Angel: After the Fall, Vol. 1

Picks up where the TV show left off. Took me a little time to get into then I was hooked. As you read this you get so many ideas about how the show could have progressed after "Not Fade Away." Nice hardcover bound volume. Parts I and II are equally good.

When I started reading this, I had so many moments of saying "So THATS what happened to ...." that my husband had to pick it up immediately after I finished. I'm a huge fan of all the Buffy Omnibuses and of Season 8 so I was really pleased with both the artwork and the story line for Angel. The hardcover was just very nicely put together, it even had a little built in bookmark. If your a fan of Angel, this book will not disappoint.

This contains Chapters 1-5 of the canonical continuation of Angel. I read them for the first time when I got this book, all in one sitting, and I was deeply disappointed. I didn't feel an emotional connection to the characters, couldn't quite "grasp" what was going on with them, thought events were rushed and characters' actions didn't make sense. Where was all that plot and character development time I'm used to in the TV series, not to mention the nuanced expressions and gestures that I didn't even realize were guiding my interpretation of the dialogue? All this and I do read comics. But the book was so beautiful that I kept flipping through it, reading the author's notes, thinking about it. And I started re-reading more slowly, and I realized that the sparse writing was a benefit. You can't watch episodes of Angel over and over again without wasting a lot of time, but you can reread the comic in sections however long it takes you to catch the wit, to understand the action, and to develop empathy for the characters. And there's more to the After the Fall world than that. There are promising, intriguing new characters and plenty of space for those that didn't realize their full potential previously. The idea of camaraderie in fighting against evil is expanded as a few refuges for "good" in the middle of hell attract both demons and humans. Capable Connor shines, Wesley's in a gray area, one of our own is lost to evil again, and Angel's stubbornly holding onto why he fights after the last disastrous result. This comic's strengths are in the world it creates through large, gorgeous panels and a wide cast; the Buffyverse and Angelverse traditions of struggle, redemption, and interaction; and the requirement that the reader tap into his or her imagination. Because, after all, hasn't Angel's strength always been that it makes us think, feel, confront our own problems, and feel strong? After the Fall is in many places dark, hopeless, and painful, but you'll also get that warm, fuzzy feeling of family and the determination to fight your demons no matter how many dragons and super-powered friends you need to help you do it.

The series finale of Angel was the most brilliant episode of television I've ever seen. It was just a poignant, sad, and epic send-off to the characters I'd been following for so many years. It ended in the middle of a fight, because the point was that Angel would always be fighting to make things right. It was the perfect way to end the show. So needless to say, I wanted more. I mean, it's "Angel." When the day came that "Angel: After the Fall #1" was released, I held it in my hand for a second and realized that I would probably be disappointed. How could this book live up to my expectations. So again, needless to say... it didn't. It exceeded them. Brian Lynch understands the story and world of Angel in a way that only we passionate few--the fans--do. He takes what was great about Season Five and continues it, starting us off with an Angel who is broken and half the man he was, but still--as always--trying to make things right. The environment is different, because LA has been sent to Hell. Angel's situation is different, because... well, you'll have to read that to find out, because it's one of many revelations that will shock you with just how ballsy Joss and Brian are... because they take it to THAT level. These are literally the best comics I've ever read. The story is clear, so large scale, and really tugs hard at the heartstrings. The art is stylized but always beautiful. Artist Franco Urru is great with character moments and facial expressions, but his true appeal is in his action sequences, which bust with life. I've read these five issues about fifteen times each. So last night, when I sat down to read them in the hardcover collection format, I thought I'd just read the first issue and falls asleep. But I read the entire book in the one sitting, after already having read each issue so many times. And I was still utterly captivated. Such is the power of Joss Whedon, Brian Lynch, Franco Urru, and Angel. The book itself is beautiful and has a gorgeous cover and nice thick pages that will stand up to many readings. There is a nice design to the inside of this hardcover, which really shows that IDW put their all into this product. I've had complaints about IDW's Angel TPBS in the past, because some of the books have very weak spines, but this is simply a very handsome book that really stands out on your shelf. And unlike the Buffy: Season Eight collections, this book is packed with extras. There is an introduction by Brian Lynch, chapter page, a cover gallery, the original series proposal by Joss Whedon and Brian Lynch, the script to the first issue with commentary by Brian Lynch, and even a cloth bookmark for you to mark your place. 10/10 Classic.

The cover to this omnibus sums up the content clearly. It's beautifully written. I can hear the voices of the characters as I'm reading their words. I borrowed the separate comics and decided to wait for the omnibus before purchasing. Glad I did! It's the best way to get the 6th season of Angel. You have graphics and dialog - as close as you can get to the tv series. I find myself looking forward to the continuing story once again.