Fractal Matter

Writer: Brian Lynch
Artist: Franco Urru
Publisher: IDW
Price: $3.99
Release Date: November

The final episode of Angel divided the fanbase. We left our heroes in an alleyway, about to be attacked by the cast of Dungeons & Dragons. Wesley was dead, Gunn was dying, and Angel was quite keen to kill a dragon. Some people wanted it to end where it did, leaving Angel and friends to fight their never-ending battle. Others wanted to know what happened next. Looks like the second group is about to get their wish.

Hot on the heels of Joss Whedon’s Buffy Season 8 comics from Dark Horse comes IDW’s Angel: After The Fall, which in the words of Joss Whedon himself “will definitely use Season 6’s proposed stories as inspiration, but its not exactly Season 6”. The first issue picks up after that final episode, but not immediately after. (That comes later, in the one shot Angel: First Night) For now, we get to enjoy the further adventures of Angel.

Things have moved on a little from where we last saw him. He has acquired an unexpected ally from the fight – the dragon he wanted to slay. They’ve teamed up and are trying to make the streets of L.A. safe – which is good, because L.A. has gone to hell.

Literally.

Yes. Somehow, Los Angeles has been sent into hell. Angel is still stuck at Wolfram & Hart, and various demon lords have divided L.A. into their own personal kingdoms. It has been mentioned elsewhere that Angel’s son Connor returns, so it’s safe to mention that here – but as for whether or not anyone else from the show appears, you’ll have to wait to read the issue yourself. Sorry, not being able to reveal these things is the small price we have to pay to get these books in advance.

Lynch made his impression on readers (including your reviewer and, slightly more importantly, Joss Whedon) with his previous tie-in miniseries, Spike: Asylum and Spike: Shadow Puppets, and his good work continues here. His characterisation is strong, especially on the characters we’re not allowed to mention here. He also manages to sneak in a decent surprise ending, although an even bigger surprise is given away in the advert for issue 2.

Urru also worked on those miniseries, and did a decent job. Once again, his art straddles the thin line for tie-in books, drawing the character while not actually drawing the actors – a neat trick if you can manage it. Also the colouring, which has been a negative in past reviews, has definitely improved.

This type of book is pretty much designed to appeal to an already existing fanbase rather than bringing in new readers, and it should do that well. The Whedon-sanctioned return of Angel will be enough to bring them in, but there is more than enough going on here to bring them back – including the ending, which is the other thing we’re not allowed to reveal. It’s a good one though.

Oh, and this issue sees the return of Betta George, the wonderful floating telepathic fish thing from the two previous Lynch/Urru miniseries. If that doesn’t get you picking this up, then nothing will.

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