Relationship Status: Complicated, Part One is the fourteenth issue of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Ten comic book series. It was written by Christos Gage and illustrated by Rebekah Isaacs. Joss Whedon is the executive producer.
Synopsis[]
While traveling into Spike’s mind and seeing his past and present, Buffy looks for clues about the newest threat in San Francisco: someone or something with a deep connection to Spike![1]
Continuity[]
- Giles's bookcase features a statue also seen in Buffy’s dream in "Welcome to the Hellmouth" and his library office in "Prophecy Girl".
- Buffy and Spike discuss about her knowing what he did before his soul, similar to their discussion in "Never Leave Me".
- Willow recalls being single; she broke up with Aluwyn in Love Dares You, Part Three.
- Buffy refers to the events of Love Dares You, Part Two as “last night”, therefore this issue happens in the same day as Love Dares You, Part Three.
- It is revealed that the Archaeus is the demon responsible for the Aurelius’s bloodline, as well as the cause of Angel and Spike’s recurring murderous visions.
While traveling into Spike's mind, Buffy visits recognizable moments of his and The Whirlwind’s past:
- he and Buffy having sex (Love Dares You, Part Two);
- he rescuing his cats (Love Dares You, Part One);
- at a bar with Robert Dowling and consulting the Slayer Handbook (Day Off (or Harmony in My Head));
- in his first (on good terms) discussion with Xander (I Wish, Part Two);
- he and Buffy talking about their past at the Sunnydale ruins (Return to Sunnydale, Part Two);
- fighting the last zompires at Santa Rosita (New Rules, Part One);
- having sex with Harmony in London (Spike and Faith);
- obtaining his soul in Africa ("Grave");
- killing Nikki Wood ("Fool for Love");
- being sired by Drusilla ("Fool for Love");
- Drusilla as the “Mother Superior" (Daddy Issues, Part Three);
- Drusilla being sired by Angel ("Dear Boy");
- Angel being sired by Darla ("Becoming, Part One");
- and Darla being sired by the Master ("Darla").
Appearances[]
Individuals[]
- Angel (Only in flashbacks)
- Archaeus
- Darla (Only in flashbacks)
- Drusilla (Only in flashbacks)
- Robert Dowling (Only in flashbacks)
- Rupert Giles
- Xander Harris
- Harmony Kendall (Only in flashbacks)
- The Master (Only in flashbacks)
- Willow Rosenberg
- Spike
- Buffy Summers
- Dawn Summers
- Nikki Wood (Only in flashbacks)
Organization and Titles[]
- Scooby Gang
- Slayer
- Witch
- The Whirlwind (Only in flashbacks)
- Xander and Spike's cats (Only in flashbacks)
Species[]
Locations[]
- San Francisco, USA
- Rupert Giles’s apartment
- Pier 70
- Xander and Spike's apartment (Only in flashbacks)
- Sunnydale, USA (Only in flashbacks)
- London, England (Only in flashbacks)
- Archaeus’s dimension (Only in visions)
Weapons and Objects[]
Death Count[]
- Unknown woman, drained by Archaeus (in visions).
- Nikki Wood, neck snapped by Spike (in visions).
Behind the Scenes[]
Production[]
- The title is a reference to relationship status option “it’s complicated” on social media.
- Christos Gage has clarified to fans the exposition on Archaeus: “When Giles said Archaeus ‘sired’ the Master, it didn’t mean like a vampire sires. It means Archaeus’ essence entered the Master.[2] Also I meant to say that when certain powerful demons intentionally enter a newly created vampire their ‘bloodline’ continues.[3] A demon might do this to create an army of loyal servants or whatever. This is the exception, not the rule, in vampire creation.”[4]
- The confusion was rectified in the publishing of the trade paperback "Love Dares You", in which the original quote “Archaeus sired him, directly.” was replaced by “He’d determined it was Archaeus’ essence that animated him.”
Distribution[]
- Relationship Status: Complicated, Part One was the 187º best selling graphic novel in its publishing month, with 15,286 sales in April 2015 at comic specialty stores.[5]
Collections[]
Pop Culture References[]
- Giles has a Nataraja statue in his apartment.
- Xander mentions a scene from the Star Wars (1977) movie.
- Spike’s bedroom features a The Clash at Bond’s Casino poster.
Gallery[]
Cover Artwork[]
Preview[]
References[]
- ↑ "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 10 #14". Dark Horse Comics. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
- ↑ Christos Gage on Twitter. May 01, 2015.
- ↑ Christos Gage on Twitter. May 01, 2015.
- ↑ Christos Gage on Twitter. May 01, 2015.
- ↑ "Top 300 Graphic Novels Actual--April 2015". ICv2. May 18, 2015