SPIKE GETS AN OFFICIAL STORY IN SPIKE: AFTER THE FALL

[MattBrady]

It’s a good time in comics for fans of Joss Whedon’s Buffy-verse.

Dark Horse is telling of Buffy, the Vampire Slayer’s adventures following the conclusion of her television series and IDW’s Angel: After the Fall is officially continuing that character’s story post Season Five of the television series’ finale.

But what about Spike? Does his official (read: approved by Whedon) story get explored and told anywhere?

While the character has appeared in Angel: After the Fall, there were certainly some questions left unanswered. Those burning questions will be answered in Spike: After the Fall miniseries launching in July from IDW, by Brian Lynch and Franco Urru. As for the continuity…hang on…

Angel: After the Fall #6, #7 and #8 tell stories of how the cast of characters was affected by the fight in the alley that ended the series. Issue #6 will feature Spike, Connor and Lorne; issue #7 will feature Wesley and a surprise return of a character from the Whedonverse; while issue #8 will feature Gwen, the effect of LA being thrust into hell on the city’s residents, and the fate of Gunn. Issue #9 will pick up from the cliffhanger at the end of issue #5, and will feature the new art team of Nick Runge and Art Lyon. #8 and #9 will both ship in June.

Spike: After the Fall will spin out of the “First Night” events seen in Angel: After the Fall and events in issue #7, and tells of Spike’s first few months in hell and co-stars Illyria.

Spike: After the Fall will run four issues.

Look for an interview with Lynch shortly, here on Newsarama.

[PreCrisisDC]

Sweet! Looking forward to this.

[Tom Daylight]

Is ATF still a twelve-issue series? (I thought "First Night" was supposed to be its own thing.) Is Lynch going to be the only writer to explore the Angel world?

[GreenDevil]

Asking for a spoiler

I havent seen all of angel yet, so could somebody tell me how spike survived after the conclusion to Buffy tv seris?

[Kez]

Aw, it is a great time for Buffyverse fans in comics. This is excellent news, getting a Spike-centric comic that's got the official Joss stamp is choice. And as much as I hate cliffhangers, the exploration of the first night is going to be excellent. Especially Wes and Connor stuff.

[adamthered]

Originally Posted by GreenDevil

Asking for a spoiler

I havent seen all of angel yet, so could somebody tell me how spike survived after the conclusion to Buffy tv seris?

The amulet Spike used at the end of Buffy to dust all the ubervamps was collected and mailed to Wolfram and Hart. Angel opened the package, the amulet falls out, and Spike rematerializes in Angel's office.

[GreenDevil]

Originally Posted by adamthered

The amulet Spike used at the end of Buffy to dust all the ubervamps was collected and mailed to Wolfram and Hart. Angel opened the package, the amulet falls out, and Spike rematerializes in Angel's office.

Thanks for that, simple and effect I suppose...

[Kez]

Originally Posted by GreenDevil

Asking for a spoiler

I havent seen all of angel yet, so could somebody tell me how spike survived after the conclusion to Buffy tv seris?

. . . as Marvel as this feels to write: That magic amulet from Wolfram & Hart that Angel gave to Buffy brought him back when it was given back to Angel from . . . Eve, I believe. Oh no! My Buffy-fu is weak!

I'm pretty sure he was trapped in it, frozen in time because when he came out of it he was still screaming/burning.

[KyleV]

Any bets on the number of previously deceased characters that will return in the Spike series?

I'm pretty sure Jesse returns in the next Buffy arc.

[Iron Monkey]

Originally Posted by GreenDevil

Thanks for that, simple and effect I suppose...

You should pick up the "Shadow Puppests" mini as well for more Spike awesomeness.

I'm going to try and be as spoiler free as possible with this question:

Shouldn't Spike be in the position that Angel is in since he chose to be a hero as where Angel was just cursed?

[GreenDevil]

Originally Posted by Kez

. . . as Marvel as this feels to write: That magic amulet from Wolfram & Hart that Angel gave to Buffy brought him back when it was given back to Angel from . . . Eve, I believe. Oh no! My Buffy-fu is weak!

I'm pretty sure he was trapped in it, frozen in time because when he came out of it he was still screaming/burning.

Thanks aswell, i'll try to check it out eventually ... not big on the money at the moment

[DavetheAvata]

This is going to be awesome. Spike was always my favourite Buffy character, glad to see he's getting his own mini to tell his Post-Angel story. Especially if Angel is only running 12 issues...is that true?

[waterdragon]

I don't get why they couldn't have just done 1 issue episodes on each character's fate after the alley in the main Angel series book. Why am I forced to buy another book?

[Clem]

Wait, Urru got shunted off to a Spike mini? I know people have been critical of his work, but i'd prefer he finish what he started.

[Kez]

Originally Posted by Iron Monkey

You should pick up the "Shadow Puppests" mini as well for more Spike awesomeness.

I'm going to try and be as spoiler free as possible with this question:

Shouldn't Spike be in the position that Angel is in since he chose to be a hero as where Angel was just cursed?

Not necessarily, especially when taken into consideration we don't know the how's of Angel's current position. We definitely know one way it didn't happen because of what happened in Season 5, but yeah, gonna have to wait a few issues (or just one, maybemaybe?) to find out why they aren't a pair of snippy bookends.


. . . did I talk around that successfully or does it read as confusing nonsense? And HOW do I do spoiler text, just turn it white? Go brain.

[Brian_Lynch]

Wow, sign me up! Whooooo-hooooo! Right?

[Iron Monkey]

Originally Posted by Kez

Not necessarily, especially when taken into consideration we don't know the how's of Angel's current position. We definitely know one way it didn't happen because of what happened in Season 5, but yeah, gonna have to wait a few issues (or just one, maybemaybe?) to find out why they aren't a pair of snippy bookends.


. . . did I talk around that successfully or does it read as confusing nonsense? And HOW do I do spoiler text, just turn it white? Go brain.

Check and check. I follow what you're hitting at with the signing of a certain prophecy. But without saying too much.

[Gurumonkey]

I'm down for this. I only wish Whedon would say whether or not Shadow Puppers and Asylum are canon or not....

[rwe1138]

[Knowbrainer]

Why can't we just get an ongoing series for Angel and Spike? I could care less about an Angel series, personally, but I'm growing tired of mini series after mini series. (I know Buffy Season 8 ends at #40, but to me, that length makes it an ongoing.)

Much as I loved the Spike/Dracula mini, I wish Whedon had kept all his Buffy eggs in one basket at Darkhorse.

[nietoperz]

Originally Posted by rwe1138

What he said!

[ThatGuamGuy]

Originally Posted by Knowbrainer

Why can't we just get an ongoing series for Angel and Spike? I could care less about an Angel series, personally

I love the Internet.

[Kez]

Originally Posted by Knowbrainer

Why can't we just get an ongoing series for Angel and Spike? I could care less about an Angel series, personally, but I'm growing tired of mini series after mini series. (I know Buffy Season 8 ends at #40, but to me, that length makes it an ongoing.)

Much as I loved the Spike/Dracula mini, I wish Whedon had kept all his Buffy eggs in one basket at Darkhorse.

It's too close to Easter to go around throwing words like "Buffy egss" all willy-nilly. There's the strangest mental picture in my head now. I think I remember hearing a reason Whedon had Angel and Co at IDW, but my fervent wish is that Dark Horse was handling everything too. I think it would keep it neater, at the very least. It's like WB and UPN all over again.

[Eric Palicki]

Originally Posted by Knowbrainer

Why can't we just get an ongoing series for Angel and Spike? I could care less about an Angel series, personally, but I'm growing tired of mini series after mini series. (I know Buffy Season 8 ends at #40, but to me, that length makes it an ongoing.)

Much as I loved the Spike/Dracula mini, I wish Whedon had kept all his Buffy eggs in one basket at Darkhorse.

While I'm sure Joss has some participation rights, all of these characters are owned and licensed by 20th Century Fox. They would be the party responsible for deciding which publisher gets which property. (I assume any decision would involve sums of money.)

[Scavenger]

Originally Posted by Kez

I think I remember hearing a reason Whedon had Angel and Co at IDW,

The license to Angel lapsed @ Dark Horse and IDW picked it up. Just that simple, IIRC.