Creative Staff:
Script: Christos Cage and Nicholas Brendon
Art: Rebekah Isaacs
Colors: Dan Jackson
Letters: Richard Starkings and Jimmy Betancourt
What They Say:
“New Rules Part Four”
After saving the world from Slayer-turned-supervampire Simone and restoring magic and the life of her magically created sister Dawn, Buffy is in the best place she’s ever been. There is a little weirdness going on, with the Slayer handbook’s pages suddenly being blank…But she’s back together with Willow, Xander, Spike, and Giles doing what she was meant to do as the chosen one: slay vampires.
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
It’s a funny thing when you try to write the rules of the universe into the Rules of the Universe book (otherwise known as Vampyr). It doesn’t work. It’s a catch-22 in the worst way. The monkey’s paw that never gives you exactly what you want because wishes always leave room open for interpretation.
This issue is probably my favorite thus far of Buffy Season 10, both from Buffy and Angel’s side. It set up everything it needed to prior to it happening. Something’s going to go evil Willow because they mentioned evil Willow as a trope (Andrew chimes in with a charming, “I wish I was a trope!” line). When Buffy, Spike, and Dawn go out for information gathering, they find no vampires even though they ALWAYS find vampires. Dawn, damaged in more ways than just Xander, grasps onto the pillow like she doesn’t want to lose something and of course there’s something she doesn’t even have. Willow, who chides Giles on his language usage, becomes the parent in their relationship because of Giles’ new body. Finally, from the last season, the Old One who they temporarily got rid of comes back better than ever. Hello Maloker.
I love it when things are set up so perfectly like that, but I LOVE when things are executed well. Dawn, who I’ve honestly always hated no thanks to Michelle Trachtenberg’s acting, is finally coming into her own five whole seasons after she was introduced. She’s been going out with Xander, but the magically created being was essentially reset and the memories are just now rushing back to her. She’s older now and she’s been through exactly what she’s experiencing already, so she thinks she can tough it out. But Buffy’s been through worse and NO ONE should have to go through what Dawn is going through alone—not if they have friends to help them. And Dawn does.
In Summary:
The most surprising part of this issue was, of course, Dawn. She was never an extremely strong character in the show because Trachtenberg’s acting was, frankly, bad. The emotional beats were ruined by her lack of ability (then, not sure about now) to act properly in reaction to them. But now, there’s not that crutch of acting. We see a face and we see words and it’s so much easier to see the pain in Dawn’s face as the emotions of losing her mother come back to her. It’s a powerful feeling that most of us have to go through and none of us look forward to. Now Dawn has to go through it twice.
Also I guess that stuff with Dracula was pretty cool.
Content Grade: A-
Art Grade: A
Released By: Dark Horse
Release Date: June 18, 2014
MSRP: $3.50
