Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 # 9, 10, 11
Writer: Brian K. Vaughan, Joss Whedon; Pencils: Georges Jeanty, Cliff Richards; Inks: Andy Owens; Colors: Dave Stewart, Michelle Madsen; Lettering: Richard Starkings and Comicraft’s Jimmy; Cover: Ju Chen, Jon Foster;
Dark Horse
Vaughan wraps up his arc with issue 9, Whedon takes the next two, and the guy who created the universe doesn’t come off with the better story.
Vaughan’s characterizations of Faith and Giles was incredibly accurate. As well as all of the original actors’ real voices from the show came through in the past year, Vaughan made me believe that these were real people in a real universe.
Whedon, on the other hand, offers what seems like a contrived argument between Buffy and Willow, and a Buffy who’s whiny about how alone she is in all of this. Aren’t we past the junior high hissy fits by now? Shouldn’t Buffy be a bit less poor-lonely-me since she distributed her power between the other Slayers? Whedon appears to be returning to a convenient though long old well with the latest stories, and I hope it isn’t a sign of the series’ future direction.