Franco Urru

Franco Urru was an Italian comic artist best known for his work on IDW Publishing's *Angel* and *Spike* series, which continued the stories from the television shows. He was born in Rome on July 27, 1960, and died in the same city on November 29, 2012.

Urru's path into comics began in Italy, but he gained his widest recognition in the United States. He became the primary artist for the first five issues of *Angel: After the Fall*, a canonical sequel to the *Angel* TV series. His detailed, moody style—often handling both inks and colors—helped define the look of the post-series *Angel* universe. He frequently collaborated with writer Brian Lynch, co-creating the miniseries *Spike: Asylum* and *Spike: Shadow Puppets*, as well as the *Spike: After the Fall* one-shot. His other notable credits include the *Angel: Barbary Coast* special and the *Spike: The Devil You Know* mini-series.

Urru's contributions were cut short by his untimely death at age 52, but his work remains a key part of the *Buffy the Vampire Slayer* expanded comics continuity. He was posthumously honored with an Eagle Award for his work on *Angel: After the Fall*.