Buffy #22 Review
Writer: Jordie Bellaire & Jeremy Lambert
Artist: Ramon Bachs
Colours: Raúl Angulo
Letters: Ed Dukeshire
It feels like everything is building to an epic showdown in the Buffyverse. Previous issues have introduced slayer Faith and her watcher, Wesley, to Buffy. We’ve learned the truth about Anya, mirroring the TV series she is also a Vengeance Demon, and she has been working with a slayer who came before Buffy to exact vengeance against the Watchers Council. The seeds for this storyline have been planted early on in the series and it’s time to see all of it come to fruition. And not to forget full on Vampire Xander, minus any semblance of a soul. How it’s all going to go down is really up in the air, and readers will be left guessing who will be left standing after all of it.
However before we get to this epic finale there are a number of things which needed to be done first, which is where this issue comes in. There have been so many revelations and introductions recently that Jordie Bellaire & Jeremy Lambert need to slow down for a second and evaluate where our characters are at and just make sure the stage is set. There are now three slayers. Previously it was just Buffy and Kendra, who have only just begun to figure out how to get along and work together as Slayers, with their completely differing approaches to slaying, and life in general. Now Faith has been thrown into the mix, and she has no idea about how to be a Slayer. As if all of that isn’t complicated enough Giles and Robin have been at loggerheads as well, and now Wesley has been thrown into the mix. This issue is all about figuring out how the characters feel about one another and what the new status quo is going to look like. Not necessarily the most exciting issue but an important one none the less.
Then of course there’s Willow, who after her adventure in her own mini-series is also at a bit of a loss about how she fits in with everyone. Bellaire and Lambert have got so many different plates spinning it’s actually nice to take a little bit of a breather and just remind ourselves what each character is going through. There is also a nice bit of Buffy and Giles bonding which has been long overdue and closer reflects the relationship that they had during the TV series. It’s one of the highlights of not only the issue but the larger story arc as well.
Ramon Bachs does an excellent job of capturing the characters emotions, and in an issue like this which is all about the characters it cannot be stressed enough just how important this is and what an excellent job he does. Each of the characters are instantly recognisable as their TV selves, even going as far as to wear some of their iconic clothes from the series. And of course there is Raúl Angulo’s colours which are always great.
An important issue in the overall series, it takes the time to slow down a little and really spend some time with each of the characters, reminding us of all the different plates the Bellaire & Lambert have spinning. The series is building up to an epic finale with seeds that were laid very early on in the run, and it’s really unclear just how the Buffyverse is going to look afterwards.
Artist: Ramon Bachs
Colours: Raúl Angulo
Letters: Ed Dukeshire
It feels like everything is building to an epic showdown in the Buffyverse. Previous issues have introduced slayer Faith and her watcher, Wesley, to Buffy. We’ve learned the truth about Anya, mirroring the TV series she is also a Vengeance Demon, and she has been working with a slayer who came before Buffy to exact vengeance against the Watchers Council. The seeds for this storyline have been planted early on in the series and it’s time to see all of it come to fruition. And not to forget full on Vampire Xander, minus any semblance of a soul. How it’s all going to go down is really up in the air, and readers will be left guessing who will be left standing after all of it.
However before we get to this epic finale there are a number of things which needed to be done first, which is where this issue comes in. There have been so many revelations and introductions recently that Jordie Bellaire & Jeremy Lambert need to slow down for a second and evaluate where our characters are at and just make sure the stage is set. There are now three slayers. Previously it was just Buffy and Kendra, who have only just begun to figure out how to get along and work together as Slayers, with their completely differing approaches to slaying, and life in general. Now Faith has been thrown into the mix, and she has no idea about how to be a Slayer. As if all of that isn’t complicated enough Giles and Robin have been at loggerheads as well, and now Wesley has been thrown into the mix. This issue is all about figuring out how the characters feel about one another and what the new status quo is going to look like. Not necessarily the most exciting issue but an important one none the less.
Then of course there’s Willow, who after her adventure in her own mini-series is also at a bit of a loss about how she fits in with everyone. Bellaire and Lambert have got so many different plates spinning it’s actually nice to take a little bit of a breather and just remind ourselves what each character is going through. There is also a nice bit of Buffy and Giles bonding which has been long overdue and closer reflects the relationship that they had during the TV series. It’s one of the highlights of not only the issue but the larger story arc as well.
Ramon Bachs does an excellent job of capturing the characters emotions, and in an issue like this which is all about the characters it cannot be stressed enough just how important this is and what an excellent job he does. Each of the characters are instantly recognisable as their TV selves, even going as far as to wear some of their iconic clothes from the series. And of course there is Raúl Angulo’s colours which are always great.
An important issue in the overall series, it takes the time to slow down a little and really spend some time with each of the characters, reminding us of all the different plates the Bellaire & Lambert have spinning. The series is building up to an epic finale with seeds that were laid very early on in the run, and it’s really unclear just how the Buffyverse is going to look afterwards.
A Look Inside
