Last ATF Answers Part VI

This is it! The last round of questions, re: ANGEL:ATF. Let's go!

Veiriti said...

Hello, Mr. Lynch,
I'm so excited about new Spike comic book series and I made a trailer. Actually it is a Spike spin-off tv series trailer, but I included some comic book characters. And as a huge fan of Spike I would be really happy to see your comic book stories for Spike on tv series. I hope you'll like my fan trailer!;) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Pak7Wv9BnI

LOVE IT! Thanks, that was really cool.

When is coming out the first issue of the new Spike comic book series?

Not sure. I am writing up an outline for the first bunch of issues now. I’d hate to give a definite month just yet.

SaveALemming said...

Ooh! Thought of an Angel/Spike related question-

With Spike saying he knows George in the last few issues of After the Fall; I like to believe that Asylum and Shadow Puppets are now canon.

All it really means is that Spike and George have history. Sure, I picture them hanging out at Mosaic, but the readers of ATF that haven’t read ASYLUM don’t have to know specifics about their relationship for the scenes to work. In fact, if you haven’t read ASYLUM, I think Spike just happening to be pals with the fish is a funny, surprising moment.

And yeh, I'm sure you're sick of the whole canon vs non-canon crap online,

Words can’t describe.

but I was wondering when you'd place Asylum and Shadow Puppets in Angel continuity.... if you had to. I keep thinking Asylum may have been around Smile Time time (who's to say Lorne doesn't like heading off to Vegas for the odd show? We don't see him constantly at the office in Season 5) And Shadow Puppets is sometime after Fred's death but before Girl In Question. Does this sound about right? I know it's not important, but I'm oddly anal retentive about timelines and love for things to fit together. Especially if it means George is canon. (And Beck and Tok, they rock too... but mostly George)

Not sure. Terrible answer, I know. I’m sorry, it’s been a while since I wrote those. Your calendar sounds good, though, let’s go with that.

Jen said...

I loved the series, Brian! You added a lot of colorful characters to it. Who was you favorite villian/big bad to write?

Definitely Gunn. I know I didn’t create him, but I did get to give him a new state of mind and “voice”. Plus his story in, I think issue 23, is among my favorite scripts. It came out fantastic.

Beyond him, I would say Non is a-number-1. She is a lot of fun to write, I think she fits in with the classic characters very well. I could see her on the TV show, if that makes sense. Kr’ph is a blast, and Smile Time’s Japanese faction in SHADOW PUPPETS was a joy to write. And Dr. Ray from ASYLUM was a handsome devil, wasn’t he?

Also if our still looking for ringtones for Angel, how about Soul Meets Body by Deathcab for Cutie.

I think we’re keeping “The Girl From Iponema” for the trade, but I think Spike will need new ringtones for the solo series, so thank you!

Anonymous Flashdisk said...

Here is my question:

Will you be writing a continuation of Angel after aftermath?

I am writing a Gunn follow-up in issue 23 and a Drusilla AFTER THE FALL tale with Juliet Landau (still can’t get over that) in issues 24-25.

marvel-knight said...

It's really great of you to answer all the questions, I will ask mine again :)

There is something I really can’t understand. Here it is – Wolfram and Hart really wanted Angel to fulfill his destiny, the Shanshu, right? But then why did they want him to sign it off?

Wolfram & Hart asking Angel to sign away his Shanshu was a test of Angel’s commitment. They wanted to see if he was truly on board, and him signing away the thing that means the most to him was the way to do it.

Why? In issue 12 Wes says that they never filed it, because the whole LA was sent to Hell.

They got new info, they worked quickly to carry it out. “Oh Angel will help us win? Well, we just had him sign it away.” Not exact words (but truly emmy-worthy dialog, no?), but Wolfram & Hart seems to think he’ll be the fall of all that is good, and took drastic steps to put him on the right track for that.

But will they file it now?

Doubtful, right?

Do they really want it to be filed and if not – why did they ask Angel to sing it anyway?

Now they asked Angel to sing stuff? Wolfram & Hart IS cruel!

And if they wanted it to be filed - why didn't they do it when they brought LA back from Hell?

They don’t anymore, I would assume, huh?

Thanks for the great story. We will really miss you :)

Thank you, very very much.

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks for the series Brian! Angel was actually slipping from my mind before you brought it back in comic form, and I'd just like to thank you for re-introducing such a colorful mythology to me. One thing that's been bothering me for awhile now is how Fred/SeniorPartners said in First Night: Wesley that Wesley would be the reason that SeniorPartners win (somewhat paraphrasing since I don't have the issue in front of me). Issue 16 confused me though since he really won it for Angel there. What was Wesley SUPPOSED to have done for the SeniorPartners or did the Senior Partners anticipate that he would be the key to undoing everything? If so, then why would they bother bringing him back? Thanks again Brian!

Well, a big part of it was having Wesley deliver the news to Angel that HE was the fall of man (much easier to believe if Wesley tells him). But the big reason was in issues 16/17. Angel won the day, he and Wesley figured out a way to make it all go away, which Wolfram & Hart figured/feared he would…BUT if did so, he’d return to a time when Wesley was dead. It was a quick turn of the knife, so even when Angel triumphed, it felt like a defeat.

Remember when Connor died and Wolfram & Hart said it happened sooner than they thought, but it was going to happen eventually…that’s because (a substantial) part of W&H’s plan was to take away what mattered to Angel…so with Wesley gone, they succeeded. Angel feels alone (as evidenced in issue 17), and that’s not good, Angel needs the human connection.

That’s it for now! Thanks guys!

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We're gonna do it again. A signed copy of the ANGEL:AFTER THE FALL wedding comic. I signed it, so don't get TOO excited, it's not Whedon's signature. But I will personalize it if you want.

Please pass this on to anyone who may be interested. Thanks guys!

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Last ATF Answers Part V

I'm gonna answer more questions! Forgive the wacky layout of these Q and A, for some reason, they're always so wonky. Okay, let's go!

ILOVEROMY said...

Brian, your love and ownership for Spike's character is, I think, unique for the comic Buffyverse. I don't think any other writer, save for Joss, has taken a liking to a character from the show quite like you. Now that you have time to stretch out Spike over an extended run, what are some of the things you are looking forward to?

Thank you for your kind words! I look forward into plunging into Spike and really getting into all facets of his personality. Romantic, bad boy, poet, smart-ass, older brother, little brother, randy uncle, hero, antihero, I want this book to be a primer on the character. And he's spearheading an ongoing series for the first time, so we'll have a long narrative that is all about Spike. When Angel guest stars, it'll still be Spike's narration we hear, not Angel's. I'm gonna get around his head and root around all areas.

Also if I may, how will this series differ from your work on ATF?

Basically the lead character is very different, and that means a different tone. Also, it'll be more like a TV show, with a bunch of smaller stories trading off with a bigger, overall arc.

Thanks for the questions!

Artemis said...

Okay, I have a couple of things to say, and I apologize in advance for rambling. On the plus-side, it's just a read, not something to be answered.

1) I've told you several times that my favorite character is Wesley. My favorite issue of AtF was Wes's first night. Absolutely beautiful, man!

2) Despite Wes being my favorite, one of the most striking moments for me from your series did not feature Wes at all. It was when Spike discovers that Angel is human. He looked heartbroken, then started babbling out weight-related insults at Angel while searching for cigarettes. In the meantime, Angel's thought bubbles noted Spike's reaction and sympathized with him rather than being annoyed with what Spike was saying. I just loved that, b/c you managed to get such great characterizations for BOTH vamps. Writers focus on the Angel/Spike rivalry, which is great, but insightful writers in this verse also realize that there are other levels to that relationship, that there is a kinship there.

3) While we're on the topic of characterization, I have to congratulate you for getting Angel soooo right, especially in light of your Spike-centric background. Angel doesn't speak a lot, and in other comics, this usually translates into someone who doesn't think a lot, either. Angel thinks, and he has a sense of humor (albeit somewhat muted), so it's great to see a writer that gets that!

4) Finally, I wouldn't change anything you've done with the series so far, nor would I want you to move over to Dark Horse, but god how I wish you could have the opportunity to write Giles! You did such a job with my favorite character; I just wish you could write my second favorite. Giles/Ripper is awesome! Are there any other Buffyverse characters you wish you could write?

Thank you for all those compliments. Very sweet of you. I would love to write Giles. Would want to tackle Xander (not like that) and Faith (kinda like that) and Buffy herself.

February 13, 2009 9:34 AM

Anonymous said...

Will the Spike series have a rolling series of guest characters or a cast of regulars, or some of both? Do you plan to have a mix of show characters and OCs?

Thanks for answering.

We'll have different characters come in and out, but it will also have a main cast. A very small one. Both show characters and original characters will be featured.

Shep said...

Who is your favourite character from the entire series (both show and comics) and why?
If there isn't a particular favourite then who was the most difficult character to write, explore, and develop, and why?

I know a lot of people think I'm going to say Spike, but I honestly don't have a favorite. It's strange, I would say Angel or Spike or Illyria, but it's definitely whoever I'm writing at the moment. For instance, just wrote a Gunn-centric issue and he, for the days I was writing it, became the greatest character ever. And then Illyria makes an appearance and she becomes the greatest character ever. I really adore these guys. All of them.

Though, I will say, Lorne and Groo are just pure joy to write dialog for. Just plain fun.

As for most difficult, I think a lot of writers in the past, both tv and comic, would say Angel. I clicked with him (at least, I hope I did) pretty quickly, Illyria took a few scenes before I felt comfortable.

I had a problem with some of the original characters. For instance, Kr'ph was a lot of fun in issue 1, but his return in issue 17 was kinda difficult. He has a very specific way of talking and it was weird to capture that again.

That's it for now! Thanks guys!

Thank you

I just checked Amazon and saw that SPIKE:AFTER THE FALL is in the 25 graphic novels at Amazon.com. Thank you thank you! You guys rock.

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Last ATF Answers Part IV

I gotta keep this one short because work is calling, but I didn't want to slack on answering questions, so I'll try a couple:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for writing a great series that was worthy of Joss Whedon himself.

Anonymous, you are quite wonderful for saying so. I don't agree, but thank you.

So is the shanshu question resolved as to who it is for and is it up for grabs still or was the talk between our two vampires more about just trying to cheer the other up about the future?


That remains to be seen. Wolfram & Hart, however, really seemed to bank on the fact that it was Angel who was going to shanshu after causing the downfall of all that is good. I mean, they REALLY believed it, so much so that they poured all their resources into kickstarting that destiny. But, still, who knows what the future could bring?


Anonymous said...

First of all: I totally loved 'Angel: ATF'! You did really great work!! (I admit I was very sceptic - not 'bout your work, but 'bout a continuation after 'Not Fade Away')

Thank you! I was also extremely skeptic, to be honest.

Now, with Wolfram&Hart gone - only for now, I s'pose/hope - just one question: any chance that we'll see our favourite little bastard Lindsey again? (because we know that dead doesn't have to mean dead in whedonverse)

I will say that I have no plans for it as of yet. Love the character, though.

Okay, back to work!

Last ATF Answers Part III

Let's keep the answer train comin'!

Chapel_Perilous said...

This is probably one whose answer is "I don't know" but:

Are the After the Fall and Season 8 time lines concurrent in any way (will we see a crossover, are the events of one affecting the other, are they going to share characters)?

It seems like AtF ended with a coinciding plot to Season 8, but it doesn't seem like they're going to meld, anyway.

Don't know the future plans of the BUFFY book. Sorry man and/or lady.

enisy said...

I think you'd told me to get back to this question after the series was over, so... In hindsight, is there anything you'd change about "Angel: After the Fall" and "Spike: After the Fall", if you had the chance to do them all over again? (Because the fans didn't quite "get" it, or because you think you could have done better, or or or...

No regrets! That's my story and I'm sticking to it! Well, someone just asked who that glowing guy was in SPIKE:AFTER THE FALL, so maybe I would have made that more clear. I really wish FIRST NIGHT came out as one big book, so the main story didn't have to take such a long breather.

Angelman said...

HI Brian,
Are there definately plans for an ongoing Angel title after the Aftermath and Drusilla issues are done. After hearing all the news about the Spike series (and that Angel will be in it), and nothing more about the Angel....just wanna make sure:)

February 13, 2009 3:04 AM

Oh yes, there are plans.

SaveALemming said...

I can't think of any questions related to Spike or Angel at the moment (and I've gushed aplenty about them at the AngryNakedPat Board) so I'm gonna ask something esle that's been bugging me a bit:

What happened to The Sims movie? Your bloggy thingy used to make reference to writing a movie based on a popular video game and that's gone, the IMDb page is gone.... Is the movie gone? No big loss, if it is I suppose, and definitely not if it had another writer; I just thought it could be a fun concept with you at the writery helm.

As always keep up the good work!

I will try, thanks! After coming up with the story and pitching the story and then writing the outline and first draft, I think Fox has it out to different writers. I guess the plan is to rewrite me, or start from scratch, but I honestly have no idea. I just hope if my name's on it, it doesn't stink. That's all I hope. Oh, and I'd like a DeLoreon. And a talking fish.

Anonymous said...

After hearing that you are working with JL, are you having a fan reaction similar to, WOW!

Yes, I'm excited...and more than a little impressed with her work ethic. She has eighty projects going on (including a play wherein she plays, I believe, 7 different characters) and she's still taking the time to work really hard on the story for these two issues. I feel terrible because my east coast/cold/flu sickness has set me back on writing as much as I'd like (hence the blogging) because Juliet is juggling a billion different projects AND still doing amazing work on this one. You guys are gonna be impressed, I think.

Oh, and she's really nice. Really really nice.

Bitsy said...

What are you reading right now that you think fans of Buffy and Angel would get into? Shill for IDW if the opportunity presents itself, sir.

Off the top of my head: SCOTT PILGRIM (any volume), WORMWOOD:GENTLEMAN CORPSE (any story), anything Geoff Johns writes, LOCKE & KEY, THE WALKING DEAD, BOOSTER GOLD, Millar and McNiven's run on WOLVERINE and I just read a sneaky pete of the first issue of Ryall and Templesmith's GROOM LAKE and it is awesome: gory, scary, hilarious.

That was a good batch! Thanks guys!