Review: Buffy the Vampire Slayer #11
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer:Â Jordie Bellaire
Art:Â David Lopez
Colors:Â Raul Angulo
Letters:Â Ed Dukeshire
Reviewer:Â Tony Farina
Summary
Buffy the Vampire Slayer #11 beings where the last issue left off. Kendra is in town and she assumes Buffy is dead because, why else would she be activated? Robin is still mad that he is her watcher and everyone is mad at everyone else. Seriously, they are all acting pretty irrationally and it is getting old. Anger and rage and stupid fights and more rage and more stupid fights and then, a showdown in the cemetery with massive surprise ending. Welcome to Sunnydale.
Positives
First, let’s talk about the variant covers. I know that is not really part Buffy the Vampire Slayer #11, but they are amazing. The one above of Kenda is posterific. The featured image on this review of Xander is a nice inside joke for the fans. Bravo Boom! Studios. Thank you.
The big reveal of the Hellmother finally happens here and so the mystery behind everyone acting irrationally is finally revealed. It was hinted at way back in Hellmouth #2, but now we finally see it all come to fruition and it is all pretty ugly stuff. David Lopez gets to shine here. Robin Wood is really affected the most by the Hellmother and his rage is literally written all over his face. Lopez shows this in each and every panel where Robin is featured and even in some where he is in the background. It is excellent visual story telling.
Negatives
Buffy has been suffering from too many charactersitus, which is a new disease I just invented. Cordy featured prominently in the last issue, but she isn’t even in this one nor was she in the one before it. Because these issues are only 26 pages long, we really don’t have a strong sense of continuum. I don’t think this is Bellaire’s fault entirely, it is just the nature of the game. Monthly comics can only be so long, but unlike Angel and Hellmouth, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is not containing it’s storyline. Those other books feel tight and this feels expansive. I suspect when next issue rolls around, the problem will be solved.
Verdict
I love Buffy. I can’t help it. Even when it isn’t good, it is still better than most other things. Seeing all these characters coming back to life, in high school, in Sunnydale is just spectacular. Whedon had me at that first cover and I will keep on keeping on. I think that when the Hellmouth crossover is all collected, these issues of Buffy will all click together nicely.
