A Dark Place, Part One

Publication

August 22, 2012

Length

22 pages

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine" "Apart (of Me), Part Three	A Dark Place, Part Two

Colorist(s)

Cris Peters

Letterer(s)

Richard Starkings & ComiCraft's Jimmy Betancourt

"A Dark Place, Part One" was the first issue of the Spike: A Dark Place comic book series.

Synopsis

Feeling depressed, Spike had ordered his bugs to take him to the dark side of the moon, without revealing his objective for the journey. While there, Spike lamented his relationship with Buffy, while the bugs determined it was time for them to intervene. They caught him and forcibly brought him to the solarium. Although Spike feared that they would let him burn in the sunlight, in fact, the bugs had redressed the room to look like a beach and had replaced the regular glass with Necrotempered glass.

Meanwhile some lunar demons gathered around the ship. Although initially appreciative of the new solarium, Spike subsequently rejected it and while getting dressed again, a Moon Frog jumped onto the solarium. Spike immediately ordered a bug squad to attack it in protection of the ship. However, when they opened the hatch, the creature crawled in and attacked them. The bugs fled, believing their prophesied Night of the Long Tongues was upon them. Spike attacked it and led it to the solarium, but there he was ambushed and captured by other lunar demons.

Having captured Spike, the demons forced the bugs to lift off, making plans to jettison Spike, was they were in Space.

Continuity

The story was set after "Apart (of Me)", but before "Death and Consequences, Part Three"

Spike's intake of alcohol while brooding over Buffy is similar to what he went through long ago by Drusilla in "Lovers Walk" after she left him for a Chaos Demon.
Spike had flashbacks of when Buffy's robot arm was ripped off in "On Your Own, Part Two", as well as when he left her in "Apart (of Me), Part Three".

Appearances

Individuals

Spike
Buffy Summers (Only in flashbacks)
Sebastian
Elizabeth
Spotter (Only mentioned)

Organizations and Titles

Spike's crew

Species

Vampire
Bug Demon
Unidentified lunar demons
Moon Frog

Events

Locations

The Moon

Weapons and Objects

Spike's ship
Necro-tempered glass

Death Count

Behind the Scenes

Collections

Pop Culture References

Spike mentioned the band Pink Floyd's saying about the moon, along with member Roger Waters.
When the bugs lifted Spike in the air, he likened it to having scored for Manchester United.

Quotes

Sebastion: "Never would I question one of your majesty's brillant plans, but what purpose is served by our being here?"

Spike: "Get bent."

Sebastion: "Thank you, sire."

Spike: "It will always be darkness for me, luv. My sort can't take the light, can they?"

Sebastion: "We used this as a guide, from a periodical Miss Buffy left behind. It appears sunny and restful."

Spike: "Madison Avenue Tripe, designed to dupe the slack-jawed masses into thinking a six-pack of cold suds can numb them from their dreary lives. Everyone knows that."

Sebastion: "What is that hideous thing?!"

Spike: "Dunno. Moon Frog?"

Spike: "Fact is, I quite liked the fake beach. But nobody likes feeling suckered. There was a time when I thought Buffy was pregnant and I could take care of her and we'd maybe have a play at a normal life. Talk about fooling yourself. Is there any clearer sign you've become a boring git than being pitied by the bugs?"