Published by BOOM! Studios, Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Tea Time #1 is written by Mirka Andolfo, illustrated by Siya Oum, coloured by Eleonora Bruni and lettered by Ed Dukeshire.
The issue releases in print and on digital form June 30, 2021. Grab your copy where all good comics are sold or pick up the digital edition from Comixology right here.
Synopsis
Who watches the Watcher? Best-selling creator, Mirka Andolfo (Mercy, Unnatural) along with artist TBD (TBD), present a story of everyone’s favorite Watcher like you’ve never seen him before! Rupert Giles has been many things – Sunnydale’s foremost occult expert, high school librarian, mentor, and father figure – but Buffy and the Scooby Gang are totally unprepared for… Giles the vampire. With the Watcher’s cunning, experience, and intimate knowledge of the Slayer – will Evil finally prevail?
Review
I’m a big fan of the Buffy “universe” and generally enjoy the different stories that arise from it, Tea Time is a completely different story arc to what I’m used to. This story focuses more on Rupert Giles. Seen normally as a straight forward character this story completely mixes things up making you rethink what you already knew.
It’s worth noting this one-shot special isn’t in the main BOOM! Buffy continuity. It exists somewhere outside and in a world which resembles the TV show. Eagled-eyed readers should also watch out for some interesting dialogue from Willow. Could this be a “what if” world which we have never seen before? If so, please give us more BOOM!
The story is told through a series of stories told by each member of the gang, one more fanciful than the other, tales of how Giles would be a vampire and how they would act out his demise. The book is written in such a way that you are constantly questioning the reality of the situation, struggling to tell the tall tales from the truth. It’s as if each member of the gang is trying to out do the other with their fantasy story.
Andolfo has the story concept nailed as the book progresses I became fascinated with each page, pulling my imagination in different directions. The illustrations are suitably dark with impactful colours used lots of purples and blues with darkened tones to highlight the eerie nature of the story, tremendous efforts by Oum and the creative team.
Verdict
I enjoyed the book overall, found it slightly confusing at times to keep up with the back and forth but as a whole an enjoyable experience, fans of Buffy will definitely find this engaging. The story was left in a teasing position (no spoilers) leaving readers (well me) desperate to find out what could possibly come next.
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