Script by Andrew Chambliss
Pencils by Georges Jeanty
Inks by Dexter Vines
Colours by Michelle Madsen
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BEWARE OF SLAYERS SPOILERS!
Season 9 of ‘BtVS’ is drawing rapidly to a close, next month is the final issue and so in the way that we’ve come to expect from any season of the TV series things are not looking good for our hero or her friends.
When we last left them Buffy, Xander, Willow and a whole line-up of secondary characters were in the heart of The Deeper Well trying to bring magic back to the world and stop Severin and Simon had their own evil plans in mind.
I spoke in my last review about how I felt season 8 got lost in the complete lack of boundaries that the comic medium offers over the confines of a television budget and how season 9 has reigned that in and used it to it’s advantage. This issue is a perfect example of taking that freedom that comics offer and using it to take the spirit of the TV series and push it towards brilliant new territory.
Aside from a few assorted panels checking in with the rapidly disappearing (or vanished!) Dawn and a quick one-panel flashback to the death of Wesley this entire issue takes place in The Deeper Well itself. The location is that vast that it manages to hold several different stories: firstly of course is the ongoing fight between Buffy and the newly vamped Simone; Willow is on the hunt for Severin and restoring magic, Xander finds himself falling through we well and Illyria has her own battle to deal with.
It’s impressive to find some many stories taking place all in the one place and its a testament to the crafting of Whedon overseeing the series and Chambliss who has written some absolutely brilliant material for these characters.
This feels like a ‘BtVS’ season finale and I find myself feeling the same level of dread that it will soon all be over.
I heaped high praise on the artwork in my review of issue #23 and I can only continue to gush about it this week. The artwork has been consistent throughout and that is one of the major bonuses of having regular artists for the complete run of the book but it takes a special talent to be able to maintain the kind of visuals that ‘BtVS’ requires.
The cast of characters in this series is pretty big, not only do you have the pressure of living up to the expectations of the fans but in this issue you have a multitude of demons and big action set pieces to translate into eye catching visuals. Jeanty evokes the feeling of the TV show brilliantly whilst maintaining his own flair.
8/10
