Tales of the Slayers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Book Description

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is the latest in a long tradition of young women who've been trained to give their lives in the war against vampires. We've gotten glimpses of these other women over the years on TV, in comics, and in books. Now for the first time, the writers from the television series, including the show's creator, Joss Whedon, and one of its stars, Amber `Tara` Benson, present the tales of these girls, with the help of comics greatest artists. Gene Colan, co-creator of Marvel's Blade and Tomb of Dracula, returns to Dark Horse for the story of a young black girl in 1970s New York, battling vampires. Tim Sale, fan-favorite artist of recent epics Batman: The Long Halloween and Superman for All Seasons teams with Joss Whedon for a grim tale of a medieval slayer. American comics legend P. Craig Russell (Dr. Strange, The Ring of the Nibelung) and international rising star Mira Friedmann (Actus Tragicus) also join the stellar lineup.

Customer Reviews:

If you are a Buffy fan (especially a Fray fan).......2007-06-08

If you are a Buffy fan (especially a Fray fan) then you will love this comic book. Remember the first TV spot for Buffy when they went through the ages: "in 1810 all these people were dying which stopped by the arrival of a young girl named..." Well this comic is most of those stories. The negative is that none of these characters are developed, you just get to see snip-its of their lives. However, it does widen the Buffyverse, so it's a definite read for fans. Also you get to see a bit more of Fray, the future slayer.

A Great Buffy Companion.......2007-06-01

While this pales in comparison to the current Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season Eight series being put out by Dark Horse now, "Tales of the Slayers" is a treat for the open-minded Buffy fan.

Like any Whedon product, this trade paperback supports a much larger theme than it appears to have. These stories about slayers stretching back over time are about loneliness, solidarity, but at the same time, they're about how each slayer is connected to the slayers of the past. Reading this book can give new perspective on Buffy, Faith, and all of the other slayers shown in the television series.

As a whole, the book is good, but not each individual story is satisfactory. The best in the book are Prologue (Joss Whedon), Righteous (Joss Whedon), Sonnenblume (Rebecca Rand Kirshner), and Tales (Joss Whedon). Righteous is told completely in rhyming verse, and has the most intriguing story and unique slayer of the collection. Sonnenblume has the worst art of the collection, but also one of the most solid stories; a young German girl in 1938 struggles between what her Nazi teachers tell her and what she feels is right. Tales is a treat, as it is about Melaka Fray from Joss Whedon's miniseries "Fray" and it wraps up this collection nicely, paying off to the over-all theme (a complicated one at that) of isolation/togetherness.

Some of the not-so-good stories are The Glittering World (David Fury) and Nikki Goes Down (Doug Petrie). Fury and Petrie are both competent, if not astounding, writers who have made note-worthy contributions to the Buffyverse, particularly Petrie's "Fool for Love" which makes nearly every Buffy top-ten list. However, these two stories in "Tales of the Slayers" seem forced, paced oddly, and suffer from the incoherent narration. Perhaps, had these writers has an entire twenty-two page issue to play their story out, they would have done better. Or maybe they are just better television writers.

To sum it all up, the good outweighs the bad. This is an item that every fan of Joss Whedon's work needs, and it is a great companion to the Buffy series (the television show as well as the comic).

7/10

A Slayer's Must Have.......2007-05-25

This is another one of Whedon's greatest!! A must have for any Buffy fan.

An interesting aspect of the Slayerverse........2007-05-15

As viewers or readers of the Buffy series, we have always known about the slayer lineage, but it was always seen as a bit of a mystery since we knew nothing of the past slayers except that they all had watchers and all died, and Buffy is stronger than them because she has friends to support her otherwise lonely path. The "Tales of the Slayers" takes us through the lives of some of those past slayers with an interesting and sometimes witty story of each, most notably with the prologue of the First Slayer, "Righteous," "Presumption" (which is a reminder of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice"), and "Sonnenblume." Even if some of the tales are brief, they are interesting and offer a glimpse at the formerly unknown slayers' line.

Disappointing.......2006-05-02

The book was very short and sparse, despite the good writers listed. There are some wonderful graphic novels out lately, but this wasn't one of them. I'm a huge fan, but this was lacking the cleverness, surprises, and plot of the series.

The book contains a few short (very short - a couple of pages each) little vignettes of the lives of several slayers. None are particularly interesting, creative, or engrossing. I'd skip it and look for something else. You won't find the slayer-style you love here.

See the review by Hardman - she's nailed the problem.

Tales of the Vampires (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Average customer rating:

cleverly done
Vampire-zine
"Vampire, You Are Everything I Loathe. But I Have Learned From You."
The Myriad Tales of the Vampire
After the show is over, we get more of the good stuff

Tales of the Vampires (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Joss Whedon , Ben Edlund , Jane Espenson , Brett Matthews , Drew Goddard , Tim Sale , Scott Morse , and Mike Mignola
Manufacturer: Dark Horse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1569717494

Book Description

Tales of the Vampires presents stories ranging from medieval times to the Depression to today, all intricately woven around Joss Whedon's central story about a group of young Watchers in training. Not to be missed is Buffy's rematch with Dracula and Angel's ongoing battle with his own demons. Wrapped in a haunting cover by Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, these diverse tales flesh out the history and the world of Joss Whedon's unforgettable creations and fill the void left by the Buffy TV show better than any other writers ever could.

Customer Reviews:

cleverly done.......2007-08-12

I enjoyed reading Tales of the Vampires very much. I have missed BTVS ever since it ended in 2003 and this provided me with a much needed fix. I also found the artwork to be pretty cool. And as everyone keeps pointing out to me special effects are a lot easier in comic books than on tv.

Vampire-zine.......2007-07-30

Absent the Buffy series this is the closest we can come (along with the Buffy Season 8 comics)

"Vampire, You Are Everything I Loathe. But I Have Learned From You.".......2007-06-16

Where "Tales of the Slayers" was entertaining, "Tales of the Vampires" is, to say the least, a spectacular collection of stories tied together by a first-rate tale which gives insight into the mythology of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." It's the best Buffyverse comic that I've read (other than Season Eight and Spike: Asylum, of course), and that's saying a lot. This collection simply has so much to offer. There's stories with drama, stories with depth, stories that explore and expand the mythology, and a few simply funny tales. It's clear to see that this was penned by people who loved writing for the show (Whedon, Espenson, Goddard) and others who loved watching the show (anyone with eyes/ears).

While "Tales of the Vampires" can be described as a collection of short graphic stories about vampires, it also tells a cohesive story about one vampire named Roche telling tales of the undead to a group of young watchers. As the stories unfold, it is simply a pleasure to see the young watcher named Edna realize what Roche's true reason for telling these tales is. The Roche/Edna plot that unfolds over the length of this book is written by Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy and Angel.

Some of the most interesting stories in this edition are about vampires we've never met before, but what fans will surely be most interested in is the stories about characters who have already been established in the Buffyverse. There are plenty of those. Spike and Drusilla's love story in "The Problem With Vampires" is touching, classic, and leads right up to their first appearance in the show. "Antique" is the first we hear of Buffy since the end of the series (this is pre-season eight) and it has her battling with Dracula for Xander's freedom. The closing story is one about Angel called "Numb" which takes place during the Season Three episode "Amends." It expands on the dreams that are tormenting Angel about his past, and has some of the most beautiful comic art I've ever seen. It really fits with the snowy mood of the episode.

The writing, as I mentioned above, is top-notch. The art, different for each story, is almost always great--except for, perhaps, the depiction of Buffy, Xander, and Dracula in "Antique." A bit to blagh for me. But all else is well. If you're interested in vampires, Buffy, comics, or are currently reading "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season Eight", then this is the book for you.

9/10

The Myriad Tales of the Vampire.......2007-02-10

An amalgam of stories about vampires - familiar vampires, new vampires, male vampires, female vampires, modern vampires, vampires of old. What makes them different, alien, and what makes them just like us. All set in the frame of an old, chained story-telling vampire, deep in the catacombs beneath the Watcher's Guild. Brilliant, imaginative, often lyrical, and highly enjoyable.

After the show is over, we get more of the good stuff.......2006-07-19

The ending of the tv show "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" left me bitter and disappointed for many reasons. But this book reminds us about what vampires are all about: blood, mayhem, destruction along with the complex underpinnings of emotion that make them such fascinating creatures.

After all, they DO come from human stock.

While I didn't care for the titular character of "Stacy" (just another teenaged loser craving power in all the wrong places), the story made me understand why somebody actually would want to be a vampire...a sense of connection with something bigger than herself.

"Father" gives that same feeling. The vampire truly cares for his family. That sense of family didn't die when he did; he remains joyful and happy when his son marries and produces a child of his own. You almost feel sorry for the creature when a violent, righteous Slayer kicks in the door and puts an end to his undead existence.

But I've always believed that humans weren't meant to be immortal. It does bad things to us. In almost any story about humans gaining eternal life, the human becomes inhuman, a monster who shrugs off his humanity like a dirty coat.

That's why I liked "Taking Care of Business." You didn't see too many really old vampires on the show. One gets the feeling most of them are too arrogant or stupid to keep existing for long. So in "Business" you see what can happen when a vampire sticks around for too long. He goes insane. So what happens when he meets a human even loonier than he is? There's the joke.

But it was "Antique" that really made me smile. How could it not when it had the vampire that rings out above all others...DRACULA!

Okay, he was shown to be a pompous gypsy windbag on the show and "Antique" furthers that hilarious concept. But in the end we see what all the mesmerism, fancy clothes, posturing, self-aggrandizement and oratory is really about...the need for attention. Dracula is a very lonely figure, in spite of his riches, and all he really wanted was a friend, somebody to listen to him, keep him company, praise him and show him something new about the world. Too bad the only way he knew how to get it was by hypnotizing people.

All in all, I would certainly recommend this comic book to anybody wanting to feed their Buffy fix. Even if you never saw "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" you would love this work for its interesting twists and ideas about vampires.

Tales of the Slayer, Volume 4 (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Average customer rating:

Just Like the others a 5 star review
Interesting stories, doesn't quite track with Buffy series
Tales of the Cruciamentum
Exploring the cruel and stupid ritual of the Cruciamentum

Tales of the Slayer, Volume 4 (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Nancy Holder , Michael Reaves , Scott Allie , Greg Cox , Kristine Kathryn Rusch , Robert Joseph Levy , Kara Dalkey , and Jane Espenson
Manufacturer: Simon Spotlight Entertainment
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 068986955X

Book Description

"I can't be...just a person,
I can't be helpless like that...."
-- Buffy, "Helpless"

At eighteen, each Slayer must face a terrifying trial: the Tento di Cruciamentum. This time-honored, albeit cruel, rite of passage forces each Watcher to drain the Slayer of all her physical powers and then send her to vanquish a powerful vampire using only her wits. When Buffy Summers underwent her Cruciamentum, she managed to defeat Kralik, a vampire who had been committed to a sanitarium as a human for torturing and murdering more than a dozen young women before he was turned. However, not all Slayers have been so cunning.

Tales of the Slayer, Vol. 4 chronicles the Cruciamentum of eight earlier Slayers. From Prohibition Chicago to beatnik New York City, from the sideshows of a traveling carnival to a small Irish farm, from the fifteenth century to the twentieth, the Cruciamentum has tested the prowess of Slayers throughout history. Each of them has had to fight: for her job, for the lives of those she loved, and for her own existence....

Customer Reviews:

Just Like the others a 5 star review.......2005-09-11

I love the Tales of The Slayer books they are great this one is no different.

Interesting stories, doesn't quite track with Buffy series.......2004-12-06

I've collected all four of the Tales volumes now and once again found some interesting stories to read. This time around all 8 stories are set around the Cruciamentum which all slayers are put through on reaching 18.
I found that these writers (some of whom also wrote for the series) each had their own style and usually didn't tell their Cruciamentum stories anything like what we saw Buffy go through in the TV version, in some the girl's parents even knew she was a slayer. I haven't read the whole book yet but found, as before, stories running through the centuries- from Nikki in 1973 back to Esperanza in 1481. I didn't care for the beatnik story but thought the Spanish Inquisition story was interesting. I kind of liked Survivors and Sideshow Slayer. Jane Espenson's "Two teenage girls at the Mall" was one of the more interesting stories, and told mostly from the viewpoint of the vampire girl.

Tales of the Cruciamentum.......2004-11-01

The eight tales in this book deal with slayers facing the cruel test called The Cruciamentum, in which a slayer is deliberately weakened and, on her 18th birthday, must face a vampire alone, using only her wits. Most of the stories take place in 20th century North America, 2 in New York, 1 in Chicago just before the onset of Prohibition, 1 in rural Pennsylvania, 1 in a small town in Nebraska, and 1 in Nova Scotia. The other two are set in 1876 Ireland and 1981 Seville, during the Spanish Inquisition, which I found to be the most interesting of the lot. The Grand Inquisitor Tomas de Torquemada makes an appearance in this one.

The stories have an interesting variety, considering that the subject of all of them is the same. One girl is a pacifist, not wanting to be the Slayer any more. Another is a carnival performer. Two are Jewish and, for that reason, are probably less than beloved of the Watcher's Council.

I found the story Survivors to be quite sad, as Dot's Watcher, who left to fight in World War I, has descended into melancholia and perhaps madness. Dot virtually becomes his caretaker as he lapses into delusion. Two Teenage Girls at the Mall, told by a 16 year old newly made female vampire, is also very sad, making the reader wish that somehow there could be a positive resolution for both the Slayer and Julie, the vampire.

The first story, It's All About the Mission, deals with Nikki Wood, who is pregnant with her son Robin, who will become the principal of Sunnydale High School one day. We all know that she will eventually be killed by Spike, so the focus of the story is how she survives rather than if she will survive.

In the story Undeadsville, the Slayer Zoe Kuryakin refers to her cousin Illya, who is studying in Russia. Could he become one of the Men from U.N.C.L.E., portrayed by David McCallum? It wouldn't surprise me if it was meant to be a reference to the popular television show of the 60's!

In an earlier volume in this series, reference was made to "the doxy Darla." She is mentioned again as a friend of hers says,
"Has ever a Slayer met her end in such a delightfully slapstick manner? I shall have to tell Darla about this when next we meet. She's bound to find the tale uproarious." That was quite clever. It's rather surprising that we see so little of the vampires from the Order of Aurelius--Darla, Angelus, Drusilla, and William the Bloody--in these stories. Quentin Travers does make an appearance, and he was every bit as unpleasant then as he is in the present time.

These are interesting stories, fun and quick to read. I recommend them.

Exploring the cruel and stupid ritual of the Cruciamentum.......2004-11-01

The authors who contributed original short stories to "Tales of the Slayer, Volume 4" are constrained by having to write about the Tento di Cruciamentum. This is the rite of passage first introduced in Season Three of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" in the episode "Helpless" (written by David Fury), that is administered to Slayers when they reach their 18th birthday. Drained of her powers by her Watcher, the Slayer is forced to vanquish a vampire using only her wits. Buffy defeated Kralik, her vampire foe, but because Giles defied the authority of the Watcher's Council to aid Buffy he is fired by Quentin Rravers for violating the test rules (and because he has a father's love for his Slayer). What was important in terms of the third season story arc was the Giles was fired, to be replaced, in a manner of speaking, by the bumbling Wesley Wyndham-Pryce, but in this collection of stories we have to deal with the legacy of the Cruciamentum.

If you want you can skip this paragraph to get to the review of the stories, because I am going to start ranting now about how the Cruciamentum is a stupid idea. First, how did the Watcher's Council come up with this stupid idea? They would have to either stumble upon the drugs that strip the Slayer of her powers or they went looking for it, and in that latter case the question becomes why they felt this was necessary. We still do not know the story of the true origin of the Cruciamentum, but my best guess would be that the arrogant men of the Watcher's Council had a Slayer or too that they would rather see dead than have to deal with (probably because of issues of class, ethnicity, and/or race). Second, why would they think this stupid idea was a good thing to put Slayer's through? I do not see how it could be an improvement on the previous status quo. You can quote Nietzsche all you want, and someone in this collection does, but a traumatic experience is more likely to make you really ticked off rather than stronger. Besides, if a Watcher has not been teaching a Slayer to use their brains as well as their brawn, then I do not see why the Slayer has to play the ultimate price. So like Riker being able to hear Troi's thoughts on the pilot for "STNG," the Cruciamentum is something that needed to be forgotten and not embraced. However, that is too late now, so we turn to reviewing the stories in "Tales of the Slayer, Volume 4":

"It's All About the Mission" by Nancy Holder, set in the Harlem of 1973, is the one story that covers familiar ground as the Slayer turning 18 is Nikki Wood, who would eventually be killed by Spike, but not before she gave birth to the man who would be the last principal of Sunnydale High School. Nikki's Watcher, Bernard Crowley, knows exactly how idiotic the whole ritual is, and while Holder tries to deal with this in the story's resolution, the fact that it involves another familiar character from the Buffy mythos actually undercuts her point. Still, this story does a nice job of dealing with a pregnant Slayer, which is something I have long been curious about. 4 Stakes.

"Undeadsville" by Michael Reaves takes place in New York City as well, but back in 1952 when the Slayer is a beatnik named Zoe who says things like "Sorry, Daddy-O, but you're dust" as she stakes a vamp. Zoe's Watcher, Ian Sykes, is so affronted by her lifestyle that he conspires with a vampire named Faust to see that the Slayer does not survive her test. Certainly an interesting idea, but Reaves comes up with some other twists as well. 4-and-a-half Stakes.

"Alone" by Scott Allie is set outside Ulster in 1876 and that means we have to endure the prejudice of the predominantly English Watchers Council for having an Irish Slayer in Catherine Callan. To make it even more fun, she pretends to be married to her Watcher, Mr. Spelling. This is just one of several things that Catherine's father is not happy about. Unfortunately, this is one of the briefest stories in the collection and does not really take advantage of the interesting aspects of the situation. 3 Stakes.

"Sideshow Slayer" by Greg Cox gets bonus points because Millicent "Millie" Rose Gresham is from the Zenith City of Duluth, Minnesota, even if the story finds her in a carnival side show in Parkesburg, Pennsylvania in 1911. The idea of a traveling Slayer is certainly worth pursuing and being in a carny is an interesting cover. Cox also comes up with an interesting place for the powerless slayer to confront her vampire. 4 Stakes.

"Survivors" by Kristine Kathryn Rusch in set in Chicago in 1919, where Dorothy "Dot" Singers date with the ritual becomes secondary to her concern for her Watcher, Reginald Hill, who suffers from shell shock after having abandoned his Potential to go to war and make the world safe for democracy. There is also a concern that the vampires have their own agenda working against the interest of the Watchers Council, but it is the interplay between Watcher and Slayer that matters most in this one. 4-and-a-half Stakes.

"Back to the Garden" by Robert Joseph Levy offers a pacifist Slayer in Beryl MacKenzie, who joins a commune in Nova Scotia in 1969 on the eve of her coming into her power. So we have the irony of her Cruciamentum being her initiation into Slayerhood. So Levy's story has the virtue of having two interesting ideas that unfortunately work against each other in this case. 4 Stakes.

"The Rule of Silence" by Kara Dalkey takes us back to the days of the Spanish Inquisition in Seville, Spain in 1481, so you know this is not going to be a good thing. This is especially true since the Slayer, Esperanza de la Vega, has not only been reading about demons, which makes her a witch, but is a Marrano, which makes her a heretic. The lesson here will obviously be that human beings can be the greatest monsters of all. 4-and-a-half Stakes.

"Two Teenage Girls at the Mall" by Jane Espenson is my favorite of the eight stories. Set in Keller, Nebraska in 1983, it is told from the perspective of Julie Lemmer, a sixteen year old who has just been turned into a vampire. Starved by her sire, she is tossed into the Westgrand Mall, where she eventually discovers that there is another teenage girl locked in that night. We know that the other girl has to be the Slayer, but the twist is that Julie knows here. Those who enjoyed Espenson's sense of humor in her "BtVS" scripts will enjoy the climax of this one. Five stakes.

I have to admit that I was someone disappointed that none of these stories ended with the Slayer coming out and slaughtering the haughty members of the Watchers Council that assemble for their cruel rite of passage. Beyond that, I certainly anticipated more tales in which the Slayer does not survive. What did not surprise me is that my lack of respect for the Watcher's Council continues to decline as a result of reading these stories, all of which continues to make Rupert Giles look as phenomenal as a Watcher and his charge proved to be as a Slayer. If there is a thematic motif to the next volume in this series, it will be interesting to see what the editors choose to explore, because there are certainly other aspects of the Slayer mythos worth exploring besides the idiocy of the Cruciamentum.

Tales of the Slayer, Volume 2 (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Average customer rating:

Super Reader
Another good book
1 of the best Buffy books
I loved this Book..........
Not as good as the first

Tales of the Slayer, Volume 2 (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Todd A. McIntosh , Kara Dalkey , Laura J. Burns , Melinda Metz , Greg Cox , Scott Allie , Kristine Kathryn Rusch , and Michael Reaves
Manufacturer: Simon Spotlight Entertainment
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0743427440

Book Description

"Sacred duty, yadda yadda."
-- Buffy Summers

Buffy the Vampire Slayer has always held an irreverent attitude toward her calling, but ultimately she understands the ramifications of her destiny and is prepared to die to protect the world from Evil. In fact, she has died. Twice.

"I remember the drill. One Slayer dies, another is called."
-- Buffy Summers

It's an ancient tradition, steeped in lore, mythology, and fateful prophecies. Slayerdom consists of a Council of Watchers, a continuum of slayers, an archive of journals, and even a handbook.

"Handbook? What handbook? How come I didn't have a handbook?"
-- Buffy Summers

But first and foremost, it begins with a girl. One girl in all the world. A Chosen One. Now, catch up on other Slayers past and present, in the second short-story collection, Tales of the Slayer, Vol. 2!

"[Another] Slayer? I knew this, 'I'm the only one, I'm the only one,' thing was just an attention getter."
-- Xander Harris

With contributions from Scott Allie, Laura J. Burns and Melinda Metz, Max Allan Collins and Matthew V. Clemens, Greg Cox, Kara Dalkey, Jane Espenson, Rebecca Rand Kirshner, Todd McIntosh, Michael Reaves, and Kristine Kathryn Rusch.

Customer Reviews:

Super Reader.......2007-08-02

An improvement on the last book, this set of stories is bookended by two Buffy tales. Here we have a pirate slayer, a samurai slayer, a slayer that encounters both Springheeled Jack and Dracula, and works with a group of friends.

A little bit more of the fun here, as some of the slayers are more successful, especially one that is a union soldier with the support of a general and his armaments.

Tales of the Slayer 2 : 01 All That You Do Comes Back Unto Thee Sunnydale California 2000 - Todd A. McIntosh
Tales of the Slayer 2 : 02 Lady Shobu Sagami Province Japan 980 - Kara Dalkey
Tales of the Slayer 2 : 03 Abomination Beauport Brittany France 1320 - Laura J. Burns and Melinda Metz
Tales of the Slayer 2 : 04 Blood and Brine The Caribbean 1661 - Greg Cox
Tales of the Slayer 2 : 05 The Ghosts of Slayers Past London England 1843 - Scott Allie
Tales of the Slayer 2 : 06 The New Watcher Atlanta Georgia 1864 - Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Tales of the Slayer 2 : 07 House of the Vampire London England 1897 - Michael Reaves
Tales of the Slayer 2 : 08 The War Between the States New York Ciry New York 1922 - Rebecca Rand Kirshner
Tales of the Slayer 2 : 09 Stakeout on Rush Street Chicago Illinois 1943 - Max Allan Collins and Matthew V. Clemens
Tales of the Slayer 2 : 10 Again Sunnydale California 1999 - Jane Esperson

Magic boy's mummy mistake.

3.5 out of 5

Bored Japanodemonslayer.

3.5 out of 5

Domestic decision dooms slayer.

3 out of 5

Pirate captain slayer crossdresses, lacks parrot, then hand. Captain Krakenhook?

4 out of 5

Snob Watcher.

2.5 out of 5

Union general supports his non-regular soldier.

4 out of 5

Dracula and Van Helsing leads to Scooby gang shutdown, Springheeled Jack still on the loose.

4 out of 5

Sally seeks showbusiness, finds Slayer instead.

3 out of 5

Slayer spells it out for Nitti.

3.5 out of 5

Scooby gang retro.

2.5 out of 5

Another good book.......2004-09-03

This is the type of book I get a little sad when I get near the end. Must read!

1 of the best Buffy books.......2003-12-12

This is 1 of my favorite books ever, 1 f my favorite story lines was Blood and Brine I loved the pirate slayer. My favorite story in this book was the last 1 where Buffy, Willow, and Xander go back in time I loved the fact that Buffy got to see her mom again and that she wasn't stuck with Dawn for once. I think that when the show brought Dawn on the show and killed Buffy's mom is when they ruint Buffy, from the 5th season on the show slowly went downhill. I HIGHLY recommend this book it is definitely the best Buffy book in the series.

I loved this Book.................2003-09-08

I've always love BTVS because of the Mythology of the Slayer line and how she's Chosen and all of that, I also love the characters and how they're written so well.....But i've often wondered about Past Slayers, what they were like, and what their life was like because as we've always known, Buffy is just one of many Slayers throughout the Years. I loved this Book and how it told about Different Slayers from Different Era's and how that particular Era effected their Duty as the Slayer.
I've seen other Reviews where people ask what good a 'Pirate' Slayer would be and if you really think about it, all of the Vampires that Migrate from country too country more than likely use Ships too Travel in because of the Dark Rooms beneath the Surface, she could stop that from happening.
My Favorite story in this book was probably "Stake out on Rush Street", among a few other's....I also liked the one about the Civil War Slayer and the one about the Slayer who fought Dracula........
I thought it was a very good book and I recommend it to other fans of Buffy and especially Fans of the Buffy Books.

Not as good as the first.......2003-06-25

It felt like it took me forever to finish this book. The stories were not as well written as the first book and it wasn't as interesting. The only highslight stories were Again written by Jane Espenson and Abonmination by Laura J. Burns and Melinda Mertz.

Tales of the Slayer, Volume 3 (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Average customer rating:

Super Reader
Tales of the Slayer, Volume 3
Tales of the Slayer, Volume 3 (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Four quality novellas
Despite what everyone else said, I highly enjoyed this Book.

Tales of the Slayer, Volume 3 (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Yvonne Navarro
Manufacturer: Simon Spotlight Entertainment
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0689864361

Book Description

The Slayers' lives are short, and not very sweet. The Watchers' Journals are full of their tales -- their battles, their triumphs, and ultimately, their successors.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is but the latest in a long line of women warriors stretching back to the dawn of humankind. As long as there have been vampires, there has been a Slayer. Usually called in her teens, the Chosen One leads a brief life full of conflict and doom.

From the Anasazi villages of A.D. 1250 to Shanghai, China, in 1866, from Hollywood in the '40s to Buffy's predecessor in Tokyo of the '90s, Slayers have always risen above their most recent defeat.

Four best-selling Buffy novelists come together in a collection of novellas chronicling tales of Slayers past. Christopher Golden, Nancy Holder, Mel Odom, and Yvonne Navarro each present a new entry in the historic line of Slayers.

Customer Reviews:

Super Reader.......2007-08-02

The Third Tales of the Slayer collection is better again. This time there are four longer novellas by Holder, Golden, Odom and Navarro. We have a Chinese slayer in the time of the British hold on China, a Native American slayer, a Louisiana slayer in Hollywood in the 1940s, and finally an slayer than lives on an American military base in Japan, who has to deal with the 47 Ronin.

Tales of the Slayer 3 : 01 Dark of the Moon - Yvonne Navarro
Tales of the Slayer 3 : 02 Ch'ing Shih - Mel Odom
Tales of the Slayer 3 : 03 Voodoo Loubge - Christopher Golden
Tales of the Slayer 3 : 04 The Code of the Samurai - Nancy Holder

Native American slayer does her best with little help.

3.5 out of 5

Chinese girl dealing with vamps, crimelords and protecting the people gets Irish help, but has to face vampire lord.

4 out of 5

Louisiana girl's Hollywood demon murder debut.

4 out of 5

American girl is welcome relief for the living side of a Japanese family's monster war.

4 out of 5

Tales of the Slayer, Volume 3 .......2007-01-10

This collection is a must-have for any serious Slayer collector. Why? Because the last story is about India Cohen, Buffy's predecessor. Also, this story is set in Japan, so anyone into manga or anime will find it interesting as I did since it use some words and legends of Japanese culture. That said, let's review the other stories.
The first story is set in a Native American community, and I have to say I found it rather bland and confusing. I expected more action and most of the time the story is quite predictable.
The second story takes a lot of time to get to present the Slayer and by the time it does you may have lost interest in the story. It is set in China and the Slayer is not sure if she wants to be a selfish brat or a selfless savior. The watcher is a character used before by the author in another Tales of the Slayer volume.
The third story is set in 1920's Hollywood and revolves around a series of murders. It is pretty good since you keep guessing who the murderer is and till the last minute the answer is not revealed.
As I said the fourth one was my favorite as it combines romance, martial arts, a little bit of comedy and slayer action.
This volume has the talents of Nancy Holder and Christopher Golden, two of the best Buffy novels writers.I hope this review was useful and sorry for any mistake but it is my first review ever. Thanks for reading!

Tales of the Slayer, Volume 3 (Buffy the Vampire Slayer).......2006-04-18

The 'Tales of the Slayer' books are a brilliant collection of short stories about the past and present slayers, including stories about Nikki Wood,the first slayer, and even some tales about Buffy herself. You may be a bit disapointed though, because this volume only contains 4 tales unlike the other volumes which contain around 8-10,but, what you will not be disapointed about is the quality of the stories inside.

Four quality novellas.......2004-07-19

Unlike the first two Tales of the Slayer books which consisted of 8-10 short stories, this one consists of four fairly meaty novellas.

The first novella was set in a Native American community in 1229. While I didn't enjoy this story immmensely, it was extremely well executed. Its the story of a slayer who was trained without understanding her calling. When she was called she still didn't understand the rules of the game. The story follows her frustration and angst and she realizes that she has failed to fulfill her duty because she doesn't understand her duty.

The second story is set in China in 1856 and revolves around yet another Slayer who doesn't really understand her calling. She has been trained. But when her Watcher died she ran away from the monastery where he trained her and posed as a man to survive on her on in the city. Her new Watcher finds her and they (reluctantly) set out to destroy an extremely powerful vampire. Another excellently executed story.

The third novella is set in Hollywood in the 1940s. The then current slayer and her Watcher set out to find a Watcher that has gone AWOL from the council. In the process they encounter a bar full of demons and stars, someone who is killing demons - both dangerous and peaceful - indiscriminately, and vigilante demons who want to find and punish the demon killer. This story is particularly captivating for the amount of gray in it. In this story, the slayer spends a lot of time tredding in the space between black and white, between good and evil.

The final novella is set in Tokyo in 1993 and involves Buffy's predecessor, India. India is able to move freely around Tokyo with her Watcher because her parents don't have the time to pay much attention to her. She has a bit of a crush on her handsome young watcher, Kit, only adding to the dramatic tension of the story. India and Kit have been called to help a clan destroy their ancestor who was turned into a vampire, along with over 50 of his fellow warriors. Another ancestor vowed that no one in the family would rest until the vampire samauri was destroyed. But, they're running out of descendents and time. So, India is called in as reinforcements.

As with any short story (or novella) collection, the topics and writing are varied. So, one story may not appeal to you simply because you're not interested in China in the 1800s or in Samauri stories. But all the stories are well written, with the well developed characters allowed by this longer form. If you're interested in exploring the history of the slayers, this collection is for you.

Despite what everyone else said, I highly enjoyed this Book........2004-03-02

I really enjoyed this book. I got it last week and finished it within a couple of days. I had read the reviews that other people had posted and wasn't expecting much, in fact I was expecting it to be horrible. But luckily I'm one of those people who read what people say about things but that like to find out for myself if I actually like it.

Most of the reviews have had people complaining that the book only had 4 Stories.... For the previous books people complained that some of the Stories didn't go into Detail enough... This book may have only had 4 stories but they went into Detail about their lives, instead of just their deaths or one of the many Big Battles that they Fought... Plus, it may have only had 4 stories but it was longer than the first book and I think the second Book as well (can't find the second one right now though) The first Book was only 276 pages worth of stories, the third was 319 pages worth of stories.

I have to say, I liked the fact that these stories were more Detailed than the ones in the other Books. You learned more about the Slayer in the stories, who she was, what she was like, what she thought of things, how she reacted to her calling.. Etc. Etc... I really liked that.

The first story, while I thought it was good it wasn't my favorite... I think that it could have been written better but I still enjoyed it. It took place in 1229 A.D... I liked the Descriptive Detail that was given of things. It was almost like you were there. They described the Smells, the way things looked and how they felt, What life was like back then and the way people lived and their Traditions, what it was like suddenly being the Slayer after waiting for many many years for it to happen... What it was like being the Slayer back then and not knowing much about the Vampires, such as their weaknesses.
It kinda gave the Impression that she was the First Slayer or at least the first Slayer in a very long time... I don't know what I think about that.

The Second Story I think was my favorite. I really liked the Story of Ch'ing Shih. Not only did it go into great Detail about the Slayer's Life but it went it detail about how life was for people back then... In particular women... It went into detail about how she reacted to being told that she was the Slayer. About the relationship between her and her Watcher. It also went into some Detail about her past, before being Called.... Which I really liked and enjoyed.... The way that they described the fights that they were involved in was great, I could actually picture the fights in my mind.... Again I REALLY enjoyed this story.

Really quick though, to the person that said her name meant "Moon Kissed Petals", maybe the reason that you didn't like the story was because you didn't read it thoroughly... That name was a name that was used to refer to another little girl, a thief in the Tavern... Not only that but the girl who used it, made it up, it was fake. I suggest reading it again.

I liked the third story as well. I think that it probably came into a close second whenever it came to being on of my favorites... Again, I liked the fights.. I liked that the Slayer's Watcher was a woman, a very capable woman who could also hold her own in Battle... I liked the way that the Slayer thought, what she thought of her calling, how she missed certain things back home, and how they mentioned "'Kakistos" in this story (The Vamp that Faith was afraid of whenever she first came to Sunnydale)... I also liked the fact that she was willing to Compromise with Demons, that she knew not all of them were evil and that she wasn't interested in killing the ones who were harmless... She reminded me of Buffy ALOT.

Book Description

We've known of others: The Primal Slayer, who stalked the earth and the forces of darkness in fierce solitude...Nikki, the funky hipster whose demise at Spike's hands lent an urban edge to his wardrobe and a bigger bounce to his swagger. Slayers by nature have a limited life expectancy; for each one who falls, another rises to take her place.

Tales of the Slayer, Vol. 1, chronicles Slayers past who have influenced -- and are influenced by -- the traditions and mythologies of yore. From ancient Greece, to aristocratic Slayers holding court in revolution-era France, to the legend of the Bloody Countess Elizabeth Bathory, to 1920's Munich, each girl has a personal history, a shared moral code, and a commitment to conquer evil, regardless of the cost....

Download Description

"Into every generation, a Slayer is born. One girl in all the world, to find the vampires where they gather, and to stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their numbers. In our time, that girl is Buffy Summers. But Buffy is merely one Slayer in an eternal continuum of warriors for the Powers That Be. We've known of others: The Primal Slayer, who stalked the earth and the forces of darkness in fierce solitude...Nikki, the funky hipster whose demise at Spike's hands lent an urban edge to his wardrobe and a bigger bounce to his swagger. Slayers by nature have a limited life expectancy; for each one who falls, another rises to take her place. Tales of the Slayer, Vol. 1, chronicles Slayers past who have influenced -- and are influenced by -- the traditions and mythologies of yore. From ancient Greece, to aristocratic Slayers holding court in revolution-era France, to the legend of the Bloody Countess Elizabeth Bathory, to 1920's Munich, each girl has a personal history, a shared moral code, and a commitment to conquer evil, regardless of the cost.... "

Customer Reviews:

Super Reader.......2007-08-02

Tales of the Slayer throughout time, and how they lived their short, sharp, dangerous lives. The best two stories are perhaps the first tale, by Greg Rucka. A Slayer in ancient Greece, Thesilly, is on a mission to protect Phidippides on his run, as many Persian vampires are after him. The final tale is about a cajun Slayer and her watcher in a small town. There, the Kln are all vampires, and intend to feed on a Negro prayer meeting, then blow up all the corpses. Asha the Slayer has other plans.

Tales of the Slayer 1 : 01 A Good Run Greece 490 b.c.e. - Greg Rucka
Tales of the Slayer 1 : 02 The White Doe London 1586 - Christie Golden
Tales of the Slayer 1 : 03 Die Blutgrafin Hungary 1609 - Yvonne Navarro
Tales of the Slayer 1 : 04 Unholy Madness France 1789 - Nancy Holder
Tales of the Slayer 1 : 05 Mornglow Dreaming Kentucky 1886 - Doranna Durgin
Tales of the Slayer 1 : 06 Silent Screams Germany 1923 - Mel Odom
Tales of the Slayer 1 : 07 And White Splits the Night Florida 1956 - Yvonne Navarro

A slayer protects the Marathon man from vamps.

4 out of 5

What really happened at Roanoke = vamps.

4 out of 5

Countess Bathory is a bit much for a young slayer.

3.5 out of 5

French class warfare. With monsters.

3.5 out of 5

Country girl's calling.

2.5 out of 5

A Watcher's hellspawn history, with horror movies.

3 out of 5

Cajun Kln vamp conflagration.

4 out of 5

Good book!.......2004-09-03

I like BTVS and was happy when this came out. The one thing is that it goes into more than Buffy which I like but if you want only Buffy do not get this book there are only two stories about her and the gang in this book, but if your into the whole mytho's then this is the book for you!

Myths Of the Slayers.......2004-06-16

This is an anthology series about previous Vampire Slayers. The stories are written by high profile Buffy the Vampire Slayer authors.
I normally love anthologies.
However, this wasn't really one of my favorites.
Maybe it's because I'm so used to Buffy and her fellow Scoobies. However, I think it's all so because I felt like some of the stories fell short
Some of them could have continued
But it's still pretty good none the less.
I recommend some of Navarro's other series. Such as The Wicked Willow trilogy.

Into every generation a Slayer is born; meet seven of them.......2003-12-30

There have been hundreds of Slayers over thousands of years of human history and this first volume of "Tales of the Slayers" begins to reveal the past. We have seen Lucy Hanover in several of Nancy Holder's books, walking the Ghost Roads and doing what she can to help Buffy and the Scoobies in the here and now, but only "Spike & Dru: Pretty Maids All in a Row" by Christopher Golden and Holder's "The Book of the Fours" have dealt with past Slayer in any substantive way. Those were novels and these "Tales of the Slayer" are short stories, a distinction that as I constructed this review.

Like any collection of short stories these tales are a mixed lot and anybody who reads them will like some more than others and visa versa. I liked "Silent Screams" by Mel Odom, set in 1923 Germany, although it, ironically is the story least about a Slayer of the seven tales. At the other end I would put the first tale, "A Good Run" by Greg Rucka, set in 490 B.C.E. Greece, which tells of the Slayer Thessily Thessilonkikki at the Battle of Marathon. While I like the idea of a Slayer obsessed with doing something important and memorable to justify her brief existence, I would have like to have seen something more creative than a footnote to the Greek battle against the Persians, not to mention something dealing with the Greek conception of vampires. But the biggest problem seems to me to be the story is 18 pages long, hardly enough time to set up let alone deliver the payoff. In contrast, Odom's story proceeds at a crisp pace and while it makes an ironic contrast to what Hitler was doing in Munich in 1923 he comes up with an even better twist on the German Expressionistic film movement in general and the classic "Nosferatu" in particular. Yes, it will remind you of "Shadow of the Vampire," but it is making a different point.

I really liked the historical figure who turns out to be the Slayer in Christie Golden's "The White Doe" (and I appreciate the story even more having read the About the Authors section at the back of the book) and the encounter the Slayer and Elizabeth Bathory in Yvonne Navarro's "Die Blutgrafin." Nancy Holder deals with questions of class in "Unholy Madness" while Navarro's second tale deals with the issue of race," both of which touch on the idea that people might not be happy with who the Slayer is and where she comes from (Holder's story also offers the most chilling point in the book, bottom page 119). Doranna Durgin's "Mornglom Dreaming" also has an intriguing premise, a Slayer who does not know she has been called, which is the story I most would have liked to have seen as a novel instead of a short story. Conversely, Odom's tale is perfectly suited to this format. I suppose my compromise suggestion would have been fewer stories developed with more depth (i.e., novellas). Still, these stories reflect what you would hope from such a mixed bag of tales: Slayers learning they have been called and their final battles, with only one tale comfortable with the idea of exploring the middle rather than the beginning or the end. Yes, there is high drama to be found in the birth and death of Slayers, but the mother lode is going to be in between and that is what needs to be mined in Volume 2 and all subsequent "Tales of the Slayer."

Not done justice.......2003-12-08

The premise is a brilliant one: an anthology that samples from the long line of Slayers extending back from Buffy to ancient times. However, the execution of this idea seems scarcely to tap its potential. Too many of the authors don't really bring their characters to life in the small span of pages allotted to them. Too much of the novelty in each tale comes from its setting, not the Slayer herself. Not coincidentally, the two best stories strive to give their characters a more unique voice. Nancy Holder's "Unholy Madness" features a Slayer-countess in revolutionary France, who has been raised to believe that her duty only extends to protecting the nobility. Mel Odom wrote "Silent Screams" from the perspective of an all-too-fallible Watcher in 1923 Germany.

The remaining writers seem to treat the concept as a template. Their tales are simply accounts of how a girl gives up all she's known to become the Slayer or how she gives her life in the pursuit of her cause. The protagonists here could almost be the same character transplanted through time over and over. Their struggles against the forces of darkness are interesting enough, but if you're looking for some deeper insights into how different young women bore the mantle of Slayer throughout the ages, this anthology won't leave you entirely satisfied. If all you're really looking for is a glimpse into the lives of prior Slayers, I would recommend instead the comic book version of this idea, Dark Horse's Tales of the Slayers, which includes stories from Joss Whedon and other writers on the show.

Average customer rating:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Tales of the Slayer, Volume 1 (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)

Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Tales of the Slayer, Volume 2 (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: Tales of the Slayer, Volumes 2 & 3

Tales of the Slayer, Volume 3 (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Tales of the Slayer, Volume 4 (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Spike and Dru: Pretty Maids All in a Row (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

ASIN: 073942419X

Product Description

Into every generation, a Slayer is born. One girl in all the world, to find the vampires where they gather, and to stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their numbers. In our time, that girl is Buffy Summers. But Buffy is merely one Slayer in an eternal continuum of warriors for the Powers That Be. We've known of others: The Primal Slayer, who stalked the earth and the forces of darkness in fierce solitude...Nikki, the funky hipster whose demise at Spike's hands lent an urban edge to his wardrobe and a bigger bounce to his swagger. Slayers by nature have a limited life expectancy; for each one who falls, another rises to take her place. Tales of the Slayer, Vol. 1, chronicles Slayers past who have influenced -- and are influenced by -- the traditions and mythologies of yore. From ancient Greece, to aristocratic Slayers holding court in revolution-era France, to the legend of the Bloody Countess Elizabeth Bathory, to 1920's Munich, each girl has a personal history, a shared moral code, and a commitment to conquer evil, regardless of the cost....

Average customer rating:

Dull and generic
To Tame the Wolf
Decent Read, Could Have Been Better
Oz: Into the Weird
didn't seem at all like Oz

Oz: Into the Wild
Christopher Golden
Manufacturer: Simon Spotlight Entertainment
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0743400380

Book Description

CYCLE OF THE WEREWOLF

Bitten by his werewolf cousin Jordy, Oz has struggled with the forces of evil that transform him to a beast three nights of each month. Those who care about him have learned to deal with his alter ego and accept him for who he is.

But Oz himself isn't sure who he really is. Part human, part dangerous animal, he must constantly question his basic nature, and worries that he might, as the wolf, bring harm to his loved ones. Therefore, with great difficulty, he leaves Sunnydale and sets off on a course toward enlightenment. Giles has told him of a Watcher in the Fiji Islands who might help him to transcend the lunar pull.

Oz's journeys take him from Tibet to Australia, and even to Hong Kong. Far-flung regions and exotic cultures provide new understandings of consciousness and human nature. Before long, though, he realizes that he must gain control of his inner wolf sooner rather than later -- or risk finding himself not predator, but rather, prey...

Customer Reviews:

Dull and generic.......2004-04-04

This book definitely hits one of the few sour notes in an otherwise high-quality 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' comicbook series. To start off, readers are given a somewhat generic story of Oz wandering through Hong Kong and Tibet in search of answers on how to control his werewolving ways. The story is predictable and a yawner, offering little in the way of furthering character development in an ancillary Buffy character - Oz. Equally dull is the artwork with little in the way of flair or panache to further stimulate visual interest. I'd recommend reading this only if you can come across a copy on the cheap or for the most hardcore Buffy/Oz fans. Otherwise they are plenty more worthwhile volumes in this series worth your coin and reading time.

To Tame the Wolf.......2004-04-04

A Buffy book that I actually liked, which I think is saying a lot because I dont like a lot of the Buffy books out there. Its a shame that you knew what would happen to Oz, but this book is still really good and kept me hooked the whole time!

Summary: After the Veruca incident, Oz goes on a search to find a way to tame his inner wolf. As he searches, he goes to new places, makes new friends, and is forced to doge both old and new enemies. Will Oz ever be able to find the peace and balance he needs to come to terms with the animal inside him and with himself?

I will admit that Oz is sometimes out of character with the cursing and all, but this is still an awesome book! I wish that Oz and Jinian hooked up, but you cant always get what you want. I think Christopher Golden is one of the best Buffy and Angel authors ever!

Decent Read, Could Have Been Better.......2004-02-19

I enjoyed the book. It wasn't spectacularly insightful, but it didn't leave me bored, either. Those who complain that the character is not Oz seem to be completely discounting what we saw in the character in Season 4-- when he left and when he came back. Not to say the characterization wasn't a bit off some places (I can't see Oz "swearing loudly"), but not to the degree other reviews would suggest.

Oz: Into the Weird.......2003-11-25

I try to write balanced reviews. I try to delineate what an author does well and where he screwed up in even doses whenever possible. Well, that's just not going to be possible with this book, because Christopher Golden did nothing right with "Into the Wild". This book is a disappointment from beginning to end.

Let's start with Oz himself, our favorite cold-blooded jelly donut. Oz is an intense presence, a sponge who soaks up everything around him, cogitates and usually returns a thoughtful gem of truth. The guy in this novel was fairly chatty, never insightful and kind of dorky.

The story: novels about self-discovery have rules, one of the most important being, the person must discover HIMSELF. Oz does not truly come to know himself during the course of the story. he hops a ship, chats with some folks, meets some demons, gets chased by a werewolf hunter. But he never approaches the elusive self, the animal within. Twice Christopher Golden uses the hoary old werewolf plot device, the full moon countdown..."Dateline: Two Days until full moon". If used properly, this can be an effective suspense builder; we know Oz is a good guy and, in the past, the Scooby Gang has always been there to make sure his honor stays intact and he doesn't kill any innocents. But here, alone, without friends, what will the animal inside do? How will he cope? How will we deal with seeing our boy Oz as a savage killer, remorseful and even more driven to curb his wild side? Well, we won't. Because Golden cheaps out and Oz manages to find someone to lock him up JUST IN TIME! It's a copout the first time Golden does this to us; it's insulting the second.

For some inexplicable reason, Golden introduces us to a hot-tempered Fire Demon chick who rides Oz's coattails to Tibet, where she, too, will learn to control her talents. So, somehow, Golden manages to divert the focus from Oz onto this dull, petty, whiny little sprite without enough sense to duck when people are hurling things at her.

And don't get me started on the Tibetan werewolf monks. Jeez. I'd rather live in any town in any "Seven Samurai" remake than hook myself up to these clowns. It's like they hung a sign on the door that says "Come in and kill us. We'll leave the light on for ya".

The pacing was awful, the writing was awful, the characterization was awful. And, oh yeah, the book was awful.

didn't seem at all like Oz.......2003-06-02

The Oz in this book didn't really seem like the Oz from the show, as another reviewer pointed out quite well. Not only did he not seem to think like himself, he didn't look like himself either, and I had a lot of trouble remembering, as I was reading, that this was a book about Oz. With other comics I read, the art isn't as huge an issue for me, but with a comic based on a show I like, I was expecting the two characters from the show (Oz and flashbacks of Willow) to look more like themselves. I've seen BtVS art that was really accurate before, so I was expecting better than what I got with this book. Also, from the few details I got from the show about Oz's journey to take control over the werewolf, I always figured it'd be a really internal thing. In the show, Oz was never really a big fighter anyway, which made the fight scene in this comic odd. I don't think it was necessary to find a way to get a fight in this book - I've seen comics where most of the action was internal, and many of those were done very well. I wish it had been that way with this one.