BOOM! Studios has announced that later this year they are releasing a new graphic novel titled “Angel: Legacy Edition Book One,” the first in a new series that will collect every issue of “Angel” from previous publishers, including out-of-print and rare stories, in chronological order.
Created by Joss Whedon as a spinoff of the hit television series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer, “Angel” premiered on the WB Network on October 5th, 1999 making this year the 20 year anniversary of the series. The series ran for five seasons from 1999-2004, starring David Boreanaz as “Angel,” the tortured vampire destined to walk the earth with a soul who moved to LA to set up shop as a supernatural private investigator.
The “Angel” comic book series had two previous homes before coming to BOOM! Studios this year. The series originally launched in 1999 with Dark Horse Comics, where it had a 17 issue run, a four issue mini-series, and a handful of special releases.
In 2005, IDW Publishing picked up the rights to “Angel” and began publishing various “Angel” related mini-series and one-shots set during and after the show’s final season. The initial releases are considered non-canon, but in 2007 IDW began publishing “Angel: After The Fall,” which was overseen by the show’s creator Joss Whedon and is considered to be Angel’s “sixth season.” “Angel” called IDW home until 2010, but returned to Dark Horse in 2011 to allow for Whedon to oversee both “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Angel” under the same publisher.
BOOM! Studios revealed that the first collection will feature works by the Emmy Award-winning writer of “Angel” David Fury, New York Times Best-Selling author Christopher Golden, and five-time Eisner Award-winning artist Eric Powell. All three were involved in the first Dark Horse iterations, which leads me to believe volume one will be a collection of the first Dark Horse releases.
“’Angel’ is one of the most beloved television series of the last twenty years and has an incredible comic book legacy that we’re excited to honor with these collections,” said Jeanine Schaefer, Executive Editor, BOOM! Studios. “Even if you’re a long time fan of the broody vampire-with-a-soul like me, you’re going to find that each volume of Angel: Legacy Edition contains a story you might never have read – or been able to track down.”
With the addition of “Angel” BOOM! Studios is now home to “Firefly,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” and “Angel,” three of the most beloved series from Joss Whedon. “Angel: Legacy Edition Book One” is scheduled to be released in October 2019.
