This was a free loaner from Netgalley – thanks to them. It’s an eBook of an omnibus of the Angel comic book which debuted in 2001 (September 12, I think they said).
Unfortunately, I was pretty disappointed in this. My understanding was that Joss Whedon was involved, and my expectation was that there would be some of the humor and intelligence the tv series showed. For the most part, that isn’t the case. Most of this omnibus is painfully unfunny. There was a story arc for the first several issues in the collection, which does not excuse the silly repetitiveness.
The introduction talks about the problems with continuity – the comic 
featured Doyle, and by the time the second issue hit the stands they’d killed Doyle off. After a while the comic caught up and illustrated a grieving Angel and Cordy – but then a few pages later the omnibus jumps back in time and brings him back. That was not fun. The struggle to try to keep up with the developments on the show kept the comic from developing its own continuity – this volume contains a randomized series of leftovers and crumbs. Scraps.
And, also unfortunately, most of the artwork was dreadful. I used to love comics – I got a box from Westfield Comics once a month. I can be very for
giving of an occasional awkwardness, or ugly hands (hands are hard), or of course exaggerated superhero physiques. I don’t expect every frame of a comic to be frameable. I do, however, expect the majority of what I’m looking at not to hurt my eyes. Most of the issues were purely ugly. Some responsibility for that belongs to the need to at least attempt to make the characters recognizable, which was only intermittently successful. If it had been even a little better … But it wasn’t.
The only exception, in terms of humor and writing and artwork, was the arc of “Long Night’s Journey”. That wasn’t bad, not bad at all – it looked miles better. But – and this is a spoiler, sorry – there was one massive flaw: the idea that the gypsies had some other motive than what was given in Buffy. I can’t imagine why they would do this; it’s not a minor part of the canon. It was a shame – the artwork was so much better quality, the writing actually got a chuckle or two out of me … and then there was that. Pity.
(From Shakespeare to comics – sorry ’bout that!)
Stewartry 
re-making ~ re-producing ~ re-packaging anything that is a classic without the main ingredient(s) is always a mistake. Buffy, Angel, Firefly et al without Joss Whedon would, simply put, be wrong. I follow his actors because I (believe) hear traces of him in them :), Bones most of all sometimes sounds like they have consulted him. James Marsters practically reincarnated Spike in Torchwood – and now on Hawaii 5-0 albeit without the fangs. Nathan Fillion’s character keeps any pretense of serious cops ‘n robbers out of Castle. (Like Sheldon I lament the loss of Firefly). Earlier this year there was a lot of chatter regarding a new Buffy movie sans Josh and most of the main actors – I hope the idea has frittered away.
Torchwood, admittedly non-Whedon, is a personal favourite. Last week with trepidation I watched Miracle Day knowing that most of the characters had already met their end but hoping, since Mr. Davies & John Barrowman were involved that it might be palatable. Unfortunately the horrendously over-emoting ‘lead’ repeatedly screaming “I’m CIA” to get the world to hop to grated upon my nerves and the scene with Eve Myles holding a smiling infant on her hip whilst blasting away at an attacking helicopter was pitiful. Torchwood should have been left in Wales.
I shall have to get back to Goodreads. Not long after I signed up I fell ill and am just now starting to regain my feet – reading your blogs is always a pleasure.
I’m so glad you’re feeling better!
I couldn’t agree more – Whedon uses the same actors over and over, and whether it’s because there’s already sympatico or whether he rubs off on them I don’t know. And I will follow particularly Nathan Fillion and James Marsters just about anywhere. (There was a brief movement to help Nathan Fillion buy the rights to Firefly, but I think it’s deflated …)
I didn’t get to see Miracle Day – I didn’t know it was coming (having apparently been under a rock), and we don’t have the station. I never heard a thing about the new season, and it seems like it’s just as well … I didn’t have a good feeling when RTD left for America, and I wish I’d been wrong. Pity – I’ll miss Captain Jack.
I look forward to seeing you on GR! And to catching up on your blog! I love seeing your comments – it makes me feel less like I’m talking to myself. :)