A supernatural attack has decimated San Francisco and the government has cracked down on beings with paranormal powers. Buffy, Willow and Spike, along with others of their kind, have been forced into internment camps. In order to get Spike the blood that he needs, Buffy has agreed to become a trustee. While on the job, Buffy has stumbled across some shady business behind the camps origins.
The Creative Team:
Christos Gage has his pulse on the writing styles of Joss Whedon. And he begins this title with the Secretary of the Supernatural, Ophelia Reyes. She’s giving needed exposition via a special broadcast. Ophelia’s offering the detainees a chance at a normal life, if they just give up their powers. Of course this doesn’t work for everyone due to the fact that some need their magic powers just to survive. A great beginning shows the conflict between the different powered beings. Reminiscent of X-Men: The Last Stand. But the situation is far different as Buffy and Spike think this through and realize that there’s more to this offer than meets the eye. Gage is effective in generating pathos for the camp residents and how he shows the different responses to this offer is impressive. The writing for these comics is every bit as good as the TV series and for those who watched the show but ignore the comics, you’re missing out on some great stuff. After all, the creator himself, Joss Whedon, is at the helm.
The artistic chores are split among several illustrators and it can sometimes be uneven as several of them have different styles. But all in all the story is captured well by this engaging team of artists. They all create a slightly cartoony atmosphere that tells us that their tongues are planted firmly in their cheeks, though they have respect for the Buffyverse and it never goes into a high camp parody. Highlights include Buffy taking on a bald bully with a t-shirt that says Bad Hair Day! Plus the escape from the internment camp.
In Conclusion:
I highly recommend this issue, not just to fans of Buffy, but to people who may have never seen the movie or TV show, or read the comics before. This is a good introduction to the Buffyverse and should wet your appetite enough to get you to start watching the shows and reading the comics. By the half way point we discover what the camp and government was hiding all along. It’s a doozy and should generate a shock factor for the reader. One of the more sympathetic scenes is when our heroes come across a cyborg that is being controlled by the forces that be and he can’t do his masters bidding. It’s a touching moment as he fails to destroy our protagonists on purpose. All in all a very satisfying read. ***1/2 (8.6 rating)
[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
Writer – Christos Gage
Art – Rebekah Isaacs, Georges Jeanty, Dexter Vines, Megan Levens
Color -Â Dan Jackson
Letters – Richard Starkings, Jimmy Betancourt
Publisher – Dark Horse
Collects issues #7-#12
Author Profile
- Kevin Given has studied with “ Longridge Writers Group †and “ Writer’s Boot Camp †a speech/communications major from the University of Maine Presque-Isle/Orono sites. He has created the “ Karl Vincent Vampire Hunter †franchise which includes novels and comic books. They can be found on amazon, Indyplanet and Kindle. For a limited time you can get digital copies of “ Karl Vincent: Vampire hunter †# 1 and “ Files of Karl Vincent †# 1 for free on Indyplanet. Kevin is producing the third novel in the series “ Dracula Rising †(working title) and developing “ Foul Blood †into comic book form. Don't forget to check out the YouTube show " Comics: Let's Talk " hosted by Kevin Given
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