Armed with Buffy’s broken scythe, Willow has entered another dimension and begun a quest to somehow, someway, against all odds, bring magic back to Earth. She must keep her darkest self at bay while she battles demons—the scaly and horned type as well as her own! Collects the five-issue miniseries.
I was able to get the 5 single issues of this storyline but I chose this edition to make a better overall review.
WHO IS REALLY WILLOW ROSENBERG?
This is an adventure of Willow Rosenberg that it's part of the canonical "Season 9" in comic book format of Buffy, the Vampire Slayer.
Willow Rosenberg is easily the most popular character from Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, even more than the very Buffy Summers.
Not only because she was a brainy hacker, at the beginning of the TV series, or a powerful witch, later in advanced seasons, not even because it was one of the first TV characters making a surprising turn to be lesbian after many time being concepted as a heterosexual character.
All that helps, no question in that,...
...but it's because she is the one with the biggest heart.
And in this storyline, you will realize how big, the heart of Willow, is.
Willow, the Red
Rosenberg, the Enchantress
The Slayer´s Hex Mistress
Supreme Witch of Terra Firma
Certainly it's cool watching Willow flying in the air or walking in the water, but this story is more than just about power over magic.
It's about the magic in our hearts.
A WORLD WITHOUT MAGIC
In the climax of "Season 8" of Buffy, the Vampire Slayer canonical comic books, Buffy Summers had to take a drastic decision and the world was left without magic.
That could be seen like something no big deal if you are not a warlock or witch, but it's awesome how Willow starting to realize that magic is shown in more ways around the world than anyone thinks.
Magic wasn't just a tool for sorcerers and such...
...magic is an integral part of why human race deals each of their days.
People is recurring more to suicides. Artists are losing their inspiration. Rainbows have less colors...
...Hey, even Coca-Cola doesn't taste the same anymore!
So, Willow takes the Slayer's Scythe, the last bastion of magic in the world to break into some dimension with magic and finding a way to bring the magic again into our world.
IF THIS WONDERLAND, WHERE THE HECK IS THE HATTER AND THE CAT?
The title Wonderland can be deceiving, since it's not like Willow would go to Alice's Wonderland, but still, you get to meet the "original" caterpillar that claims was the inspiration for Lewis Carroll ;) 'Nuff to me!
While this seems to be a quest about magic...
...Willow will realize that it's a quest to know herself.
The art is nothing sensational but it's effective.
The story is well crafted.
Certainly a "must-have" for any Willow Rosenberg's fan.
I thought this was a pretty awesome story. Willow goes to another dimension to bring back magic to her world. She brings the scythe with her. She meets up with her teachers of magic in this world and old enemies as well.
This was trippy and I really enjoyed this. It was fantastic. The art was outstanding and Willow is one of my favorite characters and this was totally awesome. Willow is the witch with the most. The Buffy storyline is missing something without her, but she does bring something back with her that I think will help bring magic back to the whole.
Actual rating 3.7 stars. A journey of self-discovery, self-reflection and acceptance!
A lot - like a WHOLE lot - happens to Willow throughout the years but I think this is the first time Willow has gone through a lesson that hasn’t first totally and utterly destroyed her?
Yes, leaving a witch’s paradise was no fun but she still has the love and commitment of Aluwyn. Plus the offer to return once her mission was complete.
I liked the art though unsure if it was meant to be a contrast to Will’s serious undertaking or the producers just liked the artist’s style.
I’m interested to see exactly how works. I can guess at some plots the writers may take…
Overall, I’m glad to have seen the journey Willow takes in this series. She wasn’t being honest with herself nor did she completely accept all aspects of who she is. Now she’s done both. I’m excited to see the continuation of Will’s journey in this new frame of mind!
Set during Season 9 of Buffy, the magic seed that powers all the magic on Earth was destroyed at the end of Season 8. Magic along with magical creatures and even creativity and the arts are all dying without magic. So Willow sets out on a magical mystery tour to find a wellspring of magic she can bring to Earth. Parker and Gage do a bang up job of channeling Willow's voice. I also liked how they brought back some old characters from the show's mythology.
Ching's art was reminiscent of Georges Jeanty's on the main Buffy title. It complemented the rest of the Buffy line of comics perfectly.
The Earth has changed. Gone is the magic that used to run through the planet. Willow has entered another dimension with a seemingly impossible mission- to bring magic back to earth. Armed with only Buffy's broken scythe, she must encounter monsters & demons (some old and some new). But the hardest part may be facing the demons that still dwell inside her.
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This graphic novel is representative of season nine of Joss Whedon's hit show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I will review this novel as a mild fan of the show- I'm familiar enough with the plot lines and watch the show when it comes on (Read that as: when my girlfriend puts it on).
+The cover artwork, as well as the artwork in between the parts of this graphic novel and the back few pages are stunning. I'd hang up a few of them as prints in my home, to be honest. The cover image is probably still my favorite, but others are quite lovely too.
-However, the artwork in this dark other world leaves a lot to be desired in my opinion. I found it, well, boring. I understand the setting and how it is supposed to look to go with the story, but I was losing interest after a few panels.
+The artwork picks up again towards book three, however. The colors get brighter, the scenery gets more lively and more detailed. I happen to be on Willow's side completely- I want one of the cute little octopi that she comes across.... Minus the whole Cthulhu thing.
+- The writing is overall okay. Willow still has her sassy, awesome moments. Like most other graphic novels that I've read, the writing is lacking some places but really good in others. Not amazing, not bad. It just is.
I think it's awesome that Willow gets a whole book to herself, since she is without a doubt my favorite female character from Buffy (sorry Willow, but Spike wins overall). I think that this is a book that every die hard Buffy/Whedon fan will have on their collectors shelf. I also believe that fans of Willow in particular would be happy to have this in their collection. However if you're looking for an in depth story line or are completely unfamiliar with the television program, then this isn't the graphic novel for you.
Thank you to Netgalley & Diamond Book Distributors for my copy. This review can also be found on my blog, Bitches n Prose.
Willow's adventure to restore magic to the world is as much introspective as an alternate wonderland exploration, and this book details both well. Willow's voice is pretty well represented, and the story ties into the Buffy mythology well. Characters from the TV show and previous graphic series reappear and are prominent plot points. There are new characters as well, and Willow does actually make significant progress furthering the plot. The art is pretty and serviceable. An enjoyable read.
In season 6 of Buffy, Willow delved deep into her magical abilities, becoming addicted to the power and eventually becoming “Dark Willow,” the big bad of the season. Since then, she’s been struggling with the balance of her power -- suppressing her desire, while still aiding Buffy and the Scoobies in the saving of the world business. At least until season 8, when Buffy banished magic from earth. In Wonderland, Willow goes on a solo journey into dangerous, mystical dimensions in an attempt to restore it.
I haven’t been reading the Buffy comics since the beginning of season 9 and am surprised to see that Willow’s issues with magic still exist, however, it is something that needed to be addressed and I think this book did a reasonably good job of it, though some of it was a bit cliché and predictable. Willow’s self-deprecating wit occasionally popped up, but not enough for my liking.
The art was cute and did it’s job, but I would have loved it if David Mack had done more than just the gorgeous covers. His scattered imagery and painted style would have taken this story to an entirely new level, perfectly capturing the ethereal feel and the sense of loss that Willow suffers with.
Considering the effect that Season 8 had on Willow, giving her her own mini-series to explore that was a good idea. The story feels one issue too long however, with the first three issues or so being very stretched out and uninteresting. The latter two however up the ante a bit, furthering Willow's journey and reintroducing a villain I hadn't expected to see again. The respect and utilisation of the Buffy history is rife across these final two issues, and as a result it feels like a worthwhile story has been told by the end of the mini-series; there are changes in Willow that will likely affect the main Buffy book, and it's quite a happy ending too.
The artwork feels very similar to Georges Jeanty on Buffy and Rebekah Isaacs on Angel & Faith, so it's a style that makes the book feel visually similar and gives the season an artistic consistency, but there are a lot of times where characters feel unfinished or are missing faces in the background, which is a bit lazy.
Despite the art and the first few issues being too decompressed, this is a worthwhile addition to Season 9 and does make me hope that Parker or Gage get to revisit Willow's character again.
Not the high point of Buffy Season 9. The art and writing of this mini is a little sub-par - alas, the fate of most comic mini spin-off series - but, as predictable as it all is, this is still pretty enjoyable and slots in nicely to the grander Season 9 plan. It could have bounced off better from Willow's spectacular appearance in Angel & Faith and it could have segued more dramatically back into Buffy, but still it was very nice to get some alone time with Willow, she's been a sorely neglected character of late. I feel that S9 is doing its best to bring - at least in part - the focus back to the scoobies, where it probably belongs.
I got a number of kicks out of this sequence. It was a spiritual journey on many levels with all the bells and whistles, and I can't help but be impressed by the messages. I could tell that a good amount of love went into these, and I share the feeling. Very archetypal. Very cool.
Overall, an OK story. Parker & Gage write a pretty good Willow, and there's good attention to continuity. Beyond that it's a pretty standard, if somewhat slow, quest story.
With magic lost Willow takes on a quest to bring magic back to the world. What she will discover is some serious truths not only about herself but about magic itself in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer universe. Facing off against past adversaries and finding lost love is all in a day for my favorite red headed witch though. :)
My favorite part is probably Willow going gaga for Aero-cephs and the confrontation after she tries to catch one though there are many beautifully drawn and occasionally gory scenes to tease your eyes. You will have to find your own favorite moments if you decide to read. :)
I can't emphasize how much I enjoyed this graphic novel. Like most people, I was a bit let down by season 8 Buffy comics. I have been following season 9 but not as ardently as I followed season 8. I admit that season 9 has been a improvement; but one thing was seriously lacking in both season 8 and 9 -- Willow! Willow is one of my favorite characters, and I was sad when she was pulling away from Buffy.
I also have to mention that the cover to this? Gorgeous. So stunning, I find myself staring at it for moments at a time. I love the fact that this is a one-shot. So anyone can read it-- even if you haven't read season 9 at all you could follow this story. I was super surprised at the introduction of Marrak, and really had no idea who he would be from Buffyverse! Definitely didn't see that coming! I just love how they incorporate, like, all the previous characters (no matter how small) and put them in the comics. It's always amazing, and yet also believable.
In season 8 of the comics I remember Willow's magical guide was the gorgeous green woman/creature/mermaid thingy. We never learned what happens to her or exactly who she was; we just knew she guided Willow and also was her lover for a bit. It was amazing to see her again and find out more about her! I was a little worried, was she truly good or did she have sinister interests?
As a huge fan of Buffy and Joss Whedon I have to say...Joss, you're doing a wonderful job. Wonderland was spectacular. I'm going so far as to say it's my favorite comic you've made since season 8 (not counting Tales of the Slayers & Tales of the Vampires and other Omnibus shorts). But that's saying something. I can't wait to read more of Willows story and how she incorporates magic in the world.
This takes place during season 9 of the Buffy comics. Magic has been destroyed in our world and Willow begins a journey to bring it back.
This is a side companion to the season and it was an enjoyable read. One could claim that the character Willow has grown the most in this series and this collection continues that growth. During her journey she welcomes a companion. The twist to this collection is the companion is someone from the television series. I loved this twist and its ensuing reactions from Willow. I wanted to give this four stars but there were two factors that wouldn't allow me. The first is there was some filler that did not progress the story line and the second was the artwork. The covers for the individual issues were amazing but the illustrations for the story was a letdown. There was one panel of all the Scoobies and I struggled to identify each one.
I believe fans of Buffy who have continued with the comics will enjoy this collection. It was a nice story containing Willow who is a beloved character. I would stay away if you have no knowledge gained from reading the comics.
The good news about this one shot arc is that it does a pretty decent job establishing some of the Season 9 plot that's moved forward so far with a character that, to a point, feels as if it's ignored a bit.
The bad news is that it's almost too inessential to a point, and feels more than a little drawn out. What was a five issue arc really could have been boiled down to two or three with no huge losses.
Still, on the other hand, more Willow! So it's not a failure, but it's probably more for fans than anything else.
If the length of time it took me to finish this book wasn't telling enough, 2 stars should finalize the impression. This book was so far outside the realm of the Buffyverse I had a real struggle staying invested. It's like an illustrated attempt at painting string theory. It may not be outside the mythology, but it was still a bit boring.
It was fine, but I'm not terribly impressed. I just haven't cared that much about this season of Buffy and friends. The whole "magic is gone" thing seems like it will get solved, but I'm just not that interested in it, given the amount of time I have to spend listening to it being such a problem.
I can't resist stories told in the Buffy universe, but they're not all full of Joss Whedony goodness. This one just didn't have that zip. There were a few good lines here and there, but this book was pretty much just Willow monologuing/dialoguing through her issues. Meh.
The "Willow" in this did not feel like the character I know and love....and the illustrations didn't look like the characters compared to the other Buffy and Angel graphic novels I've read. Pretty disappointed....
I will move mountains for Willow. Her progression from beginning to end was incredible. The artwork and coloring really blew me away. I had the best time with just Willow doing her thing and the writers managed to bring out the MOST Willow-y quotes and actions, too. Sometimes these graphic novels sort of abandon who their characters are as we know them from shows and movies, but Willow Rosenberg is Willow Rosenberg here.
One of my favorite graphic novels in the entire Buffy-verse that I've read to this point... and I've definitely read my fair share. A handful of doozies, mostly some good stuff, but this one takes the cake and the icing and the whole party with its cleverness and story.
It pains me to rate anything in the Buffy verse this low, but I was really disappointed with this one. There were just some glaring issues with this series that really ruined it for me. The main thing being that Willow says and does things in this series that seem incredibly uncharacteristic of her. Her dialogue seemed more like young high school Willow from the first two seasons of the show rather than the mature and often troubled adult that she has become. While I was reading, Willow would say something that would just strike me as being way too young and also made it seem like she was being a little blasé about the whole mission that she is on. This obviously doesn't ring true with Willow since even though she sometimes cracked a joke during tense situations, never did she make or treat events as less important than they were.
Her actions also never rang true for me. Very soon after Willow reaches this other dimension, she meets a creature named Marrak who helps her out my destroying a giant worm monster. It almost seems that immediately afterwards, Willow is willing to trust the guy with her life. To me, this seems very non-Willow. One: She is in a dimension that is obviously violent and creepy and she doesn't think to maybe wait a while to trust this thing with her plans? Come on. Two: This is so not something Willow would do. Despite being a very nice and easygoing person, Willow also knows when to put her trust in someone, and when to be weary. This situation, even to someone not as logical and smart as Willow, would set off some alarm bells and lead someone to at least be careful of what they tell this guy. Nope, not Willow apparently.
It was stuff like this that really bugged me throughout the entire series. On top of that, I wasn't a fan of the art. There were times when Willow looked a little inconsistent with the rest of the series, and there were also a few panels where the facial expressions either didn't seem to fit with the current situation or they just looked kind of off in general. The chapter break art was all right except that, in my opinion, a couple of them sexualized Willow a little more that I believe was needed. However, the section break art for part two was really nice.
Overall, this is not the best work in the Buffy universe and it probably could be skipped in the grand scheme of things. While it explains what happened between the time Willow leaves in Angel and when she comes back in Buffy, I think you can get the basic idea of what happens from the little bit of information given in those two. While some soul searching happens for Willow, it wasn't really anything we haven't seen already (Willow fighting her inner self) and wasn't really handled has well as it could have been. So, don't feel that you need to read this one to really understand Willow or anything for that matter. Maybe stuff will come up later where events in this volume come up, and then I will feel bad for telling you to skip it, but for now, it's not something to make a point of reading.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: WillowWonderland Script: Jeff Parker and Christos Gage Pencils: Brian Ching Inks: Jason Gorder Colors: Michelle Madsen Letters: Richard Starkings & Comicraft's Jimmy Betancourt
Reviewed from NetGalley ARC
Rating: R Creative Must
Just months after Buffy destroys the seed of magic in order to save the world (again), Willow starts to notice changes all around her. Her friends just think she misses the power she had when magic was around; however, power is not the only thing missing. Rainbows only have two colors, no one can hit a note, suicide rates are rising, and creativity is slowly deteriorating. As she leaves to find a solution, Willow explores new dimensions and herself while confronting her past. Giant worms try to eat her; she's drugged and kept pliant; a large blue caterpillar gives her magic memory water; the protagonist overcomes the challenges that hamper her on the way to her goal--finding or creating a pipeline of magic that flows back to Earth.
Any Buffyverse fan will enjoy this side-trip that features Willow the witch and her delicate relationship with magic. The artists rendered highly detailed comic-style graphics, which allows the reader to better visualize the fantastical landscapes, which the characters jump between during their quest. Many of the characters play no bigger part than to reaffirm the protagonist's inner monolog as she tries to find the root of her magic anxieties. Fortunately, Willow didn't come across as whiny, which is a recurring problem when other authors portray self-doubt and misery. To best understand this iteration of Buffy, the reader needs to have a working knowledge of the seven season television program and the Season 8 comic series. Reading Season 9, Faith & Angel, and even Spike's side story will give the reader an even deeper appreciation for Willow's journey to bring magic back to Earth. By the end of this graphic novel, the reader will wonder how many hidden references were included. The many clues about where Season 9 will take the fan base as Joss Whedon's brain child continues to grow in unpredictable ways are fun to search out.
This book would make a great addition to any collection. Libraries will be glad to have another strong female character as well as an adventure fantasy that features soul searching and self-confidence. Physical battles amongst mental challenges make this a great read and a worthy addition to the Buffyverse. Check out my tumblr-Redd's Reads-reddjena.tumblr.com
Filling in Willow's storyline from Season 9 is a strange adventure that's more about Willow's journey than it is about finding magic, which is why this volume excels. If Willow is your favorite character, this feels like a must-read, and honestly, it helped me reconnect to loving Willow.
I saw the "twist" concerning the villain coming from a mile-away, but that didn't make it any less satisfying. Overall, I feel like this story takes expectations and fulfills them, but then repackages those expectations in a way that feels justified, not cheap.
Also, I need to stop for a second to gush over Willow's wardrobe. It is amazing. It also makes sense narratively (both in terms of practically and Willow's emotional journey) and I love it.
Conseguí una copia para hacer una reseña en netgalley.
La historia comienza con Willow viajando a otro mundo paralelo para conseguir que la magia vuelva a la Tierra, esa e su meta, su deseo. Pero en este mundo tendrá que luchar contra demonios de diversas formas, brujas y enemigos del pasado, mientras recorre grandes caminos junto a Marrak, otro brujo atrapado allí.
Sin duda este viaje es un estilo a Alicia en el país de las Maravillas pero un poco más oscuro (supongo que por eso se llama: Willow- Wonderland), en el que nuestra protagonista deberá entender el porqué de sus decisiones (con gusano incluido) y para eso tendrá que afrontar los caminos que se le presenten para conseguir su meta.
Si hablo del dibujo, debo destacar su colorido, sus iluminaciones y el desarrollo y diseño de personajes ya conocidos, como es el caso de Willow, a la que le han dado un toque de comic muy lindo sin alejarse demasiado de la imagen del personaje real y manteniendo en muchas ocasiones esa sonrisa risueña que encandiló a muchos espectadores (y que lo sigue haciendo). Una de las cosas que más me gustan son las distintas ilustraciones de Willow que recoge y las hojas finales con bocetos para la historia.
En general, puedo decir que es una historia curiosa, entretenida, pero que no aporta demasiado a la historia de la serie, ya que lo único que hace es que conozcamos un poco mejor a Willow (en cierta parte) y menciona y retrata muchas veces a los protagonistas de la serie.