Entertainment Weekly Declares 'Angel' is Better than 'Buffy' on it's 15th Anniversary

This week is Angel the series' 15th anniversary, believe it or not! Entertainment has published a spoiler-lite article on the reasons Angel excelled over Buffy and I have to say, I tend to agree. Readers of this dear old blog might recognize my bias as I've been a long-time advocate for this idea. Buffy is amazing of course, but Angel's character development, noir look, gritty feel (for a genre show on network television) was so ahead of it's time. It's nice to see it finally be recognized.

Read the full article here and see if you agree:
http://popwatch.ew.com/2014/10/06/angel-better-than-buffy/

How Long Will it Take to Watch to Watch the Whedonverse?

So the stats-addicted people over at Nielsen decided to do some very important number-crunching and made a handy-dandy guide to TV Marathons of different shows. According to them watching the full season of Firefly would take 10 hours and the full series of Buffy would take 4 days, 9 hours.

We have to disagree.

First of all, you simply cannot binge-watch the entire season/series of Firefly and not cap it off with the show-stopping, stunningly dramatic, cinematic conclusion that is Serenity. For shame, Nielsen. So for that we'll have to put the actual binge-watching time as: 12 hours

As far as Buffy goes, at this point in the game. why would you bother doing a marathon in this particular era and not cross over with Angel? Come on! Do the thing right. And feel free to use our tried, tested and true Buffy/Angel crossover guide to do the deed. Total hard-core watching time: 7 days, 14 hours

And they left off the under-appreciated, red-headed stepchild that is Dollhouse. If anyone is ever going to binge-watch that sucker (including the unaired-but-originally-intended-pilot and Epitaph One, the proper season 1 finale) the total time would be: 19 hours

Check out Nielsen's full Binge-watching post which includes many other types of shows (including Supernatural) here.

Buffyverse Comics Sale - Get Caught Up with the Season 9 Finale!

Dark Horse looks to be running a sale this weekend on all things Buffyverse! Click the images below for the deets!

Angel is a Cheese Doodle

Before you go scratching your heads, please let me explain. You see, I was having a conversation with my fellow bloggers about the direction Angel's character has taken in Season 8 and the discussion ended with this quote by me: "Angel has become the cheese doodle that fell into the couch cushion, could have been enjoyed, but destroyed by the asses that now sit upon him."

It's a simple analogy really and comes with a kind of light heartedness that can only derive from (hyperbolic) loss and pain. I was a huge Angel fan. I loved everything about this character - story, conflicts, hotness. Even when Angel was at his worst, he was at his best to me. It was the hope that kept me hanging on. I liked that no matter what line was crossed, Angel the Vampire was ready to dust off his duster and try again. It was life in a nutshell to me - the idea that we all have a chance to do better the next time. Angel made a lot of mistakes, sometimes for the greater good and sometimes for his own selfish reasons, just like we do. Yet, he strived to be a better man from the moment he first met Buffy in an alleyway to the moment he faced off with hoards of demons in yet another alleyway.

Please take notice of the past tense here. That's because I'm not sure how to feel about Angel right now. Trust me, it feels like horrible betrayal as I write this. I'm an Angel fan - I'm supposed to stick by his side, right? Well, for some reason, I can't quite stay on board with the character this time. Do I feel sympathy for him? Sure. Do I think he got himself wrapped up in yet another fate vs. free will mess? You betcha. But, there's a difference here...I'm not sure I care anymore. Maybe it has to do with Giles' death or maybe it's something else that will come to me later, but all I know is I've just become apathetic and this my friends is worse than hatred.

Now, I could easily blame Mr. Whedon for this debacle and claim that "My Angel" would never do that, but that's not how I view fiction. To me, Angel is Joss and therefore, he would do that and anything else his creator inks on the page. I'm just holding on to the hope that Angel's new book can change my mind. I'm hoping I can love Mr. Tall, Dark and Broody again. If not, I'll just resign myself to remembering when....

So, here I am. Instead of eating a delicious, bright orange, finger-staining cheese doodle, I'm stuck looking for itty-bitty crumbs hidden under the sofa cushion. Sigh.

Happy Birthday Joss Whedon! Time for a Buffyfest...

Today is the 48th birthday of the dude who's responsible for all this! In honor of Joss on the anniversary of his birth, why not gather your friends and have a Buffyfest with a birthday theme tonight? It was actually @notmikestark's suggestion to visit Buffy Wiki, which has compiled a comprehensive list here of all the Buffy and Angel birthday eps. Below are some of my faves and if the official Buffyfest gang was all together today, these are the ones I'd vote for...but definitely visit that link to make your own choices.

"Birthday" (Angel Season 3) - It's Cordy's 21st birthday celebration at the Hyperion Hotel and to celebrate Cordelia experiences a vision so painful that she is rendered unconscious! Fun! That's when the awesome sitcom adventure begins and ends with Cordy becoming a half-demon. This is actually one of my favorite Angel episodes.

"A New Man" (Buffy Season 4) - Now it's Giles turn to become a demon. One of Buffy's birthdays are foiled again as Ethan Rayne returns to town on and transforms Giles into a Fyarl demon. Strangely, Spike is the only one who can help so the wackiness ensues. LOVE this ep.





No I didn't choose "Surprise" or any other because this is Joss's Birthday, a time to celebrate not be depressed! And I'm already down enough over that Firefly Panel announcement. Oh and don't get lost over at Buffy Wiki, you could literally spend hours over at that site.

Reminder: Sale on 'Angel' digi-comics this weekend!

Saaaale! This weekend, Dark Horse is offering the entirety of their Angel comic digital library for a mere .99 per issue! Visit their site or download on their mobile app for iTunes or Android Market.

Buffyfest's Top Ten Moments of 2011!

Major Buffyverse spoilers for Season 8 & 9 if you're not completely caught up...

Another year is gone. And listen, we were definitely confused about compiling this year's Top Ten list. Did Giles get killed this year or end of last? Did Buffy and Angel conceive a baby universe this year? When did she even have random lesbian sex? Well the answer to all of that is: Not in 2011! Oh no, 2011 was all about restructure and transition in the Whedonverse. The Buffy and Angel stories are all back under one roof, living at Dark Horse, and Joss Whedon was off creating new and wonderful projects for us to feast our eyes on in 2012. Helping us with what will be the Top Ten moments of 2012, assuming the world doesn't end before that.

So now that we have that all figured out, here's a look back at our Top Ten Whedonverse Moments of this year. And a very Happy New Year, readers and friends!

#1 - Photobombed!
This was one of the most embarrassingly huge things that ever happened to us as Buffyfest, so it was definitely landing the top spot this year. Joss Whedon officially became our White Whale. While doing an interview at SDCC, Andrew Chambliss is actually saying the words "Joss is busy with The Avengers" and dude, Michelle, Joss is right behind you. Doesn't get sillier than this!

#2 - The End of All Magic
2011 marked the fallout of Angel and Buffy's universe-creating space sex, which ultimately ended in Giles' death and Buffy needing to break the seed, thus ending the flow of magic on earth. What a long, strange trip it's been.

#3 - Buffyfest 2011
This year we had a fancy brunch featuring Funny Shaped Pancakes, Mr. Gordo Bacon, Oh Hey! Juice!, and coffee from the Espresso Pump, along with all the morning fare one could dream up for a Buffy Breakfast event. Michelle even made a fanvid using the Wham! classic "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go." Good times.

#4 - Dark Horse Goes Digital
With Dark Horse taking over the Angel license, 2011 not only marked the year that Buffy and Angel were back under one roof, but the company finally digitized their full range of Whedonverse titles old and new. Which brings us to....

#5 - Angel & Faith
We're not sure if anyone was prepared for the fabulosity that the Angel & Faith series has become. Angel is arguably one of the most hated characters in the entire Whedonverse at this point (after basically killing Buffy's dad), but man smashing these 2 anti-heroes together has created a seriously compelling story to watch unfold.

#6 - Much Ado About Nothing
Joss writes, directs and produces a whole movie entirely in secret. He may have an evil clone.

#7 - Buffyfest at Comic Cons
Buffyfest once again made the pilgrimage to Geek Mecca SDCC 2011 and it's little cousin NYCC 2011.

#8 - Buffy's Birthday Bash
Buffy had a big birthday on Januray 19th this year, coinciding with Season 8's grand finale...and there were bashes all over the country to celebrate! Our spot? Forbidden Planet in NYC.

#9 - Joss Whedon's Favorite Shirt
Joss wore that two-toned henley to death, from Comic Cons (it's in the photobomb!) to parties to film sets. 'Twas funny.

#10 - Buffy Movie Reboot: DOA
Funny thing is, last year's #10 spot of this here list had the news of the Whedonless Reboot along with the line "It's possible that by this time next year, the reboot release will be a rumor of the past". And now it looks like it is. Life's cute like that sometimes.

Scott Allie Goes Tweet-Happy with Dark Horse's #WhedonWednesday

So @ScottAllie has posted the following 8 images of the upcoming Angel & Faith comic on his Twitter for their new weekly event, #WhedonWednesday:

In addition to that, Dark Horse's #WhedonWednesday is featuring another Ivy Blog entitled "Dollhouse: Who is Alpha now?" Go over to Dark Horse's blog to check it out.

Finally, Scott divulged the very important issue if you're a Spike lovah: "To those hungry for Spike news, the online story in August is almost entirely about Spike, hardly anyone else shows up."

And there you have it!

Whedon Wednesdays at Dark Horse! (Spoilers)

Oops! Is it Thursday already? Well, in case you missed it, Dark Horse just announced Whedon Wednesdays which will run now through the launch of Buffy in September. If the art above is any indication, we're in for some awesomeness this year!

Also, check out the artistic process of the new Angel & Faith artist Rebekah Issacs here.

IDW WEEK: Interview with Writer and Editor, Mariah Huehner

Next up, we talk with editor and writer on the final series of Angel, Illyria, and Spike stories, Mariah Huehner.  Over the last few years, she's become a stellar voice with the fans, always there to talk about what was happening behind the scenes.  We dig a little deeper with her today, asking some of those questions she couldn't quite answer before the book was still running.
 
Buffyfest: You came in right after the Kelley Armstrong arc was done and a lot of fans were wondering, "Why didn't IDW just tap one of the Angel TV Series writers to work on the book?"

Mariah Huehner: I always like that question because there's no easy answer. We did, of course, approach some people from the show. But everyone was busy or, you know, working on Buffy. :} I'm not in any way knocking Buffy, of course. But we just didn't have the option of tapping someone from the show at the time. Plus, comics is a different medium than TV. Just because you love one doesn't mean you have any interest in the other.

Buffyfest: The other big question that got asked back then (and again, later) was, "Why not a fan writer?" It wasn't unknown that some fans had pitched for the book, that many fans write stories about these characters often. Was that ever considered?

MH: Well, no. And again, not as a knock to fans, the thing is, comics are a lot harder to write than most people realize. You need experienced writers in the medium to construct stories like this. Just loving the show isn't enough. You need to understand this specific form of storytelling, meet deadlines, and be confident you can handle a world of this size and cast this big. The truth is, all the writers we hired were also fans of the show.

Buffyfest: Right. Which brings us to the first set of stories you were editor on, those being written by Bill Willingham and Bill Williams. There was a lot of controversy concerning the characterization of many of the major players at that time, that Spike was acting strangely, that Angel was out of the book for too long. Looking back on it, do you still stand behind those stories? Is there anything you would have wanted to do differently?

MH: I do still stand behind those stories. We wouldn't have published them if we didn't think they were worth telling. I think I probably would have gotten Angel back into the action sooner, for instance. And been maybe a touch more obvious about Spike. But there were reasons for all of that, real story and character reasons, so it's not like anything was done arbitrarily. The argument that characters were acting OOC...that seems to come up no matter who is writing something. I've even seen that about stuff Joss has written. So we couldn't really worry about that too much. It's a bit subjective.

Buffyfest: Once Bill left, you and David took over to complete his arc and move into what would become the final story. How closely did you keep to Bill's original plan and how much was changed? When you were planning out those stories, did you take into account what fans were saying or is it too risky to play into what fans want?

MH: We kept some things and not others. We had to finish the arc up in a way that made sense so obviously certain plot and character points Bill had been building towards were there. But we also had to change some elements to set up the next arc which was something David and I developed on our own. We went in a very different direction with the last arc for obvious reasons. In terms of what fans were saying...that's a tough one. We certainly cared, you want people to enjoy the stories you're telling. But overall, no, we had to tell a story we felt was right for the characters and the kind of ending we thought Angel deserved. Not two fans want the same exact thing so you can't base stories on that.

Buffyfest: When in the process of writing did you find out that the license was reverting back to Dark Horse?

MH: I honestly don't remember. Probably around the time everyone else did. :}

Buffyfest: Did you have a longer narrative in mind originally?

MH: Yeah, David and I had a longer arc planned. It would have been more fleshed out, more detailed and weird.

Buffyfest: What would you like to have done, given more time? Anything in particular? Any other characters you would have liked to focus more on? Would you have wanted to bring in more original characters?

MH: Personally, I would've wanted more stuff with Illyria and her role in that future. We had to cut a lot of that to get Angel back to his present and I was sad to see it go. And I would have liked to do more with Wolfram & Hart, been able to get more into what was going on with them and their reappearance.

I don't think we would've added more new characters, though. That arc was more about the core group and Angel's relationship with Connor. But also about choices and fighting the good fight. We had to pace things very tightly in the last arc, and while I'm pleased with how it turned out, you always wish you had more time with everyone. More moments to let breathe, more character exploration.

Buffyfest: You became a pretty big presence in the IDW forums throughout your time writing and editing. Was it hard going from being a fan who could be critical of the show's narrative to being on the receiving end of that criticism? How did you deal with that shift, especially when you moved from editing to editing AND writing?

MH: Honestly, I really didn't mind any of the criticism unless it was because people were making huge assumptions about what we were doing. In general the IDW forum is constructive and spirited, but not mean. And you can't expect to write something in a world like this and not get criticized. You just can't make story choices based on that.

The transition from editing to co-writing was interesting. I've definitely been critical of some of the show's storylines so David and I would talk about the things we felt worked vs. what we didn't, mostly to avoid being repetitive or getting into narrative sinkholes.

I wanted to be accessible on the forums, though, because I could see how important these characters and stories were to the fans and I wanted to make sure they knew that we cared, too.

At core, I'm a fan of stories. I get emotional over ones I connect to, so I can completely relate to how people feel about this world. The only times that were a real challenge is when some people would insist that their interpretation was -the- interpretation. There's pretty much no such thing. I think there are interpretations that hold up better under analysis than others, but the truth is, if people believe something and feel it deeply, then it's true for them. And I'd rather the stories were layered enough to do that than not.

Buffyfest: And now we're at the end. This week will see the final IDW Angel comic, the Angel Yearbook. Tell us how that came about and what the goal was for these final stories.

MH: Well, Ryall and I talked about doing something after the last issue of the series that would showcase all the folks that had worked on Angel since the beginning. So we asked everyone what characters they'd most like to tell a story about from any point in the series. It was funny because everyone picked someone different and organically came up with these touching, relevant, sincere stories to end with.

The real goal was making it celebratory of Angel and his family.

Buffyfest: Final round up with the work you did on these stories, tell us: Thing you're most proud of, biggest challenge and, if you were to write a story about Angel 20 years from now, where do you think he'd be?

MH: Well, I'm personally most proud of Illyria: Haunted. That story means a lot to me. But I'm also really proud of working with David, Brian, and Bill. I'm proud of the way we ended things and the character moments along the way.

There were so many people who made Angel great. Working with Brian and Franco on Spike was lovely, I think the world of them both. Elena really breathed life into the final two arcs and her work on Illyria is incredible. Scott Tipton, who did so much with these characters, and proofed nearly every issue of the series which is something I don't think he gets credit for. David Messina, who started on these books and was always a joy to work with. Writers like Peter David & Jeff Mariotte who told some wonderful last tales in the Yearbook. Likewise, Stephen Mooney for his great sense of humor and dynamic art. Willingham, for seeing how complex this world could be and being unafraid to take story risks. Jenny Frison, for giving us the most wonderfully gorgeous covers. And last, David Tischman, who really understood the mix of humor, melancholy, and epic heroism of Angel and took the story where it needed to, to go out on a high note.

Biggest challenge: Letting go, I guess. It's extremely sad to see this end for us.

As for Angel in 20 years: Still fighting. I always see him in the alley, sword in hand, ready to face whatever comes next. I can't see him doing anything else.

Buffyfest: What's next for you?

MH: Well, I'm working on an adaption of Servant of the Bones by Anne Rice and David and I are doing the next True Blood story, True Blood: The French Quarter. Servant is this wonderfully rich tale that Anne wrote about a young Babylonian who becomes a kind of demon/ghost. It's really challenging but wonderful to work on. And David and I are having huge amounts of fun with this new True Blood series. We get to take Sookie, Bill, and Eric to New Orleans and they get into all kinds of trouble. So basically, I'm really busy. :}

IDW WEEK: Interview with Writer Scott Tipton

One of the most exciting parts of IDW Week has been finally getting to do a review with long time Angel writer, Scott Tipton. I guarantee that when you read his story for the Angel Yearbook, you'll find yourself wanting to reread (or read for the first time, shame on you) all the other great work he's done.

He also posted a fantastic rundown of every project he worked on, along with the pitches he wrote.  It's absolutely fascinating stuff which you can check out here. But first is the time for interviews, so away we go!

Buffyfest: What is your favorite behind the scene memory since you've been writing for the Whedonverse?

Scott Tipton: Man, there are so many, it’s hard to even narrow it down, Though writing for ANGEL wasn’t the first comics work I ever had published, it was certainly the work that got me noticed, and in a lot of ways I owe my whole career to the square-jawed galoot. I vividly remember being halfway through the script of my first ANGEL project, the SPIKE graphic novel OLD WOUNDS, which was a big 48-page one-shot, and thinking to myself, “Wow. I think I could do this for a living.”

Hearing later through the grapevine that James Marsters liked the book wasn’t too bad either.

The best thing about my ANGEL experience was the people I got to work with, no question, whether it was developing story ideas with Chris Ryall, trading scripts with Brian Lynch, or just hanging out together at Comic-Con meeting the readers. And I couldn’t have asked for better collaborators in artists David Messina, Stephen Mooney and Elena Casagrande. People often ask me what my favorite thing is about writing comics, and the answer is easy: it’s getting those pages back from the artist. Seeing them take your words on the page and bring to life exactly what you envisioned (and often improving it) is insanely rewarding.

When I was first assigned the AULD LANG SYNE miniseries with David, we got to do a bit of a “warmup” with an ILLYRIA short story in the Halloween anthology MASKS, and I was immediately struck by what a pleasure David was to work with. And then when I got the pages back – wow! I knew we were on to something! Little did I know David and I would go on to create over 600 pages together over the course of the next 5 years and six miniseries.

I remember when I was working on my ANGEL miniseries AULD LANG SYNE with David, driving all over Los Angeles, down to Santa Monica and up mid-Wilshire to the LA County Museum of Art, taking dozens of photos of the scenery to send to him so the book could really have that L.A. feel. Getting to write that snarky back-and-forth repartee between Angel and Spike was a real joy; I never got to do enough of it – so when I got to add a few new scenes to SMILE TIME a couple years later, that was a real treat.

But I think the most rewarding experience of the whole run was developing the adaptation of A HOLE IN THE WORLD with Elena. You’d think with an adaptation, you’d find it creatively limiting, but instead, taking those two episodes we loved so much, stripping them down, and finding the best way to make them work in comics was so much fun, and maybe the best actual collaboration I’ve ever had with an artist, in terms of figuring out the pacing, trading cover sketches back and forth (mine much, much, oh-god-so-much worse than hers), agonizing and arguing over what to cut – for ANGEL fans like us, it was a dream job, and we enjoyed every minute of it.



Buffyfest: Which character are you going to miss the most and why?

ST: I get asked this a lot, and my usual answer tends to be Spike, just because he is such a joy to write, and his dialogue and reactions spring so naturally to mind. Sometimes it’s hard to get the voice for Angel right or figure out exactly what Gunn would do, but Spike has always written himself. I just put him in a situation and turn him loose.

But as I’ve thought about it more in the last few weeks as things have been winding down, I realized the first character I ever wrote for in the Angelverse was Fred, in the opening scene of SPIKE: OLD WOUNDS, and she’s also the last, in the final panel of my YEARBOOK story “All the Time in the World.” This feels kind of appropriate, especially as I’ve spent the last three years writing for Fred/Illyria in one form or another. There’s been a steady flow of amazing drawings of Fred and Illyria arriving in my e-mail box regularly since 2008, and It feels very strange not to be receiving them any more. I may have to bribe Elena to draw me the occasional sketch of Illyria going to the market, or picking up the mail, just to quell the cravings.


Buffyfest: Where do you see Angel in 20 years?

ST: Who can say? I’d like to think it will have stepped out of the BUFFY shadow even more, and gotten the acclaim it always deserved as a more serious and thought-provoking show. And if I’m lucky, maybe I’ll be writing it again…

IDW WEEK: Interview with Writer Brian Lynch

We continue IDW week with a writer who's near and dear to all of our hearts. Brian Lynch told us what happened to Angel after his famous last line, "Let's go to work." He brought Spike to new and exciting places and he introduced us to instantly beloved characters like Betta George and Beck. So, without further ado, here's the man himself, looking back at his times at IDW.

Buffyfest: What is your favorite behind the scene memory since you've been writing for the Whedonverse?

Spike: Asylum #1

Brian Lynch: I have a lot of favorite memories working on this book. From getting the job in the first place, THAT was surprising and exciting. It was followed by the pure joy of writing the first issue of SPIKE:ASYLUM, and realizing how much fun I could have with Spike. Seeing Franco Urru's first pictures of Spike, and his first pages of ASYLUM, I remember where I was, what I was doing, what time of day. The man is the best thing that ever happened to me as a Whedonverse writer. He's taken some stuff that was iffy in script form and made it epic, heartbreaking, funnier than I thought possible...he's amazing.

Joss Whedon's email saying he liked ASYLUM and wanted me to do AFTER THE FALL was a stunning moment. Everything kind of changed at that point. It all became...bigger. And it meant I got to work with my hero. That doesn't happen often. Or, really, ever.

Seeing AINT IT COOL put up pages of AFTER THE FALL and reading reader's reactions...good and bad, it was thrilling. The signing we had the day ATF # 1 came out, I was literally going from the signing to the tasting for my wedding, and then boarding a plane to see my Dad who was sick in the hospital, so that day stands out. It was also the day Chris Ryall gave me my wedding present: that stunning "Wedding Edition" ATF # 1 with new artwork by Franco and EVERYBODY'S DEAD artist Dave Crosland.

Ryall, Tipton and Brian Lynch - 2007

Emailing and hanging out with Chris and Scott Tipton. We were always friends but this experience brought us all closer. We were kinda brothers in arms for years. Doing signings with them, hanging out at San Diego Comic Con. Meeting and hearing from all the people that were excited about the series. Definite highpoints.

The perfect storm of awesomeness was going to the New York Comic Con, where we announced the SPIKE series. I not only got to hang out with Scott and Chris, but I finally met Franco in person. Dave Messina, Stephen Mooney and his lovely wife Jacintha. Stephen is another co-creator that elevates any work he touches: he gets the emotion, the impact certain moments are supposed to have...I'm just lucky to know him as a artist and a friend.

Speaking of Mooney, we did the LAST ANGEL IN HELL special together, and seriously, what other comic company would say "you want to do a movie adaptation of a movie that doesn't exist? Okay, go for it!" I'm a lucky man.

Buffyfest with the man himself - 2009

Back to New York Con...I also finally met Pat Shand (another great human being and a talented writer in his own right) and got to thank him for the endless reviews/online conversations about my comics. I also met and was interviewed by you guys at Buffyfest, so there's another friendship that was forged because of this comic. So as you can see, it changed my life in a lot of ways.

I could go on and on. Juliet Landau was great to work with (writing a character with the person who PLAYED the character, wow). Writing issues of a comic book on a movie set made up to look like an Easter Factory (never got that SPIKE/HOP crossover). Getting to know Mariah as an editor and then being amazed at her writing. Working with Scott Allie so we could ease Spike into Buffy's world. Reading reviews of my book every time it came and realizing that people really CARED about these characters like they care about family members.

So, yes, many many good memories. A few bad ones, but WOW, who knew talking to my friend Chris Ryall about doing a five issue limited series about a monster asylum would change my life like it did? I'm really grateful for the experience.

Buffyfest: Which character are you going to miss the most and why?

BL: This is a tough one. Obviously I'm going to miss writing for Angel, and Spike. I've bonded with these characters. But at the same time, the world is a weird place and who knows what will happen in the future. I'm glad for the break now, as I want to play around in other worlds, but I haven't closed the door with these guys. When I was watching ANGEL years ago, I never in a million years thought I'd be asked to continue the series, anything's possible.

Lynch's original characters, Beck & Tok

The original characters are kind of frustrating, because I had really fun next chapters for Beck, Betta George, Jeremy, Non and Tok. I had a lot to say. Doubt I'll get the chance, which is sad. Even if I ever write for Angel and Spike again, I doubt they'll be in a place where it will easy to reunite with my guys. But, who knows.

Buffyfest: Where do you see Angel in 20 years?

BL: Kansas. I'm not sure why. Kidding, I hope there are still new Angel stories being made, that's he on our side, and he's that right mixture of tortured and happy.

Thank you Brian Lynch for talking to us once again and for all you've given to the 'verse. Have a feeling we'll be seeing you around these parts again real soon.

Coming Up on IDW Week...

In case you're wondering who those mysterious names are in the writing credits of that Angel Yearbook you pick up tomorrow at your local comic shoppe, that would be our very own Bitsy a.k.a Dan Roth and super-fan Pat Shand who both had the ultimate honor of writing for the Whedonverse. A big fat congrats to them. We'll be talking to those guys later in the week along with Writer/Editor Extraordinaire Mariah Huehner, Scott Tipton, Brian Lynch, David Tischman and some other special guests. Stay tuned!

The Angel Yearbook - Exclusive Preview

Rather than the usual rundown before we share the images, let's talk about why this preview is different from what we usually do. For one, obviously, it's the last time for IDW but, more importantly, it involves a lot of different stories. We're going to show you a glimpse at three of them. We think one of them, a two-pager by Brian Lynch's, will get you very, very excited.

We're leaving some stories out of the preview, too. In particular, Scott Tipton asked us specifically to not spoil the surprise. After we had the chance to read it, it's not hard to understand why.

Chris Ryall's, Pat and Bitsy's stories all consist of two pages apiece so previewing them seems... wrong, somehow. But there will be plenty of time to talk about those later. For now, please enjoy a sneak peek at what we think is some of the best stuff IDW has ever put out. Enjoy!

Buffy Season 9 News from ECCC

Some exciting Dark Horse news came out of Emerald City this year including confirmation of a Buffy: Season 10. Also, we don't have to wait too long for more stories as Season 9: Buffy #1 is scheduled to be released at the beginning of September and Angel #1 at the end of August. Structure-wise, Season 9 will be much shorter, lasting 2 years with 25 issues coming out of both the Buffy and Angel titles. Check out the panel for full details:

The Top Ten Whedonverse Moments of 2010

Majors spoilers for Season 8 if you're not completely caught up...

Time really flies when you're having a Whedon-filled year and this one was no exception! Over the course of the year, we conducted 35 interviews and published tons of exclusive content and images. But well beyond this place we call our home, the fandom was hit with a slew of information and news this year, both good and bad.

Here's a look back at our Top Ten Whedonverse Moments of the year. Happy New Year to all!

#1 - The Death of Rupert Giles
The wounds are still fresh, but we couldn't leave 2010 behind without acknowledging our favorite Watcher. Giles is a beloved character here at Buffyfest and he will be sorely missed.

#2 - San Diego Comic Con
Seriously, no words can express this experience. There was laughing and excitement one minute and then something akin to four deers caught in the headlights another. No matter what, the hard work paid off because we got to mix and mingle with the "who's who" of the Whedonverse.

#3 - Twilight-Gate
The spoiler heard round the world. That is all.

#4 - Jane Espenson Interview
We were humbled when Ms. Espenson talked with us about all things Buffy and to be honest, we're still feeling a little gitty in the after-glow of that interview.

#5 - Buffyfest 2010
This year we gambled it up with kittens, of course! The annual Buffyfest celebration was "high stakes" with all the usual fun, food and a dash of debauchery for good measure.

#6 - Other Cons without Michelle (NYCC, Big Apple Con, and Philly Comic Con)
It was a busy year for us as we navigated the Convention scene all along the northeastern sea board. With Michelle living in Sunny Los Angeles, these had to be handled East Coast style by Tara and Bits.

#7 - License-Gate IDW has treated Angel well, but with the news of the move to Dark Horse next year, Angel's unlife will be in the hands of 2011's Season 9 umbrella. It was another one of those "-gates" that rocked the fandom hard.

#8 - Joss and The Avengers
The demise of Dollhouse opened the door for Joss's huge directorial debut on The Avengers. We broke the news in San Diego and can't wait to see what Joss has in store for this elite super hero bunch. We still think Buffy could kick all their asses. 

#9 - Space Sex
It was certainly something to talk about. Well, it was porn on paper. Buffy and Angel porn on paper. In space.

#10 - Buffy Movie Reboot
It's possible that by this time next year, the reboot release will be a rumor of the past, but no matter how you feel about this news, shocked or awed, a big screen Buffy movie has to make it on this list. Funny thing is that a year and a half before this news broke, we did our very own recast of a Whedonless Buffy movie.

Even more Tischman-ey goodness!

Whether you missed last night's shindig or not, here is another chance to catch up and even meet "The Tisch" tonight in New York City:

"David Tischman (American Century, Cable), the current writer of the ongoing True Blood comic from IDW, will be signing at our Manhattan Location, Wednesday, November 24 from 6:00pm to 7:30pm!

Exclusively at Jim Hanley's Universe in New York City, where fans and creators meet!"

Jim Hanley's Universe is located at:
4 West 33rd St.,
New York, New York
(opposite The Empire State Building)
(212) 268-7088

IDW's 'Angel' writer David Tischman TONIGHT - Comic Book Club

 I have been wanting to publish this fabulous photo of The Tisch for some time. Go see the man in person tonight at the People's Improv Theater! Deets below:

When: Tonight - Tuesday, November 23
8:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: People's Improv Theater
154 West 29th Street
New York, NY
Created By
Comic Book Club

With guests David Tischman (Angel, True Blood) and Jacob Brown!

You could win a $25 Gift card to midtown comics

FREE COMICS!

Tickets: $5
Online: ThePIT-NYC.com
Phone: 1-800-838-3006
Questions? 212-563-7488

The show is sponsored in part by Midtown Comics

Go to the Facebook page here.

(Spoilers) Buffyfest Interviews IDW's Mariah Huehner & David Tischman at NYCC 2010

Buffyfest: This is Dan aka Bitsy and I'm here on the floor of NYCC with Bufyfest and we're with David Tischman and Mariah Huehner who are the co-writers of the Angel book.

Buffyfest: How are you doing at the con so far?

David Tishman: Having fun.

Mariah Huehner: Yeah, we're good. I mean we're kind of crazed but we're good.

DT: Busy day.

Buffyfest: Have you managed to do anything that is not con related while you've been in New York, Mariah?

MH: Not really. I saw my mom, that's it.

Buffyfest; So you've been working on something that was originally based around someone else's story (Bill WIllingham) but in #39, you're gonna be taking over. It's going to be all you.

DT: It's a brave, new world with #39. It's a world (dramatic pause) that James T. Kirk could have done. And I reference Captain Kirk and Star Trek because as I'd mentioned in another interview (once it's in two interviews it's research), as of issue #39... you know, Angel has such a great cast and a lot of, I think, Mariah and I, as writers and I think the fans as well... you know Connor is such a big character and there's so much about Connor and so many things are happening to Connor right now and there's also Angel and obviously Angel, his name's on the book. The name's on the cover, it's about him. So we tried to find a way to get the best of both worlds and in fact we have the best of both worlds and we did that by taking Angel and getting him transported into the future.

Buffyfest: Tell me what you can about what the future is like.

MH: Uh... has anybody watched Blade Runner?

DT: Worse.

B: Are there any flying cars?

DT: You know what? There's no flying. It's a shit hole.

MH: Yeah. We really wanted this to be different than After the Fall. After the Fall ias hell is a very specific kind of LA. This is a very different, very bleak, very unpleasant, very demon-centric (because that's going on everywhere) and Angel really doesn't know this for a while so you kind of just jump right in and I think here's an interesting juxtaposition between him and Connor. You know some of the earlier storytelling stuff definitely put the focus on the cast of team Angel. THis is doesn't really do that in thae sense that Angel is at the center of this book. But there's a parallel going on in the story that starts to get pretty weird and it has a lot to do with things that are upcoming for Angel as we near the end of this arc. So there's going to be a lot of general stuff that he's gonna have to deal with.

B: How far in the future is he going?

DT: It's far in the future.

MH: It's far.

B: Would anybody else be alive? Nobody?

DT: You're going to have to be it and see the last page of issue #39. Let me put it this way: it is far enough in the future what James, who is our big bad, who as we have seen in some of the earlier issues ... James has turned Earth into a demon breeding ground. It's a farm. Okay? it's a puppy mill for demons and because of that demons, vampires, humans they all sort of live side by side. They're all sort of this underclass. james doesn't care about ecology. He doesn't care about anything really other than birthing these demons which, by the way, he needs humans to host.

B: Ew.

DT: Exactly:

MH: It's nasty.

DT: So it's really gross. So there is this underclass of demons, vampires, humans, all kinds of things going around but the other thing is that Earth has become kind of a company town and James is the company. So everything is around him. Now, you might ask yourself, in a world like that, who are the good guys? Well, believe it or not, Angel is brought to the future by the one group who wants to get rid of James more than Angel does. DO you know who that might be?

B: Wolfram & Hart?

DT: Because as James has taken over the planet, Wolfram & Hart has been completely sidelined.

B: Their apocalypse is kind of ousted.

DT: Nobody cares about them anymore.

MH: It's been hinted before, that no matter how much they want to present themselves as this all knowing, all powerful group... you know, Illyria hinted that, oh, hey were really not that far above the vampires at one point so it's clear that they can screw up and screw up monumentally and the time shift that brought everybody back to the alley, we've been showing for a while that it's been having a lot of consequences. This keeps that going and shows that this has farther reaching rammifications than they were prepared for. They just sort of do things and then go "Oops". Thi is a really big "oops" because it allows a lot of things back that wouldn't have been able to get back and James is really taking advantage of the situation. Wolfram &Hart is not in the position they once were and they want t be. You know, they don't like being not in charge.

B: Are humans bad in this future? Is there an upper class that includes humans?

DT: That's actually a very good question because humans are actually an underclass.

B: Right but are there exceptions to that rule?

DT: Well there are always exceptions to that rule, but I'm not sure we're necessarily going to see that. What I will say is that by us bringing Angel to this future and having him kind of fighting with Wolfam &Hart against James, he is very much a return to Angel the TV show Season One. In it's tone, in who Angel is and what his mission is and remember we've got all this great supporting cast. They have their own story. It's also a world where Angel doesn't have to hold back. It's also a world that is so ecologically screwed up that no sunshine gets through so he can walk around anytime day or night.

B: He's without limit at that point.

DT: Correct. Now in our time, in the past, you have Angel Investigations.

MH: We have Connor, Gunn is back. There's a little bit of tension between those two but we do explore that relationship a little bit further because there was that whole sort of melt down. Illyria is off for a bit for her own little miniseries. That does tie into Angel #42 and there will be a really big reveal for that. kate goes off to do her own thing.

B: Oh, yeah, Kate.

MH: Yes.

DT: Yeah, chances are you won't see Kate. In a panel. Once.

MH: Maybe. But Laura and Polyphemus are still and around and they are still figuring out how to sort of run everything. it sounds very complicated but the reality is that it's two parallel stories that are working towards each other and when they finally get to the crux of where things need to go it's a really big, epic story.

DT: And because the Angel Investigations story has its own space to breath, one of the things Mariah and I have talked a lot about is trying to play with Larua and Mr. P (as I like to call him) and really play that as Thin Man, like real weird psycho love story. He's in love with her but he's a ball of rock. And there's fun stuff to play with there.

MH: I personally really like the floating, demon library. I think that's fun.

B: You've got six issues to do all this.

DT: That's all you need.

B: So that's not been a challenge to you at all.

MH: The real challenge has been #33 to #38 which is wrapping up someone else's story line which is not an easy thing to do. Bill was great as we were coming in, giving us the plot and his plans and I think that was really terrific, but we had to make sure that ended up where we needed it to so that #39 could really just take off and we could really do what we needed to do with it and that story line, I think David just really took it and ran with it. he said "This is what I think we need to do with this" and I said "Yes. The character needs to end up here, this is how we need to take it and he did it really quickly, and I think it came out pretty easily. Not to get too much into what's happening at Dark Horse but we're not telling the pre-Twilight story. We are telling our own story. But, you know, there are some there are some easter eggs for the fans to look for throughout the course of this story line that fans should keep their eyes peeled for.

B: I want to switch gears. David, I want to talk about these two other books that you're working on.

DT: I announced a book today that is going to be digital and be released on the MTV Geek site. That is called Beowolf Jones. Beowolf Jones is a warrior for hire. He likes his meat rare and his damsels young. he is a Raymond Chandler style hero in a barbarian world. it is Conan meets Shaft. There are wizards instead of drug dealers, there a slave merchants instead of pimps, and there are whores because there are always whores. Beowolf Jones is contacted by the Protorian Guard to find a girl. It turns out the girl is really his long ago love who once meant more to him than anything in the world.

B: That's a real classic story.

DT: Exactly. As he unravels this, in a Chandler way, we find out that it is never about black and white, it's always about green. it's about money and the greed, it's about power, and it's about what people have to do to survive.

B: Do we know when MTV is going to debut this?

DT: It should debut in February 2011. The artist on it is Todd Harris. He did a book called prodigal for APE. Todd is a storyboard artist so his action sequences are phenomenal. It's a really great balls to the walls action story with a guy who keeps it close to the vest but there's really a lot going on there.

B: Let's talk about the other book.

DT: There is another vampire book.

B: Tell me about it.

DT: I can't say a whole lot right now.

B: Vague it up.

DT: Have you seen "Let Me in"?

B: I haven't.

MH: You really should.

DT: D you watch the True Blood

B: I do watch the True Blood.

DT: Were you a fan of Godrich?

B: Yes.

DT: I think if you were to put Godrich and "Let Me In" in a box and shake it. That's sort of where we might be.

Buffyfest Interview with Dark Horse Editor Sierra Hahn

We've been dying to interview Sierra Hahn, Dark Horse editor extraordinaire, for quite awhile, but as you'll see below she's a very busy bee, juggling a lot of titles both Whedonverse and beyond. So we finally had the chance and it definitely stood up to the hype! There is a great energy and passion in her answers to our queries. It's always nice to know that the creatives are just as enthusiastic as the fans.


Buffyfest: Let’s start off with an introduction. You've worked in comics for a while, starting at Vertigo before moving to Dark Horse. How did you get into comics in the first place?

Sierra Hahn: I started reading comics as a kid, probably around five or six years old. My oldest brother has always been a comics fan and I would accompany him to the comics shop every week. While he was picking up Watchmen, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and X-men, I was clamoring for DC Comics' Amethyst, and Marvel’s Ewoks. My interest in comics petered out over time until my big brother introduced me to Vertigo Comics' Y: The Last Man and 100 Bullets—two series that I still love, love, love—and suddenly I was adding comics into my regular reading habits. I had been missing a lot of great comics over the years and some catching up to do.

After I completed my undergraduate degree in English, I applied to a publishing crash course at Columbia University. Best decision ever, and it got me in the door at DC Comics where I met Karen Berger (editor of the original Amethyst and head of Vertigo). We talked comics, and she suggested I apply for an available job doing publicity. I applied, got the job, and spent an amazing couple of years promoting some of my favorite comics. But my heart was in editing, and I eventually made the leap to Dark Horse to explore a different side of the industry.

Buffyfest: What titles do you edit at Dark Horse? What are you working on at this moment?

SH: I edit the Dr. Horrible comics and Terminator both with Zack Whedon as writer. I worked with Janet and Alex Evanovich on a unique project called Troublemaker where we took characters from two of Janet's best-selling novels and continued their adventure in comics format. I'm also editing a graphic novel about a real life police detective who pursued a serial killer from the Pacific Northwest—the Green River Killer—for twenty years. It's written by Jeff Jensen, an entertainment reporter for Entertainment Weekly, whose father was that detective. It's been an incredible project to be involved with—part autobiography, part true crime... It's a very unique and special book.

On a lighter note I've been working with the incredible Jill Thompson to bring her Scary Godmother stories back to print. And I work closely with Scott Allie on Buffy(one of the reasons I couldn't pass up the job at Dark Horse), and other Joss Whedon books like Serenity, and Sugarshock.

Buffyfest: Can you tell us a little bit about your specific role in the “Whedonverse” division?

SH: My duties vary quite a bit. Most of the time (along with assistant editor Freddye Lins) I'm pestering writers and artist to hit their deadlines. Sometimes I provide notes on scripts and artwork. I write a lot of the promotional copy—the text on back covers or in catalogs. Going into Season 9 and having the Angel titles, I'm offering input on writers and artists that would be great for the line books. This general role I play with any of the Joss-related titles with the expection of Dr. Horrible, which became my darling over the last year.

Buffyfest: How has your experience been working on the Whedon titles? Have you had much interaction with the fandom?

SH: I love working on Buffy. I love working with Joss, and all of the wonderful writers from the show. I've learned a lot from everyone who has worked on the series thus far—what makes a great story, and how to have characters that shine and are distinctive, how to make a reader feel like he or she is a part of the journey.

I haven't had much interaction with Buffy fans except at San Diego Comic Con during Joss' signings and panels. Over the past few years I’ve had some involvement with the Portland Browncoats’ annual “Can’t Stop the Serenity” event, which is always a fantastic affair.

Buffyfest: Were you a fan of Whedon's shows before they were revived in comic form?

SH: When I was in high school my family had a satellite dish that aired Buffy at 5 PM. As a result I would bail on all of my after school activities and time with friends to rush home and watch Buffy. I loved the show before it even aired. My whole family would tease me about watching the show—they thought the premise was pretty goofy, but then, over time, my two older brothers started watching, my parents started watching, my brother's girlfriend starting watching... and everyone became very loyal right up until the end. I'm still recruiting Buffy fans.

Buffyfest: If you had to pick between all of Joss Whedon’s works, which story would be your favorite and why?

SH: I don't think I have a favorite. Some stories I have a stronger affinity for than others. That said, I've been re-reading Fray and it's an awesome book. I absolutely love that character, that world, and how it really feels like a fully formed Joss story—that (even though it took awhile to get done) he was very present in the make up of that story. It’s funny, smart, tragic, and action packed—all the makings of a Joss story at its best.

Buffyfest: What about a favorite character?

SH: Guh...! What a painful question! I have so much love for so many characters for so many reasons. But... if I really think on it... it's gotta be Buffy. She's my girl. She's strong, smart, sexy, funny, totally flawed and human in the midst of all her superness.

Buffyfest: Which season of Buffy(besides season 8) is your favorite?

SH: Season Two. You’ve got Spike and Dru, Ms. Calendar, Oz, and Buffy and Angel falling in love. There’s so much drama and tension. It was a very moving Season. The characters and what makes them unique really started to take shape effectively establishing who they would eventually become.

Buffyfest: As for Season 8, which arc was your favorite to work on? Which was the most challenging?

SH: My favorite arc to work on thus far... probably Brian K. Vaughan's No Future For You. It's the first storyline I worked on after moving from DC Comics to Dark Horse, and I had a preexisting relationship with Vaughan as one of his publicists at Vertigo. I also really dug a story focused on Faith and Giles. Vaughan did a fantastic job capturing the sensibilities of those characters. The most challenging arc has gotta be the current one—Last Gleaming. I don't know if anyone has heard but Joss is in charge of making a really important movie AND he's trying to wrap up Season Eight. Daunting. But what's really cool about every single person involved with this series is that they rally, big time, to do their best and get the book to out on time. It's challenging, but it's exciting too. I'm dying to read issue #40.

Buffyfest: Buffy Season 8 has introduced a lot of women and girls into the comic book world. Why do you think it is a great medium for girls?

SH: Comics are a great medium for everyone who enjoys a great story. Comic books are varied across the board tackling every theme and topic imaginable. Just like regular ol' books or movies or our lives. There is something for everyone.

Buffyfest: On the other hand, there’s been some criticism of Season 8 saying the feminist message has been lost. What's your take?

SH: Each season of Buffy—be it on TV or in comics—has followed this heroine into fantastic and also awful situations. The writers of Buffy have made choices for the cast of characters that I don't always agree with. I’ve been outright pissed and disgusted or just sad. But I see these choices as Buffy's. She's especially compelling to me because she's imperfect. The girl can FLY and yet she's still driven by irrational, spur of the moment decisions that she'll suffer the consequences for. These "flaws" make her wonderfully relatable. Human. They are her choices. And even if I don't always agree with said choices, I'm still eager to find out where they will land her. Will she grow? Will she recover? Will she crumble? Will the people who love her forgive her? Again? Will she become more cold, distant—a soldier with the weight of the world on her back? She's allowed to be flawed, and she'll always try and make up for it. That's one thing I can count on, and it brings me back. Buffy's empowering even if she's making bad choices—self destructive or otherwise. Most of the time she's saving the world and trying to make sure everyone is provided for to the detriment of her self. I find her empowering because of all of those things—being a strong, fearless woman, and human when she's something other worldly altogether.

Buffyfest: The now infamous Twilight-gate cover leak must have been a hard day at the office. Can you describe the climate at Dark Horse that day?

SH: The cover leak was awful. We were pretty deflated by the whole experience. It had been this incredibly exciting secret that had been kept under wrap for years, and then suddenly the news was out, and we had to do some damage control. There was no great way to come out of that situation gracefully. And then… you’re on the next thing, trying to keep the book coming out on time and hoping there are still some secrets remaining by the very end.

Buffyfest: Now that the word is out that Angel is moving over to Dark Horse, everyone is getting excited for the expanded world that will be Buffy Season 9. How involved are you in this early stage? Will you be choosing artists, etc?

SH: I'll be offering input on artists and writers for the various titles. I'm a tad opinionated, and I want these new books to kick ass and continue to raise the bar and give fans a unique and fulfilling experience. Scott and I are working closely—and certainly with Joss—to figure what to do with Season Nine and any titles coming out of the Angel license. I'm really looking forward to getting more immersed in this world.

Buffyfest: Speaking of Angel, he is a very controversial character in the Buffyverse. What’s your take on him?

SH: I like Angel. I especially liked him when I was fifteen years old and first watching the show . . . ahem. As I've grown older my feelings toward Angel have changed from swoony to thinking he's charming but a bit of a goober. And goober is a good thing! It's endearing! But honestly when I go back and watch episodes of the show there are moments between Buffy and Angel that still totally move me. It's some of the best writing.

Buffyfest: Recently, at Dragon Con, both Scott Allie and Georges Jeanty gave some ominous comments about the upcoming Buffy Issue # 39. If you could give one word to explain your feelings about the events of that issue, what would it be?

SH: ill.

Buffyfest: Uh, oh. For the last question, let's move on to something lighter. What’s got your interest these days? Any comics that you think are a must read for any Buffy fan?

SH: I’ve been plowing through a lot of novels lately—most recently Zadie Smith’s On Beauty and the massive Justin Cronin post-apocalyptic vampire insanity The Passage. As far as comics that Buffy fans might enjoy… Y: The Last Man is still a favorite. It’s politically savvy and timeless. The characters are hilarious and compelling. Lately, I’ve really been enjoying Gabrielle Bell’s work—brilliantly written, and darkly humorous slice of life stories, which she writes and draws herself. I’m also biased when it comes to recommending The Guild comics written by Felicia Day (creator of the hit web show of the same name). The comics (published by Dark Horse) are quirky, fun, and totally relatable. Anything with Zack Whedon’s name on it is sure to win my favor. Yeah… we work together, but the kid is a blast to work with, and an incredible talent. He’s really adapted well to the comics medium. Everyone has to pick up Zack’s first endeavor into the world of Serenity with The Shepherd’s Tale out in November. Tear jerker!

Thanks, Sierra!