‘Angel’ flashback: ‘Last Angel in Hell’ (2009), ‘Lorne’ (2010) and ‘Yearbook’ (2011) (Comic book reviews)
IDW produced three “Angel” one-shots in the final three years of its run. All of these double-length issues are finales of sorts, and there’s a touch of comedy or lightness to them – “Last Angel in Hell” puts a bow on the “After the Fall” era, “Lorne: Music of the Spheres” is the final Lorne
‘Angel’ flashback: ‘Only Human’ and ‘Fallen Angel: Reborn’ (2009) (Comic book reviews)
IDW was champing at the bit to continue Illyria’s story upon acquiring the “Angel” license, both because her character arc was left hanging and because she cuts a fine figure as a badass comic-book heroine (or villain, or anti-heroine, or whatever). She appears on the cover art of a lot of the early issues, even
‘Angel’ flashback: ‘After the Fall’ Issues 9-17 (2008-09) (Comic book review)
After the “First Night” interlude (Issues 6-8), IDW’s “Angel” returns to the main storyline of “After the Fall” having lost its momentum. Although still plotted by Joss Whedon and scripted by Brian Lynch, the arc feels like it is treading water, with a lot of talking. It also doesn’t help that Franco Urru is mostly
‘Angel’ flashback: ‘After the Fall’ Issues 1-8 (2007-08) (Comic book reviews)
Seeing the success of “Buffy” Season 8 and learning that Brian Lynch’s pitch for an “Angel” “Season 6” lined up closely with his plans before the TV show was canceled, Joss Whedon launched “Angel: After the Fall” in 2007. Although it makes some of IDW’s previous work hard to fit into the continuity, it goes
‘Angel’ flashback: ‘Auld Lang Syne’ (2006-07) (Comic book review)
While IDW’s “Angel” title still resists an ongoing narrative, the five-issue “Auld Lang Syne” (November 2006-March 2007) is a nice step up from the standard tortured-Angel story “The Curse” and the catching-up-with-the-gang “Old Friends.” Scott Tipton, who had shown a good grasp of Wesley in “Spotlight” and “Masks,” turns his focus to two living (well,
‘Angel’ flashback: ‘Masks’ (2006) (Comic book review)
Following the “Spotlight” series, IDW’s “Angel” comics line unveiled more stories focused on individual characters in the loosely Halloween-themed “Masks” (October 2006). The double-length one-shot includes stories about Puppet Angel, Illyria, Cordelia and Lindsey McDonald, all themed around the figurative masks people wear.
‘Angel’ flashback: ‘Spotlight’ (2006) (Comic book reviews)
After a mediocre start with “The Curse” and “Old Friends,” IDW’s “Angel” title picks up steam with “Spotlight” (2006), five issues that focus, respectively, on Doyle, Wesley, Gunn, Connor and Illyria. With the exception of the Season 1-set “Doyle,” they are set during Season 5. Rather than just throwbacks to the old days, they flesh
‘Angel’ flashback: ‘Old Friends’ (2005-06) (Comic book review)
“Old Friends” (November 2005-March 2006), the second IDW “Angel” comic series where Jeff Mariotte is tasked with introducing us to “Season 6” – apparently without being allowed to address the cliffhanger at the end of Season 5 – is marginally more satisfying than “The Curse.” We get solid information about the fates of characters other
‘Angel’ flashback: ‘The Curse’ (2005) (Comic book review)
A little more than a year after the “Angel” TV series ended, the saga returned in comic-book form via new licensee IDW. Whereas Dark Horse’s Volume 1 told various hardboiled Angel Investigations mysteries in Season 1, and the short-lived Volume 2 made Angel into a more traditional four-color comic superhero in a Season 2-set yarn, Volume