Buffy the Vampire Slayer #1
Nope. Just a Buffy. ~ Buffy Summers
Welcome Back to the Hellmouth is excellent! Tight script, snappy dialog, fabulous art - I love everything about it!
Despite its name, the issue doesn't try to remake Buffy's first episode and it doesn't outright copy the show. This is all new material even tough it still follows the blueprint of the TV series rather closely. The entire comic feels familiar yet fresh because the story, while obviously derivative, introduces enough changes to keep things exciting. Buffy saves Willow and Xander from a vampire attack, the not-couple crash the slayer/watcher meeting, the teens hang out and get to know each other while watching old movies (Nosferatu!) - You have seen scenes like that, but you haven't seen those scenes!
The take on the characters is similar. Buffy's still a feisty teenager armed with snark and quick retorts but she also seems more humble and introvert. She's less of a cheerleader and more of a nerd - she geeks out over comic books and seems to have an actual, almost academic interest in the occult. She's less of a fashionista as well - she's still nicely dressed but her outfits here are much more plain and practical. That said, the white sneakers, denim pants and a red jacket she wears on patrol create an incredibly iconic look. Most importantly, she's still struggling with the pressure of being the chosen one and still feels incredibly lonely - just look at her smile when Willow asks her to hang out with her and Xander. Willow is much more confident and her outfits reflect that - fishnets, cropped denim shorts, black tops and the like, think goth, but tasteful. She's also out already and has a girlfriend! This is still our Willow, though. She still babbles when she's nervous and you can still recognize the kindness, the vulnerability and the childlike demeanor that makes Willow, well, Willow. Xander is goofy and funny and definitely less angry on the surface but deep down, he seems tired and depressed, as the clever twist reveals that the inner monologue following Buffy's scenes isn't actually hers, it's his.
All in all, the writing nails the classic Buffy tone and the dialog is really good as well. The writer captures the essence of how those characters talk but she doesn't try to emulate Buffy speak by adding y to the end of every sentence or making the lines excessively quirky - the dialog flows very well and actually feels pretty natural. The art is amazing, detailed and colorful, it strikes that perfect balance between being realistic and cartoony.
I missed this, you know? I missed the Scoobies. After the disappointment of the Reckoning this new comic feels revelatory! Welcome back, Buffy!
