Connect with us

Comics

Review: ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Spike’ #1

Published

on

Dark Horse Comics delivers more Buffy the Vampire Slayer goodness with a new five-part mini-series starring Spike. Who better to write it than Spike fanboy himself, Victor Gischler? Taking a fan favourite like Spike and giving him his own adventure away from the BuffyVerse is very risqué, but it proves to be a great choice for the brooding vamp.

The once terrifying vampire villain, “William the Bloody”, who relished in the murders of two slayers, falls in love with Buffy Summers; which, ultimately, leads him to fight to regain his soul… Intense stuff. The last time Buffy and Spike were together, he told her: “I don’t want to be the dark place you run to when things aren’t working.” Gischler, along with artist Paul Lee, work that concept cleverly into the miniseries. As the title, “A Dark Place”, suggests, Spike embarks on a journey to the dark side of the moon… Literally.


WRITTEN BY: Victor Gischler
ART BY: Paul Lee
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse Comics

The series opens with Spike as master of a steampunk ship filled with loyal, oversized alien cockroach minions that have been following him around since Season Eight. Refusing to sit around and wait for Buffy to get in touch with him, he orders his minions to take off and land his blimp on “the dark side of the moon”, in an attempt to gather his wits and clear his mind. Arriving on the moon though, loyal roaches Sebastian, Elizabeth, and the rest of his bug crew deliberate over what they have really accomplished by blindly following Spike’s orders. They observe their master excessive drinking, cruel insults, and his obsessive brooding over Buffy on a level only Angel could top. Gischler, who provides great characterization, and entertaining dialogue, is quick to call Spike out on his whining in the first few pages.

Spike, try as he might, can’t stop thinking about Buffy, and the memories are driving him insane. His minion friends refuse to sit back and watch their leader suffer in his misery, and they’ve had enough of his alcohol ridden diatribes. Fans, however, will not tire of reading Spike’s self-analyzing monologues, as Gischler captures the nuances of Spike exceptionally well. The bug crew devise a plan to help him out of his heartbreak funk, which appears to work… for a little while at least.

The moon turns out to be inhabited by its own group of evil baddies. All hell breaks loose after Spike and the crew learn what of their evil intensions are. Spike and his loyal roach minions have some serious ass kicking to do in space, lest they be trapped up there forever.

The issue is a pleasure to read for Spike fans. From Jenny Frison’s spectacular cover art that really sells itself with exceptional work on Spike’s beautiful blue eyes; to Paul Lee and Andy Owens’ bold and fluid efforts on pencils and inks. Lee’s draws Spike so well that he looks identical to James Marsters (a feat many Buffyverse artists have trouble achieving). Cris Peters’ colouring scheme is very inviting with its alluring greens and purples. All three artists move the narrative along smoothly with their combined efforts.

Victor Gischler writes a pretty depressing issue, but it’s also filled with comic relief. Surprisingly there is a lot of laugh-out-loud natural humor in this issue. Especially with Lee on board to draw Spike’s specific facial expressions to match his internal monologues perfectly. It all comes together quite well for a great first issue.

4/5 Skulls

Reviewed by – ShadowJayd

Comics

‘The Wicked Trinity’ – Preview New Archie Comics One-Shot Inspired by ‘The Craft’ [Exclusive]

Published

on

From Sabrina’s Magical World, Bloody Disgusting has learned this afternoon that Archie Comics will be releasing brand new one-shot comic The Wicked Trinity this coming June.

You’ll be able to meet The Wicked Trinity in the 32-page comic on June 12, 2024.

In The Wicked Trinity, “Sabrina’s magical nemesis Amber Nightstone and her sidekicks, Jade Kazane and Sapphire Gill, are intent on becoming the most powerful witches in the world. Isolated from so many around them, the three have formed a coven based on their individual needs for vengeance and true freedom.

“But when there is some dissent among the ranks, their small coven is threatened to be obliterated from within.”

The Wicked Trinity features a script by Sam Maggs, art by Lisa Sterle, colors by Ellie Wright, letters by Jack Morelli, main cover by Lisa Sterle, and variant cover by Soo Lee.

Archie Comics Senior Director of Editorial Jamie L. Rotante tells Bloody Disgusting, “When Editor-In-Chief Mike Pellerito came up with the idea of the Wicked Trinity—Amber Nightstone, Jade Kazane, and Sapphire Gill—I was immediately intrigued. I even had the good fortune to work on the script for Jade and Sapphire’s first appearance in last year’s SABRINA ANNUAL SPECTACULAR comic for younger readers. What I especially loved about these magical teens is that they could seamlessly transcend from classic-Archie stories into more mature, even horror stories. I was eager to start developing their world with a modern sensibility, taking cues from the great work of Kelly Thompson and Veronica Fish on our SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH series, and Sarah Kuhn and Carola Borelli on our recent DARKLING one-shot. Inspired by series like Charmed and films like The Craft, I knew there was so much potential to build up this coven in a story that beautifully blends magical fantasy with horror.”

Writer Sam Maggs previews, “Real witches writing real witches—that’s how we do things over at Archie Comics! I was named after a famous witch—Samantha from Bewitched—and so I grew up absolutely obsessed with everything witchcraft, devouring every book series I could about teen witches. That makes WICKED TRINITY a dream project for me. The power and energy of teen girls is absolutely unmatched (just look at the engine behind fandom culture) and being able to harness that metaphorically for a story like this is such a delight. Everything I write focuses on the power of female friendship, and this story is no exception. And what’s better than a morally grey female character? I struggle to think of anything. Cat familiars, maybe? Also, I’m totally a practicing witch now. So maybe if you read this, you’ll find yourself imbued with magical powers, too.*

Artist Lisa Sterle adds, “I can’t wait for people to be re-introduced to The Wicked Trinity! Witches, fashion, and Archie Comics; this is truly a magical trifecta and I’m so happy to have the opportunity to put my own personal stamp on this. I love to create stories in which girls find their own power, both from within themselves and through their friendships and coven. If you’re a fan of my Modern Witch tarot, you’ll find this comic just as magical.”

Exclusively check out the two covers for The Wicked Trinity one-shot comic below!

Continue Reading