Issue: Angel and Faith #11
Release Date: June 2012
Writer: Christos Gage
Art: Rebekah Isaacs
Colors: Dan Jackson
Letters: Richard Starkings and COMICRAFT’S Jimmy Betancourt
Cover: Steve Morris
Alternate Cover: Rebekah Isaacs and Dan Jackson
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
The push to bring Giles back to life continues. When last we left Angel and Faith, they were welcoming Willow, who came for a surprise visit. What we soon learn is that she’s got her own motives for showing up, and it’s much more than stopping Angel with his resurrection plans. As Angel points out, her protests don’t really hold much water since she did the exact same thing with Buffy. Bringing their loved ones back from the dead seems to be a tradition.
It’s interesting how the Angel and Buffy comics are trying to maintain their interrelated timelines. On the surface, Willow showed up because Andrew mentioned Angel wanting to talk to her. Well, currently Andrew’s just finished putting Buffy!Bot and Amnesia!Buffy back together again. I wonder if Willow knows all about that. At any rate, she’s come seeking Angel’s help. While she’s not on board with his plans for Giles, she will agree to help in exchange for Angel getting Connor back into the game, at least temporarily. You see, she has plans of her own. Willow wants to put right what Angel and Buffy put wrong and bring magic back into the world. To do that, she’s got to juice up in another dimension. That means she needs to get to Quor’toth, and who has a connection to that realm? Angel’s son, of course. Which means they’re headed to L.A.
I was pleased to see Connor enter back into the story, along with Gunn. Angel keeps track of his son, though not his other friends? Gunn had to get him up to speed on the current happenings. Out of sight, out of mind, I guess. But even knowing how important Connor is to the plan, Angel would rather keep his son safe and happy than drag him back into the middle of the mess he’s bringing. I can’t really fault him for that, considering, but on the other hand Connor is an adult who can make up his own mind. Yes, he’s got a life in college, one that seems perfectly normal, but he sees the pain that the lack of magic has caused the world. He can choose his own path. Thankfully Willow sees that, too, which means the son will defy the father’s wishes in this case.
As we leave the gang, Angel, Faith, Connor, and Willow are crossing over into whatever dangers Quor’toth might hold. Will they succeed in bringing magic back to our world? Or are they marching straight into a fight they can’t win? That’s what we’ll have to wait and find out. I don’t think this is going to be as straightforward as they hope.
Rating: 4 / 5 Stars
