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Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8 #1-2
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 Library Edition Volume 1
This deluxe, oversized edition contains the first two arcs of Season 8, plus two one-shots. After the destruction of the Hellmouth, the Slayers-—newly legion--have gotten organized, but it’s not long before new and old enemies begin popping up. Buffy, Xander, Willow, and a very different Dawn are introduced to the season’s big bad, Twilight, and are only beginning to understand the incredible reach of this mysterious threat. Meanwhile, rebel Slayer Faith teams up with Giles to handle a menace on the other side of the Atlantic. It’s a dirty job, and Faith is just the girl to do it!
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 23, 2016
59 people are currently reading
1395 people want to read
About the author
Joss Whedon
482 books4,351 followersJoss Whedon (born Joseph Hill Whedon) is an American screenwriter, executive producer, film and television director, comic book writer, occasional composer, and actor, and the founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-creator of Bellwether Pictures.
He is best known as the creator and showrunner of the television series 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003)', 'Angel (1999–2004)', 'Firefly (2002)' and its film follow-up 'Serenity (2005)', and 'Dollhouse (2009–2010)', as well as the web-series' 'Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (2008)'. Whedon co-wrote and produced the horror film 'The Cabin in the Woods (2012)', and wrote and directed the film adaptation of Marvel's 'The Avengers (2012)', the third highest-grossing film of all time.
Many of Whedon's projects have cult status and his work is notable for portraying strong female characters and a belief in equality.
credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joss_Whedon
He is best known as the creator and showrunner of the television series 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003)', 'Angel (1999–2004)', 'Firefly (2002)' and its film follow-up 'Serenity (2005)', and 'Dollhouse (2009–2010)', as well as the web-series' 'Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (2008)'. Whedon co-wrote and produced the horror film 'The Cabin in the Woods (2012)', and wrote and directed the film adaptation of Marvel's 'The Avengers (2012)', the third highest-grossing film of all time.
Many of Whedon's projects have cult status and his work is notable for portraying strong female characters and a belief in equality.
credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joss_Whedon
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 220 reviews
February 9, 2023
Exactly what I expected and hoped for! I loved the art and the story fit perfectly to continue the series! I give this a solid 4.25 rounded down to 4 stars!
October 5, 2020
I think 4.5 stars actually~
Okay 1.: Was no one going to tell me that Joss Whedon wrote THREE MORE SEASONS OF BUFFY in graphic novel form? It should not have taken me this long to realize!!
2. I enjoyed this a lot more than I was expecting! The writers were able to do a lot of cool things with trippy mystical dimensions/space travel etc. since they didn't have to confine it to a budget. The storyline remained interesting and surprising, and I loved that they wrapped things up with almost all the characters I was left wondering about after season 7.
3. I deducted half a star because there definitely were things that seemed unbelievable. . . and now that Dawn is a college student I think there was more sexualization than was necessary, given how we grew up with the character and largely knew her as a 14 yr old.
But, all in all, if you were a fan of the series I highly recommend.
Okay 1.: Was no one going to tell me that Joss Whedon wrote THREE MORE SEASONS OF BUFFY in graphic novel form? It should not have taken me this long to realize!!
2. I enjoyed this a lot more than I was expecting! The writers were able to do a lot of cool things with trippy mystical dimensions/space travel etc. since they didn't have to confine it to a budget. The storyline remained interesting and surprising, and I loved that they wrapped things up with almost all the characters I was left wondering about after season 7.
3. I deducted half a star because there definitely were things that seemed unbelievable. . . and now that Dawn is a college student I think there was more sexualization than was necessary, given how we grew up with the character and largely knew her as a 14 yr old.
But, all in all, if you were a fan of the series I highly recommend.
March 13, 2015
First of all, this hardcover library edition is such a beautiful thing that looking at it makes my heart feel better about life. Anyways. This collects the first two volumes of season eight: Long Way Home and No Future for You, plus the little gems The Chain, Anywhere But Here, and Always Darkest.
I have waited so long to start season eight of Buffy. I wanted to make it through the omnibuses first, and that took me so long I'm embarrassed (other books can be very distracting). But now that I'm here, I'm practically kicking myself for waiting so long after the last time I watched season seven. This was the perfect extension on the Buffyverse and didn't miss a beat. The characters were taken directly from the screen and put onto the page: looks, wit, emotion and all.
Long Way Home opened everything up in a beautiful way. There are over 1,800 Slayers now, and a large portion of them have joined ranks to help the world fights evils. Xander is helping Buffy to head this operation, and his eye patch looks as charming as ever. Dawn has been blown up to giant-size, and she refuses to say why. Willow finally reappears and helps with her magicky mojo. Giles, unfortunately is M.I.A. for the most part. But the best part about this: THE NEW VILLAIN! Twilight looks like it's going to be a force to be reckoned with. Also the military is all about no Slayers in the world. Crazy shit.
Then we move on to No Future for You and we encounter Faith. We all know her background, how guilty she feels about certain things from her past. But in this she's willing to help Giles in order to help Slayers everywhere. Through faith we meet Gigi, A CRAZY BITCH! They take a bath together a very non-sexual way (boo for those who were interested in a different turn) and decide to be BFFs. It all happens very quickly, and then shit starts to go down. We find out more about Dawn's giantess-state, and get more insight into Twilight. Again, NO SPOILERS!
The issues found in between the major story arcs are so worthwhile. The Chain delves into the story behind the fake Buffy sent in undercover and how she came to have that particular role, along with how she became a Slayer. And Anywhere But Here gives us a devastating look into Willow's past relationship with Tara, her new feelings for Kennedy, and how she's been dealing with life with Buffy back from the dead.
Oh, and Always Darkest is totally silly and you get to see Angel and Spike almost kiss. I know: WHAT THE FUCK?! But it was prettttttty hilarious.
Onwards and upwards!
I have waited so long to start season eight of Buffy. I wanted to make it through the omnibuses first, and that took me so long I'm embarrassed (other books can be very distracting). But now that I'm here, I'm practically kicking myself for waiting so long after the last time I watched season seven. This was the perfect extension on the Buffyverse and didn't miss a beat. The characters were taken directly from the screen and put onto the page: looks, wit, emotion and all.
Long Way Home opened everything up in a beautiful way. There are over 1,800 Slayers now, and a large portion of them have joined ranks to help the world fights evils. Xander is helping Buffy to head this operation, and his eye patch looks as charming as ever. Dawn has been blown up to giant-size, and she refuses to say why. Willow finally reappears and helps with her magicky mojo. Giles, unfortunately is M.I.A. for the most part. But the best part about this: THE NEW VILLAIN! Twilight looks like it's going to be a force to be reckoned with. Also the military is all about no Slayers in the world. Crazy shit.
Then we move on to No Future for You and we encounter Faith. We all know her background, how guilty she feels about certain things from her past. But in this she's willing to help Giles in order to help Slayers everywhere. Through faith we meet Gigi, A CRAZY BITCH! They take a bath together a very non-sexual way (boo for those who were interested in a different turn) and decide to be BFFs. It all happens very quickly, and then shit starts to go down. We find out more about Dawn's giantess-state, and get more insight into Twilight. Again, NO SPOILERS!
The issues found in between the major story arcs are so worthwhile. The Chain delves into the story behind the fake Buffy sent in undercover and how she came to have that particular role, along with how she became a Slayer. And Anywhere But Here gives us a devastating look into Willow's past relationship with Tara, her new feelings for Kennedy, and how she's been dealing with life with Buffy back from the dead.
Oh, and Always Darkest is totally silly and you get to see Angel and Spike almost kiss. I know: WHAT THE FUCK?! But it was prettttttty hilarious.
Onwards and upwards!
June 26, 2012
Originally posted at Otherwhere.co
"You know people underestimate the value of a good ramble." - Buffy
WARNING: Fan girl attack.
The second Dark Horse announced this book, I knew I needed it on my shelf. Yes, of course, I have every cover for every comic in this entire series. At one point I was mercilessly in the clutches of Ebay hunting down various retail variants and additional first run copies. That shite is addicting. Thankfully unlike some comic companies *cough* IDW *cough* they usually only had two covers an issue. Since I fully expect my collection to gain mass amounts of collectible value over the next few years, I wouldn’t dare break a spine. So thank you, Dark Horse, for giving me a hardcover version to enjoy without risking my NM comics.
I lucked out last weekend and was able to grab this gorgeous book at Denver Comic Con, where I was able to have Georges Jeanty (one of the rockstar artists) sign it for me. Which means this is now a collectible. Dammit.
Yeah, that didn’t stop me. This book is gorgeous. Containing the first ten issues of Season 8 as well as several extras, I couldn’t help but read the whole frackin’ thing in one sitting. Georges Jeanty has such a filmic eye. I’ve actually picked up camera tricks from his panels. He is able to show the passage of time, killer emotions and depict tone like few artists can. The sketchbooks in the back, along with commentary from Jeanty, was a fantastic peek into the creative process.
Brian K. Vaughan (along with Joss), did a fantastic job taking the Buffyverse and running with it. Seeing the scoobies – in any form – again, rocked my world. But this wasn’t just a fun little epilogue. The story arcs blew my mind; like we never left Sunnydale (except we did, technically), everyone still has their issues and are still growing and moving forward. The mastery of the series lives on! In some ways it was the next logical step for the Buffy story. No longer confined to budgets, actor contracts and timetables, the universe was able to open up. Monsters became monsters, and the world got a lot bigger.
Anyone who is a fan of the series is shamefully missing out, if they haven’t picked up the comics yet. The characters are just as mythic, the stories as humorous/poignant/Whedon-eque as ever, and for frack sakes, it’s Buffy!
End geekathon.
"You know people underestimate the value of a good ramble." - Buffy
WARNING: Fan girl attack.
The second Dark Horse announced this book, I knew I needed it on my shelf. Yes, of course, I have every cover for every comic in this entire series. At one point I was mercilessly in the clutches of Ebay hunting down various retail variants and additional first run copies. That shite is addicting. Thankfully unlike some comic companies *cough* IDW *cough* they usually only had two covers an issue. Since I fully expect my collection to gain mass amounts of collectible value over the next few years, I wouldn’t dare break a spine. So thank you, Dark Horse, for giving me a hardcover version to enjoy without risking my NM comics.
I lucked out last weekend and was able to grab this gorgeous book at Denver Comic Con, where I was able to have Georges Jeanty (one of the rockstar artists) sign it for me. Which means this is now a collectible. Dammit.
Yeah, that didn’t stop me. This book is gorgeous. Containing the first ten issues of Season 8 as well as several extras, I couldn’t help but read the whole frackin’ thing in one sitting. Georges Jeanty has such a filmic eye. I’ve actually picked up camera tricks from his panels. He is able to show the passage of time, killer emotions and depict tone like few artists can. The sketchbooks in the back, along with commentary from Jeanty, was a fantastic peek into the creative process.
Brian K. Vaughan (along with Joss), did a fantastic job taking the Buffyverse and running with it. Seeing the scoobies – in any form – again, rocked my world. But this wasn’t just a fun little epilogue. The story arcs blew my mind; like we never left Sunnydale (except we did, technically), everyone still has their issues and are still growing and moving forward. The mastery of the series lives on! In some ways it was the next logical step for the Buffy story. No longer confined to budgets, actor contracts and timetables, the universe was able to open up. Monsters became monsters, and the world got a lot bigger.
Anyone who is a fan of the series is shamefully missing out, if they haven’t picked up the comics yet. The characters are just as mythic, the stories as humorous/poignant/Whedon-eque as ever, and for frack sakes, it’s Buffy!
End geekathon.
December 28, 2015
2.5 • in a nutshell, season 8 was a clusterfuck. The story went all over the place and the artwork, though mostly gorgeous, could be confusing. At many points I could not tell who was who (Andrew? Riley? Oz?) I get that Whedon & Co were happy to explore storylines and locations they would otherwise be unable to do on the show due to budget restraints but waaaay too much changed in the Buffyverse from the end of S07 to the start of the comics. I am glad all of this was acknowledged in the afterword because I legit thought I was just dumb or being too harsh. I've already started season 9 and it's already way better in terms of story, character development, and artwork.
March 15, 2016
I'm coming off of a Buffy binge. I started watching the show for it's campy-ness and then got hooked on the characters. After season 7, I moved on to the comic. I love that Joss Whedon chose to keep the characters and the "show" alive this way. Though Spike on a spaceship is a little weak . . . Very action-packed and the dialog keeps true to the characters' personalities in the series. I literally chewed through all of season 8 and most all of season 9 over the weekend. Over coffee, with a beer in the backyard, while eating dinner (sorry honey, can't talk. Reading Buffy). The hubby was a Buffy widow, which seems only fair. It's getting to be the conference (college hoops), so the shoe will be on the other foot. If you liked Buffy at all, you'll like the comic.
August 6, 2016
It's not really fair to rate this comic book in the same category as a book like Middlemarch, however, that's the rating system I'm going on. I read this in one sitting, so happy that the characters I know and love are still having adventures and that I get to read about them. The art is really good, too! I was worried that I wouldn't like it so this was a pleasant surprise. Yay Joss Whedon and Dark Horse!
January 26, 2019
Continues from where the television series left off. The result is so BVS but edgier, grander, but random. So good at parts, yet so confusing at others. Clearly, the writer was experimenting. Fun, epic, but mixed.
June 4, 2020
Although it’s really cool how well the artist sometimes captures the actors’ expressions, it’s sometimes difficult to differentiate the characters, and the will to stay realistic takes away some of the comic medium’s advantages in being able to show different emotions through more exaggerated expressions. I still enjoyed the style, however!
Regarding the storyline, it sometimes felt difficult to follow, and is very obviously still only a build-up for the rest of season 8. Analysing the consequences of a super-powered “race” in our society is definitely a more grown-up topic that I hope they will execute well. The wonderful Buffy-ness of the TV-series doesn’t translate perfectly to comics, but most of it still got through, and it might also be a something that gets better the more Buffy comics one reads.
Regarding the storyline, it sometimes felt difficult to follow, and is very obviously still only a build-up for the rest of season 8. Analysing the consequences of a super-powered “race” in our society is definitely a more grown-up topic that I hope they will execute well. The wonderful Buffy-ness of the TV-series doesn’t translate perfectly to comics, but most of it still got through, and it might also be a something that gets better the more Buffy comics one reads.
July 9, 2019
Enquanto lia Caçadora não resisti de voltar para o Buffyverso. Sempre achei que os eventos do final da série de TV foram muito impactantes em vários aspectos da história - o futuro do mundo com submundo, a verdade sobre a existência de vampiros e demônios, o relacionamento da Buffy com os amigos, com Giles, o Conselhos dos Guardiões; então fui atrás das HQs para matar a curiosidade e ter a ponte entre a história da Buffy e a nova série de livros. <3
August 16, 2025
So my rating is a little biased because I believe the show is literally the best tv series of all time. Also this rating is for both season 8 and 9. The comic was good(definitely not as great as the show though). I liked the character interactions but the main plot of season 8 felt a little unhinged, it was sort of like because it was now a comic joss and the other writers thought they could do whatever. Season 9 was much better and felt more like the show, I really liked willow:wonderland and all of season 9 volume 3.
June 19, 2021
Mit Staffel 8 hat Joss Whedon die Buffy-Serie als Comic fortgesetzt, nachdem die TV=Show nach der siebten Staffel leider zu ende ging. Wer nur gelegentlicher Gast im Buffyversum ist, wird sich sicherlich häufiger die Augen reiben, manches zweimal lesen und eventuell sogar googeln müssen, um sich zu orientieren. Das soll aber keine negative Kritik sein, im Gegenteil: Obwohl sich die Serie (ursprünglich) vorzugsweise an ein jüngeres Publikum gerichtet hat, ist ein komplexer Buffy=Mythos entstanden, der meiner Meinung nach ganz zu recht einen riesigen Fan=Kreis hat. Und Whedon ist ein ausgebuffter Erzähler, der alles kann außer zu langweilen.
Panini hat mit der Höllenschlund-Edition eine schöne Hardcover=Ausgabe vorgelegt, die die inzwischen schon älteren Comics neu zugänglich macht. Ordentliche Verarbeitung und tolle Druckqualität machen nicht weniger Freude als die Stories, die hier versammelt sind. Die bieten in gewohnter Manier eine tolle Mischung aus Humor und Spannung mit anspielungsreichen und witzigen Dialogen, in denen auch schon mal Schimpfwörter und sexuelle Inhalte vorkommen (das ist für das amerikanische Publikum allerdings wohl eher erwähnenswert als für Leser in Deutschland). Wer auf eine gelungene Mischung aus Action, Emotionen, starken Frauen, Magie und Humor steht, ist hier richtig!
Panini hat mit der Höllenschlund-Edition eine schöne Hardcover=Ausgabe vorgelegt, die die inzwischen schon älteren Comics neu zugänglich macht. Ordentliche Verarbeitung und tolle Druckqualität machen nicht weniger Freude als die Stories, die hier versammelt sind. Die bieten in gewohnter Manier eine tolle Mischung aus Humor und Spannung mit anspielungsreichen und witzigen Dialogen, in denen auch schon mal Schimpfwörter und sexuelle Inhalte vorkommen (das ist für das amerikanische Publikum allerdings wohl eher erwähnenswert als für Leser in Deutschland). Wer auf eine gelungene Mischung aus Action, Emotionen, starken Frauen, Magie und Humor steht, ist hier richtig!
November 3, 2018
4/5
(NOTE : the "spoiler" sections are related to the TV show and inherently the comic so if you haven't seen/read it, don't read this review)
🌟 This was amazing. I loved it I don’t even want to criticize it. I love Buffy the Vampire Slayer so so so much, I can’t contain myself. Funnily enough, Buffy was never really my favorite character although she used to be in the beginning. She always had this huge hero complex "I-have-to-do-everything-alone-blah-blah" .
🌟 It was fun to delve back into the Buffyverse and read about what happens after the events of season 7 (). I wanted to see Faith more because she was my favorite character (I think maybe of all time) but we didn’t get to see her that much. Willow and Xander are always funny characters to read/watch.
🌟 The storylines are a bit all over the place but I’m not mad about it because it wasn't too hard to follow.
=> A nice read if you’re a fan of Buffy.
(NOTE : the "spoiler" sections are related to the TV show and inherently the comic so if you haven't seen/read it, don't read this review)
🌟 This was amazing. I loved it I don’t even want to criticize it. I love Buffy the Vampire Slayer so so so much, I can’t contain myself. Funnily enough, Buffy was never really my favorite character although she used to be in the beginning. She always had this huge hero complex "I-have-to-do-everything-alone-blah-blah" .
🌟 It was fun to delve back into the Buffyverse and read about what happens after the events of season 7 (). I wanted to see Faith more because she was my favorite character (I think maybe of all time) but we didn’t get to see her that much. Willow and Xander are always funny characters to read/watch.
🌟 The storylines are a bit all over the place but I’m not mad about it because it wasn't too hard to follow.
=> A nice read if you’re a fan of Buffy.
December 30, 2015
I love that the Buffy story is continued in season 8. I had to remind myself of a few characters so a rewatch would be helpful. I wish that the arcs and shorts flowed better, but the art is gorgeous and strongly evokes the cast from the television series.
January 3, 2016
This was so great!!
December 11, 2017
Read more of my reviews at Cornerfolds.com!
*Review to come!*
*Review to come!*
November 26, 2020
Faith saved this ...
I’ve read a fair few graphic novels and never quite found one as complicated. What I mean is that this jumps all over the place, the plot seemed a little convoluted when it came to Buffy’s and the slayers storyline. I can see why many were lost, it’s so odd. The timeline seems to jump mid sentence, that’s what it felt like.
Faith’s issue had the Buffy magic. Giles and his funny lines, Faith dealing with some inner demons. Buffy seemed to be a little off, the dialogue just didn’t seem like her at the start.
Without the Faith “chapter” this would have been 3/3.5⭐️s. At times the characters faces would disappear, it was an art choice but again could see why it might be confusing.
Still interested to see where this goes and if it will improve. It had so much to prove and live up to and die hard Buffy fans will be extra critical out of nostalgia. For me, this is the second time I’ve read this edition, I preordered this the moment I found it.
I’ve read a fair few graphic novels and never quite found one as complicated. What I mean is that this jumps all over the place, the plot seemed a little convoluted when it came to Buffy’s and the slayers storyline. I can see why many were lost, it’s so odd. The timeline seems to jump mid sentence, that’s what it felt like.
Faith’s issue had the Buffy magic. Giles and his funny lines, Faith dealing with some inner demons. Buffy seemed to be a little off, the dialogue just didn’t seem like her at the start.
Without the Faith “chapter” this would have been 3/3.5⭐️s. At times the characters faces would disappear, it was an art choice but again could see why it might be confusing.
Still interested to see where this goes and if it will improve. It had so much to prove and live up to and die hard Buffy fans will be extra critical out of nostalgia. For me, this is the second time I’ve read this edition, I preordered this the moment I found it.
April 15, 2024
Great art, with the exception of Andrew, who looks like no one. Often the story is quite confused - I did a lot of trying in vain to pull apart what I thought must be two pages stuck together, because the panels didn't seem to follow each other at all. Also, begging Mr Whedon to never again attempt to write out a character's accent. Both the Scottish slayer and the German just came across Jamaican. But I liked that the demons no longer had to look human, and that Dawn was given a storyline. Faith too, loved all that.
March 15, 2017
So awesome to see the show live on in a new medium. The artwork is superb. I also love how they can basically bring any character in because they are not limited to the actor's availability. My only complaint is it seems too out there at times - especially Dawn's storyline.
October 26, 2017
not as good as the show, but worthwhile if you're a fan.
September 19, 2021
Five by five.
January 10, 2016
Je commence bien 2016 en découvrant un genre encore inconnu pour moi auparavant : le comic. J’ai teeeeeeeeeeeellement aimé la série Buffy the Vampire Slayer l’an dernier (et j’étais affreusement frustrée par la fin) (voir mes articles ici et là) que j’ai demandé au Papa Noël le début de la saison 8, paru en comics outre-Atlantique. Surtout, arrêtez votre lecture ici si vous n’avez jamais vu la fin de la série télé !
Les Slayers (que j’appelle affectueusement les Slayeuses dans un franglais parfait) sont maintenant très, très nombreuses, environ 2000. Après la fin de Sunnydale, chacun essaie de trouver sa place et de construire sa vie dans ce nouvel univers, à des endroits différents de la planète. Des fantômes du passé vont pourtant resurgir et une nouvelle menace faire surface, mettant à nouveau la vie de Buffy et des autres personnages en péril, ainsi que le monde qu’ils tentent de construire.
Je craignais beaucoup de ne pas aimer, parce que c’est mon chéri qui me l’a offert et je n’aurais pas voulu le décevoir, et parce que même si le prix est raisonnable pour un livre de cette taille, c’est beaucoup plus cher que ce qu’on met habituellement dans un livre, même graphique. Je me doutais bien que les dessins à l’intérieur n’étaient pas aussi beaux que les couvertures, et en effet c’est différent, mais y être préparé.e aide à ne pas être déçu.e !
Si j’ai bien compris, ce volume regroupe les deux premiers arcs narratifs parus indépendamment : The Long Way Home et No Future for You. Il y a aussi de plus courtes histoires qui viennent s’intercaler, par exemple on nous raconte le parcours de l’une des Slayers éveillées suite aux événements de la fin de la saison 7. On voit les trois fille sur la couverture, pour une bonne raison, c’est à elles qu’il arrive le plus de choses dans ce premier volume. Et contre toute attente, j’ai vraiment aimé les développements consacrés à Faith ! La dernière histoire m’a perturbée aussi, je n’attendais pas cette révélation entre Buffy et Willow.
J’ai beaucoup aimé ces intrigues, les principales promettent pour la suite. On retrouve ce mélange d’humour parfois mal placé et du côté dramatique. Les personnages qu’on a connus au lycée sont maintenant des adultes ou tout comme ; Dawn à l’âge d’aller à la fac. Pourtant, ils traînent toujours leurs énormes casseroles et on comprend rapidement qu’ils sont loin d’avoir réglé des choses que nous pensions passées. J’ai eu quelquefois la gorge serrée, ce qui montre que les émotions sont plutôt bien retranscrites !
Cela dit, j’ai parfois eu du mal à reconnaître les personnages et j’avais du mal à situer les nouveaux, qu’on voit au final assez peu. En s’habituant au style, ça a été plus facile. J’accroche moins au style comic qu’au style manga ou BD en général, mais ça se laisse lire tranquillement et il y a de vraies efforts de faits sur les dessins, pour rappeler des habitudes des personnages (comme Giles qui essuie ses lunettes !). Par contre, les couvertures (on a droit à celles de chaque histoire) sont souvent splendides.
Bref, les scénaristes ont bien réussi à titiller ma curiosité pour la suite, les dessins et la transposition du « Buffyverse » sont suffisamment réussis pour me donner envie de poursuivre cette saison 8 et au-delà ! Ou en-deçà d’ailleurs, parce que je n’ai pas vu Angel ni lu les comics qui précèdent, notamment les spin-off consacrés à Faith ou à Spike (qui me manque, il faut bien l’avouer).
Les Slayers (que j’appelle affectueusement les Slayeuses dans un franglais parfait) sont maintenant très, très nombreuses, environ 2000. Après la fin de Sunnydale, chacun essaie de trouver sa place et de construire sa vie dans ce nouvel univers, à des endroits différents de la planète. Des fantômes du passé vont pourtant resurgir et une nouvelle menace faire surface, mettant à nouveau la vie de Buffy et des autres personnages en péril, ainsi que le monde qu’ils tentent de construire.
Je craignais beaucoup de ne pas aimer, parce que c’est mon chéri qui me l’a offert et je n’aurais pas voulu le décevoir, et parce que même si le prix est raisonnable pour un livre de cette taille, c’est beaucoup plus cher que ce qu’on met habituellement dans un livre, même graphique. Je me doutais bien que les dessins à l’intérieur n’étaient pas aussi beaux que les couvertures, et en effet c’est différent, mais y être préparé.e aide à ne pas être déçu.e !
Si j’ai bien compris, ce volume regroupe les deux premiers arcs narratifs parus indépendamment : The Long Way Home et No Future for You. Il y a aussi de plus courtes histoires qui viennent s’intercaler, par exemple on nous raconte le parcours de l’une des Slayers éveillées suite aux événements de la fin de la saison 7. On voit les trois fille sur la couverture, pour une bonne raison, c’est à elles qu’il arrive le plus de choses dans ce premier volume. Et contre toute attente, j’ai vraiment aimé les développements consacrés à Faith ! La dernière histoire m’a perturbée aussi, je n’attendais pas cette révélation entre Buffy et Willow.
J’ai beaucoup aimé ces intrigues, les principales promettent pour la suite. On retrouve ce mélange d’humour parfois mal placé et du côté dramatique. Les personnages qu’on a connus au lycée sont maintenant des adultes ou tout comme ; Dawn à l’âge d’aller à la fac. Pourtant, ils traînent toujours leurs énormes casseroles et on comprend rapidement qu’ils sont loin d’avoir réglé des choses que nous pensions passées. J’ai eu quelquefois la gorge serrée, ce qui montre que les émotions sont plutôt bien retranscrites !
Cela dit, j’ai parfois eu du mal à reconnaître les personnages et j’avais du mal à situer les nouveaux, qu’on voit au final assez peu. En s’habituant au style, ça a été plus facile. J’accroche moins au style comic qu’au style manga ou BD en général, mais ça se laisse lire tranquillement et il y a de vraies efforts de faits sur les dessins, pour rappeler des habitudes des personnages (comme Giles qui essuie ses lunettes !). Par contre, les couvertures (on a droit à celles de chaque histoire) sont souvent splendides.
Bref, les scénaristes ont bien réussi à titiller ma curiosité pour la suite, les dessins et la transposition du « Buffyverse » sont suffisamment réussis pour me donner envie de poursuivre cette saison 8 et au-delà ! Ou en-deçà d’ailleurs, parce que je n’ai pas vu Angel ni lu les comics qui précèdent, notamment les spin-off consacrés à Faith ou à Spike (qui me manque, il faut bien l’avouer).
February 26, 2023
fun and easy to get through continuation that picks up right after s7 of buffy. love how some stuff (like buffy dating the immortal) was in s5 of angel!
January 10, 2016
I have to begin this by saying that I adored the TV show, especially the snappy dialogue, and although there were some fluctuations, the writing of plot lines were also fantastic throughout the series but I knew that, making the transfer from television to comic book, I had to keep my expectations fairly low, particularly since this is the first comic book season.
While I found it a little tricky at first to get into the flow of reading Buffy rather than watching it, I actually found myself enjoying season 8 a lot more than I thought I would. Of course Joss Whedon would never be able to preserve exactly what the show was in the transfer from television to comics and it will never be the same as it was as a TV show, which is especially evident from the difficulty of showing that snappy dialogue that I enjoyed so much, and, being a comic series, there is now an unlimited budget so a lot of the story lines that occurred throughout season 8 just didn't feel reasonable - even though Buffy is set in a supernatural fictional universe - because there was no ease in from the limits of the lower budget of the show to the unlimited possibilities now available to the writers.
Having said that, I'm incredibly grateful that the series has continued on and that the characters remain true to the show in likeness in style and in writing and I did enjoy a lot of the plot, disregarding the fact that it felt a little too extravagant. The artwork in the library edition is glorious and I do like the additional pre-sketches and mapping of original outlines that shows the process of comic book creating that is included at the end.
I think it's important when reading on from a television series to keep in mind that it's never going to be the same, but that it is the same universe, the same characters, the same writing and that it's good that the universe is still being written. Since season 8 is the first comic book season of Buffy, I know that it's a little experimental and is looking at what works for the audience and the fans and what doesn't and I hope as the series goes on, those results are taken into account to keep it as true to what made the TV show as possible, even if it will never be the same.
While I found it a little tricky at first to get into the flow of reading Buffy rather than watching it, I actually found myself enjoying season 8 a lot more than I thought I would. Of course Joss Whedon would never be able to preserve exactly what the show was in the transfer from television to comics and it will never be the same as it was as a TV show, which is especially evident from the difficulty of showing that snappy dialogue that I enjoyed so much, and, being a comic series, there is now an unlimited budget so a lot of the story lines that occurred throughout season 8 just didn't feel reasonable - even though Buffy is set in a supernatural fictional universe - because there was no ease in from the limits of the lower budget of the show to the unlimited possibilities now available to the writers.
Having said that, I'm incredibly grateful that the series has continued on and that the characters remain true to the show in likeness in style and in writing and I did enjoy a lot of the plot, disregarding the fact that it felt a little too extravagant. The artwork in the library edition is glorious and I do like the additional pre-sketches and mapping of original outlines that shows the process of comic book creating that is included at the end.
I think it's important when reading on from a television series to keep in mind that it's never going to be the same, but that it is the same universe, the same characters, the same writing and that it's good that the universe is still being written. Since season 8 is the first comic book season of Buffy, I know that it's a little experimental and is looking at what works for the audience and the fans and what doesn't and I hope as the series goes on, those results are taken into account to keep it as true to what made the TV show as possible, even if it will never be the same.
July 14, 2012
I haven't read the library edition version-I ordered all of the comics separately and read them, but I am sure that this book that compiles the whole season is amazing. As a true Buffy fan, you can't miss what happens after season 7 ends (where the television series stops.) I may not have loved every decision that Joss and the crew made during this very experimental season of Buffy, but I truly was intrigued and captivated by the many twists and turns, and I had to find out what would happen next even if it was breaking my heart! I think that the writers took a lot of liberties in the comic book that they never would have done with the t.v. series, which amounts to a lot more risky decisions and choices....some of which panned out well and others that didn't work so well. There's quite the debate over that. For instance, there are more fantasy elements in the comics than the t.v. series because there is more room in a comic book series to basically do whatever you want, but at the same time, I felt that it kinda betrayed the spirit of the show a little bit and got away from the core of Buffy and her friends doing what they do best-slaying vampires! In the end, it came back around, and the last few "episodes" were very good, amazing! But there were some episodes that left me going "what???" as some characters did things that you wouldn't expect and seemed out of character for them. Anyways, I don't want this review to be a spoiler-go out and read it yourself. The drawings are very beautiful, and while I am not normally a comic book reader, I got entranced by them after getting used to the medium of comics (it did actually take me a few comics to get used to it.) If you're a Buffy fan, this is a definite worthwhile and enjoyable read, and if you're not, how can you not love Buffy???
September 28, 2012
I'd just re-watched the entirety of Buffy the Vampire thanks to Netflix, and season 7 left me wanting more. I had avoided the comic continuation, as everyone I knew who had read it was disappointed. But then Dark Horse came out with these beautiful library editions, and I had to have it.
The book contains the first two major story arcs, issues 1 through 10, re-introducing familiar faces and setting new threads leading to the Big Bad of the season. The characters are drawn well enough to be recognizable from their TV origins. Faith is especially well done, while poor Dawn is hard to distinguish from any one except by her size. The action is well put together, and there is no exploitative over sexualized anatomy anywhere. However, here is a scene with Andrew and strip poker slayers that rubbed me the one way.
Moving from the show to the comics, one has to let a few things slide. The characterizations feel slightly off, the magic and demons are so over the top it's easy to feel the transition to comic book land, but it's enjoyable any way. The book is best when it focuses on the main characters from the show, but I wasn't too put off with the new slayers, although most remain one dimensional.
The Faith arc is by far the best. I hope Buffy gets similar intense treatment later on in the season, she seems sidelined by so many other characters in the first volume.
I can't really recommend the comic continuation to all fans of the show, but if you liked Buffy AND you are a comic nerd, buy the hell out of this.
And this mega hard back edition is beautiful. I'm not huge into collecting geekery, but I MUST HAVE ALL OF THIS.
The book contains the first two major story arcs, issues 1 through 10, re-introducing familiar faces and setting new threads leading to the Big Bad of the season. The characters are drawn well enough to be recognizable from their TV origins. Faith is especially well done, while poor Dawn is hard to distinguish from any one except by her size. The action is well put together, and there is no exploitative over sexualized anatomy anywhere. However, here is a scene with Andrew and strip poker slayers that rubbed me the one way.
Moving from the show to the comics, one has to let a few things slide. The characterizations feel slightly off, the magic and demons are so over the top it's easy to feel the transition to comic book land, but it's enjoyable any way. The book is best when it focuses on the main characters from the show, but I wasn't too put off with the new slayers, although most remain one dimensional.
The Faith arc is by far the best. I hope Buffy gets similar intense treatment later on in the season, she seems sidelined by so many other characters in the first volume.
I can't really recommend the comic continuation to all fans of the show, but if you liked Buffy AND you are a comic nerd, buy the hell out of this.
And this mega hard back edition is beautiful. I'm not huge into collecting geekery, but I MUST HAVE ALL OF THIS.
April 1, 2016
I never made it to the end of the "No Future for You" arc when these comics were first being published because I have no commitment to buying those overpriced little pamphlets every Wednesday. So it took me this long to finally get around to polishing off this series. I dunno why.
Anyway, this book is physically gorgeous. I was surprised when I took the dust jacket off to find a nice, shiny cover underneath with some of the alternative cover art and a spine label more sleek and stylish than the jacket had. Georges Jeanty's commentary also made me interested in concept sketches for the first time ever.
I know Season 8 ends up weak (according to everyone who's opinion I trust), and I can see the seeds of the weakness here. A lot of the characters are feeling sorry for themselves, a couple surprise return figures are kinda dumb, and this villain can really go either way. (What Buffy did to piss him off is just out of character and lame as hell.)
But this particular volume hasn't totally failed yet. The feature was the Faith arc. She's one of the best characters from the show, and her story here is the only one that added depth to the characters involved (Faith, Giles, Buffy.) That bit alone was enough to elevate this volume above it's silly, comic booky trappings.
And the part about the Buffy decoy was alright. Didn't really add much, but it stood out.
Anyway, this book is physically gorgeous. I was surprised when I took the dust jacket off to find a nice, shiny cover underneath with some of the alternative cover art and a spine label more sleek and stylish than the jacket had. Georges Jeanty's commentary also made me interested in concept sketches for the first time ever.
I know Season 8 ends up weak (according to everyone who's opinion I trust), and I can see the seeds of the weakness here. A lot of the characters are feeling sorry for themselves, a couple surprise return figures are kinda dumb, and this villain can really go either way. (What Buffy did to piss him off is just out of character and lame as hell.)
But this particular volume hasn't totally failed yet. The feature was the Faith arc. She's one of the best characters from the show, and her story here is the only one that added depth to the characters involved (Faith, Giles, Buffy.) That bit alone was enough to elevate this volume above it's silly, comic booky trappings.
And the part about the Buffy decoy was alright. Didn't really add much, but it stood out.
August 4, 2012
Even though Season 8 takes place a few years after Season 7 ends (Dawn is college-aged), the mood and wit of the tv show is perfectly translated onto the page. The comic version of Buffy is even allowed to be even more over-the-top because it isn't constrained by things like budget or limited CGI technology; Joss Whedon was able to make Buffy more supernatural, and it really works.
At first, trying to catch up with the legion of slayers was difficult. They were more high-tech and organized than they were at the end of the tv series, and I was wondering if I had missed anything in between. However, the characters reference the action that happened in the interim, so you will be able to read this comic and have the series of events make sense.
Season 8 Library Edition, Volume 1 contains the first few chapters/episodes of the new season along with a couple of one-shots. As of now (8/2012), Dark Horse hasn't released the next three volumes, but a new one will be released every few months. According to Wikipedia, Volume 2 will be released in September, Volume 3 will be released in January, and Volume 4 is TBA.
At first, trying to catch up with the legion of slayers was difficult. They were more high-tech and organized than they were at the end of the tv series, and I was wondering if I had missed anything in between. However, the characters reference the action that happened in the interim, so you will be able to read this comic and have the series of events make sense.
Season 8 Library Edition, Volume 1 contains the first few chapters/episodes of the new season along with a couple of one-shots. As of now (8/2012), Dark Horse hasn't released the next three volumes, but a new one will be released every few months. According to Wikipedia, Volume 2 will be released in September, Volume 3 will be released in January, and Volume 4 is TBA.
February 8, 2014
Just like the show itself, some of these "episodes" were great, some fell a bit flat, but the overall result is freaking fantastic!! My rating: JUST AS GOOD AS THE SHOW!
The story is confusing, but that's probably because Volume 1 is not the entire "season." (This is why I'm giving it a 4 instead of a 5.) I constantly felt like I was missing something, maybe coming into the story in the middle instead of the beginning. Part of this is because I've been away from Buffy and away from comics for a long time, so I AM worried that I've missed something. Part of it is the style that is common to comics: plunk you down in the middle, and then slowly explain what you've missed as the action moves forward.
The artwork is beautiful, but at time distracting. I often will stare at an image that is particularly perfect or particularly awful. It's kind of funny how the same artist can at times EXACTLY capture the look of the actor/actress, and at other times not capture that person at all! I found the artist was really great with Xander, Buffy, and Faith, so-so with Dawn & Willow, and not good at all with Giles.
Now I need to go get myself Volume 2!
The story is confusing, but that's probably because Volume 1 is not the entire "season." (This is why I'm giving it a 4 instead of a 5.) I constantly felt like I was missing something, maybe coming into the story in the middle instead of the beginning. Part of this is because I've been away from Buffy and away from comics for a long time, so I AM worried that I've missed something. Part of it is the style that is common to comics: plunk you down in the middle, and then slowly explain what you've missed as the action moves forward.
The artwork is beautiful, but at time distracting. I often will stare at an image that is particularly perfect or particularly awful. It's kind of funny how the same artist can at times EXACTLY capture the look of the actor/actress, and at other times not capture that person at all! I found the artist was really great with Xander, Buffy, and Faith, so-so with Dawn & Willow, and not good at all with Giles.
Now I need to go get myself Volume 2!
January 5, 2013
So when Buffy was in its heydey I worked at Borders and I was often up at cash/wrap with another woman who was also a big fan. We would talk about how in comparison to so much of the crap on TV, Buffy was a character that we could, oddly enough, actually relate to. She worried about school, a job, family, her future, and creepy guys. So did we. It was a better time. I don't have cable now, but I can still tell there's a lot of crap on, and a lot of reality tv with horrific displays of how a woman should look or be, and they all seem really eager to fawn over the creepy guy (i'm sorry bachelor, you are creepy and one step away from being the loser guy who came to the brothel without money), so, yeah I miss Buffy. My delightful brother sent me this graphic novel for my birthday and it cheered me right up.
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