I’ll be there for you.
Creative Staff:
Writer: Andrew Chambliss
Artist: Georges Jeanty
What They Say:
The uptick in the zompire population has the SFPD on Buffy’s trail again–but this time, they need her assistance. However, Detective Dowling must settle for a little help from the bleached-blond vampire Spike, as Buffy has become distracted by a rather personal problem that will lead her to Robin Wood.
The Review:
I’m going to admit right on the top of this review that I have mixed feelings about this month’s issue. It’s not a secret at this point that Buffy has a lot on her mind due to the surprise pregnancy that was revealed in the last issue. This month’s storyline focused almost exclusively on Buffy working her way through the life-altering choices she needs to make. There were positives and negatives to this setup, and I’m not completely sold on it.
Some things really worked for me. I enjoyed the flashback information we gained about Nikki, the slayer from the 1970s who survived a pregnancy and raised a child on her own. I love glimpses into the past, and these flashbacks were interesting both in their Slayer lore and in helping me understand the difficulty of the choice that Buffy must make. I also enjoyed hearing from Nikki’s son, Robin. He was drawn incredibly attractively, and he is a fascinating character on his own. I’m intrigued by the fact that Detective Dowling seems to be on his way to becoming a full member of the team. I hope we continue to get to know him better. My favorite part, though, is tied into my love for Spike. His undying support for Buffy takes center stage, and I always enjoy that. Oh, who am I kidding? I adore Spike, and his actions and reactions in this issue pushed my opinion of this month’s Buffy higher than it would have been otherwise.
I didn’t enjoy the lack of action, though, or that we didn’t get to see any glimpses of the Big Bads that have been so recently introduced. I think that this was my biggest concern with this issue. While Buffy handling the difficult decision about what to do with her unplanned pregnancy helps deepen her as a person, it doesn’t seem to be moving the overall plot forward. I’m worried about either decision. If she keeps the baby, then we have the problems surrounding her pregnancy and childcare. If she doesn’t, then the pregnancy was just a way to help her grow up and didn’t really change the overall storyline. Is it callous of me to feel that way?
So I sit mostly on the fence. I trust the creative team, and I’m ready to see what they have in store for Buffy and the rest of the gang. I’m also hopeful that we’ll get to see what Willow is up to in future issues or a separate short series.
In Summary:
I know that dealing with difficult choices like this one is helping Buffy grow as a character. She’s beginning to realize that she needs to move into her adult life. She is learning that she can rely on the help of her friends, but that her choices are ultimately her own to make and live with. The level of unconditional support she receives from Spike is heartwarming, and I especially loved the look on his face when she confided that she needed his help. I’m just not keen on the way the overall plotline slowed down with this arc. I think that the idea of making it be a two issue arc is a good thing, as we’ll learn the outcome quickly. I’m ready to wait and see, and trust in the fact that there is probably a bigger plan in place than I can detect at the moment. That, and I love all the attention Spike is getting!
Grade: B
Readers Rating: [ratings]
