Buffy, Season 8 #36

"Last Gleaming, part 1," by Joss Whedon (script), Georges Jeaney (pencils), and Andy Owens (inks)

Okay, some caveats about this review:
1) I'm a huge Buffy and Joss fan, so I'm prejudiced from the get-go.
2) I've watched the whole show at least twice and read most of the affiliated comics, although I gave up on Angel a few months back.

Rating: read twice already, will read again when the story is complete.

The fact that I've already read it multiple times is not meant as a compliment. This is a dense, complicated comic book with thick plotting and 35 prior issues of continuity NOT counting the television show to account for. This is not an easy read and not meant for the faint of heart.

What happens? Let's see... the Pre-Twilight Angel, discovering his powers and meeting his spirit guide (a dog and a randy stewardess); Spike's bug ship "arriving" in London; Buffy expressing her complete trust in Angel (never good in the Whedonverse) while superhero fighting monsters; Buffy exchanging info with Spike; and the revelation of the Big Bad of the season.

Is that enough for you?

It's hard to follow. Upon further reads, the story starts to straighten itself out, even if I'm still unsure about where Spike's ship came from. This requires several thoughts: a read for general impressions, a read for plot, a read for foreshadowing and references of prior acts, a reader the art and its effect on the proceedings, and a read in the context offbeat entire end-of-chapter storyarc. This isn't a comic that is friendly to a casual read.

Upon further consideration, that's pretty cool. There aren't many non-Xmen books that have such a dense back- and side-story, and it's a nice feeling to be able to keep up with this one. Many comics made today - and the first ones on my personal chopping block - tend to be quick and easy reads, not requiring much thought and imagination. Good or ill, this is not that.

And, I mean, it's JOSS. We love Joss. And we love Buffy. Man, I wish Buffy had been on while I was in high school, because I was pre-Buffy Xander Harris. Joss is one of the few creators that has earned the "benefit of the doubt buy" by me.

So, buy this, but be prepared to have to work a bit to really "get" this.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone