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Spike: Shadow Puppets #2
Not sure how this will turn out - v. scattered thoughts probably. This was another lovely issue, although I did have one (inevitable) problem. But let’s start from the beginning...
Do I need to say anything about Lorne's re-cap? It kinda speaks for itself... Although 'thanks to Numfar for making it all possible' is so tongue-in-cheek as to be almost criminal! *g*
p1. A horsey. And Spike’s therapy group! Including a floating green guy and a woman wearing a black hat w. a veil. Does anyone recognise them?
p3. I find it very interesting that Spike’s worst nightmare is (still!) ridicule. Please discuss if you like.
p6. And then Spike & Lorne get saved. ‘Vampire lemon face’ is such a brilliant turn of phrase that I’m kicking myself for never having thought of it.
p7. Pretty ninja girl likes handsome Spike muchly. Me like too. :) And...
p8. Beck! Wearing a lot more than last time we saw her! (But still with the same breast plate. Nice continuity.) And the cigarette! That Spike takes off her.. if ever anyone doubted the ‘he sees her as a little sister’ this should confirm it. Actually I love what Brian has done with her. In ‘Asylum’ she was emo!teen, and now she’s rebellious!teen (caring rebellious!teen). Which isn’t just nice character development, it also stops the character getting boring (*cough*Dawn*cough*). New issues good!
p9. Betta George! *cheers* Well if he’s going to turn up in ‘After The Fall’ (as is rumoured) he needs to be alive I guess (when *are* these stories set?). Also ‘I’m resurrected is all’ is great - ‘cause well, this is the Jossverse and characters get resurrected all the time. ;) (OK, so it’s totally cheap, but...) And ‘I heard it straight from the horse’s mouth’ is an irresistible line in all its silliness.
Plus it’s neat to see glimpses of the re-vamped asylum... think I missed the ‘Mosaic Rules’ banner on the first 5 read-throughs. But it really does look like a lovely place now - with a gym and everything. :)
p11-12. And the head on her pillow! *snickers* There’s a lot to be said for referencing the classics. And then... oh then we get to what is probably my favourite thing of all - Tok Shinobu. ‘Perchance I can be seduced, but never bought, handsome vampire.’ Also... ‘But you will refrain from any non-coital biting in my presence.’
*does the happy dance*
Now *this* is what I’ve been wanting for Spike. Warrior woman, completely self-contained and self-assured (and a bit bonkers too!), and as upfront about her attraction and sexuality as he. She could really be Spike’s Nina (you know what I mean). All of which is beautifully showcased on p12 in that delightful little knife display... ‘Heh, feel like a school boy.’
Sadly, I think the page is probably nigh on impossible to icon, but it would be *brilliant*. Maybe an animated banner? *muses* Because here we see why Spike’s been so out of luck (see waitress in issue 1) - he just wasn’t trying, since he wasn’t really interested. But now... How much do I fangirl Franco Urru? The shifts in expression are *perfect* and very subtle. Love it. It reminds me Spike & Faith in the basement - two people, fully aware of their power, playing games. So nicely done. Also reminds me of this:
Faith: No way are you prettier than me.
Wood: Little bit.
Since such is also the outcome of the Spike/Tok ‘attraction’ game. :)
(Actually this might be perfect for an icon? Animated of course... *whistles innocently and pushes towards icon makers*)
p14. Strings! And Evil!Pinocchio. Heh.
ETA: p17. Interesting little panel of our evil puppets:
[big alarm goes off]
Marco: Crap, now?
Fauna: Should we hold this off?
Marco: Dammit, we don't have time to "hold off," Fauna. Just do it.
What are they doing??? It looks like open puppet surgery... Hmmmm.
p18. ‘"Sod". Lass has a serious case of anti hero worship.’ Great line. And also stops Beck running around after him ‘making mooneyes’ (although she is obviously crushing on him).
p19-22. Apparently poor Framkin is still around... I hope this will be addressed. Anyway, then it turns into ‘Smile Time’ Take 2 - right down to the boxes - which is necessary, I know, since we need to puppet-ize Spike, but still makes me want to see something new. Ah well, I’m sure next issue will deliver. And this is a wonderful line:
Lorne: ‘I feel as though I should be on a lilly pad with a banjo. Is that weird?’
Actually ‘Gepetto’s workshop’ earlier on was a great shout-out to Lorne carrying an injured Puppet!Angel in his arms (‘Is there a Gepetto in the house?’). And having *two* puppets really is great. I wonder how having someone else to bond with will change things - or not. Spike isn’t the best at bonding.
And there needs to be Puppet!Spike/Puppet!Angel slash. A little time travel or something... very simple. Just have to make sure that they ‘have something going on between the legs’! *g* (Which reminds me of the talking Krusty the Klown doll: ‘I’m anatomically correct! Go on - take a peek!’ If you have not seen that ep. of The Simpsons, then shame on you!)
So... not a lot of non-shippy thoughts, sorry. But then shipping is a perfectly valid way of reading, right? :)
Actually, it kinda ties in with one of the things about writing fanfic - how it's made easier because the writer counts on the reader being familiar with the characters already. See f.ex. I might just borrow Rene from S8 if I ever need to give Xander a girlfriend, because it would be a lot easier than to invent an OC and spend time introducing her. Ditto here with Tok Shinobu - she's perfect for Spike, and if Buffy gets to have The Immortal... Everyone needs an 'orgasm friend', right? *g*
Do I need to say anything about Lorne's re-cap? It kinda speaks for itself... Although 'thanks to Numfar for making it all possible' is so tongue-in-cheek as to be almost criminal! *g*
p1. A horsey. And Spike’s therapy group! Including a floating green guy and a woman wearing a black hat w. a veil. Does anyone recognise them?
p3. I find it very interesting that Spike’s worst nightmare is (still!) ridicule. Please discuss if you like.
p6. And then Spike & Lorne get saved. ‘Vampire lemon face’ is such a brilliant turn of phrase that I’m kicking myself for never having thought of it.
p7. Pretty ninja girl likes handsome Spike muchly. Me like too. :) And...
p8. Beck! Wearing a lot more than last time we saw her! (But still with the same breast plate. Nice continuity.) And the cigarette! That Spike takes off her.. if ever anyone doubted the ‘he sees her as a little sister’ this should confirm it. Actually I love what Brian has done with her. In ‘Asylum’ she was emo!teen, and now she’s rebellious!teen (caring rebellious!teen). Which isn’t just nice character development, it also stops the character getting boring (*cough*Dawn*cough*). New issues good!
p9. Betta George! *cheers* Well if he’s going to turn up in ‘After The Fall’ (as is rumoured) he needs to be alive I guess (when *are* these stories set?). Also ‘I’m resurrected is all’ is great - ‘cause well, this is the Jossverse and characters get resurrected all the time. ;) (OK, so it’s totally cheap, but...) And ‘I heard it straight from the horse’s mouth’ is an irresistible line in all its silliness.
Plus it’s neat to see glimpses of the re-vamped asylum... think I missed the ‘Mosaic Rules’ banner on the first 5 read-throughs. But it really does look like a lovely place now - with a gym and everything. :)
p11-12. And the head on her pillow! *snickers* There’s a lot to be said for referencing the classics. And then... oh then we get to what is probably my favourite thing of all - Tok Shinobu. ‘Perchance I can be seduced, but never bought, handsome vampire.’ Also... ‘But you will refrain from any non-coital biting in my presence.’
*does the happy dance*
Now *this* is what I’ve been wanting for Spike. Warrior woman, completely self-contained and self-assured (and a bit bonkers too!), and as upfront about her attraction and sexuality as he. She could really be Spike’s Nina (you know what I mean). All of which is beautifully showcased on p12 in that delightful little knife display... ‘Heh, feel like a school boy.’
Sadly, I think the page is probably nigh on impossible to icon, but it would be *brilliant*. Maybe an animated banner? *muses* Because here we see why Spike’s been so out of luck (see waitress in issue 1) - he just wasn’t trying, since he wasn’t really interested. But now... How much do I fangirl Franco Urru? The shifts in expression are *perfect* and very subtle. Love it. It reminds me Spike & Faith in the basement - two people, fully aware of their power, playing games. So nicely done. Also reminds me of this:
Faith: No way are you prettier than me.
Wood: Little bit.
Since such is also the outcome of the Spike/Tok ‘attraction’ game. :)
(Actually this might be perfect for an icon? Animated of course... *whistles innocently and pushes towards icon makers*)
p14. Strings! And Evil!Pinocchio. Heh.
ETA: p17. Interesting little panel of our evil puppets:
[big alarm goes off]
Marco: Crap, now?
Fauna: Should we hold this off?
Marco: Dammit, we don't have time to "hold off," Fauna. Just do it.
What are they doing??? It looks like open puppet surgery... Hmmmm.
p18. ‘"Sod". Lass has a serious case of anti hero worship.’ Great line. And also stops Beck running around after him ‘making mooneyes’ (although she is obviously crushing on him).
p19-22. Apparently poor Framkin is still around... I hope this will be addressed. Anyway, then it turns into ‘Smile Time’ Take 2 - right down to the boxes - which is necessary, I know, since we need to puppet-ize Spike, but still makes me want to see something new. Ah well, I’m sure next issue will deliver. And this is a wonderful line:
Lorne: ‘I feel as though I should be on a lilly pad with a banjo. Is that weird?’
Actually ‘Gepetto’s workshop’ earlier on was a great shout-out to Lorne carrying an injured Puppet!Angel in his arms (‘Is there a Gepetto in the house?’). And having *two* puppets really is great. I wonder how having someone else to bond with will change things - or not. Spike isn’t the best at bonding.
And there needs to be Puppet!Spike/Puppet!Angel slash. A little time travel or something... very simple. Just have to make sure that they ‘have something going on between the legs’! *g* (Which reminds me of the talking Krusty the Klown doll: ‘I’m anatomically correct! Go on - take a peek!’ If you have not seen that ep. of The Simpsons, then shame on you!)
So... not a lot of non-shippy thoughts, sorry. But then shipping is a perfectly valid way of reading, right? :)
Actually, it kinda ties in with one of the things about writing fanfic - how it's made easier because the writer counts on the reader being familiar with the characters already. See f.ex. I might just borrow Rene from S8 if I ever need to give Xander a girlfriend, because it would be a lot easier than to invent an OC and spend time introducing her. Ditto here with Tok Shinobu - she's perfect for Spike, and if Buffy gets to have The Immortal... Everyone needs an 'orgasm friend', right? *g*
no subject
How?
There's two brief bits. The first is Lorne - Spike easily finds him in Vegas, which would not have happened post NFA, nor do I believe that Lorne would have helped him. But you can argue against that.
The second bit? Wesely is clearly still alive when Shadow Puppets takes place. Spike imagines Angel and Wesely and Illyria making fun of him.
Post NFA - he would not have imagined that.
And finally? IDW has said that they do not have permission to do any post NFA stories right now. So all the Spike stories and Angel ones must take place pre-NFA. Odd, considering Angel/Spike Old Lyne Syne felt like it happened post NFA, but that's what everyone working on the comics keeps saying.
Oh - Lynch also stated in an interview that Shadow Puppets takes place prior to NFA. Not that it is canon from his perspective. (Personally I don't think it is possible for a comic to share the same canon as a tv series...but that's my own opinion.)
So - it takes place before. Also makes more sense that it does in a way.
There's a few things in the comic that hit at that - Spike's second apartment that he has told no one about - and is in LA. His Angel Cards - that he clearly got the idea from Lindsey. And he appears to be in an emotional place that is different from where he's at in NFA - it's almost as if Lynch is filling in some of the gaps in Spike's arc and doing a brilliant job of it.
no subject
Both excellent points, and ones that I have considered myself. Although when Lorne would have found time in his busy schedule to run off to Vegas to do three shows a day I don't know. But it can be fanwanked, I'm sure... also unlikely is Spike setting up a detective agency and extra flat without anyone at W&H noticing, but it would explain what kept him occupied.
And finally? IDW has said that they do not have permission to do any post NFA stories right now.
Huh.
And he appears to be in an emotional place that is different from where he's at in NFA - it's almost as if Lynch is filling in some of the gaps in Spike's arc and doing a brilliant job of it.
This is definitely the most compelling argument for me - if something *feels* right and really, truly works, I'll happily fanwank/ret-con any and everything that might need it. FitBs they shall become.
Personally I don't think it is possible for a comic to share the same canon as a tv series...but that's my own opinion.
Oh we're on the same page there. Comics are like extra shiny fanfic in my world. But canon is what's on screen, end of story. What comics *do* give people though, is added material for fanfic, which is never a bad thing. :)
no subject
(Anonymous) 2007-07-30 05:58 pm (UTC)(link)Apparently - IDW and Dark Horse were told by FOx,ME and Whedon that they could do whatever they wanted with the characters prior to the episodes "Chosen" and "Not Fade Away" but were not permitted to write any stories about them post that period without flying them by Whedon first.
The reason was simple - Whedon gets first crack at whatever happens after those two episodes. From their perspective the comics could be considered canon and could influence the universe, I guess. Never really understood the restriction. But I knew all the IDW Angel comics were more or less pre-Not Fade Away because of it.
There may be a few that were let out - but only with the strict caveat that they are NOT canon or AU. Anything prior? Could be considered canon by these guys.
I agree with you - where Spike found the time to get locked up in Mosaic and Lorne found the time to do Vegas...I don't know. But Angel S5 was never very clear on when stuff was taking place either. Girl in Question appears to have taken place at least a month or two before Powerplay, but I'm not certain.
And like you said - you can fanwank it without too much trouble. Makes more sense to me that Shadow Puppets and Asylm took place prior to NFA than after, both character arc wise and action wise. Lynch may tell us in Angel After the Fall - whether they did and if they should be considered "comics canon" in the series.
(I'm calling it "comics canon" since it separates it from tv canon.)
The most telling argument for me is that Wesley is still alive in Spike's nightmare vision. That just isn't a possibility after NFA. Also they are chatting at WRH in the vision.
no subject
Makes sense. They're allowed to go sideways, but not forward. *g*
Girl in Question appears to have taken place at least a month or two before Powerplay, but I'm not certain.
Yes, there's a big gap there. Or post-'Time Bomb' at least. TGiQ kinda lives in its own little bubble.
Makes more sense to me that Shadow Puppets and Asylm took place prior to NFA than after, both character arc wise and action wise.
Same here. So although it makes it a little awkward to squish them in, I can do it without too much trouble. It's sorta the opposite problem to S8 - rather than being told 'Oh btw Dawn sees Willow as a mom even though there was never a hint of it on the show', we have an awful lot of extra stuff that was never referenced. And - as you say - it might be 'comics canon', which is different from tv canon.