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Post by Lola m on May 10, 2007 17:56:54 GMT -5
Wow. This was a good one! Yeah for Willow being back! And to turn to the second page and see ETHAN! that was a shocker! the ladies have naked Spike and naked Angel. The guys have nurse Buffy and slayers playing strip poker! (anyone notice in the strip poker scene the girl on the left is reading a FRAY comic!) ROFL Willow and Amy battle! Totally cool! Dawn dropping an F bomb! Language sweetie! ROFL So who kissed Buffy? I am going with Willow! Xander is too easy of an answer, plus he had a dumbfounded look on his face. Plus Amy tried to get him to try it last episode. Willow threatened peoples eye's. She said it was someone in that room. I dont see it being a nobody. So it had to be one of them two. Willow is smiling when Buffy finally woke up. So I say Willow loves Buffy. Ok that just sounds weird when I say it. Willow loves Buffy? If this is the case, then I am officially shocked!!! Andrew is bored stiff playing strip poker with hot slayers! OMG! Oh and as for the very last page! I freaking called it! I dont get many right but I nailed this one! You sure did, Mr. Smartypants! Awesome issue. I'm just bummed I have to wait a month for the next one. So, how do you think Amy did it? I mean, there wasn't even a body left to, ahem, use. So. . .. That is an excellent question, Onjel! My first rough thoughts are currently focusing on the idea of Warren's image was being used a lot around the time Sunnydale went all crater-y. I mean, TFE was using him, and Amy's revenge spell ended up having Willow conjure up the image. So, did Amy have an opportunity to conjure him up because Willow's mind pulled him sort of back to reality during the revenge spell? Did TFE sort of "use" him enough that he manifested in some way in the pit with the uber-vamps? I have a lot of half-baked possibilities, but really, down deep? I have not a clue!! I'm really really interested in how this develops. Yes! I wonder if it was the spell that en-slayered all the potentials that made her feel more integrated with magic? Or she's also used the time away to learn control?
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Post by Lola m on May 10, 2007 18:00:44 GMT -5
Oh, and was anyone else surprised when we saw Giles talking to one of the demons that were such a trial in the first issue? Didn't see that coming. That was very cool! And I like that it shows they are looking deeper, looking into what's behind all this stuff! Oh, yessss! Smlooosh! ;D ;D ;D Amy soooo deserved a good stepping-on. I loved the WTF looks on the slayer's faces when the zombies suddenly threw away their weapons and went all ballroom. ;D It'd be like "hack, slash, stab, . . . um . . . . what?"
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Post by Lola m on May 10, 2007 18:08:00 GMT -5
I think it was Willow too, but then she started talking about Kennedy and how they were taking it slowly and. . .. Yeah, that could be a sign of trouble between them . . . Well, there were all sorts of memories in there, so I took that to be an image of her high school notebook scribblings. Loved that Joss put himself in there. Yeah, I really wondering if Amy and the army guys are the "big bad" or not. I mean, we often got a misdirect in the start of the season. Like, Spike and Dru are the villian, but no! It's Angelus! Or, the Trio are the villian, but no! It's Willow! Right now, I'm leaning toward the idea of some villian demon dimension-spanning conspiracy thingee. But who knows! I definitely want the next comic here now! ;D Oh so very very very ewwwwwww.
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Post by Lola m on May 10, 2007 18:15:53 GMT -5
I think the next arc deals with Faith!!! I hope so! She's really the other "main" character that survived Sunnydale that we haven't seen yet. I've been wondering if she and Xander were together at one point (with him using her lingo and all earlier), but then again he was so emphatically saying that he's seen "plenty" of action that I'm leaning toward thinking Xander really hasn't really been seeing anyone. I don't really see a Buffy/Willow relationship either. Frankly, I can see more sparks between Buffy and Faith than with Willow. I equally don't really see a Buffy/Xander relationship work either. I tend to think of the three of them being so close, but like sibling close, so that a romantic relationship would not really click. Then again, Joss has always loved playing with gender roles and messing with sexual stereotypes. Waaaah! A longer wait will be harder, that's for sure! 'Course, I'm still gonna be happy that I'm getting Buffy stories.
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Post by Onjel on May 10, 2007 18:50:25 GMT -5
I think the next arc deals with Faith!!! I hope so! She's really the other "main" character that survived Sunnydale that we haven't seen yet. I've been wondering if she and Xander were together at one point (with him using her lingo and all earlier), but then again he was so emphatically saying that he's seen "plenty" of action that I'm leaning toward thinking Xander really hasn't really been seeing anyone. I don't really see a Buffy/Willow relationship either. Frankly, I can see more sparks between Buffy and Faith than with Willow. I equally don't really see a Buffy/Xander relationship work either. I tend to think of the three of them being so close, but like sibling close, so that a romantic relationship would not really click. Then again, Joss has always loved playing with gender roles and messing with sexual stereotypes. Waaaah! A longer wait will be harder, that's for sure! 'Course, I'm still gonna be happy that I'm getting Buffy stories. Well, he did say as how his parents have warned him he could go blind from the kind of action he's seeing, so I'm guessing you're right here, if ya know what I mean.
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Post by Sara on May 10, 2007 18:54:12 GMT -5
My reaction to the final page can be summed up thusly: holy FUCK!!
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Post by Onjel on May 10, 2007 18:57:34 GMT -5
OK, lots and lots of plotty goodness in this comic! LOTS! Whew! Gonna need a lot of re-reading, this one. Ethan Rayne!! Well, that was a surprise! ("And then I threw up in my mouth a little." **guffaw, snortle**) He's "hitched a ride" into Buffy's dream space; the dream space that Amy is holding her in. So, yes, we're seeing a mixture of Buffy dream material; memories, fantasies, the kind of reworking of reality that all of us do in our dreams - but also a layer of "collective slayer memory and prophesy". Amy has trapped her here, so she's seeing all of it, but also she is able to move within it, direct it, understand she is dreaming. Lucid dreaming, of a type. She's gathering clues, figuring out who is responsible, etc. (Makes me think of when the First Slayer walked thru their dreams. Also, I loved looking at all the cubes of different dream images - Joss is there! I'm sure I'll keep revisiting those images as we get further into the series. Amy's rat cage? Heeee!) And I bet we didn't see all of her dreamscape clues, either. I'll bet we'll see more as the season progresses. But Ethan is not part of her subconscious dream landscape (at least not this interactive Ethan she's talking with). Again, he says he "hitched a ride"; he's apparently trying to help Buffy, which means he's acting separately from Amy; he says he "can't see outside" himself, he doesn't even know Amy's name but he "connected" with her; and later he appears to be trapped himself, caged. Now, last time we saw Ethan, the Initiative was taking him away and of course we know army guys of some kind are the ones currently holding/working with Amy, so . . . . If Ethan is still held by them, then I figure he is trying to break free magically. Perhaps, looking for Buffy's and Giles' help? When they manage to help Willow escape ('cuz I know they will!!), will they find and free Ethan too? He'd be a good "inside source", he could help them in return, perhaps? And even without him saying it, I already knew that we all need to pay attention to/remember what we saw in the dreamscape - what hints we got from Amy's dreamscape. * * * * * * * Willow!!! Lots of intriguing stuff with Willow - number one being, to me, that she has not been hanging with the gang for a while. Xander is back from Africa, and long enough to have started up a flirtation with a slayer and get a gig helping to organize things. Andrew's been in contact from Rome. Giles is still very much in the picture, teaching slayers and researching and talking with demon clan heads and what not. But Willow has been having a "funky" time and obviously hasn't been in contact with the gang. Everyone is so surprised (happy, but surprised) to see her; she doesn't know the latest goings on, like Dawn being giant, etc. Sounds like she and Kennedy haven't even been that together, so . . . where ya been and what have you been doing, Willow? And then there is the big Willow and Amy fight! Like the back and forthing, the way Willow is "weak" but really is just absorbing the mojo, like she did from Rack and Giles; then she bests Amy (with squishy giant foot help) apparently, but of course this is also a trap. I liked how the attack had lots of layers. The light show is a distraction but so is the zombie army. Even capturing Amy is not the solution because "running a trace" is the trigger to open a portal and grab both Amy and Willow. Interesting wording that Amy uses - "we're contracted to bring in the slayer". Very army-lingo. It will be very cool if it turns out that creating the spell to trap Buffy in her dreamscape will ultimately prove to be the undoing of Amy and crew. If Buffy got enough info there to help defeat them, it would be a nice "hoist on their own petard" thingee. Lots of nice reminders of dark!Willow - "We totally have to talk. Are you evil again?" - and of course the final panel of eeeeeeek!skinless!Warren. Jeff, you are oh so clever to have called that one! * * * * * * * * The kiss!!! Hmmmmm. It looks like it has to have been either Willow or Xander. Well, actually, of course, it could have been one of a half dozen slayers or so too, but I'll bet it was either Willow or Xander. And frankly, I can make a good case for either one of them . . . . Most intriguing! * * * * * * * * The rest of the Watcher organization. I like seeing more glimpses of how they are set up. Like the castle where Buffy and Xander and lots of slayers are working. It looks like they have medical facilities there. And either medical people or the slayers have medical training - which is actually a good idea.) Modern technology is being used alongside magic and mystics now. I like seeing them using monitors and communication devices and so on. Heck, just seeing the scoobies actually communicating regularly is great! (Although it does make Willow's absence even more mysterious. The little snippet we got of Giles will be a development to keep an eye on. I like that the new Watcher's Council is being flexible, getting info where ever it exists, etc. It seems very right for how Buffy would want the new group to work - her flexibility and willingness to try new ways and ideas were one of her main strengths. (Of course we've already seen that they are emphasizing another of her great strengths - teamwork - in the training of new slayers.) I guess I don't really know if talking with demon clan heads is new for the Watcher's Council or not. We didn't see enough of their previous organization to know for sure. But they were so very anti-demon that I tend to think Buffy and crew will do things a bit differently in that area too.Andrew!! Oh, Andrew. He's playing what looks like strip poker with what are, I'll bet, a bunch of slayers. And he's bored. ;D OK, that's all I can think of right now. But there is sooooo much excellent plotty goodness in this one. I'll read thru your posts now and I'm sure I'll have lots more to say as I re-read! Not only was that very Buffy, but it was very Angel. He had no problems going to demons and demon haunts to get information, even having a regular demon informant. Sure, he used to beat him up a lot, but hey, guy's got to have an outlet, right? And, Buffy would go to the demon bar and beat up Willie for information, like she was at Spike's poker game looking for info on the Trio. I think that now that Giles is in charge The Council will do things very differently and be more flexible in how it gathers information and handles the demon realm. Not to mention the slayers.
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Post by Onjel on May 10, 2007 18:58:15 GMT -5
My reaction to the final page can be summed up thusly: holy FUCK!! Exactly. ;D
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Post by Lola m on May 10, 2007 19:11:04 GMT -5
I hope so! She's really the other "main" character that survived Sunnydale that we haven't seen yet. I've been wondering if she and Xander were together at one point (with him using her lingo and all earlier), but then again he was so emphatically saying that he's seen "plenty" of action that I'm leaning toward thinking Xander really hasn't really been seeing anyone. I don't really see a Buffy/Willow relationship either. Frankly, I can see more sparks between Buffy and Faith than with Willow. I equally don't really see a Buffy/Xander relationship work either. I tend to think of the three of them being so close, but like sibling close, so that a romantic relationship would not really click. Then again, Joss has always loved playing with gender roles and messing with sexual stereotypes. Waaaah! A longer wait will be harder, that's for sure! 'Course, I'm still gonna be happy that I'm getting Buffy stories. Well, he did say as how his parents have warned him he could go blind from the kind of action he's seeing, so I'm guessing you're right here, if ya know what I mean. **snortle**
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Post by Lola m on May 10, 2007 19:11:47 GMT -5
My reaction to the final page can be summed up thusly: holy FUCK!! Nicely summed. **nods a lot**
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Post by jeff on May 10, 2007 20:48:20 GMT -5
while I agree I can't see a Buffy/Willow relationship. I could see a Buffy/Xander relationship. They both have matured. They are not in high school anymore. We all know Xander loves her. I still lean toward Willow. But I think they will deal more with the fact that Willow loves Buffy but Buffy can't return that love. Although they have ran that storyline before, just with Buffy and (insert numurous male characters here.) So why run the same storyline with Will. Not that I would mind seeing some hot Will/Buffy scenes, even if it is in a comic book. I think it would weird me out a little as well. How can you justify seven seasons of them being together and now tell us she loves Buffy. I think it will be hard to pull off. Xander is a much easier story to pull off than Willow. So I can't wait to see where he takes us. It will probably take 6 months to figure it out , but I am in for the long haul!
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Post by Onjel on May 11, 2007 21:25:46 GMT -5
Yep. Definitely 8 weeks between #4 and #5. That's a long wait. Especially since I've just seen the cover for #5 and I really need to know what that's all about. Don't visit TFAW if you don't want to be even remotely spoiled!!!!
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Post by beccaelizabeth on May 12, 2007 12:41:00 GMT -5
Couple quick thoughts: Things are really speeding up, which is good. Ethan! Can't wait to see what be thinks of this development. Buffy's threesome fantasies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't wait until Lola gets her copy and squees along with me. be is pleased with guest star I'm not even quite Jossed yet, just slightly pre-empted. Cause the dream thing I was going to do in a fic. Also love that dream with the 3 of them. Keep finding new and more amusing details when I look at it. Hates the art in most of the comic though. Can't tell who some of the people is meant to be, which is a basic requirement of comics art.
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Post by Lola m on May 13, 2007 11:30:52 GMT -5
Couple quick thoughts: Things are really speeding up, which is good. Ethan! Can't wait to see what be thinks of this development. Buffy's threesome fantasies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't wait until Lola gets her copy and squees along with me. be is pleased with guest star I'm not even quite Jossed yet, just slightly pre-empted. Cause the dream thing I was going to do in a fic. Also love that dream with the 3 of them. Keep finding new and more amusing details when I look at it. Hates the art in most of the comic though. Can't tell who some of the people is meant to be, which is a basic requirement of comics art. I was thinking you'd be pleased with the guest star. ;D I am making myself get more OK with the images. I mean, I know all the legal and money permission issues regarding actual actors and so on. And I'm now having fun looking for the ways in which they imply the actor, without actually making it them. Angles and gestures, etc. And of course, the use of language. (I wish I could find the excellent info that . . . I think Jane Davitt? posted regarding the complexity of rights to image, etc., because they were so complete! The nuances of just how far they can go, etc. "Points of similarity" or something like that.)
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Post by LadyDi on May 16, 2007 21:44:51 GMT -5
Hey, Since I'm late to the party (as usual), thought I'd sum up...
"Great muppity odin, I miss that sex." I REALLY hate this line, for two reasons: 1) Any random string of syllables would make about as much sense as 'great muppity odin', and more importantly, 2) Buffy doesn't miss the provider, just the service. This is so crappy (IMO), I don't know where to begin. Disappointed in Dawn's growing pains being unrelated in any way to Dawn's Keyness. I think there's still a lot that could be done with that. Such a shame Joss just tossed it away.
Not an Andrew fan. Also, curious that he's complaining about the only black character in the original Star Wars verse. Racist? No. Just stupid.
I thought (hoped) mystery guy would be Spike. An interesting way of having our cake and eating it too. He could be here (in Buffy's dreamscape) while being in L.A. at the same time. Also, thought Buffy's little mindtrip would last longer and be more interesting.
I found The Image (you know the one I mean) mildly disturbing.
Sorry to poop on the party, but them's the breaks.
*******************Possible Spoiler**************** There's talk that Joss is working up to a Bander 'ship. Can't say I'm enthused. Xander's okay (sorry, Rob), but I just don't see him and Buffy together.
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