Hot on the heels of IDW’s Angel: After the Fall, the company has announced a new mini-series following the Buffy-verse’s other favorite vampire, Spike.

Spike: After the Fall is a four-part series beginning next month, and it tells the tale of what happened in the intervening months since that alleyway cataclsym. Along for the ride in this series are Illyria, who has a tendency to revert back to Fred at inopportune times, as well as Angel’s Dragon, and a new cast of characters as well. Most importantly, the series introduces a character who will come to be see as Spike’s arch-nemesis. Even more than Angel, we mean.

Spike: After the Fall arrives July 16.

Or - “In Which Several Relationships Come To Unpleasant Ends…”

In her relatively short life, Buffy Summers has dated a lot of inappropriate people.  Parker, the jackass frat boy.  Riley, the useless super-soldier with no personality what-so-fricking-ever.  Angel, a former mass murdering vampire.  Spike, a…  completely different former mass-murdering vampire.  (Y’know, for a while there, it seemed she thought her hereditary title was “Vampire LAYER,” nudge nudge, wink wink, know what I mean? Eh?  Eh?)  So, I don’t understand why anyone is troubled by Buffy’s latest choice of paramour…  After all, it’s not as though she’s known for being romantically level-headed.  In this issue, choices are made, lives are changed, and the issue of whether or not her sapphic tryst was just a one-night-stand is finally put to rest.

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Or - “Giant Teenage Girl In Tokyo?  It’s Stephen’s Dream Comic!”

No, no, I kid.  Stephen’s dream comic would have Zatanna, a transformer and a vat of pudding.  In any case, Buffy’s war against the Vampires of Tokyo (not to be confused with the Werewolves of London) is heating up, with unlikely alliances, invisible hands, and mystical fooferaw erupting from all quarters.  But Buffy can take at least a cold comfort from the knowledge that things can’t get all THAT much worse…  can they? (more…)

Or - “So Very, Very, VERY Late…”

Unlucky Thirteen…  I want to say that this comic came out last Wednesday, but there’s a chance that it was the week before that.  However, being as it’s Buffy, I wanted to touch on it for all the Buffy fans out there in Spoiler-ville, and also as an avowed fan of Xander Harris.  As the one character in the Buffy universe who never really had a superpower (unless you count the time he had an actual job in Season Six) Xan is the most relatable of the Scoobies for me, and also the one whom I have most in common with.  My best friend in high school didn’t have super-strength, but she was a smokin’ hottie who didn’t realize my crush on her…  Meeeemooorriiiiiiies.

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IDW Publishing has announced the first four issues of Angel: After the Fall have sold out, prompting the company to return to press for additional copies of all issues.

“The fact that Angel: After the Fall has moved so steadily with each issue has been incredibly gratifying,” said IDW’s Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Chris Ryall. “Most amazing is the fact that we’ve printed more of each subsequent issue than the previous one, and have overprinted to a greater degree than usual, and still the issues keep selling out. The sell-outs are quite a testament to the support from retailers and the loyal fan base alike.”

In addition to reprints, IDW will feature spin-off stories featuring Angel’s large cast of characters, including another favorite vampire getting his own follow-up series too.

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Or - “I Fail To See The Controversy, I Guess…”

For some time now, there have been some underground rumblings regarding this particular issue of Buffy, and how it would be shocking and world-changing.  While the events depicted herein (which aren’t really even the point of the story) can certainly be seen as life-changing for the characters, they don’t, as of yet, have a whole lot of effect on the storyline…

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If I don’t put a MAJOR SPOILERS warning here, some Russell is going to get upset that I’ve ruined the issue for them (drink).

But trust me, you’ll want to take the jump.

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Or - “Asking That Musical Question: Who Frenched The Head Slayer?”

The wonderful part of the Buffy comic is the way the voices of the characters, though aged and changed, have remained consistent with their TV personae. ‘Course, since the creator of the characters and the head writer of this title are the same guy, it just stands to reason. In early seasons of Buffy, the most fascinating portion of the show wasn’t the monster of the week, it was the high school interactions: Xander kissing Willow. Buffy falling for a loser. Willow’s flirtation with Oz (”I mock you with mah monkay pants!”) Likewise, for me, the most fascinating question of BtVS:SE so far hasn’t been who’s the schmendrik who wants to KILL Buffy… It’s who loved her enough to mystically revive her issues ago.

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Or - “Treat The Other Man’s Faith Gently…”

Even knowing what a good writer Bryan K. Vaughan is from Runaways, Y: The Last Man, and various and sundry other works, I have to admit that I was a little concerned to hear that other writers would be handling parts of the Buffy: Season 8 series.  I am officially thrilled to know that (at least in the case of BKV) the characters and mise en scene established are strong enough to make the change with aplomb, and that Vaughan has a lock on Whedon-esque dialogue and a knack for drama, not to mention making a fight between three tonne (since they’re in England) gargoyles and a 115 pound woman seem totally believable.

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Dark Horse Comics has sent Major Spoilers the solicitation information and cover images for titles shipping in December 2007. Take the jump for the complete list that includes all the Indiana Jones you could want in one volume, Mike Mignola goodness, everyone’s favorite Buffy the Vampire Slayer (and Faith too), lots of Conan, and Star Wars, Star Wars, Star Wars!

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Or - “My Fair Slay-dy…”

In a very deeply hidden part of myself, I’ve always harbored a secret love for rogue Slayer Faith.  Maybe it’s the dark eyes, maybe it’s her street-smart and sexy facade, maybe it’s just that I’ve always preferred brunettes to blondes, but somehow Faith has managed to eclipse even Buffy herself as my fave-rave Sunnydale character (though Spike runs a close second.)  Add to that the literary stylings of the awesome Brian K. Vaughan, and we’re looking at an issue that I’ve been looking forward to, even given that the first five were pretty awesome in and of themselves.  Where, oh where, has Buffy’s dark shadow been since the destruction of Sunnydale?

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With the success of Buffy: Season 8, fans have been wondering if Angel would get a similar treatment. Word out of San Diego is, indeed Angel will have a series that follows the end of the hit television show that ran on the WB.

Angel: After the Fall will be a canoncial series written by Brian Lynch and released by IDW Publishing. You may be familiar with Brian’s work on Spike: Asylum, and if you aren’t, you should be, as this is the title the Joss Whedon read and suggested IDW hire Brian on as Angel’s writer.

Art for the series will be done by Franco Urru who also worked on the Spike series.

The first script is done, and five or six issues have been planned. The series is described by IDW as a 12 issue-plus series.

Take the jump for the full cover.

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Or - “Buffy Is Officially A Phenomenon.  Again…”

The first issue of BtVS:S8 (pronounced “Betivisate”) ranked #9 on Diamond’s sales charts for March of this year, in a month that also featured the death of Captain America, the debut of Mighty Avengers, the last issue of the opening arc of Justice League of America, and the sales juggernaut that is Dark Tower.  Each subsequent issue has been hovering just outside the top ten, an astonishing feat for a Dark Horse title with no capes or costumes in sight.  Even at our store (Gatekeeper Hobbies, Huntoon & Gage, Topeka!  Ask where Mr. Mxyzptlk is hiding!) the pull list file seems to have nearly doubled, bolstered by people who are only picking up The Buffster.  This issue is a bit of an anomaly, featuring as it does the unseen life story of Buffy Summers, the death of Buffy Summers, and no Buffy Summers at all…

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Electric Tiki Design has posted a sneak peek of statues on display at this year’s San Diego Comic-con. New statues on the way include “Tooned-Up” Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Mandrake the Magician, Prince Valiant, and Mighty Mouse II.

Take the jump for a peek at the unpainted sculpts of Mandrake and Valiant, plus concept sketches for Buffy and friends.

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Well it isn’t really that cut and dried…Dark Horse, Joss Whedon, and eBay have teamed up to offer fans an opportunity to have dinner with the Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con.

Funds raised from the charity auction will benefit Equality Now, an organization founded in 1992 to work for the protection and promotion of the human rights of women around the world. Working with national human rights organizations and individual activists, Equality Now documents violence and discrimination against women and mobilizes international action to support their efforts to stop these human rights abuses.

Sounds like a great cause, and you Buffy fans might get lucky. The dinner will be open for bidding on July 2 on eBay (ebay.com/josswhedon).