** The following review while careful not to reveal any actual spoilers from this issue, it does tease the reader with hints as well as spoilers from issues past. Please feel free to purchase this issue on Wednesday **
Very sexy issue of Willow here in #2. Willow’s journey takes her and Marrak further into danger and wonder as they embark and bond. I have lots of speculations about Marrak but I am definitely enjoying the character and dialogue and power-wise he and Willow compliment each other nicely. This issue was really well done from beginning to end and I find myself very interested to see where the series continues on from here and which if any of my speculations about Willow’s new companion may come to light.
All around this issue was just downright a lot of fun. Banter and interesting creatures abounded and I particularly loved the handling of magic. Typically the Buffyverse has a very “magic against magic / steel against steel” (Sword of Truth; Terry Goodkind) relationship where magic backs the brunt strength of either Buffy in her series or Angel in his. Magic is usually a stall, or an aid, which is probably why neither of them considered its absence fully. However, in this series there is no steel against steel, the Willow series is a series about a magical heroine, and it is very interesting to see a full-on magical Buffyverse. Magic against magic, in a realm of magic. (By the way, despite how awful that “Legend of the Seeker” show was, if you love both Buffy and Game of Thrones, the Sword of Truth series is definitely for you.)
As with the first issue, phenomenal art. Really, really loving it and it really has to be incredible to help keep up with what needs to be such a magical arc. I missed Willow just being Willow, and I don’t think I realized how much until Dark Horse gave her back to us. –N
