Buffy #21 Review
Writers: Jordie Bellaire & Jeremy Lambert
Artist: Andrés Genolet
Colours: Raúl Angulo
Letters: Ed Dukeshire
Anya has been an interesting character during Booms run on Buffy, initially appearing to be quite different from her TV counterpart but as time has gone on we learn she’s more similar than first appearances might have suggested. When she was first introduced fans were left wondering where the vengeance demon we were all so familiar with had gone. Where were her wishes for women scorned? The small hints and titbits we’ve got about her past, her connections to the Watchers council, the implication that she knows more about what’s going on than any other character have only made her more enigmatic and intriguing. What the series has been sorely needing is an issue focusing solely on her and filling readers in on some, if not all, the blanks that are missing. Which is where Buffy #21 comes in. An Anya story that answers as many questions as it poses new ones.
A few issues earlier we got a good introduction to the Watchers council via Wesley’s introduction, now we’re getting to see a different side from Anya’s perspective. The TV series always had the watchers council in the background, regularly interfering and causing trouble for Buffy, but this series is getting a chance to explore them as never before. The council looks set to play a big role in the upcoming storylines, and it’ll be interesting to see how it all plays out. It feels like things are entering a morally ambiguous area, and if current indications are anything to go by this arc isn’t going to have a clear cut good/evil divide.
Aside from focusing on Anya this issue also introduces the Slayer who came before Buffy, a character who was neatly glossed over on the TV series. A slayer who seems to have a lot more in common with Buffy than most slayers do. A character who deserves a chance to be explored in greater depth in future issues. Not only that but we get a return to a fan favourite character from the TV series, amongst a few other Easter Eggs for fans.
One of the main advantages comics have over other visual storytelling mediums is there’s no need for a special effects budget. If the artist can imagine it they can create it, and Andrés Genolet takes full advantage of this in the first couple of pages, introducing a demon which would have been outside of the TV series budget. He does a great job in bringing Anya to life, as well as recreating a few moments which will be familiar to fans of the TV series. His style is less cartoony than recent issues have been and he is a great fit for Booms Buffyverse. The final touch is Raúl Angulo’s colours which always deliver and give the series a consistency no matter which artist is doing the work.
An excellent issue in a series which progressively gets better, the storylines getting into murkier grey area’s, this issue won’t disappoint fans. Bellaire and Lambert manage to capture the magic of the TV series while putting their own unique stamp on it, and bringing it up to date for modern audiences. It’s difficult to know where this storyline will go, but it’ll be a pleasure finding out. Genolet’s art brings Buffy’s world to life brilliantly, and he makes an excellent fit for the series.
Artist: Andrés Genolet
Colours: Raúl Angulo
Letters: Ed Dukeshire
Anya has been an interesting character during Booms run on Buffy, initially appearing to be quite different from her TV counterpart but as time has gone on we learn she’s more similar than first appearances might have suggested. When she was first introduced fans were left wondering where the vengeance demon we were all so familiar with had gone. Where were her wishes for women scorned? The small hints and titbits we’ve got about her past, her connections to the Watchers council, the implication that she knows more about what’s going on than any other character have only made her more enigmatic and intriguing. What the series has been sorely needing is an issue focusing solely on her and filling readers in on some, if not all, the blanks that are missing. Which is where Buffy #21 comes in. An Anya story that answers as many questions as it poses new ones.
A few issues earlier we got a good introduction to the Watchers council via Wesley’s introduction, now we’re getting to see a different side from Anya’s perspective. The TV series always had the watchers council in the background, regularly interfering and causing trouble for Buffy, but this series is getting a chance to explore them as never before. The council looks set to play a big role in the upcoming storylines, and it’ll be interesting to see how it all plays out. It feels like things are entering a morally ambiguous area, and if current indications are anything to go by this arc isn’t going to have a clear cut good/evil divide.
Aside from focusing on Anya this issue also introduces the Slayer who came before Buffy, a character who was neatly glossed over on the TV series. A slayer who seems to have a lot more in common with Buffy than most slayers do. A character who deserves a chance to be explored in greater depth in future issues. Not only that but we get a return to a fan favourite character from the TV series, amongst a few other Easter Eggs for fans.
One of the main advantages comics have over other visual storytelling mediums is there’s no need for a special effects budget. If the artist can imagine it they can create it, and Andrés Genolet takes full advantage of this in the first couple of pages, introducing a demon which would have been outside of the TV series budget. He does a great job in bringing Anya to life, as well as recreating a few moments which will be familiar to fans of the TV series. His style is less cartoony than recent issues have been and he is a great fit for Booms Buffyverse. The final touch is Raúl Angulo’s colours which always deliver and give the series a consistency no matter which artist is doing the work.
An excellent issue in a series which progressively gets better, the storylines getting into murkier grey area’s, this issue won’t disappoint fans. Bellaire and Lambert manage to capture the magic of the TV series while putting their own unique stamp on it, and bringing it up to date for modern audiences. It’s difficult to know where this storyline will go, but it’ll be a pleasure finding out. Genolet’s art brings Buffy’s world to life brilliantly, and he makes an excellent fit for the series.
A Look Inside
