Comics tell some of the greatest stories. And while everyone knows Spider-Man’s origin, or The Dark Knight Returns, some stories might slip through the cracks. This new series of articles will shine some light on forgotten or over looked gems. If you live in the Denver area make sure you visit Colorado, Coins, Cards and Comics to pick up these issues or trade paperbacks. At the end of the article I will let you know where you can find the issues.
*Spoilers For Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 8 Issue 5*
The best issue from the eighth season of Buffy doesn’t even have Buffy in it. The comic opens with the death of “Buffy”, at the hands of a demon named Yamanh! But not so fast, as we flashback to a group of teenage girls talking at school. One of them is suddenly thrown back. She has just become part of The Chosen, a power given to worthy women at the end of Season 7, meaning Buffy and friends have unlocked the Slayer power in every young woman who has been Chosen.
We follow this unnamed teenager as she trains to become a Slayer. It soon becomes clear that she is one of the best new Slayers to come to the squad. Rona sees this and decides that she will be perfect as a Buffy decoy. They ask her to dye her hair and fully embrace becoming Buffy. They need her to infiltrate an underground demon society that is caught in a war. She is to make contact with the slime demons and the faeries and help them to overthrow Yamanh. When she makes contact with the resistance they are over the moon that “Buffy” is here to help and that Yamanh will fear her on name alone.
Buffy’s decoy confronts Yamanh, and is killed in battle. She has served her part in The Chain. The book ends with the narrator telling the reader, “You don’t have to remember me. You don’t even know who I am. But I do.”
Joss Whedon tells a heartbreaking story without telling us the name of the young lady who is killed in battle and without Buffy even being in the issue. It is a powerful one shot about sacrificing for something bigger then you. Paul Lee steps into the Buffyverse and delivers some excellent pencils. The story is a quick read but will stay with you long after you close it.
You can find this story here:
Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Season 8, Issue 5
Buffy The Vampire Slayer, The Long Way Home TPB
Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 8, Library Edition Volume 1