Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 #31
Reviewed by David O' Leary
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SEASON 8 #31
(Cover Date: January 2010)
Story by: Joss Whedon
Art by: Georges Jeanty & Andy Owens
Colours by: Michelle Madsen
Letters by: Jimmy Betancourt
Cover by: Georges Jeanty
Publisher: Dark Horse
Cover Price: $2.99
Reviewed By: David O' Leary
Book Summery: After Willow unearths giant Tibetan goddesses to help in the fight against Twilight and his disposable soldiers, the Slayers are forced to retreat when the goddesses go AWOL and attack indiscriminately. Without powers the Slayers are unable to keep up the fight against missile fire, grenade launchers, and tanks. It would seem that all is lost, and Buffy -- all alone -- must make her last stand on a battlefield covered in the bodies of friends and foes.
"Turbulence"
This is turning out to be a bit confusing. It is like every time an issue gets on my nerves for one reason or other I am filled with an urge to drop it like a hot potato and every time I think of doing it, I think of a reason not to. This particular arc was getting tedious a bit and the urge hut me again until I saw that Joss Whedon would be returning to write this issue. The book had won a reprieve. In fact, I cannot think of a single reason to drop this book before it reaches its conclusion with issue forty. Brad Meltzer is up next until issue 35 and then Joss will finish off the season.
Buffy editor Scott Allie said in a recent interview that Dark Horse now know that running the book to forty issues was a mistake. It was originally intended to run akin to a regular television season with 24 or 25 issues but when the planning for the overall story took hold it was realised that more issues would be needed so the run was extended to forty issues. Allie had said that some issues did not work and I agree. The outing of the slayers to the world was done in a horrible fashion with Harmony's tale and there were a lot of good issues don't get me wrong but a book is only as strong as its weakest point and the run will be tarnished by these sub par issues. After issue forty the book will go on a six month hiatus and return for a brand new issue one for season nine with a shorter life span than season eight although weather it will be reduced by fifteen issues remains to be seen.
In regards to this issue, Joss does a great job of tying all the loose ends together that have been left lying around since the groups arrival in Tibet. He even gets time to write some beautiful scenes with some old ';friends'. Willow and Oz have a great chat until Willow is disturbed by a powerful magical interruption. Xander and Buffy have a great heart to heart that brought so many memories of the television banter straight back to mind. There is a wonderful interjection of humour just when the tension is building to lighten the mood once again. There is just no one that can come close to writing Buffy like Joss Whedon. This issue was just like the opening chapters in the series, full of interesting back and forth dialogue, drama, suspense and action.
There is nothing I can say about the art that has not already been said before when Georges Jeanty is on form. His consistency is great and the look of the book has remained unchanged since the word go.
Unfortunately Dark Horse have gone and put their foot in it with a PR disaster. The identity of Twilight has been a running mystery for comic-dom for a while now. So you can imagine IDW's surprise and Bill Willingham's shock to discover that Angel himself is coming back to Buffy. This was apparently done without the knowledge of IDW and the Angel writer. Dark Horse are trying to play it down by opening a dialogue with IDW a little late but Buffy fans are not complaining as it has been years since Buffy and Angel were on the same page. So bring it on. I am here until the finish.
Rating the Book
Story: Overall 8 |
Art: Overall 8 |
Importance: Overall 9 |
Take A Look Inside
Reviewer Bio
Name: David O' Leary
email: idwfan@yahoo.co.uk
Been reading comics: for about 12 years now.
Review Bio: I am a 26-year-old Hotel Manager from the west coast of the Republic of Ireland and think this is a great way to talk to others about this cool medium. I am a husband to one wife and father to one girl (so far).
Favorites: ONI's Whiteout, Vertigo's Scalped and Garth Ennis Preacher and Punisher in Trades. In comic form I am reading a lot of Marvel and a bit of IDW, Dark Horse & WildStorm among others.
Website: Sorry, I don't have one!
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