Hunting Ground is a trade paperback

Trade paperback (comics)

In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...

 collecting comic stories based on the Angel

Angel (TV series)

Angel is an American television series, a spin-off of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series was created by Buffys creator, Joss Whedon, in collaboration with David Greenwalt, and first aired on October 5, 1999...

television series.

General synopsis

A murderer is leaving corpses across L.A. sewers, and the evidence found by Detective Kate Lockley suggests Angel is responsible. Angel does not know which demon or monster is trying to set him up. In the other story Cordelia lands the main role in a Blair Witch type film about three filmmakers looking for the Helm of Haraxis. However the film is a sham and the Helm's the real thing. Angel tries to rescue Cordelia and the other filmmakers.

Beneath the Surface

Detective Kate Lockley is in the midst of searching for the person responsible for a series of killings. All have occurred in the underground accesses that Angel uses so often. Angel's investigation begins when Lockley herself starts to search the tunnels.

Hunting Ground

Comic title: Hunting Ground/Lovely, Dark, and Deep

Cordelia gets a role in a movie. Surprisingly, considering her ability, it is the starring role. She must play someone who is working with a team of treasure-hunters who are looking for the legendary Helm of Haraxis. Deep in the forest things suddenly start to go bad. A series of demons begin hunting themselves. Angel must do what he can to get there in time.

Continuity

The comic is supposed to be set in Angel season 1 after the episode Expecting

Expecting (Angel episode)

"Expecting" is episode 12 of season 1 in the television show Angel. Written by Howard Gordon and directed by David Semel, it was originally broadcast on January 25, 2000 on the WB network. In "Expecting", Cordelia, having spent the night with her charming date, wakes up carrying a near-term pregnancy...

.

Canonical issues

Angel

Angel comics

Angel comic book refers to one of two series published by Dark Horse Comics during 2000–2002. Both of these series are based on the television series Angel, and were published while the television series was on air. The first volume was an ongoing series halted after seventeen issues. The second...

 comics such as this one are not usually considered by fans as canonical. Some fans consider them stories from the imaginations of authors and artists, while other fans consider them as taking place in an alternative fictional reality. However unlike fan fiction

Fan fiction

Fan fiction is a broadly-defined term for fan labor regarding stories about characters or settings written by fans of the original work, rather than by the original creator...

, overviews summarising their story, written early in the writing process, were 'approved' by both Fox and Joss Whedon

Joss Whedon

Joseph Hill "Joss" Whedon is an American screenwriter, executive producer, director, comic book writer, occasional composer and actor, founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-creator of Bellwether Pictures...

(or his office), and the books were therefore later published as officially Buffy merchandise.