This week saw the 22nd anniversary of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, so naturally were’ going to be taking a look at that. But aside from the property that has more academic papers written about it than anything else, there’s fun to be had with a couple new releases from Marvel, and story arc wrap-ups from Image and Top Cow.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer #3 (BOOM! Studios)
(w) Jordie Bellaire (a) Dan Mora
Henceforth, this issue shall be known as “the one where Buffy gets a Pegasus,” because that’s what happens, if by “Pegasus” I mean winged death creature befitting a metal album cover. Bellaire and Mora’s third installment in their Sunnydale reboot subverts expectations in a meaningful way. The biggest [and best] change has been the agency granted to Drusilla, now positioned to be the “big bad” of the series. There’s also plenty of butt-kicking to be had, which looks absolutely fantastic thanks to Mora’s art. Bellaire’s script acts wonderfully in tandem, full of quick witticisms and pop-culture references that make for a solid, modern update of Buffy Speak. And best of all, the creative team never loses sight of Buffy’s overarching message of empowering women.
- Daniel Gehen
Age of Conan: Bêlit #1 (Marvel)
(w) Tini Howard (a) Kate Niemczyk (c) Jason Keith
Since Marvel got the rights to Conan and started publishing singles I had a nagging feeling to read his universe, but the price point really killed my bank so I decided to wait, then I saw the cover for Age of Conan: Bêlit #1. Bêlit Is written by Tini Howard and shows the reader the origin story of Bêlit The Pirate Queen, whom I have heard of but have never read before. Finishing the first issue I had an instant reaction of wanting to read more about her, with her being a bad ass Pirate Queen, with this being the first issue of a five part origin I am excited to learn more about her. While I enjoyed the art by Kate Niemczyk and colors by Jason Keith I feel like they seem a bit to cartoon-like for the story, and Bêlit would’ve benefited by a more Gothic style art.
- Jason Jeffords Jr.
Cyber Force #9 (Top Cow Productions)
(w) Matt Hawkins & Bryan Hill (a) Atilio Rojo
As the title from which Top Cow Productions was launched, Cyber Force hasn’t had the strongest publication history. It was quickly surpassed by The Darkness and Witchblade as the studio’s flagship books. But this current iteration of the book by Matt Hawkins, Bryan Hill, and Atilio Rojo is well positioned to live up to the series’ potential thanks to a strong focus on making these characters more than X-Men knockoffs. Though relatively uneventful, Hawkins and Hill use the issue to focus on the trauma and anguish that Dominique is experiencing after her transformation to a cyborg, as well as forging her relationship with Ripclaw. Rojo’s talents are put to their best use here, as he makes each sequence emotionally affecting through his expressive artwork.
- Daniel Gehen
The Magnificent Ms. Marvel #1 (Marvel)
(w) Saladin Ahmed (a) Minkyu Jung, Juan Vlasco (c) Ian Herring
When Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan) first debuted I wanted to read anything related to her because I loved her costume and her powers, but with any good character Marvel pushed her into a dozen other books. With a new ongoing written by Saladin Ahmed now felt like the best time to start reading her solo comic; sadly after finishing I have no desire to go any further. The story never really dragged me into what was happening at the moment, and the fights never felt engaging, the art (Minkyu Jung, Juan Vlasco) was fine but the panels for the fight scenes felt stiff. I may feel this way because I never read her previous ongoing, but this is a new number 1 and should be able to stand on it’s on and make me want to carry on.
- Jason Jeffords Jr.
Blackbird #6 (Image)
(w) Sam Humphries (a) Jen Bartel
Damn, this book is pretty. Yes, there’s a lot to unpack here as the first arc of Blackbird comes to a close, but I can’t help but be enamored by Jen Bartel’s artwork. Between her linework and use of color, it creates a whole world that readers can be immersed in. But despite the ritz and glam, Blackbird #6 is about family, and the sacrifices parents are willing to make for their children. The centerpiece of the issue is a conversation between Nina and her mother, with is heartwrenching.
- Daniel Gehen