Angel #13

Written by: Christopher Golden & Tom Sniegoski
Pencilled by: Christian Zanier
Inked by: Andrew Pepoy
Cover by: Jason Minor

Angel finds and rescues a little girl from a vicious gang of kidnappers -- but he, the girl, and the thugs will have to fight their way past an army of demonic rats! And we discover that this isn't the first time Angel has had to deal with furry, biting vermin! Written by Christopher Golden (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Watcher's Guide) and Tom Sniegoski (Bone: Stupid, Stupid Rat Tails), illustrated by Christian Zanier (Rising Stars) and Andy Owens, and featuring a cover by fan-favorite Witchblade artist, Randy Green.

Kristina says:
    Art: 3.5/5  I found the colours much too dark in this issue. The storyline, again, is still very dark, and the art is very graphic. I was repelled by the graphicness of the rats feasting on humans, which is a good point, I guess. At least the art was enough to make me form a strong opinion on it.
    Cover: 3/5  Shirtless Angel on TV series = good. Shirtless Angel on cover of comic = bad. I found there was way too much detail on the cover of this comic, and not quite enough colour to balance it off. The human Angel is facing off against looks decidedly not-quite human.
    Story: 3.5/5  There was so much potential for dialogue in this comic, and I found that Golden and Sniegoski feel short of reaching it. Example: "You can never get rid of them. They're vermin." Ugh. So, so, so cliched. You can do better than this!
    Overall: 3.5/5
 

Angel #14

Written by: Christopher Golden & Tom Sniegoski
Pencilled by: Eric Powell
Inked by: Jason Moore
Cover by: Randy Green

What do a rash of deaths by spontaneous combustion, a teenage girl on the lam, and a demon spellcaster all have in common? If Angel wants to prevent any more deaths by fire, he'd better figure it out. And as Angel and crew investigate, he discovers that even he may have a connection to this case.

Kristina says:
    Art: 4/5  Moore definitely changed up the look of the characters, and the style of art, which I find is a refreshing change; however, vampire Angelus was WAY off base - he looked like a "thundering loony" (to quote Buffy).
    Cover: 5/5  This is one photo cover that I really wanted, and was unfortunately unable to buy. It's very stylised, but it works since the colouring is so light. I'm not sure Angel would actually be around if the sky was that bright, but it works for me as a cover. Having the wings of the statue appear as if they were Angel's is a nice touch.
    Story: 4/5  Definitely a different story, and it was about as revolting in nature as comic #13. At least this time, it explored human nature, and how we strike out to harm others. I don't think the introduction of Gunn and his crew was necessary in this arc. It served no purpose, and even though it may be paving the way for future comics, it doesn't belong here.
    Overall: 4/5
 

Angel #15

Written by: Christopher Golden & Tom Sniegoski
Pencilled by: Christian Zanier
Inked by: Digital Jump
Cover by: Christian Zanier

A huntress is stalking demons in LA. Normally this would be a good thing, except she’s leaving survivors and telling them Angel sent her. Now, Angel has an army of demons on his tail, hell-bent on revenge. What’s a vampire to do? And how long can his human companions, Cordelia and Wesley, remain safe? Chapter one of "Past Lives" is the first in a four-part crossover with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, one which will have lasting effects on both titles. The entire story arc is created by writers Christopher Golden (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Watcher’s Guide) and Tom Sniegoski (Realworlds: Batman), and penciller Christian Zanier (Rising Stars).

Kristina says:
    Art: 4/5  The characters remain fairly true to form in this issue. My fingers are crossed that Zanier has finally got them down. The re-introduction of colours to the panels really helps the art along. Even though the storyline remains fairly dark, it helps to have colours on the page to make characters stand out.
    Cover: 4/5  Not much colour here, but it works on this cover. The combo of Alexa, Angel and Buffy works well, and implies a triangle of sorts between the three of them.
    Story: 4/5  It's about time crossovers were explored in the comics. Golden and Sniegoski definitely make Angel's frustration over the demon attacks apparent. Although, I'm honestedly surprised a Council member hasn't abused their powers before this comic (or at least that we know of).
    Overall: 4/5