Buffy season 10 no 16

[shapinglight]

A really enjoyable issue, I thought.

Spoilers behind cut




For one thing, it was better balanced. More action to leaven the personal stuff. I enjoyed it quite a lot, especially the fight scene (which, no, was not Spike fighting Angel while Buffy stands off to the side rolling her eyes, but Spike/Buffy/Angel vs a very nasty demon.

(The first time they've fought together since Lovers' Walk in season 3. :)

Am puzzled by Christos Gage's assertion on Twitter that this issue would annoy both 'shipping factions. Can't see why it would, unless you loathe Angel so much nothing would satisfy you than to see Buffy spit in his eye and then dust him (and come to think of it, I can think of one Spike fan like that (not on LJ) but have often thought they live in their own little world, in which BtVS is a totally different show.

In fact, it's not even called BtVS. More like StVSS (which stands for Spike the Vampire Slayer Slayer, in case you were wondering)).

The Spike/Angel stuff in the issue is quite well handled, I think. They come across far more like they did in TGiQ - ie. both equally petty but comrades in arms- rather than the very unbalanced way their dynamic was portrayed in A&F in season 9, with Angel as the all-wise condescending older brother and Spike as the snarky but basically useless younger one.

I'm not sure if Buffy's conflicted feelings about Angel really came across that well, but assume the story will return to them in later issues. Was also pleased to see Spike deny that Buffy was 'his girlfriend now', as stated (rather OOC-ly by Dawn in an attempt to reassure him). Buffydoesn't belong to anyone, he says. If she did, she wouldn't be her.

The Archaeus stuff is weird. Despite the fact he's being built up as a major threat, I still don't think he's the season Big Bad. In fact, given the spoilers about Buffy's dad turning up in no 19, I'm beginning to wonder if one of the posters on Slayalive is finally going to get their wish and Hank Summers will turn out to be the Big Bad.

Maybe Hank's been a major league warlock all along, and he's the one who wrote the new vampires' powers into the Vampyr book?

God, I hope not! That would be really lame IMO!

Which is why they might actually do it.

Comments

[sueworld2003.livejournal.com]

I agree it was good. Felt more akin to the show then in previous comic book 'seasons'.

[shapinglight]

I agree. I thought it was pretty good.

Except for not liking Buffy's outfit. Shorts over black tights just looks awful.

No matter who wears them.

[sueworld2003.livejournal.com]

I've seen the 'young folk' wear them, but I agree, It's not a flattering look. *g*

[shapinglight]

No, definitely not.

[teragramm.livejournal.com]

It was a good issue. The Angel/Spike/Buffy thing was handled well, I liked how Buffy called Spike in so they could tell Angel together. All in all a good issue.

[shapinglight]

I agree, even if they did all just forgive Angel for everything in season 8.

Mind you, I knew they would. Everyone at Dark Horse just wants us to forget about that, I think.

[rahirah]

Interestingly enough, the B/A shippers are triumphantly proclaiming that this issue proves Buffy is still madly in love with Angel, because she's all touchy-feely with him and rushes to him when he's injured, ignoring Spike. (Who is shown up for the petty, insecure wannabe that he is.)

[sueworld2003.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I saw that. Didn't take long for certain people to return to their old habbits. *g*

[infinitewhale.livejournal.com]

Leopards can't change their spots.

Or learn lessons. I mean, what, do they think they're going to cancel Angel's book and write B/A? Keep Faith For Wednesday! Levins' leaked panels suggest B/S are still together in 20.

[rahirah]

I can kind of see where they're coming from, since Buffy is very protective of Angel in the fight scene, but... it never seems to occur to them that if Buffy is just stringing Spike along, it doesn't paint her in a very good light.

[shapinglight]

That's never occurred to them.

They think that Buffy happily sacrificed Spike in Chosen because he was expendable, whereas she sent Angel away because she loved him too much to risk him.

To me, that paints Buffy in a horrible light too (though after rewatching Chosen, I sorta, kinda agree with them), but they don't seem to see it.

[shapinglight]

Hmm, I didn't read it that way, have to say, but now I've had another look, I suppose you could if you wanted to.

On the other hand, she doesn't rush to Angel when he's injured. They're both knocked over right next to each other and then Angel gets injured by the demon's detachable tail spears. I guess you could say they 'share a moment', but it doesn't include ignoring Spike in favour of Angel.

Where is this being said, btw? On LJ? Or is it elsewhere?

[rahirah]

It's on the Blood and Roses board. I think they were reading it as Buffy pushes Angel to the floor in order to save him, while not giving a crap whether Spike gets blown up, and then they're rolling around on the floor because Buffy wants an excuse to get physical with Angel, I guess? They were comparing it to the scene in First Date where Buffy rushes to Spike despite Xander being hurt, which... I guess you could spin it that she's more worried about Angel than about Spike, but then, if you go that way, you could also read it as her thinking Angel's less competent than Spike.

Objectively speaking, Buffy does forgive Angel super fast for some really rotten stuff (forget Giles, what about all those dead Slayers? No one remembers or cares about them.) But then, she's always done that, and you could argue that she does the same for Spike.

[papricasantiago.pip.verisignlabs.com (from livejournal.com)]

Buffy has never truly cared about the potentials/slayers, not in season 7, certainly not now. She had slayer body doubles in season 8, that alone should tell us everything we need to know about Buffy's attitude towards slayers activated in 2003. To her they're just cannon fodder.

[rahirah]

Sadly, that's the impression they give. :/

[shapinglight]

Have to say, having read the comic a couple of times, I think they're reaching. The comparison with First Date really doesn't work. In that, Xander was actually hurt and Buffy ignored him to run to Spike. She doesn't do anything of the kind in the comic, given that Spike isn't hurt in the first place.

But whatever floats your boat, I guess.

[infinitewhale.livejournal.com]

because she's all touchy-feely with him and rushes to him when he's injured, ignoring Spike.

I didn't see it that way, really. First she knocks him out of the way of a piece of wood flying at him. Then he's knocked into her and cut while he's basically on top of her. It's not like she's rushing across the room to him or anything. The dialogue doesn't seem very suggestive or anything.

[rahirah]

I think they're stretching just as hard as the Spuffy shippers who claimed that Buffy was obviously still in love with Spike during the Twangel sequence were stretching.

On the other hand, considering where that ended up...

[infinitewhale.livejournal.com]

Well, yeah, there's a lot of that on both sides and each will shout from the rooftops they're right.

I guess the real problem is *they* actually do forgive Angel for everything because... he was controlled or sorry or 'cause he fixed Giles or he was plain right to do it. They bought S9 hook line and sinker. Other people didn't and from this issue especially, as you mentioned, it's pretty clear we're supposed to because the characters say as much.

tl;dr: There's no trust between the reader and the writer, so who knows what to think or feel.

[davesmusictank.livejournal.com]

Now on my Amazon want list. Thanks or the review.

[shapinglight]

My pleasure. :)

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to hear they are doing something good in the comics, and not only see whinging about it. :-) And I'm especially glad to hear they are doing the Spike/Buffy/Angel dynamic well. It's such an important part of the show after all, I feel. :-)

[shapinglight]

I dunno about well, but it's okay. I'm quite enjoying the comics at the moment. However, the people who enjoyed them when they first start coming out aren't so keen.