What do you think?
Rate this book
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2019) #9-12
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Vol. 3: From Beneath You
Tying into Hellmouth, the first-ever Buffy & Angel comic book event, Buffy must confront Drusilla as the evil Mistress’ plans lay waste to Sunnydale.
WELCOME TO HELLMOUTH - THE FIRST EVER BUFFY & ANGEL COMIC BOOK EVENT!
Drusilla has opened the Hellmouth! With no time to waste, Buffy must do what any good Slayer would do - namely running directly into the heart of the problem.
But where does that leave the rest of Sunnydale? Xander, Willow, Cordelia, and the rest of the gang must find a way to battle demons both inside and out, without their Chosen One to help them. Is this the end of the Scooby Gang?
Eisner Award-nominated writer Jordie Bellaire (Redlands) and artist David López (Captain Marvel) present the next chapter of the fearless pop culture reimagining that generated headlines worldwide, directly tying into the landmark Hellmouth comic book event.
Collects Buffy the Vampire Slayer #9-12.
WELCOME TO HELLMOUTH - THE FIRST EVER BUFFY & ANGEL COMIC BOOK EVENT!
Drusilla has opened the Hellmouth! With no time to waste, Buffy must do what any good Slayer would do - namely running directly into the heart of the problem.
But where does that leave the rest of Sunnydale? Xander, Willow, Cordelia, and the rest of the gang must find a way to battle demons both inside and out, without their Chosen One to help them. Is this the end of the Scooby Gang?
Eisner Award-nominated writer Jordie Bellaire (Redlands) and artist David López (Captain Marvel) present the next chapter of the fearless pop culture reimagining that generated headlines worldwide, directly tying into the landmark Hellmouth comic book event.
Collects Buffy the Vampire Slayer #9-12.
112 pages, Paperback
First published June 9, 2020
19 people are currently reading
541 people want to read
About the author
Jordie Bellaire
1,140 books169 followersJordie Bellaire is an American comic book colorist and writter who lives in Ireland and works for DC, Marvel, Valiant, and Image comic book publishers. She has colored Pretty Deadly, The Manhattan Projects, Moon Knight, The Vision, Magneto, Nowhere Men, Hawkeye, Batman, among other titles. As a writer, her most famous works are Redlands and the reboot of Buffy The Vampire Slayer.
Bellaire is credited with starting the "Comics are for everybody" initiative to make the comic book community more inclusive and compassionate.
Bellaire is credited with starting the "Comics are for everybody" initiative to make the comic book community more inclusive and compassionate.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews
November 10, 2020
God, this sucked. Turns out Buffy the Vampire Slayer without Buffy is not interesting. Three issues of everyone getting grumpy with one another because of some spell before the last issue actually fits in right before the last issue of Hellmouth. I'm not a fan of Kendra showing up so soon either. The explanation given is going to cause problems in the future too. Since Buffy went to another dimension, there wasn't a Slayer. Uh, Buffy goes to other dimensions just about every other week. By the end of this series are we going to have 50 Slayers?
This was just awful. The awfulness was double downed by David Lopez's art. I'm not sure exactly when he started drawing each character to look like Momo, but that's what's happened here.
This was just awful. The awfulness was double downed by David Lopez's art. I'm not sure exactly when he started drawing each character to look like Momo, but that's what's happened here.
February 6, 2020
Oy... well that was a bit of a mess, wasn't it.
I've been a fan of Jordie Bellaire's reimagining of Buffy up to this point, but it took Boom Comics all of 6 or so issues to dunk this series in a comicbook crossover event hell. I'm not even going to get into how this book will only collect the 4 Buffy tie-in issues without any of the main Hellmouth event (see, Marvel and DC are not the only ones in the biz who can do this sort of bullshit), but the whole event was just a complete clusterfuck. Not only wasn't it set up properly — how could it be, when the main Buffy book barely just got started? But the entire story of this crossover is so dull, so derivative, so... un-Buffy-like, it pretty much killed any goodwill I had for this relaunch. I just don't get why they would derail the series so hard, especially since it started so strong. Are these new Buffy comics such good sellers for Boom that it demanded a crossover event stretched over four months with a shitton of tie-ins? Sounds unlikely. Just release the fourth Giant Days hardcover, you cowards, and stop doing dumb things that pretty much everybody universally hates about the big two.
I've been a fan of Jordie Bellaire's reimagining of Buffy up to this point, but it took Boom Comics all of 6 or so issues to dunk this series in a comicbook crossover event hell. I'm not even going to get into how this book will only collect the 4 Buffy tie-in issues without any of the main Hellmouth event (see, Marvel and DC are not the only ones in the biz who can do this sort of bullshit), but the whole event was just a complete clusterfuck. Not only wasn't it set up properly — how could it be, when the main Buffy book barely just got started? But the entire story of this crossover is so dull, so derivative, so... un-Buffy-like, it pretty much killed any goodwill I had for this relaunch. I just don't get why they would derail the series so hard, especially since it started so strong. Are these new Buffy comics such good sellers for Boom that it demanded a crossover event stretched over four months with a shitton of tie-ins? Sounds unlikely. Just release the fourth Giant Days hardcover, you cowards, and stop doing dumb things that pretty much everybody universally hates about the big two.
March 1, 2021
Con questo libro spunto la casella della Fuffy Reading Challenge: Noi puffi siam così, il libro più piccolo in TBR.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CJa82pnre_K/
Ho finito di leggere questo terzo volume del reboot di Buffy - L'ammazzavampiri ambientato ai giorni nostri con la delusione nel cuore.
Avevo già detto che questo volume è strettamente collegato allo spin-off Buffy/Angel - La bocca dell'inferno e confermo la mia idea iniziale: pubblicare prima lo spin-off e poi questo terzo volume è stata una sciocchezza.
I volumi si svolgono in contemporanea ma per capire bene cosa accade nello spin-off è necessario leggere prima Dal profondo.
Il problema di questo volume è che è molto confusionario, dalla trama slegata e con davvero poca coerenza narrativa.
Le scene non sono connesse bene, non si capisce cosa sta succedendo, è tutto molto caotico e, soprattutto... manca Buffy!
Per tutto l'episodio non compare nemmeno una volta e, pur sapendo dove si trova grazie allo spin-off, ci sono comunque cose che non tornano.
Altro grande problema sono i disegni: cambiano in ogni volume! Le fattezze dei personaggi mutano e se col primo volume i volti erano molto simili a quelli degli attori della serie TV andando avanti cambiano e, ad oggi, ho avuto difficoltà a capire chi fosse chi e a collegare il volto a quello dei volumi precedenti.
Purtroppo Dal profondo non mi è piaciuto, arrivare alla fine è stato complicatissimo pur essendo un fumetto piccolissimo e, a fine lettura, sono rimasta molto insoddisfatta.
Spero si riprenda con i volumi successivi, che mettano un pi' di chiarezza e soprattutto che non cambino più i disegni.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CJa82pnre_K/
Ho finito di leggere questo terzo volume del reboot di Buffy - L'ammazzavampiri ambientato ai giorni nostri con la delusione nel cuore.
Avevo già detto che questo volume è strettamente collegato allo spin-off Buffy/Angel - La bocca dell'inferno e confermo la mia idea iniziale: pubblicare prima lo spin-off e poi questo terzo volume è stata una sciocchezza.
I volumi si svolgono in contemporanea ma per capire bene cosa accade nello spin-off è necessario leggere prima Dal profondo.
Il problema di questo volume è che è molto confusionario, dalla trama slegata e con davvero poca coerenza narrativa.
Le scene non sono connesse bene, non si capisce cosa sta succedendo, è tutto molto caotico e, soprattutto... manca Buffy!
Per tutto l'episodio non compare nemmeno una volta e, pur sapendo dove si trova grazie allo spin-off, ci sono comunque cose che non tornano.
Altro grande problema sono i disegni: cambiano in ogni volume! Le fattezze dei personaggi mutano e se col primo volume i volti erano molto simili a quelli degli attori della serie TV andando avanti cambiano e, ad oggi, ho avuto difficoltà a capire chi fosse chi e a collegare il volto a quello dei volumi precedenti.
Purtroppo Dal profondo non mi è piaciuto, arrivare alla fine è stato complicatissimo pur essendo un fumetto piccolissimo e, a fine lettura, sono rimasta molto insoddisfatta.
Spero si riprenda con i volumi successivi, che mettano un pi' di chiarezza e soprattutto che non cambino più i disegni.
December 1, 2020
6.71/10
this series started with a bang but it really be losing speed. Thank satan that i care about the characters.
this series started with a bang but it really be losing speed. Thank satan that i care about the characters.
July 28, 2020
What a mess.
All the situation is disjointed and confused.
The art is the worst problem thing here. You can't differentiate between characters, change how are drawn in the vignettes and you keep wondering who they are until named.
If you think like me that Robin was a jerk, here acts worst.
Cordelia face change all the time, sometime she even is short that the others. I don't like it. The body of Xander ditto.
The Anya character is really confusing - motivations? In waht moment? is she allowed memories from the other 'verse?
December 23, 2022
Okay, so, this volume of the Buffy Reboot was kinda meh. The ones right before it were interesting, but this one kinda blew. The story was a bit scattered, a bit too focused on the new weird things, (spoilers avoided), and not nearly enough of the meat of the series.
You know, like apocalypse stuff. Sure, we get a great deal of Willow and Xander in their new, slightly disturbing forms, but rather than succeeding in an Alternate Universe form, it just feels rather codependent.
And then there's Anya. And I don't really like THIS Anya. The rest was just making me squint a lot and want to pretend it wasn't trampling all over the Buffyverse.
I'm continuing because I have to hope this will turn like some kind of vampire that will get stronger with a few Slayer kills. We know those are pretty cool, after all, so I've still got some hope.
You know, like apocalypse stuff. Sure, we get a great deal of Willow and Xander in their new, slightly disturbing forms, but rather than succeeding in an Alternate Universe form, it just feels rather codependent.
And then there's Anya. And I don't really like THIS Anya. The rest was just making me squint a lot and want to pretend it wasn't trampling all over the Buffyverse.
I'm continuing because I have to hope this will turn like some kind of vampire that will get stronger with a few Slayer kills. We know those are pretty cool, after all, so I've still got some hope.
May 11, 2021
Something no one has said ever - "Lets collect a four-issue arc in which the title character doesn't appear even once and have the entire issue revolve around unseen events in an unmentioned crossover."
*Seriously, it's not mentioned as an aside, or on the front or back cover, or at the end of the last collection, or even in the list of other collected comics for sale on the last page.
*Seriously, it's not mentioned as an aside, or on the front or back cover, or at the end of the last collection, or even in the list of other collected comics for sale on the last page.
Read
November 15, 2021I spent most of this confused. And irritated. I know something was happening with the dudes in Sunnydale, but even so everything still seemed really abrupt. Also I didn't remember what happened to Buffy or Sunnydale last time. The art still mostly sucks.
September 12, 2022
Rispetto all'inizio della serie, la trama sta perdendo mordente e i disegni sono sempre peggiori. Probabilmente ricomincerò ad apprezzare la serie con lo speciale su Willow (ma non ci metterei troppo la mano sul fuoco).
Read
October 30, 2021art was on the awful side. 😬
October 14, 2021
Si no fuese porque lo estoy viendo con mis propios ojos, me costaría creer que este reinicio de la mano de Boom! haya pegado tal bajonazo. La mayor parte de la culpa la tiene el dibujo, como ya dije en el segundo volumen. Y es que sigo sin comprar el trabajo de David López como ilustrador, lo siento.
Como la cosa no cambie...
Como la cosa no cambie...
August 16, 2021
Enjoying the remix of the story and how the characters are fulfilling different roles, but the artwork is horrific - lots of bulbous eyes and square mouths and genuinely impossible to tell which character is which, in some cases. And all they seemed to do was yell at each other - was there a story in here somewhere?
June 29, 2020
Buffy without Buffy. This was all over the place and completely incoherent. Characters constantly unhinged and yelling at each other, but why? This is apparently the influence of the open Hellmouth, but this entire issue had way too much self-obsessed whinging. Giles hates everyone, Robin hates everyone, Kendra is here and pretty cool actually, but Robin is her watcher even though he's a baby child? Everyone is completely lost because Buffy is gone, as if they've known her for more than a few weeks. What is everyone on about, and where is this going?
They tried some stuff with the Willow/Xander soul-sharing plot. It was supposed to be a cliffhanger like "WHAT HAPPENED TO XANDER IS HE ALIVE OR DEAD?" but mostly I'm praying for dead so we don't have to listen to him tell her to do what she needs to be happy again.
The art hasn't improved either. Anya came on the scene, and I thought she was Buffy because everyone's faces look the same. Having two blondes in a comic where you rely on hair to differentiate the characters is a bad idea. Cordelia looked different in every frame. Everyone still looks like a stung out demon person in messy eyeliner.
This is just falling apart on all levels. If the crossover volume later this month doesn't utterly slay, then I'm out.
They tried some stuff with the Willow/Xander soul-sharing plot. It was supposed to be a cliffhanger like "WHAT HAPPENED TO XANDER IS HE ALIVE OR DEAD?" but mostly I'm praying for dead so we don't have to listen to him tell her to do what she needs to be happy again.
The art hasn't improved either. Anya came on the scene, and I thought she was Buffy because everyone's faces look the same. Having two blondes in a comic where you rely on hair to differentiate the characters is a bad idea. Cordelia looked different in every frame. Everyone still looks like a stung out demon person in messy eyeliner.
This is just falling apart on all levels. If the crossover volume later this month doesn't utterly slay, then I'm out.
February 10, 2020
Fragmented storytelling and bad artwork
Read upon the release of each issue.
This was... Not good. The story of these four issues simply doesn't add up to a coherent or gripping story, as each issue seems to represent a random fragment of the story and mostly concerns minor characters in bland stories.
The big developments regarding major characters - namely the soul-sharing of Willow and Xander and the half-vampire status of Xander - are left unexplored for no reason until the unfinished climax of issue 12. The storytelling is clumsy, unfocused and forced.
And the worst part is that the artwork doesn't help the storytelling at all as the art is defined by the characters having weird face expressions that does not fit or support the storytelling. The face expressions are impossible to decode.
Read upon the release of each issue.
This was... Not good. The story of these four issues simply doesn't add up to a coherent or gripping story, as each issue seems to represent a random fragment of the story and mostly concerns minor characters in bland stories.
The big developments regarding major characters - namely the soul-sharing of Willow and Xander and the half-vampire status of Xander - are left unexplored for no reason until the unfinished climax of issue 12. The storytelling is clumsy, unfocused and forced.
And the worst part is that the artwork doesn't help the storytelling at all as the art is defined by the characters having weird face expressions that does not fit or support the storytelling. The face expressions are impossible to decode.
February 6, 2020
Still feeling meh about this title. It could be really good, but it’s just average. I also really hate how they’re rewriting the mythology. This volume focuses on the side characters, but... it’s such a mess. And everything is just so rushed. 3/5 stars.
November 28, 2020
Wow this was extremely boring and bland with a dumb ending.
I like Jordie's writing usually but the characters just don't have the same feel as I expected them too. I especially dislike how the new slayer is written, not fun at all. A 1.5 out of 5.
I like Jordie's writing usually but the characters just don't have the same feel as I expected them too. I especially dislike how the new slayer is written, not fun at all. A 1.5 out of 5.
December 5, 2020
EDIT:
Well, this is awkward. See the asterisk below for the [right] info*
Okay. Here's what you need to know going into this: this volume of the rebooted Buffy series from Boom is part of a crossover event and it seems you need to read the accompanying volumes of the Angel comics in order to get the whole picture. I didn't know this going in, so I was left wondering what in hell happened (and I mean that literally - this issue in no way focusses on what has happened to Buffy, who has seemingly gone AWOL from Sunnydale and left the - massively depleted - Scooby Gang to wait and wonder, when the truth is she got sucked into the Hellmouth with Angel when Dru opened it - another event we don't see in this series, so can only presume it features in the Angel comics.). I'll be picking up the Angel issues at some point in the hopes that these help fill the gaps but be warned - the lack of info is a problem.
*EDIT, cont: Forget all of that ^^, apparently what you need to read is Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel: Hellmouth. I'm pretty new to comic book crossovers, so you'll have to forgive me for getting so confused, or (in my defence - so clearly the option I'm going with) blame Boom and Jordie Bellaire for making it an absolute ORDEAL to get the whole storyline.
That being said - the pace picked up in comparison to what we saw in Vol. 2 and the action was good (even if it wasn't the all-inclusive storyline I needed). I was pleased to see Kendra featured in this one, and her no-nonsense personality (in keeping with her character on the show) comes through in the comics, maintaining that level of faith in the source material that I loved so much about Vol. 1.
I'm still not a huge fan of David López's artwork (at least not in comparison to Dan Mora's - the illustrator for Vol. 1), but it was at least consistent with Vol. 2.
The storyline (or, more accurately, what I got of it) was in keeping with the Buffy-verse and I enjoyed it, despite feeling I was missing something (namely: Buffy, who isn't in this volume at all). A step up from Vol. 2, but not quite hitting the heights of Vol. 1 for me.
Okay. Here's what you need to know going into this: this volume of the rebooted Buffy series from Boom is part of a crossover event and it seems you need to read the accompanying volumes of the Angel comics in order to get the whole picture. I didn't know this going in, so I was left wondering what in hell happened (and I mean that literally - this issue in no way focusses on what has happened to Buffy, who has seemingly gone AWOL from Sunnydale and left the - massively depleted - Scooby Gang to wait and wonder, when the truth is she got sucked into the Hellmouth with Angel when Dru opened it - another event we don't see in this series, so can only presume it features in the Angel comics.). I'll be picking up the Angel issues at some point in the hopes that these help fill the gaps but be warned - the lack of info is a problem.
*EDIT, cont: Forget all of that ^^, apparently what you need to read is Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel: Hellmouth. I'm pretty new to comic book crossovers, so you'll have to forgive me for getting so confused, or (in my defence - so clearly the option I'm going with) blame Boom and Jordie Bellaire for making it an absolute ORDEAL to get the whole storyline.
That being said - the pace picked up in comparison to what we saw in Vol. 2 and the action was good (even if it wasn't the all-inclusive storyline I needed). I was pleased to see Kendra featured in this one, and her no-nonsense personality (in keeping with her character on the show) comes through in the comics, maintaining that level of faith in the source material that I loved so much about Vol. 1.
I'm still not a huge fan of David López's artwork (at least not in comparison to Dan Mora's - the illustrator for Vol. 1), but it was at least consistent with Vol. 2.
The storyline (or, more accurately, what I got of it) was in keeping with the Buffy-verse and I enjoyed it, despite feeling I was missing something (namely: Buffy, who isn't in this volume at all). A step up from Vol. 2, but not quite hitting the heights of Vol. 1 for me.
March 15, 2023
This Volume takes a wild swing and so far it's paying off. How Kendra came to be, what's up with Robin, and Xander's half-human/vampire issue... all paying off! And I really like what they are doing with Anya even though I do not fully know enough about her yet. But this is just interesting and I really hope it all works and ties together as the series continues/ends.
But this one is getting demerits because there are 4 issues in here and NO BUFFY at all... okay... but this is Buffy's comic.. so... bye.
Also, the artwork seems to be getting progressively worse (for the main issues, that is). I cannot tell any blonde girl apart from one another. And their eyes are all... monstrous looking. I really need the Volume 1 treatment to be reinstated over here or else, great story potential aside, the artwork is going to completely continue to ruin the experience.
But this one is getting demerits because there are 4 issues in here and NO BUFFY at all... okay... but this is Buffy's comic.. so... bye.
Also, the artwork seems to be getting progressively worse (for the main issues, that is). I cannot tell any blonde girl apart from one another. And their eyes are all... monstrous looking. I really need the Volume 1 treatment to be reinstated over here or else, great story potential aside, the artwork is going to completely continue to ruin the experience.
June 14, 2020
3/5
Not gonna lie, this was the first volume of the Buffy relaunch that really let me down. The plot seemed very flimsy and did not have a satisfying ending like the rest have. Also, the art was so, so bad. These are supposed to be teenagers and the artist made them look like they’re in their 40’s. Plus it was so sloppy, and the resemblance to the characters was so off, whereas the cover art and gallery at the end? AMAZING.
Anyway, yeah, a pretty big let down for a graphic novel I have been anticipating since February. Still, not giving up just yet. I’m going to pick up the Angel crossover that comes out in a few weeks and hope it gets better!
Not gonna lie, this was the first volume of the Buffy relaunch that really let me down. The plot seemed very flimsy and did not have a satisfying ending like the rest have. Also, the art was so, so bad. These are supposed to be teenagers and the artist made them look like they’re in their 40’s. Plus it was so sloppy, and the resemblance to the characters was so off, whereas the cover art and gallery at the end? AMAZING.
Anyway, yeah, a pretty big let down for a graphic novel I have been anticipating since February. Still, not giving up just yet. I’m going to pick up the Angel crossover that comes out in a few weeks and hope it gets better!
March 30, 2024
I really like how this is such a radically different shift to the original buffy storyline. It's so fascinating to see all the same characters but interacting in new situations. (I love getting more from Anya in this one!!! Also, the whole "army of men" thing is legit creepy because it just feels so real 😬😅)
October 16, 2023
This was not as good as the first two volumes. Also, am I supposed to care about Xander? Because I really really don’t.
November 21, 2020
Really disappointed in the turn the series took, mostly that it was impossible to read it without also following the crossover issues which because I was subscribing on comiXology I got random issues of without asking for them but not all of them? That’s a side issue and doesn’t impact the rating here but also what the hell was that all about? Scammy.
So anyway this collection ends with issue 12 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer which is not the end of the story that this crossover is telling. No — you have to buy the separate crossover issue #5 to actually find out how the story ends. Super Duper disappointing.
On top of that, I didn’t love the story on its own merits though it was hard to tell if I might have because so much was happening in the crossover issues I didn’t get... I have no idea what they were thinking but I’m dropping this series.
I was really enjoying the idea of the updated universe in the early issues, but so many of the choices they’ve made were just not even remotely in character. I can’t get why they’d fundamentally change the main characters personalities. Why even call it Buffy then?
So anyway this collection ends with issue 12 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer which is not the end of the story that this crossover is telling. No — you have to buy the separate crossover issue #5 to actually find out how the story ends. Super Duper disappointing.
On top of that, I didn’t love the story on its own merits though it was hard to tell if I might have because so much was happening in the crossover issues I didn’t get... I have no idea what they were thinking but I’m dropping this series.
I was really enjoying the idea of the updated universe in the early issues, but so many of the choices they’ve made were just not even remotely in character. I can’t get why they’d fundamentally change the main characters personalities. Why even call it Buffy then?
Read
March 28, 2024I didn't love it as much as volume one, but it's Buffy and I'm a forever fan, so I love it anyways.
☆ Book Reviews | Bluesky | Twitter | Threads ☆
☆ Book Reviews | Bluesky | Twitter | Threads ☆
April 14, 2023
Considering we don't have even one panel of Buffy in this one, it was still engaging to read. We're introduced to Kendra, and we see the side effects of what happens when the Hellmouth is allowed to stay open. Mainly people get really angry and sweat a lot.
Things that are fascinating to long time fans of the show:
1) it's implied via Robin Wood that men can also be called as Slayers in this version of the universe. Or, he at least hoped that they would look the other way in his special case because his mother was a Slayer.
2) Buffy did not have to die for Kendra to be called, and the reason they gave actually makes a lot of sense. Also, I don't think she's supposed to have the Jamaican accent that Bianca Lawson gave to the character in the show; she looks more like she'd have a New York brogue. But we're told little about Kendra's back story in any of these issues, so I can only guess at this point. What we do know is that, like the show universe version of the character, she doesn't have much empathy and seems to have been raised to know Slayer lore. She also is still very much "attack vampires first and ask questions later." I was fine with that in the show, but I was sad to see Xander get beaten up in the comics.
And man, the ending for this edition is heartwrenching. Can't wait to see what happens next. (Apparently, making it seem like Xander might be dead and seeing Willow have to watch her best friend die is what makes me emotionally invested.)
Also, so happy to see Cordelia and Anya back again! Love this version of their characters!
Things that are fascinating to long time fans of the show:
1) it's implied via Robin Wood that men can also be called as Slayers in this version of the universe. Or, he at least hoped that they would look the other way in his special case because his mother was a Slayer.
2) Buffy did not have to die for Kendra to be called, and the reason they gave actually makes a lot of sense. Also, I don't think she's supposed to have the Jamaican accent that Bianca Lawson gave to the character in the show; she looks more like she'd have a New York brogue. But we're told little about Kendra's back story in any of these issues, so I can only guess at this point. What we do know is that, like the show universe version of the character, she doesn't have much empathy and seems to have been raised to know Slayer lore. She also is still very much "attack vampires first and ask questions later." I was fine with that in the show, but I was sad to see Xander get beaten up in the comics.
And man, the ending for this edition is heartwrenching. Can't wait to see what happens next. (Apparently, making it seem like Xander might be dead and seeing Willow have to watch her best friend die is what makes me emotionally invested.)
Also, so happy to see Cordelia and Anya back again! Love this version of their characters!
May 31, 2020
With Buffy and Angel trapped within the Hellmouth, it's up to the rest of the Scooby Gang to protect Sunnydale; but that's easier said than done, when the Scooby Gang's literally Xander and Willow, who aren't even speaking to each other. Enter Cordelia, Anya, and...Kendra?!
A world without Buffy is an interesting one to explore; maybe not this early in the series perhaps, but I applaud Jordie Bellaire for trying something different. It's a clever way to get this series to work as tie-ins to Hellmouth without having it try to fill in gaps (because Hellmouth itself doesn't have many that need filling).
The strength of the characters helps though; while these new incarnations of everyone's favourites aren't exactly the same, they definitely share DNA, and that makes it easy to root for them. The developments here play nicely out of Hellmouth's larger revelations, and the addition of Kendra shakes things up nicely.
The art's where it all falls apart though; David Lopez's enormous anime eyes for everyone don't do the series any favours. I'm familiar with Lopez's style, but it's definitely turned to to a hundred here. It's hard to take everyone seriously when it looks like their eyeballs are about to roll away from their faces.
A bold experiment, mostly successful, but peculiar looking while it does it. If you've not read Hellmouth though, check that out first. I find it odd that this releases before Hellmouth itself, actually.
A world without Buffy is an interesting one to explore; maybe not this early in the series perhaps, but I applaud Jordie Bellaire for trying something different. It's a clever way to get this series to work as tie-ins to Hellmouth without having it try to fill in gaps (because Hellmouth itself doesn't have many that need filling).
The strength of the characters helps though; while these new incarnations of everyone's favourites aren't exactly the same, they definitely share DNA, and that makes it easy to root for them. The developments here play nicely out of Hellmouth's larger revelations, and the addition of Kendra shakes things up nicely.
The art's where it all falls apart though; David Lopez's enormous anime eyes for everyone don't do the series any favours. I'm familiar with Lopez's style, but it's definitely turned to to a hundred here. It's hard to take everyone seriously when it looks like their eyeballs are about to roll away from their faces.
A bold experiment, mostly successful, but peculiar looking while it does it. If you've not read Hellmouth though, check that out first. I find it odd that this releases before Hellmouth itself, actually.
August 16, 2020
It breaks my freaking heart to give anything Buffy 1-star, but... The art by Kevin Wada in the cover gallery at the end was my favourite part of this volume and nothing else positive comes to mind.
The story is just so disjointed and nothing feels cohesive or consistent, and the art went downhill after volume 1 and there is certainly no improvement here - if anything, it's even worse.
The story is just so disjointed and nothing feels cohesive or consistent, and the art went downhill after volume 1 and there is certainly no improvement here - if anything, it's even worse.
January 3, 2023
So, the story is fine. I mistakenly thought this series was the Dark Horse one that takes place during the duration of the show. Silly me, right? It’s interesting seeing where a new writer with a new vision is going with the story.
However, the art is just terrible. The story has kept the first two volumes at three stars for me, but the art in this brings it down to one star. The first volume was pretty accurate to the characters we all know and love or hate. The second began looking less like them. In this third volume, the characters barely resemble themselves because they’re being replaced with stereotypical anime looking drawings. Is that the plot point? Instead of becoming their Halloween costumes, or not being able to speak, or only being able to sing the characters are now hollow anime shells of themselves.
I hate this.
However, the art is just terrible. The story has kept the first two volumes at three stars for me, but the art in this brings it down to one star. The first volume was pretty accurate to the characters we all know and love or hate. The second began looking less like them. In this third volume, the characters barely resemble themselves because they’re being replaced with stereotypical anime looking drawings. Is that the plot point? Instead of becoming their Halloween costumes, or not being able to speak, or only being able to sing the characters are now hollow anime shells of themselves.
I hate this.
August 13, 2020
Booms current ‘reimagining’ of the world of Buffy continues to degrade in quality. This volume sees the men of Sunnydale slowly turning ‘mad’ and lashing out. It’s handled with none of the subtlety the show would’ve done but instead is presented in such a ham fisted way it’s almost a parody of the shows message. David Lopez’s art leaves a lot to be desired here. Characters look less like the actors than ever before (I assume Bianca Lawson didn’t give likeness rights as Kendra is unrecognisable) and it’s a shame as his art on All New Wolverine was decent.
Overall this is a poor and sad imagining of a current day Buffy.
Overall this is a poor and sad imagining of a current day Buffy.
December 2, 2020
I felt slightly disjointed from the plot line and confused to be honest. I really think that I'm reading this hoping for some "Wow" plot buuuut I'm just not getting it from this series. Unfortunately I don't think this series is it for me and it makes me so sad. I loved the first graphic novel so much but I may be holding it at too high an expectation.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews