Week 3: Season 8 #11-15

[sosa lola]

Sorry it took me a while to finish reviewing these issues. RL and fic writing stood in the way. Brief thoughts on these issues:

Wolves at the Gate #13

The beginning of the issue is the proof that Dracula is soooo in love with Xander. He looks like a mess, aged a 100 years, and once he knew that Xander was arriving he fixed himself up to attract one Xander Harris. Then he started playing hard to get. Aw Dracula.

What the hell are the Manservant Bloomers? LOL

Check out Dracula’s smirk when he caused a lovers’ quarrel. Man, I’d love to read a series of Dracula and His Manservant’s Adventures.

I can’t believe that Xander and Dracula stayed in touch after Buffy Vs Dracula – Dracula had nothing but disdain towards Xander in that episode and Xander was in a “No more buttmonkey” outrage. However, you can read the letters they sent each other here.

The Xander/Dracula flirtage is so adorable! Renee is so annoyed, hee

Xander does call Dracula racist in this issue.

Satsu is finally realizing the different ranks between her and Buffy. Loved her conversation with Willow and Willow’s eagerness to know how Buffy is like in bed. Willow is as in love with Buffy as Dracula is in love with Xander.

 

[vellavu]

I can’t believe that Xander and Dracula stayed in touch after Buffy Vs Dracula – Dracula had nothing but disdain towards Xander in that episode and Xander was in a “No more buttmonkey” outrage. However, you can read the letters they sent each other here.

Thank you! The letters are hilarious!

 

[sosa lola]

Wolves at the Gate #14

Aiko’s death is so haunting. Those first few panels were excellently done. Buffy’s despair at what happened makes you feel for her. Poor girl.

Willow’s glee at Xander’s arrival is endearing and probably the last Xander/Willow moment in the whole comics. L

OMG, Dracula made fun of the way Willow smells, poor Willow feeling so self-conscious after that.

Wow, that dark Scooby moment over there. Torturing that vampire and killing him when they were done with him. That panel when they walk away from the burning vampire is perfection. The way their eyes are colored black and their faces emotionless.

That Buffy/Satsu scene reminds me of Buffy sending Xander away from the fight in End of Days to “protect Dawn” when in actuality, she wants to protect him, too. Love how Satsu didn’t follow the orders and she called Buffy “Ma’am” to annoy her. But Buffy found it sexy.

Dracula looking at Xander and Renee kissing with so much sadness in his eyes. *hugs him*

And of course, Renee dies. Poor Xander.
 
Wolves at the Gate #15

I loved the panels with Renee dying and how they start to fade into white. I was completely moved when I read it the first time.

That panel with Xander crying over Renee and Dracula watching him – Dracula face to face with humanity and its fragility.

“Close ranks around Xander. Now!” Say whatever about Buffy in S8, but her love for her friends is so genuine and beautiful.

“He’s not alone!” I need to read a Xander/Dracula fic right now!

Another hint about Buffy’s fear of heights and flying, another foreshadow to her flying later.

Love Willow and Buffy’s banter and their lists. Willow, don’t deny it, you jealous as hell and so in love with Buffy.

Dracula handing Xander the sword to avenge Renee – how romantic.

Compare and contrast between S7 Buffy who didn’t find time to comfort Xander because she didn’t trust anyone else to take over the leadership and S8 Buffy who trusts Satsu to lead the slayers so that she can comfort a grieving Xander.

Xander and Dracula’s goodbye scene, Xander’s stubble of pain makes its first appearance.

Wolves at the Gate is an important arc to complete Xander’s character growth since Buffy Vs Dracula. He is finally able to control himself around Dracula and not fall for his thrall. Xander threatening to kill Dracula id he ever called him manservant is Xander breaking out of Dracula’s control.

 

[vellavu]

Xander threatening to kill Dracula id he ever called him manservant is Xander breaking out of Dracula’s control.

Threatening to kill him in his sleep? Sounds like a romantic confession to me.

 

[sosa lola]

Threatening to kill him in his sleep? Sounds like a romantic confession to me.

A romantic confession of an equal relationship

 

[Buffy Summers]

I LOVED the Tokyo vampires - I wished they had stayed around more. I'm liking Xander (and Dracula) in these issues. I wish they hadn't killed Renee, though, BUT Xander's reaction was great. I loved Dracula handing him the sword.

I love Satsu as a character, but I hate the whole Buffy-Satsu thing. Either make Buffy gay, or make her straight, but don't just have her randomly sleep with a girl for a readership stunt. They did it with Willow, but at least they didn't turn back on it.

 

[wickedtiger86]

Issue #1:

There are a lot of little moments to love in this issue.

Buffy: You really need to ask Renee out already.
Xander: Stop changing the subject to true things.

And, you know, pretty much everything that was said between Buffy and Xander, really.


Issue #2:

I'm not a fan of the Buffy/Satsu either, really. I know she was feeling lonely and Satsu was there, but it really does just seem like Buffy was using her a bit. The conversation that they had afterwards, is probably the conversation that they should have had before.

I forever-love Xander slapping his hand over his one eye to block what he was seeing.


Issue #3:

Dracula has some interesting art on his walls.

I like all of the humor happening here with Xander and Dracula. And see. I should have known to be suspicious. There's just too much lightheartedness here. That never leads anywhere good.

The Tokyo vamps are pretty threatening. The glee that they take in taking a slayer's power is a little frightening. As it should be.


Issue #4:

And I went ahead and said all that stuff about them BEFORE they strung up her body.

Is it just me, or is Drac channeling some Johnny Depp here?

I was totally shocked at the end of this issue the first time I read it. I'm trying now to think of a character from the comics that I've liked as well as Renee. We will see, I suppose.


Issue #5:

The first couple pages of this are extremely well done. The fade out is fantastic, as is Xander's shock and Renee's internal speech.

I'm insanely touched by Dracula giving Xander the kill. "It's not my place to kill you . . . and you know nothing about honor."

And this background shot of Xander on his knees hugging Buffy around her waist. I can't even.

Alright. I think Buffy and Satsu having another night, where both of them knowing exactly what the score is, helps. It loses that feeling of one using the other and becomes more mutual.

 

[sosa lola]

The first half of S8 will always be the best the comics ever produced. IMO, it's even better than S7.

 

[sosa lola]

I just read this lovely short piece about the aftermath of Wolves at the Gate written by Angearia. I'm sure Spuffy fans must have heard of her, she writes wonderful Spuffy fics:

Heartbent by Angearia

Post-Wolves at the Gate. Xander is grieving and Buffy tries to comfort him.

 

[Guy]

See, this arc is one of the reasons why I could never understand people who hate the comics. I mean, come on - it has shape-shifting vampire ninjas! SHAPE-SHIFTING VAMPIRE NINJAS!!! How can anyone not love this?!

Also, the homoerotic tension throughout this entire arc is just so amazingly, hilariously entertaining:

Dracula & Xander:

Buffy & Satsu:

Buffy & Willow:

And the french farce sequence in issue #12, when everyone and their mother finds out about Buffy & Satsu, has to be one of the funniest things in the entire Buffyverse:

But Buffy & Satsu aren't just funny, they're also endlessly sweet and adorable:

Basically, 'Batsu' was the closest Buffy ever came to having a healthy relationship, and it managed to be (relatively) healthy without being boring or cliched or cheesy. I'm not into shipping, but if I was, Buffy/Satsu would be my "OTP". I love Buffy/Spike, but I really wish that the writers would come up with NEW relationships instead of retreading the old fan-favorites, and Buffy/Satsu was the best hope we ever had for a new great Buffy relationship.
I loved how Satsu seemed to resemble the old Buffy from the early seasons (with the rebellious, fun-loving, passionate, yet caring attitude), while Buffy herself was more like Angel now (all brooding and serious, and devoted to the mission), thereby making a relationship that was like a super-interesting inversion of Bangel (Also: Batsu >>> Bangel). It was the first time Buffy was ever in a relationship with someone younger then her (Angel, Parker, Riley, Spike, Robin - they were all older than Buffy), and it really showed Buffy in a new, fascinating light - more gentle, careful, "nurturing", and just plain sweet. And Satsu was one of the very best new characters from the comics, if not THE best. They were just fantastic together.

Goddammit Joss, please BRING BATSU BACK! You can have tons of fun ripping Buffy/Spike apart (We know you're gonna do that eventually anyway), and it could make season 11 so very interesting! *fingers crossed*