Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: December 17, 2014
Price: $18.99
Writer: Victor Gischler
Artist(s): Will Conrad and Derlis Santacruz
Cover: Scott Fischer
Format: 136 pgs., Full-Color, Trade Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-6165-5503-0
Age Rating: 14+
ICv2 Rating: 4 Stars out of 5
As Joss Whedon continues to oversee the adventures of Buffy, Angel and others after the end of the various television series, the results are getting wilder. For those of you who have not been reading these comic book sequels, the basic story is that magic went away and then came back, with slightly different rules. Angel and Spike are still themselves, but most other vampires were affected in one way or another, as were other magical beings.
This collection of issues focuses on Angel and Faith learning more about these changes, and trying to cope with an altered world in various ways. Much of the story focuses on how much they both relied on things being "the same old story," and how hard it is to deal with major changes of any kind. While that makes much of the focus on their flaws, it gives the writer a chance to let them work through those flaws and possibly grow from the experience.
This is not a good jumping-on point for readers new to the Buffyverse, but for fans of the Buffy and/or Angel TV shows, the story provides insights into what might have happened later, without overwhelming the reader with details. For those already reading the new Buffy material, it's a very good addition to the series.
For older teens and adults, due to some graphic violence.
--Nick Smith: Library Technician, Community Services, for the Pasadena Public Library in California.
