Comic Book Review - Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Willow SC
Rob reviews Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Willow SC...
Much like that seen in BOOM! Studios' ongoing Firefly series, Buffy The Vampire has had a somewhat transformation when compared to its serialised T.V. counterpart. Being presented in a comic book format has allowed Joss Whedon's 'Buffy-Verse' to be expanded far beyond the scope set up within the seven seasons of the hit television show.
One such character who's benefitted from this expanded storytelling is Willow Rosenburg. Whereas Alyson Hannigan worked wonders with portraying the character on T.V., the characters comic book counterpart has had far more character growth. And when Willow already had so much character, then this shows how complex the young-Witch is.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Willow follows the grief-stricken Willow as she departs on a journey of self-discovery. Set after the titular battle of the Hellmouth, Willow has lost her sense of worth and is battling with the awful feeling of loss. It's a deeply written tale that explores a very human story, set within that oh-so-familiar 'Buffy' style...
Willow soon finds herself in the picturesque town of Abhainn, and soon finds solace within the towns many cafés, inns, and its like-minded residents. The twist? Well, the town folk are all-women and are all Witches. It isn't long before Willow catches the attention of one of the residents, Aelara. Aelara soon takes Willow under her wing, and it isn't long before a strong bond forms between the two. However, Willows past experiences warn her that underneath this idyllic paradise, something isn't quite right - and it's a feeling that doesn't want to go away!
Where there is plenty to enjoy about Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Willow, it's a story that plays it on the 'safe side. Mariko Tamaki builds quite a menacing tale as Willow battles Abhainn's sinister goings-on. Yet the ultimate payoff is a bit of a letdown. The stakes within the story end up being quite low with an ultimately easy to win (and short) battle. The stories main antagonist is well...un-antagonistic, whilst this fits into the story that Tamaki is telling, all the build-up feels like it's going to boil down to "good vs evil". Whilst the ending is a little bit of a letdown, there's still a powerful message underneath. Despite falling in love, Willow realises that she's essentially being coerced into staying at the relatively say community. This then gives her a sense of worth as she decides to tackle her "problems" head-on rather than run from them.
Tamaki's attention to detail is stunning and she has captured the essence of the character incredibly well. All of Willow's quirks and mannerisms are portrayed well and her awkward, self-deprecating, shy, nerdy characterisation is all here - in its glory. This all works wonders when compared to Aelara, whose smooth charismatic approach contrasts everything that Willow isn't.
In terms of art illustrator Natacha Bustos and colourist Eleonora Bruni have created some wonderful scenes. The duo brings a strong, detailed environment to life with plenty of strong line work and a colour palette filled with cool colours. It's all used in great contrast too as each location (Sunnydale, England, and Abhainn) is vastly different from the other, and each has its style and flair.
Overall Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Willow is a great addition to the wider 'Buffy-Verse'. We get a somewhat sombre tale that sees Willow grow even more as a character throughout the journey. There's plenty of gorgeous artwork to ogle over, and some pretty solid writing throughout. With plenty of callbacks to past tales (and even the television series), this tale is worthy of your time.
Rating 8/10
Rob Lake - For more comic book and video game chat why not follow Geek Culture Reviews on Twitter and Facebook @GeekCultureRev
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