Angel comic book refers to one of two series published by Dark Horse Comics during 2000–2002. Both of these series are based on the television series Angel, and were published while the television series was on air. The first volume was an ongoing series halted after seventeen issues. The second volume was a mini-series, spanning four issues. Various related works have come out coinciding with these volumes.
Contents
- Angel mini series 2002
- IDW Publishing
- Angel Spotlight 2006
- Dark Horse Comics
- Trade Paperbacks
- Canonical issues
- The Napalese Switcheroo
- References
In 2005, IDW Publishing picked up the rights and began publishing various Angel related mini-series and one-shots set during and after the show's final season (these series are considered non-canonical). In 2007, IDW began publishing Angel: After the Fall, which is considered the canonical Angel season 6 (following the success of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight from Dark Horse) and is overseen by the show's creator Joss Whedon. IDW continued to publish an Angel ongoing title until Whedon transferred the rights to the character back to Dark Horse, where he will feature as part of the Buffy Season Nine franchise, starring most prominently in the ongoing series Angel and Faith.
Angel mini-series (2002)
Promoted as "Angel retooled and reinvented" by Dark Horse Comics, the storyline represents an attempt to make Angel a comic-book hero in a more traditional sense, battling against huge behemoths of monsters, and they were the final Angel comics until IDW began publishing them in 2005. Not to be confused with the Angel episode, "Long Day's Journey", or the Angel novel, "The Longest Night".
Angel's searching for a kidnapped child, only to stumble upon a force of unspeakable evil and unimaginable power, seeking him for some reason. Angel ends up fighting a walking volcano, and must try and survive long enough to discover who or what is behind the recent strange series of events. Finally, the strange evil reveals itself; Perfect Zheng, a vampire who beat Angel up in the 1920s. Angel, Wesley, Cordelia, and Gunn try to put the pieces together in time to make sense of present events, a possible product of Angel's past encounter with Zheng. In fact, as it turns out, the gypsy curse that was used on Angel was meant to be used on Zheng, turning him into the 'vampire champion', but it didn't take, and Zheng is determined to find out why Angel's soul was restored and his wasn't. A battle for survival between the pair ensues, which Angel wins. Supposed to be set early in the second season of Angel. Collected in Angel: Long Night's Journey.
IDW Publishing
IDW released various, loosely connected mini-series and one-shots before launching a new ongoing Angel series in late 2007.
Angel: Spotlight (2006)
A series of spotlight issues focussing on one character's motivations (although they are sometimes assisted by an additional character). Each one-shot featured a number of variant covers, illustrated by Russell Walks, Lee Kohse, Steph Stamb or was a retailer incentive photo.
Dark Horse Comics
IDW Publishing
Trade Paperbacks
Canonical issues
Angel comics are not usually considered by fans as canonical. Some fans consider them stories from the imaginations of authors and artists, while other fans consider them as taking place in an alternative fictional reality. However unlike fan fiction, overviews summarizing their story, written early in the writing process, were 'approved' by both Fox and Joss Whedon (or his office), and the books were therefore later published as official Angel merchandise.
In August 2010, Dark Horse announced it will publish a new line of Angel comics alongside the Buffy Season 9.
The Napalese Switcheroo
Dark Horse Extra #25–28 (2000) ran a strip called "The Napalese Switcheroo" by Scott Alliie and Eric Powell where Angel's sidekick Doyle had his essence switched into a metal skull. Powell’s design of the skull came from an actual antique that sits in Buffy editor Scott Allie’s home office.