The vampire William the Bloody or “Spike” as he became known on Buffy the Vampire Slayer was one of those characters in television history that could have fizzled depending on the casting of the role.  Spike could have been one of those characters killed off after a few episodes, but James Marsters’ unique voice for the character and his own take on the dark and brooding opposite David Boreanaz’s own dark and brooding character Angel was a standout that allowed him to survive all seven seasons of the series, and reprise the role on Angel.  Plus, Spike’s Brit-punk style was always just plain cool.

Dark Horse Comics signed Marsters to pen his own take on Spike and the result is Spike: Into the Light, a graphic novel to be released July 16, 2014.  With nicely rendered images of Marsters as Spike by artist Derlis Santacruz, inks by Andy Owens and colors by Dan Jackson, Spike fans will find Spike: Into the Light as a lost episode that never otherwise could have been–since no single episode told a solo story with no other cast members.  Marsters and Santacruz paint a trip through familiar lanscape during the last season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Marsters gives us a voice and story only he could provide, considering he spent more time than anyone literally in the boots of the character.  The problem?  Vampire Spike has a soul, and he’s trying to make good on it by being a good guy, despite the pull toward killing to get blood or to break into an old store where he once buried loot from a past heist.  Spike also wants a girlfriend, but can he keep from turning vampire long enough to get to know her?

Here’s a preview of Spike: Into the Light courtesy of Dark Horse Comics:

Fans of Spike will appreciate his ongoing attempts to save innocents from thugs and the latest tentacle beastie to tromp through town.  And as we all know, and as Marsters knows, it’s often all for naught because of that pesky vampire face that appears Hulk-style when he’s angry, which sometimes he can control, but sometimes can’t.  Some die-hards may nitpicket the depth and scope of this story, but if you like the good side of Spike this may be for you.

Look for the hardcover edition of Spike: Into the Light in comic book stores July 16, 2014, and available for pre-order now here at Amazon.com.

C.J. Bunce
Editor
borg.com