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in: Angel comics, Season Nine
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Daddy Issues, Part One

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Daddy Issues, Part One is the sixth issue of the Angel & Faith comic book series. Written by Christos Gage and illustrated by Rebekah Isaacs, it was originally published on January 25, 2012, by Dark Horse Comics.

Synopsis[]

A mysterious illness is plaguing the streets of London and turning everyday humans into emotionless killers. The Watcher's Files, which may be the key to unraveling this mystery, have led Angel and Faith to seek out a demon from Giles's past for answers. Meanwhile a peculiar friend and foe returns to London and to Angel's inner circle.

Summary[]

Angel stops by the Highgate Cemetery to pay his respects and smells blood nearby. He follows the trail to the Holly Lodge Estate, a public housing for elderly people. A policeman stops Angel, and Angel says he wants to visit a friend. They go inside together and find a man who had killed at least three residents, saying they had the disease and now he has cut it out. He tries to kill Angel and the policeman as well, but Angel knocks him unconscious. The policeman tells Angel to step back from the murder scene and asks if any of the victims is his friend. Angel says he doesn't think he's been there for a while.

In 1972, five young Watchers-in-training, one of them Rupert Giles, are eager to complete their task to kill a vampire in the Highgate Cemetery. As they discuss how they should look for their target and how to defeat it, the Highgate Vampire appears in front of them. Giles realizes something is wrong with the vampire, but Philip quickly attacks it; the creature turns out to be a Lorophage demon. The demon uses its needle-like fingers to draw traumatic experiences from the minds of its victims, killing the teenagers one by one. It reaches up to Giles at the end, who feels all his traumatic experiences. Just before his end, three Watchers, one of them Giles's father, finally arrive and free Giles from the demon, who escapes.

Afterward, Giles blames his father and calls him a murderer, telling him he sent them to their death. His father explains it was a tragic event the Council's intelligence was faulty about. Giles argues they weren't ready for it, but his father replies that nobody is ever really ready for that job and the specter of death is part of the life that they were chosen for. Giles says he didn't choose anything, but his father insists the supernatural road is their heritage, their destiny, and they must serve it. Giles decides to leave his father and the Watchers Academy.

In the present, Nadira and Daphne fight a vampire while Faith takes care of a girl he bit. Nadira is ready to stake him, but Faith quickly stops her, having noticed he is human. The man says they wanted to be sired but, because it was against "the rules," someone refused. Faith tells the girls to call the police and an ambulance. Nadira feels guilty for almost becoming a murderer, but Faith says she only saw that coming because she made the same mistake before.

Faith asks the girls if they know who is the one the man said refused to sire him. Nadira says it was probably "Mother Superior," and Daphne explains Mother Superior hasn't broken any of Harmony's rules. Faith says it is still a gray area, but slaying a vampire that follows the rules would only start a war. They need a reason to kill her, and Faith knows most vampires come with skeletons in their closets.

Later, Angel and Faith train on the rooftop of their home, and they talk about Mother Superior. Faith believes Mother Superior is up to something because she has already run into two different "nut jobs" tied to her; Angel has met one as well. Faith says she thought his only mission was to bring back Giles, but Angel explains it is related; Lorophage demons have hibernation cycles and the same from Giles's diary is awake now.

They visit Alasdair Coames and tell him about the Lorophage demon. He explains this kind of demon is capable of causing an epidemic of madness, but it is unlikely. There are rare cases of victims going completely mad from the traumatic experiences forced to surface, but it only happens if the attack is interrupted. Angel wonders why the demon left the victims alive. Faith theorizes that the demon is being controlled, but Alasdair says Lorophage demons are resistant to magic. Faith updates her theory to the demon being hypnotized. Alasdair says it would mean a serious threat, which they should focus on. Faith cuts him off and tells him they got it.

Outside, Angel asks Faith why she behaved like that, and she says she just thought Alasdair talked too much like every old guy. She receives a text message from Daphne about three people who lived through traumatic experiences and recently got obsessed with Mother Superior. Angel wonders what a vampire gains from making people crazy. Faith also learns from Daphne that Mother Superior lives in a deconsecrated church turned into a nightclub.

Angel and Faith invade the church, asking the crowd of humans and vampires to take them to Mother Superior. The cult attacks them and a fight starts. Angel is impatient from being in a church, which brings him bad memories because nuns used to be his specialty. They fight through a corridor, and Angel kicks a door open, telling Mother Superior to confess: "Bless me..." Inside, they find Mother Superior. Sitting on a throne, Drusilla completes: "Father."

In the White Hart Pub, a man approaches Nadira and Daphne. He heard they are Slayers and asks for Faith. Nadira tells him they have never heard of her and asks why they should tell him. Pointing to a picture of him and Faith, the man replies he has the best reason in the world: he is her father.

Angel notices something is off about Drusilla. She says she almost became a nun and set up shop in a church because she feels nostalgic; the more things change the more they stay the same, but not everything. Angel now understands: Drusilla is sane.

Continuity[]

  • In the flashbacks of Giles' youth, he was revealed to have been the Head Boy of the Watchers Council at age 16. Wesley was also the Head Boy of his age group, revealed in "Unleashed."
  • Giles rebels from his father and the Watchers Academy; his rebellious youth were first alluded to in the episodes "The Dark Age" and "Band Candy."
  • Faith recalls accidentally killing Allan Finch in "Bad Girls" and paying his debt by being imprisoned in "Sanctuary."
  • Angelus's favorite killing act of nuns were referenced several times throughout the series, most notably in "Dear Boy" and "The Girl in Question."
  • Drusilla reunites with Angel after last seeing each other in "Redefinition."
  • Faith meets Drusilla, who killed the Slayer previous to her, Kendra, in "Becoming, Part One."

Appearances[]

Individuals[]

Organizations and titles[]

Species[]

Locations[]

Objects[]

Death count[]

  • Three elderly people, killed by an unidentified man.
  • Philip, killed by the Highgate Vampire (in flashbacks).
  • Lucy, killed the Highgate Vampire (in flashbacks).
  • Unidentified Watcher-in-training, killed the Highgate Vampire (in flashbacks).
  • Charlotte, killed by the Highgate Vampire (in flashbacks).
  • Three vampires, dusted by Angel.

Behind the scenes[]

Production[]

  • The story explores the existence of the Highgate Vampire, which was a media sensation surrounding reports of supposed supernatural activity at Highgate Cemetery in the 1970s.

Collections[]

Pop culture references[]

Gallery[]

Covers[]

Cover artwork[]

Preview[]

Quotes[]

Giles: "Our experience has been in controlled settings. This is our first field mission. We know nothing. The tabloids may call it 'The Highgate Vampire' but for all we know, it could be a nest of them, or—"
Philip: "Or a drunken sailor. Or lonely people in dire need of a shag, lying out to get attention. Mellow out, Rupert. Being Head Boy doesn't require you to act like a wanker all the time."
Giles's father: "We are Watchers. The specter of death is part and parcel of the life we've chosen."
Giles: "Chosen? I never chose a bloody thing. As I recall, I was informed at the age of ten that I would become a watcher, then summarily packed off to study horror and death alongside Latin and Geometry."
Giles's father: "Poor choice of words. The supernatural is our heritage, Rupert. Our destiny. We cannot escape it, so we must prepare to meet it."
Giles: "To hell with destiny. And to hell with you. I am making a choice, now, Father. For the first time in my life. What you do, what you are, is an obscenity. I will have no part of it."
Nadira: "My God. I was almost a murderer. Oh, hell, Faith, I didn't mean—"
Faith: "Nah. It's cool. It's actually a good thing. Only reason I saw it coming tonight... is 'cause I've been there myself. I dealt with it. Did time, paid my debt. And now I actually used it to save a life. Five by five, right?"
Angel: "I hate churches. And not because so many things in them burn my flesh. They bring back bad memories. I used to specialize in nuns. Killing them. In the sickest, most brutal ways I could think of. And I had a vivid imagination. You could say it was Angelus, not me. But I remember. All of it. What I did. How they screamed. How good it felt. All of that power. Some of my worse moments were right here in London. Being reminded of that pisses me off."
Drusilla: "I know it's a bit on the nose... The girl who almost became a nun setting up shop in a church. But I'm feeling nostalgic. The two of us... London... Blasphemy... The more things change the more they stay the same. Well, some things.

References[]

  1. ↑ "Angel & Faith #6 (Steve Morris regular cover)." Dark Horse Comics. Retrieved on June 28, 2024.
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