Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New School Nightmare

Buffy the vampire Slayer #1

by Carolyn Nowak (Artist)

An exciting and hilarious new middle grade story for anyone who likes (or doesn't like) vampires!

Buffy Summers is just like any other student...except for the part where she's also a secret vampire slayer. In every generation, one girl is granted great strength to stand against the forces of darkness. Of course, power doesn't matter when it comes to eating lunch alone, getting picked on by the popular kids, or having way too much homework.

Luckily, Buffy finds her way with a can-do attitude, a weird Watcher, and new besties, Sarafina and Alvaro--who might just have powers of their own. But will any of it be enough to turn the tide when an army of villainous vampires invade town? Can Buffy save herself, let alone the world?

Like Star Wars: Jedi Academy and DC Comics' Secret Hero Society , this action-packed and fun-filled story is told through comics, journal entries, class notes, doodles, text messages, and other in-world artifacts.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Vampires, Comics, Paranormal, Childrens

160 pages, Hardcover

First published September 25, 2018

Reviews

[Eli Pruitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not always a fan of "elseworlds" stories, especially aging it down for a younger audience (insert "heckmouth"). But this was genuinely so much fun.

I'd consider this canon in the Wishverse in which Buffy never moves to Sunnydale but instead is the slayer of the hellmouth in Cleveland. And for that, I was easily able to go along with almost mirrored events substituting new characters in old, familiar situations.

In New School Nightmare we're essentially retreading season one of the show with a season three type finale. It was super cute to see references to mustard stains in shirts, Spike and Dru, and Mayor Wilkins himself. The stakes (pun DEFINTELY intended) are extremely low here but a good time was had by all.

I had just come off a disappointing DNF and needed an easy, carefree palate cleanser to propel me into the new year. Mission accomplished. Slay.

[Ash · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was absolutely adorable! This doesn’t seem to fit into canon at all, but all the little references to things from the show were pretty fun. I thought it was funny and sweet, and definitely kept the spirit of Buffy.

[Hannah Showalter · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was so cute and fun and i truly loved it. such a fun retelling of the first few episodes of buffy. also featured a total solar eclipse which was fun and timely!

[TJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely cute, and a great way to introduce younger kids to the world and concept of Buffy! 5/5 stars!

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

This reboot has preteen Buffy starting her vampire slaying in a Cleveland, Ohio, middle-school with a whole new Scooby Gang and Watcher supporting cast. Her mother is present, and Spike and Dru are mentioned briefly, but the rest of the movie and TV cast members have been ditched.

I picked this up because I was intrigued by the potential I saw in Nowak's Girl Town, and I have been a long-time Buffy fan. And while this book is okay, I'm afraid it is not a peak performance for either of them.

Mostly, I am not the audience for this material. It is one of those middle school books that alternates comic pages with diary pages. It also does silly stuff like changing the name of the Hellmouth to Heckmouth, because we wouldn't want to offend readers who are otherwise untroubled by all the vampire slaying? It will probably work for the younger readers it is obviously targeting.

[The Library Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not really into graphics, but, come on, this is a "Buffy" book, and I'm a fan, so I was happy to read it. And this really is a great little introduction to the Buffyverse for tweens. The whole style feels right, and there are some nice inside jokes for the adults.

[Elaine · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really did not like this. It was like Buffy was written has a 6 year old. It just lacked the Buffy sparkle for me.

[Meliss · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was super cute! I am a massive Buffy fan so basically anything in the universe is gonna make me happy. This was a sweet little introduction and divergence from the original world. I do wish there were more comic panels and fewer diary entiries. But I loooooOOoooOOoooved that they snuck in one of my fav Xander quotes:



If they do more in this series, I will definitely read them.

[Alex | | findingmontauk1 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am rewatching the entire Buffy series for the 840th time and this was a fun companion piece to read!

[Lauren Stoolfire · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New School Nightmare (Buffy the Vampire Slayer #1) by Casey Nowak was a disappointing let down. I'll admit that I had high expectations for this, but even still. The description sounded tempting, but it didn't live up to it at all for me at least. A Heckmouth? Seriously? And the vampires when staked turn into a bunch of vampire bats? It makes some classic Buffy references but doesn't do much of anything with them. I know this is an MG graphic novel, but still the fights could have felt like they have at least some stakes if you know what mean. Also for a story set in the present, the 1990s slang and Buffyspeak mostly stands out like a sore thumb rather than working in the dialogues favor.

[Ari (Books. Libraries. Also, cats.)]

This is a super cute middle grade graphic novel reboot of Buffy that I'll definitely recommend to 8 to 12 year old readers. This new series essentially reimagines BtVS if Buffy had been called as a Slayer & began training in middle school, rather than high school. We still get to see the sassy, witty version of Buffy we know and love, but as an 11 year-old. This book is primarily in comic form (black and white) with journal entries and text messages.

What I love the most about this book is the subtle nods to the original show! While readers of all ages can certainly enjoy this book without a knowledge of the show, true BtVS fans will love the little references sprinkled throughout.

That being said, it's no secret that I'm a tough critic when it comes to the Buffyverse. While I enjoyed the new characters and would love to learn more about Alvaro and Sarafina, I found myself really missing the original characters. Aside from Buffy and her mother Joyce (plus a brief mention of Spike & Drusilla--but no on-page appearances, and a character reminiscent of The Master), there aren't any other characters from the original Buffyverse. TBH I can live without Xander but no Willow? NO GILES?! Another point worth mentioning is that this series is set in Cleveland rather than Sunnydale, and once again, I found myself really missing the Sunnydale setting.

Overall, this is definitely a cute series that I'll continue reading & recommending! While I really miss the original setting & cast of characters, I'm definitely interested in seeing where this goes. I'll continue reading but will be hoping for some cameos from my faves!

[Shoshana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this graphic novel/middle school version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It's Buffy, but a slightly younger version that was similar to the TV's show's take on the character but also different enough to feel like its own thing. Aside from Buffy and her mom, all the characters and the setting are new, although, again, similar to the TV version. Buffy has a female watcher, and she has two friends who, it turns out, have powers of their own. The story was well-structured with diary entries and graphic novel scenes, and I appreciated the new voice for Buffy and her world. I started this because I saw a young girl reading it on the subway and my babysitting charge was reading it. I'm glad I checked it out, even if it's for a younger crowd. I may continue with the series...

[Lizzy McGovern · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect starter for new generation of Buffy fans! It hits all the points of the Buffyverse that I love and it’s light enough for younger readers to enjoy.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so cute - there are so many nods to the original series to catch but you don't need to know to enjoy.

[nidah05 (SleepDreamWrite) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love Buffy so found about this new one. This one was kind of cute, same with the art style and diary entries were also good.

[Eli Poteet · Rating 3 out of 5]

pg rated middle school buffy the vampire slayer in ohio! i had to read it, ive always wondered how life was for buffy before sunnydale- its referenced as a rough time that resulted in being expelled thus triggering the summers familys rehoming to california. nowak is one of the contributors and im familiar with their soft and positive work in lumberjanes. this paperback had a cute set up using buffys diaries as a classic graphic novel tool.

[Jessica Gleason · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute middle-school Buffy.

[Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun reimagined middle school Buffy that brings the story to a new generation.

[🎲🎧❤️CHanCE💔🎼🎲 · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was cute and a very quick read.

[NaTaya Hastings · Rating 3 out of 5]

Totally revamps (pun totally intended) the Buffy mythos in every way. Haha. But it's a fun little book that would be a good way to introduce younger kids to the Buffyverse.

[Marta Morrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book, but was disappointed about the dialogue being like the show. It definitely not cannon. I am going to donate this book to my elementary school.

[Kim Mento]

This was a fun graphic novel about Buffy attending a new middles school, making friends, getting grounded, and fighting vampires along the way.

In our library GN NOWAK.

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is definitely a "must read" for any Buffy fans out there!! Cute book.

[Melody Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I LOVE that Buffy has been adapted for middle grades. However, the adaptation itself leaves some things to be desired. First of all, Buffy and her mother remain the same, while all other aspects of the story shift slightly. It takes place in Cleveland, the Scooby Gang—while still called the Scooby Gang—go by different names and are slightly different characters (e.g., Xander is Alvaro and he’s a werewolf), and the Big Bad is a less terrifying version of the Master. I appreciated what Novak was doing (I’m a middle school teacher, and I want to share Buffy with my kids), but I couldn’t get over the fact that this probably would have been better if Buffy had also been slightly different. There are loads of little Easter eggs for fans of the TV series, which worried me that it may be a little isolating for those unfamiliar with Buffy. It was also, quite frankly, a bit simplistic. While I enjoyed the basic plot and some of the dialogue (most of which was taken directly from the TV series), I felt there wasn’t enough exposition and characters never quite developed. Overall, it’s a fine start, and I’m looking forward to the next one, but still a bit disappointing.

[Sesana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a total reboot of Buffy for middle school crowd. Which yes, means a total reboot. For some reason, the action has been moved from California to Cleveland (which I, as a native of NE Ohio, found hilarious). Buffy has a totally different Watcher, and her friends are different people, too. I thought it might have something to do with licensing, but Spike and Dru are both mentioned, so it's clearly not that. I guess I just don't understand why, if Buffy's best female friend is going to be a witch, she can't be named Willow. But that's a stupid fangirl complaint, really, because this book is emphatically not for me. It's in that part comics, part journal style that's so popular with middle grade readers, and I really do think that the combination of a fun hero, solid fantasy world, and plenty of action will make it a hit with that age group.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has comic panels for a few pages and then Buffy explains everything that happened in the comic as an entry in her diary. This book assumes that child readers are idiot, which they definitely are not. Also, HECKMOUTH.

[Shannon McGee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good starting point for anyone who has not seen or read the previous Buffy The Vampire Slayer seasons. This would technically be a reboot or alternate history. Buffy Summers is starting a new middle school in Cleveland and finds out she is a vampire slayer. It’s hard to be a teen let alone a slayer but with her new female watcher and two best friends, a witch and a werewolf, she is not alone.

Buffy and the slayer mythology is about the only thing familiar with this graphic novel if you are a fan of the past Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Now, I do not know if this is going to match the reboot that will be taking place on tv. I think probably not since the book has the blonde haired and white Buffy because it is rumored that the new tv series Buffy will be African American. ]

The art is quaint and there is nothing too racy for young kids. Since there are new characters interacting with Buffy it is all new to me, which did make it hard to put down and fun to read.

The story is cute and action-packed but as a Buffy fan, I did miss Willow, Xander, and Giles from the original group. I think is great that Buffy is coming back in some way, I just wish it a continuation or a new slayer rather than use Buffy again.

As Buffy The Vampire Slayer is a creation of Joss Whedon, I will probably support this version of Buffy and any others. So “Long Live Buffy!”... I guess.

[Child960801 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I never watched any of the Buffy the Vampire TV show, so I can’t say too much about how this compares, but I do know there are some major differences. For one thing, this is set in middle school and in Cleveland and has been updated to the present, so Buffy and her friends all have cell phones and text exchanges. In this story, Buffy discovers that she is a Slayer and is trained at her school with her Watcher to battle vampires.

This book has a lot of story in it for such a slim volume and a graphic novel. Pages of text, usually diary entries, are interspersed throughout the book so that the story can move faster. This book covers a whole school year.

I enjoyed this book. It was spooky without being scary and light hearted in tone. It really fit in with the time of year. The black and white artwork is lovely and clear and the action scenes easy to follow. As I said, I have no idea how well it fits with the canon of the TV show, but I enjoyed it.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have been a long standing Buffy fan and think it is wonderful that they are trying to make the Buffy story more approachable to a younger audience.
I personally could not get into this and didn't like the characters or even how Buffy was represented... I think it would have made more sense, if she didn't have a watcher yet since this drastically messes with the timeline of the original.
I would have preferred if they went one of two ways with the story: 1) before she became the slayer, no watcher, and just accidentally runs into vampires and situations but does not know what is going on OR 2) if they had Giles, Xander, Willow etc. in Sunnydale but made it as though she took on the mantle of "the slayer" at a much younger age, with much younger characters.

It's nice attempt and I could see some kids finding Buffy this way, and that is great.

For me... well, I'm not into it.

[Erin Cataldi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute, unique take on Buffy that's aimed at younger teens. Buffy Summers has moved to a new town and that means she has to start at a new middle school. Is there anything worse for a teenager? She's having trouble making friends and the librarian is being really weird around her and won't stop calling Buffy "the chosen one." When Buffy encounters a vampire, she knows that she might actually have to turn to the weirdo librarian for help. Soon Buffy becomes friends with other preteens with oddities of their own. Sarafina is learning witchcraft and Alvaro becomes a werewolf once a month; but together the trio will help keep the vampires at bay. Now only if they had time to keep up with their homework and get some sleep in. Cute and told in comics, doodles, and diary entries. The only character that is "the same" from the original Buffy universe is Buffy herself, everyone else is reinvented. A lot of fun and a good way to get the younger generation interested in a classic.