Live Through This ~ Part One

I decided to do a proper critique of Live Through This ~ Part One because my post for Angel and Faith #1 was not really a critique, contrary to what the title stipulated. And because I did a review of Part Two and I felt I ought to be thorough and complete. I did hint and mentioned in my post for Live Through This ~ Part Two some of my thoughts of issue one for comparisons purpose, where I will further explain here.

Just like in the B stream issue one we get three covers for A&F's first issue. All the covers are doom and gloom set by the murky colours. First up, the official cover by Steve Morris. It's a gloomy, crescent moon night of inky, grey wash in a cemetery near London. We see the reconstruction of Big Ben, the silhouette of the London Eye and other structures towering over the horizon in the foggy distance highlighted in twilight glow. The cemetery is located by neighboring houses not too far in the distance. Our heroes pose for the camera. It's not a photo shoot but they are posing alright. Faith sitting gangster-like, high on a grave stone/tomb of our recently deceased Watcher. Right hand clasping a sharp stake with the middle finger of her left hand pressing down on its pointy end. Her heavy-boot clad foot steps forcefully down on a grave stone to crush a nasty looking mini demon as she placidly stares at the viewer. Angel with a slight more determination in his eyes stares down the viewer. Broad sword over his right shoulder and left hand searing with black smoke as he clasps tight the angel sculpted stone cross before him. He is serious about his forth coming atonement. The cover as a whole is alright but not brilliant. It's composition is cluttered which is why I only really like the inky skyline which has just enough detail to intrigue.

The alternative cover is by Jo Chen. This time Faith is in the forefront and Angel in the background yet they are back to back and each with their faces turned to look at the viewer. Both look strikingly like their portrayed actors (though years younger, especially for Angel. Hehe). Angel in his favourite black coat and Faith in a strapless red top/dress and tattoo on her right arm. Angel is expressionless but Faith has a hint of concern in her eyes. The background skyline is again the most intriguing in the cover with its vertical vantage point towering over heads we see an undamaged Big Ben and a glowing full moon veiled by grey clouds. The buildings are darker than the skies to anchor in the front and center for our heroes. There seems to be multiple sources of light in this picture probably from street lamps not in view but they are varying shades which is strange.

Last of the covers is the bonus 25th Anniversary cover for Dark Horse by Georges Jeanty. This cover is the most artistic of the three. The tones of blues and greens work well to create the drenching wet cold. The number '25' is drawn artistically as it slithers and begins to drip down the street flood drains by the current of water at its wake. The heavy rain is powdery as it hits the surface of the slowing flooding streets of London. The effect is done brilliantly. The drawing has been angled so that the viewer is staring upwards from the sewer drains at the two figures on the street. The dark structure of the in-reconstruction Big Ben with it's clock faces illuminated is seemingly a big mass of blackness on first sight with light refractions casting upon it from the glowing lamp post in front. But with a second glance I noticed the refractions were actually three giant demon faces with glowing fiery eyes and mouths. We can make out sharp teeth and possibly horns. Hidden are the demons in the shadow of the structure or shrouding the structure in darkness by the demons, this is a mystery. The illusion is incorporated well. Our heroes stand at each others sides. With the tails of his black coat bellowing Angel stares down at the number 25 sliding away. While Faith, in a red jacket and grey pants, grimaces out into the distance. We get a sense of foreboding dangers and threats but a beacon of hope as the sky clears over the heads of our heroes. Jeanty conveys the theme clearly in this cover as he also did for the 25th Anniversary cover for the Freefall ~ Part One where he placed Buffy in the midst of a cemetery to demonstrate her returning to her lonesome patrolling duties as the one and only Slayer. My one and only criticism of this cover is the bulky hairdo for Faith, resembling nothing like her but all else the cover is fantastic.

So the story begins in the past with a memory of Giles' recent past. I've already mentioned before that the drawings in this issue were done with care and effort. A dramatic open to the present with a full page and our heroes tangled in a 'knot' in the literal sense of the word. The scene is intense, with great colour and superb detailing. The vantage point is dramatic and exciting. They're in a living room, and Angel and Faith appear to be flying but wait, no, they are just in mid air held seemingly a flight in tangles of lengths and lengths of scaly red tentacles (with a nice contrast of purple for shadow) extending in the masses from a little girls' mouth. Gargh! She'd be choking if she weren't possessed by a demon! The little girl is, however, floating. Despite the odds Angel and Faith have things under control (or at least Faith believes Angel does); they tear the tentacles apart. Angel with his bear hands and Faith slicing them with a barbarian axe. Gooey-green-goo spray from the points of dismemberment. This full single page, the opening scene for our heroes came very close to being the most memorable page of the issue.

Skip ahead and they kill the 'thing' and save the girl. But in the process there is a really well drawn page where Angel is not only sprayed with the green goo (which for aesthetic effect appears to evaporate off him) but along with the splash of Giles' lost memory depicted around Angel in discoloured blues for effect.
 
I have to say I very much enjoy the scenes where Angel and Faith are on the streets of London or leaping from building to building in the scenes from Part Two. The cool dark blues and greys work well along with the sequencing and details of and within each panel. The quietness of the streets at night allow the dialog to flow better and, we, the reader get to know the characters a lot better. Although, I know that's what the thought bubbles are for but I prefer getting to know the characters from the speech bubbles more because actions and actual interactions are stronger and more true to personality. Beliefs and thoughts can sometimes be limited by the courage to materialise them.

Our first depiction of the villains are from a memory of the reign of Twilight. But the intro for Nash and Pearl I was referring to in my last post were a few pages later. The scene opens with Whistler talking to someone off view in a pub. It's all mysterious and intriguing as they keep us in suspense with the content of the conversation. Our first hint is Whistler handing a glass of beer to a blood drenched, pale, white hand. The contrast of the bright red to the white is striking. There's so much blood it's actually dripping from the hand. The next full page is the stunner. We look from behind the counter to see a pub and all its customers slaughter in cold blood and it appears like the killers enjoyed it. A red headed waitress' corpse hangs in the middle of the room from an ornamental silver light shade from the ceiling, her back towards us. A man was used as an extension to a dart board as we see his body stood up against the dart board on the wall with darts lodged all over is face and his chest. In the shadows, along the wall with the coat hooks human bodies, not coats, have been hung up with the hooks impaling through the throat of one and the mouth of another. Another corpse is slung over a pub table with shards of glass sticking out from the back and head. Other bodies lay around the room with heads scorched. Blood is splashed across the walls. The culprits stand clear in the middle of the pub. Caught "red handed," literally, if police entered the pub at this moment (not that they would live to tell anyone). Both have silvery, white hair and pale, white skin; pixie, elf ears; arched foreheads; blue eyes; and wolf-like noses. Bright, red blood drench their hands. Both wear classic whites and greys in a posh traditional style of clothing. Nash holds his beer and rubs his chin with his right hand, smearing the blood to his face as he ponders excitedly about the next stage in the plan. Pearl, with blood smeared over her dress stares intently at Whistler with a half smile. The rendering in this page is terrific. The silver and brilliant whites contrast extremely well with the bright reds. The villains bring fright to a new level. When I first saw this page, I likened it to when Spike and Drusilla first walked onto the scene together in 'School Hard'. They brought with them an air of spontaneous wickedness that was delicious to the viewer. Nash and Pearl have done the same in their opening scene and will hopefully bring much entertainment to this season.

So that's it. This post is way too long. But I've had the chance to describe all the scenes worth mentioning. The last one being the most electrifying. And I look forward to Freefall ~ Part Two.