GtPGKogPYT4p61R1biicqBXsUzo" /> Google+ Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 Volume 1 | I Smell Sheep

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 Volume 1

The Long Way Home (the first 5 issues)

Since the destruction of the Hellmouth, the Slayers newly-forged legion have gotten organized and are kicking some serious undead butt. But not everything's fun and firearms, as an old enemy reappears and Dawn experiences some serious growing pains. Meanwhile, one of the "Buffy" decoy slayers is going through some major pains of her own.

Buffy creator Joss Whedon brings Buffy back to Dark Horse in this direct follow-up to season seven of the smash-hit TV series. The bestselling and critically-acclaimed issues 1-5 are collected here for the first time in a trade paperback, which includes their artistic covers by Jo Chen and Georges Jeanty.

Review:

I was there from the beginning in 1997. I loved Buffy The Vampire Slayer and was sad to see it go after 7 seasons. So when I heard that Joss was going to create a season 8 at Dark Horse comics, I was both excited and concerned. My first concern was that I didn’t read comics books, so where was I going to find them? (Ben: At the comic book store, silly.) Second among my concerns: would I be disappointed by these comics?, Could the magic of Buffy be brought to life in comic book form?

I am happy to say the comic was everything I hoped it would be and more!

Season 8 is 40 issues long and ran from March 14 2007 until January 19 2011. The Long Way Home contains the first 5 issues in a trade paperback. The first thing I want to talk about is the cover art. It is so utterly breath taking that each cover could be framed. I am glad they used the images of the actors from the TV show for the comic book covers.

The story picks up right where Season 7 left off. Sunnyvale is nothing but a giant hole in the ground and there are tons of slayers lose in the world. Buffy, along with Xander, Giles and Andrew, run a military-style Slayers organization that goes around killing monsters. And let me tell you, there are a lot of monster butt-kicking actions scenes. However, not everyone is happy to see our heroes saving the world. The US government views the Scoobie gang as a national security threat and are trying to eliminate her by teaming up with this volume's “Big Bad”: Amy (the witch/rat) and Warren (flayed by Willow).

There is also plenty of character development in these comics. Willow shows up after being away for a year and has some secrets of her own, while Dawn is having some relationship issues and trying to find her place in the new Slayer world. There are some interesting side stories about a couple of the new slayers and the one at the end of this Volume has a strong emotional punch.

My favorite thing about the comic version of Season 8 is the dialogue. As you read it, you can hear the TV characters' voices. Same snarky comments and geeky references. Joss nailed this one.

If you were a Buffy fan then this is a must-read. Angel and Spike show up later in the series and there are some earth-shattering developments by the end of the comic's run. Joss and Dark Horse have promised there will be a Season 9.

5 Monster butt-kicking Sheep!

SS (edited and snark by BAK, but I didn't know where one was...)

5 comments:

  1. Thanks so much for reviewing this. I've been curious about the Buffy comics (I too was there from the series premiere to the grand finale) but too afraid of disappointment to give them a try. I will definitely pick up a copy now.

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  2. What a great review, and wow 5 sheep? MUST be good. I am more of an Angel fan then Buffy but that said I now have a big need to read these. Thanks for sharing :)

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  3. Angel shows up in this series! and he does a *really bad thing . Can't say cause it would be a major spoiler for season 8.

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  4. @Dani-they really are good. I actually bought all the comics in the first season. They were the first ones I ever collected. So I am a sort of comic book nerd .

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  5. Angel being naughty? Me like! I shall have to check this out....and maybe get some nibbles out of my beef cake! lol

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