Question: Spike's Role in the Comics?

[fenderlove]

Quick word: I won't be responding with my own opinions to any comments left in this post, so feel free to answer honestly without fear that I shall pounce upon you. I may have further questions to ask.

How would you describe Spike's role in the comics in Season Nine? And to go further, what is his literal role in the comics? What has he literally been doing? What has been clearly asked of him by any other character or characters? The key words for all this are definitely- literal specifics. I'm looking for less interpretation "if you turn it sideways and squint and read between the lines" type of examples and more for just what has been presented.

Like I said above, I won't be responding with my own opinions. I'm just curious to find out if I've missed something in translation.

Comments

[fenderlove.livejournal.com]

Okay, let's recount. Barring my drastically different interpretations of the final scenes in S8 and the online comic, in S9, Buffy has thanked Spike for watching her back and has said she'd miss him if he left or if he was gone. She's counting him as part of the team by text-messaging him to meetings. Buffy hasn't specifically asked him to stay or to help, but she hasn't asked for anyone else to stay or help either. I'm assuming that Spike has had no other main character interactions than with Buffy alone, at this point (I think there was a scene with Buffy and Willow, maybe)?

[coalitiongirl.livejournal.com]

Yep- though he has interacted quite a bit with new character Eldreh Koh and a bit with Buffy's roommate Tumble, while Willow and Xander/Dawn haven't interacted with each other at all (maybe in the first issue?) and Xander/Dawn have only interacted with one of the bad guys (at the meeting he missed) and Buffy. So if we're keeping scorecards, he's next under Buffy in terms of relevance (though even that number is pretty low, since it's been a Buffy-centric arc).

[fenderlove.livejournal.com]

Interesting to note. Thanks!

[coalitiongirl.livejournal.com]

My pleasure! I've been very happy with Spike's role in the comics (though I'm eagerly awaiting Xander and Dawn getting some quality screentime, too. At times it kind of feels like it's only about Buffy's and Spike's individual stories...).