Buffy season 10 no 9
Nov. 19th, 2014 09:32 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shapinglightSpoilers behind cut, also for Angel & Faith no 8, which I've finally caught up with.
In fact, I'll dispose of that first since I have very little to say about it. The Faith part of the book is so boring I just wanted to skip those pages. The Angel part is more interesting, though Angel is suffering from what he always suffers from when he doesn't have a supporting cast - being rather dull.
Still, I'm intrigued to know what all these killing dreams he's been having are about. It's not clear whether or not Amy has anything to do with them. We'll see.
As for Buffy 9, firstly, to those of you concerned about what Spike was going to say next in that conversation in the preview pages, which ended with him saying he hadn't loved Buffy when he didn't have a soul, what does come next is the least worst option.
He says he thought at the time he loved her, but now realises it was "a selfish bastardization of love. The kind that wouldn't take no for an answer, that couldn't accept not havin' you, even if it was best for you. It was nothin' like what I-".
He's obviously going to go on to say 'nothing like what I feel for you now' but stops himself and finishes with, "It wasn't real love."
So far, so what most of us were expecting. However, Buffy responds by saying what we ourselves have said many times - that plenty of 'normal' people are pretty damn selfish, that Spike should meet her dad. She then goes on to repeat that there was always good in Spike - 'so strong it didn't need a soul to come out' - which IMO is kind of overstating it, though all it really does is reiterate what she said to Spike in Never Leave Me, though in a very lame, flat sort of way.
Anyway, Spike answers that it wasn't so strong he couldn't be a killer or - he's probably going to say rapist, but they get interrupted by the monster.
Apart from this conversation, have to say that I am beginning to suspect that Gage always ends a story with the equivalent of 'and then they went home for tea.' Except that this time them going home is preceded by a group hug - a real, actual group hug. Well, Willow and Andrew hug, Willow and Buffy hug and Buffy and Andrew hug. Then Willow and Andrew hug again. Spike refuses to hug Andrew.
This is after Willow and Andrew have had a conversation in which she stops him from bringing Tara back because she thinks Tara will be ripped out of heaven, as Buffy was, and it will be worse for Tara because she's been there longer. Andrew then has a good cry/moan about how no one knows what it's like to be alone. Everyone gets forgiven except him. And he puts that down to him having been party to Tara's murder.
Willow apologises if they've made him feel that way. Andrew stops the resurrection spell. The soul eating monster is weakened by not getting to feast on Tara's soul. It collapses the Hellmouth, hoping to kill Buffy along with itself. Buffy and Spike are levitated to safety by Willow. Andrew then repeats about feeling left out to Buffy. She responds that they're past the supervillain thing, but Andrew has to be past it too. She has to know that he understands what he did to her in season 9 was wrong. He promises he does. Group hug (I'm making it very simple, there's more talking - Buffy explaining why she forgave those other people etc, etc.)
The last page shows that possibly, despite what he said, Andrew still hasn't really understood what he's done wrong, as he asks cyber-Jonathan if he wants him to make him a new body and cyber-Jonathan says, hell yes and can it be taller.
Basically, the whole thing is so sugary that I'm really unclear whether this last page is meant to show that Andrew still doesn't get it, or if the fact that he actually asks Jonathan if he wants a new body or not is supposed to be progress.
Spuffywise, this is the 'shippiest issue yet of the Buffy comics. However, the next issue promises Harmony, and I doubt if Buffy will be impressed to learn that Harmony and Spike are now friends with benefits (though I hope Gage will take the time to explain when exactly that happened). Not to mentionMrs Marsters Dylan is still out there somewhere.
Upcoming covers - not only for the monthly issues but for the next TPB- are very Spuffy in nature, though the TPB cover is weird. Buffy seems to be trying to grab Spike's head, while he seems to be trying not to touch her at all. If it weren't for this TPB cover I'd be very worried that things were looking just too good for Spuffy and the other shoe was bound to drop soon. However, that TPB cover makes it pretty clear (IMO) that even if Buffy does decide she wants Spike now he's going to reject her (probably for her own good).
I still expect him to end up withMrs Marsters Dylan, or else for the story to end as it ended in the show, with the so-called triangle forever unresolved.
However, to get back to 9, I really appreciate that this two part story has, however clumsily, put Angel and Spike on an equal footing vis-a-vis their pasts with Buffy.
I also think that Gage has handled the issue of whether Angel and Spike with souls are completely different people than without quite well. They are. Yet again, they aren't. Which is really the only answer that makes sense of how they've changed and doesn't trivialise their stories.
ETA: If the next issue is a filler issue (I believe there's a filler artist at least), that will make 10 issues and still no sign of the Big Bad.
Maybe there isn't one?
It also seems very odd to me that Willow never asks Andrew who this Siri person is that he's speaking to on the phone, and why they address him as 'your grace.'
ETA 2: Saw from someone's review that 'Siri' is Andrew's computer. That was probably introduced in season 9 and I've forgotten about it. Best thing you can do with the whole of season 9 really.
In fact, I'll dispose of that first since I have very little to say about it. The Faith part of the book is so boring I just wanted to skip those pages. The Angel part is more interesting, though Angel is suffering from what he always suffers from when he doesn't have a supporting cast - being rather dull.
Still, I'm intrigued to know what all these killing dreams he's been having are about. It's not clear whether or not Amy has anything to do with them. We'll see.
As for Buffy 9, firstly, to those of you concerned about what Spike was going to say next in that conversation in the preview pages, which ended with him saying he hadn't loved Buffy when he didn't have a soul, what does come next is the least worst option.
He says he thought at the time he loved her, but now realises it was "a selfish bastardization of love. The kind that wouldn't take no for an answer, that couldn't accept not havin' you, even if it was best for you. It was nothin' like what I-".
He's obviously going to go on to say 'nothing like what I feel for you now' but stops himself and finishes with, "It wasn't real love."
So far, so what most of us were expecting. However, Buffy responds by saying what we ourselves have said many times - that plenty of 'normal' people are pretty damn selfish, that Spike should meet her dad. She then goes on to repeat that there was always good in Spike - 'so strong it didn't need a soul to come out' - which IMO is kind of overstating it, though all it really does is reiterate what she said to Spike in Never Leave Me, though in a very lame, flat sort of way.
Anyway, Spike answers that it wasn't so strong he couldn't be a killer or - he's probably going to say rapist, but they get interrupted by the monster.
Apart from this conversation, have to say that I am beginning to suspect that Gage always ends a story with the equivalent of 'and then they went home for tea.' Except that this time them going home is preceded by a group hug - a real, actual group hug. Well, Willow and Andrew hug, Willow and Buffy hug and Buffy and Andrew hug. Then Willow and Andrew hug again. Spike refuses to hug Andrew.
This is after Willow and Andrew have had a conversation in which she stops him from bringing Tara back because she thinks Tara will be ripped out of heaven, as Buffy was, and it will be worse for Tara because she's been there longer. Andrew then has a good cry/moan about how no one knows what it's like to be alone. Everyone gets forgiven except him. And he puts that down to him having been party to Tara's murder.
Willow apologises if they've made him feel that way. Andrew stops the resurrection spell. The soul eating monster is weakened by not getting to feast on Tara's soul. It collapses the Hellmouth, hoping to kill Buffy along with itself. Buffy and Spike are levitated to safety by Willow. Andrew then repeats about feeling left out to Buffy. She responds that they're past the supervillain thing, but Andrew has to be past it too. She has to know that he understands what he did to her in season 9 was wrong. He promises he does. Group hug (I'm making it very simple, there's more talking - Buffy explaining why she forgave those other people etc, etc.)
The last page shows that possibly, despite what he said, Andrew still hasn't really understood what he's done wrong, as he asks cyber-Jonathan if he wants him to make him a new body and cyber-Jonathan says, hell yes and can it be taller.
Basically, the whole thing is so sugary that I'm really unclear whether this last page is meant to show that Andrew still doesn't get it, or if the fact that he actually asks Jonathan if he wants a new body or not is supposed to be progress.
Spuffywise, this is the 'shippiest issue yet of the Buffy comics. However, the next issue promises Harmony, and I doubt if Buffy will be impressed to learn that Harmony and Spike are now friends with benefits (though I hope Gage will take the time to explain when exactly that happened). Not to mention
Upcoming covers - not only for the monthly issues but for the next TPB- are very Spuffy in nature, though the TPB cover is weird. Buffy seems to be trying to grab Spike's head, while he seems to be trying not to touch her at all. If it weren't for this TPB cover I'd be very worried that things were looking just too good for Spuffy and the other shoe was bound to drop soon. However, that TPB cover makes it pretty clear (IMO) that even if Buffy does decide she wants Spike now he's going to reject her (probably for her own good).
I still expect him to end up with
However, to get back to 9, I really appreciate that this two part story has, however clumsily, put Angel and Spike on an equal footing vis-a-vis their pasts with Buffy.
I also think that Gage has handled the issue of whether Angel and Spike with souls are completely different people than without quite well. They are. Yet again, they aren't. Which is really the only answer that makes sense of how they've changed and doesn't trivialise their stories.
ETA: If the next issue is a filler issue (I believe there's a filler artist at least), that will make 10 issues and still no sign of the Big Bad.
Maybe there isn't one?
It also seems very odd to me that Willow never asks Andrew who this Siri person is that he's speaking to on the phone, and why they address him as 'your grace.'
ETA 2: Saw from someone's review that 'Siri' is Andrew's computer. That was probably introduced in season 9 and I've forgotten about it. Best thing you can do with the whole of season 9 really.
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no subject
Date: 2014-11-19 03:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-11-19 04:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-11-19 04:10 pm (UTC)They are. Yet again, they aren't.
Pretty much. But at the same time, it does trivialize them. It turns it into some impulse-policing in a way. It's like, 'this is what you'd do if you didn't have THIS to stop you', but you do have that; it's part of who you are. If someone takes that away, you're not you and you're not responsible. To me, anyway.
no subject
Date: 2014-11-19 04:16 pm (UTC)It is a hard thing to explain - how they can be different people and yet be the same person. I think Gage has done about as well as can be expected.
no subject
Date: 2014-11-19 04:22 pm (UTC)Oh, I agree there. He's doing his best with something that was never thought out on any concrete level. A soul was just something Joss conjured up to explain why a character who was supposed to die in a few eps was different. It's not Gage's fault. It's a fundamental world-building flaw.
Then again, it's always been something Joss did, usually selectively. If you do magic on someone, they're still somehow responsible for what they did as long as it wasn't done malevolently.
no subject
Date: 2014-11-19 05:31 pm (UTC)Yep, and the fans (and some other show writers, Fury, for instance) have taken it and run with it, and Joss has just shrugged and let them get on with it.
no subject
Date: 2014-11-19 11:10 pm (UTC)Not much he can do. He's changed the rules on souls so often he's left with little choice. Well, he could quit using it as a plot point...
ETA: If the next issue is a filler issue (I believe there's a filler artist at least), that will make 10 issues and still no sign of the Big Bad.
I think the Big Bad will come from Angel's side, probably Amy. She collects the magic bottles, hauls them off to use against Willow. I full expect the books to merge at the end like they were in the beginning where you have to buy both to get the story.
no subject
Date: 2014-11-20 06:34 pm (UTC)Maybe the season will end with the big Bangel reunion?
no subject
Date: 2014-11-20 06:54 pm (UTC)Didn't Allie or someone say it was to happen at some point? Makes more sense at the end. Big finish sort of thing. They drop storylines all the time, though. It's clear that these two issues were an afterthought given the cover Isaacs drew for the last one.
Probably something lame like someone will write in the book that the curse is nulled or whatever. Blech.
no subject
Date: 2014-11-20 07:09 pm (UTC)On the other hand, I'm not aware that anyone has flat out said there'll be a Buffy/Angel reunion during season 10. The idea seems to have sprung from nowhere and taken on a life of its own.
no subject
Date: 2014-11-20 07:38 pm (UTC)Allie did at one point say that Angel having the curse was 'no way to live', which suggests they mean to do something about it.
Of course. The guy just can't live without having sex with Buffy. My eyes, they roll.
The idea seems to have sprung from nowhere and taken on a life of its own.
Ah. I quit reading Allie interviews 'cause they make me want to punch things. It was quite prevalent, so I though it was based in a quote or something.
no subject
Date: 2014-11-20 10:00 pm (UTC)I don't think so, but I could be wrong.
no subject
Date: 2014-11-19 05:10 pm (UTC)I must say you aren't making me any sorrier that I stopped reading, but thank you for the ongoing reports. :)
no subject
Date: 2014-11-19 05:32 pm (UTC)Probably it's that. No wonder no one remarked on it.
Shows how technically out of touch I am. ;)
no subject
Date: 2014-11-19 09:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-11-20 06:37 pm (UTC)True, though that would hardly be difficult. ;)
I agree the hugging was cheesy. I'm glad Spike didn't join in. That would have been not only cheesy but very OOC.
no subject
Date: 2014-11-20 10:10 am (UTC)Yeah, Siri is the Apple iPhone "voice". Also, Andrew's statement that San Francisco is over and that Oakland is the new black? Fairly accurate, but also faintly racist. Artists and their ilk are flocking to Oakland as they are priced out of San Francisco. But to say that it's the "new black" somehow dismisses the "old black" which still makes up a large portion of the city. I guess Andrew is oblivious enough to say such a thing.
So, that's my local angle for this one...
no subject
Date: 2014-11-20 06:43 pm (UTC)The Angel part of the story has some interesting bits, but mostly it's terribly boring, I'm afraid. Gischler just is a boring writer.
I also don't need a giant, overarching plot, though there of course is one - the Vampyr! book and re-writing the rules of magic. I daresay at some point a Big Bad will turn up, it's certainly not a priority IMO.
I agree season 10 is better and I like seeing the characters interact, and they are approximately in character most of the time, even if the dialogue is sometimes a bit off. It does need some edge, though. It rather lacks that at the moment (and waiting for
Mrs MarstersDylan to show up again doesn't count).As for Andrew's statement, I think he is oblivious enough to say that. Unless it's Gage that's oblivious, but I can't see how he can be. Even this side of the Pond we know about the 'gentrification' of Oakland.
no subject
Date: 2014-11-20 11:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-11-20 06:44 pm (UTC)It does need more bite, though. It just is a bit too cosy.
no subject
Date: 2014-12-07 02:29 am (UTC)Hi. I missed you.
no subject
Date: 2014-12-14 03:27 pm (UTC)Nice to see you too.
There is no point getting upset about the comics, I know. In fact, given the current lack of interest, I think everyone's come to that conclusion.
It's astonishing how much good will Dark Horse have squandered.