This Comic Is Good - Fallen Angel #1

A second chance for a title can really go one of two ways. It can either attempt to be basically the same comic that it was before it was cancelled (using the logic of "We wouldn't have gotten a second chance if someone had not seen something worthwhile in the first go-around"), or it can re-tool, attempt to appeal to a new audience. I think Peter David has basically gone with the second approach with IDW'S Fallen Angel #1, and I think that it has paid off nicely with a very good first issue.

Right off the bat, the most surprising part of the comic is the art. On the DC series, David Lopez did a good job, and when the book made the move to IDW, an established artist just was not going to be in the cards. Therefore, the fact that the replacement artist, JK Woodward, is BETTER is, well, quite surprising. Woodward has a painted style, which at times can be a bit much, but in a moody book like Fallen Angel, it fits right in with the atmosphere.

In any event, Peter David has cut Fallen Angel down to the barebones, and makes it a very straightforward story, and also manages to avoid calling Lee (the Fallen Angel, natch) a "court of last resort," which is highly appreciated on my end. In fact, while reading the DC series (which IDW nicely has an ad in the back for the DC TPB) would give you some nice background into the characters (and in particular, who the guy at the end of the issue with the priest is), you really do not need to have read the DC series at ALL to appreicate this comic book, which is also highly appreciated.

The setup of the comic is that the magistrate of Bette Noire (the freaky city that Fallen Angel protects people in occasionally) is passing on his title to his son, but learns that the Fallen Angel has born him a first born son that she hid from him, who is now the true next magistrate of Fallen Angel. The problem is is that this priest was hidden by Lee years earlier from her father. If you had read the original series, this would be somewhat old news to you, but the good thing about it is that David works this revelation into THIS comic quite organically. You never get the whole "exposition fairy" feel in the comic, which was quite good.

What you DO get in this comic is:

1. Interesting, moody painted art

2. Some good dialogue (including some funny lines by the magistrate and Lee)

3. An intriguing story with the priest

4. An evocative landscape

Good comic.

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