Review: The Long Way Home (Buffy Season 8 Vol 1) Joss Whedon

The Long Way Home (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 Volume 1)

Release date: 10/31/2007 

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics (Dark Horse Books)

Pages: 136

Source: NetGalley

Buy the Book: Amazon

Since the destruction of the Hellmouth, the Slayers-newly legion-have gotten organized and are kicking some serious undead butt. But not everything's fun and firearms, as an old enemy reappears and Dawn experiences some serious growing pains. Meanwhile, one of the "Buffy" decoy slayers is going through major pain of her own.

 As a Buffy fangirl, I was completely saddened by the end of the series - I didn't want it to end. The Scooby Gang were some of the best characters out there. I knew that Joss Whedon had created a graphic novel for Season 8, but hadn't really been able to find them for loan from the library, so imagine my excitement to find them on NetGalley recently! I immediately asked for them all to review.

The illustrations in this novel are amazing - obviously they are a little more exaggerated from the real life actors that played our beloved Buffy, Willow and Xander, but they still have what it takes to draw me right back in. The dialogue was great - I could even imagine the voices, tones or sarcasm in which certain things would be said. Very witty!

I loved that the story picks up with Buffy surrounded by her many new slayers and the action is right in your face right away - no delay. Many great characters return (Xander and Willow) and even a few that I had no idea would pop back into the series at all. Surprises galore. Even a trip back to the Hellmouth in Sunnydale can't keep the slayers down.

It's a quick read if you just flip through and read the dialogue, but you should take your time to absorb the imagery as well. There are great little bits here and there that are very Whedonesque and help to make the story fit right into the Buffyverse. I cannot wait to finish the rest of Season 8 now.