elisi | Spike: Shadow Puppets #3

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Spike: Shadow Puppets #3

Here we go again... page by page squee. There might be some actual thoughts hidden inbetween the rest, we’ll see. And be warned that this issue hit a lot of my kinks. Not ‘kinky’ ones you understand, just stuff that makes me bounce with glee.

p1 - 2. Poor Lorne. The freak. And again we see to what an extent he hides behind a persona.

(Also see Underneath: “What do I think? I think I'm tired. I think I'm sick and tired of wearing bells on my toes and making like everything's gonna be OK. [...] A simple plan that failed utterly, which is why I'm gonna heave my tuchis off this stool, strap the bells on, and with a smile and a quip, go back into the belly of a very ugly beast and pretend like I can help. Hmm. 'Cause that's what the green guy does.” )

But the side that gets highlighted in S:SP ties more in with the original ‘Smile Time’:

Framkin: “So much accomplishment despite your unfortunate deformities.”

I think one reason he wears such very lurid suits is that it gives people an excuse to look at him anyway... He’s a demon living in an alien world, and it’s not easy. Of course Spike barges in, being hugely indelicate. (Although - Spike asking for advice is... quite something. Just consider it for a moment.)

Oh and Puppet!Betta George is too cute for words. I want to buy one for my toddler! Right now!

p3) “Lift where your knees should be.”

“Angel could lift his.”

Oh so many funny lines....

p4) Yay! Biting!

p5) “Goldilocks has puppet leprosy.” *snicker*

p6-8) I love Tok fighting. Poetry in motion. Also for some reason Fauna (bottom picture p7) really works for me. There’s something about the chubbiness and the ballerina costume and the evil bitch ‘tude that is utterly delightful. Oh and the ‘child killer’ stuff is hilarious! :)

p9) “Later Tok-”

“Bloody Hell. I sodding hate Japan.”

“Stay in school.”

*falls over laughing* My dear, dear Lorne!

p10) Betta George’s face!

p11) “Yeah Lorne. Don’t be such a gitting, bloody sod... git. Right?”

“Seriously. I don’t sound like that, right?”

This is the joke that just doesn’t get old! :) Oh and then we get one of my favourite, favourite things:

“Raw fish, blimey.”

Beck using her powers to fry the fish is... sorry, I have no words. This is one of those moments when I can only squee. (As I said - kink. That is - someone casually using their extraordinary powers in an everyday situation.) Oh and the drawing is awesome too.

p12) “They are hideous. Surely they had more attractive stuffed anim-”

*snicker* (Oh and I’m presuming that ‘ascot’ should have been ‘mascot’?)

p13) Giant band aids!!!! *profound love*

“Pretty please, with sugar on top, bring me the head of William the Bloody.”

Have I mentioned how great it is for Spike to have his own comics?

Anyway, I’m deeply, deeply curious as to what Marco has had done to his face. Oh and when I first read this, I presumed they were gonna make an Evil!Puppet!Spike. Nice misleading. And very pretty picture. :)

Snuff the Dragon putting on glasses is a nice touch btw.

p14) The all-knowing guy with the giant head is an interesting addition. As is his language... It’s such a random thing to throw in. Can’t say that is bad. :)

p15 - 16) Gratuitous!Naked!Puppet!Spike. Heee. And Spike cheering Lorne (/telling him to stop being a baby). Bless. Also I swear I can almost see tears brimming in Lorne’s eyes. Wonderful artwork. Oh and this is v. funny:

“I wanted lots and lots of books jam-packed with incantations scribbled in long-dead languages that when recited wrong would open portals to universes with crazy versions of us. That’s just how it was done. Ah, the good old days.”

p14-18) Need to backtrack a little, and deal with the fight. It’s v. nicely choreographed, but it also hits what might be my overriding kink of all time: Competence. They way Tok and Beck battle away while Spike and Lorne talk (utterly unconcerned ‘cause they know the girls can handle themselves), and the way in which Tok ‘takes time out’ to talk to Spike, as though she were merely doing the cooking or something - it thrills me in ways you can’t imagine. Or maybe you can? It’s one of the reasons I love the Buffy ‘verse so very much, and why I love the later seasons more. Ditto later Harry Potter. Young kids winning the day through luck and perseverance - fun, but... meh. (Young) adults, winning through knowledge and training etc - I’m there. And I’m staying.

Anyway, I love it. And Spike killing the monkey with the lamp is of course squee-worthy in the extreme. *fangirls cool Puppet!Spike liek whoa* Was Puppet!Angel hot? I mean he was cute, and he was badass, but was he hot? I think it’s to do with the allure/sexiness of smoking. See?

title or description

Sexy Puppet!Angel! :) (I love drawing him btw.)

p19) Hee! Crush back on! (Also I *love* Urru’s work w. Tok. The third image is such a perfect ‘meep’ expression, but it’s done with just a few tiny little lines. Trust me, drawing expressions ain’t easy.)

“Technically, Christmas is a birthday-”

“Don’t talk for the rest of the day.”

*snicker*

p21) “And maybe he’s so stupid he thinks we’re simply ambushing Dicky in the park. But I don’t think Spike’s that dumb. I don’t think anyone can be that dumb.”

What are they up to??????

p22-23) Puppet!Angelus. I might have squealed with joy when I saw that panel. Yes the last line is probably too meta for its own good, but... Happy happy joy joy. And poor Fauna! Dude, Puppet!Angelus is nasty! *claps hands and bounces*

Now... before I start talking, I feel I ought to use this banner (made by

sueworld2003, I believe):

title or description

The thing is - we’ve never (in canon) had Angelus and souled!Spike meet. And OK, this is hardly canon, but it’s still a wonderful premise. I’ve seen it in fic of course, but... never with puppets! Squee! It fills me with much glee - the cuteness, the slashiness, the snark to come, the epic battle(s?), the icons... I think I might need a Puppet!Spike/Puppet!Angel(us) layout (banner). Might even draw it myself, so as not to spoil anyone...

ETA: The thing I really like about the premise, actually, is that it in no way involves some elaborate and complicated reason for Angel to yet again lose his soul. This is a completely new route, and it's great! :)

Now Asylum was all dark and stuff. But SP is pretty much pure entertainment, and that’s not a bad thing. See ‘Smile Time’ was a fun episode with a dark underbelly (one of the darkest eps of S5), and I know there are those who feel that this is just a shallow rip-off. But then, that *is* what the ‘verse so often did - sent itself up in glorious silliness.

As for all the character stuff, then there’s not all that much to say. Yes, we get more openness due to the puppetness, but becoming a puppet does not impact upon Spike in any major way, otherwise. When it happened to Angel it was a complete surprise - and he was embarrassed and uncomfortable etc. But Spike was forewarned (it was one of his ‘cons’ when weighing his options), and he has fellow puppets to ‘bond’ with. There is also the fact that when it comes to being different, he’s been there, done that, got the T-shirt. There was the ghost thing of course, but I’m more thinking about the chip here - he’s been helpless and useless and had people he could previously kill with the flick of his wrist consider him a joke. And although his powers are obviously somewhat lessened as a puppet, he’s still got them. And heck - he’s even got his sex appeal still... As we saw in issue 2, his main fear is ridicule. ‘Freakishness’ - or ‘being different’ - is something he embraces (“I see you - am man surrounded by fools.”)

And that’s all for now. Have to help the children tidy their room...

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Would agree with that. There's definitely more to it than it first appears.

And the art is just incredible.

Would agree with that. There's definitely more to it than it first appears.
The problem is that it's just so much fun that I fins it rather difficult to look beneath the surface... and also it's hard to judge before we have the whole story.

And the art is just incredible.
Amen.

I've been having thoughts about the art on this comic as opposed to the art on season 8 (which I pretty much loathe so far) but I don't know whether to post about it or just leave well alone.

Up to you I guess. I've thought about writing something too, but there's so many other things... Although one thing of importance, I think, is that Urru does his own inking. Jeanty's pencils are generally a lot nicer than the finished pages (IMO).

That could have some bearing on it but I fear it's Jeanty's style I don't like. I've never cared for manga.

Oh I'm not particularly keen on the style either. He has a nice line (nicer in the sketches, as I said), but he doesn't have the... I don't know... *something* that Urru (and many others) does(do). And that, I remember, is a complaint that goes right back to issue 1, way before stupid ret-cons etc. I think it was the picture of the crater that struck me as particularly lifeless. Not that you can do much with a crater, it's true, but it was just so particularly dull.

Ah well, I shouldn't be here - I should be off writing threesome porn! Yay!

Angelus was about the last person I wanted to see. It pulled be up, so I'm not sure I'll bother with the rest.

Angelus was about the last person I wanted to see.
Well it took me completely by surprise... I thought it'd be Spike, as I said, and then I thought it was Puppet!Angel, until Marco denied it... and then when the big reveal came I couldn't help laughing.

The thing is, Spike needs an adversary - someone to defeat. In 'Asylum' it was an internal battle against himself, all dark and tortured, but this story is rather different. And none of the puppets have been developed enough to have any kind of deep personal grudge against Spike (unlike Wiseau in 'Asylum', who had a Spike fixation all ready made). So... Puppet!Angelus is perfect. Not only does he have all the history and the grudges, he's completely disposable. (Even if the real Angel lost his soul you could hardly have Spike stake him - so this is, IMO, a minor master stroke! *g*)

I wish he would stake him!

I have no problem with their being an adversary, I'm just sick of the sight of Angel (or his alter-ego)

Well Puppet!Angelus is bound to get his ass kicked in many interesting ways. :)

And since I adore Angel, I don't have a problem with him turning up - even if it isn't in person...

My local comic shop had actually sold out of this when I went - fortunately I discovered another comic shop hidden in an out-of-the-way sidestreet in the sleazy end of town...

*spooky music*

I think this is a lot of fun - it's grown on me since the first issue - but it's still not inspiring the kind of deep thoughts season 8 has.

p10) Betta George’s face!

My favourite was actually p12, where he's hiding from the waitress behind Lorne's back, and looking completely adorable...

Oh and I’m presuming that ‘ascot’ should have been ‘mascot’?

Or possibly Beck's Spike homage has now stretched to using Cockney Rhyming Slang, and she was saying "Ascot Races"="faces"?

And Spike killing the monkey with the lamp is of course squee-worthy in the extreme.

It was pretty badass, but I was also slightly irritated by this scene - Tok and Beck fought the monkey for ages to no effect; Spike hits it over the head with a table lamp and it's out cold? Hmmm. Either he just used up a bunch of Drama Points (Buffy RPG reference), or the mutant superbrain also fanmutants Spike, and let him win...

Puppet!Angelus is nasty!

He is, which is weird if you think about it - after all, he's 'only' a vampire, the weakest of the demon races. I think it's the sheer ruthless viciousness, which is perfectly illustrated by his casual murder of Fauna here. Also, I was suspecting it was him from the very first line: "nothing would make me happier" just sounded Angelus-like for some reason.

The episode titles have been amusing me - "Once More With Felt", "Plush" and now "Two To Sew". I wonder what #4 will be? The 'next month' teaser has a big PVP on it, which claims to mean 'Puppet versus Puppet' but in light of Angelus' last comment I'm wondering if it's a misspelling of "PWP"?
;-)

*spooky music*
Hee!

it's still not inspiring the kind of deep thoughts season 8 has.
I would be deeply worried if it did! *g* For deep thoughts I'm waiting for 'Angel: After the Fall'.

My favourite was actually p12
Too many moments. *happy sigh*

and she was saying "Ascot Races"="faces"?
With Lynch, that's actually a possiblity... *ponders*

It was pretty badass, but I was also slightly irritated by this scene
Oh I know what you mean, but... *re-reads* Beck and Tok are fighting with swords & fire, but the monkey is obviously v. fast and avoids these very 'precise' weapons. Spike however goes for the blunt approach - whack it over the head with something big. Not elegant or anything like that, but very Buffy actually - using his environment and taking the easiest way out.

after all, he's 'only' a vampire, the weakest of the demon races.
Everyone says that, but I'm not sure its true. It's just that vampires aren't as organised as other species (I have been thinking about this subject lately, there might be meta at some point).

I think it's the sheer ruthless viciousness, which is perfectly illustrated by his casual murder of Fauna here.
Now that I very much agree with.

I was suspecting it was him from the very first line
I think I was reading too fast to actually think. *g*

but in light of Angelus' last comment I'm wondering if it's a misspelling of "PWP"?
Bwah! We might also finally discover if they are anatomically correct... *is very impatient*

*spooky music*
Hee!
Now I'm wondering if the shop will still be there if I go back, or if there'll just be a blank wall...

Everyone says that, but I'm not sure its true. It's just that vampires aren't as organised as other species.
I disagree: vampires seem *more* organised than many other demons, with their minions and rituals and Orders of This and That. However, I suspect that the "everyone" who says that - which, as I recall, means mostly the Nazi demons in 'Hero', Illyria, and the biker demons in 'Bargaining' - are being racist, puire and simple. Vampires aren't pure demons, they're demon mixed with humanity, which makes them tainted in the eyes of other demons.

On the other hand, that very humanity might be what makes them more dangerous... able to plan, to conceive of a different world, to adapt to a changing environment?

Now I'm wondering if the shop will still be there if I go back, or if there'll just be a blank wall...
ZOMG conspiracy!!!!

vampires seem *more* organised than many other demons, with their minions and rituals and Orders of This and That.
The problem of course being what other demons you compare them to... pretty much anything is more organised than Clem f.ex.

But, my point is - vampires organise themselves along families (The Master) or 'religion' (St. Vigeous), but compared to Sebassis (who has 30000 troops at his command), they're not in the same league. But as I said - I have thoughts. Will write. Am looking forward to what you make of it. :)

On the other hand, that very humanity might be what makes them more dangerous... able to plan, to conceive of a different world, to adapt to a changing environment?
Now that is a good point, and one that ties in with what I've been thinking.

Tok and Beck fought the monkey for ages to no effect; Spike hits it over the head with a table lamp and it's out cold? Hmmm.
Sorry for butting in - but Spike electrocuted the monkey, not just hit it over the head. The monkey was tough and could survive the hits from Tok, it was also very agile and avoided Beck's firebolts. And Beck was trying for precise hits as she didn't want to burn up the entire place.
But Spike managed to caught the monkey off-guard and electrocute it. Good for him. :)

I am still squeeing over this issue. So much squee and woobie all thrown into one package. You know I'm more of an Angel fangirl, but I'm right there with Tok with her squee.

p10) Betta George’s face!
I know, with the little fin in front of his mouth and the whole sad look. I may be looking for patterns for toy fish to knit. I blame this on you, you know. ;-p

I could keep going, but I don't want to highjack your journal. I'll just end by saying I have more glee over the last page than I thought was possible.

I am still squeeing over this issue. So much squee and woobie all thrown into one package. You know I'm more of an Angel fangirl, but I'm right there with Tok with her squee.
Squee is the keyword. I know S8 is a different thing alltogether, but I wish it had just a *fraction* of the squee content of S:SP. *shakes head sadly*

I may be looking for patterns for toy fish to knit. I blame this on you, you know. ;-p
Me???? What did I do?

I could keep going, but I don't want to highjack your journal.
Why on earth not?

I'll just end by saying I have more glee over the last page than I thought was possible.
Heeeeee! Here comes the slash....

Me???? What did I do?
I am extremely suggestible. You say toy, I say...oooh, shiny, where are my needles. Beware the craft geek with the short attention span and ample commute to knit during.

I am also html-fu deficient, so I can't do the nifty thing where the link turns into a word. So far this is the best one I can find.
http://www.amazon.com/World-Knitted-Toys-Kath-Dalmeny/dp/customer-images/0715312243/ref=/102-5930369-9825721?ie=UTF8&sort=newest&index=0&page=2#gallery

I am extremely suggestible. You say toy, I say...oooh, shiny, where are my needles.
Hee! (This, btw, is why I love LJ!)

And that is one lovely fishy... I am expecting you to post pictures of knitted Betta George, OK?

Link thingy is quite easy:

[a href="URL GOES HERE"]WORD GOES HERE[/a]

just use < and > instead of [ and ]

p14) The all-knowing guy with the giant head is an interesting addition. As is his language... It’s such a random thing to throw in. Can’t say that is bad. :)

The thing I loved about the language gag is that it's a prime example of something that can be done only comics. I mean, okay, there's this big-headed guy who claims to have invented a new language that everyone can instinctively understand. In comics, there it is: big-headed guy, making his claim, brackets to tell you he's using his special language, you're done. In prose, you'd have to explain this more, which would be labored, and in live performance, you'd have to hear the language, and so couldn't get the part where 'everyone instinctively understands it' - the audience wouldn't without a translator, and then you've got an entirely different kind of joke. Man, I love comics.

I adored the whole bit with the monkey fight going back and forth in the other room while Spike and Lorne talk. "Message received. There's no crying in baseball, check and check." Lorne was SO the perfect companion for this story. And his swirly puppet eyes just kill me!

The thing I loved about the language gag is that it's a prime example of something that can be done only comics.
Oh - now that's a wonderful observation! And yes, you're absolutely right! It's great when a writer makes as full use of his medium as is possible. *loves comics too*

I adored the whole bit with the monkey fight going back and forth in the other room while Spike and Lorne talk.
Made of pure win! And such a perfect Spike-like way of 'helping' and the dialogue is delightful - "No, you uncorked this bottle of whine, let's drink."

Lorne was SO the perfect companion for this story.
Definitely - and also because he got very little attention on-screen.

And his swirly puppet eyes just kill me!
I swear they actually brim with tears! Urru is a *genius*. :)

Love your review.

The thing is - we’ve never (in canon) had Angelus and souled!Spike meet.

Technically, it's not even Puppet!Angelus. It's Spike's view, Spike's idea of Angelus. It's "Angel's lame. His hair goes straight up and he's bloody stupid." I just hope Lynch goes this route and shows us a Puppet!Angelusbot who is constructed according to Spike's notion of Angelus - cruel and stupid villain who's obsessed about his hair.

Love your review.
Thank you! :)

I just hope Lynch goes this route and shows us a Puppet!Angelusbot who is constructed according to Spike's notion of Angelus
*hits self over head* Of course! Yes, I think that'll be it - because it'll be the perfect thing for Spike to work out any issues he still might have, and yet not bother the real Angel at all! :)

I love the Angelusbot idea too! And it seems likely to me because of Marco's reply to "Nothing would make me happier": "As long as something does, you mopey little git". And Angelus does look a bit pathetic and silly when saying that - just like Spike would think of him.
Yeah, their fight should be FUN!!

Love your review! I've been away and so come late to the party.
I squee over the same stuff - heck, I squee over everything in there. As for the lesson of the day for Spike and others: I think it would be something like working with others and accepting help. There's a lot of it running in all 3 issues: Spike's trying to be alone, Lorne not being helpful in #2 and Spike aggravated over that, Lorne trying to help and tearing Spike's arm off, Beck making daft suggestions and Lorne asking Spike that maybe he should ditch them and it culminates in Spike's talk to Lorne and Spike's breakdown afterwards, his exasperation with people around him making him soft etc. But I agree - we can't tell until we see the whole series. And the culmination will be in #4 anyway.

And the fight with Angelus - mmm! Now I see that as neat recap of Spike fears of death by a puppet and of Angel making fun of it - but what about death by the Angel puppet making fun of him in the process? That would be the worst nightmare of all!
And I agree about Spike taking his puppethood in a stride - he's been through so many humiliating experiences before and he's awlways bounced back. I think that part is more of a lesson of the day for Lorne - and Spike is perfect guy to give him that lesson. :) That it doesn't matter how freakish you are - just be yourself. In that it's similar to Angel's story in Smile Time: in the end he even goes after Nina, he no longer ashamed of himself.

Thank you so much for your comment, and sorry I've been so slow replying. RL is busy...

As for the lesson of the day for Spike and others: I think it would be something like working with others and accepting help.
That's a very good point and rings v. true. Thank you.

but what about death by the Angel puppet making fun of him in the process? That would be the worst nightmare of all!
That's *brilliant*! Hadn't thought of that, but it's wonderful. :)

In that it's similar to Angel's story in Smile Time: in the end he even goes after Nina, he no longer ashamed of himself.
So it is. (Sorry my reply is so brief, but partly I just agree with you, and partly I'm in a rush. Sorry.)

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Spike: Shadow Puppets #3

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