Buffy the Last Vampire Slayer #1 is published by BOOM! Studios, written by Casey Gilly, illustrated by Joe Jaro and coloured by Joan Lafuente. Letters are by Ed Dukeshire. Main cover art (left) is provided by Trio Anindito.
Print copies of Buffy the Last Vampire Slayer #1 are available now exclusively at local comic book shops (use comicshoplocator.com to find the nearest one) or at the BOOM! Studios webstore. Digital copies can be purchased from content providers, including comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and Kindle.
Synopsis
Can a lone Slayer save what’s left of humanity?
Buffy Summers is the last Slayer. Now in her 50s, she wages a one woman fight against the forces of darkness, who prey on humanity in the daylight unimpeded thanks to a magical catastrophe that has nearly blotted out the sun. The same disaster robbed Buffy of her friends and ended the Slayer-line, forcing her into an endless guerilla war. That is, until she stumbles across something she hasn’t seen in a long time — hope, in the form of a prophecy and the young girl who carries it.
Review
Any fan of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise will know that the life of the Slayer isn’t likely to be a long one. Many incredibly strong women have died for the cause of saving humanity from vampires and demons. So in BOOM! Studios latest “what if” scenario we meet a Buffy Summers in her 50s and living in a very unrecognisable landscape.
Casey Gilly has taken the legendary Chosen One and put her in to a world which stands at odds with everything she has worked towards. The harmful rays of the sun have been blocked out by a magical apocalyptic event, allowing vampires to walk in daylight. Humans have struck an uneasy alliance, outlawing the work of Buffy and any who followed her. With her friends no longer around, Buffy lives an lonely life, isolated from humanity and fighting a war on evil in the shadows.
Buffy the Last Vampire Slayer ticks all the boxes for a dystopian future. The Sunnydale we know has been replaced by a decaying, fascist landscape inhabited by cold characters and a vacuum perfect for an anarchic resistance movement. This issue, therefore, sets in motion the events which will likely bring around the cultural shift required to put Buffy back on top.
In the meantime we’re focussed more on her interaction with the surviving Anya, with whom Buffy has a fractions relationship. Much like their present day counterparts. Anya has become somewhat of a confidant for Buffy, the two working together to try and understand the physiology of a slayer living long after her expiry date.
Issue #1 is, of course, really all about setup and Gilly’s story covers all the required ground perfectly. Reaching the final page, the reader is completely caught up on all the necessary exposition and there’s an exciting jumping off point for the story to come.
The introduction of a brand new character, Thessaly, brings with it a glimmer of hope for Buffy. Thessaly represents the future but also has a wonderfully designed link to characters past. Moving forwards it will be intriguing to see just how Thessaly’s connections will impact on the ageing slayer as well as the world around them.
Artist Joe Jaro and colorist Joana Lafuente are an exciting duo. Buffy the Last Vampire Slayer is exciting to look at. The world is recognisable but with all the prerequisite changes required to meet the dystopian future brief. Likewise the characters are familiar despite the passing of time. Lafuente brings a stunning colour palette mixing brighter futuristic colours with muted-Earthy tones depending on the environment and surroundings. It all adds up to a very exciting start for The Last Vampire Slayer.
Verdict
Given the short shelf life of the average slayer, Buffy the Last Vampire Slayer #1 tees up an exciting, intriguing and unique story which long-time fans will find a solid pager turner.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
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