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Buffy the Vampire Slayer Classic #12
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Dust Waltz
Who are the mysterious sisters who have come to Sunnydale, and what are those nasty beasts that they have brought with them? It's Buffy's job as the slayer to find out, and do it but good! Of course, things can't help but be complicated -- one of the sister's has her sights on Angel! Balancing school books with the undead, Buffy takes the definition of awkward teen years to the extreme.
80 pages, Paperback
First published October 14, 1998
About the author
Dan Brereton
180 books36 followersDaniel Alan "Dan" Brereton is a Comic book storyteller, 5-time Eisner not-winner. Responsible for The Nocturnals and a lot of comics.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
April 13, 2020
Angel is kidnapped by an aged and powerful vampire, Buffy and co. come to the rescue. This book manages to maintain the wry humour of the TV show... and that's about the only good thing about it! 3 out of 12!
2010 read
2010 read
December 26, 2017
Great story - no idea where it fit in the timeline of the show... too many conflicting points to place it. Also, Willow being drawn as a Cordelia-twin? What is up with that?
January 1, 2018
3/5
Meh, kinda lame but it’s Buffy so I’m a softie when it comes to ratings.
Meh, kinda lame but it’s Buffy so I’m a softie when it comes to ratings.
August 2, 2023
This one was a favourite from omnibus 2!
June 30, 2016
I'm kinda torn on this. One one hand the plot and much of the dialogue feel like it's straight out of season one. I felt like I was being dropped right back into a work I love. One the other hand willow did not seem like willow at all (she's not even colored with red hair). The art work is intense and for the vampires that great but every character was drawn as if they were ripped. Everything about this book is straight out of the 90s which is enjoyable in a novelty way but don't think it's something I'll be rereading.
February 11, 2015
They got the banter down, but the villains and plot don't really tonally fit Sunnydale. The artists were clearly more skilled at action scenes and struggled when the Scooby Gang were just being normal humans doing normal things.
February 11, 2023
I'm a huge Btvs/Angel fan and it's been a while since I read any of the comics from my collection so here is my review.
Things I liked
I really liked the humor as I thought it was pretty honest with the tv show and I could hear the actor's/actresses' voices which is good.
The characters seemed pretty on point with their tv counterparts, though Willow seemed a bit off and Xander seemed helpful to find Angel which was surprising.
The artwork was really good, and I thoroughly enjoyed the action within the story.
Inconsistences
I'm wondering where Giles's niece came from as there was no mention of Giles having any siblings so that came outta nowhere here and she really didn't contribute ANYTHING to the story.
Not only that Lilith is the mother of all vampires. Ummm okay, since on the show Archaeus is the creator of the vampire species, so unless the author of the story used the mythos of Lilith and her spawn of vampires as "cousins" then I could accept that but it's still pretty inconsistent with the world mythology of Buffy the Vampire Slayer already created.
Overall
I still enjoyed reading this, it's Buffy, and with comics/novels, I should be aware that they may be inconsistencies that would contradict the TV show. I just think that this deserved a two-parter to flesh out some of the other details ie: Lilith and Lamia, the vampires descended from Lilith's line and etc.
Things I liked
I really liked the humor as I thought it was pretty honest with the tv show and I could hear the actor's/actresses' voices which is good.
The characters seemed pretty on point with their tv counterparts, though Willow seemed a bit off and Xander seemed helpful to find Angel which was surprising.
The artwork was really good, and I thoroughly enjoyed the action within the story.
Inconsistences
I'm wondering where Giles's niece came from as there was no mention of Giles having any siblings so that came outta nowhere here and she really didn't contribute ANYTHING to the story.
Not only that Lilith is the mother of all vampires. Ummm okay, since on the show Archaeus is the creator of the vampire species, so unless the author of the story used the mythos of Lilith and her spawn of vampires as "cousins" then I could accept that but it's still pretty inconsistent with the world mythology of Buffy the Vampire Slayer already created.
Overall
I still enjoyed reading this, it's Buffy, and with comics/novels, I should be aware that they may be inconsistencies that would contradict the TV show. I just think that this deserved a two-parter to flesh out some of the other details ie: Lilith and Lamia, the vampires descended from Lilith's line and etc.
December 13, 2024
Giles' niece arrives in Sunnydale for a visit at the same time the ancient vampire queens Lilith and Lamia also arrive. As the evil sisters attempt to summon a demon from the Hellmouth, Buffy and her friends have to find a way of stopping them.
The plot of this book is aggressively meh.
It studiously takes no risks and is more or less a paint-by-numbers version of the Slayer's adventures. Giles' niece adds absolutely nothing to the dynamic of the more familiar characters and could've been left out entirely without altering the story here at all.
Honestly, this is the laziest type of tie-in possible; not really bad, but also doing nothing to justify its own existence.
My two other gripes are to do with the artwork since a) none of the characters look at all like their real-world counterparts (in one scene you can only tell which is Willow and which is Cordelia because one of them is wearing a dress) and b) whoever made the decision to include a Maori character should've checked to see if the artists had ever actually heard of a Maori before.
Although I'm English, I lived in New Zealand for a time and this offends me on behalf of my Maori whanau.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *
The plot of this book is aggressively meh.
It studiously takes no risks and is more or less a paint-by-numbers version of the Slayer's adventures. Giles' niece adds absolutely nothing to the dynamic of the more familiar characters and could've been left out entirely without altering the story here at all.
Honestly, this is the laziest type of tie-in possible; not really bad, but also doing nothing to justify its own existence.
My two other gripes are to do with the artwork since a) none of the characters look at all like their real-world counterparts (in one scene you can only tell which is Willow and which is Cordelia because one of them is wearing a dress) and b) whoever made the decision to include a Maori character should've checked to see if the artists had ever actually heard of a Maori before.
Although I'm English, I lived in New Zealand for a time and this offends me on behalf of my Maori whanau.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *
May 14, 2026
Two of the old blood vampires travel to and meetup in Sunnydale for the infernal Dust Waltz ceremony that seeks to summon an elder being and open the local Hellmouth. Naturally, Buffy gets wind of this and after Angel and the rest of her friends fall foul of these newcomers, it's up to Buffy to save the day. Brereton gets the banter between the cast just about right, but fails to really sell the horror aspect, and instead this short adventure just kind of breezes right by. There are some story holes that appear now and then which are a bit distracting as well. Gomez and Florea's pencils and inks capture that very 90's Image inspired look, which works for the action sequences but maybe not so much for the quieter ones. Perfectly serviceable though. So the stakes never feel particularly heavy and the story is little on the short side, but at least it's more Buffy and the gang, which is never a bad thing.
April 26, 2023
A powerful vampire comes to Sunnydale to visit her sister and cause a bit of grief. Also Giles' niece arrives to... be there.
For the most part, this was a pretty standard Buffy story. Some good quips, decent action and the early demise of some bad guys that had more promise.
Like with a lot of these franchises, the addition of the niece, nephew, cousin, etc. of one of the main characters for this one story just feels tacked on. As far as I'm aware Jane is never mentioned anywhere else in the entirety of the Buffy-verse and brings nothing of note in a story that would have rattled along with no change had she not been in it at all.
For the most part, this was a pretty standard Buffy story. Some good quips, decent action and the early demise of some bad guys that had more promise.
Like with a lot of these franchises, the addition of the niece, nephew, cousin, etc. of one of the main characters for this one story just feels tacked on. As far as I'm aware Jane is never mentioned anywhere else in the entirety of the Buffy-verse and brings nothing of note in a story that would have rattled along with no change had she not been in it at all.
July 5, 2022
There's very little substance to this, the story is not fully fleshed out. The artwork is competent but not gonna wow you.
But what's bugging me is how did Jane get back to Giles? She passed out when Xander, Cordelia and Willow were taken by the werewolves, so you're telling me they just took the other three but left her?. Jane is a total nothing character as well.
But yeah in conclusion if they'd made this double the length they could have fleshed it out instead of having things just happen with no explanation, for the convenience of the plot.
But what's bugging me is how did Jane get back to Giles? She passed out when Xander, Cordelia and Willow were taken by the werewolves, so you're telling me they just took the other three but left her?. Jane is a total nothing character as well.
But yeah in conclusion if they'd made this double the length they could have fleshed it out instead of having things just happen with no explanation, for the convenience of the plot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2023
I dont think comics are my style. That being said, Azogg-mon served cunt so points for that. Not really sure why they drew Willow like that and no idea how Lillith did the thing w the Hellmouth near the end but the dialogue was pretty good. Funny and similar to the sort of quips made in the show.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2017
This by far the best comic on Omnibus Vol. 2. It felt more like the show was. My only complaint is that Willow and Cordelia looked like the same character in their scenes together.
June 5, 2023
why did everyone looks so damn buff (pun intended)
October 8, 2018
Very close to the show, but I don’t like how artist drew Willow
October 15, 2026
Short version: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Dust Waltz is a good time that doesn't overstay its welcome. What worked: the banter is quick, and the two leads feel like people you'd actually know. What didn't: the plot hinges on a misunderstanding that one text message would've fixed. Recommend for anyone who wants something light on a long commute, skip for readers who hate romance-novel logic.
June 16, 2015
#1 Buffy fan reporting to you on my very first Buffy Graphic Novel Review! In this tale, Buffy is up against some nasty sisters who are up to no good! While trying to find out what the sisters are up to, Giles' niece, Jane, comes a-visiting from London. Awesome! We are off to a great start!
Lamia and her champion dude come over via cruise liner, (Really?! Now monsters get to travel in better style than humans!), along with Jane, unbeknownst to her. Once the shit birds have landed, the trouble begins in Sunnydale. Lilith starts picking fights, and eating people until she lays eyes on Angel. On the flip side, Jane is more than comfortable with the big nasty monster talk that everyone does right in front of her without getting squeamish. Jane also tries to help in her own way by acting like Buffy with the stakes and the jumping in first and asking questions later bit, which totally blows Willow and Xander's mind! The story could have not been more entertaining.
The graphics of it all is what threw me off and kept my overall rating low. Having watched every single episode of the television show, (multiple times) and having the characters images burned into my brain for life, the interpretation of said characters by the artist did not sit well with me; when it came to Giles, and Xander especially. Xander is this awkward geeky boy and Giles is a middle-aged librarian, so draw them like that! Xander in this novel looks like a freaking 20-something year-old model, and Giles looks 10 years younger than he should. It was also a little disturbing to also see Buffy in "mom jeans" but I guess people will always be dated by clothes of that time when written, but still... I'm sure for those of you who read a lot of comics and graphic novels this may not be things that you pick at when reviewing them,but for me it was hard to switch gears and accept the major differences in the character's appearance after watching them for so long on television.
I thought the story was spot on for a Buffy novel and I will definitely give the graphic novels another shot! I hope I can learn to appreciate the artists P.O.V., (point of view) over time.
Lamia and her champion dude come over via cruise liner, (Really?! Now monsters get to travel in better style than humans!), along with Jane, unbeknownst to her. Once the shit birds have landed, the trouble begins in Sunnydale. Lilith starts picking fights, and eating people until she lays eyes on Angel. On the flip side, Jane is more than comfortable with the big nasty monster talk that everyone does right in front of her without getting squeamish. Jane also tries to help in her own way by acting like Buffy with the stakes and the jumping in first and asking questions later bit, which totally blows Willow and Xander's mind! The story could have not been more entertaining.
The graphics of it all is what threw me off and kept my overall rating low. Having watched every single episode of the television show, (multiple times) and having the characters images burned into my brain for life, the interpretation of said characters by the artist did not sit well with me; when it came to Giles, and Xander especially. Xander is this awkward geeky boy and Giles is a middle-aged librarian, so draw them like that! Xander in this novel looks like a freaking 20-something year-old model, and Giles looks 10 years younger than he should. It was also a little disturbing to also see Buffy in "mom jeans" but I guess people will always be dated by clothes of that time when written, but still... I'm sure for those of you who read a lot of comics and graphic novels this may not be things that you pick at when reviewing them,but for me it was hard to switch gears and accept the major differences in the character's appearance after watching them for so long on television.
I thought the story was spot on for a Buffy novel and I will definitely give the graphic novels another shot! I hope I can learn to appreciate the artists P.O.V., (point of view) over time.
May 11, 2014
More of the Buffy binge! This particular installment is a standalone graphic novel, ostensibly set during Season 2. This is actually the first Buffy comic ever produced, and that shows to some degree. There are a couple rough patches overall, which I'll of course discuss below, but I did enjoy it.
Here's the plot: two of the oldest vampires on the planet--possibly the oldest, depending on who you ask--arrive in Sunnydale for an ancient contest: The Dust Waltz. As with most things vampires get up to in Sunnydale, it will be better for the world if they don't succeed. Of course, this is also exactly when Giles' niece decides to visit on her vacation from Oxford. Plot-wise, that's basically all there is to say.
Across the board, the writing was pretty great here. Characters definitely sounded exactly like themselves. The only real issue I have with the writing is that Mr. Brereton seems to not know exactly when in the second season he wants this to be set. In the first chapter, Xander seems repulsed by Cordelia. In the second chapter, they seem to have started dating, and it's not a part of that phase where they secretly can't keep their hands off of each other but won't admit it to their friends. I eventually placed it right before S02E13: Surprise if anybody's interested. Artistically, the only big issue is that it's hard to tell Cordelia and Willow apart. On a slightly less frustrating note, the villains look less like Buffy characters and more like refugees from Witchblade. Not completely unexpected, since this is the first Buffy comic they ever produced, but annoying nevertheless.
CONTENT: Brief language. Vampire violence, consistent with the show. No overt sexual material, but Lamia's costumes are somewhat skimpy. Occult-wise, these are Buffyverse vampires.
Here's the plot: two of the oldest vampires on the planet--possibly the oldest, depending on who you ask--arrive in Sunnydale for an ancient contest: The Dust Waltz. As with most things vampires get up to in Sunnydale, it will be better for the world if they don't succeed. Of course, this is also exactly when Giles' niece decides to visit on her vacation from Oxford. Plot-wise, that's basically all there is to say.
Across the board, the writing was pretty great here. Characters definitely sounded exactly like themselves. The only real issue I have with the writing is that Mr. Brereton seems to not know exactly when in the second season he wants this to be set. In the first chapter, Xander seems repulsed by Cordelia. In the second chapter, they seem to have started dating, and it's not a part of that phase where they secretly can't keep their hands off of each other but won't admit it to their friends. I eventually placed it right before S02E13: Surprise if anybody's interested. Artistically, the only big issue is that it's hard to tell Cordelia and Willow apart. On a slightly less frustrating note, the villains look less like Buffy characters and more like refugees from Witchblade. Not completely unexpected, since this is the first Buffy comic they ever produced, but annoying nevertheless.
CONTENT: Brief language. Vampire violence, consistent with the show. No overt sexual material, but Lamia's costumes are somewhat skimpy. Occult-wise, these are Buffyverse vampires.
December 11, 2010
Two very old and very evil sisters have come to Sunnydale to celebrate the Dust Waltz. As you can only imagine it involves the hell mouth and releasing some pure evil demon into our world. You know it’s serious and very bad when even Angel is on edge. Angel has figured out that the one sister is Lilith the Mother of all Vampires, and her powers are strong enough to stop them all in their tracks.
To top it all off Giles niece Jane has come for a visit, and she wants to explore Sunnydale and all its mysteries such as the hell mouth. Now it’s up to the gang to deal with the evil and keep Jane out of trouble.
To top it all off Giles niece Jane has come for a visit, and she wants to explore Sunnydale and all its mysteries such as the hell mouth. Now it’s up to the gang to deal with the evil and keep Jane out of trouble.
April 29, 2012
I have to say this is my least favourite buffy graphic novel, (of the ones I own), the charcter of Jane is a little ridiculous and the plot seems ruched.
Also I don't want to say its not illustrated well, because it is, its just that some of the characters are a bit indistinguishable in paticular Cordelia and Willow. Also Lilith and Jane are drawn
frankly a bit xrated, which I don't think is necessary to convey their attractiveness.
All in all its not terrible but it's not great.
Also I don't want to say its not illustrated well, because it is, its just that some of the characters are a bit indistinguishable in paticular Cordelia and Willow. Also Lilith and Jane are drawn
frankly a bit xrated, which I don't think is necessary to convey their attractiveness.
All in all its not terrible but it's not great.
July 9, 2015
I love love love BTVS but have never loved the stories in comic form because it always seems writers try to hard to find Joss Whedon's sense of humor and always fall flat. Sadly, that happens here as well. Dan Brereton has some funny lines but it never sounds legit. Also, the plot was not a good fit for the Scooby Gang. Another giant hang-up for me was the art. I get that comic art will always sexually stylize characters, both male and female. However here, Willow and Xander have the same bodies as Cordelia and Angel. Sad. Overall, not an impressive addition to the property.
May 8, 2013
I did not like this at all. The story was okay, but I couldn't really concentrate on it because the art was sooooo awful! Cordelia and Willow look exactly alike. Willow has BROWN HAIR!!! BROWN!! Xander and Angel look identical too! Jane looks like she's younger than they are, and she's suppose to be like, twenty or something, but she looks like she's 13! I just really didn't like this. I'd give it 1/2 a star.
June 19, 2010
A good enough story for a graphic short story :-) -- The artwork was a little weird, as the people didn't look like our stars, I suppose that is okay in the overall scheme, but I had to focus to tell the difference between Willow and Cordy -- and Xander was much too cool looking :-).
The writer did get the voices right though, i could hear them saying the things he had them say. nice.
The writer did get the voices right though, i could hear them saying the things he had them say. nice.
September 21, 2018
A cute quick story about Lilith and the old ones. This takes place just after Lover's Walk (Sn. 3, Ep. 8) I'm guessing since Cordy and Xander are off again and Angel's good/functional. The dialogue is good, as is the action. I love the references to the show, ie. Xander's thing for older women aka the mantis lady...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 13, 2011
I've watched this book at least 4 times now at my library, i couldn't get enough of it, it's got comedy and horror which i love. Fantastic book and i totally recommend it to anyone who watched the show or just love fantasy.
June 16, 2010
This is... low-rent. Why invent a whole character, for a complete one-off? It's not even good. As if this were a bad idea for a comic and at the last minute, they threw in the Buffy cast.
May 16, 2011
I thought that this was a nice little incert into the story line, but I wasn't wow'd by this book. I think it was a little dry.
July 13, 2011
I like this book because it's got the mother of all vampires, and how she knew angel when he was angelus, got some comedy, and kick-assing.
February 8, 2014
Siempre es muy refrescante volver a Buffy y Xander si es un tonto muy cool!! xD
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews