Brett Matthews on Angel Volume 2

In late 2000, Dark Horse Comics announced that Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator and notorious comic-book fan Joss Whedon was developing his first-ever comic-book series, which Dark Horse would release in summer of 2001. A slow buzz about the project started immediately, but by May of 2001, news that the Hollywood smart kid -- who likes to wear a tee-shirt with the word "Hack" in large type on its front -- was writing a comic-book was making headlines in major entertainment magazines and in big daily newspapers like the New York Post and the Chicago Tribune.

Joss Whedon's Fray (an eight-issue series that runs through February, 2002) made a huge splash when it eventually hit the comics scene, and now both Whedon and his fans are gearing up for another round of great comics action. In September, Whedon and writer Brett Matthews are teaming up to revamp Dark Horse's Angel comics and it's an event that Buffy and Angel fans -- and people who relish great comics storytelling -- won't want to miss.

I caught up with Matthews recently to discuss this new project and what it means for Angel fans. Here's what I found out:

Shawna Ervin-Gore: How did you come to know Joss and how did you two start writing together?

Brett Matthews: I met Joss while working on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which I think is the single least original answer I've ever given anyone. The guy works so hard and for such long hours on Buffy that I think it's practically impossible to meet him elsewhere -- and you see that dedication reflected in the consistent quality of the show. 

As for writing together, that answer's a little more abstract. It really comes down to a mutual love of comic books and the kind of stories we like seeing told in them. Most importantly, he offered.

SE-G: Why were you interested in writing an Angel miniseries, and have you written comics before?

BM: I think Angel's a great character. That's the crucial part, because without it what do you have? Outside of that, I think Angel really fits into a comic book universe in a lot of ways, some obvious and some not. 

Angel is the first book I've ever been on.

SE-G: Just from reading the first script, I can tell that your and Joss's take on the Angel.series is a lot, er... crunchier, you might say, than past Angel comics we've published. What were you two setting out to accomplish with the character?

BM: Crunchier, eh? Personally, I take that as a compliment. As far as what we're trying to do, that answer is deceptively simple -- trying to tell good stories. That and blow lots of stuff up.

SE-G: To me, the Angel in the comics is a bit different than the one we know from TV -- a little grittier, or harder, maybe. Is this something you intend? 

BM: I don't know, I guess I don't see the Angel of the comic as being all that different from the Angel of the show. I think the circumstances he finds himself in, the monsters he has to face, the sheer scale of it all -- that's different. And no doubt he reacts accordingly, but at the end of the day the Angel people love on the show is still the Angel of the book. As to why change anything -- comics are a different medium than television and they allow you to do a lot of things that you can't do well if at all in TV. We're just trying to play to the strengths of the medium.

SE-G: What's your take on comics? What do you find appealing about writing for the medium?

BM: I love comics. Always have and always will. I grew up reading them and just never really stopped. I think the industry is pulling itself out of a pretty sustained funk and that a lot of great stuff is being done by a lot of very talented people in contemporary comics. I wish more of the good stuff was less fringe, but I think that's going to happen.

I'd say the most appealing thing about writing for comics is that you can do anything. This is both the blessing and the curse of the medium. And just because you can do something doesn't mean that you should -- that's the responsibility the writer has to shoulder. Most simply put, I enjoy the hell out of it.

SE-G: Back to Angel.Specifically -- can you tell our Angel fans what the new miniseries is about?

BM: Well, I certainly don't want to give anything away because I hate when things get given away. Put it this way: Things I would expect -- A Big Bad. Monsters. Huge fisticuffs. Laughs. Cell phone issues. Lava. Your favorite characters. Joss Whedon magic. Things I wouldn't -- Clones. 

Otherwise, I'd expect just about anything.

SE-G: What do you like best about the series you're writing? Right away it seems a little heavier, emotionally, and the action is a little more extreme...

BM: It's very hard to talk about what I like best -- it's a hell of a fun thing to work with and learn from someone as talented as Joss. To repeat the one thing everyone says about him, the guy's a genius. As far as the emotions being heavy, I think we're just trying to make them real. And the happy ones are light and the sad ones are heavy and the characters are gonna experience them all at some point.

Re: extreme action -- is there any other kind?

SE-G: Now that you've begun writing your first comic-book series, is this something you'd like to pursue more in the future?

BM: Writing comics is something I've always wanted to do and I am extremely lucky to have the chance to do so, much less with someone I respect so much on such a great character. 

Like any writer, I have countless stories to tell and hope to continue doing so indefinitely. I've swung across so many rooftops and leapt blindly off so many buildings in my mind that to bring it all to life is a real thrill -- I'll keep writing comics until someone takes the keys away.

Joss Whedon, Brett Matthews, and Mel Rubi team up to reinvent Dark Horse's Angel comic-book series this fall with the September 12 release of Angel #1. This four-issue miniseries is far too big for the little screen, so tune into your local comics shop to find it.

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