catalyst2 | BtVS S8 #17

Great interview with Sierra Hahn (assistant editor at Dark Horse) at Comic book Resources, which also has both covers for this issue along with a mystery image (more on that later).

The Chen cover: Chen just seems to get better with every cover - this is surely the best yet. She has Buffy, Mel and Gunther absolutely picture perfect. So glad to see that Gunther got his tank rebuilt after Urkonn and Mel demolished it.

The Jeanty cover: I like this one and I think it is a good likeness of Harth with a suitable air of menace about it. I have seen comments that the figure in shadows next to him is Dru. It certainly could be but I am yet to be convinced.

This quote from the interview left me with mixed feelings:
"Hahn said there aren't currently any plans in place for Fray stories after "Time of Your Life," but she suspects this won't be the last fans see of the future slayer."

I was really hoping there would be the announcement of some Fray stories after this, even if it was a couple of four-issue mini-series or something. Still, future stories aren't completely discounted so there's still some hope.

Although this next image is now deleted from the page, I copied it before that happened. It wasn't linked to anything in the text so the image didn't quite match in - some sub-editor is probably in deep shit tonight!
Here's the image:

If that looks at all familiar, as it did to me, check out this image of the Magician Major Arcana card in the Rider-Waite Tarot deck. Either Dark Horse is going to release a Buffy-themed variant of the R-W deck or this is going to be part of this arc (or another later?).