Once again a great issue by this creative team. If the rest of the season would just be filled with only Dracula and his manservant Xander trying to come up with creative ways to abuse the book, I would be okay with that.

Allycat | June 18, 15:10 CET

Ya, really fun issue. Love the dynamics between the characters. But I'm sure the patented Whedon heartbreak will rear its head soon enough! All this camaraderie can't last, surely?!

Speaking of heartbreak. Poor Dawn. Having to relive the death of her mum. That is horrible.

On Slayalive, Stoney made a very good point about the reintroduction of the Old One as a way to pave the way for the return of Illyria...and that she could even be the "frenemy" Angel meets in A&F #6...

faith in Angel | June 18, 15:17 CET

Pared down SlayAlive post :)

The scene with Buffy/Dawn was great and I think Dawn has a real Giles issue going on - her memories/mind is older, not all her processing/maturity is up to date so her fade out then in again has warped some things for her. It isn't that she doesn't love Xander really, she just knows her current feeling for him is like a teenage crush and her 'older' mind knows the difference, even recognises the events that should be shaping it into deeper emotions. I can see how confusing that would be, understanding what should be there but feeling something so lacking.

The distinction of being souled has been featuring repeatedly within the issues so far. Buffy's references to her/Spike's past pre his soul, Spike's expectation the vampires would turn on them them in the first issue, Drac not being trustworthy and now Spike's ability to resist Drac's Lord status. I am wondering if, especially with Harmony due, Spike's S10 is going to work on whatever internal self issues (imo) had him accepting an unsouled hook up. If he sees a real distinction in having the soul, which with his own arc of course it would make zero sense for him not to, it logically follows he would see the issue with a partner being soulless. He clearly thinks there is a level of trust you can't expect. It works well alongside Buffy considering her love life parameters and expectations. That was touched on again here when she referred to never having moved in with a guy as if it was a barrier she put up rather than it being something she'd never considered. It could all end up with more Spuffy that they are deliberately leading the audience to see come about in a healthy/mature way or it could just have them both move forward at the end of the season separately but positively for them both and just manage the transition to friends. The potential seems positive in either direction, particularly if Spike's self opinion/worth will get examined and boosted.

I assume all entries Drac/Xander made hold true still so there is the potential of Maloker being considered Lord, if the book still links that Drac entry to the changed form of Maloker. If so, Maloker has his army now with both loyal new/old style vamps. The ones guarding the hotel certainly seemed to still be applying it. I would actually assume that Maloker hasn't 'killed' Drac and that he will, as he normally does, reform somehow/somewhere and that this will have been more that a door was opened and Maloker was able to force through it. The book itself appearing to reject things that Andrew was trying to write in was interesting. I would assume there is some controlling person/spell behind that because otherwise it implies some sentient quality.

I was pleased Buffy had considered Drac's betrayal even if she was still pretty blasé but at least not so stupid the potential hadn't even occurred! Minor art niggles this issue for me. There were 'odd' profile shot moments for a few characters and Drac's feet sticking out the bath just looked so weird it distracted me from the flow of the story. Xander also appears to be writing in the middle of the book and although I know it had started to fill before it was stolen it is a pretty sizeable tome so that just seemed odd. I did think RI might be improving a touch on Spike too. Although I'm still not enamoured she seems to have stopped squaring off his hairline as severely which is a definite improvement. Giles added his voice into how powerful old ones can't be destroyed so an Illyria reappearance seems almost definite, possibly who Angel bumps into from the past next? Also, angry li'l' Giles is just plain adorable.

[ edited by Stoney on 2014-06-18 15:30 ]

Stoney | June 18, 15:29 CET

I really enjoyed this issue. I love that we are seeing Giles struggle with his youthful mind/hormones, and I love the scene between Buffy and Dawn. It seems she is having the same problem as Giles, but all of her memories and only the emotions of a 14 year old are trapped into her adult body. I feel sorry for Giles and Dawn, I would not want to relieve those early teen years. I'm enjoying the camaraderie between Buffy and Spike, and the master/manservant relationship between Dracula and Xander. And the book rejecting Andrew's entries was hilarious. I loved Maloker the first time around, so I'm happy to see him again and everything it entails that an Old One can return.

hpgwbtvs | June 18, 16:57 CET

I have my copy of Buffy # 4,"New Rules Part IV."

I thought this was a very strong issue.Christos Gage and Nick Brendon are working really well together.The dialog is excellent and the art complements it very well.

The Buffy and Dawn scenes are the standout this issue and Dawn basically being reset when magic was restored makes sense and is a good explanation for Dawn's change in feelings for Xander.Basically going back to how they were when she was younger.I don't know if that will make Xander feel better or worse(atleast it's not because of his actions in season 9).Danw reliving Joyce's death is truly sad.

This whole plotline with Xander and Dawn so far has been a real standout IMO.Therir scenes together gtowards the end of the issue were actually pretty sad

I also really liked the Willow and Giles stuff and the role reversal going on there a bit.And yes I got a laugh out of the cleavage slip from Giles.Sue me,I like juvenile humor at times.I even enjoyed Andrew in this issue and the book spitting ink back at him

Maybe I'm seeing something that's not there but I really feel some paralleles between Dawn and Giles's situation currently.Dawn was psychologically reset while Giles was physically.They actually have more in common right now then either realizes.

The situation with the book is s realy monkey paw situation as pointed out in the issue.Base of the solicitation for issue 7,I hope Xander and Spike are smart enough not to fool around with it because it will backfire on them if they do try to write in the book.

Dracula becoming Maloker was a interesting twist and gave a good setup I think for the return of Illyria probably over in Angel & Faith(Maybe the frenemy in the recent solicitation).

So far Buffy's book has been a marked improvement over season 9.

[ edited by Buffyfantic on 2014-06-18 20:34 ]

Buffyfantic | June 18, 18:15 CET

Interesting seeing Maloker return. I agree that this means Illyria will almost definitely return at some point. I missed seeing Anya (aka her ghost?) in this issue, but I'm sure she'll be back later. Also, for anyone wondering if Lorne will ever make an appearance in Buffy or Angel & Faith, Christos Gage said this on Twitter:

"Joss said it was OK to do a Lorne story if we came up with the right one. I haven't yet. Don't want to do it just to do it."

libradude | June 18, 22:45 CET

Extraordinarily wonderful read. I'm half-way though. Just got to Willow's "Crap!" - I'm laughing out loud. It's so TV-like. Gage is the perfect writer for this book.

Liam Mars | June 19, 00:12 CET

The recurring Dark Willow gag is hilarious.

Simon | June 19, 07:05 CET

I am enjoying this series to a surprising degree! Good story, good art, it's making me laugh in many places. Just like the show did!

Xane | June 20, 15:57 CET

"Restore the original text to the book."

Brett | June 25, 23:51 CET