It's that tricky middle-part of a story line that when read as a single issue doesn't do a whole lot by itself, but works better when read as a whole. Still, the appearace of

Spoiler

Lilah

was quite fun!

I feel like I am cheating when I enter a 32 page comic as a book read in my challenge but then the book I read before these four comics was 800 pages so I guess it all balances out. This is #27 of 30 in Season 10 of the continuation of the Buffyverse and I am enjoying it.

While I do not enjoy watching the scoobies rip each other to shreds, I think this is the low point they needed to hit to finally come back to each other. Everybody had new alliances they were exploring, and often sticking to, instead of relying on old friends. Giles had his fairy people (who saw him not as a child but a man), Willow had the military (and her hot gf), and Buffy had Spike (which is technically a new thing relationship they are trying out). Every single one of them was hiding inside new relationships instead of dealing with their problems and differences. Giles while wanting to be treated as a man acted as a child, Willow wants to be helpful so much she loses sight of those she is fighting alongside, and Buffy instead of reaching out borrows into herself, hurting those around her and lashing out.

There is this particular line that just pissed me off:

Buffy to Spike: "Really? 'cause I haven't heard one yet [solutions]. All I've heard is that this won't work, and that won't work and we should curl up into a call and cry. Maybe we should call Angel again. He's not the type to give up when things get tough."

He is also the type to send the whole world into hell in his quest to protect it. Repeatedly. Low blow Buffy. She acts like a petulant child, and constantly lashes out at Spike for no reason even though all he does is try to help her, there is only so much emotional damage one will take before you snap... Spike decides he has had enough and calls for a "break". What will Buffy do now?

There are two plots here though, D'hoffryn steals the book that creates magical rules from the scoobie gang, while Dawn and Xander are out in the inter-dimensional boonies waiting for the team to rescue them. However due to the chaos back on Earth the team is in no position to go on a rescue mission. The reason why I love Dawn and Xander's story line is because I always found their relationship creepy and unbelievable. I could never get behind it, but now we are getting a chance to see them interact and build up the trust and chemistry that would make me get behind a relationship between them. In season 8 their coupling came at me from the left field, I felt unbalanced, and everything between them happened behind the scenes or before season 8 even started in that hazy time between season 7 and 8. Now because of Dawn's "back to zero" hard-wiring and Xander hitting a new low we can see them build something new, relying on each other, and I think I might even support it.

So Dawn and Xander decide to forgo waiting on the scoobie team to save them and they leave on their own (with two tag alongs -Dawn worshipers- that are there to keep them save).

Also Andrew's loyalty is being tested yet again. I am sad to say his part is very small.

I am scared for Buffy and Spikes future because Buffy likes to run away instead of dealing with messy situations. As far as Willow and Giles they will come back into the fold, just in time for the season finale.