Wonderful answers to the questions that were asked!

I didn't leave a question this time because I simply couldn't think of any that were not spoilery, like....

You know, I've frequently wondered if The Powers That Be and The Senior Partners are one and the same.

Hmmmm.

menomegirl | November 28, 19:02 CET

Reading that was fun! Just makes me even more excited about where the story's headed...

Also:

Illyria's time-shifting powers are addressed, but I don't think she's gonna go into the future. She wouldn't like it anyway, Biff Tannen has this crazy Pleasure Palace and has taken control of Hill Valley.

I love you just for this, Brian. I do.

UnpluggedCrazy | November 28, 19:04 CET

That's a lot of questions he got through there, very good of him. Also, the funny was (as usual).

(I think mine must've got lost in the shuffle, I wanted to know "If Angel leaves a station at 8 am and Spike leaves a different station 43 miles away at 8:57 am, does Faith die in BKV's Buffy arc ?")

Saje | November 28, 19:16 CET

Heh Heh.

Great answers. And lots to mull over....

angeliclestat | November 28, 19:25 CET

I would thank Brian for the answers, but I don't have myspace. So, thanks Brian!

It is a good thing that I don't have an account there because I don't know what I would've asked that hadn't been already asked and that isn't me begging for the trascript/drafts of the following issues! I am that weak.

On an OT note: Anyone else noticed Penn (Jeremy Renner) on House the other night? He played the part well. Although there were times I thought, "Man, Angel's first-turned drank some Mohra blood and now he's killing himself out of stupid guilt." So how many Whedon cast on House does this make?

[ edited by Mirage on 2007-11-28 17:04 ]

Mirage | November 28, 20:03 CET

I love this comic - more than Season 8. It has everything I love in a comic. It's dark and apocaliptic: my favorites all seem to be on the dark/noir side. It has characters that change into something else. No I'm not 10, that's just an aspect I've always loved in comics - imagination over matter. The vamps were always my favorite in the series, and now Gunn's one. I love Gunn. If I were to beg, it would be for vamp family time and a return of Darla and Dru - also more interaction between Angel and Spike and Connor - and Gunn's redemption. Again in the imagination over matter, characters like the dragon and Beta-George are essential to a great comic. Illyria was already there. This has the potential to be a great comic and I'm about to give myself over to it totally.

cmbackshane | November 28, 21:06 CET

I could do without the fish, to be honest. I think I'm the only one who doesn't care for him. I would say it doesn't really fit in this world, but in a world where a drive-thru is an oracle...I guess anything goes. Just seems to me there are plenty of characters to use, no need bringing on another one. And a floating ghost-fish to boot. Just seems a bit too random, but whatever. I'm clearly in the minority.

I do wish Joss was writing this. All respect to Mr. Lynch, it just doesn't have that Joss-feel and zip that I'm used to. And if something is meant to be canon...my fragile little mind needs that Jossness. Even the Buffy/Angel eps that weren't written by Joss had that Jossness...Just not feeling it in this comic. Yet. Maybe it will gel more for me later.

Rogue Slayer | November 28, 21:28 CET

Sorry we lost you Rogue Slayer.

But Betta George isn't a ghost fish, he's a telepathic fish, a GHOST FISH would be weird.

Brian Lynch | November 28, 21:50 CET

Rogue Slayer, maybe you'll start to enjoy,like it more when Spike's arc begins. I know that like me you, you are a huge Spike fan so perhaps that will pull you in.

Vergil | November 28, 22:31 CET

But Betta George isn't a ghost fish, he's a telepathic fish, a GHOST FISH would be weird.

Wow, suddenly the fish is less weird to me. No, wait...still is. But you haven't lost me. I'm still willing to give it a chance. I find the 'pilot' episodes of great shows to generally be the weakest, so I still have hope. Also, it's one of those things that I'll have to finish, regardless of liking it or not. Since Joss sanctioned it as Season 6, I must know how it ends. So, you can have your ghost telepathic fish poop all over the comic, and I will buy and read.

Rogue Slayer | November 28, 22:57 CET

Don't worry, Brian, I'm pretty sure Rogue Slayer will still be reading, and personally I have a HUGE grown-woman-crush on Betta-George (this telepathic fish could move in w/me and hang out anytime he wants!). Personally I think the voices are all right on the nose, and the Joss-ishness is there in spades (or any other suit).
edited to add: Betta-George would NEVER poop all over the comic, he is a gentleman fish.

[ edited by embers on 2007-11-28 19:59 ]

embers | November 28, 22:57 CET

Rogue Slayer, maybe you'll start to enjoy,like it more when Spike's arc begins. I know that like me you, you are a huge Spike fan so perhaps that will pull you in.

Possibly, but like I said...I need that mayo Joss zip for my officialness. It's kind of like, I can read a fanfic that is good as a fanfic, but would be appalled to see it as an official script for the show. So while I can enjoy a Spike comic, like Asylum, in an 'AU' kind of way, I may have difficulty seeing it as canon. But I do go by the rule that the creator determines canon, so I must go by what Joss says. And he says this is canon. So be it. And it's just the first issue, so I think it's a bit too soon to be judging(despite all the judgment I have passed) the run as a whole.

Rogue Slayer | November 28, 23:13 CET

From an interview with Joss



So to quote the 9th doctor "Everybody wins lives".

Simon | November 28, 23:17 CET

What I can't stand is that after Angel and the gang saw happened to Lilah (She was brought back to represent W&H in season 4 after death and apparently residing in Hell.) I refuse to believe that ANY OF THEM would be stupid enough to sign a contract where it says their services would be needed after death, or a contract that implied they would be owned by W&H. I just seriously think its OOC and I'd like to believe that they're smarter than that, especially when they were trying to change things.

Does anyone care to explain this to me? Or is just a cheap gimmick to have Wesley back?

Bruce | November 29, 00:03 CET

I believe at Wolfram & Hart, it's called a 'standard perpetuity contract' and even the lady Angel rescued in the season opener of S5 signed one.

menomegirl | November 29, 00:26 CET

[Illyria] wouldn't like [the future] anyway, Biff Tannen has this crazy Pleasure Palace and has taken control of Hill Valley.

So now we get spoilers for real life too?

Horovits | November 29, 00:30 CET

Well, I have my own theory as to why Wesley might eb doing this even if he didn't have acontract of that type binding him but like most of my specualtions it's too much like my own AU fics to be beleiveable. Except in this case it's posssible............................

DaddyCatALSO | November 29, 00:32 CET

I still can't figure out how Gunn is a vamp. I read the thing twice, and I don't see where it says that. He's not bumpy? Where does this notion come from. Is my comic missing a page?

trekkerj | November 29, 02:36 CET

Vampire Gunn is on the last page, I beleive he's snacking on someone.....and not very nicely either.

luvspike | November 29, 02:50 CET

You guys are confused. Gunn is an UMPIRE, and I just think it's great he found a new hobby in hell.

Brian Lynch | November 29, 02:57 CET

I still can't figure out how Gunn is a vamp. I read the thing twice, and I don't see where it says that. He's not bumpy? Where does this notion come from. Is my comic missing a page?

The last page is supposed to be Gunn, bumpy, post neck-suckage. Some people, myself included, found it a lacking likeness.

Rogue Slayer | November 29, 02:59 CET

Gotcha. Didn't even consider it to be Gunn. Looks too much like a really old vamp or uber vamp. A better likeness would have been nice. That's why I am looking at reactions and reviews for each issue after I read it--make sure I didn't miss something really important.

trekkerj | November 29, 03:59 CET

You know, I was GOING to ask what Gunn was doing with his spare time, but Brian Lynch beat me to it. What a guy!

zohrael | November 29, 04:41 CET

What's weird is, while J August Richards doesn't have likeness rights, VAMPIRE J August Richards does, so we had to change his look. Contracts are strange.

Brian Lynch | November 29, 04:41 CET

Mr. Lynch, that joke sucks.


So did that one...

Rogue Slayer | November 29, 04:53 CET

I seriously don't get how you don't see immediately that that's Gunn. I mean, the context alone gives you that - there's the hooded people with the symbols outside looking just like they did when they approached the demon-lord with Gunn before the attack, and in the room with him there's all the dead slave-girls that we last saw alive and well with (wait for it) Gunn, who was quite clearly going to take them someplace private. There were some things in this comic I didn't catch straightaway, too, mainly 'cause of being so excited I didn't look at the panels too closely, but this thing filled a page and a half of build-up-context... I really don't see how whether or not he looks like Gunn-as-a-vampire-probably-would-look should keep the reader from getting that it's him.

But I guess I might be weird.

Loki | November 29, 06:49 CET

Will the telepathic fish be turned into a wee little puppetfish? Now THAT would be wacky.

Mort | November 29, 07:13 CET

Mort, been there, done that.

And Loki, thanks for knowing it was Gunn. I totally get people not understanding it was Gunn. It was in my notes to have Gunn's team, or as I call them "Team Gunn" dress the same, but maybe that wasn't the smartest move.

Either way, sorry for the confusion to anyone who was, you know, confused.

Brian Lynch | November 29, 07:22 CET

I realised it was Gunn straight away and actually thought it was a really cool but horrifying picture when I saw it.

The issue was great. I loved how Wes looks like he used to, shows he is being 'owned' again like he was with the Watchers Council. Nice to see his life is just keeps getting worse, or un-life whatever.

Now that I think about nearly every member of the Fang Gang is technically the living dead? Angel, Spike and Gunn all vamps, Wes basically a ghost and Illyria.. well what do we count her as being?

The telepathic fish.. well it took some getting used to. But hey we've had a talking hamburger, dragons, a giant Dawn and a giant snake made out of mayor. So really, not that weird for the Buffyverse.

Overall a great issue, really enjoyed it and am very excited to see what is coming next. Personally I haven’t had a problem how it was drawn or coloured like some others and really it just amazed me in all its brilliance.

vampmogs | November 29, 07:39 CET

Actually Loki, it was not clear for me that it was Gunn partially because all the places looked pretty much alike...and it did not look all that much like Gunn to me. After I read on Whedonesque that that was Vampire Gunn at the end, I went back and still had a hard time sorting out when they changed venues. I mean there seemed to just be a lot of carnage all over, every place looked the same and since when are scantily clad, buxom, female victims found in only one place in a comic book. (Hmmm. That came out a little more arch than I meant it to, but I am too tired to figure out how else to phrase it. Sorry.)

Oh, Brian Lynch posted while I was typing. May we call you Brian?

I don't think having them all dressed similarly was the problem. As Saje or someone mentioned...somewhere...the similarity of palate used did not differentiate between places or groups of people. I certainly did not cofuse Gunn with one of his gang, I just did not realize we were back in wherever the Gunn battle had happened. Though I am not a comics person, I am usually pretty good at figuring out clues when following a story in almost any medium with a minimum of effort....for whatever that is worth.

I actually thought the Jossiness (in the sense of having the right certain something, not in the sense of it not being Brian Lynch's work) was there and the words hit my ear perfectly for the characters. As far as the characters sounding like themselves, I thought it worked better than BtVS has, but maybe that is only because I am a much bigger BtVS fan than Ats fan. In any case, in my vast experience of reading one other comic issue by issue, I have decided it is an unsatisfying way for me to read in general. Therefore, I am trying not to worry at all about whether I like or don't like the plot or what is going to happen next. IMO (based on my aforementioned vast experience) there is just too little of anything in any issue to judge and they are too far apart to expend anticipatory energy for that long. So I just stay mellow about it. They sound like the characters, the story seems to be headed somewhere, and I can count on everybody here to tell me what is going on if somebody else turns into a vampire and I don't notice. All is well.

Did I mention, I love you guys? (By that I mean, keep posting info on this stuff so I don't hurt myself with all the thinking.) ;-)

newcj | November 29, 07:59 CET

I didn't read Brian's Myspace for fear of spoilage (and because it's Myspace), but I just read issue #1 and I have to say FANTASTIC!

I've been finding a certain other comic book disappointing, but I think I'm going to love going along for this (dragonny) ride - even if there is a character I don't like - at least he isn't exactly resurrected. Just sorta.

I love Beta George. I'm so glad Joss let him come and play.

redeem147 | November 29, 08:36 CET

I forget, did Gunn still have his super-lawyer powers at the end of season 5? I wonder if he still has them now that he's a vamp.

Not that they'd come in very handy in hell, but he might be able to twist all that knowledge around to his own ends now that he seems to be making some major power plays in Hel-LA.

NekoDono | November 29, 10:31 CET

As Saje or someone mentioned...somewhere...the similarity of palate used did not differentiate between places or groups of people.

Yep, that was an issue I had with the transition from WR&H to the stadium. Somewhat ironically though, it was seeing vampire Gunn (who I recognised straight away) that let me know we'd moved ;).

(that said, as soon as I saw him in the comic - i.e. pre-vamp - I thought "Oh, they've gone with the vampire Gunn storyline, cool" because i've always accepted that human Gunn was definitely going to die in that alley - bit spoiled but that certainly wasn't Brian or Franco's fault. In fact, it wasn't anyone's "fault" in the sense of apportioning blame cos how was Amy Acker to know ?)

Saje | November 29, 13:20 CET

Oh, I forgot to say that I thought Brian Lynch did a great job of answering these questions in a way that was interesting, informative and yet not really very spoilery...at least not spoilery IMO.

newcj | November 29, 14:51 CET

"Actually Loki, it was not clear for me that it was Gunn partially because all the places looked pretty much alike..."

Ah, so you didn't get that it was a sceneshift and that we went away from where Angel was when we saw Gunn's hooded gang making all the weird symbols on a wall? In that case I get it a little bit more - if you're in the mindset of this happening outside Angel's front door, then obviously things that would indicate otherwise and let you know this is Gunn we're seeing would not register like intended.

"I realised it was Gunn straight away and actually thought it was a really cool but horrifying picture when I saw it."

Ditto - the last page was phenomenal and my favourite part of the whole comic.

The "Jossyness" of the dialogue, too, everybody who mentions that, I really agree. Every line sounded like it could've been on the show. Which is by far the most important thing for me with these characters. Way more important than silly things like plotpoints or how they're drawn - how they talk and act is what makes this story about characters I care about instead of some other team of people.

Loki | November 29, 16:50 CET

I agree totally with what Loki said...I'm willing to give the cluttered art (and it's not really bad) a free pass just because the characters feel 100% right.

UnpluggedCrazy | November 29, 19:27 CET

Exactly. Puppet-Angel's likeness to Angel is just as debatable as any drawn picture, but we didn't doubt it was him for a second, did we? :) (For the record, though, I was quite happy with the art.)

[ edited by Loki on 2007-11-29 18:12 ]

Loki | November 29, 21:12 CET