I initially scoffed at the thought of a GN continuation of the television series. I'll admit that I wasn't particularly enthused by graphic novels in general, plus part of me thought this was merely a way to keep the franchise making money. Having read this first one, I was pleasantly surprised (although, since the script is from Whedon himself, I should have had more faith).
The story stayed true to the feel of the TV show: Buffy kicking butt while still feeling oddly detached, Xander cracking corny jokes, Dawn being her sometimes bratty self, and Willow continuing to astound with her overabundance of power. It was great seeing the operations the gang has set up since the activation of the potentials. Having so many random girls come into power so suddenly, it was inevitable that Buffy and the Scoobies take the helm in finding and training them; seeing that in action was thrilling. I spoiled myself as to the identity of the next mysterious "Big Bad" by reading summaries online, but I'm intrigued to see how the whole thing unfolds. Also, some old villains pop up who are so unhinged that I have no idea what to expect from them.
As for the art, Buffy is not very Buffy-esque in these pages, apart from the general description of a tiny blonde with big eyes. The others are more recognizable. Seeing this kind of discrepancy always makes me wonder: If the cover artist, Jo Chen, can give us such fabulously detailed and accurate likenesses, why can't that level of artistry be maintained throughout? It irks me.
All in all, I'm anxious to get my hands on the rest of the series. I may even have to branch out and get Angel’s graphic novels, too.