Angel: After the Fall

Angel: After the Fall/Aftermath
Cover of Angel: After the Fall #1. Art by Tony Harris.
Publication information
Publisher	IDW Publishing
Schedule	Monthly
Format	Ongoing series
Publication date	21 November 2007 - Present
No. of issues	17
Main character(s)	Angel Investigations
Creative team
Created by	Joss Whedon
Written by	Brian Lynch with Joss Whedon
Artist(s)	Franco Urru (#1-#5, #15-17) Nick Runge (#9-12) Stephen Mooney (#12-14) and others

Angel: After the Fall is a comic book published by IDW Publishing. Written by Brian Lynch and plotted by Joss Whedon, the series is a canonical continuation of the Angel television series, and follows the events of that show's final televised season. Angel: After the Fall sees the heroic vampire, Angel, coping with the apocalyptic aftermath of the television series after he took over and subsequently betrayed the demonic law firm, Wolfram & Hart. The city of Los Angeles has since been sent to hell by Wolfram & Hart as a result of Angel's actions. The series follows his attempts to rescue the people he has sworn to protect. Issue #1 was released on 21 November, 2007.

Originally intended as a 13-issue limited series, After the Fall expanded into a 17-issue Angel series and then later turned into an ongoing series, where different writers will come aboard. It continued from the eighteenth issue under the new title of Angel: Aftermath, with new writer Kelley Armstrong. Brian Lynch has confirmed to be back after that for a one-shot Gunn issue (#23) and to join Juliet Landau for a two-issue story about Drusilla (#24 and #25). In addition to this, Angel: After the Fall has also spawned one spin-off of its own, Spike: After the Fall which bridges the gap between Spike's "First Night" mini-arc and his first appearance in "After the Fall".

Conception

Following the success of Dark Horse Comics' ongoing series Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, an official continuation to the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, series creator Joss Whedon wished to continue the story of Buffy spin-off Angel in the same medium. In September 2006, comic book writer Brian Lynch met Joss Whedon by chance in a restaurant near his home where he told Whedon about the imminent release of a spin-off comic by himself and artist Franco Urru, Spike: Asylum, published by IDW and based upon the character of Spike, a central character in both Buffy and Angel. To Lynch's surprise, Whedon was thrilled with Spike: Asylum, and Joss felt confident he had found a writer capable of capturing his characters' voices in the new medium, and was impressed with Franco's unique style. Whedon would later email Lynch, asking to meet up with him again in the same restaurant. Working together, the two plotted the events of a now 17-issue limited series for a continuation of the Angel saga, drawing from elements of Whedon's plan for a sixth televised season of Angel and several ideas proposed by Lynch. Whedon gave Lynch the freedom to write the series himself, only overseeing the project as if in the role of an executive producer.

On March 11, it was announced that there would be a 4 issue spin-off entitled Spike: After the Fall from July 2008, which will chronicle the time in between the events of the series finale "Not Fade Away" and After the Fall, continuing directly from the Angel: After the Fall issue "First Night, Part Three," focusing on the characters of Spike and Illyria.

Writing and artwork

After the Fall was written by Brian Lynch with supervision by Joss Whedon and was initially designed as a twelve-issue maxi-series, with stand-alone "specials" to be published between the story arcs. In the end, the series incorporated the "First Night" arc into the main series, and spanned 17 issues before continuing as an ongoing title, Angel: Aftermath. According to Whedon, the absence of budget constraints allows Angel’s world to expand in ways that were never possible with the television series, "It will definitely use Season 6’s proposed stories as inspiration, but it's not exactly Season 6". At certain intervals, the main series takes a break for a month and special one-off or spotlight issues are published during the interim. The first special is entitled "First Night" after issue five of After the Fall. The first issue introduces Betta George, a fish-like character from Brian Lynch's series Spike: Asylum and Spike: Shadow Puppets, into the series.

The premise of the series is that Los Angeles is feeling the aftermath of main character Angel taking a stand against the demonic Senior Partners in season five, who have retaliated by sending Los Angeles to hell. The series picks up some time after the season five finale, "Not Fade Away" and shows that Wesley remains contractually bound to the sinister Wolfram & Hart and the Partners after his death, Gunn has become a vampire capturing victims under the pretense he is rescuing them, that Angel's son Connor, ex-girlfriend Nina and old acquaintance Gwen are working to provide a safehouse for the people of Los Angeles under siege by demons, and that Spike now lives under the protection of Illyria who is no longer in control of her powers, unpredictably assuming Fred Burkle's appearance and personality at times. Angel himself, along with a dragon he befriended, is trying his best to remain a champion of good under the circumstances.

Publication

Issues

Title	Issue #	Release Date
After the Fall #1	1	November 21, 2007
Writer: Brian Lynch with Joss Whedon		Penciller: Franco Urru
Los Angeles has been a demon war zone for months after Wolfram & Hart literally sent the entire city to hell in retaliation to Angel's actions in "Not Fade Away". Angel, having tamed a dragon, rescues citizens from the destruction and sends them to Connor, Gwen, and Nina for sanctuary. Meanwhile, the deceased Wesley is now an incorporeal representative of Wolfram & Hart, and Gunn has been turned into a vampire.
After the Fall #2	2	December 19, 2007
Writer: Brian Lynch with Joss Whedon		Penciller: Franco Urru
Angel travels to Santa Monica to protect Connor from a demon lord whose son Angel killed. Gwen tells Angel that there's a new player in the game, and shows him a phrase written in blood. Angel realizes who the person is and heads to Beverly Hills, where he reunites with Spike, who has become lord of the area and lives surrounded by harem of humans and demons. Angel and Spike fight briefly, and Illyria appears in defense of Spike. Meanwhile, Gunn has kidnapped Betta George and reveals that he blames Angel for being sired and wants revenge.
After the Fall #3	3	January 14, 2008
Writer: Brian Lynch with Joss Whedon		Penciller: Franco Urru
Angel is attacked by Illyria, and gravely wounded. The Hell dimension is playing havoc with Illyria's powers, and she is time-skipping as she did in "Time Bomb". Connor arrives revealing that he and Spike have been working as partners; Spike's "Hugh Hefner" lifestyle is part of his act. Angel confronts the Lords of Los Angeles, and challenges them to a battle for all of Los Angeles in two days. On the final page, Angel's inner monologue reveals his wounds are mortal, and he is no longer a vampire.
After the Fall #4	4	February 20, 2008
Writer: Brian Lynch with Joss Whedon		Penciller: Franco Urru
At Wolfram and Hart, Angel is healed through mystic chants that fix his mortal wounds. Two demons arrive and beckon Angel to follow them, while outside, Gunn prepares for an attack on the building. Angel and Wes are taken to the town of Silver Lake, which is ruled by their old ally Lorne, who notifies them of his neutral stance concerning the upcoming battle. After Angel has a reunion with Groosalugg, Gunn and his vampire minions plant a bomb in the empty Wolfram and Hart building, completely destroying it. Wesley's ghost fades away as Angel prepares for the battle ahead.
After the Fall #5	5	March 19, 2008
Writer: Brian Lynch with Joss Whedon		Penciller: Franco Urru
Wesley has been transported to a void, where he has an argument with a disembodied voice over his role of being the last representative of Wolfram and Hart. Angel's allies consider their options with Spike being the most vocal about his desire to depart. The battle begins with Angel and all his friends at his side, thanks to Lorne's last minute rousing. Spike asks Angel for help concerning Illyria, as Wesley is returned from Hell and joins his companions. Spike reveals he never would have come to aid Angel had he known Wesley would be there. Illyria turns her attention to the scene, notices Wesley's arrival, and reverts back to Fred.
First Night, Part 1 #6	6	April 2, 2008
Writer: Brian Lynch with Joss Whedon		Penciller: Tim Kane, David Messina, Stephen Mooney and John Byrne
Bookended by images of Betta George in captivity, the 'First Night' stories of Spike, Connor, and Lorne are presented in three sections. In the first section, Spike switches from self-congratulation and thoughts of retirement into defending innocents — including Illyria, who initially appears as Fred. The second segment displays Connor's internal conflict as he considers rejoining the fight, and is then inevitably drawn into it. The third section is presented in a cartoonish rhyming style, showing Lorne's path from Lindsey's murder to becoming lord of Silver Lake.
First Night, Part 2 #7	7	May 7, 2008
Writer: Brian Lynch with Joss Whedon		Penciller: Tim Kane, Nick Runge and Stephen Mooney
The second 'First Night' issue initially focuses on Wesley's after-death awareness, including a visit from an unnamed female temptress who is acting on the Senior Partners' behalf. She pretends to be Fred, but Wesley is not fooled. The scene then shifts to Connor's situation; Kate Lockley arrives, armed to the teeth, and "rescues" Connor, taking him to her well-armed lair. In the present day, Betta George is still held captive by Gunn's lackeys, and it is shown that Gunn's vampires have been training against captive Slayers.
First Night, Part 3 #8	8	June 11, 2008
Writer: Brian Lynch with Joss Whedon and Scott Tipton		Penciller: Tim Kane, Fabio Mantovani, Kevyn Schmidt and Mirco Pierfederici
In the first section, Gwen is making out with a guy on the beach when Los Angeles is thrown into Hell. The change in scenery has caused the device regulating her power to stop working, causing her to accidentally electrocute her male companion. In the second section, a crazy guy is preaching about the end of the world when Los Angeles is sent to Hell. Finally, Gunn wakes up in a vampire's lair to discover he's been sired. Learning the vampires were ordered to turn him, he kills their leader and takes charge of the group.
After the Fall #9	9	June 18, 2008
Writer: Brian Lynch with Joss Whedon		Penciller: Nick Runge
Angel and his friends defeat the Lords of L.A., who have misunderstood the true purpose of the Hagan Shafts. Lorne becomes the new Lord of all Los Angeles, while Angel goes to back to the Hyperion Hotel to do what he does best: help people. Connor makes his feelings for Gwen known to Angel. Wesley takes Fred to his corpse, where she reverts to Illyria, who reveals that Fred is still within her.
After the Fall #10	10	July 2, 2008
Writer: Brian Lynch with Joss Whedon		Penciller: Nick Runge and David Messina
Angel has a comic book-esque dream where a superhero version of Spike is protecting the city while the mortal Angel is now an old man. Spike is left looking after Wesley. Angel, Connor, Gwen, Nina, and Illyria question a vampire over who killed the lord in #1. Illyria reveals to Connor, Gwen, and Nina that Angel is now human. Realizing that Illyria knew he was human through her ability to detect power, Angel tells Illyria to use her ability to search for the vampires "sitting on the power". Gunn has Betta George attacked by slayers, and eventually, a desperate George uses his ability to mentally freeze them. Gunn then has George attempt to contact help outside of L.A., but George is surprised to learn that Gunn has tricked him; Los Angeles going to Hell has been covered up. However, Betta George has also contacted Angel for help. Angel arrives, ready to attack, after Illyria detected Gunn's gang, "vampires atop a structure brimming with power". Angel is horrified, however, upon recognizing Gunn in their midst.
After the Fall #11	11	August 13, 2008
Writer: Brian Lynch with Joss Whedon		Penciller: Nick Runge
Angel sends Fred away with Nina on the dragon, while he attempts to rescue Gunn. As Angel discovers that Gunn is now a vampire and his own life is in peril, Connor, Spike, and Gwen return on the dragon to help with the rescue mission. Gunn reveals his visions to Angel, then uses a magical talisman to reverse the spells on Angel: his glamour and all the healing spells. Angel lies bleeding, broken, and dying as the cavalry arrives, only to be shocked by Gwen's apparent betrayal.
After the Fall #12	12	September 4, 2008
Writer: Brian Lynch with Joss Whedon		Penciller: Stephen Mooney and Nick Runge
Connor and Spike confront Gwen on her betrayal. Wesley is taken from headquarters to the scene of Angel's impending death, which spurs Fred's transformation into Illyria as she approaches the scene of a battle between Gwen and the dragon, whose name is revealed as Cordelia. On another plane, Angel is reunited with an apparition of Cordelia, meant to ease his transition. Wesley arrives and confronts Gunn with information from the Senior Partners: the visions are their own, and all they have wrought is part of a larger plan for Angel. He reveals Angel (and Angel alone) is still entitled to the future in the Shanshu prophecy, and delivers Angel a glimpse of it. Angel sees an image of himself as a vampire surrounded by dozens of dead bodies in the aftermath of an apocalyptic battle. This vision however, leads Angel to resign himself to death.
After the Fall #13	13	October 22, 2008
Writer: Brian Lynch with Joss Whedon		Penciller: Stephen Mooney
Spike finds Gunn's captured Slayers, but they overpower him and he is slain. The Senior Partners send their larger army (legions of dragons) to the scene of the rooftop fray, and Cordelia the dragon is killed. Gwen, seeking atonement, sacrifices herself to destroy the legion in an electrical discharge. Connor makes his way into the building and defeats Gunn in combat, kicking him through the window. Connor's pleads to a dying Angel and helps him realize that he would never become a soulless vampire again; Cordelia's spirit bids Angel farewell after reassuring him of his status as a champion of good. While the group desperately encourage Angel to keep fighting and survive, Spike re-emerges seemingly alive, accompanied by the three Slayers who killed him. Gunn, on the streets, encounters Illyria and through feigning sadness and remorse, triggers her transformation into Fred, before he surreptitiously shoots her in the chest.
After the Fall #14	14	November 19, 2008
Writer: Brian Lynch with Joss Whedon		Penciller: Stephen Mooney
A new demon army arrives in Los Angeles and takes Angel's body so that Angel can be resurrected to fulfill the prophecy. The source of Spike's own seemingly-impossible resurrection is revealed as a five-minute time reset used by Gunn to train his vampires against Slayers. Groosalugg and his black pegasus, also named Cordelia, slay many of Wolfram & Hart's dragons. Despite being interrupted by the demon army, Gunn manages to successfully restore Illyria to her original demonic form, with the intent of using her fully-restored powers to rewind time to before the Fall permanently. However, George looks within Illyria's mind: her frustration at being unable to create order leads her to decide to wholly collapse time - and with it, all existence.
After the Fall #15	15	December 17, 2008
Writer: Brian Lynch with Joss Whedon		Penciller: Franco Urru
Illyria continues trying to unmake everything, believing that Fred would want to end everyone's suffering. She lashes out at and kills Groosalugg and many of the Spikettes. Gunn mortally wounds Connor and is defeated, but not killed, by Angel. Angel comes up with a plan to stop Illyria. Betta George focuses Spike and Wesley's memories of Fred into her mind, a "care bear stare", which paralyzes her long enough for Wolfram & Hart's demon avatars to take her out. Connor tells Angel not to let them win and then dies.
After The Fall #16	16	January 21, 2009
Writer: Brian Lynch with Joss Whedon		Penciller: Franco Urru
Angel provokes Gunn into killing him after realizing that the Senior Partners' plans hinge on keeping himself alive. Angel's death causes the Senior Partners to reverse time to the moment before Los Angeles is sent into Hell, with everyone retaining memories of their time in Hell. While Spike and a now-humanoid Illyria attempt to hold off the demon army, a revamped Angel saves Gunn from being sired. They rush him to a hospital after discovering that Wolfram & Hart's Los Angeles branch has completely vanished. After meeting a resurrected Connor and several of LA's denizens who retained their memories, Angel realizes that he and his team are now publicly recognized heroes for their roles in saving the city.
After the Fall #17	17	February 11, 2009
Writer: Brian Lynch with Joss Whedon		Penciller: Franco Urru
One month has passed. Angel & Nina research the mystery of the vanished Wolfram & Hart building at the public library (a wing of which has been renamed for Fred & Wesley). Angel leaves Cordelia the dragon in the care of Groosalugg as part of an attempt to reclaim his anonymity. Meanwhile, Spike rescues Betta George from one of the resurrected Lords of Hell, who warns him that the Lords want revenge against Angel and plan to do it by striking against the ones close to him. Realizing who the first target is, Angel, Spike & George rush to the aid of Gunn (who is in a coma), but Illyria is revealed to be single-handedly protecting him. This allows Angel to peacefully visit Gunn in his hospital room and forgive him for the actions Gunn took while in Hell. Leaving Gunn with an Angel Investigations card, Angel walks off into the night, once more looking to help the helpless.
Aftermath #18	18	February 25, 2009
Writer: Kelley Armstrong		Penciller: Dave Ross
After the Fall will be followed by a six-issue storyarc titled Aftermath starting in #18; two weeks after the finale of "After the Fall", the storyarc will focus on the characters dealing with the events of issue #17. Novelist Kelley Armstrong (The Summoning) comes aboard to explore the many repercussions following the explosive Angel #17. Artist Dave Ross also comes aboard to present the first chapter of “Aftermath,” wherein we learn who lived, who died, and who will be forever changed from the experience. Kelley Armstrong will write the arc, with Brian Lynch writing another continuation.
Aftermath #19	19	March 25, 2009
Writer: Kelley Armstrong		Penciller: Dave Ross
As Angel and the remaining survivors from their sojourn to Hell attempt to rebuild their lives and find purpose once again, they must also contend with the threat of a vengeful Lord, a mysterious cat-changer and a winged being from beyond…
Aftermath #20	20	TBA
Writer: Kelley Armstrong		Penciller: Dave Ross
Angel's attempts to return to normal have been upended by the cat-changer Dez. But who is she, and where does she come from? Find out here, even as a larger question — namely, who is Angel's angelic visitor from beyond, and who sent him here? — comes to light.
Aftermath #21	21	TBA
Writer: Kelley Armstrong		Penciller: Dave Ross
The aftermath of the city's return from hell continues to plague Angel, leading to a confrontation with the Powers-That-Be and some winged visitors from beyond the pale, even as Connor and Gwen face off with Dez.
Aftermath #22	22	TBA
Writer: Kelley Armstrong		Penciller: Dave Ross
Gunn #23	23	TBA
Writer: Brian Lynch		Penciller: Franco Urru
Drusilla #24	24	TBA
Writer: Brian Lynch and Juliet Landau		Penciller: Franco Urru
Drusilla #25	25	TBA
Writer: Brian Lynch and Juliet Landau		Penciller: Franco Urru

Spin-offs

Title	Issue #	Release Date
Spike: After the Fall #1	1	July 16, 2008
Spinning out of Spike's First Night story, the first issue of Spike: After the Fall shows Spike and Illyria watching over a group of citizens. Illyria keeps turning back into Fred, and Spike is forced to keep turning her back into Illyria to protect her. Spike questions whether he may have feelings for Fred, and the group of women that Spike is with during Angel: After the Fall make their first chronological appearance.
Spike: After the Fall #2	2	August 6, 2008
The issue opens with Spike meeting the dragon: while Spike considers ways of killing it, the dragon communicates that Spike should mount it. Once together, the dragon takes Spike to Wolfram & Hart, where a figure whom Spike does not recognize is suspended inside an energy field, writhing in pain. Meanwhile, the civilians are at the mercy of the group of women. Spike encounters one, commandeers her truck, and finds the hostages, then tries to run down their leader of the group of female demons. She throws Fred in front of the truck, and Fred reverts to Illyria on impact. Illyria and Spike begin to melee the demon women, but their leader uses life-draining magic to turn the hostages into zombies and knock out Spike and Illyria. Spike awakens chained in a dark room filled with his zombified wards, and the demon leader tells him she is keeping him alive for his connections.
Spike: After the Fall #3	3	September 17, 2008
Non, the head of the female demons attempts to bargain with a Gunn to return Spike to him. Her power is revealed to be control of humans. Gunn beats her down and lets her go leading her to decide to kill Spike and all the humans with him. Non attempts to behead Illyria, but the ax shatters on contact. Illyria breaks free and starts killing all the female demons. Non prepares to kill the last human hostage before Connor appears and stops her.
Spike: After the Fall #4	4	October 29, 2008
Connor, Spike, and Illyria continue their battle with Non. In the midst of the battle, Non attempts to feed on Connor, whom she realizes is not human, and on whom she cannot feed. After discovering that Non's Sadecki demon controls her flock of females, Spike tells Illyria to finish it off. During her confrontation with the demon, she again starts reverting between Fred and Illyria, but finally is able to gather herself and kill the demon. Realizing his plan worked, Spike goes mano y mano with Non. After taking a beating from Spike, Non uses the last human hostage that the gang saved to gain some energy back. Illyria realizes this and kills the human, allowing Spike to finish off Non. Spike then becomes Lord of Beverly Hills, and tells the other lords to keep out. Later, Spike and Connor meet up and begin their crusade of saving the remaining humans in Los Angeles.

Reception

Initial reviews have been generally favorable. Troy Brownfield of Newsarama believed the most enjoyable aspect of the first issue "was seeing members of the extensive cast turn up again in surprising ways" and was pleased to see the return of minor characters from the television series. He described the reveal of Gunn as a vampire as "rather startling" and a "new injection of life" for the character. IGN's Bryan Joel believed that the first issue wasn't as accessible for new readers as that of Buffy Season Eight, claiming that it read "less like the season premiere of the next season of Angel and more like episode 23 of season 5". He felt that the tone and characterization remained "true to its source material and fans will be happy to know Whedon's trademark dialogue knack is, for the most part, intact", but warned that the elaborate visuals of Angel flying through the hell-bound Los Angeles on a dragon may be too far removed from the television series for some readers. In an "Additional Take" review, Joel's colleague criticized the dialogue for lacking "the trademark witty banter" and worried that the hellish new setting might detract from the reality of the characters, describing it as "an interesting turn for what was once a very grounded fantasy series".

The artwork by Franco Urru was described as "reasonably good" by Brownfield, who claimed that while it captures the likeness of the characters, Urru's work lacks sharpness and "the weight of that terrific Tony Harris cover." IGN believed Urru is talented when he "lets loose" creating demons, but less impressive when it comes to matching characters to their respective actors.

The series has been a success for publisher IDW Publishing, who report that it has become the company's highest-charting comic book release ever.