Buffy season 8 no 25

[shapinglight]

Went down the comic shop, though sadly once again there are no gems of wisdom from Comic Shop Boy, as two friends of his were in the shop and the three of them were reminiscing about other mutual friends I know nothing about. Comic Shop Boy did manage to slip into the conversation that he'd been thinking of stripping one of these mutual friends naked and flushing his clothes down the toilet, but since he didn't actually do it, maybe it doesn't count.

Brief disenchanted review of Buffy Season 8 no 25 (with spoilers) behind cut.



While this issue is better than the previous one (it would be hard for it to be worse), I can't say I thought much of it. It contains the resolution to Dawn's storyline (so far) and to me comes across very much as dull and contains very little we haven't seen before (and far better done) in the show. Plus, it's now two months until another issue comes out and IMO this story arc of one-offs has been largely a waste of time. The only one I consider even faintly necessary to the overall story is 23, the Buffy and Andrew issue (unless the Harmony issue counts as part of this arc because yes, that's relevant too). The rest are meandering around the houses for no good reason. YMMV, of course.

Things I liked

The cover's great of course, though Kenny isn't exactly eye-candy.

The ongoing Buffy/Xander banter is quite amusing, though at times seems rather forced.

Kenny's interesting. Pity that according to Scott Allie, he won't be back. I also enjoyed Andrew's contribution to the book, which, considering I don't like Andrew, says a lot about how I feel about the rest of it.

Dawn's third transformation isn't quite as irritating as the first two, but Jeanty still manages to get her naked.

I suppose I should mention the Buffy/Dawn bonding. Yes, it's nice, and in fact, given that Dawn mentions how she feels upstaged by the baby Slayers, at least resolves something that began in the actual show (in Potential).

And that's about it.

Things I Was Meh! About

I found the Baby Slayers particularly irritating in this issue. That panel of them exercising outside the castle had me gritting my teeth and wanting to throw the comic across the room. Not sure why it provoked such a strong reaction. Maybe because they're all such boring cyphers.

'Gepetto' and the cottage in the woods just seems a rip-off of Fables. Maybe it's an homage?

Just how many castles in Scotland does Buffy own? Not that it looks like Scotland. More like one of the magic lands at the top of the Faraway Tree, a sort of primary colours kids' book Neverneverland.

As for the actual meat of the story, the resolution of Dawn's arc, or this part of it, whichever it is, firstly I can't see why it had to be dragged out so long if getting Dawn turned back to normal was so easy? And yes, there may be themes running through the story with the puppet maker and Buffy both wanting to keep Dawn safe and being shown/realising they couldn't, but I found the whole thing so facile and dull and preachy that I'm afraid I just don't care.

Judas Cradle? Oh, for f**ks's sake!

This latest arc is the worst by far. And even now it's over, the whole 'vampires are cool and trendy and everyone loves them' still remains far more tell than show and frankly, I just don't believe in it.

5 out of 10, because it's better than the previous issue and I think I gave that 4 so I have to give this a little more.

Which is still better than I would give any issue of Angel: Aftermath, a comic so truly dire both storywise and artwise, that your brain automatically expunges all memory of it immediately after reading.

Comments

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

That panel of them exercising outside the castle had me gritting my teeth and wanting to throw the comic across the room. Not sure why it provoked such a strong reaction. Maybe because they're all such boring cyphers.

Or because they've been shown doing exactly that roughly 45 times by now? :-)

firstly I can't see why it had to be dragged out so long if getting Dawn turned back to normal was so easy?

Basically, the only reason I can think of is if Xander is indeed Twilight and he had some reason for keeping Dawn's secret from Buffy for 14 issues and then "conveniently" revealing it now. And hey, if that's the case, that means Allie wasn't lying through his teeth obfuscating a bit when he promised a big Twilight reveal in this issue.

I pretty much agree with your take on it. But hey, the Kafka!Dawn storyline is finally scrapped (I'd say resolved if it actually resolved anything) and at least they didn't make Kenny the good guy, so I can't complain too much.

[shapinglight]

Or because they've been shown doing exactly that roughly 45 times by now? :-)

Have they? I think I must have expunged that from my memory too. :)

I think we're probably supposed to think that it was Dawn herself who was preventing them from turning her back. That would have made sense given that apparently the whole thing was a bid for Buffy's attention. But even so, it doesn't explain why Buffy and co left it for so long when breaking the spell was so easy.

As for Allie, he says a lot of things that turn out to be not what people expected. This time, he said there was more stuff coming up for Dawn and he was pleased/proud (can't remember which) with the story they had for her, so maybe 2maggie2's speculation will turn out to be right? though have to say, if it is, I shall be quite surprised, since in this series, usually things are exactly what they seem.

Kenny wasn't the good guy, no, but somehow or other Petrie managed to make it all Dawn's fault, or did I misunderstand that bit?

[quinara]

How long's the series supposed to be again? Because this is promising a more whimper-like ending for the franchise than I had ever dreamed of...

[sueworld2003.livejournal.com]

"How long's the series supposed to be again?"

Till the cows come home? *g*

[shapinglight]

It's supposed to be about 40 issues, I think. Only two more years to go. :(

[2maggie2.livejournal.com]

I also thought the sisterly bonding stuff was obvious and dull and not proportionate to Dawn being a giant/centaur/doll for over half a season.

Irritating baby slayers: I begin to think it's intentional. This issue explicitly compares them to soulless dolls who do everything their maker tells them to do.

After the last issue the dialogue and art and all that was much improved, so I like this issue more than you did. Allie has told us today that Dawn's arc is not over. My ultimate verdict on this issue depends on how that works out. About the arc as a whole: #22 and #24 were a waste of trees. Though apparently the submarine is going to be helpful in #27. Wouldn't want to forget about the sub.

Allie seems to think that showing is not necessary. But I agree, how can we even picture such a huge transformation if we get minor glimpses of it stuck into the middle of stories that don't seem to have much point to them?

[sueworld2003.livejournal.com]

"Allie seems to think that showing is not necessary."

He would, wouldn't he. Biggest cop out ever saying that imo.

[shapinglight]

I also thought the sisterly bonding stuff was obvious and dull and not proportionate to Dawn being a giant/centaur/doll for over half a season.

Yep, plus it wasn't anything new. Buffy and Dawn have played out the same scene more or less, with variations, ever since season 6 of the show.

Irritating baby slayers: I begin to think it's intentional. Oh, I wish! The soulless dolls had twice their personality, since they don't have one between them (except Satsu). I was rooting for Judas Cradle and his extended family, personally. Got to love a family that slay together. Ahem!

I read what Allie had to say and hope he means it this time, because he's said stuff like this before that's built up people's hopes, only for it to turn out to be nothing much. Mind you BGF could well be right about the Xander being Twilight thing. It's beginning to narrow down to Xander being the only plausible candidate.

Allie seems to think that showing is not necessary. But I agree, how can we even picture such a huge transformation if we get minor glimpses of it stuck into the middle of stories that don't seem to have much point to them?

And it wouldn't have been so hard to stress it all a little more without taking up large amounts of panel space. As it is, with vampires continuing to behave the way vampires usually do in the Buffyverse (ie. eating people and being evil, if 24 and the vamps in this issue are anything to go by) their supposed popularity is only explicable by the whole population of the world being under some kind of spell.

:sigh: edited for excess typos

[sueworld2003.livejournal.com]

I'm reading my copy now. What a load of boring old cods I'm afraid. Christ, and this is meant to be BTVS?? *sigh*

[shapinglight]

It's not much like it, is it? However, it probably wouldn't seem so bad if we hadn't had to wait so long for it. As it is, the payoff just isn't worth the wait.

I so hope the story picks up in Jane's arc.

[powerofthebook.livejournal.com]

I'm still shaking my head and wondering why Buffy couldn't have just called Kenny 25 issues ago. Quite a jump for Buffy, from the girl who sacrificed her life for her sister's, to the girl who can't be arsed to ask a nasty boyfriend how to reverse the curse on her sister. Makes me sad for the whole franchise.

[2maggie2.livejournal.com]

And there are those who will argue hard that Buffy did just fine, thank you very much. I guess I'm just glad I'm not her sister.

[shapinglight]

I'm still shaking my head and wondering why Buffy couldn't have just called Kenny 25 issues ago.

But then we would have missed all Giant!Dawn's hilarious hi-jinks, wouldn't we? Not to mention the 'ride me hard and put me away wet' comment. Wouldn't that have been a shame?

Seriously, we're probably meant to think that Buffy wasn't so much neglectful as too busy, though if that's the case, like the vampires!yay! thing, we haven't been shown it enough.

[yourlibrarian]

Which is still better than I would give any issue of Angel: Aftermath, a comic so truly dire both storywise and artwise, that your brain automatically expunges all memory of it immediately after reading.

Well I've stopped reading all of them, but that line amused me :>

[shapinglight]

A great deal more than the comic would have, I assure you.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

And even now it's over, the whole 'vampires are cool and trendy and everyone loves them' still remains far more tell than show and frankly, I just don't believe in it.

It strikes me that this whole mess comic has taken so long to produce that the Twilight 'phenom' exploded and caught up with it, causing the comics to begin to sound suspiciously -- perhaps even jealously -- meta. Even though I can't imagine how it possibly could be.

[elisi]

causing the comics to begin to sound suspiciously -- perhaps even jealously -- meta. Even though I can't imagine how it possibly could be.
All we need is for the s8 vampires to reveal that they *sparkle*!

[shapinglight]

Well, the comics are not much like Twilight the book or the movie. For one thing, vampires are, for the most part, conspicuous by their absence. But I see what you mean.

In fact, now you've said that, my eyes are opened. I realise that Joss is far cleverer than I ever realised. This whole season 8 thing is just a critique of the Twilight phenomenon, isn't it?

[elisi]

Just how many castles in Scotland does Buffy own? Not that it looks like Scotland. More like one of the magic lands at the top of the Faraway Tree, a sort of primary colours kids' book Neverneverland.
I made the mistake of looking at the preview, and walked away, more convinced than ever that this thing is a total waste of time and effort. (I know next to nothing about architecture, but I've been to Scotland and walked around in Scottish castles and does Jeanty not have access to Google? *grumbles*

(Would you mind telling me what happened with Kenny? I guess I just want to know what everyone's been waiting 2+ years for...)

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

(Would you mind telling me what happened with Kenny? I guess I just want to know what everyone's been waiting 2+ years for...)

Basically, they finally decided to look Kenny up. When he and Dawn met, she apologised and he undid the spell. Then they had an Angsty Talk about how much they'd hurt each other, with Kenny claiming his pain was worse, and went their separate ways. Hopefully permanently, even though Allie thinks Kenny is - quote - "awesome."

[shapinglight]

and does Jeanty not have access to Google? *grumbles*

I begin to think that comic book writers/artists are a bunch of Techno Amishes. Either that or they forget (or don't care) that not all their readers are American.

I see BGF already told you the shocking truth about Kenny.

[rahirah]

I thought of something re: the over-protective Buffy thing. Didn't Dawn get into this mess because she'd gone off to college on her own and Buffy wasn't protecting her every minute? How exactly does that fit in? Are we supposed to take it that Buffy deliberately put off getting Dawn fixed as long as possible in order to keep her down on the farm? (I haven't seen the issue yet - I gave up and decided it would be less annoying to get the collections later.)

[shapinglight]

Are we supposed to take it that Buffy deliberately put off getting Dawn fixed as long as possible in order to keep her down on the farm?

That's not the impression I got. It came across as more - if anything - that Dawn didn't want to be 'cured' because she wanted Buffy's attention, but that's not explicitly stated either. At the beginning of the story, Dawn's gone AWOL and Buffy's worried about her. Then it transpires that Xander has a plan, which consists of getting Andrew and Willow to capture Kenny. Why they didn't do this long ago, I have no idea.

[rebcake.livejournal.com]

Two things that came up in my house re: the comic.

1. McDiva says doll!Dawn is so pretty, but then McDiva is totally into gothic lolita.

2. To me, Dawn's explanation about why she slept with what's-his-name, made so much less sense than Xander's previous explanation. In fact it makes so much not-sense, I felt I had a teaching moment to hand, but didn't know where to go with it. She felt so strongly about Kenny that she wasn't ready for the intensity that having sex would bring? I'll buy that part. If you're not ready, you're not ready, and stick to your guns, missy. "So I slept with what's-his-name instead?" Huh? Maybe there was something wrong with my misspent youth, but I don't get this. At all. I was operating under the impression that Dawn is a pretty smart girl. I understand making rash emotional decisions, even when you're a smart girl (and how!), and even not knowing your own mind. But, if you do know your own mind and heart, which she seems to say she did, why torpedo both so thoroughly? Am I missing something?

[shapinglight]

Have to say, it seemed odd (to put it mildly) to me too, but I didn't mention it, because I thought someone would pop up and say that she explained her reasons in the comic, ie. that she wasn't ready for sex with Kenny because it would have been too intense. However, it doesn't make sense, it really doesn't. It seems wilfully self-destructive.

Maybe we're supposed to believe that Dawn has a death wish?

[nmcil12.livejournal.com]

I thought it was a lame ending, but I also thought the whole Dawn Transformed was not especially interesting - Beautiful Artwork - but nothing that really made me interested in the arc.

Since I don't really come from a background of reading comics, it's hard for me to be too critical - it must certainly be difficult to write in this format and to keep the characters interesting and to give the kind of treatment that longer works allow.

The problem that I am having is that I bring all the baggage of the super long story arcs plus more emotional connections from the series. Take the Dawn-Kenny arc - using the transformation from human to supernatural Dawn detracted, IMO, from the important theme; Dawn emotional stress and fear and hold over from feeling isolated and her bonds to Buffy usurped by first the potentials and now the slayers. It was like a magic side show that did not bring any real importance to the story. It felt a little like a revisit of the Buffy fear with demon boyfriends to me.

P.S. - I love the black/white icon of Gunn -

[shapinglight]

Do you mean this one? It's beautiful, isn't it?

I agree that it's very difficult for the comic to approach anything near the emotional resonance of the show. In fact, I would say it's impossible. It might not be if BtVS had always been a comics series, but because it derives from a TV show, we're always going to be comparing it with the show and finding it wanting.

I just think the latest arc was very weak. Hopefully, the next, which is written by Jane Espenson, will be better.