Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Posted : Friday, October 24 By : Ray Tate Print This Item

"Stake to the Heart" Part II

Writer : Fabien Nicieza Artists : Cliff Richards(p), Will Conrad(i), Michelle Madsen(c) ; Brian Horton Publisher : Dark Horse

As we near the end of one of the most successful comic book tie-ins to a television series, Fabien Nicieza casts Buffy the Vampire Slayer back to her origins in a story worthy of Joss Whedon, who is probably kicking himself for not being able to tell it himself. Creepy is the keyword followed by serious slayage.

While Angel tries to bottle the demons he inadvertently let loose on Buffy, the Slayer shows she doesn’t actually need help. The demon while formidable just withers when compared to this most powerful of Slayers, and that’s how she should be written.

Mr. Nicieza drives the point of characterization straight to the heart of his story. Buffy was not an inexperienced Slayer when she arrived at Sunnydale. She had already staked a vampire lord and his hapless undead minions. She lost a Watcher to the forces of evil. No babe in the woods is she. She’s a babe with wood and knows how to use it.

Mr. Nicieza displays Buffy’s intellect and the raw talent that Giles hones into the perfect weapon. She does not however need the nth experiences to defeat these demons. Her heroic nature is more than enough to save Dawn from a philosophy that these demons manifest.

Cliff Richards’ and Will Conrad’s artwork is almost disgusting. That is a compliment. When the demon wields her power, the splash page shocks the reader and takes her aback. This reader winced and let out an audible "eeeeew !" while watching the macabre duel.

Artist Brian Horton this issue illustrates more than bookend pieces for the title. His painted artwork very cleverly breaks into the Richards/Conrad/Madsen rhythm. The interruption acts as a believable lure and helps setup the layer upon layer of reality that Mr. Nicieza’s story tricks the reader into believing.