Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine #5
Written by Andrew Chambliss
Illustrated by Karl MolineBuffy’s dreams have become all too real lately as she deals with a magicless world. She’s still fighting creatures of the night, as Willow and Xander grow distant and nightmares plague the Slayer. But something is telling Buffy that there is more to her dreams than meets the eye . . . and that her greatest fears may yet become reality!
Angel and Faith #5
Written by Christos Gage
Illustrated by Phil NotoIt’s a dark and foggy night in London, and Angel and Faith are about to encounter a most unexpected visitor. Superceleb vampire Harmony Kendall returns! When a stalker threatens to expose one of Harm’s misdeeds, she solicits the help of wayward heroes Angel and Faith. With her little pups, her friend Clem, and her Hollywood entourage by her side, Harmony is taking the UK by storm!
This edition of Buffyversity was a long time coming. It’s been nearly a month since the last edition came out, but while the Angel and Faith issue didn’t come out due to the holidays; it’s time to move on! This seems like a good a place as any to check in with both books to see how they’re lining up in the bigger picture of the Buffyverse.
Onward, beyond the cut! Watch out for any mystically imbued scythes though!
Both issues of Angel and Faith and Buffy the Vampire Slayer served as a palate cleanser for the series. Neither of them were part (insert number here) of a 4 part storyarc or so and did more to give a good jumping on point to the series rather than continue the story as planned. Angel and Faith was more standalone than Buffy, however, as it told a one-and-done yarn featuring Legally Bled* herself, Harmony Kendall.
Told by the “staff writer” Christos Gage and guest artist, the incomparable Phil Noto, it was a smart issue that harkened back to the early seasons of Angel, which had a PI aspect (which, face it, was a lot of fun). Even though Angel would undoubtedly be tired of such menial work while he’s trying to resurrect Giles…or whatever he wants to do this week, he seemed most at home doing it. The added dynamic of Faith being his sassy sidekick added especially to the book, especially when you consider the enormous chemistry the two characters have with one another. Noto, who is filling in for the outstanding Rebekah Isaacs, tells a fine story himself, with only one problem I could see throughout the entire issue. While Noto’s art is usually quite clean, there was a bit of a sloppy rendering of Angel and the gang on one page. IT was especially visible with Angel’s hands, which looked like a pair of canned yams. Other than that, the book looked and sounded great (at least inside my head)
But onto Buffy. This book, while being a standalone issue, did more to set up the following issues than simply be a story about Buffy living life in San Francisco. While it was also that, there were more to do with Slayer Dreams that Buffy has been wont to have whenever The First Slayer decides to drop in and say hello to our favorite flaxen haired slayer whose name rhymes with Tuffy. But she might not have been coming for Buffy this time, as you will see if you decide to pick it up. She’s come for Buffy’s bff Willow, who seems to be heading out on her own in the universe, and might possibly find her way over with Faith and Angel in the other title, helmed by Gage and Isaacs.
The art, on the other hand, felt a little off. Not necessarily in a bad way, of course, but it was a tad shocking to see that Jeanty, for the first time in God knows how long, was not the artist in a Buffy book. Instead, it was penciled by Fray illustrator Karl Molina. It was especially jarring because of the fact his work is quite similar to Jeanty’s, with only slight differences that make it distinctly his. At first, I had to double check to make sure Jeanty didn’t illustrate it himself! It was that close. But while the art was in no way bad, and was in fact quite pleasing to the eye after the initial shock, it was still rather jarring, and was not as good as Jeanty’s reliable and always outstanding art. Molina is a serviceable replacement, but he just doesn’t have the same effect as Georges.
Continued belowWhile they both had differing results when being published, and suffered partially on the art side of things, the books were still good enough to warrant your three bucks. Are they as good as the rest of the series? Not especially, but when you think about the potential that comes from Buffy in particular, you can’t help but be excited for the future, even if the book itself wasn’t up to the standard the series has set for itself in its short run so far.
Final Verdict: Angel and Faith — 7.0/Buffy — 7.5
