Week 19: Angel & Faith Season 10 #1-5

[Buffy Summers]

This week we are discussing Angel & Faith Season 10, volume 1 (issues #1-5).

"Where the River Meets the Sea, Part I"
Writer: Victor Gischler Penciller: Will Conrad
Angel's work is never done. During his most recent world-saving, a part of London was transformed and flooded with magic. Who better to watch over this magical community than Angel? At least, that's what he thinks. Meanwhile, Faith starts a new chapter in her life---slaying zompires alongside Buffy?!

"Where the River Meets the Sea, Part II"
Writer: Victor Gischler Penciller: Will Conrad
As Faith awkwardly settles into her new job at Kennedy’s bodyguards-for-hire company, Angel is finding that he knows less than everyone about what is going on in London’s magic town. Trying to get to the bottom of a fiendish group of scheming pixies, Angel travels further down a really wrong road ...

"Where the River Meets the Sea, Part III"
Writer: Victor Gischler Penciller: Will Conrad
Angel has found everyone is going to the same person in London’s Magic Town for advice—and it’s decidedly not him. But she is someone Angel can take partial credit for . . . And the pixie menaces have stepped up their muscle with another lady from Angel’s past. Meanwhile, Faith is screwing up. Again.

"Where the River Meets the Sea, Part IV"
Writer: Victor Gischler Penciller: Will Conrad
Angel’s taking some beatings in Magic Town, while Faith is dishing them out, whether they’re deserved or not. The two remain a world apart, dealing with a demonic rock god and a city preyed on by the magical powers exploding inside it.

"Old Habits"
Writer: Victor Gischler Penciller: Derlis Santacruz
Angel is plagued by nightmares and another menace for the streets of London: The new vampires, like the zompires before them, are leaving a trail of victims for the local police and Angel to pursue.


Source: Wikipedia

 

[wickedwillow]

I thought Angel and Faith Season 9 was stronger than the Buffy counterpart, but the beginning of this season seems a bit mundane. I was assuming that they would be reunited, but having Angel and Faith in separate places and not communicating at all makes it disjointed. Plus it may be my own personal prejudice, but with all the slayers around why do they keep returning to Kennedy

 

[Priceless]

I enjoyed this more on first reading, second time around it was not as engaging as the Buffy S10 opener. The emotional impact came early on, with Faith saying goodbye to Giles, which was quite moving. The rest of the story lacked the emotional character interactions I enjoy.

I like the new Nadira and Brandt and am looking forward to seeing how their characters grow within the story. Faith's story was very similar to one we've already seen Buffy go through, so it just wasn't as interesting, though I like the cliffhanger ending and am actually looking forward to seeing Riley again.

Overall I found it quite disappointing and I much prefer Angel and Faith working together. It seems when the Buffy comic is good, A&F isn't, and vice versa, they can't seem to get the quality high over the two publications at the same time.