Buffy the Last Vampire Slayer #2 is written by Casey Gilly and published by BOOM! Studios. Illustration is by Oriol Roig and Nicola Izzo, colours by Gloria Martinelli and letters by Ed Dukeshire. Main cover art (left) is by Ario Anindito.
Buffy the Last Vampire Slayer #2 is available now, in print and on digital where all good comic books are sold.
Synopsis
Being new to slaying doesn’t mean that Thess likes being infantilized, especially by an over-protective demon named Anya, who’s controlling at every turn.
But concerning Cora Devonshire–Thess’s current crush–is there any validity to Anya’s suspicion?
As she and Cora get closer, Thessaly’s flippancy and resentment might just get the best of her though, when she takes on a job from the Watcher’s Council, and is pursued by some admittedly sexy stalkers…
Review
If Buffy the Vampire Slayer taught me anything it’s that grief is an important part of life. In Casey Gilly’s formidable Buffy the Last Vampire Slayer the writer tackles grief in one of the most refreshing and admirable ways possible. Combined with the usual high stakes action and the blossoming character that is Thessaly, this latest chapter in The Last Vampire Slayer story is really shaping up to be something special.
Now we’re up-and-running Gilly is really getting down to business this issue. There’s a satisfying push-and-pull between two contrasting emotional arcs. That of Thessaly, our new Slayer as she rebels against her stand-in Watcher, Anya. But also to truly rewarding story of Buffy, on a supposedly romantic getaway with Spike but still struggling to find her place in the world.
Firstly, it’s incredible that even in her 50s Buffy is still unable to find her place in the world. Sadly it’s also not necessarily a surprise to die-hard fans. But secondly, Gilly deserves the MVP award for telling the story of a mature woman grieving for the power and status she once had. Not every writer could instil the right level of character nuance to have Buffy actively struggling with not being the Slayer without it coming off as bratty or self-entitled. Indeed there are flashes of the younger, more cheery Buffy of her teenage years. But they’re stacked against these incredible moments where she just can’t see that her struggles are inward and not outward.
Juxtaposed against the fractious relationship between Thess and Anya and you’ve got one rollercoaster of an issue. Back home in Santa Carmen it’s all teenage tantrums and angst. For long-time fans there’s plenty to enjoy in seeing Anya in this motherly role as both guardian and Watcher. But there’s also a kind of mischievous glee in seeing Thess repeating some of the mistakes of the Buffy’s past. That’s not to say Gilly is regurgitating what we’ve seen before. It’s just the mistakes of youth playing out against the backdrop of the supernatural. Thess just really wants date night and when you’re the Slayer that just ain’t gonna happen…
All jokes aside the issue really builds towards an inevitable conclusion which leaves most of the cast down on their luck. It’ll be interesting to see where this goes in the coming months because Gilly is never predictable and for that I’m incredibly grateful.
Once again Oriol Roig does a superb job in bringing these characters to life. Roig’s use of varying background styles really helps to focus the eye on what’s important in the frame. Whether it’s an action beat between characters over no background or a splash-page taking us through Buffy and Spike’s night on the town. It all exudes the kind of energy that I want from a Buffy comic book so I can’t ask for more.
Verdict
Gilly continues to do an exemplary job of giving readers both the human emotion and the supernatural thrills which made Buffy a pop culture phenomenon. Between Buffy’s grief and Thess’ raw emotion there’s a lot to contend with but Gilly and artist Oriol Roig make it a delight with the turn of every page.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
