What would you do to end the pain?
What They Say:
Faith faces off against a troubled Slayer and the Irish mob, which is no easy task with a visitor from her past clouding her thoughts! Even with support from Angel, will Faith be able to maintain her sanity and follow her new righteous path or will she take the easy route and fall back on her old, murderous tendencies?
The Review:
We jump right into the fray in issue eight with a full out Slayer fight. Nadira’s inability to manage the pain of losing her sisters to Pearl and Nash leads her to continually lash out at the other women in her new group. As Faith steps in to stop the discord, it makes her consider what Drusilla has to offer. Can Dru’s new pet help Nadira? What is it worth to end all that pain?
The pacing of this issue is wonderful. The tightly packed action of the first few scenes is a fabulous lead into the rest of the storyline. Nadira’s reaction to the opportunity to get rid of her mental anguish is a nice set up for what Faith experiences in the rest of the story.
We then move into more interaction with Faith and her father, where he brings out his true colors. These events give us even more insight into Faith’s character- flaws and all – and continue to build the bond between Angel and Faith. The way Angel stands up for her makes me love them as a team even more than I did at the start of this series. Her father’s request puts more blood on Faith’s hands, and watching Faith manage her pain and anger, then dash out to find a way to end the cycle, is very powerful.
I do wish we’d get a few more looks at Pearl and Nash, though. We keep getting teased with them, but I’d like to see the return of those characters very soon. I’m also still curious about what Faith’s father was up to at the end of the first Daddy Issues comic. Is the Irish mob the only one pulling his strings?
In Summary:
Angel and Faith continues to be one of my favorite monthly comics. With great pacing, a well-developed team dynamic, and amazing art from Rebekah Isaacs, I look forward to each and every issue. This issue was action packed with a side of excellent character development, especially Faith. The only drawback of the last few issues is the fact that I keep waiting for the return of Pearl and Nash. Bring back the big baddies, already! The dramatic ending makes me wish the next issue was already here, though, and for that I give his issue a full score.
Grade: A
