Buffy #25 Review
Writer: Jeremy Lambert
Artist: Valentina Pinti
Colours: Raúl Angulo
Letters: Ed Dukeshire
This issue, Buffy #25, has really been hyped up to be something special, Boom going as far as to say “The BIGGEST Buffy story of the century STARTS HERE”. An oversized anniversary issue, celebrating the milestone of reaching 25 issues. The multiverse has been teased for sometime now, and the conclusion of the last issue placed Wesley and ghost Ethan firmly in familiar territory, bang in the middle of season 3s “Band Candy” with Giles and Joyce reduced to their teenage selves. It’s a fantastic nod to the TV series as well as establishing exactly where and when in TV Buffy continuity our heroes have landed. It gives Jeremy Lambert an excellent opportunity to gift us some classic TV Buffy banter throughout the issue. The hype and buildup around the issue is probably it's biggest problem. If readers came into this without any excitement for the issue it would go down as one of the best issues in the run. But with all the preconceptions it feels a little flat. The biggest Buffy story of the century? Not quite. A big issue. Exciting. But of the century? Not quite there, unfortunately.
In a brief couple of pages focusing on comic Buffy some of the things which have been teased for a while are starting to come to fruition, in a way which is likely to have big consequences for Faith going forward. Lambert has a clearly thorough knowledge and reverence for the source material which he uses to give fans exactly what they want. Just enough of a tease to get them excited for what is to come, while also giving the storylines time to breath organically.
Aside from getting a chance to experience some classic Buffy in this issue it also gives Lambert the opportunity to lay out the rules of the Buffyverse, introduce Lurkers and the rules of alternate realities, as well as reference another big player who is presumably going to be the big bad of the comics. In amongst all of this Willow and Buffy get to share a tender moment, which also marks the start of them dealing with the loss of Xander.
The last panel of the comic deserves a special shout out for the fantastic Easter Egg, playing with an ongoing joke throughout the TV series, one which will delight fans. There is a twist which has absolutely no consequences at all to the storyline but is absolutely brilliant.
Valentina Pinti gets the chance to draw some of the TV cast in some of their iconic appearances, Willow in particular is a delight. We have brief appearances from other supporting characters who’ve not made much of an appearance so far in the comics, which will surely delight fans. And Pinti gets the opportunity to also recreate some iconic sets from the TV series as well, there is plenty here to delight fans.
The secrets of the Buffyverse are beginning to open, a chance to see some classic TV Buffy in action, and filled with fantastic Easter Eggs from start to finish, there’s plenty here for Buffy fans. An oversized anniversary issue, the gag in the final panel is worth the price of admission alone. It’s clear that the overarching mysteries of the season are just around the corner. Pinti is one of the better artists so far on the series, and the art is matching up to the quality of the storytelling. With the series now in full swing it’s an exciting time to be a Buffy fan.
Artist: Valentina Pinti
Colours: Raúl Angulo
Letters: Ed Dukeshire
This issue, Buffy #25, has really been hyped up to be something special, Boom going as far as to say “The BIGGEST Buffy story of the century STARTS HERE”. An oversized anniversary issue, celebrating the milestone of reaching 25 issues. The multiverse has been teased for sometime now, and the conclusion of the last issue placed Wesley and ghost Ethan firmly in familiar territory, bang in the middle of season 3s “Band Candy” with Giles and Joyce reduced to their teenage selves. It’s a fantastic nod to the TV series as well as establishing exactly where and when in TV Buffy continuity our heroes have landed. It gives Jeremy Lambert an excellent opportunity to gift us some classic TV Buffy banter throughout the issue. The hype and buildup around the issue is probably it's biggest problem. If readers came into this without any excitement for the issue it would go down as one of the best issues in the run. But with all the preconceptions it feels a little flat. The biggest Buffy story of the century? Not quite. A big issue. Exciting. But of the century? Not quite there, unfortunately.
In a brief couple of pages focusing on comic Buffy some of the things which have been teased for a while are starting to come to fruition, in a way which is likely to have big consequences for Faith going forward. Lambert has a clearly thorough knowledge and reverence for the source material which he uses to give fans exactly what they want. Just enough of a tease to get them excited for what is to come, while also giving the storylines time to breath organically.
Aside from getting a chance to experience some classic Buffy in this issue it also gives Lambert the opportunity to lay out the rules of the Buffyverse, introduce Lurkers and the rules of alternate realities, as well as reference another big player who is presumably going to be the big bad of the comics. In amongst all of this Willow and Buffy get to share a tender moment, which also marks the start of them dealing with the loss of Xander.
The last panel of the comic deserves a special shout out for the fantastic Easter Egg, playing with an ongoing joke throughout the TV series, one which will delight fans. There is a twist which has absolutely no consequences at all to the storyline but is absolutely brilliant.
Valentina Pinti gets the chance to draw some of the TV cast in some of their iconic appearances, Willow in particular is a delight. We have brief appearances from other supporting characters who’ve not made much of an appearance so far in the comics, which will surely delight fans. And Pinti gets the opportunity to also recreate some iconic sets from the TV series as well, there is plenty here to delight fans.
The secrets of the Buffyverse are beginning to open, a chance to see some classic TV Buffy in action, and filled with fantastic Easter Eggs from start to finish, there’s plenty here for Buffy fans. An oversized anniversary issue, the gag in the final panel is worth the price of admission alone. It’s clear that the overarching mysteries of the season are just around the corner. Pinti is one of the better artists so far on the series, and the art is matching up to the quality of the storytelling. With the series now in full swing it’s an exciting time to be a Buffy fan.
A Look Inside
