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queenkoko's review
5.0
I am here for this. I am a Buffy stan to the 10th degree. I have my PHD in Buffyverse. Great solid first issue, love the little easter eggs hidden in the artwork, also love the fact that they mention certain canon things that happened in the show.
I like the revamped (no pun intended) versions of Xander and Willow. Xander is much more bearable and not clingy. Willow also has a good sense of style and doesn't seem as weak.
Not sure if this counts as spoilers but I like the fact that Angel wasn't present. Can't stand him and I hope that the comic doesn't have him in there too much. Also Anya right from the beginning? Love her. I hope this is great. I also hope Cordelia makes an appearance in the future. I look forward to buying the 1st Volume in May.
Edited to add how amazing the artwork is as well.
I like the revamped (no pun intended) versions of Xander and Willow. Xander is much more bearable and not clingy. Willow also has a good sense of style and doesn't seem as weak.
Not sure if this counts as spoilers but I like the fact that Angel wasn't present. Can't stand him and I hope that the comic doesn't have him in there too much. Also Anya right from the beginning? Love her. I hope this is great. I also hope Cordelia makes an appearance in the future. I look forward to buying the 1st Volume in May.
Edited to add how amazing the artwork is as well.
denizerkaradag's review
5.0
I love it. This was the Buffy that I was longing for. I love the story, I love the characters and I love the artwork.
Buffy's portraying is vulnerable...
...yet strong.
Finally, a library and Giles was what I need!
I can't wait to read the second issue.
Buffy's portraying is vulnerable...
...yet strong.
Finally, a library and Giles was what I need!
I can't wait to read the second issue.
n1kk1's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
merny88's review
4.0
I will forever be a huge fan of BTVS in whatever form it takes, so I'm fine with a comic book reboot... But I have two problems with this first issue. Xander looks like a Smile Time puppet, and Willow begins the series super sexualised as she never was. She's wearing fishnets for crying out loud! She should be wearing a hideous fluffy pink sweater or overalls with a denim bucket hat. Oh well.
But, yay, Anya!
But, yay, Anya!
kimlovesstuff's review
4.0
Solid start, still not sure how I feel about the reboot but good to have the characters back. Hopefully Xander is less of a misogynist this time around.
kimberlea's review
3.0
THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS
Whenever I read comics, it's because Buffy made me do it (the last comic book series I read was Fray, which focused on a future Slayer). This one is interesting, because it's taking the original story and moving it from 1997 to 2019. There have been little changes made — Willow is into witchcraft and has a girlfriend from the get-go and Xander is a bit more self-aware and a little less... gross. We also meet Anya and get a cameo from Drusilla(!!!) in this issue, and I'm really interested to see where they take her story. I don't necessarily hate these changes; if it was just 'Buffy, but with iPhones' it would be incredibly boring to read. I don't mind the changes to characters — for the most part, the changes occurred throughout the show's seven years of character development anyway — I'm just curious to see whether or not the bigger plot changes will work over the next 13 issues (or more). Why introduce Anya and Drusilla so early? Where's Cordelia and Angel? I feel like there's a lot of pieces to put together and a bigger picture that the creative team is working towards, but I can't see exactly where it's headed yet. This would have a lot to do with the fact that one of the constraints of the medium is that you only have about 30 pages to tell a story. Bellaire spent most of this issue setting things up for the reader, so the plot didn't really advance anywhere. Based on this, I feel that I would've had a more enjoyable experience reading the trade paperback and getting five issues to read at once because I just got settled in to the story and it ended.
I really loved the misdirect with the narration style — it really elevated the intrigue and drew some interesting comparisons between Buffy and Xander that I don't think existed in the television show. The dialogue itself felt really snappy and mostly true to character (I don't think Willow's characterisation is quite right at this point, but it is the first issue), and there's something very Whedonesque about it. I felt that there was a balance between the dialogue and the illustrations — everything on the page was nicely balanced. If you're a fan of the show like me, there are also little Easter eggs hidden throughout! One I caught was Xander's username being 'theXeppo,' but I'll be interested to hear of any others I missed. I personally felt the reveal of Buffy being the vampire slayer was a little bit... clichéd, and I would've liked to see Xander and Willow have to process this information rather than just accept it straight away.
The colouring is really well done, and does it really good job of conveying the mood of a scene, or building up the atmosphere. The one scene where this really stands out is Anya and Drusilla's meeting, however it's truly brilliant throughout. I also really like the illustration style — it's clean, it moves nicely from panel to panel, and I feel like Dan Mora had fun experimenting because there are a lot of 'artistic' angles that I don't think are often used in comic books (again, let me highlight: I am not an expert). A little quibble I did have were some of the character designs, though. I know this is technically an alternate universe of Buffy and should not be taken as gospel, however it was a little disorienting. Xander and Giles have been given a similar look to the one they had on the show. Buffy, originally quite feminine, has been given this kind of grungy look — think flannel shirts and jeans — while Willow looks quasi-goth. I feel like these choices indicate a complete change in characterisation altogether, however it is still early days.
I'm not sure these comics are going to add anything to the Buffyverse necessarily, but they are a fun revamp of the original series and I'll be interested to see where Bellaire & co. takes the story (especially since it has Joss Whedon's stamp of approval).
Whenever I read comics, it's because Buffy made me do it (the last comic book series I read was Fray, which focused on a future Slayer). This one is interesting, because it's taking the original story and moving it from 1997 to 2019. There have been little changes made — Willow is into witchcraft and has a girlfriend from the get-go and Xander is a bit more self-aware and a little less... gross. We also meet Anya and get a cameo from Drusilla(!!!) in this issue, and I'm really interested to see where they take her story. I don't necessarily hate these changes; if it was just 'Buffy, but with iPhones' it would be incredibly boring to read. I don't mind the changes to characters — for the most part, the changes occurred throughout the show's seven years of character development anyway — I'm just curious to see whether or not the bigger plot changes will work over the next 13 issues (or more). Why introduce Anya and Drusilla so early? Where's Cordelia and Angel? I feel like there's a lot of pieces to put together and a bigger picture that the creative team is working towards, but I can't see exactly where it's headed yet. This would have a lot to do with the fact that one of the constraints of the medium is that you only have about 30 pages to tell a story. Bellaire spent most of this issue setting things up for the reader, so the plot didn't really advance anywhere. Based on this, I feel that I would've had a more enjoyable experience reading the trade paperback and getting five issues to read at once because I just got settled in to the story and it ended.
I really loved the misdirect with the narration style — it really elevated the intrigue and drew some interesting comparisons between Buffy and Xander that I don't think existed in the television show. The dialogue itself felt really snappy and mostly true to character (I don't think Willow's characterisation is quite right at this point, but it is the first issue), and there's something very Whedonesque about it. I felt that there was a balance between the dialogue and the illustrations — everything on the page was nicely balanced. If you're a fan of the show like me, there are also little Easter eggs hidden throughout! One I caught was Xander's username being 'theXeppo,' but I'll be interested to hear of any others I missed. I personally felt the reveal of Buffy being the vampire slayer was a little bit... clichéd, and I would've liked to see Xander and Willow have to process this information rather than just accept it straight away.
The colouring is really well done, and does it really good job of conveying the mood of a scene, or building up the atmosphere. The one scene where this really stands out is Anya and Drusilla's meeting, however it's truly brilliant throughout. I also really like the illustration style — it's clean, it moves nicely from panel to panel, and I feel like Dan Mora had fun experimenting because there are a lot of 'artistic' angles that I don't think are often used in comic books (again, let me highlight: I am not an expert). A little quibble I did have were some of the character designs, though. I know this is technically an alternate universe of Buffy and should not be taken as gospel, however it was a little disorienting. Xander and Giles have been given a similar look to the one they had on the show. Buffy, originally quite feminine, has been given this kind of grungy look — think flannel shirts and jeans — while Willow looks quasi-goth. I feel like these choices indicate a complete change in characterisation altogether, however it is still early days.
I'm not sure these comics are going to add anything to the Buffyverse necessarily, but they are a fun revamp of the original series and I'll be interested to see where Bellaire & co. takes the story (especially since it has Joss Whedon's stamp of approval).
narflet's review
The Buffy reboot in comic form that no one asked for its here. All we wanted was more time with Dark Horse so they could tell the season 12 story properly, but here we are. Of course I'm going to give this a shot and the first issue has solid writing and art, even though it does have a very strong 90s comic art vibe that's actually just making me want to read the non-canon Dark Horse comics. I'll see where it goes but I remain skeptical.