Horror

• Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine #4
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer:Andrew Chambliss
• Artist: Karl Moline

After surviving the Siphon, Buffy starts having dreams of the first Slayer. At first she thinks the Slayer is angry at Buffy breaking the line but she begins to suspect someone is using her dreams for their own purposes.

With the help of Willow Buffy goes back into her dreams to confront the Tinkerbell who was hijacking her dreams and find out what the Slayer really wants from her. Although she gets her answers, the truth will mean the departure of one of her closest friends. But that isn’t the comic’s biggest surprise which comes in the form of a final panel that’s sure to change Buffy’s life forever (and no doubt enrage quite a few fans).

Karl Moline takes over the art from Georges Jeanty but once again we’re left with several panels where the characters only vaguely resemble their on-screen counterparts.

It’s not a great single issue but it does set out a new path for Willow and set up an entirely new challenge for everyone’s favorite slayer. Worth a look.

[Dark Horse, $2.99]

• Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine #4
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer:Andrew Chambliss
• Artist: Georges Jeanty

Freefall, the first story arc of Buffy Season Nine, comes to an end as Buffy Summers squares off against the Siphon. In a trend that has continued through four issues (perhaps as a reverse nod to the Star Trek movie franchise?) the odd-numbered issues have been better than the even-numbered ones.

Although issue #4 isn’t bad, it does have a few problems including some sketchy art by Georges Jeanty. Buffy comes out looking like the Slayer we know and love, but many of the supporting characters only vaguely resenble their television counterparts (Xander and Dawn especially).

I’m also very mixed on the comic’s conclusion. Buffy being saved by the police at the last minute might get her out of immediate legal trouble (although there still is that whole “is slaying murder” issue left to be resolved), but it sure comes off anticlimactic when your super-heroine has to be saved by a guy with a gun. Hit-and-Miss.

[Dark Horse, $2.99]

• Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine #3
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer:Andrew Chambliss
• Artist: Georges Jeanty

The world without magic storyline continues as Buffy and the Scoobies are faced with two oddities that need answering. The first is Severin who has an unusual power to rip the demon from vampires and return the human body to a natural state of death. The second is the overly aggressive nature of vampires who have been sired since the Seed was destroyed.

Spike‘s investigation into the Siphon will answer one of Buffy’s questions (if he’s not too late for our plucky heroine). As to the vampires themselves, it appears with the hell dimensions now closed from our reality new vampires are really vampires, they’re zombie vampires, or zompires as Xander names them.

I was really impressed with issue #3, especially the dialogue and character interactions which felt much more natural and Whedon-esque than the previous issue (also penned by Andrew Chambliss). The story arcs seem more focused and character driven, and there’s some great humor throughout. If this is where Season Nine is going to go, I’m on-board. Worth a look.

[Dark Horse, $3.99]