Saturday, February 2, 2008

The Buffy comic book: an exciting guest review - written by my amazing husband, Mark!

Before commenting on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer comic book, I should clear one thing up. Though many people would say that Carolyn Jean and I have a demented bias about Joss Whedon, I would like the state here, for the record, that we absolutely do not. We have arrived at the conclusion that Joss Whedon is the radiant god of all that ever has been or will be through the most careful, sober and objective analysis. There’s nothing biased about it.

That out of the way, I just read the first comic book that I’ve read since I was 13 years old. It’s the first Buffy comic (October 2007) that picks up right where the TV show left off, and it’s written by the colossal lord of creative genius, the maestro himself, Joss Whedon.

I have to say, although Joss, as I’ve established, rules the universe with his brilliant and benevolent hand, I wasn’t very excited about a comic book. That’s why it’s taken me so long to buy it. I just thought it would make me miss the show, and I didn’t want to open up that wound again and spend another year on thorazine mumbling Come back, Buffy! into the black TV screen.

But, on a whim, and because I’m fasting and delirious, I decided to pop into the comic book store I happened to be walking past and pick it up. So here’s the thing: It rocks!

Joss reigns supreme again! The comic has all the magnificent Whedon-ish humor and intrigue and his preternatural brilliance at building multiple dramatic arcs and his freakishly impossibly awesome dialogue. It’s just bursting with his charm and zazz and light playful spirit and the unstoppable lovable-ness of his Buffy character.

On top of all that, the art is superb! And Buffy even looks like Buffy, er, I mean, Sarah Michelle Gellar. Who knew comic books had gotten so sophisticated with all sorts of crazy perspectives and dynamic angles?

Anyway, if you’re a Whedon fan, which is to say, if you’ve ever seen his work (Buffy, Angel, Firefly), definitely pick up this most happy and excellent comic book. Joss Whedon rules! Buffy lives!

7 comments:

meljean brook said...

Yes! Yes! Yes!

(I have nothing to add but weirdly-orgasmic-sounding agreement, and exclamation points!)

Yesssss!

And I'm still crying that he backed out of the Wonder Woman movie project.

*sob*

...oh my gosh. Yes! Yes! then sobbing? This post is totally like sex.

Carolyn Crane said...

Meljean,
Thanks for your awesome comment - M richly enjoyed it, too. Oh, yes what is there to say about no Wonder Woman, and the tragic death of Firefly. So much tragedy. So much beauty.

bettie said...

I've been wondering about the Buffy comic book. I had my parting of ways with the "Buffy" TV Show when Marti Noxon took over the helm. But if Joss is writing, or even creatively controlling--I'm there!

lisabea said...

Nice job Mark!!! And way to make Meljean moan...get a ROOM girl!

heh.

Sarai said...

I love Joss Whedon you know he should rule the world.
Now I am totally going to have to break down and buy it as well.
Love the review Mark!

Angela James said...

Did you read the first comic issue or the The Long Way Home (which is the first five combined)? Just curious because I'm thinking of buying The Long Way Home and wondering if that's what you're talking about.

Of course, Meljean didn't steer me wrong with the Firefly fanfic...

Carolyn Crane said...

Bettie - Gosh, I guess we were so caught up in our Buffymania, we didn't notice a change in writers.

LB & Sarai, thanks for the feedback. I hope M will do more reviews. I doubt it will be a regular thing though.

Angela-
He read the first issue. He's planning on getting the next, though maybe he doesn't know about the combined five.

Fun fact: Thanks to M's boyhood love of everything comics, we have FOURTEEN boxes of old comic books in our closet, mostly silver age, Jack Kirby. Between those and our books, movers hate us.