I’m Rebcake and I approve this comic book
But first, a word for the kind person who gave my page a virtual vase of tulips this morning! The word is: Joy! I suspect these beautiful flowers (no actual flowers were harmed in the giving of them) were in honor of More Joy Day which is just the sort of wonderfulness that keeps us all devoted to LJ and our fabulous friends therein!
Back to the regularly scheduled (pretty much spoiler-free) discussion of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 8, No. 31.
My name is Rebcake and I am a reader of Season 8. For the most part, I’ve been meh, but I read ‘em anyway. Occasionally, something would really grab me. I liked The Chain, with its The Girl In Question retcon. The Dracula subplot was killer and Mecha Dawn cracked me right up. I adored the Always Darkest webcomic, which contained the “What the slashy heck?” line, which was my second favorite line in all of 2009, from anywhere. [My first favorite line was, “He lapped virgin blood from her holiest of holies.” (One guess which Buffyverse character uttered that little beauty.) My hat is off to moscow_watcher and her intrepid beta deird1 for coming up with such a stunner.]
But I digress. On my journal, that happens. A lot.
Anyway, Season 8 has been, shall we say, disappointing. Up ‘til now. Because (cough) filler story Turbulence just brung it. Really, truly brung it. Since Joss wrote the Willow one-shot, which was okay but not exactly memorable, I figured that was the end of that. The petal/forest metaphor was amusing, though. But then Twilightgate hit, and people were all interested and appalled, so I made the effort to get to the comic shop on the drop date. There was only one copy left. And, boy howdy! What a perfect cover for l’il Miss Rebcake: Classic Romance Comic with Crying Girl. I collect original art that is a variation on this style. My wedding invitations were done in this style. I heart it so much.
But it didn’t stop there. The issue makes reference to The Andrews Sisters, Shonen Knife, Humbert Humbert, Henry Higgins, US political advertising, and (if you squint) Wicked! There is pathos (with a sideways nod to Parker Abrams, perhaps?). There is silliness, and deliciously snarky Dawn. MiAmor noticed that, “Buffy is herself again!” The difference in characterization is so very improved. Plus, Joss came along and waved his Magic Joss Wand™* over things that the other writers were struggling with and laboring over, and these things just transformed into No Big Deal. No muss, no fuss. Plus the disturbing romance issues have been resolved in such a way that I can let go of my disturbance. I still think it would’ve been better not to ever go there, but it’s done. Plus, there’s an exciting loose end that I’m actually interested to see resolved. And an Andrew joke! I put down the book very satisfied.
Then, a couple of hours later came the links to the CBR interview in which Joss says Spike is "incredibly important to Buffy." And, that he has "plans for Spike." Having read #31, this is starting to sound pretty gosh darned good.
Yesterday was a slightly better day for the good guys. And tomorrow we get the next-to-last Dollhouse! I’m getting all emotional.
*I kinda hope I never meet the man again, because I’m afraid I will be unable to stop myself from saying “Magic Joss Wand™” aloud. Eh, he’s probably heard it before.
Back to the regularly scheduled (pretty much spoiler-free) discussion of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 8, No. 31.
My name is Rebcake and I am a reader of Season 8. For the most part, I’ve been meh, but I read ‘em anyway. Occasionally, something would really grab me. I liked The Chain, with its The Girl In Question retcon. The Dracula subplot was killer and Mecha Dawn cracked me right up. I adored the Always Darkest webcomic, which contained the “What the slashy heck?” line, which was my second favorite line in all of 2009, from anywhere. [My first favorite line was, “He lapped virgin blood from her holiest of holies.” (One guess which Buffyverse character uttered that little beauty.) My hat is off to moscow_watcher and her intrepid beta deird1 for coming up with such a stunner.]
But I digress. On my journal, that happens. A lot.
Anyway, Season 8 has been, shall we say, disappointing. Up ‘til now. Because (cough) filler story Turbulence just brung it. Really, truly brung it. Since Joss wrote the Willow one-shot, which was okay but not exactly memorable, I figured that was the end of that. The petal/forest metaphor was amusing, though. But then Twilightgate hit, and people were all interested and appalled, so I made the effort to get to the comic shop on the drop date. There was only one copy left. And, boy howdy! What a perfect cover for l’il Miss Rebcake: Classic Romance Comic with Crying Girl. I collect original art that is a variation on this style. My wedding invitations were done in this style. I heart it so much.
But it didn’t stop there. The issue makes reference to The Andrews Sisters, Shonen Knife, Humbert Humbert, Henry Higgins, US political advertising, and (if you squint) Wicked! There is pathos (with a sideways nod to Parker Abrams, perhaps?). There is silliness, and deliciously snarky Dawn. MiAmor noticed that, “Buffy is herself again!” The difference in characterization is so very improved. Plus, Joss came along and waved his Magic Joss Wand™* over things that the other writers were struggling with and laboring over, and these things just transformed into No Big Deal. No muss, no fuss. Plus the disturbing romance issues have been resolved in such a way that I can let go of my disturbance. I still think it would’ve been better not to ever go there, but it’s done. Plus, there’s an exciting loose end that I’m actually interested to see resolved. And an Andrew joke! I put down the book very satisfied.
Then, a couple of hours later came the links to the CBR interview in which Joss says Spike is "incredibly important to Buffy." And, that he has "plans for Spike." Having read #31, this is starting to sound pretty gosh darned good.
Yesterday was a slightly better day for the good guys. And tomorrow we get the next-to-last Dollhouse! I’m getting all emotional.
*I kinda hope I never meet the man again, because I’m afraid I will be unable to stop myself from saying “Magic Joss Wand™” aloud. Eh, he’s probably heard it before.