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‘Angel & Spike #12:’ Advance Comic Book Review

Previously, on Angel + Spike: While Angel struggled to find a way to stop the “Feeder,” Fred was tempted by promised power to put an end to their troubles. Meanwhile, it would seem that Kate Lockley has a deeper connection to Angel than meets the eye.  

In this issue, Fred makes a fateful choice, and the team may never be the same again as consequences of previous choices become reality. With the passing of one threat, another more sinister presence rises; however, this time, Team Angel may not be willing to take the necessary means to end it.

Bryan Edward Hill’s slow-burn reintroduction of Wolfram and Hart comes to a head as their long-game comes into sharp focus. Just like her previous iteration, Lilah is enigmatic and charismatic all at once, and you never know if you can actually trust anything she’s saying. While it may be tempting to just write her off as another lying lawyer, there’s something extremely earnest about her, too, and she seems like a true believer… which kind of makes this iteration of Wolfram and Hart seem less like a law firm and much more like a cult. In fact, the whole Lilah and Fred dynamic in this reboot is one of the reasons that #StoriesMatter to me. Despite having come a long way, it’s still not totally common to have a female relationship that doesn’t just serve a man’s story. Seeing these two together is compelling, because it really does seem that Fred is unsure about the power inside of her, and Lilah is more than convinced of her destiny. While we’re left with the inevitable feeling that nothing good can come of this, Hill’s deft hand at writing believable females that we can identify with comes through. With one more issue to go before the series switches creative hands, I wonder how Hill will end his year-long tenure on a franchise that he’s been instrumental in revamping.

Gleb Melnikov throws down some truly dynamic panels in this issue, as well as provides us with some horror-show visuals that I’m trying to unsee at this point. My only quibble is a bold outfit choice made by one character… it seemed kind of out of place. That aside, Melnikov’s excellent linework gets the usual polish from Roman Titov’s colors, and while their partnership has been pretty stellar throughout, that last page gives me chills!

Overall, choices have been made, and the team must now deal with the consequences.

Creative Team: Bryan Edward Hill (writer), Gleb Melnikov (artist), Roman Titov (colorist), Ed Dukeshire (letterer)
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Click here to purchase.

Wenxian Tan, Fanbase Press Contributor

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