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Buffy the Vampire Slayer (trade paperbacks) #15
Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Viva Las Buffy
The Buffy saga takes a bold new direction under the guidance of former X-Men writers Lobdell and Nicieza. It's 1996, and Buffy Summers has just accepted her role as the Vampire Slayer. After the destruction of her high school, she flees to Las Vegas to sort her life out, but there's more than Wayne Newton and hookers in the city of sin. A twisted coven den of vampires has big plans for the strip. And there's a tall, dark, and handsome stranger keeping an eye on her during those dangerous nights in Vegas.
96 pages, Paperback
First published July 15, 2003
323 people want to read
About the author
Cliff Richards
331 books9 followersRichards is best known as the penciller of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer monthly series from Dark Horse Comics, as well as the artist on the Buffy limited series, Haunted.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
September 17, 2020
This was the best one.
Like I loved it so much.
This is before Buffy goes to Sunnydale. And Dawn is apart of this even though you don't know about her until season 05. I absolutely love that they kept her as a part of Buffy's life because she is her sister and Buffy has all these memories with Dawn in them anyway.
You get three different stories of how everyone's life were before they went to Sunnydale: Buffy's, Angel's and Giles' stories. Angel, just doing his normal righting-his-wrongs, Buffy dealing with her family falling apart and becoming who she is without a guide, and Giles figuring out if he wants to be a Watcher or not.
The witty-banter is so strong in this book. The story and language feels so much like Joss Whedon's original show that I couldn't keep from smiling while reading this graphic novel.
Like I loved it so much.
This is before Buffy goes to Sunnydale. And Dawn is apart of this even though you don't know about her until season 05. I absolutely love that they kept her as a part of Buffy's life because she is her sister and Buffy has all these memories with Dawn in them anyway.
You get three different stories of how everyone's life were before they went to Sunnydale: Buffy's, Angel's and Giles' stories. Angel, just doing his normal righting-his-wrongs, Buffy dealing with her family falling apart and becoming who she is without a guide, and Giles figuring out if he wants to be a Watcher or not.
The witty-banter is so strong in this book. The story and language feels so much like Joss Whedon's original show that I couldn't keep from smiling while reading this graphic novel.
December 25, 2017
Finally got some closure with Pike. That was always a sore point with me. I know the show and the movie were two separate things, but they reference several movie moments throughout the tv show. It always bugged me that they never mentioned Pike.
July 20, 2020
Origin ended with Buffy teasing that she would soon tell Willow and Xander about the time she and Pike ran away to Vegas, so of course this story is narrated by... Pike. Buffy and Pike fight conjoined vampire twins in Vegas, while Giles, Wesley, Gwendolyn Post, and Angel also appear. It's the most prequelly thing I've read in ages. I hate prequels.
November 8, 2024
silly silly
December 12, 2024
Following on from 'The Origin' and before her movie to Sunnydale, Buffy and her sort-of-boyfriend Pike run away to Vegas to take down a casino run by vampires. Meanwhile, in England, Rupert Giles works on making sure he is chosen as the next Watcher.
The story here is a perfectly serviceable one, with Buffy and (the stupidly-named) Pike out of their depth taking on vampires on their home turf.
I didn't really understand the relevance of the time pocket spell or why Angel needed to be in this book at all, but they didn't overly detract from the basic vampire-slaying action.
Unfortunately, what this book does do that I wasn't okay with is highlight the sexy, showing-lots-of-skin, casino girl outfit that Buffy has to wear, whilst simultaneously reiterating that she's fifteen.
At one point the book specifically calls out how it's a bad thing for a fifteen year old girl to be so overtly sexualised but then proceeds to keep doing it anyway. There's even a scene where Buffy has to be warned about casino patrons trying to grope her. It's weird and creepy and I honestly don't know why the writers decided to include it.
Now, I imagine that it's absolutely true to life for some poor girls, but maybe we shouldn't be normalising it?
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *
The story here is a perfectly serviceable one, with Buffy and (the stupidly-named) Pike out of their depth taking on vampires on their home turf.
I didn't really understand the relevance of the time pocket spell or why Angel needed to be in this book at all, but they didn't overly detract from the basic vampire-slaying action.
Unfortunately, what this book does do that I wasn't okay with is highlight the sexy, showing-lots-of-skin, casino girl outfit that Buffy has to wear, whilst simultaneously reiterating that she's fifteen.
At one point the book specifically calls out how it's a bad thing for a fifteen year old girl to be so overtly sexualised but then proceeds to keep doing it anyway. There's even a scene where Buffy has to be warned about casino patrons trying to grope her. It's weird and creepy and I honestly don't know why the writers decided to include it.
Now, I imagine that it's absolutely true to life for some poor girls, but maybe we shouldn't be normalising it?
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *
July 19, 2018
SUCH a great story! I had asked what happened with Pike, and now I'm a little heartbroken and teary, but this story was so GOOD! Knowing he had to leave her because one of them would die...ugh. Then finding about how Angel was working behind the scenes to protect her...then actually having to sire the guy who sired the villain she was fighting in real time so he could come back and continue to watch over her?! Genius! And Giles' back story with including introductions to Gwendolyn Post and Wesley? My Buffy nerd is freaking out and wondering why I hadn't read these AGES ago!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 25, 2023
A direct sequel (and improvement) to The Origin. Utilising her new-found slaying powers, Buffy tracks some vampires to Las Vegas with her boyfriend.
This was an interesting story that followed a slayer without any guidance or direction. The villain was something different and there were some other clever things thrown in for good measure. The boyfriend also added an interesting new element with his hopes and eventual revelations. A solid story.
This was an interesting story that followed a slayer without any guidance or direction. The villain was something different and there were some other clever things thrown in for good measure. The boyfriend also added an interesting new element with his hopes and eventual revelations. A solid story.
April 23, 2023
Another great buffy graphic novel. So much action happening again and the Las Vegas backdrop was a really cool setting for this story. Loved seeing Buffy and Pike (I don’t mean spike haha) teaming up again. We also have our first peak at angel in this instalment which was awesome and can’t wait to see him more in the coming novels ( even though I am and always will be team spike haha).
November 26, 2023
L'ambientazione a Las Vegas e il portale del casinò sul passato non mi hanno coinvolto molto. Però è interessante la parte su Giles ed anche le vicende familiari di Buffy. Non un ottimo, ma un buon inizio per la trilogia "prequel" (ovvero l'inizio della fine della vecchia serie regolare di Buffy, qui raccolti i #51-54 del 2002/2003), che migliora decisamente con il volume successivo.
May 29, 2023
not angel following Buffy from the shadows and getting into his own shenanigans by accident…
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2014
Like I mentioned in a previous review, my wife and I are watching through Buffy The Vampire Slayer for the first time. Since this is me we're talking about, I of course had to go out and track down the tie-in comics to go with the show, despite their questionable canonical status....
This particular comic is set between the The Origin /the original screenplay* and the start of the TV series. As we open, Buffy's in trouble. Her Watcher is dead, her parents are fighting, everyone thinks she's a nutcase, and to top it off, there's still slaying to be done. Even without a Watcher to guide her (they're still screwing around trying to decide who will replace Merrick for some reason,) Buffy hits the streets nightly with Pike to try and keep LA's bloodsucker population down to a manageable level...and to get out of the house, where her unexplainable antics as the Slayer are proving a great excuse for her parents to fight on an ever-increasing basis. As much to escape this environment as because she feels it's her duty, Buffy convinces Pike to run away with her to Las Vegas in pursuit of a lead on a nasty nest of vampires....
My reactions to this comic were a little bit mixed. It was well-written, all the characters that I knew sounded and acted like themselves, and it was nice to go back and fill in some of the gaps in the story. The art, however, was just OK. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't as good as I'm used to seeing from Dark Horse. Buffy looked like Buffy, but the rest of the characters weren't usually recognizable by their appearance as compared to the show (though my unfamiliarity with Pike from anything that wasn't this comic series did help a bit on that count. He at least looked better than in The Origin.)** A minor complaint, I suppose, but one that pulled down my enjoyment slightly. I also hated the cover to the collection, so I rebelled and used the cover to one of the individual issues for this review.
Despite being official Buffy merchandise, this particularly Dark Horse series isn't usually considered to be technically canon by fans unless Whedon himself was involved in a particular book, but they try to at least not contradict the series if they can help it. My philosophy is to consider it canon unless it directly contradicts the show, and even there years of reading Star Wars stuff that can be partially retconned at any time has given me a certain...flexibility with regards to how I regard multi-media series. For example, at one point in his own show Angel apparently makes a comment about only having turned one particular person after having his soul returned to him. In this book (and prior to making this statement,) he's forced to turn another. I integrate this by pointing out that just because a character says something it doesn't make it true ("Only a Sith deals in absolutes." Really?) and pretending that there's no conflict. If that doesn't work for you, find your own rationalization. The parallel universe theory is popular with fans of this series, I hear....Another note, not a contradiction (well, kind of, but...it's complicated) is that this book does feature Dawn Summers in a small role. If you're reading this prior to watching the show, you may get confused since Buffy is an only child until late in the series. I'll let you watch the show to figure out how that all goes down, but just be aware of it here.
If you want to read this, there's the TPB collection I reviewed here, obviously. Alternatively, like The Origin, Viva Las Buffy is included in Volume I of Dark Horse's Buffy The Vampire Slayer Omnibus collection.
CONTENT: No profanity. A fair bit of violence, mostly non-bloody since Buffyverse vampires disappear in a cloud of dust when they die. No explicit sexual content, but this is Vegas and they make Buffy wear a fairly skimpy outfit for her cover job as a coat-check girl at the casino. There are vampires, obviously, as well as a bit of occult magic being worked by the Watchers vying to be assigned to Buffy.
*Long story. Check out the linked review for the details there.
**Granted, doing a comic using the likeness of a real person can be challenging, but I've seen it done really well by Dark Horse before, so this was a bit of a disappointment.
This particular comic is set between the The Origin /the original screenplay* and the start of the TV series. As we open, Buffy's in trouble. Her Watcher is dead, her parents are fighting, everyone thinks she's a nutcase, and to top it off, there's still slaying to be done. Even without a Watcher to guide her (they're still screwing around trying to decide who will replace Merrick for some reason,) Buffy hits the streets nightly with Pike to try and keep LA's bloodsucker population down to a manageable level...and to get out of the house, where her unexplainable antics as the Slayer are proving a great excuse for her parents to fight on an ever-increasing basis. As much to escape this environment as because she feels it's her duty, Buffy convinces Pike to run away with her to Las Vegas in pursuit of a lead on a nasty nest of vampires....
My reactions to this comic were a little bit mixed. It was well-written, all the characters that I knew sounded and acted like themselves, and it was nice to go back and fill in some of the gaps in the story. The art, however, was just OK. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't as good as I'm used to seeing from Dark Horse. Buffy looked like Buffy, but the rest of the characters weren't usually recognizable by their appearance as compared to the show (though my unfamiliarity with Pike from anything that wasn't this comic series did help a bit on that count. He at least looked better than in The Origin.)** A minor complaint, I suppose, but one that pulled down my enjoyment slightly. I also hated the cover to the collection, so I rebelled and used the cover to one of the individual issues for this review.
Despite being official Buffy merchandise, this particularly Dark Horse series isn't usually considered to be technically canon by fans unless Whedon himself was involved in a particular book, but they try to at least not contradict the series if they can help it. My philosophy is to consider it canon unless it directly contradicts the show, and even there years of reading Star Wars stuff that can be partially retconned at any time has given me a certain...flexibility with regards to how I regard multi-media series. For example, at one point in his own show Angel apparently makes a comment about only having turned one particular person after having his soul returned to him. In this book (and prior to making this statement,) he's forced to turn another. I integrate this by pointing out that just because a character says something it doesn't make it true ("Only a Sith deals in absolutes." Really?) and pretending that there's no conflict. If that doesn't work for you, find your own rationalization. The parallel universe theory is popular with fans of this series, I hear....Another note, not a contradiction (well, kind of, but...it's complicated) is that this book does feature Dawn Summers in a small role. If you're reading this prior to watching the show, you may get confused since Buffy is an only child until late in the series. I'll let you watch the show to figure out how that all goes down, but just be aware of it here.
If you want to read this, there's the TPB collection I reviewed here, obviously. Alternatively, like The Origin, Viva Las Buffy is included in Volume I of Dark Horse's Buffy The Vampire Slayer Omnibus collection.
CONTENT: No profanity. A fair bit of violence, mostly non-bloody since Buffyverse vampires disappear in a cloud of dust when they die. No explicit sexual content, but this is Vegas and they make Buffy wear a fairly skimpy outfit for her cover job as a coat-check girl at the casino. There are vampires, obviously, as well as a bit of occult magic being worked by the Watchers vying to be assigned to Buffy.
*Long story. Check out the linked review for the details there.
**Granted, doing a comic using the likeness of a real person can be challenging, but I've seen it done really well by Dark Horse before, so this was a bit of a disappointment.
July 28, 2011
Graphic novels aren't something I read often but a few of them have come my way via BookCrossing and the Bookrelay site. Viva Las Buffy is one such book. Over all it is well drawn and well lettered, although Giles doesn't look much like Anthony Stewart Head but in this story he's a minor character so it really doesn't matter what he looks like.
Although I don't have many graphic novels (or comic books) under my belt I know that they often branch off each other creating alternate versions of events, worlds and characters. Just look at the numerous incarnations of Batman and Superman over the years! This Buffy story has some points of diversion from both the film and the television show (which by themselves don't quite match up) and I'm not sure if these are specific decisions to make a different Buffy or are errors on the part of the authors who came to the story late in the course of the series.
The most obvious difference between the film and the series is the inclusion of Dawn, aka the annoying key from season five. I don't like Dawn!
For the most part, Viva Las Buffy is an entertaining and typical Buffy the Vampire Slayer story, although having Angel tracking the vampires to Las Vegas reminded more of the Angel TV series than either the Buffy series or film. Yes, Buffy's parents are still married and Buffy's original watcher is mentioned but that's the extent of the story's reliance on the film.
Most of the story is non-canon but still fun. First and foremost: Dawn did not exist in 1996. Sure, her existence was forced into the memories of everyone involved but that doesn't mean she actually existed retroactively. Her inclusion in this graphic novel is the story's weakest point.
The other thing that annoyed me were the conjoined fraternal twins. I'm willing to believe that some sort of weird vampirism mojo made fraternal twins become conjoined twins in a botched turning or I'm willing to believe that the one of the twins is a cross-dresser but neither of those seems to be the case. Therefore the brother/sister conjoined twins don't make any sense!
Although these two details annoyed me, I'm still rating this graphic novel highly because it was entertaining and well drawn. It was fun to read during a middle of the night nursing.
Although I don't have many graphic novels (or comic books) under my belt I know that they often branch off each other creating alternate versions of events, worlds and characters. Just look at the numerous incarnations of Batman and Superman over the years! This Buffy story has some points of diversion from both the film and the television show (which by themselves don't quite match up) and I'm not sure if these are specific decisions to make a different Buffy or are errors on the part of the authors who came to the story late in the course of the series.
The most obvious difference between the film and the series is the inclusion of Dawn, aka the annoying key from season five. I don't like Dawn!
For the most part, Viva Las Buffy is an entertaining and typical Buffy the Vampire Slayer story, although having Angel tracking the vampires to Las Vegas reminded more of the Angel TV series than either the Buffy series or film. Yes, Buffy's parents are still married and Buffy's original watcher is mentioned but that's the extent of the story's reliance on the film.
Most of the story is non-canon but still fun. First and foremost: Dawn did not exist in 1996. Sure, her existence was forced into the memories of everyone involved but that doesn't mean she actually existed retroactively. Her inclusion in this graphic novel is the story's weakest point.
The other thing that annoyed me were the conjoined fraternal twins. I'm willing to believe that some sort of weird vampirism mojo made fraternal twins become conjoined twins in a botched turning or I'm willing to believe that the one of the twins is a cross-dresser but neither of those seems to be the case. Therefore the brother/sister conjoined twins don't make any sense!
Although these two details annoyed me, I'm still rating this graphic novel highly because it was entertaining and well drawn. It was fun to read during a middle of the night nursing.
February 1, 2016
A much better "prequel" to the TV series than the "Buffy: Origins" two-shot, this actually manages to capture Joss Whedon's unique combination of high character drama and witty verbal comedy in a much more convincing way than the amalgamation of the film script and the TV show that Origins attempted. Pike is, here, a much more sympathetic character, and it makes total sense how this could possibly lead into the TV series. So too is the back-story of how Giles ended up becoming Buffy's watcher far more plausible than any other theories ever really given -- and it provides a fantastic bridging of the gap between Buffy's L.A. days and her move to Sunnydale.
By far the most controversial thing I'm sure will be the addition of Dawn to the story, but it makes total, complete sense if you think about it. For better or worse, "Buffy vs. Dracula" introduced a brand-new element into the show, and it changed the entire history irrevocably. It would be disingenuous of the writers -- ANY writers -- to revise what is already revisionist history. Dawn is an integral part of the Buffy mythos now. Every character can remember her. While we as viewers might go back and watch, say, Season 3 and think, "Man, Faith would totally have kidnapped Dawn" or something, that's looking at it the wrong way. The RIGHT way is to view it as, "Seasons 1-4 happened, then something changed the plotting beginning in Season 5 (or, more accurately, in 'Restless,' if you REALLY want to get technical about it), and now, any *subsequent* productions really must include the fallout from that plotting change."
That aside, what's really fascinating is to see, even briefly, the disintegration of Joyce and Hank Summers' marriage. It's interesting to think not only that Buffy was the catalyst for their breakup, but that she dealt with the trouble by doing exactly what she did at the end of Season 1 AND Season 2: ran away. It's entirely in keeping with her character. And it's brilliant plotting to bridge that gap.
By far the most controversial thing I'm sure will be the addition of Dawn to the story, but it makes total, complete sense if you think about it. For better or worse, "Buffy vs. Dracula" introduced a brand-new element into the show, and it changed the entire history irrevocably. It would be disingenuous of the writers -- ANY writers -- to revise what is already revisionist history. Dawn is an integral part of the Buffy mythos now. Every character can remember her. While we as viewers might go back and watch, say, Season 3 and think, "Man, Faith would totally have kidnapped Dawn" or something, that's looking at it the wrong way. The RIGHT way is to view it as, "Seasons 1-4 happened, then something changed the plotting beginning in Season 5 (or, more accurately, in 'Restless,' if you REALLY want to get technical about it), and now, any *subsequent* productions really must include the fallout from that plotting change."
That aside, what's really fascinating is to see, even briefly, the disintegration of Joyce and Hank Summers' marriage. It's interesting to think not only that Buffy was the catalyst for their breakup, but that she dealt with the trouble by doing exactly what she did at the end of Season 1 AND Season 2: ran away. It's entirely in keeping with her character. And it's brilliant plotting to bridge that gap.
January 30, 2011
I had been waiting to read this for quite a while, and I’m glad I did. It was a pleasant surprise to see that Pike was included in this story.
The story starts off with Buffy living in LA with both her parents and Dawn. She is about to go in front of the disciplinary board to see if she can be reinstated in school after the gym burned down. Of course everyone blames her, and does not understand that she actually saved the school and her fellow students.
Pike and Buffy are still seeing each other and have teamed up to destroy the vamps in town, when they stumble across some vampires who are carrying coins for the “Golden touch” casino in Vegas. Buffy is determined to go there and find out what’s happening and then put an end to it.
Meanwhile in London at the Watchers Council they are trying to decide who to assign to be the Slayers next Watcher, as they are presuming the worst has happened to Merrick as he has not checked in.
Rupert Giles is up against another watcher for the position.
Angel also makes an appearance in this story. :0)
The story starts off with Buffy living in LA with both her parents and Dawn. She is about to go in front of the disciplinary board to see if she can be reinstated in school after the gym burned down. Of course everyone blames her, and does not understand that she actually saved the school and her fellow students.
Pike and Buffy are still seeing each other and have teamed up to destroy the vamps in town, when they stumble across some vampires who are carrying coins for the “Golden touch” casino in Vegas. Buffy is determined to go there and find out what’s happening and then put an end to it.
Meanwhile in London at the Watchers Council they are trying to decide who to assign to be the Slayers next Watcher, as they are presuming the worst has happened to Merrick as he has not checked in.
Rupert Giles is up against another watcher for the position.
Angel also makes an appearance in this story. :0)
August 20, 2015
So glad that this was continued from Origins because, you know, it's a good story and such. I also like the way Dawn was portrayed, because she really is just a little girl and I feel like it makes me like her more to see what she's been through.
February 2, 2013
This is a really great comic that fills the gap between the movie and the TV show. I love the four part story line that is really well executed. And most of all, I love that we find out what happened to Pike!!
June 4, 2008
Continues the story (after The Origin) of before Buffy came to Sunnydale--throws in a few other references--pretty well done.
June 22, 2015
Glad to get an update on what happened after the movie ended. I would like to see what happened to Pike after, though.
May 6, 2016
I always like it when they reference Buffy's life before Sunnydale, so it's cool to see a mini-story about it, even if it's kind of an underwhelming addition.
October 30, 2016
This was the best of the first three sections of the Omnibus Volume 1. There's more Pike and blast from the past. Angel and Giles fight their own battles while making their way to Buffy.
December 26, 2017
Good story, fun, almost lost a start because WTF was Dawn in this comic??
February 28, 2012
Love Buffy, but not a big fan of the graphic novel tie-ins.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews