“The only reason to look back is to check out your own ass” – wise words from Harmony Kendall.
What They Say:
It’s a dark and foggy night in London, and Angel and Faith are about to encounter a most unexpected visitor. Superceleb vampire Harmony Kendall returns! When a stalker threatens to expose one of Harm’s misdeeds, she solicits the help of wayward heroes Angel and Faith. With her little pups, her friend Clem, and her Hollywood entourage by her side, Harmony is taking the UK by storm!
The Review:
After the first arc completes, and Angel has lost his opportunity to resurrect Giles using the Mohra blood, we get a one-shot issue interlude in the main plot line. Angel takes over as the main point of view voice, and is reflecting on the “simpler” life he had when he ran Angel Investigations. With a knock on the door, Harmony arrives to give him a chance to solve a small mystery like the P.I. he used to be. She’s being blackmailed, and begs Angel to help her uncover the plot before her reputation as the voice of “harmony” between humanity and vampire is destroyed.
The characters in this issue are over the top and funny. I get just enough Harmony to be entertaining without driving me crazy. Her intense ego and lack of ability to care about anyone but herself is used well in this story line. Her happy go lucky attitude makes an excellent foil for both Angel and Faith’s lack of ability to let go of the past. Will they take a page from her play book and learn to forget their own mistakes? Something tells me that’s not likely. Clem is another fun character. I often forget what tremendous power he can wield on his own. The dopey way he troops around after Harmony makes me laugh and I adore how he carries around her little yappy dogs.
I like the fact that Angel and Faith can be read as a stand-alone, separate from Buffy, but that there are enough connections between them to reward those who read both. I enjoyed the references to the “zompires” – a term coined by Xander during the current Buffy arc. I also appreciate the thought that goes into getting the mythos of the Buffyverse correct. This is especially clear if you follow Christos Gage on Twitter. He recently got into a small discussion there, tweeting about his rationale for allowing Angel to invite Harmony into what is actually Faith’s home.
In Summary:
Overall, this is a fun little side trip – a nice light break from the intense main plot lines. Harmony is her cheerfully narcissistic self, which I find entertaining in small doses like this one. Faith and Angel get a breather, which gives them some time to reflect on the paths their lives are taking. There are lots of great snarky one liners, showcasing Faith’s trademark blunt humor. Phil Noto’s artwork is different enough from that of Rebekah Isaacs to help delineate this as a one-shot, but still flows nicely with the world of Angel and Faith that I’m coming to love.
Don’t get me wrong, though. While I enjoyed this light tale, I’m really looking forward to the return of the “big bad nasties” of Pearl and Nash and their mysterious purposes. I’m looking forward to seeing the promised visit in the next issue of a “friend and foe” from the past. I’m dying for more Giles flashbacks. Keep it coming, team!
Grade: B+
Readers Rating: [ratings]
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