Angel & Faith #25
Written by Christos Gage
Illustrated by Rebekah Isaacs
Executive Produced by Joss Whedon
Colored by Dan Jackson
Lettered by Richard Starkings and Comicraft’s Jimmy Betancourt
Cover by Steve Morris
Alternate Cover by Rebekah Isaacs
Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: August 28, 2013
Cover Price: $2.99

When Buffy the Vampire Slayer ended its seven-year run in 2003, fans of the Joss Whedon-created television series could (and did) take solace that a Buffy spin-off, Angel, was still on the air. Weekly forays to the Whedon-verse, however, ended when ended its abbreviated five-year run only a year later, Buffy/Angel fans contented themselves with syndicated reruns and DVDs. Whedon, of course, moved on, first to the short-lived Firefly (one season followed by a big-screen wrap up, Serenity) and Dollhouse several years later. Dollhouse only made it through two seasons on FOX. Despite his other projects, Buffy and Angel were never far from his mind.

Rather than attempting to bring Buffy back to network or cable television (an unlikely possibility given the passage of time, rights issues, and the availability of key cast members), Whedon decided to continue the series in comic-book form, first through Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8, a sprawling 40-issue run that ran from 2007 through 2011, and subsequently through the about-to-be-concluded Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 9. Acting initially as co-writer for Buffy, but primarily as an executive producer or showrunner, Whedon handed over Buffy to newcomer Andrew Chambliss and a new spin-off series, Angel & Faith to longtime comic-book scribe Christos Gage and artist Rebekah Isaacs. Both series were meant to run in parallel, each with 25 issues plus two spin-offs, one devoted to Willow, Buffy’s best-friend and witch, and the other to Spike, the other vampire with a soul.

Willow: Wonderland
Trade Paperback | Kindle Edition
Script by Jeff Parker and Christos Gage
Pencils by Brian Ching
Inks by Jason Gorder
Colors by Michelle Madsen
Letters by Richard Starkings and Comicraft’s Jimmy Betancourt
Cover and Chapter Break Art by David Mack
Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: August 21, 2013
Cover Price: $17.99

If you haven’t kept up with Season Nine of the Buffyverse, here is the short version: All magic has disappeared from our world, now that The Seed had been destroyed. With some help from Angel, Willow has used Buffy’s broken scythe to open a way to another world where she might find a new source of magic and reestablish a connection to the powers she sorely misses. Willow: Wonderland is a five-issue limited series that is now available in graphic novel form for those who missed it the first time.

Jumping into a new world with nothing but a weapon in her hand, Willow establishes a destination after a quick incantation. Shortly after she is attacked by the local denizens and has a pretty close call with a humongous monster, she finds herself face to face with another mage from Earth (though he has had a bit of a mishap) named Marrak. Their adventures include meeting the original caterpillar from Lewis Carroll’s classic book, a reunion with Willow’s former mentor Aluwyn, and an introduction to Aluwyn’s Supercoven that she created near a Wellspring of magic.

Conan the Barbarian #17
Written by Brian Wood
Art by Davide Gianfelice
Colors by Dave Stewart
Letters by Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Cover by Massimo Carnevale
Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: June 19, 2013
Cover Price: $3.50

Conan the Barbarian #17 is further proof why it’s one of the 5 books that I wait for every month. There’s only a handful of books that, month in and out, I set my calendar by. This is one of them, and if you’re reading it, I’m sure it’s one of yours too.

In Part 2 of “The Nightmare of the Shallows” writer Brian Wood takes Conan and Belit on the strangest trip that they’ve ever been on. A head trip. It seems last issue, the two young lovers got into some yellow lotus that they maybe shouldn’t have and now they’re both seeing things that, to put it mildly, aren’t exactly there. But, it’s quite a ride for both them AND the audience. Wood has kept these two characters together a lot longer than I’ve thought he would. After all, Conan isn’t known for his lasting relationships. But one of the great loves of his life was Belit, it was always maintained that they spent part of their lives together, but it was never revealed how long and what exactly happened during their time together. Wood has solved that problem, and it’s more entertaining than I couldn’t ever imagined.

King Conan #1
Written by Timothy Truman
Art by Tomas Giorello
Colors by Jose Villarrubia
Lettered by Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Cover by Gerald Parel
Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: May 29, 2013
Cover Price: $3.50

King Conan #1 is, well, charming. I’m afraid that’s the only way I can describe it. Yes, it has the usual Conan trademarks in it: sorcery, swords, fighting, blood, betrayal, and all those things, but at its heart, it’s just a charming comic book.

Writer Tim Truman puts together a great tale set many years later in Conan’s life. But, in classic Truman style, this is just the framing sequence for the REAL story that he’s telling. One of how Conan met his first wife, who would later become his first Queen. And that’s when the fun starts. Again, he throws everything that you’d expect and want in a Conan story, and actually, some pretty nice swerves and surprises. There was a couple of places that I got lost in the story, but that was only for about half a page at most at a time, then Truman comes right back in and tell the ready “Hey, look! Here’s where you are!” which is great. This is the kind of comic that you’ll probably want to read more than once, just to get every detail that you can out of it. This is one of Truman’s best Conan stories in years, and it’s just the opening chapter.

Conan the Barbarian #16
Written by Brian Wood
Art by Davide Gianfelice
Colors by Dave Stewart
Letters by Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Cover art by Massimo Carnevale
Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: May 15, 2013
Cover Price: $2.99

In Conan the Barbarian #16, Conan and Belit get a much needed rest from all the troubles they’ve been having as of late. Disease, war, angry fathers, are all left behind as they take shelter in Ophir for some well deserved rest. Or so they think.

I wish writer Brian Wood would stop being so insanely good on this title. No, I don’t wish that, but I hope he at least stays on this book for the rest of his life. This issue starts as a really nice character piece on Conan and Belit and the romance that’s blossomed between the two, takes a left turn and ends up being a classic Conan type tale..with a very interesting twist. I really can’t get over how much I enjoyed this issue. Wood’s writing and feel for this character has just kept getting better and better with each issue of this series.