Last Gleaming TPB cover

[rogue11]

When are they going to release the trade paperback cover for "last gleaming"?
for the other arcs they released it much earlier but now they're holding out, i really want to see it...

[CowboyGuy]

Hopefully soon. It could be somewhat spoilery, so they may hold it for another month.

[usagianddarien]

i really want this one too! i just read the twilight tpb and now i'm ready for the next one.

[Eric]

io9 released it today. What does everyone think? Underwhelming, if you ask me.

[AndrewCrossett]

It's okay, but doesn't look like it's going to capture the horribleness of this season's outcome very accurately.

And I know we always comment on the mysterious absence of characters from covers, but... where's Willow? Is she the glow in the foreground?

[Paul]

(Copying comment from other thread)

Nov 30, 2010 21:10:20 GMT -5 Wyndam said:

Ahem.

Hmm. Interesting cover. I assume the fact that Buffy is flanked by the four most important men in her life (to the exclusion of Willow, Dawn, etc) has some significance.

Not sure if I like Buffy's jacket, it's a bit shoulder paddy. And for some reason, the fact that Angel has his hands in his pockets makes me angry... the fact that he looks so relaxed after his behaviour as Twilight. He's been such a smarmy bastard in this arc and I'm usually a big fan of the character.

Not my favourite TPB cover but maybe it's a grower.

[Emmie]

I'll copy over all my comments, but it looks like I agree with Paul (I even noted the shoulderpad style of Buffy!) and with A/C in that the cover doesn't really capture the tone of the story.

I'd lay odds Xander is staring at Dawn who's off-camera here. I don't think he's looking at Giles or Angel. I think what's actually being shown is that he's not looking at Buffy. Basically, this is a cover of the four most important men in Buffy's life, past and present (sadly Riley didn't make the cut), and Xander's the one who's looking to get off the ride.

I'm kinda underwhelmed by Chen's cover. Of all her posey covers, this one is not only posey but it's lacking energy. The likenesses are all right though Buffy's body shape look stiff and unnatural (she looks like she's bringing back shoulderpads in her jackets) and Spike's body looks kinda... weird (too lanky, too tall really).

Honestly, I only have small quibbles with the likenesses. Mostly, I wish this cover were actually showing something. Other than the small detail of Xander looking off to the side, it seems pretty lackluster to me.

Chen's Twilight TPB blows this one out of the water.

Chen can do dynamic action occasionally well (see her cover for #16 of Buffy and Fray falling through the air) and she can do incredibly beautiful portraits where there's emotion and expression (see Twilight TPB, P&P TPB, #36, #37 and many more), but this...

What is the emotion here?

Great art evokes a mood or sucks you in with a powerful statement. This? The most interesting feature is that Xander isn't paying attention to Buffy. And that's a small detail, not the overall piece.

I don't see much to interpret at all here. Even the expressions of each individual are blase and Xander looks bored.

I do like how Angel's standing, hands in his pockets, with a smug look on his face to match his cocky posture. Not exactly hunched over and burdened with guilt over your crimes, are you, big guy? (Though the more I think about it, the more I'm annoyed that he's posing in a cocky way.)

Considering the much-talked-about tragedy of #39 and the gamechanger predictions of #40, the calm finality here doesn't really fit with the story I'm reading. I'm trying to imagine buying "Last Gleaming" with this cover, then diving into the crazy madness of the story and I think it'd be like getting smacked in the face with the dissonance between the cover and what's in the pages.

Specifically, Buffy's expression on this cover feels out of place. Compare her expression on Chen's covers for #37 (when the Master is looming behind her) and her broken despair for #40 (when she's beaten, bloodied and the Scythe lies chipped and broken in her hands). "Last Gleaming" isn't about a cocky, unaffected Slayer showing the audience she's got it all on lock, but about a weary, anguished Buffy who's hardened herself in order to fight. Buffy's likeness on this cover looks straight out of early Season 5 (before the emotional toll hits; and I'll lay odds Chen used a Season 5 promo pic as a reference 'cause that's early Season 5 Buffy hairstyle) and I want to be looking at Buffy in Season 8 circa "Last Gleaming" when the world's falling apart and she's responsible.


The best part about this cover is Xander looking away from Buffy. Giles and Spike are kinda just there, Buffy isn't emoting the way I'd expect for this end of the story (which is jarring because she did look great for both P&P and Twilight TPBs). And finally, Angel's stance and expression really doesn't fit with his journey during this arc.

Whatever. This is one of my least favorite TPB covers. NFFY, Twilight, and P&P remain my faves and this one doesn't come close.

[CowboyGuy]

Ugh. It bugs me that pretty much all Jo did was look at the Season 5 promotional photos and copy/paste.







Hi.

Boring, lackluster, no emotion. It looks like my action figures placed on a shelf. Where's the drama? Where's the image that sums up the Season?!

[Emmie]

I KNOW, PHIL. I KNOW.

Chen was basically copying the Season 5 promos. UGH.

I'm trying to not hate on this art, but it's like... seriously? This is the last TPB cover and you're gonna phone it in?

THANKS. EXCEPT NOT.

[Wyndam]

Hopefully she's saving her best for the HC's. Not that it excuses some sloppiness on this one though, but I don't even buy the TPB's.

[Emmie]

I'm hoping the best art will be for the deluxe HC edition. But yeah, it doesn't really make this effort better.

[BuffyFanOne]

Hmmm Not loving this one.
Not the worst thing i have ever seen but it is far from the best Chen work we have seen

[Smashed]

I've noticed that a lot of Chen's faces come from season promo shoots and episodic stills.
I'm also not impressed.

[sire]

The likeness' are great as always, but looking at this and then looking at the TPB for 'The Long Way Home', this one looks kinda stagnent. Still I think Jo Chen is incredible.

[rogue11]

It's not the most outstanding tradepaberback cover, but its not that bad either.
Why are the men around her? Where are the strong female allies at?
OK that headshot of Xander looks similar to the one on issue 27, the second issue of retreat where he's sitting with Dawn.
The Angel face looks like the one from the online comic where Angel and Spike are kissing and possibly having sex.
Maybe Dawn's not on it cuz they might kill her off.
Maybe Xander is on it because either he or Giles is going to be the one to betray her.
Angel and Spike are porbably there just cuz they were the big guest stars this season.
Since she's surrounded by all the men, maybe this is saying that he is just as strong, if not stronger than any of they guys....a gendered messaged behind the image perhaps?

[batboy99]

Nevermind, i saw it. I quite like it. I think it shows that Buffy is such a strong woman. And yeah, its very much like the season 5 promos, but really, for a piece like this, I dont think theres many other ways to do her face.