Yes, I plan on doing this for every issue.

I'm a member of WikiProject: Buffyverse, and in the March/April role call, I made clear that my primary interest was in writing the plot summaries for the comics--not that that means anything, 'cuz it's first come, first edit. But so far I've been first come.

To chime in more on the Buffy/Xander thing...

I agree, while the big brother thing definitely happened, he never truly got over her, not even when he was with Anya. Remember that time that Buffy was wailing on Puffy Xander, and then gave Puffy Xander a hug? "This is the day you choose to hug me?" Yeah, a joke for sure, but that speaks of more than just the Xand Man's typical jokiness. It always reminded me of the feelings that he had/has for her.

It works. A little jarring, but it works. We shall see how Joss, that tease, goes with it...

By the way, not sure if I liked this better than #1. Upon further rereadings, no, it is not messy, like I originally stated. A little all-over-the-place, a little convoluted even, but not messy. I also agree about the unGilesness of Giles. That kinda bugged me.

But in a way, this was actually much more like an episode of the show. For some reason, I think when it was revealed that General Voll is working with the baddies, I was like, "Yup, may be a new format, but the same rules apply..."

Haha yeah. Although I'm not convinced she's dead. All that work setting her up as a romantic interest just to kill her that quickly? But I suppose that does have precedents with Jesse and Doyle. We'll find out in a month I guess.

Few thoughts since the .com thread's off the front page ...

I sort of agree UnpluggedCrazy, for me the dialogue wasn't quite as punchy this issue, though still good and very funny in places ("...exponentially prefixy", "You know I only have two of these outfits" etc.). I liked the structure though, it felt like Joss was being playful with us and really using comics and I thought the story was more substantial this issue (as you'd expect really).

Re: Xander's "you are the dark" line, well, the Sun lights the dark BUT so does the Moon. Willow's reveal shows her backgrounded by Moon, and the Moon has traditionally meant female power, Athena/Diana, and wisdom which leads to ...

Buffy makes a habit of taking the traditional angle (e.g. fairytale 'sleeping beauty' needs Prince Charming to rescue her) and turning it on its head. Out-there-crazy speculation but is it possible Willow harbours a secret 'desire' for the Buffster or could provide the needed kiss in some other way ? Or better yet, Buffy finds a way to do it herself (which is what I suspect will happen anyway, just more in keeping with The Message).

(though Buffy also says "That's what I meant" in response to dream Xander's statement as in, she's afraid of herself, maybe afraid of losing herself in the 'leader role' again as she did in S7 ?)

The Giles architecture has those Byzantine domes and spires so could be Eastern European or Near Eastern so Russia or Turkey are both consistent IMO. There's also a statue of someone on horseback shown so I wonder if it's actually meant to be a specific place (the look of it reminds me of pictures of St Petersberg which has a fairly famous statue of a 'bronze horseman' as shown here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Surikov_horseman.jpg ). That picture, BTW, is of 'Decembrist Square' in St Petersburg, so named because there was an attempted revolt there in December 1825 to take Russia from royal rule towards a freer system. Again, might mean nothing, it's easy (and fantastic fun ;) to get carried away with the speculation but are the Slayers maybe being set up as revolutionaries ?

Incidentally UnpluggedCrazy, Buffy is shown both in her dream and in real life as 'spread eagled' diagonally rather than in the traditional cruciform. Might mean nothing but that is the St. Andrew's cross, so named because when martyred Andrew supposedly chose to be crucified that way rather than as Jesus was because he felt himself less worthy. St. Andrew, possibly not by coincidence, is the patron saint of Scotland and his X-shaped cross appears on our national flag (The Saltire).

What the hell, let's push it till it breaks ;), in Greek Andrew means 'man' and (ale)Xander means 'defender of man'. Make of that what you will ...

(nice wiki too, BTW ;)

Also, "But that's so ... literal" made me smile. Seems apt for an issue with at least a couple of nods back to Season 6 given the oft-voiced complaint about Willow and the 'magic crack' ;).

(and we only see Xander's potential love interest stabbed, we don't see her 'run-through' or definitively killed so I personally doubt that's the end of her)

Very, very interesting about the St. Andrew cruciform. I was not familiar with that.

Hrm...I'm now thinking of editing the Wikipedia page to represent that...

Nice Greek translation thingy. I love analyzing this stuff way too much!

Though I don't think Willow's going to wake Buffy from her dream, at least not with the kiss of true love.

I agree that Buffy/Xander is too incest. If the story goes this way, I'm out.

It seems that everyone has said that if something does/doesn't happen, they "are out."

By issue #6, no one will be buying.

It never occurred to me that the Buffy/Xander thing was real...I thought we entered into dreamland with "Are you coming to bed?" and that it was all about Buffy fearing her darkness or being afraid of hurting the people she loves or something like that (you know, popping his head off with a kiss and all).
It seems very unlikely to me that either Spike or Angel would wake her (though I love the idea of them both trying & failing!) I keep thinking she'll wake from inside the dream somehow, but it doesn't seem like anyone she'd meet there would love her in the way that Amy says is necessary. As if we could trust Amy. Oh well, there's a reason that Joss is writing these things & not me.

I liked the jumping around of the comic (the "messiness"?) Felt just like a TV show to me.

Giles struck me a little oddly, too, but I think it was more the youthful way he was drawn than anything he said. I'm really looking forward to seeing him more developed in the comics. I missed him in Season 7.

I'll still be buying. Big Purp hasn't steered me wrong yet and so long as it flows, so long as the story still makes sense and the characters are still themselves, Make Mine Marvel (OK, Dark Horse but you know what I mean ;).

(gotta say, I also think people are reading way too much into what was clearly and explicitly a dream. Sure, it's probably laden with symbolism but I don't think one of the things being symbolised by Buffy and Xander getting it on is, well, Buffy and Xander getting it on - unless Joss subscribes to the 'frying pan over the head' school of symbolism ;)

Re: Buffy waking, they said it was impossible to wake yourself from The Matrix until The Kid did it (and possibly Neo before him). If there's a way she'll find it, she's the best there ever was, after all.

Giles doesn't have many wrinkles but I thought the likeness was pretty good (especially in the second to last panel of his section) and if his dialogue was maybe a bit nondescript it at least wasn't actively 'un-Giles-like' IMO.

Besides, #6 is the start of BKV's Faith arc. Wild horses (Dark or otherwise ;) couldn't drag me away ...

On first reading, the flow does seem very choppy, but it does come together somewhat. Need a second reading; some time today, I hope.

I have to say that none of the character artwork really clicks for me. There will be one panel where it's dead-on, and another that leaves me clueless whom I'm looking at. Not a make-or-break problem, though, especially knowing that the artists will change over the series.

Saje, I'm with you on St. Petersburg. Note the architecture of the church, almost completely neoclassical other than the onion domes. Toss in the bronze horseman and it's gotta be St. Petersburg.

I reckon Giles will be the one to give the true love kiss. Father's love, blah blah blah, etc.