Spike: AtF issue 1, Angel AtF issue 10 - musings

[moscow_watcher]

Spike: AtF issue 1

Lynch makes a bold experiment: he tells a story with an outcome we already know. Earlier on Angel: AtF we discovered Spike as "the lord of Beverly Hills" and heard Spider's story about his tribulations: "When we first crossed paths, the other ladies wanted to end you. You were shockingly handsome but a tad scrawny and very much the loudmouth. And your traveling companion, the lass behind door number one, she was a tad unstable. I told them to spare you. I had rumblings that started in my heart and ended beyond. And I was right. You stepped up and eventually *we* began following *you*."

Not we're going to have a more detailed version of this "synopsis". But can writer make interesting a story with a known outcome? Can the audience get interested in it? It's quite a challenge, especially for spoiler whores like me. A big part of the charm is speculating on the twists and the catches in the next issues.

Nevertheless, new Lynch's project seems a winner. He focuses on characters and conveys Spike's voice perfectly. "Did Angel deal with this kind of lip? I mean other than from me? Did Buffy deal with this kind of lip? I mean other than from me?" Spike laments when human teenagers annoy him. Poor Spike. I think Buffy did deal with "this kind of lip" from Potentials in season 7, but that's another story.

Looks like Spike became a children's champion. In NFA he saved a baby. In S: AtF he saves a boy and then tries to appease human teenagers who are bored under his protection. The first issue is mostly a set-up, with some flashbacks (including nice callback to Spike and Fred brief reunion). Fred recalling her Pylea days is poignant, and Spike preferring that she'd exist as Illyria because a goddess has more chances to survive in Hell is doubly poignant. Oh, I with I could see these scenes acted out by James and Amy!

By the way, Spike's decision to give Illyria a distraction - fighting with a giant mechanical Evil Duck (from Shadow Puppets) in the theme park is absolutely priceless!

Spike has got a friend (kinda) who, in a way, is his human reflection. He also was "too late" to find happiness with his girl. He wants Spike to call him Jeremy and not Jerry - the way William resented when Angelus called him Willie. Looks like Jerry\Jeremy didn't make it to Angel: AtF so today friending Spike is as much a kiss of death as dating a Scoobie.

When Spike leaves to scout another hiding place, a bunch of girls on black latex suits arrives and takes control. Obviously they're the girls who will later become Spikettes. So by the end of issue 1 we approach familiar territory. Are we?

Urru's art makes the fights vivid and graphic. The HellA bestiary becomes more varied, now with intelligent dinosaurs who also want to rule the place. And, of colurse, I can't keep from mentioning that one of them is named after by dear friend mrs_underhill, who posts on IDW forums as Nata.

Angel AtF issue 10

Issue 10 looks like the set-up of the next chapter of Angel's adventures.

It starts with human!Angel's nightmares about superheroic Spike and Connor helping the helpless in "Spike's Town". Angel wakes up to discover snowfall outside and Fang Gand planning to make rounds.

Spike and Wesley have a conversation about Illyria. "If whatever H&R has planned involves hurting what's left of Fred, and you're even the smallest part of it I will find a way to kill you," Spike says to Wesley. "I couldn't be more grateful for that," the latter replies.

In Gunn's lair Gunn experiments with Betta George and his slayers. He orders slayers to hurt Betta and orders Betta to "freeze" them with the force of his mind.

Angel and his team find a vamp nest and pump its leader for information. Angel wants to know who tries to play him. Vamp talks about a "group" who began "to make ripples before the fall of Los Angeles". Illyria reveals Angel's secret: he's not a vampire anymore. Connor immediately orders him return to Hyperion. He refuses. He realised that Illyria can read power patterns and he asks her to trace the vampire who is "sitting on the power".

Meanwhile, Gunn succeeds in waking up Betta George's abilities to mentally "freeze" people. Slayers are immobilized and Gunn slits their throats. Then Gunn orders Betta to contact anybody outside of LA. The action switches to Las Vegas: Betta's friends get his telepathic message about LA being in hell, check TV and see that LA is fine. Judging by Gunn's reaction, he already knew about it. That's exactly when Angel arrives to Gunn's lair. (To be continued)

So they're in another dimension. There is another, "regular" LA where everything goes as usual. Good plot twist, it gives Lynch a lot of space to build new stories.

Snowfall in Amends echoes nicely here. Obviously a coincidence, but still poignant.

Overall impression is that one chapter is finished in issue 9 and another started in issue 10. A story about Angel saving the city from evil lords is over. The next story will be about his confrontation with Gunn and about Wesley-Illyria-Fred issues. I wonder if Wesley will stay a ghost and if yes, then how long. In season 5 writers kept Spike in a ghostly state for seven episodes. If we exclude "The First Night" issues, this is the seventh issue. Time to materialize.

So far, it's mostly exposition and a lot of foreboding. The idea of Angel and Connor trading places is inspired and I hope we'll get more of them (the cover of issue 12 is a heart-breaker!)

The art is definitely better in this issue, but still there are too much by-the-numbers panels. Yet Nina's feral pose when she guards sleeping Angel is a great idea and the first panels that parody Batman and Robin comics are priceless.

Buffy: The Time of Your Life

I don't know what to say about BtVS # 16. Basically the previews told us everything we have to know about the plot; Scoobies have changed their looks again and it's like the third set of actors are playing them. Xander is yummy, centaur!Dawn is very beautiful... I wonder if we'll see Xander riding a centaur!Dawn. (What? Yes, I'm a perv! :)
Looks like I ran out of positive things to say and since I don't want to whine I'd better shut up.

Comments

[shapinglight]

Glad you enjoyed the Spike comic, Moscow. I thought it was terrific, and have not altogether given up hope that Jeremy will survive. Though we haven't seen him in A:AtF, there isn't really room for him and the rest of the secondary characters from S:StF (which is partly why Spider has so far failed to interest most people - she just seems surplus to the plot), and I'm hoping he's with Connor's people.

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

I thought it was terrific

I agree. It's interesting that the universe aound Spike differs a bit from the universe that surrounds Angel. There are children in it. The idea of fun isn't forgotten completely. People survive, people adapt life goes on. While Angel lives in scorched ruines.

I have not altogether given up hope that Jeremy will survive

We'll see if Lynch has learned Joss' lessons of ripping fans' hearts out in five easy steps. :)

[shapinglight]

We'll see if Lynch has learned Joss' lessons of ripping fans' hearts out in five easy steps. :)

Oh dear, I do hope not. It's so nice for Spike to have a friend that's male (even though he is of course pretending they're not friends, they obviously are).

And yes, I like the fact that Spike is stuck with all these people, and that the bunch of kids are not one bit scared of him - enough so that they're complaining to him about being bored. It's filling in a lot of the blanks with Spike's story and it certainly does contrast with Angel's in a way that seems to suit both their personalities - though of course this might well be set at the time that Angel was still trying to recover from the injuries sustained when he survived that rather improbable long distance fall.

I sort of wish (in fact, I wish a lot) that Spider and the other Spikettes weren't going to come along and take over the story (because it's inevitable that they will), as Spike's relationship with Fredllyria and with this bunch of refugees is so far much more interesting than any of the Spike/Spikettes interaction we've seen.

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

the bunch of kids are not one bit scared of him

Well, we know since Halloween that Spike is good with kids! :)

I sort of wish (in fact, I wish a lot) that Spider and the other Spikettes weren't going to come along and take over the story (because it's inevitable that they will), as Spike's relationship with Fredllyria and with this bunch of refugees is so far much more interesting than any of the Spike/Spikettes interaction we've seen.

I hope the Super-girls will be used sparingly although it's interesting how Spike has managed to become their leader. I understand the Urru enjoys every minute of drawing them, but the interaction between Spike and Fredliria is much more interesting.

[shapinglight]

I understand the Urru enjoys every minute of drawing them, but the interaction between Spike and Fredliria is much more interesting.

I agree. As for being used sparingly, I have little hope of that. Spider's relationship with Spike has to be established - and maybe, if I'd read it here first, I might not dislike her so much. Who knows?

[mrs-underhill.livejournal.com]

it certainly does contrast with Angel's in a way that seems to suit both their personalities - though of course this might well be set at the time that Angel was still trying to recover from the injuries sustained when he survived that rather improbable long distance fall.
Angel blamed himself for LA being in Hell and punished himself by staying from all those people he saved - and even from his own son.
Spike blamed Angel for that, so his burden in Hell was a bit easier, and he's natirally drawn to people. But I agree, a great contrast between them, and yet again, Angel was on the outside looking in on the life of people he saved, while Spike was on the inside, living with them and helping them survive after saving them.

[shapinglight]

Angel was on the outside looking in on the life of people he saved, while Spike was on the inside, living with them and helping them survive after saving them.

Yes, which just goes to show that when Spike says he's a people person in Life of the Party, and we're meant to think what a daft thing to say it is, he's actually speaking the truth.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

Spike and Wesley have a conversation about Illyria. "If whatever H&R has planned involves hurting what's left of Fred, and you're even the smallest part of it I will find a way to kill you," Spike says to Wesley. "I couldn't be more grateful for that," the latter replies.

Love that.

And I really liked the first installment of Spike:ATF. I like his empathy for Jeremy, his being annoyed by the teens, and Spike's continued (non-romantic) love for Fred.

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

I like his empathy for Jeremy, his being annoyed by the teens, and Spike's continued (non-romantic) love for Fred.

I'm very interested in Spike's relationship with new Fred. There is something weird about her and about Spike's decision to keep the child away from her. Do children "anchor" Fred incarnation while Spike prefers to have Illyria because he wants to be ready for demons attack? Or it's something else?

[fenderlove.livejournal.com]

Do children "anchor" Fred incarnation while Spike prefers to have Illyria because he wants to be ready for demons attack? Or it's something else?
I think that seeing an unstable woman who is unable to comprehend the situation she is in and at any moment can turn into a preternaturally strong demon-god who really wouldn't think twice about ending the life of a child actually near the very child that was earlier threatened is a good reason to keep her away from children. I think that he sees shades of Drusilla's behavior in Fred whether they're there or not. He sees Fred being so friendly with the little boy, giving him candy, and that might have brought back a whole host of memories of how Drusilla lured children to her. Poor Spike, patron saint of children and crazy women. Oh, that gives me a brilliant upon brilliant idea for a drawing. *runs off to sketch*

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

I think that he sees shades of Drusilla's behavior in Fred whether they're there or not.

Yes, I think you may be right. I just wonder if there is something else, something we don't know yet.

Oh, that gives me a brilliant upon brilliant idea for a drawing. *runs off to sketch*

Looking forward to it!

[littlesoprano15.livejournal.com]

I don't think anything at this point is really "anchoring" Fred, but strong empathy and ties with certain people from Fred's past (Wesley, most dramatically) seem to bring her on, so to speak. This little boy was someone Fred empathized with strongly, due to the similarity of his situation and hers in Pylea.

I think from what we know from A: ATF 10 and now the first Spike comic, Spike is locking Fred/Illyria away for Fred's protection. She can be hurt in the hell dimension, whereas Illyria can come away from a day's worth of battles without a scratch. It is a little disturbing that Spike is essentially controlling Fred's free will in the matter-- come to think about it, Fred may very well have some strong words about that should she ever come totally back to herself. Anyway, I think Spike is keeping Illyria away from the child for the same reasons he was so upset when Illyria saw Wesley-- he's doing anything he can to prevent Fred coming back and potentially being hurt. Still, there may be more to it that we don't know yet.

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

It is a little disturbing that Spike is essentially controlling Fred's free will in the matter-- come to think about it, Fred may very well have some strong words about that should she ever come totally back to herself.

Yes, it's quite a dilemma. And, knowing Joss and Lynch, I think there is a possibility that sooner of later Spike's decision will bite him in the ass. For example, we'll find out that Fred could write a magical formula to destroy the wall that separates them from our world. Or something like that. So Spike will also feel guilty for deaths of many humans.

Unless - like you say - there is something about Fred Spike knows and we don't.

[littlesoprano15.livejournal.com]

Let's hope so. It may be that Spike doesn't even really know for sure that it IS Fred, totally, though their big reunion in First Night doesn't support that theory very well.

Wouldn't be at all surprised if you're absolutely right-- that Fred could have gotten them out all along. She and Wes are the most qualified, and if she couldn't do it alone, the two of them very arguably could. Fred and Illyria together also might be able to do so. Interesting how Illyria is clearly NOT happy about her situation in Hell-A, even though you'd think it would be more what she would like-- hell dimension, fighting, being a demon lord, not having to learn about human ways anymore. Okay, so she's slightly insane, but details, details.

Back on topic-- the backlash you spoke of could be from Fred herself. If there is one thing she hates and fears above everything, it is not having control of herself, having her control taken away. She talks about it when she describes what it was like to be sucked into the portal to Pylea, she says in one late S4 episode that the worst thing she can imagine is being taken over, controlled, being made a shell (sniffle). It has been theorized that the reason Gunn killing Siedel ruined their relationship wasn't because he killed for her, but because he took away her choice in the matter. On the other hand, Wes, even though he tried gently to dissuade her, helped her in her choice.

So, between the loss of choice and the fact that Illyria is not only still around but is part of the team, we might be looking at one peeved Fred, to put it mildly. Drat. That just might throw a wrench into my beloved Spike/Fred pairing.

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

It may be that Spike doesn't even really know for sure that it IS Fred, totally, though their big reunion in First Night doesn't support that theory very well.

I can't stop thinking about the possibility of soulless Fred. First of all, it reflects Illyria's statement that Fred's soul was destroyed. Second, this twist works OK on the metaphorical level, as a symbol of modern science going beyond good and evil.

[elisi]

You seem to echo my thoughts almost exactly. Right down to the Buffy issue! ;)

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

Right down to the Buffy issue! ;)

Oh, really? I feel better. Because I read Stephen's review and coldn't even bring myself to comment because I felt I've got nothing to say.

[elisi]

coldn't even bring myself to comment because I felt I've got nothing to say.
I'm pretty sure I didn't comment either. Can't remember to be honest. It's... it's fun to read, but I am so disconnected from the characters that I can only summon up a mild interest in the plot. I mean they're *nice*, but I was more invested in Dr Horrible - at least those characters were new.

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

I was more invested in Dr Horrible - at least those characters were new.

Oh, Dr. Horrible is absolutely priceless. Now I understand better how difficult it was for Joss to write straight heroic Riley or even Angel in his "dark and mysterious" phase.

[mrs-underhill.livejournal.com]

Dr.Horrible yay! Will you do a review of it, Moscow? For couple of days now I'm just itching to talk about it. Joss is the best on a live screen. Sigh. And this Neil Ptrick Harris guy - I didn't know him except vague memories of Storm Troopers, but he's terrific!

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

I have to rewatch Dr. Horrible again. After all the wank I saw online I find it a bit hard to focus on the film per se.

The first impression is that Joss are breaking the wall between official and unofficial, professional and unprofessional art. And prove that with modern technologies talented people can - and should - work outside of official structures and create quality production.

There is a lot of developments in this direction from the unofficial art camp (ficwriters, vidmakers), but Joss is the first person in official camp who made a big step toward unofficial camp.

As to DR. Horrible's artistic qualities, I have to rewatch it. My first impression is that Joss has intentionally gone the subversion route because it's the most common path in unofficial art. And, besides other things, he subverts his former feminist agenda. (I don't know if I should delve into this subject, especially in English; it's a delicate matter, people are very passionate about feminism while I'm a jaded cynical person who dislikes any "-isms"). :)

I hope I'll find time to write something more coherent before my departure to Ladoga. I leave July, 31 and return Aug., 10, and then I will have to work hard to catch up before I leave again to Kiev for three days (Aug. 22-24).

[mrs-underhill.livejournal.com]

Glad you loved Spike:ATF!
I'm guessing that Spikettes are currently lead by that Big Bad gal Brian was talking about, and that Spike would have to go through a lot of grief with them.
And I agree with Shapinglight in that I wish Spikettes would never show up and we would focus on Spike's group and his realtions with FredIllyria instead, and on how he hooked up with Connor and Co. But we'll see. The setup for the future three issues looks very promising!

:) And I was very embarrassed when I got to "For Nata". :)

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

I'm guessing that Spikettes are currently lead by that Big Bad gal Brian was talking about

I thought that The Big Bad gal is Spider but I may be wrong.

that Spike would have to go through a lot of grief with them.

Oh, Spike + wonen = grief, that's a tried and true formula.

:) And I was very embarrassed when I got to "For Nata". :)

I laughed and cheered. That was incredibly funny and touching. I noticed that in comics business writers keep closer contact with the audience than in other areas of showbiz.