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Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8 (collected editions) #6
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Retreat
Buffy Season Eight Volume 6 showcases the first retreat of the Slayer legion. Vampires have solid footing at the top of the totem and Slayers have been crushed to the bottom -- in short, no one likes Buffy anymore . . . least of all this season's mysterious Big Bad, Twilight, who is hot on her magical trail!
Now that it's the world against Slayers, Buffy must find a way to return the status quo to . . . status quo -- and keep her girls alive long enough to do it! Enter Oz, the only person/werewolf Buffy knows who is down with the suppression of magic, and can take the Slayer army off of Twilight's magic-specific radar.
With Oz's assistance, the Slayers and Wiccans try to become "normal" through meditation and hard labor -- although, not everyone sees the advantage of being magicless, namely, Willow, Giles, and Andrew. And they could be right. After all, is a peaceful life for a Slayer even possible?
* Oz appears in Buffy Season Eight!
* Collects issues #26-#30 of the ongoing series.
Now that it's the world against Slayers, Buffy must find a way to return the status quo to . . . status quo -- and keep her girls alive long enough to do it! Enter Oz, the only person/werewolf Buffy knows who is down with the suppression of magic, and can take the Slayer army off of Twilight's magic-specific radar.
With Oz's assistance, the Slayers and Wiccans try to become "normal" through meditation and hard labor -- although, not everyone sees the advantage of being magicless, namely, Willow, Giles, and Andrew. And they could be right. After all, is a peaceful life for a Slayer even possible?
* Oz appears in Buffy Season Eight!
* Collects issues #26-#30 of the ongoing series.
144 pages, Paperback
First published March 3, 2010
About the author
Jane Espenson
62 books120 followersJane Espenson is an American television writer and producer who has worked on both situation comedies and serial dramas. She had a five-year stint as a writer and producer on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and shared a Hugo Award for her writing on Conversations with Dead People. Between 2009-2010 she served on Caprica, as co-executive and executive producer for the series. In 2010 she wrote an episode of HBO's A Game of Thrones, and joined the writing staff for Series 4 of Torchwood, which will air on Starz in the US and the BBC in the UK in 2011. She will be co-writing the pilot episode for the US remake of Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 345 reviews
May 17, 2012
This is a weird turn for a Buffy storyline to take. The Slayers are under intense fire, so I get that they're retreating. What I don't get is the decision to survive by voluntarily giving up all of their magically enhanced abilities. Yes, this makes them invisible to magical scans, but it leaves them horribly vulnerable, and leads to the Slayers suddenly picking up automatic weapons and laying land mines. It seems like a bad idea from the start, and guess what? It is.
There are some really good scenes here. The return of Oz, pretty much everything with Giles and Faith... The two bonus mini-comics are also great: Harmony on Stephen Colbert and Buffy having a hilariously bad dream. The dialogue and characters seem on, too.
The art remains... problematic. It isn't terrible, it just doesn't look like any of the established characters. Oz rarely looks like Seth Green, for example, and I literally didn't know that was Dawn for pages, because she looked nothing like Michelle Trachtenberg. Now, if the art was consistent, I could get used to that. But it very much isn't. On one page, Dawn will look vaguely like Michelle Trachtenberg, on the next she'll look like somebody else, and the next she'll look yet a third brunette. It's especially glaring when you compare the interior art to the covers, where the characters do look exactly like they're supposed to. It can really interfere with the story when you can't tell who the characters are.
There are some really good scenes here. The return of Oz, pretty much everything with Giles and Faith... The two bonus mini-comics are also great: Harmony on Stephen Colbert and Buffy having a hilariously bad dream. The dialogue and characters seem on, too.
The art remains... problematic. It isn't terrible, it just doesn't look like any of the established characters. Oz rarely looks like Seth Green, for example, and I literally didn't know that was Dawn for pages, because she looked nothing like Michelle Trachtenberg. Now, if the art was consistent, I could get used to that. But it very much isn't. On one page, Dawn will look vaguely like Michelle Trachtenberg, on the next she'll look like somebody else, and the next she'll look yet a third brunette. It's especially glaring when you compare the interior art to the covers, where the characters do look exactly like they're supposed to. It can really interfere with the story when you can't tell who the characters are.
November 16, 2018
This was not my favorite part of this story. They fight magical demon hordes all the time and for some reason they are running away from the fight and giving up their powers. I mean, it's a stupid turn of events. Oz is back in this one and it's good to see he's a dad, but the whole thing that happens at his home is stupid.
I hope the story gets better after this and the story can find it's voice again. I was really enjoying being back in the Buffy-verse and it was fun and then we got this episode and it blew up the story. Let's be honest, Willow can beat Amy any day. Willow is way more powerful. That is just the way it is. This volume dropped a big turd. Need to move on and hope they can recover.
I hope the story gets better after this and the story can find it's voice again. I was really enjoying being back in the Buffy-verse and it was fun and then we got this episode and it blew up the story. Let's be honest, Willow can beat Amy any day. Willow is way more powerful. That is just the way it is. This volume dropped a big turd. Need to move on and hope they can recover.
December 31, 2019
2019-31: Ok, after a rereading I’m giving it half star more and rounding it up to 3. Happy new year!
2.5 stars
The humor is exquisite as usual but the rest is rushed. Very, very rushed. But also kinda boring. I know, I know, it sounds paradoxical, and not just because rushed and boring look like opposites. Also because Buffy and boring can’t be used in the same sentence... or that was what I thought. So maybe the definition of this volume is... messy? Could be. I’m a bit disappointed.
So... without spoilers... there’s an huge battle I didn’t care about and a love affair that looked a bit cringing at first sight but bearable... I guess... maybe even appealing at some point? I don’t know yet.
This pic is a bit spoiler-ish because an old character is in it but these guys together deserved the caption.
And I’m not criticizing the art, but sometimes, it was difficult to know who was who. Mostly with Dawn. I had trouble identifying her. Not here, look at this beauty:
I’m done, I’m just showing random pics here and there, so I’ll jump into the next with hope, faith (pun intended) and my fingers crossed. I have the Spanish version of volume VII so I’m super excited and also... please, look at this cover *sighs* (the Spike idea was all mine, but look how he’s staring at them)
I´ll let you know! in the meanwhile, if you read Vol. VI, good luck! and I hope you like it more than I did.
👉🏻
2.5 stars
The humor is exquisite as usual but the rest is rushed. Very, very rushed. But also kinda boring. I know, I know, it sounds paradoxical, and not just because rushed and boring look like opposites. Also because Buffy and boring can’t be used in the same sentence... or that was what I thought. So maybe the definition of this volume is... messy? Could be. I’m a bit disappointed.
So... without spoilers... there’s an huge battle I didn’t care about and a love affair that looked a bit cringing at first sight but bearable... I guess... maybe even appealing at some point? I don’t know yet.
This pic is a bit spoiler-ish because an old character is in it but these guys together deserved the caption.
And I’m not criticizing the art, but sometimes, it was difficult to know who was who. Mostly with Dawn. I had trouble identifying her. Not here, look at this beauty:
I’m done, I’m just showing random pics here and there, so I’ll jump into the next with hope, faith (pun intended) and my fingers crossed. I have the Spanish version of volume VII so I’m super excited and also... please, look at this cover *sighs* (the Spike idea was all mine, but look how he’s staring at them)
I´ll let you know! in the meanwhile, if you read Vol. VI, good luck! and I hope you like it more than I did.
👉🏻
December 2, 2020
While some aspects of the story were interesting, I found myself continually wondering why on Earth they, the Slayers; the protectors of the world against demons, were giving up their birthright?
I enjoyed the inclusion of Oz, seeing how his life turned out (before it was forever changed).
I also liked the emotional plot they went with Willow however, I felt that was slightly rushed.
For the most part, I was not a fan of the art. It was too hard to tell which character was which. Except for this one page which I found pretty cool!
One of the subplots included the...maturing relationship between Xander and Dawn. Ugh. I am not a fan of this plot. Again, it's just one of these story decisions that doesn't make any sense to me.
Also, it seems like they've made Dawn act younger??
Overall, this wasn't my favourite collection of issues. I'm hoping the story gets more exciting once it starts truly focusing on the character of Twilight...
I enjoyed the inclusion of Oz, seeing how his life turned out (before it was forever changed).
I also liked the emotional plot they went with Willow however, I felt that was slightly rushed.
For the most part, I was not a fan of the art. It was too hard to tell which character was which. Except for this one page which I found pretty cool!
One of the subplots included the...maturing relationship between Xander and Dawn. Ugh. I am not a fan of this plot. Again, it's just one of these story decisions that doesn't make any sense to me.
Also, it seems like they've made Dawn act younger??
Overall, this wasn't my favourite collection of issues. I'm hoping the story gets more exciting once it starts truly focusing on the character of Twilight...
October 7, 2018
This was a rather messy and not very fun volume.
Buffy and the gang head over to where Oz and his wife and Baby are. Magic gets sucked away from Willow and the Slayers now must face Twlight and his goons till they all die! It's a big battle to the death but who will come out victorious?
Good: There's a fun little issue that's throwback to the show where we get to see Andrew do his interviews with everyone and that issue is a lot of fun.
Bad: The rest is messy, it's not funny, the stuff with Oz couldn't be more boring, and I didn't really care about the epic battle. Also, the art looked really ugly here and it's really starting to become harder and harder to tell who is who.
Overall, I wanted to like this, but I didn't much. Besides the one issue and a few cool moments, this was pretty meh. A 2 out of 5.
Buffy and the gang head over to where Oz and his wife and Baby are. Magic gets sucked away from Willow and the Slayers now must face Twlight and his goons till they all die! It's a big battle to the death but who will come out victorious?
Good: There's a fun little issue that's throwback to the show where we get to see Andrew do his interviews with everyone and that issue is a lot of fun.
Bad: The rest is messy, it's not funny, the stuff with Oz couldn't be more boring, and I didn't really care about the epic battle. Also, the art looked really ugly here and it's really starting to become harder and harder to tell who is who.
Overall, I wanted to like this, but I didn't much. Besides the one issue and a few cool moments, this was pretty meh. A 2 out of 5.
October 7, 2010
Usually Joss Whedon & Buffy can do no wrong, but this installment made me feel funny and wrong. I hate writing spoilers and spoiler warnings because I think that no one reads my reviews then (OK - not that I think anyone reads these anyway, but i write them for ME not anyone else anyway). So, I'll try not to be spoilery. There is a blossoming romance in this book that I am uncomfortable with. There, I said it. All the weird freaky things that the Whedonverse has subjected us to in S8, and this romance is really what bothers me the most. I also do not appreciate Willow's character development in this installment - I don't like what Buffy sees in the future, and I don't like all the things that seeing Oz stirs up for Will. Is Will the most tortured character of this story? I kind of think so. And she's also my favorite character, so I disappreciate these storylines extra.
Then there is the whole issue of how Twilight is becoming more of a character and less like an imaginary force. However, I'm not convinced that Twilight is real. If Twilight turns out to be like, Giles or the Mayor or the First in a mask and costume, I am going to be so disappointed in everything.
Things I liked about this installment: The direction the Slayer army is headed in. Where Oz is now. Buffy's trip to the future!
I really have no idea why I take Buffy so personally after all these years.
Then there is the whole issue of how Twilight is becoming more of a character and less like an imaginary force. However, I'm not convinced that Twilight is real. If Twilight turns out to be like, Giles or the Mayor or the First in a mask and costume, I am going to be so disappointed in everything.
Things I liked about this installment: The direction the Slayer army is headed in. Where Oz is now. Buffy's trip to the future!
I really have no idea why I take Buffy so personally after all these years.
September 17, 2020
The most important thing about this whole volume is this:
Oz is back.
We get to see where Oz is and how he is doing. I was like crying, because it is so Oz.
Besides that, there’s a big giant war. The slayers are trying to not be slayers in order to bring themselves together to fight the big evil, and lots of.. other things.. happen.
Really, this is a great thing to read because it has the essence of the show completely.
Oz is back.
We get to see where Oz is and how he is doing. I was like crying, because it is so Oz.
Besides that, there’s a big giant war. The slayers are trying to not be slayers in order to bring themselves together to fight the big evil, and lots of.. other things.. happen.
Really, this is a great thing to read because it has the essence of the show completely.
December 10, 2014
Here I am in the minority again, but I loved this book. Buffy makes an awful lot of bad decisions, for sure. But these are the times when I love her the most. Everyone was so... human in this story. Taking away the magicks and the slayer powers makes our people actually face who they are. And I really loved that.
It was great to see Oz, too.
I guess I'm one of the few who saw this Dawn/Xander thing coming from a mile away. And I'm okay with it.
It was great to see Oz, too.
I guess I'm one of the few who saw this Dawn/Xander thing coming from a mile away. And I'm okay with it.
April 1, 2015
***Buddyread with the Shallow Readers! Criteria: Girls kicking ass way too many weeks late!***
I want to make this fact known before I continue:
Now that that's out of the way. The story. I loved all of the action. I loved the fact that magic was removed from the equation. I love the fact that there wasn't an easy fix it all in four frames solution. I love the fact that the problem is still there and that I don't know how it's going to be fixed. And I loved that Twilight finally stepped out big time and let their threat be known.
High points:
-Biggest one: Riley Finn. Duh. If you don't already know that I am in love with him, on screen and page alike, then you have missed a lot.
-The inclusion of Oz and his seemingly now normal life.
-Giles is once again a front runner. Apparently I really like having my men back in the picture, maybe since estrogen is running at top speed 100% of the time.
-Willow is going dark again. Maybe this isn't a popular happening for everyone else, but it makes for SUCH GOOD MOMENTS.
-Skinless man and hamster girl bicker like they're on a playground, which is funnier than it sounds.
-Andrew is fucking hilarious! I want Andrew comics. Right now. Where he's a guestage and bakes and talks about Buffy from the TV show.
-HUGE MULTI COLORED GODDESSES WREAKING HAVOC!
This was just too much fun NOT to give it a full five stars. The Slayers think they can bottle down their magic, along with their Wiccan friends, and stop Willow from going dark again. The only problem is that when trouble suddenly arises, their powers are totally and completely gone. Watching them fight without magic and Slayer abilities is both intriguing and heartbreaking. And finding out what happened to their powers is crazy.
Just read this. You'll like it. I promise.
December 11, 2011
Well, I was never the hugest Buffy fan, but I diligently watched and enjoyed (for the most part) every season of the TV show. Now that the disclaimer is done, let me say that I think these comics get a much better rating than they deserve simply because it's Buffy and Buffy fans are just happy to have more Buffy, even if it's mediocre Buffy.
The story in Season 8 gets progressively more ridiculous, implausible, silly and downright dumb as things progress. Old characters return for no real reason, other than contrivance. Expository dialogue is roundabout and while the characters are engaged in their "witty" banter, I'm screaming in my mind "just get to the point!"
I want to like these comics, I do, but I get the sense that the writers just couldn't come up with anything plausibly fun and exciting without going completely over the top.
I mean, where did the slayer army manage to get all the guns and helmets? Where did they get the submarine? What makes Buffy and the others think a bunch of girls used to chop socky-ing vampires and demons will be able to take on seasoned military men sans powers? That whole thread of the story line is terrible and bizarre.
I'd have to do some googling about whether or not there's some different inkers, but the art quality begins to look a bit more rough and/or rushed in these later issues, and in particular I notice that in too many panels too many characters seem to have glaringly large heads upon disproportionately small bodies. It's puzzling to say the least because Georges Jeanty is clearly a highly talented artist.
The conclusion of the season, vol. 8, will determine if I bother reading any more Buffy comics, because season 8 so far has taken a charming, low budget, cult hit show with great characters and a lot of fun and changed it into a ridiculous shell of it's former self.
I know my review is all negative, and there were positive things in this issue, but I just can't remember any of them.
The story in Season 8 gets progressively more ridiculous, implausible, silly and downright dumb as things progress. Old characters return for no real reason, other than contrivance. Expository dialogue is roundabout and while the characters are engaged in their "witty" banter, I'm screaming in my mind "just get to the point!"
I want to like these comics, I do, but I get the sense that the writers just couldn't come up with anything plausibly fun and exciting without going completely over the top.
I mean, where did the slayer army manage to get all the guns and helmets? Where did they get the submarine? What makes Buffy and the others think a bunch of girls used to chop socky-ing vampires and demons will be able to take on seasoned military men sans powers? That whole thread of the story line is terrible and bizarre.
I'd have to do some googling about whether or not there's some different inkers, but the art quality begins to look a bit more rough and/or rushed in these later issues, and in particular I notice that in too many panels too many characters seem to have glaringly large heads upon disproportionately small bodies. It's puzzling to say the least because Georges Jeanty is clearly a highly talented artist.
The conclusion of the season, vol. 8, will determine if I bother reading any more Buffy comics, because season 8 so far has taken a charming, low budget, cult hit show with great characters and a lot of fun and changed it into a ridiculous shell of it's former self.
I know my review is all negative, and there were positive things in this issue, but I just can't remember any of them.
October 25, 2010
Canceled.
April 10, 2010
Buffy's battle against the evil forces of Twilight (hee) continues. In the last volume, an inexperienced slayer's attempt to take out a vamp on TV created public sympathy for the bloodsuckers who are now seen as poor innocent victims.
Now that Buffy and her slayers have been outed and are public enemy #1, Twilight uses his military forces with help from witch Amy and skinless Warren to mount an attack on the slayers' HQ in Scotland. They manage to escape but Buffy is convinced that the only way to survive is to hide, but that means erasing all traces of magic that could be tracked. She leads her crew to an old friend, Oz, who is living in a remote monastary and has learned to control his werewolf tendencies. But will Buffy's people (especially an increasingly edgy Willow) be willing to give up their powers?
Mainly written by Jane Espenson, a veteran Buffy and Battlestar Galactica writer that I like a lot, I thought this was some of the best characterizations and dialogue yet in the post-show Buffy comics. There's some great stuff here, including Giles and Faith finally returning to the main group and the return of Oz.
But I had a big problem with he story. Whedon always had a strong theme of female empowerment in Buffy. That was the whole point of the show and having it culminate with the creation of an army of slayers was brilliant. But having Buffy decide to make her people powerless when confronted with danger doesn't make a lot of sense. She's got reasons to be nervous about the future of the slayers and Willow, but it seems stupid for all the slayers and Willow to survive by being weak. Some of the characters do comment on this contradiction, but it really seemed to go against the grain of what Buffy has always been about. Especially when the slayers have to start using guns and other modern weapons to fight because that really cements the image that Buffy is running a private army instead of a group of women called to fight evil.
Now that Buffy and her slayers have been outed and are public enemy #1, Twilight uses his military forces with help from witch Amy and skinless Warren to mount an attack on the slayers' HQ in Scotland. They manage to escape but Buffy is convinced that the only way to survive is to hide, but that means erasing all traces of magic that could be tracked. She leads her crew to an old friend, Oz, who is living in a remote monastary and has learned to control his werewolf tendencies. But will Buffy's people (especially an increasingly edgy Willow) be willing to give up their powers?
Mainly written by Jane Espenson, a veteran Buffy and Battlestar Galactica writer that I like a lot, I thought this was some of the best characterizations and dialogue yet in the post-show Buffy comics. There's some great stuff here, including Giles and Faith finally returning to the main group and the return of Oz.
But I had a big problem with he story. Whedon always had a strong theme of female empowerment in Buffy. That was the whole point of the show and having it culminate with the creation of an army of slayers was brilliant. But having Buffy decide to make her people powerless when confronted with danger doesn't make a lot of sense. She's got reasons to be nervous about the future of the slayers and Willow, but it seems stupid for all the slayers and Willow to survive by being weak. Some of the characters do comment on this contradiction, but it really seemed to go against the grain of what Buffy has always been about. Especially when the slayers have to start using guns and other modern weapons to fight because that really cements the image that Buffy is running a private army instead of a group of women called to fight evil.
November 27, 2017
Almost five stars?? Great job Jane Espenson, this is the first comics volume that made me feel almost like I was watching the show. Great character moments and depth, but also humour! Although ewwww Xander and Dawn!!!
August 26, 2024
I found this one to be a bit confusing at times, like the dialogue didn't always flow together or really match up with the visuals. The ending was very chaotic. And I don't even know where the Xander, Dawn subplot came from....totally out of nowhere and I'm very against it
April 23, 2017
This episode was great. I mean come on, Oz is here and he was always one of my favorites. Missed that dude, want more of him. Can you believe it? The gang is finally all back together. Aces!
November 5, 2018
I have mixed feelings over these comics
On the one hand, I am immensely glad to be back in the world of Buffy. My heart misses that show so much and each comic feels like a new episode.
On the other hand, I feel as if they are taking liberties they would not have taken in the show. Like Buffy has a random lesbian sexual encounter. Willow can suddenly fly and chang them into birds. Xander is in love with Dawn (which I honestly don't see ever happening. She was like his little sister), and there is even time travel.
I also feel as though they are including a lot of characters that don't necessarily need to be in new stories. Amy and Warren's story I feel ended a while ago. Same with Riley. Why are they there?
Overall, no matter what direction they take I will continue to read them, it is just a bit disappointing because some I can absolutely picture in my head as an episode. Others I just go....."huh?"
I am excited to see what Kierstenr White does with her book. I have a lot of catching into.do first, though.
On the one hand, I am immensely glad to be back in the world of Buffy. My heart misses that show so much and each comic feels like a new episode.
On the other hand, I feel as if they are taking liberties they would not have taken in the show. Like Buffy has a random lesbian sexual encounter. Willow can suddenly fly and chang them into birds. Xander is in love with Dawn (which I honestly don't see ever happening. She was like his little sister), and there is even time travel.
I also feel as though they are including a lot of characters that don't necessarily need to be in new stories. Amy and Warren's story I feel ended a while ago. Same with Riley. Why are they there?
Overall, no matter what direction they take I will continue to read them, it is just a bit disappointing because some I can absolutely picture in my head as an episode. Others I just go....."huh?"
I am excited to see what Kierstenr White does with her book. I have a lot of catching into.do first, though.
April 10, 2011
Sorry, this is kinda more ranty then when I started out, and probably not very well-written. You've been warned. Also, no spoilers are revealed in my rant review (though that was hard not to do ;P).
Why do I keep reading this series? Why do I expect it to get any better? Or even come close to resembling what the show was about in the first place? What in the Sam Hell is wrong with me that I persist in reading this travesty? Ack!
Again, the plot is ludicrous, the characters don't always feel true to form, the witty banter is nearly non-existent, and the illustrations are making the characters indistinguishable from one another, most especially the darker haired girls, such as Faith, Dawn, and Kennedy (Why exactly isn't she gone yet?). The villain, Twilight, isn't very interesting and I wonder how much longer it's going to be before the big reveal. Just get to it already, will ya? Amy and Warren also need to go. Lame is the word that comes to mind when I think of them. Old characters who have long exceeded their welcome, and Amy in particular doesn't add anything anymore; she's run her course, let's move on now. Oz was a mixed bag, I liked some of what happened to him since he left Sunnydale and some...not so much. The interactions between him and Willow were rather weird and didn't seem to fit where they had left off exactly. Willow herself was quite angsty and I don't understand how she got to that place at this time. Perhaps I've forgotten something from a previous entry.
Gone is the show I've known and loved, instead they've decided to pull out all the stops, literally, and we're left with this bizarre mess. I don't know if they made a deal with the devil or what, but everything has been thrown into this story, including the kitchen sink, with no rhyme or reason. Do they know what control is, or careful selection, or do they just not care? I don't expect graphic novels to be as detailed as a TV show, but this whole season has gotten more and more ridiculous as it has went on and I cannot fathom why I'm torturing myself. Oh, I know, it's great entertainment. I want to see how much further they can destroy the memory of a great show. Does this deserve two stars? Probably not, but I can't help myself, apparently. Bah!!
Why do I keep reading this series? Why do I expect it to get any better? Or even come close to resembling what the show was about in the first place? What in the Sam Hell is wrong with me that I persist in reading this travesty? Ack!
Again, the plot is ludicrous, the characters don't always feel true to form, the witty banter is nearly non-existent, and the illustrations are making the characters indistinguishable from one another, most especially the darker haired girls, such as Faith, Dawn, and Kennedy (Why exactly isn't she gone yet?). The villain, Twilight, isn't very interesting and I wonder how much longer it's going to be before the big reveal. Just get to it already, will ya? Amy and Warren also need to go. Lame is the word that comes to mind when I think of them. Old characters who have long exceeded their welcome, and Amy in particular doesn't add anything anymore; she's run her course, let's move on now. Oz was a mixed bag, I liked some of what happened to him since he left Sunnydale and some...not so much. The interactions between him and Willow were rather weird and didn't seem to fit where they had left off exactly. Willow herself was quite angsty and I don't understand how she got to that place at this time. Perhaps I've forgotten something from a previous entry.
Gone is the show I've known and loved, instead they've decided to pull out all the stops, literally, and we're left with this bizarre mess. I don't know if they made a deal with the devil or what, but everything has been thrown into this story, including the kitchen sink, with no rhyme or reason. Do they know what control is, or careful selection, or do they just not care? I don't expect graphic novels to be as detailed as a TV show, but this whole season has gotten more and more ridiculous as it has went on and I cannot fathom why I'm torturing myself. Oh, I know, it's great entertainment. I want to see how much further they can destroy the memory of a great show. Does this deserve two stars? Probably not, but I can't help myself, apparently. Bah!!
June 2, 2011
I really want to make this 3 1/2 stars. I still love a lot of the dialogue and the art is, unsurprisingly, still really good. My problem is that it's still. Not. Buffy.
My reasoning is this: Season 7 of Buffy was not a good example of what most of the rest of the series was like. Maybe bits of Season 6, but not even that. The comics pretty much never let the HOLYCRAPometer drop below Season 7. A lot of the time it goes above that and pretty much loves all over the tone and style of the last episode. The world is done in broad strokes and the focus is action. They try to balance it with exposition and character development sections, but it comes off rushed and unfocused. Epic battle is the norm, here, not the witty banter, or the mystic mummery, or even the fun.
Mostly my problem is that I'm left with a lot of head-scratching. There are a bunch of sub-plots that are getting totally lost in the fray. The comic is cool, it's got a lot of awesome going on, but I would sacrifice most of that that awesome for a bit more story and a lot more character focus.
My reasoning is this: Season 7 of Buffy was not a good example of what most of the rest of the series was like. Maybe bits of Season 6, but not even that. The comics pretty much never let the HOLYCRAPometer drop below Season 7. A lot of the time it goes above that and pretty much loves all over the tone and style of the last episode. The world is done in broad strokes and the focus is action. They try to balance it with exposition and character development sections, but it comes off rushed and unfocused. Epic battle is the norm, here, not the witty banter, or the mystic mummery, or even the fun.
Mostly my problem is that I'm left with a lot of head-scratching. There are a bunch of sub-plots that are getting totally lost in the fray. The comic is cool, it's got a lot of awesome going on, but I would sacrifice most of that that awesome for a bit more story and a lot more character focus.
December 22, 2017
As you may know I've read several of the Buffy comics before and have been utterly dissapointed by them. I told myself I would read one last comic and if I hated it I would give up reading the comics entirely. Surprisingly enough, I didn't hate this one, I actually enjoyed it immensely. Although it is nowhere as good as the show (so few things are) it has a stable and interesting plot, good, solid character development (none of the characters are behaving like children - what a concept!) and brings back some of my favorite characters (no spoilers!). The only down side is that the illustrations quite frankly suck. Some of the drawings barely resemble the characters. (In some parts they were so poorly drawn that I had to guess who the character was based on context!) However, despite this I would still recommend reading it. It is with a sigh of great relief that I get to re-immerse myself into the wonderful world of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer".
September 9, 2015
2nd Read: 09/09/2015
Original Read: 06/15/2014
Original Read: 06/15/2014
March 23, 2022
2.5 rounded up.
Well…that wasn’t what I was expecting. Or necessarily wanting? This whole plot felt much sloppier than previous Season 8 plots, and like it wasn’t fully thought out. On the plus side, I liked seeing Oz again, and felt like his return felt natural. I’m glad to see his growth and how he’s chosen to deal with his own personal situation. Also, the Giles/Buffy moments and conversations in the first part were very nicely done!
But there was so much other stuff that felt off. It seems to me super unlikely that Buffy would turn so easily and quickly to having everyone give up their Slayer powers/magics, especially when that power is something she knows makes them who they are and also KEEPS THEM SAFE…as we see pages later when she’s like “Omg we need our powers!” It was kind of an interesting idea to explore, but this didn’t seem like the right time for it.
Also the artwork takes a noticeable downturn in this volume! It’s been good, even enjoyable at times, up until now. The close-up drawings are decent, but figures in the background look like literal aliens half the time. The rest of the time it’s a bit of a guessing game to figure out who is who; I kept thinking Kennedy was Faith, and Dawn looks like she went through another Thricewise transformation.
And what’s with the random side story about Monroe?! Talk about a page waster! NOTHING about that was important to the bigger picture and it was boring either way.
It was fine. “Retreat” wasn’t ~terrible~, but it was DEFINITELY not the strongest. Actually it’s the weakest in all of Season 8 so far. It’s just frustrating to read and all I can do is hope it gets better again!
Well…that wasn’t what I was expecting. Or necessarily wanting? This whole plot felt much sloppier than previous Season 8 plots, and like it wasn’t fully thought out. On the plus side, I liked seeing Oz again, and felt like his return felt natural. I’m glad to see his growth and how he’s chosen to deal with his own personal situation. Also, the Giles/Buffy moments and conversations in the first part were very nicely done!
But there was so much other stuff that felt off. It seems to me super unlikely that Buffy would turn so easily and quickly to having everyone give up their Slayer powers/magics, especially when that power is something she knows makes them who they are and also KEEPS THEM SAFE…as we see pages later when she’s like “Omg we need our powers!” It was kind of an interesting idea to explore, but this didn’t seem like the right time for it.
Also the artwork takes a noticeable downturn in this volume! It’s been good, even enjoyable at times, up until now. The close-up drawings are decent, but figures in the background look like literal aliens half the time. The rest of the time it’s a bit of a guessing game to figure out who is who; I kept thinking Kennedy was Faith, and Dawn looks like she went through another Thricewise transformation.
And what’s with the random side story about Monroe?! Talk about a page waster! NOTHING about that was important to the bigger picture and it was boring either way.
It was fine. “Retreat” wasn’t ~terrible~, but it was DEFINITELY not the strongest. Actually it’s the weakest in all of Season 8 so far. It’s just frustrating to read and all I can do is hope it gets better again!
March 29, 2011
In a Sentence: Retreat is an action-packed, climactic installment filled with excellent character development that reminded me why I fell in love with the series in the first place.
My Thoughts
In Retreat, we see a reunion of almost all of the main characters. Faith and Giles, Andrew and the Italian Slayer squad, Willow, Buffy, Xander: everyone who has been off on their own little adventures joins together in an attempt to fight off the advances of Twilight—the ultimate “Big Bad” of the season—whose true identity we still don’t know. The Slayers and their allies are getting their butts kicked no matter what they do. There are quite a few casualties, though none of the major characters get the ax. Eventually, Buffy makes the decision to escape and evade. The group heads off to the mountains of Tibet to visit Oz, whom we haven’t seen since his last guest appearance during season four of Buffy. Since season four, Oz has managed to get some control over his wolf side—thanks to a pre-Buddhism religion that involves a lot of meditation, herbs, and charms. Buffy hopes that, if the Slayers follow Oz’s way of life, they’ll be able to hide their magic from Twilight and disappear off the grid until they can regroup and figure out a way to fight back.
I was so happy to see Oz again. He’s always been one of my favorite characters, and my heart just about broke when he left. In spite of the fact that Willow is now a lesbian and Oz has had a kid with his wife/girlfriend (not sure which), I still can’t help but hope that Oz and Willow will get back together. Long shot, I know, but I adored those two together! Oz and Willow’s reunion was subtle, but it also illustrated a lot of what Willow has been struggling with throughout the last few seasons: mainly, the fact that she will probably never get to have the normal life and family that Oz now has, and no matter how hard she tries, she STILL has trouble with her addiction to magic.
"Oz: We’re just trying to teach you not to bottle up the poison (magic) inside you.
Willow: But without the poison, what am I?"
And then there's this one...
"Oz: Will, what is up with you? You’re pissed at me…
Willow: You skated out, Oz. You got out of the game, and then you…you did something to make sure you couldn’t get pulled back in—
Oz:…I’m normal. I’m human. I have a family. And you can too.
Willow: It’s not true...Not with what I am! Not with what I have to do.
Oz: You can be done, Will. You can just be Willow Rosenberg."
Wow. I'd pay BIG money to see the scene above acted out on screen with Seth Green and Alyson Hannigan reprising their original roles. It nearly brought tears to my eyes in book form...I can only imagine how awesome it would have been on TV!
This is definitely a character-driven issue, which is probably why I enjoyed it so much. Aside from the big interactions between Oz and Willow and Willow and Buffy, we also get to see Faith and Buffy start to bond again, repairing their relationship—which was virtually destroyed in seasons three and four. Furthermore, there’s an awesome scene between Xander and Buffy, in which Xander comforts Buffy about her doubts concerning Willow, and tells her that he’ll be there for her no matter what. The friendship between Xander, Buffy, and Willow has always been my absolute favorite part of the series, so it was nice to see a lot of that brought into the series again.
Overall, I think Retreat is one of the best installments of season eight. I can’t wait to read the last two trade paperback collections, which will finish off the season.
My Thoughts
In Retreat, we see a reunion of almost all of the main characters. Faith and Giles, Andrew and the Italian Slayer squad, Willow, Buffy, Xander: everyone who has been off on their own little adventures joins together in an attempt to fight off the advances of Twilight—the ultimate “Big Bad” of the season—whose true identity we still don’t know. The Slayers and their allies are getting their butts kicked no matter what they do. There are quite a few casualties, though none of the major characters get the ax. Eventually, Buffy makes the decision to escape and evade. The group heads off to the mountains of Tibet to visit Oz, whom we haven’t seen since his last guest appearance during season four of Buffy. Since season four, Oz has managed to get some control over his wolf side—thanks to a pre-Buddhism religion that involves a lot of meditation, herbs, and charms. Buffy hopes that, if the Slayers follow Oz’s way of life, they’ll be able to hide their magic from Twilight and disappear off the grid until they can regroup and figure out a way to fight back.
I was so happy to see Oz again. He’s always been one of my favorite characters, and my heart just about broke when he left. In spite of the fact that Willow is now a lesbian and Oz has had a kid with his wife/girlfriend (not sure which), I still can’t help but hope that Oz and Willow will get back together. Long shot, I know, but I adored those two together! Oz and Willow’s reunion was subtle, but it also illustrated a lot of what Willow has been struggling with throughout the last few seasons: mainly, the fact that she will probably never get to have the normal life and family that Oz now has, and no matter how hard she tries, she STILL has trouble with her addiction to magic.
"Oz: We’re just trying to teach you not to bottle up the poison (magic) inside you.
Willow: But without the poison, what am I?"
And then there's this one...
"Oz: Will, what is up with you? You’re pissed at me…
Willow: You skated out, Oz. You got out of the game, and then you…you did something to make sure you couldn’t get pulled back in—
Oz:…I’m normal. I’m human. I have a family. And you can too.
Willow: It’s not true...Not with what I am! Not with what I have to do.
Oz: You can be done, Will. You can just be Willow Rosenberg."
Wow. I'd pay BIG money to see the scene above acted out on screen with Seth Green and Alyson Hannigan reprising their original roles. It nearly brought tears to my eyes in book form...I can only imagine how awesome it would have been on TV!
This is definitely a character-driven issue, which is probably why I enjoyed it so much. Aside from the big interactions between Oz and Willow and Willow and Buffy, we also get to see Faith and Buffy start to bond again, repairing their relationship—which was virtually destroyed in seasons three and four. Furthermore, there’s an awesome scene between Xander and Buffy, in which Xander comforts Buffy about her doubts concerning Willow, and tells her that he’ll be there for her no matter what. The friendship between Xander, Buffy, and Willow has always been my absolute favorite part of the series, so it was nice to see a lot of that brought into the series again.
Overall, I think Retreat is one of the best installments of season eight. I can’t wait to read the last two trade paperback collections, which will finish off the season.
June 18, 2011
The slayers are being attacked across the world. Buffy and Willow have to take a disguise to get to the island and Giles and Faith are in hiding from demons. And Twilight and his group are going all out and the slayers barely escape to Nepal...and Oz. Oz, his wife, and their young son are going to teach the slayers how to hide their magics. But Twilight has found them again...and demons are back to destroy.
The volume ends with an issue of Buffy floating in the air saying "what the hell?" and that's how I feel about the issue. The last volume was a mismash of stories, but it ended with Dawn coming back to being a human person again, but here? We just jump into a story where everyone is hiding and something is attacking them. It's like we jumped over an issue somewhere, but we didn't...it just jumps into the middle of things. And while the story is more captivating than previous ones it still feels a bit forced, like the direction they wanted to go was stalled so they go "oh lets ad Oz into the mix!" So he appears. I've been disappointed with the way the series is progressing...but I still hold out hope.
The artwork though continues to suffer. It's becoming harder and harder in some issues to pick out which charters are which and what they're doing. For example, at one point Willow looks like a life size rag doll with a mouth. And at the beginning of the issue Willow and Kennedy are in bed, covered by sheets, and a black box is just hanging over them. It's supposed to be a fan blade I think, but its just one of the many weird decisions that the artists makes in the issue. We don't need to see it and it doesn't add anything except to make you wonder.
I'll read the series to the end because I want to know what happens, but this series just continues to falter and disappoint.
The volume ends with an issue of Buffy floating in the air saying "what the hell?" and that's how I feel about the issue. The last volume was a mismash of stories, but it ended with Dawn coming back to being a human person again, but here? We just jump into a story where everyone is hiding and something is attacking them. It's like we jumped over an issue somewhere, but we didn't...it just jumps into the middle of things. And while the story is more captivating than previous ones it still feels a bit forced, like the direction they wanted to go was stalled so they go "oh lets ad Oz into the mix!" So he appears. I've been disappointed with the way the series is progressing...but I still hold out hope.
The artwork though continues to suffer. It's becoming harder and harder in some issues to pick out which charters are which and what they're doing. For example, at one point Willow looks like a life size rag doll with a mouth. And at the beginning of the issue Willow and Kennedy are in bed, covered by sheets, and a black box is just hanging over them. It's supposed to be a fan blade I think, but its just one of the many weird decisions that the artists makes in the issue. We don't need to see it and it doesn't add anything except to make you wonder.
I'll read the series to the end because I want to know what happens, but this series just continues to falter and disappoint.
September 17, 2017
4 ⭐️
Finally a volume where all the episodes follow up nicely!
It wasn't as good as it could have been, but at least this felt like a real comics tradeback rather than a mash up of different stories. Still not a huge fan of the art, though. Oz does not look like Oz at all! If anything, I was much more a fan of the "Always Darkest" short story's art. If we could get an entire tradeback with Jo Chen as the artist, I would be overjoyed. It's so much more realistic and you can actually tell without a doubt who's who (which I still struggle with in the original story sometimes).
I also have a bone to pick with Jane Espenson. What the hell is this shitty love story springing up on us???? Xander has always been like an uncle to Dawn, it makes NO SENSE WHATSOEVER for them to be together! And Buffy suddenly developing feelings for him too??? COME. ON! Someone please tell me it's because Xander dabbled once again with love magic...
Is there some deeper goal to include every character that was ever in the TV series in this comics? We had Riley, then Harmony , now Oz (not to forget Ethan at the very beginning)... All characters that were not in season 7, yet are all suddenly part of this new season. And the reasons to include them are more or less interesting. Harmony as a reality tv star is plausible, and her personality is always hovering to the dark side, so it would be no surprise she'd go against the slayers. Riley as a spy makes sense, but how did he get roped into it? Who knows... (and will we ever)? Adding Oz was unnecessary. Especially since literally everything they did while living in Tibet is lose their powers and conjure killer goddesses who couldn't give two shits about them - and tried to kill them. Frankly, I'm about done with the TV characters popping back in. I wouldn't be surprised if Drusilla pops back in next.
Finally a volume where all the episodes follow up nicely!
It wasn't as good as it could have been, but at least this felt like a real comics tradeback rather than a mash up of different stories. Still not a huge fan of the art, though. Oz does not look like Oz at all! If anything, I was much more a fan of the "Always Darkest" short story's art. If we could get an entire tradeback with Jo Chen as the artist, I would be overjoyed. It's so much more realistic and you can actually tell without a doubt who's who (which I still struggle with in the original story sometimes).
I also have a bone to pick with Jane Espenson. What the hell is this shitty love story springing up on us???? Xander has always been like an uncle to Dawn, it makes NO SENSE WHATSOEVER for them to be together! And Buffy suddenly developing feelings for him too??? COME. ON! Someone please tell me it's because Xander dabbled once again with love magic...
Is there some deeper goal to include every character that was ever in the TV series in this comics? We had Riley, then Harmony , now Oz (not to forget Ethan at the very beginning)... All characters that were not in season 7, yet are all suddenly part of this new season. And the reasons to include them are more or less interesting. Harmony as a reality tv star is plausible, and her personality is always hovering to the dark side, so it would be no surprise she'd go against the slayers. Riley as a spy makes sense, but how did he get roped into it? Who knows... (and will we ever)? Adding Oz was unnecessary. Especially since literally everything they did while living in Tibet is lose their powers and conjure killer goddesses who couldn't give two shits about them - and tried to kill them. Frankly, I'm about done with the TV characters popping back in. I wouldn't be surprised if Drusilla pops back in next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 4, 2011
Despite the return of several long-missing characters from the TV series (Oz, Riley), I thought this was the weakest story arc in "Buffy: Season Eight" yet. Buffy decides that all of the Slayers need to "give up" their magic so that Twilight will stop being able to hunt them down. So she finds Oz in Tibet, where he has learned to control his lycanthropy. He and his Tibetan wife tell the Slayers that they need to take up an agrarian lifestyle and basically let their magic be drained into the Earth.
How exactly this fits into a long-term plan for defeating Twilight is unclear. Also, they go to Tibet in the first place by having Willow teleport a submarine. To Tibet. So of course Twilight finds them anyway. The subsequent battle between trained troops and a bunch of teenage girls who've lost their Slayer powers might have been supposed to have us rooting for the girls, but their inevitable defeat was neither inspiring nor tragic, just stupid.
Of course there were some interesting twists, both on a large scale, with ancient Tibetan "wrath goddesses" bursting out of the earth to kill everything in sight (more examples of the writers having fun with stuff they couldn't do on TV -- like the teleporting submarine) and on a small scale, with the hints that Willow is going to turn dark again, and hints of Xander/Buffy followed by Xander/Dawn.
However, overall I found this storyline to be a little confusing, and I'm not pleased that the army of Slayers seems to be turning into the Army of Expendable Extras. So only three stars from me this time. Buffy the TV series had its slumps too.
How exactly this fits into a long-term plan for defeating Twilight is unclear. Also, they go to Tibet in the first place by having Willow teleport a submarine. To Tibet. So of course Twilight finds them anyway. The subsequent battle between trained troops and a bunch of teenage girls who've lost their Slayer powers might have been supposed to have us rooting for the girls, but their inevitable defeat was neither inspiring nor tragic, just stupid.
Of course there were some interesting twists, both on a large scale, with ancient Tibetan "wrath goddesses" bursting out of the earth to kill everything in sight (more examples of the writers having fun with stuff they couldn't do on TV -- like the teleporting submarine) and on a small scale, with the hints that Willow is going to turn dark again, and hints of Xander/Buffy followed by Xander/Dawn.
However, overall I found this storyline to be a little confusing, and I'm not pleased that the army of Slayers seems to be turning into the Army of Expendable Extras. So only three stars from me this time. Buffy the TV series had its slumps too.
July 29, 2013
*3.5*
I've spoiled myself completely for these. I already know the identity of the Big Bad, as well as a few of the big secrets of season 9. And that knowledge has aggravated the bejesus out of me. At this point, I think I'm reading in the hope that watching it all unfold properly will assuage some of my anger.
Reconnecting with Oz and seeing a swift and bloody battle is a positive thing in these circumstances.
It's funny how much reading these and re-watching the series ups my irritation with Buffy herself. I don't expect her to be perfect. I'm the first one to admit I prefer a hero whose armor is a bit more grey than white. But I can't stand wish-washyness and desperation and willful blindness, and that makes me want to smack Buffy repeatedly upside the head. Fingers crossed that something in these next few volumes balances out my irritation.
I've spoiled myself completely for these. I already know the identity of the Big Bad, as well as a few of the big secrets of season 9. And that knowledge has aggravated the bejesus out of me. At this point, I think I'm reading in the hope that watching it all unfold properly will assuage some of my anger.
Reconnecting with Oz and seeing a swift and bloody battle is a positive thing in these circumstances.
It's funny how much reading these and re-watching the series ups my irritation with Buffy herself. I don't expect her to be perfect. I'm the first one to admit I prefer a hero whose armor is a bit more grey than white. But I can't stand wish-washyness and desperation and willful blindness, and that makes me want to smack Buffy repeatedly upside the head. Fingers crossed that something in these next few volumes balances out my irritation.
February 7, 2011
Se armó la gorda. Para este arco no sólo recuperan a uno de los personajes más entrañables (y extrañados) sino que sacuden a cada miembro de la buffy-family hata los cimientos y se animan a llevarlos al extremo -a los que sobreviven al menos- y más allá, sacando poderes, aumentándolos, metiendo diosas, soldados, cháchara mágica y un largo y fructífero etcétera. Un verdadero crisol de géneros y dispositivos narrativos que son oportunamente aprovechados e impecablemente coordinados. Además, es el último tomo "tradicional" antes de que todo se vaya al carajo en el séptimo, y deja un raro sentimiento de nostalgia anticipada. No sé si para promocionarlo habrán usado el latiguillo de "Ya nada volverá a ser igual", pero estaría más que justificado.
February 13, 2011
If I hadn't bought the first six volumes of Buffy season eight in one go, I would never have read this after the last book. I wish that had been the case. With the world now anti-slayer (thanks to a vapid vampire with a reality show), and an army out to slaughter them, Buffy and her slayerettes make the only sensible decision. Run away, give up their powers and responsibility, and become just like everyone else. Then, of course, the bad guy's army find them anyway, and they realise what a resoundingly stupid decision that was. Resoundingly stupid. Contrary to all logic. What the hell were the writers thinking? Why did I waste time with this book? Why did I order the next book before I got this far?
October 11, 2011
While I'm still pretty sure it was Jane Espenson's script that made the last volume so much better than those that had preceded it, she wasn't enough to save this one. I think the fault lay more in the artwork than in her writing. It's very hard to tell some of the characters apart. Moments that on a TV show would have been big "Whoa!" were instead big "Wait. Who? What?" The excellent Jo Chen covers and the short story in the back only reinforced this. Of course, my favorite episodes of the TV series were the stand-alones rather than the ones that pushed the major arc forward, and this was a big story arc battle.
January 24, 2015
This is the volume where I stopped reading this series the first time when I tried to read this series. And upon rereading it, if remember why. In this story the slayers run to Oz for protection against twilight. And they decide to give up their magic.
But the problem is that there are to many characters, to many things happening and the pace is to high. I found this whole trade confusing. In the beginning it seemed like it made a big jump from the ending of the last trade, and then Jane Espenson has 6 issues for a story that is to wide in scope for a 6 comic arc.
But the problem is that there are to many characters, to many things happening and the pace is to high. I found this whole trade confusing. In the beginning it seemed like it made a big jump from the ending of the last trade, and then Jane Espenson has 6 issues for a story that is to wide in scope for a 6 comic arc.
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