Horror

• Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Ten #6
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Christos Gage
• Artist: Karl Moline

The second arc of Season 10 begins here with Buffy and the Scoobies dealing with the harsh realities of living in a big city out of their meager price range. Offered an opportunity at a new place to live, Buffy gathers the team to help exorcise a haunted house which isn’t so much haunted by ghosts as controlled by a demon who offers his victims idyllic visions of lives not lived while slowly draining their lives.

With the conclusion of the previous arc co-writer (and former Scoobie) Nicholas Brendon says goodbye leaving Christos Gage in control of the writing duties. Rebekah Isaacs is also supplanted here by Karl Moline. Although Xander’s voice is lessened a bit by both the story and Brendan’s abscence, neither the sound nor look of the characters is hurt by the changes.

The only surprise with the fake reality is the one character who refuses to see through the lies as Giles continues to struggle with his new reality as a teenager cut off from his old life which will likely continue to be a theme of the series going forward. Worth a look.

[Dark Horse Comics, $3.50]

• Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Ten #5
• Comic Vine: link
• Writers: Christos Gage, Nicholas Brendon
• Artist: Rebekah Isaacs

Season Ten’s opening arc comes to a close as Buffy and the Scoobies fight Maloker (the Old One responsible for creating vampires) who has taken over Dracula‘s body. With the help of a very tall building and giant-sized Dawn, Buffy is able to halt the demon’s rise, but it takes Xander‘s quick thinking to truly save the day.

The conclusion of “New Rules” resets Xander’s odd relationship with Dracula while also forcing the Scoobie’s one-eyed member into finally dealing with his relationship with Dawn the fallout of which leaves them both bruised but ultimately better off (at least for the time being).

The main takeaway from the arc (featuring the co-writing duties of Buffy star Nicholas Brendon), other than getting to see Xander and Dracula back together again, is the importance of the Vampyr tome which now controls the mutable laws of magic and which Buffy can trust no one but herself and her friends to keep safe. Worth a look.

[Dark Horse, $3.50]

• Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Ten #4
• Comic Vine: link
• Writers: Christos Gage, Nicholas Brendon
• Artist: Rebekah Isaacs

After double-crossing the Scoobies, Dracula (with his re-installed manservant Xander) begins writing in new laws of magic into the Vampyr tome. First, Dracula decides to make himself the lord and master of all vampires, which leads to some humorous consequences for Spike, but unsatisfied with the result Dracula decides to become the most powerful vampire of all leading to disastrous consequences not only for Xander’s master but all of Earth.

Worth picking up for the Dracula and Xander alone, the latest issue continues to develop the Willow and younger Giles relationship which might be my favorite of the new season so far. We also get several mentions of turning “Dark Willow,” as Willow’s evil turn has become a much-used verb about the dangers of power (much to the witch’s chagrin).

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Ten #4 is the first issue to deal with with Dawn and Xander’s relationship issues directly as Dawn explains her “reset” following almost being wiped out of existence in Season Nine. As to what this means for the couple long term, we’ll just have to wait and see. Worth a look.

[Dark Horse, $3.50]