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[pshand05]

I'm gonna write a longer entry on BCR in a few days, when I've digested it all. But here's my gut reaction... wow. It's a totally different feel than the first seven issues, but it really works. Spike's interactions with the bugs are great, and this issue adds an odd amount of emotional resonance to what originally felt like a silly idea in the Season Eight comics. But the heart of the issue is Spike's interaction with his team. Brian has developed these characters to the point where they're every bit as essential to the overall Buffyverse story as any of the BtVS or AtS characters. In fact, now I'm kinda mad I didn't try to steal any of them for my Yearbook story. But yeah, Brian completely and utterly nailed this issue and gave Spike (the series and the character) an amazing send off.

PS: I got the hardcover of the first collection. It's downright beautiful. The cover is the Spike/Dru cover by Jenny, not the Jenny cover from #1 that appears on Amazon. It looks so damn good. There was a great cover gallery, but no other extras. I hope the next one is decked out with a bit more, as it's the last big Lynch collection. Anyway, the issues also read better when you read them in one sitting. Good beginning to what became a phenomenal series.
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[Buffyversefantic]

I have Spike #8 of 8.

Great wrap up to this story but this issue did feel divorced from the first seven issues in a a way due to it being exclusively about the bugs and how Spike became captain of their ship as seen in Buffy Season 8.We also get our goodbyes to the the original characters created at IDW such as Beck(who I thought was a goner there midway through the issue),George and Jeremy.And we get a final look in at Dru.It will be interesting to see how we pick up with her in Buffy Season 9 since Dru has been confirmed there.

1)Willow does not appear in the issue.In Buffy #35,she seemed to recognize the ship but she is not present in this issue and does not see it here.I can buy her hearing through the grapevine though about it given she just teamed up with Spike though.

2)Spike becoming captain of the bug ship.

The bug king was mortally wounded on the last preview page.After Spike and Jeremy get it onto the ship and before it dies it asks Spike to lead it's crew.

Bug King weakly to Spike laying on the ground with Spike leaning over it:Tell them what to do.

Spike:Pardon

Bug King:My men are hardy....loyal.But they need guidance.This.. was... a scout ship.We were sent to find a sustainable environment for our people but while we were on our mission,our home destroyed,everyone else...is gone..They call me King because I'm highest-ranking officer.That's what they need me to be and right now,they need to be told what to do.We were trying to find a new life.A new purpose.Whatever's trying to get to us,don't let my people die before they discover what that should be....

Another bug:Sire,we need to get you to medical...

Bug King:Listen to me.Come here.

The second bug leans in to listen to the Bug King as it whispers.

The second bug:He's gone.He said(to Spike)...We should listen to you to get us through this.Even though you're a newbie and a #$&er.He....didn't say that last part.

2)One of the Senior Partners themselves is leading the siege of the ship.The Senior Partner is a large creature made of Blue flames.The W&H team with the Senior Partner are able to breach the ship.Spike and the gang make it to the emergency escape pod but The W&H have the ship on lock down and so the escape pod can't escape and the W&H crew coming for them.There is a battle between Spike,Beck and the bugs(Jeremy is still in the pod) and Team W&H led by the Senior Partner while trying to get everyone to the escape pod.In the battle Beck takes a full flame blast from the Senior Partner that was meant for Spike(she dives in front of him).That's why I thought Beck was a goner.She's seriously injured.Don't worry though,she makes it.

3)The Bug ship as seen in season 8 is the escape pod,not the whole ship.

The Senior Partner and W&H get the rest of the ship and escape with it.They don't need the pod.So W&H got what they wanted.

Bug to Spike as they watch the main part of the ship escapes with W&H:Leaving this world.Leaving this plane of existence.It's bigger than you.You wouldn't get it.Sorry about your friend.I liked her more than you.

Spike:She's not going to die.I won't allow it.Tell the smarter bugs to start the ship.I know where we can go.

4)Spike takes Beck to Mosaic for care.Willow has already dropped off Dru there.It's here we get Spike's goodbyes to Beck,George and Jeremy and what Spike's plans are.

Beck is in a hospital bed with Jeremy,George and Spike in the room with her.Spike is leaning over her.

George:Look at her.This girl survived a hit from a Wolfram & Hart Senior Partner.That's legendary.

Beck:I bet tomorrow I wake up with a scar shaped like a lightning bolt.So let's recap.Wolfram & Hart's Senior Partners hijacked a bug ship and then probably left it to leave the dimension.

Spike:Seems like it.

Beck:That's a new wrinkle.Why would they do that?

*cough* Twilight *cough*

Spike:Not sure.Thinking about asking them.

Jeremy:Sweet,calling Angel for a big final battle?Need me to do some recon?From afar?I can,I can go to the library and do research away from the actual evil.

Spike:You can sit this one out,Jeremy.Angel too.I've got this one.

Beck pulling Spike back to her:'Kay,that was dramatic.When are you coming back?

Spike:Soon as i find Wolfram & hart,mock 'em,bring 'em to justice,bring the bugs' ship back,accept the accolades,and sell the rights to the story.

Beck:I'm serious.Is this a five-year plan,or...

Spike leaning his forehead against Beck's:I'll be back the day after the day is saved.

Beck:How long does that usually take?

Spike:Varies

Beck pulls Spike into a hug:'Kay,be careful.Be nice.I love you.

Spike:I... you,too.

Spike and Jeremy shake hands

Spike:Jerry,sorry I hit you.

Jeremy:Jeremy,and it's cool.Sorry I got possessed.

Spike:These things happen.

Jeremy:Like a lot,right?(Jeremy than hugs Spike)Try and make it back to my wedding,okay?At least the bachelor party.It was going to be in Vegas,but after the last couple of days,I'm leaning more towards Medieval Times.

Spike turns to George:George

George:William

Spike thoughts:He knows.

Spike puts his hand on George:What's with that look?

George:It's my only one.Nothing.I'm fine.

Spike thoughts:Not sure if he knows because he can read minds...or because we're Mates and he senses something's off,but he knows.He doesn't try and stop me

Spike leaves Beck's room

I think George knows this this is the last time they will ever see Spike(even more likely if IDW gets to keep the rights to the Mosaic characters).

5)Spike has one last look at Dru.

On his way out

Spike thoughts:On my way out,I make one more stop.Have no idea what I should say(he looks inside a guarded door)I want to tell her that George could help her sort things out,If she ever wants to try.Beck will,too.Right now,They're scared of her,mad at her,but they're heroes.So eventually they'll want to help.

We see Dru in a padded cell wearing a red dress and surrounded by her dolls.

Spike thoughts continued:But she wouldn't understand.Not now.So I go with a simple:

Spike:These are good people.Don't try and kill them.

Again,really curious where we'll pick up with Dru in season 9.

6)The issue ends with Spike addressing the bugs with there mission.To travel the dimensions and turn over every cosmic rock to find Wolfram and Hart and the bugs stolen ship.As the Bug second in command points out.W&H could anywhere.Between realities and in any of the thousand different dimensions.It could take forever to find them.That's fine by Spike since he's immortal.

I think this pretty much explains where Spike arrived from in the flashback in Buffy #36.Why he and the escape pod came through a portal.He and the bugs were searching the different dimensions and realities for W&H and the stolen ship.

I'm not going to write up the last two or three pages.The 6) is a summery but the whole last three pages are really worth the read in the actual book and not online.Loved Spike's call to arms of the bugs for example.

But I will tell you the last line of Spike's in the issue.

It mirror's the last line of ATS,Buffy Season 8 and Angel's IDW monthly.

Spike:Good thing I'm immortal.

Bug:I'm not

Spike:Great to know.BLOODY great to know.Lets Get To Work.

The end

Angel's final line of his T.V. Series: Lets Go To Work.

Buffy's final line of season 8:Lets Go To Work.

Angel's final line of his monthly IDW series:Time To Get Back To Work.

Spike's final line of his miniseries:Lets Get To Work.

Great wrap up but I'm really curious about where things would of gone had this stayed a monthly series at IDW.

Great job and a great run by Brian.

[fluff]

Thanks for the summary! I'm happy to know it's explained what's up with the bugs. I'm sorry Spike can't spend Season 9 chasing down some Senior Partners and he has to spend it mooning over Buffy ><

Sounds like a nice goodbye from IDW to captain peroxide <3

[Veiriti]

Thank you for the summary, Buffyversefantic! The story sounds amazing! I can't wait to have my copy!
And, I'm a S/B fan, but I'm going to miss so badly the Spike's solo adventures, where Spike is a hero of his own... I'm really going to miss Betta George, Beck, Jeremy...
Thank you, Brian! You and IDW did a great job with my most favorite character in Whedonverse!
And I hope the DH authors will give him an interesting and significant story in Season 9 - a great character like Spike deserves it!
_________________

Spike - "Love like that makes you stronger than anything... you CAN SAVE THE WORLD WITH A LOVE LIKE THAT."

[BrianLynch]

I love reading your thoughts on the issues. God, I'm going to miss this.

[BrianLynch]

Oh, and a quick shout-out to Scott Allie, who created the cursing/easily annoyed bug. He sent me the pages said bug appeared in BUFFY, and asked if I thought I could do anything with him, it led to the bug getting a pretty big part in the final issue. Hope you guys liked him!

[Shade of Pale]

I've got my copy of #8( and the 'Alone Together Now' HC). Needless to say, I enjoyed it, especially the relationship stuff -I even enjoyed the interactions with the bugs. The goodbyes between Spike, George, Beck and Jeremy are especially poignant, as is Spike visiting Mosaic and looking in on Dru. It's sad though as well. I've enjoyed the way that Brian has developed Spike as a lead character, with his own team, of whom I've grown really fond and it's a bit wrenching to know that all this is coming to an end. I know all good things have to come to an end eventually, but I was still enjoying the ride and it's a lot to lose both Brian's Spike and all his wonderful supporting characters as well

With all the sadness, though, there were things to make me smile, such as the very junior senior partner really expecting to be facing off against Angel. I also enjoyed Spike's compassion and empathy for his team and the bugs. Favourite line :" I wanted to steer the coaster. But no-one steers the coaster. No-one is in control of anything." - Too true !

Franco's art is a work of art, as usual really.

Thanks, Brian and Franco. A great end to the series and a high point for the character of Spike. I shall miss your Spike stories greatly.

Now I've got the Volume 1 hardback, I'm going to do a reread of all 8 issues. It will be interesting to read it all together.

[nmcil12]

Wonderful ending to your series Mr. Lynch. I love the last page and the story of how Spike ends up with his alien insect crew and the ship - great connecting story that you created for the Buffy Season 8 series.

I have enjoyed all of your Angelverse works and the various Spike series and your original characters, particularly Betta George. Your ending however is wonderful, poignant and true to life - things change and people do come into and go out of ones life.

Nice to see that Beck did not die - I was fully prepared to see her sacrifice her life for Spike - it's a pity that you will not be able to continue with her story. The line about her surviving a direct Senior Partners attack reads like a great lead in to new Beck adventures. They same goes for the potential connections for Betta George being able to help Drusilla.

Love how you handled the "your majesty" title for Spike - Intended or not, as a fan of the Buffy-Spike relationship, his being a "majesty" is a nice counterpart to Buffy being called "Ma'aM" which is the term for the British Queen.

Jeremy:Sweet,calling Angel for a big final battle?Need me to do some recon?From afar?I can,I can go to the library and do research away from the actual evil.
Spike:You can sit this one out,Jeremy.Angel too.I've got this one.
I really like how your resolution for Spike and his "I need to be my own man" with your "coaster" imagery and tie in with the ending phrase from AtS and BS8.

Thank you for all your wonderful work with the Angelverse and Spike in particular - all my best wishes to you with your future work. My thanks also to IDW for all the works and years of pleasure they brought to the Angel fans.

[anca]

[Double Dutchess]

I liked Spike #8. The stuff with the ship and the bugs felt very much "tacked on" to the rest of the series, but I don't mind because I very much enjoyed the interaction between Spike and the bugs. In S8 I didn't find the bugs very interesting, but this issue made me really care about them. BTW, the issue makes it clear that the ship is supposed to look like a kind of flying insect, not a penis. It has wings and legs! Still the predictions about the escape pod getting ejected proved to be correct

Spike saying goodbye to everybody made me feel very sad. Fortunately the issue did end on a positive note with Spike embracing change and going off on his new mission with the ship.

It's interesting that all the final issues (S8, Angel, and Spike) ended with a variation of the same quote. I assume this was coordinated between DH and IDW.

Oh and even if the story had been absolute rubbish I would still have loved the issue, just because of Franco Urru's fantastic art! How I've missed that.

[BrianLynch]

It absolutely is the same bug that dies in BUFFY. Scott forwarded me the script (and maybe the pages, it was a while ago) and said "I have this foul-mouthed bug that doesn't like Spike, do you want to do something with him?" And, obviously, I really did.

[nmcil12]

Just my opinion - while Spike's list of things he lived through and "the black plague" reads great - I would change it to the 1918 flu pandemic which actually had many more people die -

[nmcil12]

Congratulations on what you did with your alien insects - I love the background you created for them - and it fits perfectly with the Buffy Season 8 theme of Uber Power Forces using people and worlds as little more than insects to be killed and destroyed at their pleasure or needs.

[sueworld]

Read the issue now. It was great although can I be honest here and say I loathed the idea that the last issue had to deal with matching up the utter load of OOC tosh that was season 8.

Sorry but I felt that those bloody silly Bugs and Firefly like ship had no place in the Bufyverse whatsoever. Sorry Joss I just don't get it....
_________________

"They talk about me in the chatty rooms?" - Angel.

[pshand05]

Alright. This is a bit sad for me, because it's kind of the end. I've been reviewing Brian's comics for so long that I almost can't remember not, but hey. Here it is. My final IDW Retrospect. This one is on Brian Lynch's Spike.

http://buffyversecomics.blogspot.com/2011/05/brian-lynchs-spike.html

I hope you enjoy.
_________________
http://patrickshand.blogspot.com/