girl he'd see her when all this was over. If there was ever an anchor in the whole series of Buffy it has to be Giles. I know in Seasons 6 and 7 it seemed that he outlived his usefulness, but he was always an anchor to Buffy regardless if he was there as a Watcher or a father figure. I love Giles. I would have loved to see that Ripper series when that was still a possibility a few years ago. I thought it was going to be a lot like Torchwood.

14. AndrewCrossett: In the scene where Willow is with the Master and casting her spell with the Seed, are her eyes glowing red or is that just a reflection from the Seed?

Georges: I had it that her eyes were glowing red because she was absorbing the power of the Orb for what she does next issue... oh wait. I shouldn't go on.

15. AndrewCrossett: Do you know why General Voll (from Long Way Home) disappeared, and this new nameless General took his place? He seems to sound quite a bit like Voll when he talks.

Georges: Yeah. That was my bad. I had no idea that those two guys were one and the same. Major blunder on my part! Sorry. He just disappeared forever and when he resurfaced I thought he was someone else.

16. AndrewCrossett: Will it be explained why Faith now has the Scythe, and what's happened to it since Buffy lost it?

Georges: Buffy never lost it. I think the official story is that one of the Slayers went and got it back from Tibet and brought it to the fight. Sound about right?

17. Maggie: Hi Georges,

Sorry to re-ask this question, but I'm still not clear. Going back to #37, it's obvious that Buffy is fantasizing about kissing Spike and it doesn't really happen. The question is when does the fantasy start. I want to say that the whole page is the fantasy -- but it really is hard to tell. Did Buffy really tell Spike what it was like having sex with Angel. Did he really get upset by it? By the time she's standing up to comfort him, it seems like that has to be fantasy. But the rhythm of what happens when she stops fantasizing doesn't make sense if the him getting upset part actually happened. Anyway -- at what point does the fantasy start? Thanks!

Georges: All the talking stuff happened and all the kissy sexy stuff didn't. I like your idea though, that the whole thing after a while takes place in Buffy's head. It might have meant an interesting angle to peruse.

18. veiriti: I’d like to paraphrase the Maggie’s question about Buffy’s daydream with Spike – Does Buffy’s daydream have a purpose, or this is only a gift to us – the fans of Spike/Buffy relationship? If it’s a gift it was a really big gift – hours after her destructive sex with Angel, Buffy is dreaming about Spike! That was priceless! Btw – lots of fans love these panels, and IMO the fans like your friend Janette are a minority. Once again – great job!

Georges: All the sexy stuff is going on in her head and that's directly from Joss. We had many a conversation about how they were hooking up and just how much we should show. Where hands were. You never really know what's going on in someone's head and Buffy's no exception. She obviously cares for Spike and if the end of Season 7 said anything, it was that she had forgiven him his transgressions for his sacrifice and to find that he's alive, well, I wish Joss would write that scene. I'm so interested in seeing it! Enjoy your gift.

19. veiriti: I’ve just read the new issue and I loved it. This time your Angel is brilliant, especially in the end – Angel/Twilight facial expression and his eyes made me to shiver to the bones – the real face of a soulless evil. My question is – does Angel/Twilight still have a soul? Willow calls him “Angelus”, Spike calls him “Angelus” too. Spike and Willow have supernatural senses. Do they detect something wrong in Angel’s soul? And entire season 8 Angel/Twilight is acting just like Angelus for me.

Georges: Now if we went into explaining all this what would you have to read in the next issue? Patience, grasshopper. All will be revealed in time.

20. veiriti: Back to issue 36. The new twilight Universe is depicted as a talking dog at first – When the dog is talking about his plans he is scratching – the dog obviously has bugs. Angel obviously is Twilight – the obedient puppet who has to fulfill the New Universe’s plans. Is Spike the “bug” in the Twilight Universe’s plan? Joss Whedon said in an interview that Spike’s role on Buffy Season 8 will be very important, so will we see him playing a pivotal role in the end?

Georges: What's the right answer here...? Yes? No?

21. kdeb: Re: all the smoking Spike's doing, since we didn't see him smoke a single cigarette in Angel Season 5, is the fact that he gets through a whole pack of smokes in this one comic meant to imply that he's nervous about something? Does he in fact have an agenda? At this point, I don't know whether to hope that he does, because that will mean there's some point to his being in the story, which there currently doesn't seem to be except for fanservice, or to hope that he doesn't, because if he does it'll probably make things worse for Buffy.

So basically, the question is, does Spike serve any actual purpose in this story, or has he just been included to please the fans, and if he does, is the smoking meant to suggest anything?

Georges: Like I said in a previous question, Spike's smoking is just something that I have him do to give him something to do. Where it's appropriate. Buffy doesn't like him to smoke so he probably wouldn't smoke when he's talking to her, but there's nothing to read into, he just likes to smoke. Joss wanted to have the whole gang back at the end. So if you feel that he's just there as window dressing he is part of the core. And the fact that there's a huge battle is something he wouldn't want to miss.

22. kdeb: A couple of questions about facial expressions:

While Buffy is arguing with Willow in the cave, there's one panel of Spike with his back to everyone else (smoking again!) and frowning. Could you clarify for me what the expression on his face is meant to imply?

Georges: If I remember correctly they were talking about compromising and making an unholy alliance of sorts with the Master.

23. kdeb: Likewise, at the end, when Angel appears, is the expression on Buffy's face meant to be of joy or concern? I've seen it interpreted both ways and would like to know what you were going for when you drew it.

Georges: From the script it's meant to be happy on Buffy's face. Because she thinks Angel has come back to help tip the scales. What's not to be happy about that? The mood quickly changes when she can sense something wrong.

24. bamph: Not in the last Q/A session but the one before it,you said, "Oh man, if you don't like Angel now, you are going to really hate him soon!" As a followup to my first question in this session, why do you think there will more hate for Angel than what is already there by some given the fact that Angel is now being fully controlled by Twilight and anything he does next issue is against his will? If he's being totally controlled by Twilight at this point than doesn't that mean he is not in control of his actions next issue and should we feel more pity than hate?

Georges: Those are the best tragedies, aren't they?

25. bamph: There is a lot of talk going in sections of fandom that this entire storyline is about subverting and destroying the Buffy/Angel romance/relationship and they will be dead as a ship by issue 40 with Buffy maybe even hating Angel. You've been asked in these Q/A sessions about whether Buffy/Angel shippers should be in panic mode for there ship with the usual answer being to be very afraid. With just two issues to go and now knowing Angel is being controlled by Twilight in the next issue, I want to ask something sort of fundamental about Season 8 as a whole. Has this season been about subverting and destroying Buffy/Angel as romantic ship for Joss or is that not the right reading of what is going on or what Joss is doing?

Georges: I don't think Joss is set out to piss off one side of the fandom or the other. He's just out to tell good stories and drama is what hooks us the most. If you try and tell a story that pleases everyone it probably won’t be as good. Stick with the book till the end of the season and then you come back here and tell me what you think.

26. bamph: A more fun question. We've seen all of your covers and Jo Chen's covers for the season now except Jo's cover for the last trade. Do you have a favorite cover of your own and a favorite cover of Jo's?

Georges: I pretty much love all of Jo's covers! She's just so good! I really only like a handful of my covers. Recently, I have to say, I really liked the Giles cover. The way it was inked and colored is beautiful. I loved the idea that we finally gave him his own cover. I would have loved to have given Xander his own as well, but no such luck.

27. sosa lola: Did you get the script for #40 yet? If so, are you satisfied with the ending? Do you think there are things that weren't covered in the last two issues that should have been?

Georges: I have finished the last issue and it's a great epilogue to the series. After the events of #39, you get a glimpse into what Season 9 could be like. It's one of the best issues I've drawn. Joss wrote it and I felt that he was really on his game with it. There are so many great moments with just character stuff that I'm such a fan of. I kept telling Joss that this issue was so good that there didn't need to be any action in it.

28. sosa lola: Do you have any information about the characters' roles in S9? I'm mostly interested in Xander's role. There will be four titles: Buffy, Willow, Spike and Angel. In which book will Xander appear?

Georges: I think there will only be 2 ongoing books with a few limited series thrown in there when necessary. The great thing about Issue 40 is that it gives you a glimpse into Season 9.

29. zamolxis: I liked how Buffy and Spike fight together, it reminded me of Buffy asking Satsu in The Long Way Home “you fight with me, not next to me” and now I want to see Spike and Satsu working together. Will Satsu appear in the remaining issues?

Georges: I think she's running around the battle in #39 but there won’t be too much more focus on her, sorry.

30. zamolxis: The girls were beat down badly in the series, Angel put Buffy and Satsu in the hospital covered with bandages and IV, smashed Faith’s head pretty hard into a tile. Buffy already forgave Angel and had sex with him, but how about Faith and the rest, are they gonna forgive Angel for what he did to them before the reveal?

Georges: Faith does something really remarkable, that's all I can say about that.

31. zamolxis: At the end of #38, Angel is just possessed by Twilight or the Twilight entity transferred itself into Angel and that way giving Buffy and the Scoobies the opportunity to kill Twilight for good?

Georges: See? Good drama! How do you kill the Entity without killing the host?

32. wenxina: Hey Georges. Marketing question. If one were to hypothetically want to buy original art from you, is there a particular third party site to go to? Mighty Nib has some early stuff, but nothing past the first few issues.

Georges: Hit me up on my website kabalounge.com and let me know what pages you're interested in and we can go from there. Sound good?

33. wenxina: So, at the moment, we have Twilight aka Angel-under-a-mask, Twilight the realm/new universe, Twilight the apocalypse, and Twilight the new universe incarnate (the griffin). Is there more to come on this whole Twilight business?

Georges: That is a very good question....

34. wenxina: So the stakes are stacked pretty high right now. The legion of otherworldly demons are still pouring in. Angel's all possessed, and supposedly on an errand to retrieve the Seed for his and Buffy's offspring. Willow seems to be playing with the source of all magic. Xander seems to be in serious second thought land. Dawn is badly hurt. Is that enough badness, or is there more to come?

Georges: That's a lot for a single issue to wrap up, isn't it? I think you can see now why Issue 39 is such a big deal. It all happens here. It was probably the densest issue I've ever had to draw in this series. We get a piece of everyone and this whole thing comes to a climax. It's big. And sad. And cathartic. And good. And... well, you'll see in a couple of weeks, and then we can meet back here with what will no doubt be a serious Q&A session! Don't hold back!