Epitaphs

One-Shot variant cover by Steve Morris

Epitaphs is the title of the short comic series.

The first issue was released with the Dollhouse Season Two DVD/Blu-ray sets, and was written by Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen. The plotline of the comic is the initial outbreak of the thoughtpocalypse and its effect on several characters, including: Mag, Griff and Zone as well as characters created for the story.

This is followed by a 5-part miniseries, beginning July 2011. The comics are set in a future Los Angeles after the Dollhouse technology has reduced the city to ruins.

Summary

Issue 0.5

Phil Noto Cover

During a news report, an anchorman presents a story that involves President Perrin inviting children to the White House for a picnic. After starting a story on the Los Angeles Marathon and its intended upcoming weekend start, he is interrupted before announcing that news reporter Maria Marquez is live from Hollywood with a special report.

Amidst a scene of violence, Marquez shouts to viewers to not answer their phones, being cut off as the live feed is lost as she begins to elaborate.

At 10:07 A.M., a young woman asks Zone what a plus means on a pregnancy test as he awaits the news; the pair discovering that they "made a plus." While checking on each other's well being upon processing the news, the phone begins to ring. As the woman goes to answer the phone, remarking that it's likely telemarketers, Zone begins to contemplate the future and decides to get his act together just as the woman answers the phone.

In an office building at the same time, Todd 'Griff' Griffin discusses the nature of someone's mood while also discussing her dress. Griff remarks that it's pretty while the secretary calls him a charmer as Griff leaves the room when several phones begin to ring.

Inside an office, an elderly man makes a remark about Griff's arrival while introducing Josh Jacobson to Griff who is an Associate. As the pair shake hands, Josh quips that he hopes for good news, to which Griff responds that he should be rich "by this time next week" when a loud scream is heard. Through an open door way, the trio of men can see the entire office attacking each other as the secretary that exchanged words with Griff runs into the room brandishing a fire extinguisher. The secretary attacks the elder man, shocking Griff before moving out of the way as she rushes toward him, slamming into the glass and falling out after it shatters.

On the sidewalk below, at 10:07 A.M., Maggie is discussing a new relationship with two of her friends, trying to explain it is a same sex relationship while one remarks at how hot it would be if it was a professor. After being asked for a name, Mag gives one; Helen to which the two friends do not seem to understand what Mag is trying to say, one of them remarking how Helen is a strange name for a guy as the other asks if he is European. During this, Mag watches as their cellphones ring at the same time, the two answering at once, the one in the dotted shirt being wiped and asking if she fell asleep. The other friend, in the black dress, has been imprinted as a Butcher and attacks the wiped friend, stabbing her in the neck with a weapon. Mag reacts in surprise as the body falls to the ground when suddenly, the secretary falls down onto the table and the fire extinguisher falls onto the Butcher friend, killing her, leaving Mag standing in the carnage in utter shock.

Elsewhere in the city at 10:07 A.M., inside a work area, Trevor and his Uncle Wendall discuss the status of Basketball, and the fact that it's not the only thing that makes people cool. After expressing his hope that this is the case, Trevor mentions Andy Lebron is in his grade and can already dunk. Trevor's Uncle agrees with this, but then says that Andy is "a big dumb animal", while Trevor is smart, albeit being shorter than Andy, is good with tools, the right ones which can be used to fly to the moon. Uncle Wendall further comforts Trevor by stating that Andy is stuck on the planet, because an Astronaut cannot be taller than 6'3", confiding that as a result, Trevor can go anywhere he wishes. Remarking at how cool this is, Trevor is told by his uncle that he is good with the ultimate tool computers. Trevor mentions that his teacher feels that computers are making people stupider, which Wendall says it's because computers change the way society lives and people are afraid of new things. Picking up the ringing phone, Wendall ironically remarks on embracing the new, or being erased by it, finally putting the receiver to his ear as Trevor agrees. Noticing a blank look on his Uncle's face, Trevor asks if he is alright to which his Uncle strangely asks for Trevor to listen as he is there to help. Confused, Trevor responds as such, with his uncle remarking that his name is Ivy and that "something terrible has happened."

Mini-Series

The mini-series focuses on the adventures of Alpha and Trevor, along with Mag, Grif and Zone.

Issue 1

Issue 1 cover

The fight for free will starts now!

Alpha was the perfect product of Rossum Corporation's mind-altering technology, until he snapped, burdened by the dozens of personalities they'd accidently downloaded into his brain all at the same time, due to a glitch. Now the technology has gone viral, turning the entire population into murderous automatons, and it's up to the psychotic Alpha and a small group of survivors to save mankind.

• Straight from the Dollhouse one-shot written by show writers Tancharoen and Whedon, this new series continues the tale of survivors taking up arms against Rossum.

• Fellow Dollhouse show writer Andrew Chambliss (CW's The Vampire Diaries) makes his comics debut, joining Tancharoen and Whedon

• Joss Whedon's Dollhouse continues only in comics!

Issue 2

Issue 2 cover

Following the spread of a mind-altering virus, Trevor, a young survivor of the apocalypse, must embrace the new world order if he hopes to survive. With the unpredictable Alpha guiding him, Trevor will use tech to fight tech in this sci-fi adventure that will take our star characters from the blood-filled streets of Los Angeles to the heart of the conflict-the Rossum Corporation.

• Dollhouse show writer Andrew Chambliss makes his comics debut!

 

Issue 3

Issue 3 cover

While Mag, Zone, and Griff fight to survive the LA apocalypse without killing each other, Trevor and Alpha must take the fight straight to the Rossum Corporation, which started it all. In order to destroy Rossum, they must find Echo—the only person uniquely equipped to destroy the evil corporation from the inside.

• Marks the top secret return of a fan-favorite character!

• Continuing Joss Whedon's cult-hit TV series Dollhouse.

 

Issue 4

Issue 4 cover

In Los Angeles, survivors Mag, Griff, Zone, and a few new recruits band together to fight against the Rossum Corporation. In Tucson, Alpha and his very small army of "dolls" make plans to infiltrate Rossum headquarters and find Echo, who may hold the key to saving humanity.

• Joss Whedon's Dollhouse continues only in comics!

• Alpha's multiple personalities get out of hand!

 

Issue 5

Issue 5 cover

The Rossum Corporation's tech-induced apocalypse has spread worldwide. Now that the majority of the population is either a mindless killer or a mindless member of a makeshift army, Rossum is once again directing their attention to capturing Echo. At the edge of Rossum's HQ, Alpha's small army of "dolls" are also attempting to find Echo—she's humanity's only hope for survival. Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Mag, Griff, and Zone organize their new recruits to take down a radio tower that broadcasts Rossum's Wielder imprint.

• Eliza Dushku's Echo joins the adventure!

 

Appendices

Background

Although the canonicty of the comic is currently unknown, it should be noted that the storyline was created and written by two of the series writers. In addition to this, there are numerous connections to the series overall storyline, characters and other settings. Also, other comic book storylines that are based upon Joss Whedon's work usually end up having some degree of canonicity. This comic, could therefore possibly conform to plans that Joss Whedon had to the Dollhouse storyline.

While a specific date has not been given in the comic, it is likely that this story is set sometime during the time period of 2013-2019, barring Daniel Perrin somehow getting into the Presidency prior to the 2012 Presidential elections. The mention of the Los Angeles Marathon also puts the timeline somewhere into the spring of the year it is set in.