Week 22: Angel & Faith Season 10 #16-20

[Buffy Summers]

This week we are discussing Angel & Faith Season 10, volume 4 (issues #16-20).

"Those Who Can't Teach, Teach Gym, Part I"
Writer: Victor Gischler Penciller: Cliff Richards
While Angel is stateside, Faith is suddenly the go-to adviser for London’s Magic Town police detective. She enlists Fred to help scope out a situation, and the girls stumble onto some teenage vampires at Cuthbert Prep. Who better to delve further into the situation—from the inside—than a vampire slayer?

"Those Who Can't Teach, Teach Gym, Part II"
Writer: Victor Gischler Penciller: Cliff Richards
Investigating Angel's nightmares and real-life missing students, Faith and Fred have discovered a group of teenage vampires at St. Cuthbert's Preparatory School, where the girls are working undercover! Delving deeper into the origins of the teen vamps, Slayer and scientist are walking a dangerous road when they uncover a fearsome foe!

"Those Who Can't Teach, Teach Gym, Part III"
Writer: Victor Gischler Penciller: Cliff Richards
Faith and Drusilla go head to head!

"A Little More Than Kin, Part I"
Writer: Victor Gischler Penciller: Will Conrad
While Faith and Fred are still reeling from their unresolved encounter with Drusilla, Angel returns to Magic Town . . . and brings a Big Bad along with him!

"A Little More Than Kin, Part II"
Writer: Victor Gischler Penciller: Will Conrad
Angel, Faith, and Fred have only just begun to delve into the plans that Drusilla and the Big Bad Archaeus have made for London’s Magic Town. With Nadira in danger and so many unknowns—including how to fight against this demon that is literally a part of Angel, Drusilla, and Spike—the team has to quickly gain distance on a long road . . .

Source: Wikipedia

 

[Priceless]

The first few pages of Those Who Can't Teach . . . are beautifully drawn, with very little dialogue. Cliff Richards is my favourite artist, he draws these characters so well. Here is Faith moving into her own place, putting a beloved picture of Giles and herself up on the wall, it's quite moving. Brandt comments on how spartan it is, and that takes you straight back to Season 3 Faith, but here she rejects that version of herself by saying 'Give me a break, it's a work in progress', very much like Faith herself. It's just packed with character stuff in those first few pages and I loved it.

On first reading, Fred as a dinner lady was funny, but not so much on re-read. There was actually a definite lack of humour in this volume, but that was okay, because it was action packed and moved the story and characters forward. Another great line is from Nadira, 'Whatever else I may be . . . I never stopped being a slayer'; we don't know what she is becomming, but we are reminded of what she is.

This is one of the better volumes of Season 10, with some great moments, but it's not great by any means, and nowhere near as good as Buffy S10.

 

[wickedwillow]

Another great line is from Nadira, 'Whatever else I may be . . . I never stopped being a slayer'; we don't know what she is becomming, but we are reminded of what she is.
0.

Nadira slaying was one of my favourite parts of this volume, she's definitely one of the more interesting additions to the Buffyverse. I also felt quite moved by the photo of Giles and Faith on the wall, I like to think that they are on the phone to each other a lot and keeping in touch, but the world always seems to imply that once someone is out of your immediate sphere you kinda don't keep that much in contact.

 

[Priceless]

@wickedwillow Angel is going out on his own in S11 so maybe Faith will get to spend more time with Giles. I think they are good together, and she needs him more than Buffy does

 

[wickedwillow]

@wickedwillow Angel is going out on his own in S11 so maybe Faith will get to spend more time with Giles. I think they are good together, and she needs him more than Buffy does

It could all have been different if Giles had been her original watcher