[Ace Of Hearts]

Previous: Buffy Comics Thread #11 #10 #9

The latest news:

Spike # 5 preview pages. Preview: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Spike #5 - Comic Book Resources [i][b]EXCL PREVIEW: "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Spike" #5 Courtesy of Dark Horse, CBR presents an exclusive preview of the final issue of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Spike," by Victor Gischler and Paul Lee. The series finale hits January 16! Spike and his new demon companion are getting along really well . . . On Easter Island, the duo work to activate a remnant of magic to help get Nadia home. Spike has stars in his eyes, but the bugs are wary of Spike’s newest friend and their master’s overly relaxed attitude. Something seems off. He’s come out of his self-inflicted dark place a bit too swiftly . . . MORE HERE

Angel & Faith # 18 preview pages. Preview: Angel & Faith #18 - Comic Book Resources [i][b]EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW: Gage & Isaacs' "Angel & Faith" #18 Courtesy of Dark Horse, CBR presents an exclusive preview of Christos Gage and Rebekah Isaacs' "Angel & Faith" #18. Giles' past continues to haunt the present on January 30! A demon from Giles’s past is turning innocent Slayers into zombies. Angel and Faith must rally the remaining Slayers if there is any chance to defeat this cunning demon! MORE HERE

[comic fan]

First advanced review from leyki.

Review, “Spike – Dark Place #5″ (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9) � Light_Watcher

ETA

Leyki's Victor Gischler’s interview!

Spike : “A Dark Place” Victor Gischler’s interview! � Light_Watcher

[comic fan]

I have my copy of Spike:A Dark Place # 5 of 5.

I'll keep it brief.I liked the miniseries as a whole.I thought Victor Gischler had Spike's voice down good and I liked Paul Lee's art.

With that said,IMO Spike seems to be in the same place he was more or less at the start of the mini and season 9.He's more comfortable with himself which is something but as others had said on the various forums,there wasn't much movement forward.It feels very abstract to me.

Maybe when he appears in Angel & Faith and returns to Buffy at the end of the season,this mini will have more payoff.

Other bits.I'm going to miss the bugs.I liked them but before the season started,the creative team said the bugs wouldn't be around very long so in the end they probably got a extension in their time with the mini and it isn't a surprise they would be exiting the story.I'm sorry to see Sebastian die but he got a heroic exit.

I didn't really get a apathetic vibe from Spike on his parting with the bugs and Sebastian's sacrifice myself as other have.

I'm glad Morgan is still around.She reminds a little of Gwen Raiden and I could see her popping up occasionally as Spike's sort of Catwoman.That's how I sort of saw Gwen with Angel.

Overall a decent read and a decent miniseries as a whole.

ETA

Preview pages for Willow # 4.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?p...eview&id=14986

Preview: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Willow - Wonderland #4



Willow struggles to keep her cool when she discovers that her traveling partner—Marrack—isn't who she thought he was. With magic at her full disposal, she can easily convince him to spill any and all secrets (right?) while they continue their journey to get home with magic in tow . . .









They cut out at the juicest point.

[comic fan]

New tweet from Christos Gage about next weeks Angel & Faith # 18.

http://twitter.com/Christosgage

Christos Gage‏@Christosgage

Next week: ANGEL & FAITH #18! Ripper in the 70s! Eyghon! Zombies! Art by @rebekahisaacs & Dan Jackson! And who shows up on the last page?


Hmm,maybe Spike does arrive in Angel & Faith next issue on the last page and not in # 20 as had been speculated.As also speculated,could be why Scott Allie really wanted Spike # 5 out this week.

[comic fan]

First advanced review for Angel & Faith # 18.

ANGEL AND FAITH #18 Review |

January 29, 2013

ANGEL AND FAITH #18 Review



Angel and Faith #18 brings us back to the massive attack of zombies from the last issue. The fighting is stranger than usual. Just a bonk on the head and, anyone who gets knocked out, is in danger of being possessed by the arch-demon, Eyghon. Nadira and her slayer posse have really walked into this one. As Nadira puts it, This has all gone pear shaped!h But, before all hope is lost, Angel and Faith burst onto the scene. Faith provides the obligatory quip, Hardcore fans donft like zombies who run! And things look good until Faith gets bonked on the head! Here is where Nadira provides a good turn by slicing into Faithfs belly but not to kill her. The flesh wound keeps Faith awake and alert.

Part 3 (of 4) to Death and Consequencesh packs a lot of zombie fighting action as well as explanation of events. You learn that Eyghon almost bit the dust during the Twilight crisis but he was quick enough to possess a dead rat which led to possessing an exhausted homeless man until, a few more possessions later, the demon came back into his own. Possession, we come to see, is not an easy thing. Your average body is going to wear out fairly soon under the demonic pressure. This leads to finding someone more sturdy enfused with magic: Rupert Giles.

At the end of this issue, Nadira, along with her slayers, and Faith have buried the hatchet, quite literally into a number of zombies, and have decided itfs time to work as a team of rivals and make for a fast retreat. Now, unless you find common knowledge to be a spoiler, don't read the next few words..as we often have a cliffhanger guest appearance, who do you think appears to the rescue? Itfs none other than yes, Spike! We have to be grown-ups and just admit it. We'll be on our way to the final arc by Issue 20 which makes clear what lies ahead: Angel and Faith and Spike.



Angel and Faith 18 is available as of January 30. Then we tie up loose ends in #19, due out February 27. And on to the final arc starting with #20, due out March 27. Visit our friends at Dark Horse Comics.


So as Christos Gage hinted on twitter,set up in Spike # 5 and speculated on,Spike arrives in this issue and not # 20.So Spike will be in issues 18-20 for sure.

[Ace Of Hearts]

^ Hilarious cover!

Thanks for the news!

[comic fan]

Preview pages for Buffy # 18.

Preview: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9 #18 - Comic Book Resources

EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW: "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9" #18

Buffy's team-up with Illyria continues in this exclusive preview of Dark Horse's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9" #18 by Andrew Chambliss and Georges Jeanty. Buffy battles to save the world on February 13!



The remnants of magic left on earth are in danger . . . The Siphon is back, and he's more charged than ever before as he takes out one magical being after another, absorbing their power. Pulled into this battle to save the world—again—Buffy is partnered with Koh and Illyria to put a stop Severin.










Very intense opening.

ETA

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?p...review&id=5621

Angel & Faith #18

by Greg McElhatton, Reviewer

We've all read those series before, where when the big revelation occurs, we're told how everything fits together -- except it doesn't. Or for that matter, watched television series where by nature of there being a dozen different writers, some pieces just don't quite fit with the others. The reason I mention this phenomenon is because "Angel & Faith" #18 has just slapped onto the table its version of "This is how it all comes together." There's just one catch: it all really does come together.

Christos Gage and Rebekah Isaacs use "Angel & Faith" #18 to thoroughly explain not only what's going on with (as revealed last issue) the return of the demon Eyghon, but why Angel's always been so convinced that they could bring Giles back from the dead even though it should be impossible. In just 22 pages, they reveal it in a manner that is not only satisfying, but fun to read to boot. That's no small feat; a massive exposition dump should be, by all accounts, a dull experience. Fortunately, Gage understands that he can't just tell readers what's going on, but rather has to show it instead. "Angel & Faith" #18 dips back into the past occasionally to show us scenes playing out that led up to Eyghon's return, filling in the gaps since we last saw this demon.

Gage doesn't lose sight of the fact that a little action couldn't hurt, though, so there's also a lot going on with Angel, Faith and the rest of the Slayers' attacks against Eyghon. There's a rather dangerous limitation on who can and can't be possessed, one that manages to do so with such a mundane threshold that Gage ends up making Eyghon a much more menacing foe than previously seen. It ends up being a fun little adventure, even as things get dangerous.

As great as Gage's plotting has been, I don't want to forget Isaacs' contributions to the series, too. She's been doing a strong job here as well; not just nailing the likenesses of Angel, Faith and Giles, but also bringing to life an energetic and attractive comic. The glimpses into what a world ruled by Eyghon would look like are wonderfully apocalyptic, and the punk rock early life of Giles is as entertaining as you can imagine. Best of all, though, is how well Isaacs can sell an action scene. When Angel and Faith come running into the chamber, you can practically see them move; the trail of blood on the left tricks your mind into thinking that Angel's sword is slicing across the panel, while Faith's hair moving off to the side gives her the illusion of movement as well. It's that sort of understanding on how to make static art feel fluid that makes "Angel & Faith" look so good, and that's before you get to little moments like Faith's look of regret and hope at the reanimated Giles that will melt your heart.

It feels like "Angel & Faith" is coming close to an end, and that'll be a shame if only because of how much fun it's been. "Angel & Faith" #18 is a perfect example of that entertainment; Gage and Isaacs have turned out not just a good media tie-in comic, but a good comic, period. Its parent title might run a little hot and cold, but "Angel & Faith" has been consistently strong. If Gage and Isaacs work together on another comic once this is over, I know I'll stick around to read it, too. Another good show from this duo.


ETA 2

I have Angel & Faith # 18.Part III of "Death And Consequences."

I don't know what to say.My thoughts are flying all over the place so I'll keep my comments short.I LOVED this issue.AMAZING payoff on so much stuff.

1)Why and how Angel is resurrecting Giles.

I know this is controversial but it works for me and doesn't absolve Angel of the guilt he feels which is still driving his desire or his bad judgment last season.

And even though it gives a good reason for Angel to try to bring back Giles,it doesn't mean it will work or is the best idea.

This does answer why Giles specifically might be able to be brought back and why it's worth trying.

Having Giles soul not being able to move own/trapped and being owned by Eyghon whenever he died also sort makes me wonder what happens when you die in this magic free world.I speculated and wondered earlier the season if the destruction of the seed cut off the means for souls to move on and that Giles was trapped here.But what about everyone else who dies post seed destruction.

This answer sidesteps that.It gives a good Giles unique reason why Angel is doing this specifically for Giles and nobody else but still leaves me wondering about souls post death now.

The other thing I'm wondering about is if Faith had this information from the beginning,would her concerns about bringing Giles back been more muted knowing(as Angel did) that Giles soul was dammed to Eyghon from the moment he and Ethan made a terrible choice in their youth.

I also actually wonder what Buffy and the Scoobies would think of Angel's plan to bring Giles back but with all the information presented.

Willow sort of gave he approval in the Family Reunion arc but with the added info now.Would it be strong approval now?

I really want to see Spike's reaction next month and with all the info because that might be a window into how the others could see things.

2)How Eyghon factors into the larger storyline with Giles,the loss of magic and Whistler,Pearl & Nash's plan and events last season.

This is masterfully done I think.How everything is connected.

3)What Whistler,Pearl & Nash's plan actually is.

Screams end of the season Apocalypse to me.And Angel's comment how Whistler would see that as balance.Half the planet paradise.Half of it hell really makes sense.

4)Why Angel called Spike last week in Spike # 5.

The reason Angel needs Spike's help makes total sense.

This issue was exposition heavy but IMO done in a a lively style and really gave payoffs big time.

Other little things.I really liked Nadira in this issue.Some quick thinking on her part too.Hope she makes it but i have a feeling she won't based off of RI cover for next issue.Also great to see Alasdair and hope he sticks around too.

Christos Gage Is really bringing things home as we near the end of the season.I would love to have him writing the Buffy book in season 10.

[comic fan]

Don't have my copy of Willow # 4 yet but I have been spoiled some from posts elsewhere.It seems one bit of speculation on forums is confirmed and one thing that Scott Allie I belelived denied is true.

1)Looks like Willow is going to become the new seed.

I've seen that speculated on for months now and would explain how Willow surived into Fray's time.

2)Marrak IS Rack.

This is once again proof to never trust the creators.They'll lie to perserve a secret/spoiler/surprise.Didn't Scott flat out deny a few months ago that Marrak is Rack and that Marrak is not a known character?Just like a few month before the Twilightgate leak,Scott said that the Always Darkest webcomic would be Angel and Spike's last appearance in season 8.BOOM three months later we find out Angel is Twilight and Spike will be arriving in the last arc..

I get why creators do it too.It's understandable that they would fib to perserve the story and any surprise.It's like what Steve DeKnight said.Tara's death was leaked by spoilers months in advanced and DeKnight swore up and down that Tara wasn't going to be killed and if she is,he'll leave Buffy as a writer.The episode aired(wildfeed spoilers confirmed the death a few days early) and Steve's response was basically,Of course I lied.What,did you really think I would tell the truth and ruin the shock?Of course DeKnight did tell the truth on one thing.That was his last episode of Buffy.....he moved to Angel the next season.lol

So this is just more proof not to believe everything the creators say about things related to story/ potential spoilers.They'll never lie about anything that really matters but to keep a major reveal a secret or if plans change(like Spike being only in Buffy in season 9),than damn streight they'll fib.

And what's more,they can't even go with a no comment on things like Rack being Marrake when confronted/asked a few month ago because a lot of times for people saying no comment or no spoilers is just confirmation that it is true.

So it's a no win scenario.

[comic fan]

I got Willow:Wonderland # 4 of 5 earlier today.I've been very busy so I haven't been able to post my thoughts until now.I'll keep it brief.

The issue itself was pretty good.Really liked the developments with Willow and Aluwyn.

The whole Willow becoming the seed idea has been floating around since before season 9 started so these developments weren't a surprise but I still liked how they got to it.

I also liked Willow confronting her dark self as it were."There's just Willow" is obvious but again,I liked how it was executed.

The Marrak being revealed as Rack thing.Again most guessed it.Marrak.Scott Allie even fibbed about it to hide it which I already commented on(Never take what is said by creators at face value in regards to anything potentially very spoilerish).SO this isn't a surprise.My problem with it is it's another dead character being brought back(or rather reveal to never had died).I think it's been done to often now and unless it's really really done well or worth it it than I'm really blah about more ressurections.

Look,I honestly am not expecting Giles to be brought back in Angel & Faith but the journey of the story has been great so I might buy it if it's done really well with real depth to it.The last time that was done IMO was when Buffy died and returned in season 5/6.

So the Rack reveal feels like a mistep right now but I'll see how this plays out next issue.

Very good issue overall.

[comic fan]

Dark Horse May 2013 Solicitations

Newsarama.com : Dark Horse MAY 2013 Solicitations

Dark Horse MAY 2013 Solicitations

By Newsarama Staff
posted: 08 February 2013

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SEASON 9 #21

Andrew Chambliss (W), Georges Jeanty (A/Variant cover), Dexter Vines (I), Michelle Madsen (C), and Phil Noto (Cover),

On sale May 8
FC, 32 pages
$2.99
Ongoing

The Scoobies are together again—and just in time! Buffy, Willow, and Xander begin a new mission as a team in order to protect something very dear to them all. But evildoers Simone and Severin have their own plans and are ready to undermine the happy reunion!





ANGEL & FAITH #22

Christos Gage (W), Rebekah Isaacs (A/Variant cover), Dan Jackson (C), and Steve Morris (Cover)

On sale May 29
FC, 32 pages
$2.99
Ongoing

Giles’s resurrection has been pushed to the back burner while Angel and Faith tackle Season 9’s Big Bads—Pearl, Nash, and Whistler—who threaten to release boundless magic over the planet. Only the strong will survive!

• Executive Producer Joss Whedon.

[comic fan]

Scott Allie has revelaed the title of the final Buffy Season 9 arc."The Core"

https://twitter.com/ScottAllie/statu...92375572840448

Scott Allieþ@ScottAllie

The final arc of Buffy Season 9 is called The Core.


ETA

The first review of tomorrow's Buffy # 18 is up.It's from Leyki and there is additional preview page of Dawn in a hospital bed in a coma and Xander talking to the doctor.

https://leykimayri.wordpress.com/201...e-team-part-3/

Based on Leyki's review,I'm going to guess that Andrew returns and wants to put Dawn's mind into a robot body like he did Buffy ealier in the season in order to save Dawn and Xander in desperation gives his approval?

Also Leyki mentions that Scott Allie reveals in the letter column that they are doing a Billy spin-off story coming up.I'm also going to guess this is the story Jane Espenson is doing which was mentioned a few weeks back?

ETA 2

I have my copy of Buffy # 18,"Welcome To The Team Part III of IV"

I thought this issue was a strong issue overall.This issue does have some reveals as is already out there now in fandom.

1)Dawn is dying.She's in a coma and the doctors don't have any answers.The scene with Xander at Dawn's bedside is one of the strongest moments in the season so far IMO.When Xander tells Dawn,"Last night,you asked me if i ever felt guilty about walking away from Buffy.The answer was No....because i always told myself that walking away meant YOU'D be okay.SO WHY AREN'T YOU OKAY?You're suppose to be okay.I need to make you okay."

That got me.I never had a strong opinion about the X/D pairing.Liked it well enough but no strong feelings.This moment made me an actual fan now of it.And I thought Georges Jeanty did well in this moment.I could hear Nick's voice..

2)Andrew re-enters the story and he and Xander decide to put Dawn's mind in a robot.

Nice link-up to earlier in the season.As someone who actually liked the robot twist with Buffy,I'm, glad to see that his might play a larger role in things.From the way it looked to me,I think they want to try to put Dawn in a Buffy bot at least in the temporary.That could raise all kinds of interesting problems for the group having walking around wearing Buffy's face.

I'm still not a fan of Andrew but i actually did get a smile at the Star Trek IV bit.

3)Anaheed being revealed as a slayer could be a interesting twist depending where it goes.The reveal to Billy was pretty cool especially earlier in the issue where he he told Anaheed that she can't help because she's not a slayer... and his self revelation that neither is he,not really and can't afford to have a repeat of what happened with Dowling.Looking forward to hear her explanation to him about actually being a slayer.

I know there is speculation already out there that she could be working for/with Simone,maybe as a mole.I'm actually hoping she's not a baddie.I don't get that vibe at this point.

4)The reveal of Severin's motives and plan.

So he wants to save his girlfriend and his target was Illyria.He used the council to draw her out in the hopes of draining her of her powers,specifically her time travel abilities in the hopes of pulling a Back To The Future and changing the past by saving his girlfriend.But if he un-does the past that could cause more damage to reality which already has been damaged by the loss of magic.

This gives Severin a little more of sympathetic bend but he's still not doing anything for me as a big bad.As for changing the past.It's been done twice in the Buffyverse.I Will Remember you and Angel :After The Fall.And reality wasn't destroyed.Granted as pointed out,reality has already been damaged due to loss of magic,a factor not present in those previous times.Still,I hope they don't actually have it happen.I had problems with it when it was used to conclude After The Fall.

The way the issue ends,it looks like Severin might succeed since Buffy and Koh are sent away from Illyira and the last panel has Severin beginning to suck Illyria dry.

Overall I thought this was a strong issue and this a stronger arc than most in Buffy's side of season 9.

As mentioned already,Scott Allie revealed in the letter page revealed that billy will be getting a spin-off story soon.I assume this is the story Jane Espenson mentioned a few weeks back on her twitter.

No other info such as format or when the Billy story will appear.I wonder if it will be a online story like the Spike story that was done before season 9 officially started.Also Scott seems to like the idea of a Buffy Season 0 that was suggested in the letter page by a reader.Another updating of The Origin miniseries(which was based off Joss's original script for the 1992 Buffy movie) as well as fleshing out of how Angel went from the moment he saw Buffy as a dirty rat eating bum courtesy of Whistler to how he became the mysterious broody guy who popped up with cryptic remarks in season 1.

ETA 3

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?p...review&id=5675

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9 #19

by Greg McElhatton, Reviewer

After all the promises that it would be more focused and a tighter overall experience than its predecessor, it's been hard to maintain excitement over "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9." There have been some great individual issues throughout its run, but in terms of a greater whole it hasn't quite held together. Reading "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9" #19, that feeling is harder to shake than ever, because the plot is finally coming together but it's difficult to care.

At least the "Season 8" comics had the mysterious Twilight (even if the revelation of his identity turned out to be a bust) to spur things forward. Here we have a guy referred to as "the Siphon" who has the personality of a piece of wallpaper. There's nothing out of the ordinary when it comes to the Siphon to make you fear him as he goes up against Illyria, Buffy and the rest of the magical beings that have banded together in this storyline; we're told he's dangerous but it never feels like we're actually shown it here.

As "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9" #19 jumps to the other storylines -- Dawn and Xander in the hospital, or Billy trying to figure out what's happening to all of the other characters -- it's also a reminder that this book's different threads haven't hung together terribly well. Never mind that Xander and Dawn's relationship is one that doesn't seem to have any actual passion in it, but once again we're just given something and told that it's important rather than making us come to that conclusion on our own. Once again, it's the reverse of "show, not tell."

After making a strong artistic debut in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8" as its main artist, Jeanty's pencils feel a little tired these days. Characters like Illyria are barely recognizable save for the outfit, and while Buffy and Xander appear on-model, there are a lot of very stiff poses on display here. Every now and then there's a little spark of the old Jeanty, like the last panel on page 11 with an attractive and expressive portrait of Buffy as she explains her theory about what the Siphon is up to. But those are, unfortunately, growing few and far between.

It's frustrating because looking at the sister title of "Angel & Faith," creators Christos Gage and Rebekah Isaacs show how the "Season 9" concept can still work. That book is fun. Why isn't this one? The broad stokes of the book are somewhat interesting, but the execution is regularly stumbling. After the promises that "Season 9" would be stronger, I'm finding it hard to find an incentive to look at a future "Season 10" if it happens.

[comic fan]

CBR behind Buffy S9 With Christos Gage on Angel & Faith.Preview pages for Angel & Faith # 19 are included and spoilers about the upcoming end of the season.

Behind Buffy Season 9: Gage on "Angel & Faith's" End Game - Comic Book Resources

Behind Buffy Season 9: Gage on "Angel & Faith's" End Game

CBR News spoke with "Angel & Faith" writer Christos Gage, looking back on "Angel & Faith" as a whole, and catching some glimpses of what's still to come as the series enters its final arc.

Daniel Glendening, Guest Contributor

Over the course of Dark Horse Comics' "Angel & Faith," the titular characters, along with the rest of the Buffy-verse populace, have been sorting through the fallout of the events of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8." At the conclusion to "Season 8," Angel, possessed by the Twilight persona, ended the life of Buffy's original Watcher, Rupert Giles, and Buffy attempted to stave off total worldly destruction by shattering the Seed of Wonder: the source of magic on Earth.

The "Season 9" arcs, an umbrella covering "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Angel & Faith," and the miniseries "Drusilla: Run and Catch," "Spike: A Dark Place," and "Willow: Wonderland," are largely concerned with the ramifications of these two conclusive acts. Buffy has her hands full dealing with the emergence of the mindless hordes of zompires. Angel, left in a catatonic state following his stint as Twilight, is nursed back to health by slayer Faith Lehane and subsequently vows to find a way to right his wrongs and bring Giles back to the land of the living.

Angel's plans are quickly complicated, however. Just as he prepares to attempt the resurrection, it is revealed that the final piece of Giles' soul is held by the demon Eyghon, who, with the help of Whistler, Pearl and Nash, is set on creating a new Hell on Earth with a possessed Giles at the helm of his growing army.

As part of its regular BEHIND BUFFY SEASON 9 feature, Comic Book Resources spoke with series writer Christos Gage about the book's final story arc beginning with "Angel & Faith" #21 on April 24th, and he looks back at the series so far and teases what is yet to come.


Writer Christos Gage and artist Rebekah Isaacs have sent "Angel & Faith" on a path toward redemption in his "Buffy Season 9" series#19 cover by Steve Morris

CBR News: "Angel & Faith" has been, in large part, a story about the search for redemption -- this is something that seems to define both Angel and Faith as characters. How close has either of them come to really finding that redemption in this series?

Christos Gage: I think we won't know until the season is over, and even then there is the question of what redemption means for each of them. Is Angel redeemed if he brings Giles back to life? He's still got all those other crimes he committed over the centuries. And does being redeemed in their own eyes mean being redeemed to others, or vice versa? Our last couple of arcs of the season are not just about whether our heroes will achieve their goals, but what that means for them.

In prior talks with CBR, you mentioned that father figures play out in many ways throughout the "Season 9" arc. In the past, Angel has taken on a fatherly role with Faith, shepherding her through some dark times. How would you say their relationship has shifted over this series?

I think Giles was more of a father to Faith, whereas Angel is more of a brother or friend -- both someone who takes care of her and who she takes care of. When we started out Faith was taking care of Angel, who was a wreck after he killed Giles as Twilight. She's had some rough patches this season, and Angel has helped her. You could also argue that he has caused her problems as well, by involving her in his quest and as a result causing the Slayers she was mentoring to lose trust in her. The relationship between Angel and Faith has been fluid, and by the end, will be something very different than it was when we began. Another key father relationship is that of Giles to Faith -- her realization of how much she lost when she died has informed her actions quite a bit, and she has as much at stake in the outcome as Angel.

Over the past few issues you've gotten to jump back in time and fill in some of Giles' back story, looking at his rebellious "Ripper" period. What about this time period is so defining for Giles?

It's when he made his worst mistakes -- mistakes that resulted in the death of his friends. This period also led him back to the life he'd earlier rejected, of being a Watcher, but I think the fact that he experienced it is what enabled him to be the Watcher Buffy needed, rather than the more stiff-upper-lip, rules-obsessed Watchers we saw at various times.

One thing we see a lot of in this book, and throughout the Buffy mythos, is the shifting paradigms of good and evil: Angel has flipped several times into his vampiric Angelus persona, not to mention the whole Twilight snafu, and now we're seeing a possessed Giles as commander of a zombie brigade. How does one ever know where anyone else stands?

I don't know that you can, and that's another example of the Buffy-verse taking real-life dilemmas -- can you really trust the people close to you -- and adding fantastic elements to craft a cool story. But I want to go beyond the 'so and so is possessed' paradigm -- as much fun as that is -- and use these events as an impetus for the characters to examine both each other and themselves. Is what this person is trying to do a good thing? For them, for me, for the world? I want to take that extra step and ask not just 'will Angel turn into Angelus' but also 'is Angel himself someone I should put my trust in?'

If you were forced to choose, what's been your favorite character or creature design to come from Isaacs over the course of the series? What about that design nailed it?

Thus far, I guess my favorite design has been Quor'Toth, the Old One who gave the hell dimension its name. It's just this giant, horrible thing, the size of a mountain range, with an exposed brain and spine, drooling slime, and rotting flesh that attract great flocks of birds to eat off it. I just thought it was really horrible and awesome -- exactly what I imagined an Old One would be, both in terms of power and nastiness.

What is series artist Rebekah Isaacs bringing to this final arc? Can we expect some further horrific glimpses into Eyghon's hell-on-earth?

Rebekah is bringing awesomeness. Over the course of this season I have come to realize what an amazing talent she is, not just in terms of art, but in terms of designing monsters, demons and magical creatures. So now, whenever I get the chance, I like to give her the opportunity to cut loose by just suggesting a few general guidelines: "exposed brains, tentacles, fangs, go!" I am inevitably amazed by what I get back. But what Rebekah never loses sight of is that the characters make it all work. I feel safe doing silent beats or reaction shots and I know she can nail it, which is great for a comic based on a TV show. Watching a good show, you aren't used to clunky exposition or having it explained that someone is mad or sad or is saying something that's at odds with how they truly feel -- you just get it. Truly great artists can approximate a live human being acting, and Rebekah has that rare talent.

We've seen several times in the Buffy-verse the resurrection of the dead rarely comes without a price. What makes Angel and Faith think that resurrecting Giles will be any different this time?

Well, they think they can make it work. It's an open question whether that's foolishness, arrogance, or selfish desperation; they just want him back that badly. But a new light has been shed on it with the revelation in recent issues that the biggest part of Giles' soul was the property of the demon Eyghon. So it's not like they're pulling him out of heaven, as with Buffy. If they did nothing, he remains the plaything of a horrible monster. That said, they are planning to try to return him to life, not just sent his soul to its reward, so there is most certainly risk. This will definitely be addressed very soon.

How well can we expect the plan to slay Eyghon, and free Giles from his grasp, to go?

I'm not going to drop any spoiler bombs, although I think it's safe to say no one's plans will go exactly as they would have liked!

Whistler's objective, to maintain balance between good and evil, seems to have spiraled a bit out of control. How, with their history, will Angel confront him?

It's tough for Angel because Whistler is really responsible for giving him a new lease on life (or un-death). In some ways, Whistler is in the position Angel was as Twilight last season: pursuing great power to effect a world-changing transformation that is supposed to be for a greater good, but will have significant collateral damage. And just as Angel wasn't always thinking clearly as Twilight, now Whistler is the one whose mental state seems to have been affected by the loss of magic and the resulting tip in the cosmic balance. No doubt, Angel will try to get through to Whistler's better nature just as Buffy did with him, but if that doesn't work, he's going to have some tough choices to make in terms of taking Whistler down, if that's even something he's capable of.

Spike is back from space! In returning to work alongside Angel, is he a different man than when he left?

Spike evolved in his miniseries to be a bit more self-motivated, more independent of Buffy. Does that mean he's over Buffy? No, it's not nearly that easy, but he's coming to London having established some independence and gained a bit of his swagger back. Does that mean he and Angel will go back to their dynamic of the series, or will it be different? How about Spike and Faith, who seemed to have a bit of romantic chemistry in "Buffy Season 7?" I promise that someone will get up to sexy-times in issue #20, but I won't reveal who. I will say that I love the dynamic between Spike and Angel -- they're rivals, but they're also the only ones on Earth who really understand each other. The "Angel" Season 5 episode "The Girl In Question" is, for me, aside from being very funny, a great example of their relationship in microcosm.

Their rivalry is a little bit like that of two brothers: an understanding, but also that sense that the younger feels caught in the shadow of the elder. Here, with Angel calling on Spike for help, is that relationship maturing, at all?

Maybe. Or maybe just getting more juvenile. Or both! Read issue #20 and see for yourself.

As the series reaches its conclusion, in what ways might we see "Angel and Faith" and the primary "Buffy" storyline coming together? Will we see anyone else popping up for the final showdown?

We are not going to do an outright crossover. It was briefly considered early on, but the consensus was that it would feel gimmicky, and the mere fact of Buffy and Angel seeing each other for the first time since Twilight would be such a big thing that it would derail the storylines of both books. In "Angel & Faith" we're sticking with our core casts; the explicit crossovers have already come, and tended to involve one character at a time. But the creative teams are definitely in touch with each other, so there may well be some thematic parallels.

Looking back at "Angel & Faith" as a whole, what points in the narrative stand out as definitive? Were there moments in which the characters surprised you, or which you find particularly transformative?

I always said Giles was the third most important character in the book, but even so I was surprised at how important a presence he was. Despite being dead, he informed so much. And I loved writing the flashbacks to his past. I think both Angel and Faith have matured and grown significantly over the course of the season. And Giles' Great-Aunts are a trip. I love writing them, and I love how Rebekah (and Chris Samnee, in his issue) gave them life. I can't thank Joss [Whedon] enough for sharing them with us -- he originally conceived of them to be part of the as-yet-unrealized "Ripper" TV show he was developing with the BBC.


Finally, looking forward, where might the story go beyond "Season 9?" What plans have begun to take shape in moving the Buffy-verse forward from here?

It's too early to say what comes next. We're still working it out ourselves. But I'm definitely going to be there for it!



Gage warned that the line between good and evil is constantly shifting in the Buffy-verse EXCLUSIVE: #19 art by Rebekah Isaacs



Giles' backstory has been one of the writer's favorite elements of the book EXCLUSIVE: Art by Rebekah Isaacs"


Spike returned to the series in #18 following his solo miniseries

"Angel & Faith" #19 by Christos Gage and Rebekah Isaacs goes on sale February 27.


ETA

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/02/...on-9-18-review

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9 #18 Review

Buffy and Illyria continue to fight the good fight. Xander quips.

by Melissa Grey
February 14, 2013



Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9 #18, written by Andrew Chambliss, hits the same notes that made the television series such a raging success: snappy pop culture references, action tempered with moments of tenderness, and plans that never quite work out the way the Scooby Gang wants them to (unless, of course, Kirk and Spock tried it first). Georges Jeanty’s art continues to be one of the book's defining features and the consistency of the series’ visuals remains a strong selling point.

This month's issue sees the continuation of the Buffy/Illyria team-up and things are not going as well as they could be. The villainous Severin has his sights set on Illyria’s power but what we find out about his motives is textbook BTVS. Though good and evil are very much distinctive forces in the greater Buffyverse, the knowledge that moral ambiguity is a Slip n’ Slide of misplaced good intentions is equally so. While Severin is far from the most impressive of Buffy’s adversaries, his modus operandi does echo a longstanding theme of the series: sometimes, it's love that makes a monster monstrous.

In true Buffy fashion, Chambliss balances out the plot’s heavier themes with a sprinkling of lighthearted frivolity. With Dawn still out of commission after being magically whammied in a world without magic, it's up to Xander and Wells to try to save the day. And since Xander is involved, the plan wouldn't be complete without a healthy dose of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home references, bandied about with the character’s trademark unerring aplomb.

Billy, the much discussed "Boy Slayer," sees his own character arc come to a significant turning point amidst all the zompire madness. BTVS has always been about imparting real world life lessons with the aid of a few fantastical creatures and Billy learns the hard way that while he might have earned an honorary seat at the cool kid's table, he is not, nor will he ever be, one of them.

8.0
Great
Andrew Chambliss serves up a veritable buffet of classic Buffy moments in Season 9 #18.

[comic fan]

CBR Behind Buffy S9:Scott Allie on the "Welcome To The Team" arc.Scott discusses the first three parts of the arc and hints at what is coming up.

Behind Buffy Season 9: "Welcome to the Team: There's No Team." - Comic Book Resources

Behind Buffy Season 9: "Welcome to the Team: There's No Team."

Scott Allie discusses the continuing "Welcome to the Team" arc of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 9," touching on themes of grief and desperation in a Zompire's world, bucking fate and the build to the Season finale.

Daniel Glendening, Guest Contributor

Things are, as usual, a little bit rocky in the Buffy-verse.

As Dark Horse Comics' "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 9" continues its current story arc "Welcome to the Team," it seems that the titular crew is becoming increasingly fragmented and tenuous as Buffy has been teleported out of the fray in San Francisco by the Old One Illyria in order to aid in apprehending the dire threat of Severin, the Siphon. Meanwhile, the young, self-proclaimed Slayer Billy continues to struggle with his role, alone without Buffy's guidance, and Xander and Dawn are seeing their so-called normal life slip away from them.

Joining CBR for this installment of BEHIND SEASON 9 is Dark Horse editor-in-chief and "Buffy" series editor Scott Allie. Below, Allie discusses the events which unfolded in issues #17 and 18, giving hints at the path the series' themes may take readers as writer Andrew Chambliss and artist Georges Jeanty head towards the Season 9 finale.

CBR News: At the conclusion of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 9" #16, and in the opening of issue #17, Buffy is whisked away from battling a horde of zompires, leaving Billy and Dowling behind, where they are suddenly overwhelmed by Zompires. Obviously, he's in a bit over his head here, but overall, how is Billy faring in his new role?

Scott Allie: Billy is doing well, but this situation goes pretty badly for them, and he's lucky to make it out alive. Buffy was hasty in putting him in the thick of things, but he's smart, and rising to the occasion.

Maybe [Buffy] should have given it more time, but if you think back to how it started with her, Xander and Willow leapt into battle beside her with less prep than Billy had. She was eager to have a team again, and figured Billy would be safer with her and this cop than her friends were in her early adventures. She doesn't have the same protective attitude about Billy that she has with her own sister -- who, of course, resented the hell out of it and called Buffy on what she perceived to be her hypocrisy.



A lot of the mythos in Buffy has to do with fate -- the prophesied roles characters will play in certain events, the Slayer as a "chosen" warrior, etc. Is Billy, in choosing to adopt the role of Slayer of his own free will, rebelling against the forces of fate, against the Powers That Be?

Yeah, and that's what we as humans do. We buck fate, we try to define ourselves and do what we want, and we try to cheat death every day. Buffy's tried defining herself for years, but it's harder when you have this big destiny writ large like she does.

Are there forces in the Universe that are affronted by Billy's actions in adopting the role of Slayer?

Only some readers. What Billy is doing isn't much different from what Xander did, except in how he's thinking about it, what he's calling it.



This story arc, "Welcome to the Team," also sees the return (and introduction to Buffy) of Illyria, who we're seeing for the first time since the destruction of magic. What does she think of Buffy's actions?

That's a good question. It's hard to tell what she thinks of anyone, because she's so much above it all. She's more concerned with her own actions than Buffy's, I think.

How has the destruction of the Seed affected her? What's her stake in this struggle?

That all gets revealed next issue, but speaking generally, characters who have powers integral to them, part of their essence, retain their powers. It's people who channel powers from elsewhere, or travel between realms, who are the ones most affected. So Illyria's powers are not compromised, but she's concerned about the ramifications of what's going on.



Illyria whisked Buffy out of battle and brought her to Los Angeles to meet with this council of demons and deities to discuss Severin. Aside from his powers, what makes him such a dire threat?

Well, his power, misused, could take away power from anyone who has it. That would always be a dangerous thing, but with such a finite amount of magical power on earth right now, you actually have someone who could potentially corner the market and do whatever he wants. These people have lost a lot, and now someone very unstable threatens to take the rest of it. So in that way, to them, he's the ultimate threat.



At the conclusion of issue #17, just when it seems like things are going to be ok, Dawn passes out! Buffy, Illyria and Koh walk into a trap!

Yeah -- it's not going to be okay. The title "Welcome to the Team" was an ironic choice, for sure. "Welcome to the Team: There's No Team!"



Meanwhile, there's some unrest (quite literally) in the Xander and Dawn household. Dawn has taken ill and suddenly falls into a coma, while Xander is exhibiting some violent reactions to stress. What's going on with him, and is a breather from the action going to be enough?

Xander has had some stuff boiling up in him for a long time that you're gonna see a better view of in Buffy #20. He's been out of the picture so much because he's been trying to deal with his emotions, but they're too much for him.

With Severin attempting to siphon Illyria's power, there seems to be, perhaps, a metaphorical connection to Xander's struggle: Xander is facing losing Dawn and is feeling, in a word, powerless. Is there a connection between these events, beyond the metaphorical?

Yes, there is a connection there, but as we head toward the finale, the central theme is emerging more clearly. What's at the heart, the essence, of these characters? What defines us? What are we? What is Dawn? Is she Xander's girlfriend, Buffy's sister, or a mystical key? Magic remains only in those individuals for whom magic is an essential part of them. But if magic is all that you are, what happens to you if it's siphoned off?



With Dawn apparently dying, Xander and Andrew decide to rush her out of the hospital in hopes of transferring her mind to a Buffy-bot. This links back to Koh's line regarding Severin, saying that someone acting to save a loved one can't be reasoned with, but this still seems crazy, right?

This is a terrible idea. Andrew is not overburdened with good ideas, but all that matters to Xander is that he does something, that he not be the Zeppo, that he act, that he has a hand in fixing the problem -- so he'll try a bad idea over no idea.



Meanwhile, following Buffy, Illyria and Koh's first team-up against Severin, the council is reconvening. First, I love that the council is meeting in a planetarium -- I keep forgetting and thinking they're in space.

A very good idea on the part of Andrew Chambliss.

Buffy figures out what Severin is after: He hopes to bend time and save the woman he loves. Do you think this revelation complicates his actions, in any way?

In that his goal is not purely motivated by evil and greed, like Dr. Doom? Maybe he's not such a bad guy, he's just dealing badly with grief, and sudden power. It's still selfish and potentially world-ending, but it could solve a lot more problems than just his own.

Severin is a threat of a different kind than the usual Big Bad. He is, for example, very different than Eyghon, the concurrent threat in "Angel & Faith." Does this make him more relatable, in some way?

Hopefully, yeah. I think this is a meaningful way to create a human villain -- to give him a relatable human motivation rather than just a self-destructive streak of greed or bloodlust or something. What Severin wants makes sense. It's unattainable, and so his means for getting it are arrived at through desperation.

As issue #18 closes, events are rapidly escalating. Billy is attacked by zompires, only to be saved by Buffy's roommate, Anaheed, who reveals herself to be a Slayer. Buffy has always had help in her duties from the gang, but would you say this is somehow different?

Oh, yeah! Anaheed has a very different role. This was something Joss set up from the beginning of the Season for us that we're only paying off now, through Billy. The hidden Slayer, Anaheed.



How will Anaheed's revelation affect Billy? I could see it playing out a few different ways: a potential new, perhaps more available, mentorship, or a kind of "everyone's a real slayer but me" reaction.

It's a positive thing. Buffy's plan to train Billy in the field has fallen apart completely, so Anaheed's revelation effectively saves Billy, in my opinion.



Meanwhile, Buffy and the council make a plan to stop Severin, but something goes awry, leaving Severin to siphon the energy out of Illyria -- what now? Is the Siphon truly an unstoppable force?

Do you think Buffy thinks anyone is unstoppable? Buffy can do anything. But Severin is increasingly formidable.

[comic fan]

Preview pages for Buffy # 19.

Preview: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9 #19 - Comic Book Resources

EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW: "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9" #19

Courtesy of Dark Horse, CBR presents an exclusive preview of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9" #19, Illyria, Koh and Buffy join forces to tackle the Siphon under the watch of Andrew Chambliss and Georges Jeanty.



The Siphon is loose and gathering power after a brutal brawl with Buffy, Illyria, and Koh. But there are bigger things. More important things. Real terror greets Buffy as soon as she returns to San Francisco, where friends and family await her with troubling news.










Well,the preview gives some answers about Anaheed's deal and poor Xander.I really feel for him here.

I forget.The previews for Willow # 5 haven't come out yet have they?

ETA

And here are the preview pages for Willow # 5.

http://www.darkhorse.com/Comics/Previews/18-179?page=0









Weird about only previewing panels.Maybe they just don't want to spoil any of the conclusion of the mini.

Back in Angel & Faith # 14,Willow said that she can't forgive Angel but she can't hate him either.According to the second preview page/panel though that seems to have changed since Willow says here that she has forgiving Angel.

[comic fan]

Leyki has posted her review of Angel & Faith # 19.It's spoiler heavy.

http://leykimayri.wordpress.com/2013...uences-part-4/