|
The canonicity of this article's subject remains dubious. Though it doesn't contradict official continuity, it has not been referenced in any confirmed canonical material. |  |
Barbary Coast, Part One is the first issue of the Barbary Coast comic book miniseries. Written by David Tischman and illustrated by Franco Urru, it was originally published on April 14, 2010, by IDW Publishing.
Synopsis[]
A recently souled Angel is on a quest for a "cure" in San Francisco when, of course, something goes horribly wrong. Seeking out a Chinese healer, Angel encounters a mysterious girl with a strange tattoo, and quickly learns that life in early 1900s America is full of surprises...[1]
Summary[]
In 1906, Angel is staying at the Carlton Hotel in San Francisco. At night, he goes out to the Chinatown district to find a man named Xin. He's been unsuccessful for at least two weeks and threatens a prostitute to tell him where to find Xin. An old man interrupts them and tells Angel he would tell him where to find Xin if Angel defeats him in combat. Angel is almost successful, but the man uses a sheet of parchment with magical markings on it to knock Angel out. The man then has two large bodyguards bring Angel to his hideout.
Meanwhile, at a bar called The Olympia, a demon outside proclaims the end is near. A crime lord called Jimmy tries to bribe a police officer, who tells him it is not possible. Meanwhile, an inebriated sailor harasses a Chinese woman named Ling Kai. He tears her dress to reveal a tattoo sleeve, and the bartender, Lynch, kills the sailor with a blow to the head. A demon servant called Kryll is ordered to take the body into the kitchen to chop it up and serve it as meat to customers. Ling Kai goes to the table with the men and gives them an envelope with $400 in it, of which the police officer takes $40 share.
Somewhere else, Angel wakes up lying on a table with acupuncture needles in his face. A girl and the old man are also in the room. The man reveals that the parchment was a spell to hold vampires down and that he is Xin. Angel reveals the spell did not work and he was just playing dead. He tells Xin he wants a potion to quiet the voices he hears since he regained his soul. After a short fight, Xin tells Angel he knows how to become more balanced. Angel will have to kidnap a girl with an unfinished dragon tattoo on her back: Ling Kai. Angel agrees. and Xin says he can find her at a bar in the red-light district, Barbary Coast.
The next night, at twilight, Angel goes out onto the rooftops to find Ling Kai, when the demon called Bart attacks him. Angel quickly overpowers him and throws him off a rooftop. At The Olympia, where a drunkard repeatedly claims the end is near, Angel pretends to be drunk and gets a prostitute to take him upstairs. Instead of following her, Angel goes into Ling Kai's room. He quickly leaves, but, when she later leaves the room, Angel surprises her and grabs her, forcing her to come along with him. When they are downstairs, police raid the bar, and, in the ensuing chaos, Ling Kai opens the front of the dress to reveal a cross-shaped tattoo which burns brightly. While Angel is distracted, Lynch knocks him out.
Continuity[]
- The story is set after the flashbacks from "Orpheus" but before Blood & Trenches.
Appearances[]
Individuals[]
- Angel
- Bart
- Abraham Behr
- Enrico Caruso (Only mentioned)
- Hawkins
- Ling Kai
- Kryll
- Lynch
- Mihn
- Xin
- Jimmy Watson
- Kalderash woman (Only mentioned)
Organizations and titles[]
- Kalderash (Only mentioned)
- San Francisco Police Department
- Wolfram & Hart
Species[]
Locations[]
- London (Only mentioned)
- San Francisco
- Carlton Hotel
- The Olympia
Objects[]
Rituals and spells[]
- Ritual of Restoration (Only mentioned)
Death count[]
- Unidentified sailor, bludgeoned by Lynch.
Behind the scenes[]
Distribution[]
- Barbary Coast, Part One was the 172nd best selling comic issue in its publishing month, with 8,335 sales in April 2010 at comic specialty stores.[2]
Collections[]
Pop culture references[]
- A couple discuss the opera singer Enrico Caruso.
- Xin mentions stories about jiangshi, a Chinese hopping vampire.
- Xin quotes the Chinese philosopher Confucius.
Goofs[]
- Hawkins calls Ling Kai's boyfriend Billy in this issue. In issue #2, Ling Kai calls him Watson, and he refers to himself as Jimmy.
- Xin tells Angel he will find Ling Kai at the Odyssey. However, the saloon where Angel finds her is named The Olympia.
Gallery[]
Covers[]
Cover artwork[]
Preview[]
Quotes[]
| Angel: "San Francisco. The discovery of gold in 1848 turned this sleepy little west coast fishing village into an international destination attracting every low-life gambler and wannabee thug trying to make a quick buck. Prostitutes followed the money. It's the kind of city I used to love." |
References[]
- ↑ "ANGEL BARBARY COAST #1." Previews World. Retrieved on December 7, 2023.
- ↑ "Top 300 Comics Actual--April 2010." ICv2, May 13, 2010.