Buffy Comic - Issue #33...Haven't We Done This Dance Before??

The biggest problem about writing critiques, metas, reviews, or posts about anything other than the daily routine of my personal life (which ironically is the one thing I don't feel the need to write about, because, ahem, boring), is that I am bound to piss someone off. Someone will see my post, something will push their collective buttons, and they'll either tell me it did or rant about it in their lj, on whedonesque, on a fanboard, forum, or chat room. As long as I don't know about it - ie, blissfully unaware, I really don't care. Actually I prefer not to know about it. The times I've found out about it - result in horrible writer's block, increased self-consciousness, and frequent post deletions. I become careful and cautious about what I am writing and I start worrying about offending my reader's delicate sensibilities - and as any good fiction writer, critic, or internet blogger knows by now? That's the kiss of death. We become boring when we worry to much about who we might offend. I should know that's how I write at work, clean, crisp, polite prose guaranteed not to offend a soul. Just the facts, hon, nothing but the facts.

But *creative* writing as any good writer knows is about taking risks. The leap of faith. You know the moment you write that first paragraph or sentence that if it is any good - it will probably be torn asunder by someone. Criticism is part of the process. I remember getting a lj post linked on Whedonesque, then being invaded as well as seeing my post ripped to shreds. People did come to my defense. But the old ego was burned. And I found myself being uber-careful with posts after that. At least until I got back to my comfort zone.

Anyhow, this is a rather long prelude to what amounts to just another review/critique/meta what have you on a comic book. And it is just that - a comic book. Based on a tv series that was created for teen girls back in the 1990s. Which has spawned a fandom and numerous and rather fascinating fanfiction, some of which I like far better than the published novels I've attempted to read this year. It's odd, in a way, I'd rather write a meta on the fanfic I am re-reading, but I'm still not sure how to write it. Plus writing reviews on fanfic seems to be ...well, weird somehow. Recs are fine. But critical reviews and metas...much like what I've done on Whedon's works...on fanfic, get odd responses. So...I'm thinking keeping my opinions to my self on the latter may be the better approach? Or perhaps safer one?

A bit on comic books in general before I start. Comic books get a bad rap. I don't know why. I've never understood why. But I don't know why soap operas or for that matter pulp detective novels and romance novels get bad raps. Sure there are horridly written versions - but that is true in all the genres. I've read some literary novels that I have no idea how they got published, let alone made it into the literary canon. They all have their moments of brilliance. You just have to slog through a lot of crap to get there is all. Nature of the beast. Hmmm, maybe that's why? Human beings, love them, but not noted for their patience.

Anyhow...this issue much like the last one, has a classic comics cover, and kudos to the excellent embers_log for figuring out that I'd much rather have Jeanty's jaunty take on a classic comics cover than Joan Chen's romantic painting. Starting to realize that I'd undervalued Jeanty's style - he is deliberately coping a specific type of comic art. It may not be my favorite style - too Jack Kirby and Bubble-gum for my taste, but it is definitely deliberate. I'm more of a hyper-realism girl.

This cover is satirical homage to the classic Hoboglobin or Return of the Green Goblin reveal in Spiderman, which has also been done in X-men, with the reveal of who Death was - the villian's main henchman who was systematically attacking, isolating, and killing the X-men. In both cases - the reveal was a friend or close lover of the hero. In Spiderman, the Hobgloblin/Green Goblin Take #2 (Take # 1 was Norman Osborn) - it was Peter's best bud Harry Osborn. In X-men, it was Wolverine. This reveal got all sorts of ooohss and awwwws. And drove up comic sales. Comics like most serials - like to do big plot-twists to garner sales or ratings. They don't always have to make sense. As one pal/critic stated regarding soap operas - they are emotionally driven, not plot driven, half the time the characters are just being thrown into situations for the emotional angst, even if it makes no sense whatsoever logically. Comics, I pointed out to him, are the same way. I don't think he appreciated that. So for that matter, I said, is Buffy - which, hate to break it to you, is written by a comic book/soap opera fan. He didn't appreciate that comment either. We used to have five hour long battles while eating sushi over this very topic. It was fun.

So what to say about this comic? Do you want the snarky review or the meta review? Actually not really giving you a choice. My birthday. And I will snark and make fun of the comic if I want to. Seriousness is on hold until tomorrow, at the very least. Read or not, that's your choice.;-)

I already knew about the big reveal before I read the comic - I also knew how Buffy reacted to the reveal. People have been commenting on it for months. Been rather amusing. Much enjoyment had by all. (I'm serious, there was much enjoyment, that's not snark). So there were no surprises. All of that had been leaked ahead of time. Thank you, Dark Horse. Not that I'm complaining. Made it easier in a way to enjoy the comic.
( Buffy Comic Review for issue 33 - Major Plot Spoilers Within for Buffy S8 and apparently for Dollhouse as well, sorry about that...I tried. )

ETA: The comments have massive spoilers on Dollhouse. Sorry I didn't catch that sooner folks. I tried to avoid spoiling above, but failed miserably. Mucho apologies to anyone who got accidentally spoiled for Dollhouse.