Review: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Ten #8

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SEASON 10 #8

Written by Christos Gage
Artists: Rebekah Isaacs, Richard Corben
Colorist: Dan Jackson
Cover Artist: Steve Morris
Variant Cover: Rebekah Isaacs and Dan Jackson

32 PGS./FC/Horror, Adventure/$3.50

SOLICITATION:

A Halloween issue spectacular takes Buffy and crew back to Sunnydale as they follow the stolen Vampyr book, finding a massive magical party at the Hellmouth—and a demon devouring revelers!

Guest artist Richard Corben!

REVIEW:

I’ve never taken the time to really get into Buffy. I’ve watched a few episodes and this issue seems to be successful in carrying that tone. The characters seem consistent with what I know of them, although they seem to get carried away in the middle of an ultimately serious task with angst. In that, it reads like a bad comic book. That’s ultimately the sin here, but but with a property like Buffy, a little overwriting can be excused to remind us that these characters have a long and convoluted past, and that none of them are free of guilt, which helps make them a little more real. Willow’s use of dark magic doesn’t seem as out of place after we’ve read about her feeling remorse for the things that she’s done. The cliffhanger also got me hooked to read the next issue.

I was lured in by the guest art by Richard Corben, so given that was how I was lured in, I was disappointed that his art is limited to three pages. However, Richard Corben is a legend that we’re lucky to still have with us, so I should probably be happy with what I get. Also, those three pages are amazing, and Rebekah Isaacs manages to make her art hold up very well in context with his. Her likenesses are not dead on 100% of the time, but are consistent enough that I’m not confused. She does a great job of the remains of Sunnydale, and I only wish that at least the colorist had managed to help convey that they were underground, but the scenes just seem too light. It’s obvious that an effort was made, but it’s almost as if they were afraid to lay down some ink.

Other than Richard Corben, what lured me in initially was the cover. A cover artist, especially if they’re not the artist on the inside of the comic has the job to be the finally person to get someone to pick up a comic. Steve Morris has the unenviable task to get someone to pick up a comic that remembers the TV series fondly but doesn’t know about the comic, or to get someone like me that knows of it, but as a comics reader, hasn’t picked up an issue yet. This cover does that completely. These are some bold choices in color that work excellently, and in doing my research, I saw it in it’s entirety. I only have a digital preview copy, as the issue doesn’t go on sale until October 22, but if this is a wraparound cover, you need to check it out.

Worth buying? If you’re a Buffy fan that has been skeptical of the comics continuation of her story? Definitely. If you’re just a comics fan who wants to read a good comic? Most likely, it’s definitely something I recommend flipping through in the store, because you just might like it. For me, I respond with a challenge to the creators, hook me with that next issue, I dare you.