Buffy The Vampire Slayer: season 8: Vol 1-6
(contains massive spoilers)
So, the TV show has continued on in comic book form. How does the change of medium affect one of my all time favorite properties?
First of all, the comic book edition is the first to really go big in the scale of events. Due to the events of the season 7 finale, we know have an army of Slayers running special ops missions across the globe and we get some huge battles. Also, Dawn becomes a Giant, a centaur, and a living stuffed dolly. So the battles and the big set pieces are cool, but I do have some issues.
First, the limitations of the TV format kept the characters grounded. They didn't have the budget to make an army of ghost vampires or giant ancient gods, so instead they focused on the relationships, and it was amazing. Season 8 has gone to some wild and crazy places so far, and sometimes the characters stuff gets put on the back burner. The exception that proves the rule is a storyline involving Faith doing an undercover mission to take out a rogue Slayer. It is a very well written story that perfectly illustrates that she and Giles are much more willing to make the tough calls than Buffy and the tension is superb. We get some great character development from all three of them and it has been to highlight of the series so far.
Back to the wacky stuff. Season 8 seems to be almost giddy to bring back dead or unnecessary characters just because they can. For instance, the bring back Warren and Amy and make them a couple. First of all, gross. Secondly, I don't give a rat's ass what Amy is doing as she was barely ever more than a sketched out side character. And Third, can't we just let a good death be a good death? Warren's death scene was perfect in the show. The guy had it coming, and we got have Willow deal with the consequences of having taken a human life. Bringing the guy back and making him a comically inept super villain negates all of that. If Xander has to go through another love interest getting run through by a sharp metal object, I should at least get the consolation of dead bastards staying dead!
The love stuff also needs to be addressed. I don't see why they have to keep killing off the people Xander dates. There's no actors to pay anymore! What, did she take up to much of the ink budget?!? Boo. Kill some one else, maybe Andrew.
Lastly, and I must ask your patience as I try to write about this from my male, heterosexual perspective, but I think Buffy's little lesbian fling is total B.S. To give them credit, the writers do eventually get around to talking about it in an interesting way, and many characters are legitimately mad at Buffy for using a girl for comfort, then moving on. From the little I've gleaned from various advice columns, it does sound like lesbian women do have these kinds of things happen to them, and that sucks. No one wants to be used for somebody else's sexual exploration phase and basically get treated as an object rather than a person. So I think it's a good thing to talk about in any medium, but especially in one know for constantly drawing woman showing off their boobs and butt at the same time. That said, I didn't like the way it was addressed in the story. Maybe it needed Sarah Michelle Gellar's underrated acting chops, but I never got why Buffy, an extremely heterosexual character, would suddenly be sorta gay for a little bit. It all felt too fast and too forced. What eventually morphed into an interesting dialogue about relationships started like the opening of American Pie 2, with everyone barging in to learn about Buffy's dirty little secret, making the other woman into a punch line. You're better than that, Buffy writers.
I'm almost to the end of the season though, so I'll be back soon with the conclusion to a so-so Season 8.
6.5/10
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