Review: Suicide Squad Volume 1 - Trial by Fire

Recognizing the necessity for Task Force X, the tough-as-nails Amanda Waller resurrects the program and recruits a handful of dangerous criminals into this so-called Suicide Squad. Under the field leadership of Colonel Rick Flag, she sends them off in service of their country. Should they fail, these expendable agents will be disavowed – or worse.

Suicide Squad Volume 1: Trial by Fire collects Suicide Squad #1-8 and Secret Origins #14, written by John Ostrander and illustrated by Luke McDonnell.

The great thing about this book is that it doesn’t read like an average work of superhero fiction. Writer John Ostrander pulls inspiration from military and espionage thrillers, adding a tinge of bureaucracy with international intrigue to the narratives. The tone is gritty, with an emphasis placed on action and the intricate psychology behind the characters involved. There’s also an undercurrent of uncertainty as Ostrander has a penchant for ensuring that not all characters return alive (or sane) from their missions. This book is simmering in its pacing, mirroring Cold War era storytelling sensibilities. Needless to say, Ostrander’s initial eight issues of Suicide Squad aren’t crowd pleasers that amount to light reading. They can be dense, challenging and slow in pacing, but they’re also complex and exciting.

The stories presented in this trade are almost entirely episodic. The trade begins with Secret Origins #14, which acts as a prelude to the series and gives us the origins of both Amanda Waller and the historical precedents to the then-current Suicide Squad.  It’s almost entirely composed of flashbacks, which are admittedly quite dull. The only valuable information gleaned from this issue is regarding the fateful mission that soured Rick Flag’s relationship with his lover Karin Grace and the circumstances surrounding what transformed Waller into such a hardened badass. The series itself then kicks off with a two-parter that sees the Suicide Squad venturing to the fictional country of Qurac to undermine the terrorist efforts of the Jihad. These two issues were a fantastic way to begin the series as its espionage tinted storyline requires the characters to travel to a foreign country, infiltrate the base of operations of a terrorist group, and face off against a cadre of colourful villains. It’s very James Bond in its approach and thrills from panel to panel. This is followed by a one-and-done issue where Darkseid’s Female Furies attack Belle Reve in an attempt to secure the escape of Glorious Godfrey. It’s an action-heavy story that highlights the individual capabilities of the Suicide Squad, as well as the incredible skill the Female Furies have as Darkseid’s top assassins. Another one-off issue sees Deadshot impersonating a vigilante stoking the flames of white supremacy in an attempt to undermine his efforts and to alleviate racial tensions in America (it’s unnerving how little has changed since 1987 in that respect). It’s a little out of place overall and overly simplistic in how it approaches its themes. This trade draws to a close with a three-part story involving the Suicide Squad going on a rescue mission to extract a writer from Russia who has been unfairly incarcerated. The mission goes south rather quickly when they discover she does not want to be rescued and when the Enchantress goes rogue. It’s an admittedly dated adventure that has Cold War tropes all over it. The Russians are all written as one-dimensional archetypes, but the action and concentration on deeper themes regarding free speech and martyrdom help to counterbalance this. Much like the introductory two-parter, this multi-part narrative is influenced heavily by the spy thriller genre and is an engaging follow-up to the 007-esque opener. Its aftermath, an (almost) action-free character study provides a fascinating conclusion to this trade.

What really draws me into John Ostrander’s world for the Suicide Squad isn’t the stories themselves, as they’re certainly fairly generic, but rather the incredible character work that he does. I’m most fascinated by the female characters in this collection. It should go without saying that Amanda Waller is the standout. Her gruff persona and take-no-prisoners attitude is highly entertaining, but there’s also an undercurrent of loyalty beneath that tough surface and her tragic past makes it easy for readers to empathize with her. Similarly, June Moone’s unique predicament of being the host to the evil entity known as the Enchantress draws sympathy from readers. The June and Enchantress personas are at constant odds with one another and that creates tension within the narrative as we’re unsure just how much damage the Enchantress will cause when she’s in the driver’s seat. Though she’s written in more of a supporting role, I also found Nightshade to be a really engaging character. She’s initially introduced as the team’s contact point in Qurac, having been working undercover within the Jihad, and her role then evolves into being an invaluable member of the Squad as the team’s resident teleporter. Layers of complexity are added to her character as we see that she has feelings for team leader Rick Flag and that she’ll push herself past her limits for the team. Aside from these three, Deadshot and Rick Flag are also standouts. Deadshot is an absolutely fascinating character who is unapologetic in his approach to relationships (or lack thereof) and his extremely grey conscience. He’s contrasted against the by-the-book Flag who becomes very much invested in this team and who appears to value life much more.

For those looking for the hilarity and insanity of the Suicide Squad film, Trial by Fire may not be an ideal read. It’s grim and gritty, with a decidedly serious take on the team. The bureaucratic aspects are played up, with the narratives playing out more like an Ian Fleming James Bond novel than your average superhero popcorn flick. That’s not a bad thing either. There’s a real sense of intrigue to the stories Ostrander created here and the characters have a lot of depth to them, with many being quite sympathetic despite being criminals or having questionable morals. Luke McDonnell’s art further compliments these stories. His characters are expressive and dynamic, with scenes involving the Enchantress being especially thrilling. He manages to make her seem genuinely creepy despite the fact that she’s dressed in green and wearing a pointy witch’s hat. Ostrander and McDonnell make for a great team. Together they make this collection of stories truly entertaining.

RATING: B

Review: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight Volume 4 - Time of Your Life

When Buffy and Willow head to New York City to learn more about the Scythe, Buffy is unwittingly sucked into a portal and is taken to the far future. There she meets Melaka Fray, the only slayer left on Earth. Buffy learns that a mysterious madwoman is responsible for bringing her into the future and that Melaka’s vampiric brother is plotting their demise.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight Volume 4: Time of Your Life collects Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight #16-20, written by Joss Whedon and Jeph Loeb with art by Karl Moline, Georges Jeanty and Eric Wright.

Despite being penned by Joss Whedon, Time of Your Life is the weakest of the story arcs from season eight thus far. It’s a four-part narrative that contributes very little to the overall direction of the season. Buffy gets plucked out of the present and spends some time in the far future with Whedon’s lead heroine from his comic book series Fray. It’s a diversion from the machinations of Twilight, but isn’t quite as fun or inventive as it should be. It’s fascinating to see Buffy in the role of a fish out of water by having her interact in an environment so different from what she’s used to. However, Whedon’s dialogue seems uncharacteristically immature at times. Buffy’s dialogue and overall behaviour throughout seems childish and vapid. At this point, she’s a woman well into her twenties who is the leader of hundreds of slayers. Whedon instead writes her as if she’s still in high school. She practically wets herself in excitement over being in New York City and then reacts like the dullest tool in the shed whenever she interacts with another person. Whedon seems far more capable of writing Willow and Kennedy as fully-formed characters here, as they are given more of an opportunity to be both humorous and serious (and act their age). In fact, I quite like Kennedy here and her dynamic with Buffy proves to be quite amusing following Buffy’s tryst with Satsu.

This collection concludes with a singular issue written by Jeph Loeb set in the style of the halted Buffy animated series. As a concept, it’s fascinating and the designs (drawn here by Eric Wright) provide really neat visual representations of the season one cast. Where Whedon explored the future with his four-part arc, Loeb examines the past. He gives both Buffy and the readers fuzzy nostalgic feelings by setting the issue during a simpler time in the titular slayer’s life. It’s filler, but it’s done in a way that’s far more creative than usual. It also works to show just how cool an animated series would have been for Buffy, though I’m sure we can all agree that it’d be better without Dawn lurking about.

Time of Your Life is the first real stumble the eighth season has had. Its inconsistent characterization and lack of progression is disappointing. By its final page, we’re no closer towards reaching the resolution of the Twilight storyline or knowing more about the Scythe. I wasn’t terribly impressed by Whedon’s dialogue for Buffy and his artist Karl Moline struggled to differentiate characters from one another (Buffy and Melaka’s sister Erin look like the same person). Loeb’s one-off issue was entertaining and held potential, making it the most enjoyable part of this trade.

RATING: C+

Review: Winx Club (Season One)

After a chance encounter with the fairy princess Stella, 16-year-old Bloom learns that she has mystical powers. She is subsequently transported to the world of Magix, where she enrolls in the magic school Alfea. There, she and Stella form a special team known as Winx Club with their friends Flora, Musa and Tecna. Together they must learn to master their special abilities and best the mischievous trio of witches known as the Trix.

Winx Club is an Italian animated series created by Iginio Straffi. Its first season consisted of 26 episodes and aired in 2004.

At its core, Winx Club is a healthy mix of She-Ra: Princess of Power and Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon with a dash of Harry Potter. The series owes a lot to the magical girl genre as it focuses on a group of teenage girls who transform into powerful heroines in order to fight the forces of evil. We’re introduced to the world of Winx Club through Bloom, a seemingly normal girl who was raised on Earth. She’s bright, inquisitive and moralistic. Much of the first season focuses on Bloom and her search for the truth about her past, much of which is a total mystery to her, as well as her blossoming relationship with Sky. Bloom’s character and her arc are surprisingly deep, as the season explores subjects like adoption and self-doubt. Bloom can be a bit bland at times, which is why it helps that she’s contrasted and complimented by her group of friends. Stella is the scatterbrained fashionista, Flora is the gentle environmentalist, Musa is the sarcastic music lover, and Tecna is the logical scientist. Their characters are mostly secondary in comparison to Bloom, but they are given their fair share of the spotlight. For instance, we see that Stella can be a bit of a screw-up and Musa’s interactions with her love interest Riven proves to be volatile at first.

The first season largely revolves around the Trix’s constant pursuit for power and their eventual mission to acquire the powerful Dragon's Fire. As antagonists, the Trix are nasty, vindictive and relentless. Though they initially seem like mere nuisances to the Winx Club, much like the Misfits were to Jem and the Holograms, their plots become more and more deadly as the season wears on. This cumulates in an intense and harrowing battle during the final episodes, where the Trix attempt to invade Alfea and the combined might of Magix must unite against them. This multi-part finale exemplifies the season’s pervasive darkness and maturity, which seems at odds with the demographic it aims for, and shows just how high the stakes are in this world. In fact, it is its tone that partly makes Winx Club so interesting in its first season. It is further helped by the directional quality the stories have, as the Trix’s schemes and Bloom’s identity crisis work are interwoven into an evenly paced arc that stretches across the entire season.

The animation is perhaps what is the weakest about Winx Club’s first season. The style itself is interesting and provides the series with a unique aesthetic, but the quality of it is both inconsistent and crude. Its usage of CGI makes everything seem dated and the backgrounds aren’t quite as detailed as they should be. The characters themselves also look awkward at times, both facially and when they move around. Action sequences also have a tendency to be rather static and laughable, which is unfortunate since the series depends heavily on magical conflicts. This unevenness also spills out into the voice work. The Cinelume/RAI English voices aren’t the best since the characters don’t sound distinctive enough and their line delivery isn’t the best.

The first season of Winx Club does a remarkable job of establishing a unique cast of characters and the magical world they live in. The concept itself isn’t wholly original, but its execution is bright, fun and entertaining. There’s a depth to the characters and their stories that is uncommon in most animated series aimed at younger audiences, which is actually quite refreshing. Overall, I appreciate the efforts made to create a series of overarching storylines that lead towards an explosive conflict in the season’s final episodes. Individual episodes can be a bit childish at times, but the general tone for the first season is consistent and its pace keeps audiences engaged. While the low quality of the animation and voice work hinder Winx Club quite a bit, the lovable characters and captivating storylines are enough to really illustrate why this series was able to transform itself into a profitable franchise.

RATING: B-

Review: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight Volume 3 - Wolves at the Gate

When a clan of Japanese vampires with shapeshifting abilities invade Buffy’s Scotland stronghold, she and her allies fail miserably against these vamps’ unusual powers. In order to gain insight into her new enemies, she seeks out the aid of an unlikely ally in her one-time opponent Dracula. With Dracula and a bevy of slayers in tow, Buffy heads to Tokyo in order to stop a plot to de-power every slayer on the planet.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight Volume 3: Wolves at the Gate collects Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight #11-15, written by Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard with art by Georges Jeanty.

Wolves at the Gate is a thoroughly entertaining read. It begins with a one-off issue penned by Joss Whedon titled “A Beautiful Sunset.” It functions largely as a prelude to the main events in this book, but it also ties up some loose ends and elaborates on the relationships between the characters. We learn that Satsu was the one who broke Buffy out of the spell Amy had placed on her, which subsequently leads into a rather surprising twist of Buffy and Satsu sleeping together.  It’s wholly unexpected and mildly out of character for Buffy, but it somehow works. I really like Satsu as a character and she seems more stable than the usual love interests written for Buffy. This issue also gives us a glimpse of the Big Bad Twilight, who admittedly looks like he could be a Batman villain. He’s not quite as menacing as I’d prefer, but it’s evident that he’s a real threat to Buffy seeing as he thrashes her pretty thoroughly in this issue.

The main story, “Wolves at the Gate,” is superb. Writer Drew Goddard plots a cohesive four part narrative that takes us from Scotland to the neon-coloured streets of Tokyo. He keeps the focus tight by concentrating on a smaller cast, but makes good use of guest star Dracula in that he injects plenty of hilarious homoerotic innuendo between the Xander and the iconic vampire. As a former writer of the television series, he already has the experience necessary for penning incredible dialogue with plenty of Buffyisms and punchiness. Beyond that, his ability to balance the interpersonal relationships with action is absolutely impressive. The primary conflict is Buffy’s struggle to prevent the Tokyo-based super vamps from taking away all of the slayers’ powers, but Goddard supplements this with Buffy’s somewhat awkward treatment of Satsu post-sex and with Xander’s blossoming relationship with the slayer Renee. It’s really engaging and it gives this storyline depth.

Wolves at the Gate is another strong offering from the season eight comics. Whedon and Goddard really put in the care to develop relationships that readers can relate to and root for, while also penning some incredibly funny dialogue. Goddard especially shines with the Xander/Dracula moments, as well as the hilarious and self-aware Dawn vs. Mechadawn battle. Georges Jeanty’s art remains perfectly suited to this title and helps maintain the high quality of this series.

RATING: A-

Review: Ultimate X-Men Volume 2 - Return to Weapon X

After Colonel Nick Fury goes missing during a S.H.I.E.L.D. assignment, the secretive Weapon X program kidnaps the X-Men and forces them to help in the rescue mission. They are tortured by the sadistic renegade John Wraith and the unscrupulous Abraham Cornelius in order to ensure their continued submission. Having earlier evaded Weapon X, Wolverine is the X-Men’s only hope for escape.

Ultimate X-Men Volume 2: Return to Weapon X collects Ultimate X-Men #7-12, written by Mark Millar and illustrated primarily by Adam Kubert.

In Return to Weapon X, writer Mark Millar re-imagines the shady government-sponsored program that turned Wolverine into the iconic Adamantium-wielding assassin. In the Ultimate Universe, Weapon X is employed by the United States government as an off-the-books organization that enslaves mutants for the purpose of performing black ops missions. It’s run by the extraordinarily cruel John Wraith, who is responsible for giving the orders to capture the X-Men and turn them into his personal kill squad. He fulfills a role similar to that of William Stryker in X2, though admittedly much more unhinged and aggressive. Scientist Abraham Cornelius acts as Wraith’s righthand and plays a crucial role in turning Beast blue in this storyline, which is an interesting  twist seeing as most other versions depict Beast’s transformation as self-inflicted. Nightcrawler, Juggernaut, Sabretooth and Rogue also make appearances as Weapon X subjects. There’s little depth to their characters, especially when it comes to Juggernaut and Rogue, but Nightcrawler is a standout for his continued reluctance to do as he’s told. We’re shown that he’s attempted to escape before and that he still has a clear sense of right and wrong, even though Weapon X’s scientists have attempted to weed that out of them.

Morality is one of the central themes in Return to Weapon X. Professor Xavier has taught the X-Men to never take a life in battle, but they’re clearly shaken after apparently seeing their mentor do just that to Magneto. Jean Grey is especially rattled and her feelings are exacerbated when Wraith makes it clear that he intends to use the X-Men as his personal assassins. Being involved with Weapon X also begins to change Jean’s perception of Wolverine as she begins to understand his actions and is humbled by the fact that he chose to embrace Xavier’s dream in spite of all of Wraith’s programming. Millar adds layers to Jean in this respect and she becomes the emotional nucleus of Ultimate X-Men through her insight and ability to forgive. Jean is also sharply contrasted by Storm’s reactions to the events of this narrative. Where Jean’s resolve and dedication to Xavier’s dream is strengthened by Weapon X’s evils, Storm questions the X-Men’s passivity and seeks retribution for what has been done to them through Wraith and Cornelius’ schemes. This leads to a bit of a schism within the X-Men and helps to illustrate that not everyone reacts the same when faced with traumatic events.

Return to Weapon X is an excellent follow-up to The Tomorrow People. Millar and Kubert continue to show their synergy as a creative team by delivering an action-packed storyline that has both depth and poignancy. The narrative feels like an organic progression of the events that preceded it and helps to build on the personalities and motivations of the X-Men, with a great deal of work spent on further developing Jean Grey and the relationship between Storm and Beast. The inclusion of the Brotherhood in the fight against Weapon X is also a nice nod to their involvement in the previous arc and it also helps to illustrate how badass Scarlet Witch can be. Millar continues to reinvent characters as well, which works rather well with both Wraith and Nightcrawler. He’s a little bit less effective with Juggernaut and Rogue, the former though receives a nifty redesign. His dialogue is iffy at some points too. The filler artists are also subpar in comparison to Kubert’s pencils, which creates a bit of a visual inconsistency to this collection. Nevertheless, Return to Weapon X is a creative and entertaining storyline with a clear set of themes.  The action continues to be explosive and many of the characters are relatable three-dimensional heroes. In this way, Millar and Kubert deliver the goods in Ultimate X-Men.

RATING: B+

Review: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight Volume 2 - No Future for You

When a rogue slayer plots to kill Buffy in order to claim leadership over the slayers, Giles dispatches Faith to assassinate her before her plan can come to fruition. In exchange, Faith will be given a new start in life. There’s just one problem – Buffy is blissfully unaware of Giles’ plan and she’s none too pleased when she and Faith cross paths again.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight Volume 2: No Future for You collects Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight #6-10, written by Brian K. Vaughan and Joss Whedon with art by Georges Jeanty and Cliff Richards.

No Future for You is a four-part Faith-centric arc that catches up with everyone’s favourite bad girl slayer a year after the events of the series’ television finale. She’s still in America where she’s doing the occasional odd job when Giles contacts her and recruits her in his mission to assassinate the rogue slayer Lady Genevieve. Faith ventures to England where she poses as an aristocrat named Hope and cons her way into Genevieve’s inner circle. It is then that Faith learns of Genevieve’s plan to kill Buffy, which throws her for a loop considering their rocky past. This espionage-tinged narrative provides an interesting avenue for Faith to take, as we see her playing a role that is opposite of who she is. There’s a lot of humour to be had there as well as we’re meant to see Faith as the Eliza Doolittle to Giles’ Professor Higgins, which later transitions more into a rather badass Emma Peel and John Steed reference in the concluding moments of the arc. It’s clever and helps us to see these characters in a new light. For Giles especially, he seems freer and more himself when partnered with Faith rather than wedged into having to be a mentor or father figure. It’s also refreshing to see Faith being treated as an equal and with respect by someone other than Angel, although it seems that Buffy is still stuck in her narrow high school mentality when it comes to her edgier foil.

Brian K. Vaughan’s dialogue is superb throughout his four issue run. It’s evident that he has a firm grasp on Faith’s character and this knowledge shines through brilliantly. Faith’s distinctive tone as a character is in each line of her dialogue and you can almost hear Eliza Dushku’s husky voice while reading it. Beyond that, Vaughan also digs deeper into her character through flashbacks. We understand her psyche and sympathize with her through references to her abusive childhood to her relationship with Mayor Wilkins to her complicated rivalry with Buffy. Artist Georges Jeanty emphasizes Vaughan’s work in his expressiveness and in his ability to capture the visual likenesses of the actors who played these characters. He continues to turn in incredible work that makes this series so fantastic.

A one-off issue follows Vaughan and Jeanty’s No Future for You arc written by Joss Whedon and illustrated by Cliff Richards. In it, Willow and Buffy take a trip to gain insight into Twilight. In the process they learn secrets about one another, which is particularly emotional since we’re told they’ve been spending very little time together after the destruction of Sunnydale. It’s an interesting issue and I enjoy the way in which we see these characters interacting with one another. Friendship was a central theme to the television series so it’s nice to see that carried through. There are some weird sequences (Buffy and Willow play a game where they exchange fantasies), more Dawn interludes and an uncharacteristically poorly designed demon, all of these serving as low points to this singular issue. That said, bonus points must be awarded to Cliff Richards as he manages to closely mimic the familiar facial features of both Sarah Michelle Gellar and Alyson Hannigan.

Admittedly, I enjoyed this volume far more than its predecessor. Brian K. Vaughan’s four part story starring Faith was really fun and refreshing, as we rarely got this level of attention paid to her during the actual television series. She’s portrayed as a central figure and the narrative he builds around her is one I’d love to see more of. His dialogue is consistently on point and the talented Georges Jeanty is there to deliver more fantastic art. The Whedon-penned one-off is great too, but it's Faith that's the real star of this collection.

RATING: A-

Review: Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 3 - Double Trouble

The scientist formerly known as Otto Octavius has returned to New York City to enact his revenge on Justin Hammer, the man he holds responsible for transforming him into the monstrous Doctor Octopus. When Spider-Man intervenes, Hammer publicly denounces Spider-Man’s actions and ignites a public uproar against the webslinging vigilante. Then, reality TV star Kraven seeks to boost his sagging ratings by capturing the most dangerous prey of all – Spider-Man.

Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 3: Double Trouble collects issues Ultimate Spider-Man 14-21, written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Mark Bagley.

Double Trouble takes a page out of the Batman Returns playbook.  Having successfully taken on the Green Goblin and the Kingpin, Spider-Man must now contend with besting two foes at once. Doctor Octopus serves as the primary villain of this arc. He’s escaped from S.H.I.E.L.D. custody and is hellbent on killing industrialist Justin Hammer for his role in the accident that fused metal arms to his torso. It’s clear that Doc Ock is unhinged and is evidently quite ruthless. Bendis and Bagley do very little to alter the character, as he’s depicted in a generic green outfit and his familiar bowlcut. That said, the technology behind his character is significantly different. His metallic arms are now capable of changing shape and carrying an electrical charge, which makes him much more menacing. Kraven, meanwhile, comes in as the secondary villain. Bendis and Bagley reinvent him as a reality star (how apropos!) and he’s depicted as somewhat of a Steve Irwin-type. The set-up for the character is done quite well and is structured as a subplot until Kraven and Spider-Man have their face-off during the arc’s conclusion. Said fight is abrupt and ends shortly after it begins, which diminishes Kraven’s reputation and his believability as a genuine threat for our hero.

It’s worth noting that Gwen Stacy gets a re-introduction in this trade. She’s reimagined as a bad girl and a bit of a punk, which contrasts sharply against her eloquent and pristine portrayal from the Silver Age. However, she serves a very specific purpose as shakes up the status quo that has been established regarding the roles everyone in the supporting cast plays. She’s disinterested in playing by the social rules of high school and she seems to take interest in playing the role of a troublemaker. Her first appearance hits the book like a bolt of lightning and she ends up as a scene stealer whenever we see her throughout this arc.

Double Trouble would have made for a great second arc to follow Power and Responsibility rather than Spider-Man’s crusade against the Kingpin. It’s brisk and feels much more appropriate for Spider-Man at this point in his superheroic career. The expansion of the supporting cast provides new dimensions to the series and Gwen proves herself as a standout character. Bendis and Bagley continue to work well together, though they don’t get nearly as creative with their reinventions of villains as they do with others (i.e. Gwen). Bendis’ dialogue has also improved markedly by this time as well. The teen lingo has been dialed down and the confrontation between Aunt May and Peter that results in his grounding is as intense as it is plausible. In fact, I’m becoming increasingly impressed by how Aunt May feels like a three-dimensional character rather than a geriatric caricature. Her concern for Peter is palpable and understandable. Thankfully, Bagley is able to carry the emotional weight required for scenes such as these (in addition to his dynamic action sequences). As a whole this arc is enjoyable, but it’s evident Bendis and Bagley are still playing it safe at this point.

RATING: B

Review: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight Volume 1 - The Long Way Home

A year after the destruction of Sunnydale, Buffy Summers has established a stronghold in Scotland where she leads a contingent of slayers against worldwide supernatural threats. With the help of her friends Xander and Willow, she must contend with the re-appearance of old foes and the mysterious new menace known only as Twilight.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight Volume 1: The Long Way Home collects Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight issues 1-5, written by Joss Whedon and illustrated by Georges Jeanty and Paul Lee.

Picking up after the conclusion of the television series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight presents itself as the official continuation of the beloved supernatural franchise. With this first arc, it’s clear that Joss Whedon was taking advantage of the comic book medium by writing in more visually striking demons and effects that would have been difficult on a modest television budget. He also transplants the series’ setting from the small town of Sunnydale to the sprawling green hills of Scotland. While all the characters sound like themselves, it’s clear from the get-go that this continuation feels like something different altogether. Everything feels bigger and like the stakes are higher. There’s a complete tonal shift, but Whedon is smart enough to include throwbacks that remind fans that this is still very much a story rooted in the Buffyverse.

The Long Way Home is a strong opening arc. Buffy and Xander are both leaders in an organization based out of a castle in Scotland, one which deploys teams of trained slayers to deal with a veritable smorgasbord of demonic nuisances. Xander has fashioned himself into a bit of a Nick Fury type while Buffy has settled comfortably into the role of den mother to hundreds of slayers. Dawn is skulking around the castle too and has been turned into a giant. It’s an odd choice and continues to beg the question ‘why did Dawn survive season seven and not Anya?’ These annoying Dawn interludes aside, Whedon handles the dialogue and pacing really well. It’s clear that he hadn’t lost the voices of these characters following the series finale. They’re still as funny as ever and we get plenty of punchy banter between Buffy and Xander. Whedon also deftly generates intrigue with the introduction of the enigmatic Twilight. Twilight’s purpose is unclear at this point, but the mystique alone is enough to create tension. He further deserves props for bringing back Amy and Warren as pseudo-henchmen to the bad guys. Amy poses a genuine threat when she re-appears, putting Buffy into a Sleeping Beauty-esque sleep and duking it out with Willow while she unleashes an army of zombies to keep the slayers busy. It’s really cool and proves just how badass Amy can be. It kind of makes you wonder why she wasn’t utilized as a primary baddy in season six instead of the eye roll worthy nerd troika.

Georges Jeanty’s art from the first four issues is impressive. He really knows how to capture the essence and appearance of the main cast – especially Buffy. He’s updated her wardrobe to look a little more tactical, but it’s still obvious that it’s her. Of course, it helps that he’s adept at capturing Sarah Michelle Gellar’s likeness. Jeanty understands the expressiveness necessary for pulling off the humour in Whedon’s dialogue, as well as how to render a compelling action scene. He also avoids posing female characters as props or models, which is a rarity in the comic book world. This helps to emphasize its nature as a spin-off of a TV series. The characters look, act and move the way we’d expect them to.

Overall, The Long Way Home is an effective and affecting opening arc for the eighth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The art is evocative and the dialogue is on point. The tonal shift works for the most part, particularly as it takes risks with the Buffyverse and allows it to grow in a way it never could when its titular heroine was stuck in Sunnydale. The changes that have happened since the season seven finale are organic and feel like a natural evolution of where we left off. Buffy, Xander and Willow are given defined roles within the book and each serve an important purpose. I also rather like how Andrew and Giles are utilized in their much smaller roles, as well as Amy’s presence as the arc’s primary villain. What The Long Way Home didn’t do was make Dawn any less annoying. The scenes she’s in feel wasted and the pacing would have been stronger had Whedon just written her off as being away at school. Similarly, the filler issue (#5) does nothing to really further the plot and feels more like a sharp diversion than an elaboration on the events that proceeded the destruction of Sunnydale. Even still, these are two minor problems in the minus column in comparison to a rather full plus column. The Long Way Home is enjoyable and brimming with potential. There’s a sense of direction here that is both promising and intriguing. As far as Buffy season openers go, this one ranks high.

RATING: B

Review: Ultimate X-Men Volume 1 - The Tomorrow People

With the mutant hunting Sentinels and the extremist agenda of mutant supremacist Magneto threatening to ignite a world war, Professor Xavier enlists the help of six young mutants to keep the peace and promote his integrationist beliefs. Though the world may fear and hate them, the X-Men must overcome this and learn to use their unique abilities as a team in order to save the world from total destruction.

Ultimate X-Men Volume 1: The Tomorrow People collects Ultimate X-Men #1-6, written by Mark Millar and illustrated by Adam Kubert.

From its very first few panels, Ultimate X-Men paints a far darker and direr picture of the world than Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley’s Ultimate Spider-Man. Mark Millar and artist Adam Kubert mine the darker impulses of 21^st century America by examining the increasingly relevant themes of discrimination and extremism. They focus on the allegory of mutants as minorities with unrelenting precision, exposing how very little we’ve come in terms of acceptance of those who are different from the accepted norm. The Tomorrow People introduces the X-Men as young, inexperienced mutants who are thrust into the roles of heroes without much training. They’re disenfranchised outcasts who society has cast aside. In this respect, it makes it easy to relate to and root for these characters.

The X-Men face the dual threat of the Sentinels and the Brotherhood of Mutants. Their first assignment as a team requires them to retrieve a mutant in the heart of New York City before he can be incinerated by the Sentinels. Naturally, the mission goes sideways and the X-Men are forced into a direct conflict with the Sentinels. It’s an exciting high octane way to initiate the team and showcase their individual abilities, as well as their shortcomings. Millar and Kubert also smartly include a scene in which the X-Men are jeered at after saving innocents from the mayhem, which helps to further emphasize the senseless discrimination mutants (i.e. people of colour and the LGBTQ+) face in this world. However, perceptions towards them shift after they save the President’s daughter from the clutches of the Brotherhood of Mutants and when they successfully defeat Magneto in an all-out fight to the finish in Washington, D.C.

The Tomorrow People is probably the strongest introductory storylines the X-Men have had across any comic book incarnation or adaptation. Millar introduces his cast with ease and establishes the central themes to the X-Men mythos in a way that feels modern and relevant. He excels at pacing and plotting, as he forges a very cohesive and evenly paced storyline that ticks all the necessary boxes to make this a good X-Men story. His very literal portrayal of Magneto and the Brotherhood of Mutants is chilling (but necessary) due to how closely it mirrors modern day terrorists. What is especially eerie about this is that The Tomorrow People feels very much like a Post-9/11 text, but much of it was written and published prior to those events. Where he’s less successful is in his characterizations of the X-Men themselves. Without question, Jean Grey is his most well-written character here. She’s kind and sympathetic, but also sassy and strong-willed. Jean is also a force to be reckoned with on the field and really shows off her skills as a field leader. I’m far less impressed with Millar’s portrayal of Storm. The decisions he makes with her character are problematic as she feels like an entirely different person in comparison to every other version we’ve ever seen. She lacks the confidence and willpower that is a trademark of the character, as well as her warmth and wisdom. Millar instead portrays Storm as a hot mess and a bit of a brat who is quite possibly the team’s biggest liability in the field. There’s also some awkwardness regarding Millar’s decision to have Wolverine (whose age is undisclosed, but we can only imagine is much older than the rest of the X-Men) seduce and sleep with Jean Grey (who is only 19). Additionally, Professor Xavier is nowhere close to being the pacifist we would expect him to be. He uses his powers without discretion and permission of others, while his dialogue skews less towards wise teacher and more towards stern disciplinarian.

Just as Bagley helped set the tone for Bendis in Ultimate Spider-Man, Kubert does the same for Millar in Ultimate X-Men. Kubert pairs well with Millar’s style. It’s very expressive and vibrant, but also has an edge to it. His aesthetic takes on a more real world approach, especially when it comes to costuming. The redesigns Kubert gave the X-Men are among some of my favourites. He updates the classic black and gold costumes for the 21^st century, giving us really cool and chic individual looks that act cohesively when viewed together. While Iceman and Wolverine’s costumes are a little lackluster, the remaining X-Men look pretty snazzy. I especially appreciate the risks he took while designing Jean Grey, who is given a short pixie cut, as she is visually portrayed much differently from what we’d expect of her. Kubert is to further be commended for his composition skills, as he creates some awe-inspiring splash pages and epic action sequences. He’s additionally quite adept at inserting little quirks here and there particularly when it comes to reactions.

In terms of plot and artwork, The Tomorrow People comes pretty darn close to being a homerun. Millar and Kubert create what very well could have been the perfect basis for an introductory X-Men film. The combined threat of the Sentinels and Magneto gives the narrative that essential feeling, but it also pays homage to some of the earliest adventures the X-Men had and really modernizes them for today’s audiences. Where The Tomorrow People loses points is in its finer details. When it comes to characterization, Millar portrays certain characters in ways that makes them unlikeable and almost unrecognizable. It’s not a glaring problem (yet), but it does shift which characters I like and relate to.

RATING: A-

Ranking the Seasons of Buffy The Vampire Slayer from Worst to Best

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is easily one of the most iconic and beloved supernatural dramas in existence. As the brainchild of a pre-Avengers Joss Whedon, the series was set in the fictional town of Sunnydale and featured Sarah Michelle Gellar kicking ass as the titular slayer on a weekly basis from 1997 until 2003. Over the course of its seven season run, Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a hit with fans and critics alike. That being said, it would be remiss to suggest that all of its seasons were created equal. In fact, many articles have been written contemplating the pros and cons of each. While there will never be an official consensus amongst fans, this will be yet another (highly subjective) attempt at ranking the seven seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer from worst to best.

SEASON SIX

Big Bad: Dark Willow

Best Episode: “Once More, with Feeling”

Worst Episode: “Normal Again”

Despite the fact that it boasts the impressive musical episode “Once More, with Feeling,” I find it difficult to plod through season six. Whedon and Co. are to be commended for taking risks throughout the season, particularly when dealing with Buffy’s attempts at being an adult and providing for her family (as evidenced in the hilarious “Life Serial”) as well as her coming to terms with her resurrection after being seemingly ripped out of heaven by her friends. The Dark Willow saga that unfolds over the last four episodes is as satisfying as it is unexpected. The epic Buffy/Anya/Giles versus Dark Willow fight remains one of my favourites from the series. My problem, however, is that this season takes forever to actually get to that point. We’re stuck with the bumbling nerd troika for a mind numbing amount of time while Buffy and her friends become exponentially more unlikable as they make a series of unforgivably piss poor decisions. Willow magically alters Tara’s mind (which amounts to a metaphoric rape), Dawn becomes a kleptomaniac, Xander leaves Anya at the altar for no good reason at all, and Buffy engages in a nauseating relationship with Spike that ends when he attempts to rape her. Also, Tara dies. Since this was the first season without Anthony Stewart Head’s Giles overseeing the group as part of the main cast, his absence is felt tremendously and is quite possibly why everyone goes off the rails at an alarming speed.

 

SEASON SEVEN

Big Bad: The First

Best Episode: “Chosen” (minus Anya’s death)

Worst Episode: “Him”

The seventh season gets a lot of hate for the Potentials. Sure it’s kind of like having a dozen Dawns running around, but they’re far from being the worst thing about this season. While Xander and Willow bounce back from their questionable behaviour in the preceding season, Buffy circles the drain as she descends into becoming a shrill drill sergeant who acts like she’s better than everyone else and whose every line of dialogue seems to drip with condescension. This is so pronounced that she makes former bad girl slayer Faith look like the nice one. The seventh season also gets demerit points for killing off Anya (Why?!).There are moments of brilliance though. I rather enjoy the introduction of D.B. Woodside as Robin Wood and how his character is woven into Spike’s backstory. The usage of Tom Lenk’s Andrew Wells as comedic relief throughout the season is hilarious and his split second wheelchair fight with Anya remains one of my favourite laugh out loud moments from the series. The idea of the First is also quite neat and is very much reminiscent of how Naoko Takeuchi conceptualized the primordial Chaos in her seminal manga Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon.

SEASON ONE

Big Bad: The Master

Best Episode: “Prophecy Girl”

Worst Episode: “I, Robot… You, Jane”

Buffy’s first season may have a fuzzy nostalgic place in my heart. Its episodes are atmospheric and concentrated more on the horror elements of the show. With witchcraft, insectoid demons and ventriloquist dummies involved, this season is actually quite creepy. However, I’d be lying if I didn’t say that it’s not quite as epic as the ones that followed it. Obviously part of this has to do with the fact that it had a limited budget and because the writers were still settling on a tone, but it also has to do with its infamous “monster of the week” formula. Nearly every episode in this season is self-contained and contributes very little to the actual overarching plot of the Master’s ascension. As a kid, the Master scared the living daylights out of me and he had incredible potential to be one of the best baddies Buffy ever had. Unfortunately, he’s trapped in his damn lair for the entire season while Buffy mostly reacts to a series of random demonic occurrences.

SEASON FOUR

Big Bad: Adam

Best Episode: “Hush”

Worst Episode: Both “Beer Bad” and “Superstar” are equally as bad for me

Season four gets a lot of flak from fans and is sometimes considered one of the worst. I couldn’t disagree more. Buffy’s singular year at college was memorable and breathed new life into the series. The Initiative was a mildly interesting concept and Riley even started out as a semi-decent love interest for Buffy. This season also marked the expansion of Emma Caulfield’s Anya, who basically steals every damn scene she’s in with her brutal honesty and flawless comedic timing. Buffy needed Anya to survive after the gaping hole that was left following Cordelia’s departure. While Spike was meant to fill this snarky role, it was Anya who became the new Cordy with her unique brand of humour. This season was shaky in parts, particularly towards the end, but there’s a surplus of amazing episodes that help to counterbalance this. “Living Conditions” is absolutely hilarious, “Fear, Itself” stands as one of the stronger Halloween-themed episodes, “Wild at Heart” featured Alyson Hannigan acting her butt off and the two Faith episodes (“This Year’s Girl” and “Who Are You”) set up a rather impressive crossover with spin-off Angel. This season also gave us “Hush” – quite possibly the best standalone episode from the entire series. The Gentlemen remain some of the creepiest villains we’ve even seen on the show and the cast showed they could still be funny even without the writing team’s snappy dialogue.

SEASON FIVE

Big Bad: Glory

Best Episode: “The Body”

Worst Episode: “I Was Made to Love You”

There are two huge reasons why this season is so damn good – Glory and “The Body.” As far as Big Bads go, Glory was different from everyone that came before her. She wasn’t some brooding vamp hiding in a crypt, but rather a stylish goddess living in a lavish apartment. She was equally as manipulative as Angelus and as darkly humorous as the Mayor, but she was much more powerful and was far more unhinged. “The Body,” meanwhile, is a poignant and powerful episode that deals with death and loss in a gut-wrenchingly sincere manner. It’s so good and so haunting that it’s actually quite ridiculous that this episode never netted the series an Emmy in an acting or writing category. Beyond that, season five is notable for Emma Caulfield becoming part of the main cast (yay!) and for the introduction of Buffy’s universally despised kid sister Dawn (hiss!). Dawn is a big reason why this season didn’t rank higher and her introduction did seem to mark a shift in quality of the series, particularly as it altered the chemistry and dynamic within the cast. There’s also the fact that she’s unbearably annoying. Even still, this season is full of great episodes like “Buffy vs. Dracula,” “Family” and “Triangle.”

SEASON TWO

Big Bad: Angelus

Best Episode: “What’s My Line (Parts 1 and 2)” and “Becoming (Parts 1 and 2)” are strong contenders

Worst Episode: “Ted”

By its second season, Buffy the Vampire Slayer really hit its stride. All of the main cast had been fleshed out and their roles were firmly established, which gave the writers the opportunity to play with their relationships and throw in a series of jaw-dropping twists. Xander begins dating mean girl Cordelia while Willow engages in a relationship with the werewolf Oz, a badass new slayer is introduced (and is subsequently killed – boo!), Buffy loses her virginity and Angel turns evil. This season was also notable for unleashing the vampiric equivalent of Sid and Nancy in the form of Spike and Drusilla. The psychotic duo and their electric chemistry injected this season with a kind of energy that the first was missing. Once evil Angel was thrown into the mix, all bets were off. The second season was tonally consistent and kept a solid pace as well, balancing filler with overarching plots (and comedy with drama) better than most others. I’d be hard-pressed to pick favourite episodes, but some of the standouts include “School Hard,” “Halloween,” “What’s My Line (Parts 1 and 2),” “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered” and the supremely creepy “Killed by Death.” Let’s also not forget the epic moment that was Buffy using a rocket launcher in “Innocence” and the tear-inducing final moments between Angel and Buffy in “Becoming (Part 2).”

SEASON THREE

Big Bad: The Mayor

Best Episode: “Graduation Day (Parts 1 & 2)” (though “Homecoming” and “Doppelgangland” are perhaps equally as amazing)

Worst Episode: “Anne”

I’ve got one word for this one – Faith. When Whedon and Co. introduced a new slayer in the form of the morally corrupt Faith (portrayed flawlessly by Eliza Dushku), they gave audiences an alternative to the righteous Buffy and illustrated how destructive the powers of a slayer can be in the wrong hands. Faith was mouthy, impulsive and rebellious, but she was also cruel, calculating and sociopathic. Her character arc was remarkably well-written and really showcased this beautifully broken shell of a girl who just wants to belong. This level of quality writing extended to just about every other character on the show, particularly as Cordelia pivoted away from her mean girl persona towards Scooby Gang member then towards jilted lover. The writers gave us plenty of Cordy’s legendary zingers and standout comedic moments (like when Buffy gains telepathy and discovers that Cordelia quite literally says what she’s thinking), but we were now finally able to sympathize and identify with her just as much as many of the others. Since I count both Faith and Cordelia among my favourite characters, my judgment may be cloudier here. Season three also alleviated the Buffy/Angel melodrama that made season two a little too soapy and focused on them working together as a team, while also delving deeper into the interpersonal relationships of the Scoobies. A good chunk of my favourite episodes from the series come from this season – notably “Faith, Hope & Trick,” “Homecoming,” “Band Candy,” “Gingerbread” and “Doppelgangland.” Its two-part finale is also something to behold. From Buffy’s final showdown against Faith to the Scoobies blowing up the school, “Graduation Day” gives us everything we could ever ask for in a finale.