Spike: After the Fall - Issue 1

[iloveromy]

Read it.

Mild Spoilers Below!

OK so I love Spike and Illyria's relationship. Like Denise Richards, it's complicated. Spike wants Illyria to be Illyria to survive, even though she is regressing into Fred, which is supposed to be a good thing. Damn you, Brian! It's great that Spike uses the amusement park rides to get Illyria in the spirit of being Illyria. I love that Spike is the hero, even though he doesn't want to be. And I love that we are getting more Buffyverse... always a good thing.

The big con I have so far is, Why? What's the point? I'm not seeing the bigger picture in this issue. It plays like an extended version of First Night. There are a few interesting tidbits but I haven't really been given a glimpse into the bigger picture. The ending is supposed to play a shock with the female warriors showing up but the result is underwhelming because we already know what happens with them.

I know that Spike: After The Fall isn't required reading for the story in Angel: After The Fall. But I was hoping the issue had more lore or information. That would have been a nice hybrid of supplemental yet important for a bigger picture. I personally wish we would have been introduced to the big bad in this issue.

So all in all the first issue was just purdy good.

ALSO - My comic book store didn't have the grind house cover and it kind of bummed me out!

Love ya, mean it!

[Brian Lynch]

It's building to something.

And the ending wasn't supposed to be a shock

[iloveromy]

Jul 16, 2008 11:03:17 GMT -5 Brian Lynch said:

It's building to something.

And the ending wasn't supposed to be a shock

as long as the innocent pay the consequences i'm down for whatever.

[chronicboredom]

I wasn't expecting this today (being in England and all) so it was a nice suprise.
I thought it was really good, everything about it just seemed to fit, I'm hoping that the mini will be touched upon in Angel: After the Fall; maybe Jeremy could pop over (if he isn't dead by the time this is wrapped up, of course).
Overall, a great read and I can't wait for more. =)

[drakkie]

*greets you with a chain!*

I thought the relation ship between Illyria and Spike was more, but then again I was confused at the panel where "Jerry" XD pops out the ring, does Spike have more feelings for her? *giggles* I mean...BOO! lol Spike is Asexual! XD

I did like how Spike proved his point about getting rid of Fred, makes sense, but still...pooh

Anyways! I think its really good!! I did too expect more, but I wasn't dissappointed

[snizapman6294]

was the guy complaining to spike talking about Charmed when he said the horrible show about the witch sisters? i'm kind of pissed. Charmed and Buffy are my two favorite shows! i'm legit kind of upset.

[chronicboredom]

I love Charmed too, it never crossed my mind that it would be Charmed the kids were talking about, lol.

[balesthebloody]

Loved this issue!

It's great to see Brian and Franco get back to their Buffyverse roots with Spike.

I loved the opening with the Dino Demons. It is always funny to see Spike get his ass kicked! Illyria all "suited" up with weapons looked really cool. It let you know that Spike and her have been saving people on the move, which I say, would be very difficult. Illyria wanting to kill the fat kid was great! I really liked Jeremy, good to see a new face. I have a feeling that he has some great potential as a character. I hope we get to see where the wound on Fred's belly comes from. It must be something bad since that Spike doesn't want her to know about it. I love the metion on Lorne and the lord from Westwood. Spike back at W&H, never thought that would happen. Then on top of that, he meets the Dragon! Greatness! Then Spider's team showing up at the end was pretty good way to end the issue. Bring on more S:AtF!!! Great job Brian and Franco!

[lorneisaboltsfan]

I liked it a lot, it was cool getting something pretty much entirely from Spike's point of view. And as far as the Charmed joke goes (assuming that is what they were referring to), I'm a big Charmed fan too, but I still thought it was pretty funny. I don't think it was an absolute shot at Charmed, as much as just a random joking reference.

[snizapman6294]

i know. i just was surprised. that it was being referenced.

[hitnrun017]

Very good stuff.

I wasn't THAT excited for Spike: After the Fall, but this FAR exceeded my expectations. The writing was superb, everyone knows Brian does perfect writing for Spike, and this was no different, maybe even a little better. Franco's art was great also, good to see it again. I loved the Fred/Illyria stuff, I was very happy to see more Fred. I thought the demons look very cool and Jeremy was a pretty cool character. Can't wait to see what happens between The Dragon and Spike, also the girls..... whom look familar.

The "awful show about the witch sisters" was AMAZING! I'm still laughing. Thank you Brian!

[Smashed]

I LOL'd at the witch sisters.
I agree about spike, awful!

And I feel bad for Fred.
Willow needs to come and seperate those two!

[platitude]

I totally wasn't sure what to expect, but I really love Spike ATF! The writing is spot-on fantastic, and the art was great too (sometimes I wasn't sure about Urru's art in Angel. I think his artwork may just be better suited for Spike. Does that even make sense? I dunno.)

My favorite parts were...well everything now that I think about it! I really can't say enough about how great it is.

Certainly I'm more interested in the plot development in Angel ATF rather than in Spike ATF, but Spike is just more fun to read!

[Emmie]

~ Oh Dragon, how I love you so. Playing vicious but loyal guard-dog to Angel as he's recuperating in W&H. I really enjoyed the narrative lead-in of Spike struggling with his Zippo lighter throughout the issue only to have Dragon (I'm taking off the 'The' because it just sounds pretentious like he's some self-centered egotistical immortal living in Rome) flame-on for him. The panel of Dragon looming over Spike made me feel gleeful, then the close-up of Dragon 'SNURT'-ing at Spike while baring his teeth and the glowing eyes - ;D. Add on Spike's nonchalant greeting "Right then. How have you been?" and this exchange becomes my favorite scene of the issue.

Great dynamic between Spike and Fred-llyria; his protectiveness and the way he ensures Illyria keeps her gameface through the amusement park rides was ingenious and made me grin. Sadly because Spike's been so quick to hide Fred away in Illyria to protect her, poor Fred hasn't gotten the chance to speak her peace or make an impact at all. Though she's here, I still feel like I'm missing her and I hope that changes soon.

Enjoyed the shout-out to how Spike used to give lip to both Angel and Buffy. And hey, Spike thought of Buffy! There we go. Though in this instance it was his looking at his two hero role models for how he should act and treat the ones he must protect. How's it feel to be the big hero now, Spike? Doesn't seem to be relishing the responsibility, but he's getting it done.

Good first issue that left me wanting to keep on reading. More. Now please.

~Oh Franco how I've missed you and am delighted at your return. Whatever group of fans raised hellfire over your art, I'm still unclear on and frankly baffled by whatever these complaints entailed. Nothing but love from me here. ~

[patxshand]

Emmie, right again. I love Franco so hard. In a manly, hand-shakey, bow at his feet kinda way.

[Emmie]

Jul 17, 2008 12:49:36 GMT -5 patxshand said:

Emmie, right again. I love Franco so hard. In a manly, hand-shakey, bow at his feet kinda way.

Bah you're just agreeing with me 'cause you're my friend. Oh wait, no that's not right. Pat is the friend who likes to PWN me whenever I throw out the fan-logic. Hmm carry on with saying I'm right, Pat. Carry on.

;D <--- this emoticon seems very apropos for the Spike AtF thread

[KingofCretins]

Joss took a pretty solid cheap shot at "Charmed" on a DVD commentary, so this was pretty mild. I don't like the show anyway, I LOL'd out loud! at it, actually.

But still better was the idea that Spike actually would reflect on the amount of shit that Angel and Buffy have to put up with as he feels his way toward his leadership role.

The humor was all spot on, here. I still, however, came over a bit unfulfilled, just because... it *is* a flashback story. No matter what happens, we know Spike is going to be who he is and where he is when the story catches back up to Angel's visit in Chapter 2 of his book. It's Star Wars prequelitis, that way. It's still cool, but it's just sort of okay, let's see the big lightsaber fight.

Best truly new insight is Spike and Illyria -- I didn't catch him saying so, but other comments he's made (even back in Season 5) make me think he's actually a little repulsed by her being Fred, and that it's not just because Illyria can defend herself. I would hope he's *not* repulsed, but that's actually because I still hold some hope that, unlike Illyria's Season 5 finger-sparking and impersonation, that actually *is* Fred somehow. But I'm not sure that's where Brian is going with her story.

I'm not sure how I feel about Jerry/Jeremy. He has an interesting little role, like that guy in Shakespeare who's always around to comment on the hero's behavior. But at the same time, I assume his full name is Jeremy C. Fodder, if you take my meaning, so I can't get too invested in his own storyline.

I think I'll enjoy it more as I see how Spider and Spike's new nemesisisisis come into the story.

[Brian Lynch]

Spike isn't repulsed by Fred. Maybe, as Jeremy says, a little heart-broken.

[KingofCretins]

I meant more "repulsed" insofar as if it's not *really* Fred, but Illyria just sort of having an episode fed by her Fred memories. Maybe I'm misunderstanding the metaphysics. Fredlyria-physics?

Also, Brian, I took the use of Fredlyria in Chapter 10 as a shout-out, since it seemed everybody but me was going with "Frillyria".

[Brian Lynch]

Oh I get it. That makes more sense, sorry.

The Fred-Lyria thing is what we've been calling her since we started writing this lovely story. It's not a shout-out, but it IS great minds thinking alike!