I like that, it's pretty. Is there a price yet? Twenty to thirty dollars?

Simon | June 06, 13:00 CET

Gawd that's a thing to see. Must admit I do normally like a dust jacket on a hardback but other than that, lovely (and the cloth bookmark is indeed a nice touch).

And worthwhile extras too, especially the sketches, keen to see those (OK, in a perfect world there'd be a complete script in there too but then, it's not is it ? ;). Will be getting it assuming it's not abnormally expensive for one of these.

Saje | June 06, 13:09 CET

I think Brian mentioned on slayalive that he thought it was $24.99. I think that's around 20 euro, but I have no idea in sterling:)

I really like it too. IDW always does amazing presentation, and this is no different. I think the First Night stories will be hardcover too in September.

angeliclestat | June 06, 13:13 CET

In that case it'll probably be £16.99 with shop mark-up and maybe as cheap as £13 (what I paid for most of the 'Runaways' hardbacks) on Amazon.co.uk. Not unreasonable IMO.

Saje | June 06, 13:18 CET

OMG I love this with much joy! I am actually waiting on the TPBs of after the fall instead of getting each induvidual issue like season 8. I just hope that season 8, the deluxe edition will get the same treatment (please Dark Horse) I really dont like the plain outlines and Im sorry but your buffy TPBs so far are boring! Why cant they have super glossy paper, book marks, great special features and a graphics team that can create a stylised page that reflects season 8, like the buffy season boxsets did???

bennyboi91 | June 06, 13:20 CET

Have to agree with bennyboi91. This is absolutely what should be done with the Buffy Season 8 collections. I've never collected the monthly issues, simply because I gave up on buying any single issues a long time ago and the trades, even though they make a much better read, just don't seem worthy of being the books that continue the story of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. They need to be done with a little more flair than your standard trade paperback, in my opinion. This is Buffy, after all. ;)

I read an interview Q'n'A a while back where Scott Allie actually said Joss had approved a hardcover version of Season 8. Surely it's time for that to go ahead now? The original issues and trades have sold "reasonably" well, after all. ;)

Highlander | June 06, 13:47 CET

There's discount if ordered at TFAW, I think it's price tagged on US$19,99.
Very pretty, it just won't match with the Buffy S8 TPBs, well lookwise. Just nitpipcking, though.
Interesting that IDW went to the cover printed on the Hardcover route, instead of using a dust jacket.

Numfar PTB | June 06, 15:51 CET

So...very...pretty.

UnpluggedCrazy | June 06, 16:10 CET

I wish it had a dust jacket too -- my favorite hardcovers so far have been the first three Runaway volumes. That said, I've already ordered this one. My kid says forget the dust jacket (he likes the giant Sandman archive volumes).

bennyboi91 and Highlander, I think there's a place for both tpb's and hardcovers. The Season 8 tpb's look good to me, but I get the comics plus alternate covers plus tpb's and I'll probably get the eventual hardcovers. Not cost-effective, but we're talking about Buffy.

doghouse | June 06, 16:45 CET

Re: dust jacket, though as I say I normally prefer it, I guess if it had one we'd miss out on the embossed cover which I think could work really well (though that said, memory tickles tell me I may have a couple of hardback comics with dust jackets and embossed - albeit one colour - covers underneath).

Saje | June 06, 17:31 CET

Very cool. Can't wait to get my hands on this. :)

Jossfan_21 | June 06, 17:41 CET

Yeah, doghouse, I agree that there is room for all formats and I'd also say that it's only sensible to go the usual monthly to trade route as a tester for how well a hardcover version would sell. There are probably a lot of fans that won't buy multiple variations of the same item and certainly there will be many that are only prepared to spend as little as possible to read the story.

Still, I do think the official continuation of the Buffy story demands a sturdy deluxe version for those who want it. I'll settle for the trades if nothing else appears but I'll be happier when I have the story in a more enduring form.

Highlander | June 06, 18:03 CET

Just went to tfaw. Does anyone know if this is the right book? A different cover is shown. I'd prefer to buy directly from IDW but can't find it on their site.

resa | June 06, 18:14 CET

Yes, it's that. They just used the cover for issue 1. I don't think either IDW or Dark Horse sell directly to readers, resa. In fact I'm sure TFAW is Dark Horse's officially online retailer.

Highlander, if Dark Horse is not putting out a marvelous, Bible-like, glossy and Jo Chen-designed Absolute Season 8 in 2010, I'll be taking Scott Allie's scalp. I swear.

Perseo | June 06, 18:39 CET

You can buy directly from IDW though i'm not sure if they do pre-orders (and on cursory inspection I couldn't find the ATF hardback either - either way it mustn't have made it onto their system yet).

(Dark Horse don't sell comics direct though)

Saje | June 06, 18:53 CET

Thanks. That was my suspicion but I wanted to be sure.


Yeah. I get ATF from IDW. It does seem to take them a long time to get stuff in their system. I guess I'll wait a little while and see if they offer it soon.

Thanks :)

resa | June 06, 19:00 CET

What a lovely thing!
And it will have the script to #1, I believe, i.e. Angel #1 Director Cut will be there.
Plus original treatments for all 5 issues were mentioned, does it mean plot outlines or sketches?

Nata | June 06, 19:08 CET

It's beautiful, I have to have it. I see that Amazon has this for pre-order at $18.37 and a release date of June 29.

[ edited by luvspike on 2008-06-06 16:29 ]

luvspike | June 06, 19:27 CET

I want it!!!

Just thought it was worth saying, is all. Now, all I need to know is how and when to get it. *waits for inspiration*

Mirage | June 06, 19:29 CET

And it will have the script to #1, I believe, i.e. Angel #1 Director Cut will be there.
Plus original treatments for all 5 issues were mentioned, does it mean plot outlines or sketches?

How did I miss that there's a director's cut of issue 1 ? Hmm, was trying for a cheap weekend too. Arse.

(treatments are normally something like a few pages of prose describing the major plot points, tone, character arcs etc. Sometimes they can give good insights into what the writer actually wants to accomplish i.e. it's a scripty thing rather than an arty thing ;)

Saje | June 06, 20:03 CET

I think we'll see two volumes for Buffy season 8. It'll the Buffy equivalent of DC's Absolute Sandman.

Simon | June 06, 20:07 CET

"Like, Totally Buffy"

"Buffy. Much"

[ edited by Saje on 2008-06-06 17:24 ]

Saje | June 06, 20:09 CET

Absolute Sandman is a jewel, Simon. They stand on my shelf threatening to break it:-) I already salivate at what Jo will produce for its cover. Somehow I picture Buffy wrapped around a giant 8.

Perseo | June 06, 21:08 CET

Mirage said:


Well, everyone already beat me to answer Simon's question, but you've given me that second chance. :)

I, like many others, went to TFAW to pre-order the book for $19.99 USD. It should be coming out June 25th, and I'm looking forward to it as a late birthday gift.

Saje, yes, the Director's Cut of #1 is out for a price of $5.99 USD (back-ordered at the moment). Don't know how that works for overseas, but thought you should know. :)

Re: Covers of IDW vs. Dark Horse

Art-wise, I really enjoy Jo Chen's covers (even G-man at times). But the quality of the paper and print is definately in IDW's court. When I receive an Angel or Spike book, I feel the pages and get the sensation that I'm reading something special. IDW does a really good job with that.

I do hope that when the HC's come out for Buffy Season 8, they can resemble that sort of quality. They should create special Buffy pages, just for the occasion.

korkster | June 07, 00:02 CET

Just went to TFAW and they're sold out???? good grief.

resa | June 07, 01:19 CET

Is that why I had such a hard time finding it on the website the second time around? Wow. The pictures went up yesterday. Impressive.

Well, if you come to Comic-Con, I'll let you look at mine. Maybe touch it. :)

korkster | June 07, 01:27 CET

Found it here on Amazon. (Not sure if this is the hard cover or not. But should be given the price.

Also found First Night here. Both available for pre-order.

resa | June 07, 01:31 CET

I think the first one is right, resa, but I'm not sure what the second one is.

korkster | June 07, 03:09 CET

The second link is for the 'First Night' arc of the series. It tells the stories of the 'supporting' characters foray into hell and begins before issue #1 of NFA.

resa | June 07, 04:25 CET

Did we finish First Night yet? I was under the assumption that it just came out. I find it kind of odd that they would take these stories "out of order" and make them into a book. It also makes sense yet too. Are you purchasing it, resa? If so, would you let me know if it's worth the purchase? I'll let you know/see my impressions of the ATF HC when it arrives. Early July, perhaps?

korkster | June 07, 04:31 CET

I bought both books. They are both on preorder. I think the last First Night issue is coming out soon. I'm assuming that the 'First Night' book won't come out for a while, but I certainlly let you know how it is.

resa | June 07, 05:47 CET

TFAW has a nasty habit of under-ordering Angel stuff. They're constantly on backorder. Has any of you tried eBay ?

Perseo | June 07, 09:37 CET

I love me some Electro Gwen. Mmmmmmm...

SpikeBad | June 07, 21:58 CET

I haven't checked out "After The Fall" and have only been spoiled for a few tiny things (okay and Gunn, and I'm already not happy with that development, grrr). Is it still a 12-issue limited series, or did they lengthen it ? And do I have to read the new Spike: After The Fall series to understand everything or understand the next Angel comic (if there is one) ? I'm not real keen on buying more than a couple titles for this universe (unless Fray Volume 2 happens while Buffy Season 8/9 and Angel Season Whatever are still running), that's the kinda thing that made me quit Marvel years ago.

Is the general consensus (and I mean not just on this site, but elsewhere for those of you who frequent other message boards) that it's worthy of being considered a Season 6 of Angel ? I know Joss didn't write the script and pretty much only inputted approvals and maybe gave Brian the direction that the show would've headed (correct me if I'm wrong someone--I barely remember the initial interviews about this project and stopped paying attention to it after issue #2 from fear of being spoiled)...but if it's more or less approved as official canon or can be interpreted as such, I'm willing to check it out (for example, Jane Espenson's Faith mini-series, I think it was called "The Haunted"...which took place between Buffy Season 3 and 4 but was meant to be read after Season 4 due to all the Initiative spoilers...I like to consider it canon, 'cause I enjoyed it and because it was written by one of the Mutant Enemy folks--the only time I think something can't really be taken as canon that they've written is Doug Petrie's "Ring Of Fire" graphic novel, which still has some of the best Buffy interior art IMO but can't fit due to incompatibility with aspects of Season 2). If it's just really good fanfiction though (no offence Mr. Lynch), I'm more likely to put it farther down the list of priority comics.

Edited to add: that I'm so busy being all ornery and critical that I forgot my original intention to post--that is one beautiful hardcover. I buy 'em rarely (pricey, can buy two, three, or four trades for the cost of one hardcover sometimes), I'm content with trades (or single issues for now, for some series like Buffy), but damn...

[ edited by Kris on 2008-06-08 04:02 ]

Kris | June 08, 06:53 CET

Kris:Welcome to the party. Yup After the Fall is canon.It's not just worthy to be Season 6-it *is* the official continuation of the show.Yup it's great.The Gunn thing rocks. It's co-plotted by Joss much in the same way as the show was (plot by Joss ,scripting and other duties given to others-Greenwalt,MInear, Bell etc). Its gonna run for around 16 issues.You dont need to read Spike to understand Angel, but if you like the character then check it out and maybe you'll enjoy.


Yes the Hardcover is gorgeous. Why not check it and decide for yourself:)

angeliclestat | June 08, 15:26 CET

angeliclestat: "You dont need to read Angel to understand Spike, but if you like the character then check it out and maybe you'll enjoy."

Good advice there.

What do you mean I may have corrected a slight mistake from the original quote? No idea what you are talking about. ;)

Highlander | June 08, 17:05 CET

Thanks everyone for the comics info and discussion -- I count on you all because otherwise I'd be clueless (as usual).

Kris, I'm with you -- haven't checked out any of the After the Fall issues yet and have been averting my eyes from spoilers, so can't wait for the hardcover.

doghouse | June 08, 19:05 CET

Highlander- Thanks for correcting my "mistake"-what would I do with out you;) he he

But its true though, both series can stand on their own,but are richer for reading both of them.

angeliclestat | June 08, 19:53 CET

Looks like TFAW is taking orders again.

resa | June 08, 22:15 CET