Spike: Shadow Puppets issue 4 summary and review

[moscow_watcher]

Issue 1 review Issues 2-3 review
The last issue's title is Doppelgangbang - a reference to another classic Joss episode that spawned a lot of fanwank and fanfics (including the ones written by yours truly). In this issue Spike's story goes global only to end on a small intimate note.

Previouslies are courtesy of Ratio Hornblower. Quite a bold move - to pass the narrative to a bad guy and make him quite funny. His remark about Tok "practicing the ancient art of ninja stealth by wearing a cande apple red costume" made me chuckle and suspense my disbelief, and it was the right thing to do because issue 4 is quite ingenious it testing the limits of writers' licence.

As Puppet!Angelus pierce Puppet!Spike with a sword and Spike, undeterred, attacks him with sais, two Evil!Puppet!Gunns join Angelus. It was the first surprise. I knew that many characters has to make guest appearances but I never expected two different versions of the same chjaracter.

The fight is kickass. Movements, facial expressions, composition of the page - everything is flawless. Flying stuffing - white and fluffy - reminded me an idea Alan Parker used in Bugsy Malone: he parodied classic gangster movies by substituting real guns with fake weapons that shoot creme (a homage to silent comedies, obviously). Urru achieves similar results with white stuffing instead of red blood: his visuals are unusual and a bit surrealistic almost-monochrome with expressive red splatters of Angelus shirt and eyes.

The dialogues are sparkling with humor and po-mo references: Spike to Fake!Puppet! Gunn: "Who's writing your dialogue, Chuck?"

As Spike fights evil puppets, Tok and Lorne climb the broadcasting tower and reach the stage where Dickie Duck is performing live. His act is broadcast all around the world. But turns out it's not a Dickie Duck. It's Smile Time posing as Dickie Duck and sucking life force from the audience. (Right. Aren't all these dumb politically correct children shows the products of the same Disney corporation?)

Meanwhile the number of Spike's puppet enemies grows. Puppet!Drusilla with Puppet!Miss Edit. (Puppet!Puppet - can you imagine something more surreal?) Three Wesleys: classic!Wesley in suit; bloodied!Wesley from NFA and - squeee! - new!Wesley (obviously, from upcoming season 6) - kinda undead, judging by the color of his skin. Puppet!Cordy and puppet!Connor in unexpected cameos. Half-Illyria, half\Fred (could it be another spoiler for upcoming season 6?).

But these enemies prove to be ineffective. They quickly forget about Spike and start to sort out their relationships. I wonder if's a reference to fanfiction - it's no secret that the majority of fanfics are focused on ships and dismiss plot as an unnesessary distraction.

Anyway, Puppet!Angelus declares that Smile Time has gone global and is sucking the energy from everybody who watches the broadcast. Nobody is safe. Even Joss Whedon and Brian Lynch who happen to watch Duck's performance.

It's the most surreal and the most hilarious panel of the issue. Partly - because of the current sutiation in the fandom: right now a shipper war is raging on Dark Horse forums and the most vocal is a shipper group usually referred as Ducks. So a panel with showrunners watching Duck's antics is a highlight.

But, besides unintentional fun there is an intentional beautiful (if a bit narcissic) metaphor on this panel.

Writer's self-insertion into the story is a tricky thing. Fanfic-y even. But it's a continuation of already established tradition (only on a bigger scale) and it works. In TV episode it was David Fury who played the role of a puppeteer whose puppets became stronger than him. It was an incredibly clever and subtle commentary to Fury's attitude towards Spike. In the comic it's Whedon and Lynch who are victims of their characters. Yes, the characters you create may suck you dry and leave exhausted and half-dead. And these characters may save and reinvigorate you.

Of course, our heroes save the day (as well as Whedon and Lynch). Finally, Lorne has a chance to shine. In the time of artificial TV starlets he's the one who knows about live performance, and Dickie Duck can't compete with him. Tok deals with the minions - dragon and Hornblower. Spike blows up the broadcasting dish with the "official cannon", Beck uses her pirokinetic abilities to burn the evil egg.

Yay team! And Spike finally has an epiphany: "I'm people who bloody damn well need people". On the last panel he accepts Mrs. Konikoff's invitation and plays mah-jong with four old ladies.

Looking forward to his adventures in "Angel: After the Fall". I'm intrigued by Lynch's approach although I'm not sure this game-playing with the audience could be viable on Angel: AtF. Spike Shadow Puppets is a perfect playground for post-modernist experiments because of its quirky, whimsical premise. I think A:AtF needs more straightforward storytelling. Anyway, Joss Whedon has inserted himself into Buffy's dreamspace and it was quite cute and funny. Although in reality it's the other way around.

Is it November already?

P.S. There is a fanfic very similar to the ambience of issue 4 - Buffy the Cliche Slayer by Steve-0 Highly recommended. :)))

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/woman_of_/]

Oh that sounds exciting, and so many under-currents. I cannot wait to get my copy!

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

Hope I haven't spoiled the fun for you! :)

[http://users.livejournal.com/woman_of_/]

Oh no! We have a postal strike in the UK, and so I will not get my copy until next week now :-(. Totally my own decision to read spoilers

[shapinglight]

Great review Moscow and this But these enemies prove to be ineffective. They quickly forget about Spike and start to sort out their relationships. I wonder if's a reference to fanfiction - it's no secret that the majority of fanfics are focused on ships and dismiss plot as an unnesessary distraction. is so very true.

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

Thanks!
I think Brian is experimenting with diminishing the gap between official and unofficial art. He's interacting with fans more actively than Buffy writers. Judging by certain jokes (PVP: puppet vs puppet) - he knows a thing or two about fanfiction.

[shapinglight]

Could well be.

[sueworld2003.livejournal.com]

I very much enjoyed this last installment. I adored the design of dear old 'tickle me Angelus', and the three Wesley's were a very nice touch.

A great ending too.

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes, puppet!Angelus is a howl! All of them are so cute.

And the ending is sweet. The moment of transformation back into the human form is also ingenious.

[yourlibrarian]

Looking forward to his adventures in "Angel: After the Fall". I'm intrigued by Lynch's approach although I'm not sure this game-playing with the audience could be viable on Angel: AtF. Spike Shadow Puppets is a perfect playground for post-modernist experiments because of its quirky, whimsical premise. I think A:AtF needs more straightforward storytelling.

This was my thought as well. It was also difficult to picture how he might handle the other characters given the scenario here was mostly for laughs.

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

given the scenario here was mostly for laughs.
I wonder if there are spoilers for future storyarcs. My inner spoiler'ho is on the alert. :)

[menomegirl.livejournal.com]

Wonderful review!

I loved the last issue-I'm only sorry it's at the end because I enjoyed reading these. I understood them better than I have Buffy S8.

And I adored all the little puppets!

Tim Minear did what I thought was the most impossible thing in the world:I cried for Angel when the night Home aired.

Well, Brian Lynch has done him one better:made me laugh about Cordy/Connor.

Can't get much better than that!

but damn! i wish there'd been puppet!lindsey and puppet!darla too.

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

I cried for Angel when the night Home aired.

I cried too. Home is an incredibly clever and emotional episode. To me it wasn't aт abstract situation. I know people who went through similar experience. 15 years ago the political system in Russia has changed and people who fought the authorities became the authorities. And they underwent changes pretty similar to thу ones we see in season 5. So I hadn't any illusions about Angel's future when I watched Home. I knew his attempts to change the world to the better are doomed.

made me laugh about Cordy/Connor

They were cute but their appearance was quite a surprise. :)

i wish there'd been puppet!lindsey and puppet!darla too.

Oh, I'd love to see them too. But in that case Angelus would totally forget about Spike! :) So, plotwise, not an option. *sigh*

[louisj.livejournal.com]

Just picked up my copy this afternoon. Loved the art and will settle down to read after being warmed up by your review.

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

My review warmed you up? I'm flattered. :)
I hope the issue won't disappoint you.

[mrs-underhill.livejournal.com]

They quickly forget about Spike and start to sort out their relationships. I wonder if's a reference to fanfiction - it's no secret that the majority of fanfics are focused on ships and dismiss plot as an unnesessary distraction.
Oh that's brilliant! And we had Angelus referencing fanfiction in the end of #3. :)
The writer inserting himself into the story... hmm. It didn't quite work for me here - the author speaking to us over the heads of the heroes. A lot of this issue seem to be a continuation of our debates on IDW and elsewhere, about Spike haters, shipping, internet complaining etc. And it's not what I wanted from this story. Stephen King did a similar thing in Dark Tower btw, didn't like it much too.
What I did like is the message: people need people. My favorite moments are heroes moments: Spike calling his team "freaks" at the start of the issue and calling them "fine members of team Spike" by the end, Spike being proud of Lorne, Tok hugging her sister, Lorne resolving his issues with his freakiness and kids appreciating him, and also in being useful. Lorne's ark was so good in these series, he was a hoot from start to finish!
And of course Mrs.Konikoff is love! And I'm sure Spike is very much enjoying himself in the company of old ladies fussing over him. :)

I liked that Tok - a slayer equivalent here - kept ties to her family and was shown with her family. And slayer girls in "Buffy" either don't have families or don't care... Sad, really. And Beck has her family too - George, SPike, Asylum Gang. I liked that it ended up being all about family and friendship and not romance.

And the New Wesley I think referred to bad-ass Dark Wesley of Season 4, not to post-NFA Wesley.

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

A lot of this issue seem to be a continuation of our debates on IDW and elsewhere, about Spike haters, shipping, internet complaining etc. And it's not what I wanted from this story. Stephen King did a similar thing in Dark Tower btw, didn't like it much too.

I liked it - but I admit that it's a dangerous path and I hope AtF will be different.

And the New Wesley I think referred to bad-ass Dark Wesley of Season 4, not to post-NFA Wesley.

You may be right. But I've got the impression (maybe it's a scan glitch) that New!Wesley has different color of skin. Is it noticeable on paper version?

[mrs-underhill.livejournal.com]

New!Wesley is darker on the paper as well but that was true of Season 4 Wesley too. :) He looked dirtier and darker and was wearing grey sweaters etc. Also on one of the panels you could see the stubble on his chin. So I think it's just the Dark!Wesley.

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

I see. OK, trying to think positively: if Wesley won't be back as the undead, hopefully he'll be back as a human thanks to some magical intervention.

[mrs-underhill.livejournal.com]

I liked it - but I admit that it's a dangerous path and I hope AtF will be different.
Oh I'm sure there will be none of those games in ATF. And I agree that Shadow Puppets premise allows for such games with the fans - still wish for more distance btw the author and the fandom though.
But it grows on me a bit.
I even have an animated icon idea when Illyria bashes Spike with "official cannon". :) The 1st picture when Illyria holds Spike by the lapels, with "Illyria says..." and the 2nd when she bashes Spike with it, with "official canon!" :) What if I make the bases with the text, could I ask you to make them into animated icon? :)

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

You mean - with screencaps? or by manipping comics panels?

[mrs-underhill.livejournal.com]

I was thinking overwriting the text in the ballons in Paintbrush. :) I can do that. So yeah - manipping comic panels.

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

No problem. I think I could add text and balloons in Photoshop, because it has actual "balloon" option in in "shapes" tool. But I don't know what bases you want to use. Issue 3 cover could be used as a base for Illyria hitting Angel with "official cannon" (I can cut it from Spike comics) instead of her axe. But I don't remember panels of her hitting Spike.

[mrs-underhill.livejournal.com]

OK, I did it in Paint: a square panels cleaned up of extra details. And I put all of them up here: http://s10.photobucket.com/albums/a105/naksman/icons/
The first one would be 'Illyria says...' and another - "Official cannon!!" - maybe in uppercase big letters on top of both pictures - they have a lot of space on top. :)
I also resized them to 120x120 pixels and also uploaded them - but I'm not sure what is the best process to resize without losing much quality... but youy can just take them if they look OK. I was thinking of using it on IDW when bashing folks with my canon opinions - like a banner maybe. :)

And I went wild and made 4 more panels for Dairies.ru... Could I bug you about those as well, if it's not too much work? I wanted to make an avi with this:
Уронили Спайка на пол (base1)
Оторвали Спайку лапу (base 2)
Все равно его не брошу (base 3)
Потому что он хороший! (base 4)
And I also uploaded both big bases and 120x120 versions, so that only text needs to be added plus animation... If that's too much please tell me. :)

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

Are these OK?

I resized them 100x100 and optimized under 40 kb

(http://photobucket.com) (http://photobucket.com)

[mrs-underhill.livejournal.com]

Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!
I love how both of them turned out, and I'll grab Illyria one for both here and as a banner for IDW. It's a perfect inspiration to bash people with my almighty opinions, mua-ha-ha. :)
As for Puppets icon - was 120x120 turning out bigger than 40KB? Diary.ru allow avatars of 120x120 pixels. But 100x100 can be used there too and it looks very sharp.
Thank you again, and could I brag about those on angel6_atf? Can other people use it?

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

Nata, the most important element of any avatar is the idea. The ideas are yours. I only executed the final part of the project. So I think they're yours and you can do with them whatever you want.

And - I'm happy you like my small contribution! :)))

[mrs-underhill.livejournal.com]

Ура, спасибо! Побежала хвастаться. :)

[elisi]

Lovely summary (your descriptions make me want to go re-read it yet again!), and lots of good points. Also just realised that giving Ratio the mike is esp great because he can't talk (I know this is obvious, but it only just occurred to me. *is stupid*).

(Right. Aren't all these dumb politically correct children shows the products of the same Disney corporation?)
I'm surprised they haven't sued yet...

because of the current sutiation in the fandom: right now a shipper war is raging on Dark Horse forums and the most vocal is a shipper group usually referred as Ducks.
Btw is the lady who gave the name to the group there? I know she's interested in the comics (but doesn't believe them to be canon, so...).

Anyway, loved your review, and I'm so pleased that we both came to the same conclusion re. the puppets. :)

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

Lovely summary (your descriptions make me want to go re-read it yet again!), and lots of good points.

*beams* Thank you!

I'm surprised they haven't sued yet...

Actually, I was surprised when I watched the TV episode. I wondered if the suits on TheWB realised how subversive the episode looked and sounded.

Btw is the lady who gave the name to the group there? I know she's interested in the comics (but doesn't believe them to be canon, so...).

I noticed names of the posters from her board but not her personally.

I'm so pleased that we both came to the same conclusion re. the puppets. :)

*is proud* Have you ever thought of writing a puppet threesome? :))