wyrmbergmalcolm's review
4.0
A direct sequel (and improvement) to The Origin. Utilising her new-found slaying powers, Buffy tracks some vampires to Las Vegas with her boyfriend.
This was an interesting story that followed a slayer without any guidance or direction. The villain was something different and there were some other clever things thrown in for good measure. The boyfriend also added an interesting new element with his hopes and eventual revelations. A solid story.
This was an interesting story that followed a slayer without any guidance or direction. The villain was something different and there were some other clever things thrown in for good measure. The boyfriend also added an interesting new element with his hopes and eventual revelations. A solid story.
samanyana's review
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
mollyxroses's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
fablesandwren's review
4.0
This was the best one.
Like I loved it so much.
This is before Buffy goes to Sunnydale. And Dawn is apart of this even though you don't know about her until season 05. I absolutely love that they kept her as a part of Buffy's life because she is her sister and Buffy has all these memories with Dawn in them anyway.
You get three different stories of how everyone's life were before they went to Sunnydale: Buffy's, Angel's and Giles' stories. Angel, just doing his normal righting-his-wrongs, Buffy dealing with her family falling apart and becoming who she is without a guide, and Giles figuring out if he wants to be a Watcher or not.
The witty-banter is so strong in this book. The story and language feels so much like Joss Whedon's original show that I couldn't keep from smiling while reading this graphic novel.
Like I loved it so much.
This is before Buffy goes to Sunnydale. And Dawn is apart of this even though you don't know about her until season 05. I absolutely love that they kept her as a part of Buffy's life because she is her sister and Buffy has all these memories with Dawn in them anyway.
You get three different stories of how everyone's life were before they went to Sunnydale: Buffy's, Angel's and Giles' stories. Angel, just doing his normal righting-his-wrongs, Buffy dealing with her family falling apart and becoming who she is without a guide, and Giles figuring out if he wants to be a Watcher or not.
The witty-banter is so strong in this book. The story and language feels so much like Joss Whedon's original show that I couldn't keep from smiling while reading this graphic novel.
yosafbridg's review
4.0
Continues the story (after The Origin) of before Buffy came to Sunnydale--throws in a few other references--pretty well done.
pussreboots's review
3.0
Graphic novels aren't something I read often but a few of them have come my way via BookCrossing and the Bookrelay site. Viva Las Buffy is one such book. Over all it is well drawn and well lettered, although Giles doesn't look much like Anthony Stewart Head but in this story he's a minor character so it really doesn't matter what he looks like.
Although I don't have many graphic novels (or comic books) under my belt I know that they often branch off each other creating alternate versions of events, worlds and characters. Just look at the numerous incarnations of Batman and Superman over the years! This Buffy story has some points of diversion from both the film and the television show (which by themselves don't quite match up) and I'm not sure if these are specific decisions to make a different Buffy or are errors on the part of the authors who came to the story late in the course of the series.
The most obvious difference between the film and the series is the inclusion of Dawn, aka the annoying key from season five. I don't like Dawn!
For the most part, Viva Las Buffy is an entertaining and typical Buffy the Vampire Slayer story, although having Angel tracking the vampires to Las Vegas reminded more of the Angel TV series than either the Buffy series or film. Yes, Buffy's parents are still married and Buffy's original watcher is mentioned but that's the extent of the story's reliance on the film.
Most of the story is non-canon but still fun. First and foremost: Dawn did not exist in 1996. Sure, her existence was forced into the memories of everyone involved but that doesn't mean she actually existed retroactively. Her inclusion in this graphic novel is the story's weakest point.
The other thing that annoyed me were the conjoined fraternal twins. I'm willing to believe that some sort of weird vampirism mojo made fraternal twins become conjoined twins in a botched turning or I'm willing to believe that the one of the twins is a cross-dresser but neither of those seems to be the case. Therefore the brother/sister conjoined twins don't make any sense!
Although these two details annoyed me, I'm still rating this graphic novel highly because it was entertaining and well drawn. It was fun to read during a middle of the night nursing.
Although I don't have many graphic novels (or comic books) under my belt I know that they often branch off each other creating alternate versions of events, worlds and characters. Just look at the numerous incarnations of Batman and Superman over the years! This Buffy story has some points of diversion from both the film and the television show (which by themselves don't quite match up) and I'm not sure if these are specific decisions to make a different Buffy or are errors on the part of the authors who came to the story late in the course of the series.
The most obvious difference between the film and the series is the inclusion of Dawn, aka the annoying key from season five. I don't like Dawn!
For the most part, Viva Las Buffy is an entertaining and typical Buffy the Vampire Slayer story, although having Angel tracking the vampires to Las Vegas reminded more of the Angel TV series than either the Buffy series or film. Yes, Buffy's parents are still married and Buffy's original watcher is mentioned but that's the extent of the story's reliance on the film.
Most of the story is non-canon but still fun. First and foremost: Dawn did not exist in 1996. Sure, her existence was forced into the memories of everyone involved but that doesn't mean she actually existed retroactively. Her inclusion in this graphic novel is the story's weakest point.
The other thing that annoyed me were the conjoined fraternal twins. I'm willing to believe that some sort of weird vampirism mojo made fraternal twins become conjoined twins in a botched turning or I'm willing to believe that the one of the twins is a cross-dresser but neither of those seems to be the case. Therefore the brother/sister conjoined twins don't make any sense!
Although these two details annoyed me, I'm still rating this graphic novel highly because it was entertaining and well drawn. It was fun to read during a middle of the night nursing.
crloken's review
1.0
Origin ended with Buffy teasing that she would soon tell Willow and Xander about the time she and Pike ran away to Vegas, so of course this story is narrated by... Pike. Buffy and Pike fight conjoined vampire twins in Vegas, while Giles, Wesley, Gwendolyn Post, and Angel also appear. It's the most prequelly thing I've read in ages. I hate prequels.
star_laufeyson's review
4.0
For me the best one of the four of this series 'note from the underground' we get reference to past comics like the ones with Pike and Vegas, old enemies make their appearance. A good way to end this new conflict
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