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Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Willow #1-5
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Willow
NO MORE SUNNYDALE. NO MORE SCOOBY GANG. NO MORE... WILLOW?
After everything -- and everyone -- she lost to the Hellmouth, Willow is leaving Sunnydale behind for a new world that promises "to help you prioritize your true self." But Willow soon learns that all is not as it seems, and if your true self isn't what this place thinks it should be... well, don't worry, they'll help you get there. By any means necessary.
Collects the complete Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Willow #1-5.
After everything -- and everyone -- she lost to the Hellmouth, Willow is leaving Sunnydale behind for a new world that promises "to help you prioritize your true self." But Willow soon learns that all is not as it seems, and if your true self isn't what this place thinks it should be... well, don't worry, they'll help you get there. By any means necessary.
Collects the complete Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Willow #1-5.
122 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 11, 2021
7 people are currently reading
659 people want to read
About the author
Mariko Tamaki
378 books2,229 followersMariko Tamaki is a Toronto writer, playwright, activist and performer. She works and performs with fat activists Pretty Porky and Pissed Off and the theatre troupe TOA, whose recent play, A vs. B, was staged at the 2004 Rhubarb Festival at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. Her well-received novel, Cover Me (McGilligan Books) was followed by a short fiction collection, True Lies: The Book of Bad Advice (Women's Press). Mariko's third book, FAKE ID, is due out in spring 2005.
Mariko Tamaki has performed her work across Canada and through the States, recently appearing at the Calgary Folkfest 2004, Vancouver Writer's Festival 2003, Spatial III, and the Perpetual Motion/Girls Bite Back Tour, which circled though Ottawa, Montreal, Brooklyn and Chicago. She has appeared widely on radio and television including First Person Singular on CBC radio and Imprint on TVO. Mariko Tamaki is currently attending York University working a master's degree in women's studies.
[MacMIllan Books]
Mariko Tamaki has performed her work across Canada and through the States, recently appearing at the Calgary Folkfest 2004, Vancouver Writer's Festival 2003, Spatial III, and the Perpetual Motion/Girls Bite Back Tour, which circled though Ottawa, Montreal, Brooklyn and Chicago. She has appeared widely on radio and television including First Person Singular on CBC radio and Imprint on TVO. Mariko Tamaki is currently attending York University working a master's degree in women's studies.
[MacMIllan Books]
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
November 21, 2020
Why was this nothingburger of a story granted a five-issue miniseries instead of a three-issue B-plot in the main book? I have no idea. But if this is the most they can give Willow for a solo series, I think this is finally the end of my relationship with this reboot of Buffy comics. These characters deserved better, and the franchise would have been better off if they kept it to one self-contained ongoing book instead of whatever Marvel wannabe shared universe crap they desperately try and fail to pull off.
September 3, 2021
A pointless story where almost nothing happens and nothing is explained. Willow discovers a small town of witches. That is the entire story. There's a little bit of unexplained conflict at the end where the witches try and force Willow to stay but it's never explained why and the conflict suddenly ends with a cut to milkshakes. This was awful. It's a real disappointment. I was looking forward to this. An all female creative team. A queer writer writing a queer character. A huge swing and a miss. The art was pretty good though with some great coloring.
October 16, 2021
rep: lesbian mc
this needs less xander
anyway idk why ppl complain abt this being boring & pointless when it's literally abt willow learning to become at peace with herself. some journeys don't need action
this needs less xander
anyway idk why ppl complain abt this being boring & pointless when it's literally abt willow learning to become at peace with herself. some journeys don't need action
February 21, 2021
This was pointless and extremely boring. I was so excited to see a queer woman writing Willow, but this book was just lacking anything of interest. You can skip it and not miss out on literally anything— why bother? Also, this is NOT Willow’s first miniseries; that’s straight up false advertisement. If you want a better Willow miniseries, go check out Willow: Wonderland from the OG comics continuity. 1.5/5 stars.
December 6, 2022
Carino, ma mi aspettavo di più.
April 30, 2021
Devastated by the events of recent issues of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Willow heads out into the world to try and find herself away from the Scooby Gang. But what she finds might not be as magical as what she sought.
The first solo Buffy mini-series from Boom! (not counting Hellmouth since that was an event) leaves a lot to be desired, unfortunately. The main problem I had with it was that it just didn't really do anything? There's a major disconnect between what happened in the latest Buffy issues between Willow and Xander and how she's coping here. There's hardly any mention of what she's actually running away from, and when she returns to the main book, there's literally no mention of what she goes through here. I know shared universes are hard, but there doesn't seem to have been any effort made to connect the two books at all.
Tamaki's story has a good heart, and tries to get Willow to connect to her magical side, but again it feels haphazard. There's a weird plot about people not being able to escape the town Willow finds herself in, a half-baked love interest/villain, and a resolution that tries to be a happy ending and an open-ended conclusion at the same time and fails at both.
Natacha Bustos' artwork is pretty great though. It's a tad more detailed than her Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur work, and her depiction of magic is nicely handled. I also really liked the feel that she gave the town of Samhain; it almost feels like a perpetual autumn, it's kinda cosy to watch.
Willow's first adventure out on her own could have gone better. The plot tries to do too much and as a result fails to do all of it, and the fact that the main Buffy book set this story up only for the mini-series to ignore it and vice versa makes it feel all kind of futile. It looks nice at least?
The first solo Buffy mini-series from Boom! (not counting Hellmouth since that was an event) leaves a lot to be desired, unfortunately. The main problem I had with it was that it just didn't really do anything? There's a major disconnect between what happened in the latest Buffy issues between Willow and Xander and how she's coping here. There's hardly any mention of what she's actually running away from, and when she returns to the main book, there's literally no mention of what she goes through here. I know shared universes are hard, but there doesn't seem to have been any effort made to connect the two books at all.
Tamaki's story has a good heart, and tries to get Willow to connect to her magical side, but again it feels haphazard. There's a weird plot about people not being able to escape the town Willow finds herself in, a half-baked love interest/villain, and a resolution that tries to be a happy ending and an open-ended conclusion at the same time and fails at both.
Natacha Bustos' artwork is pretty great though. It's a tad more detailed than her Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur work, and her depiction of magic is nicely handled. I also really liked the feel that she gave the town of Samhain; it almost feels like a perpetual autumn, it's kinda cosy to watch.
Willow's first adventure out on her own could have gone better. The plot tries to do too much and as a result fails to do all of it, and the fact that the main Buffy book set this story up only for the mini-series to ignore it and vice versa makes it feel all kind of futile. It looks nice at least?
June 23, 2021
Willow è sempre stata nella mia top 3 dei personaggi preferiti di Buffy e leggere un approfondimento su di lei, per quanto in alcune parti malinconico, mi ha fatta sorridere per tutta la lettura.
Anche questo è ambientato dopo la chiusura della bocca dell'inferno e Willow ne è la protagonista indiscussa.
Lei, i suoi poteri, le sue fragilità, la sua voglia di fare amicizia e la paura di rimanere sola, la malinconia e il desiderio di una vita libera...
Questo volume mi ha regalato tanto.
Ho trovato i disegni bellissimi, sia per colori che per world-building, forse perchè essendo tutti personaggi e luoghi non ripresi dalla serie tv (a parte Willow naturalmente) li ho vissuti come totalmente originali.
Anche la storia è molto valida: sembrava di stare sospese nel tempo, immerse in un mondo caldo e colorato che però nascondeva qualche piccola oscurità... un po' come tutti noi.
Bello, bello, bello!
Anche questo è ambientato dopo la chiusura della bocca dell'inferno e Willow ne è la protagonista indiscussa.
Lei, i suoi poteri, le sue fragilità, la sua voglia di fare amicizia e la paura di rimanere sola, la malinconia e il desiderio di una vita libera...
Questo volume mi ha regalato tanto.
Ho trovato i disegni bellissimi, sia per colori che per world-building, forse perchè essendo tutti personaggi e luoghi non ripresi dalla serie tv (a parte Willow naturalmente) li ho vissuti come totalmente originali.
Anche la storia è molto valida: sembrava di stare sospese nel tempo, immerse in un mondo caldo e colorato che però nascondeva qualche piccola oscurità... un po' come tutti noi.
Bello, bello, bello!
October 13, 2021
Rep: lesbian mc
January 2, 2024
3.4 ⭐️ I am so glad we got a willow follow up but I wanted more from the story.
I did enjoy it, but it definitely felt quite mid plot wise. It was very slow and predictable and Willow in this felt very naive and oblivious.
Saying that I loved the artwork: it was vibrant and gripping and the setting was incredibly cosy. I will be reading volume two but I will be hoping for more action and twists and turns.
Rep// Lesbian MC.
TW’s below, please skip if you don’t want vague spoilers.
Tw// entrapment, confinement, danger, gaslighting, mild violence.
I did enjoy it, but it definitely felt quite mid plot wise. It was very slow and predictable and Willow in this felt very naive and oblivious.
Saying that I loved the artwork: it was vibrant and gripping and the setting was incredibly cosy. I will be reading volume two but I will be hoping for more action and twists and turns.
Rep// Lesbian MC.
TW’s below, please skip if you don’t want vague spoilers.
Tw// entrapment, confinement, danger, gaslighting, mild violence.
August 24, 2023
✩✩✰
“Willow” es una miniserie de cinco números que transcurre tras el crossover Hellmouth y antes del número 14 de la serie reboot de Buffy.
Nos encontramos con una historia bastante cozy en comparación con la trama principal de los cómics. Willow, tocada tras lo ocurrido en Hellmouth, se va de Sunnydale y termina en un pueblito encantador donde parece encajar a la perfección y donde tendrá que enfrentarse a sí misma.
En mi opinión, es una historia hecha para darle más protagonismo a Willow, porque realmente es una serie de números flojilla y que no tiene ninguna relevancia para la trama principal, al menos hasta donde he leído. Es más, en el volumen 4 de Buffy ni se menciona dónde ha estado ni se le da mayor importancia a lo que ocurre en estos números. Parece una historia bastante desconectada del resto.
Aún así, siempre está bien ver a Willow. Además el dibujo y el entintado me han gustado bastante, ya que encajan muy bien con el tono de la miniserie y ayudan a esa sensación confortable que mencioné antes.
“Willow” es una miniserie de cinco números que transcurre tras el crossover Hellmouth y antes del número 14 de la serie reboot de Buffy.
Nos encontramos con una historia bastante cozy en comparación con la trama principal de los cómics. Willow, tocada tras lo ocurrido en Hellmouth, se va de Sunnydale y termina en un pueblito encantador donde parece encajar a la perfección y donde tendrá que enfrentarse a sí misma.
En mi opinión, es una historia hecha para darle más protagonismo a Willow, porque realmente es una serie de números flojilla y que no tiene ninguna relevancia para la trama principal, al menos hasta donde he leído. Es más, en el volumen 4 de Buffy ni se menciona dónde ha estado ni se le da mayor importancia a lo que ocurre en estos números. Parece una historia bastante desconectada del resto.
Aún así, siempre está bien ver a Willow. Además el dibujo y el entintado me han gustado bastante, ya que encajan muy bien con el tono de la miniserie y ayudan a esa sensación confortable que mencioné antes.
❝Is it possible to belong to a place you’ve never been?❞
March 29, 2024
This was a super relaxing and comforting sort of "escape" read. To be honest, the story itself didn't really go anywhere or add very much to the Buffy-verse. But I love willow with my whole heart, and the artwork was fantastic!
August 10, 2022
It's more a slice of life story than anything else, and I enjoyed it. It's light and cozy. The artwork, covers, and colors are gorgeous.
February 11, 2022
After reading the new Buffy universe comic I had to check out the Willow-verse too!
In a modern reboot of the character, Willow buys a bus ticket to nowhere in particular. Where she ends up… it was almost like she was meant to be there. A town full of queer witches!
First of all, an entire town full of nothing but gay witches?? Iconic.
This was both a sweet story and one that showcases how powerful Willow is as a witch. It was a great combination of Buffy lore with the modern twist that makes these comics so special.
And I can’t get over how beautiful the cover art is! Visually, it is stunning inside and out. A real gem for fans of the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer show.
I think I’m going to become a collector of these comics now 🔮
In a modern reboot of the character, Willow buys a bus ticket to nowhere in particular. Where she ends up… it was almost like she was meant to be there. A town full of queer witches!
First of all, an entire town full of nothing but gay witches?? Iconic.
This was both a sweet story and one that showcases how powerful Willow is as a witch. It was a great combination of Buffy lore with the modern twist that makes these comics so special.
And I can’t get over how beautiful the cover art is! Visually, it is stunning inside and out. A real gem for fans of the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer show.
I think I’m going to become a collector of these comics now 🔮
December 31, 2021
Nice. Pretty, slightly too predictable.
October 5, 2024
Beautiful. Wish I had known it followed the btvs comics, it wasn't clear and I'm not done with them!
May 25, 2021
Jen Bartel art covers are stunning as always! Mariko tells a great story and always bringing the good queer lines, like something like "I loved the lecture series on Cross-stitching and mindfulness".
I wish there was a little more substance, but I get this was a start to something...more.
I wish there was a little more substance, but I get this was a start to something...more.
February 22, 2022
I mainly got this because the cover is
gorgeous
. The artwork is absolutely beautiful and works on its own, but doesn't jive with the rest of the Buffyverse.
We follow Willow leaving on her own after what happens in Buffy the Vampire Slayer volume #3 (From Beneath You). She's lost and doesn't know what to do. Then she finds herself in a witch town, then finally finds herself where she belongs.
There's not a lot that goes on. There's no action, no magic, no nothing. There's not even a whole lot of dialogue. It's really just following along with Willow and her thoughts as she navigates through her feelings.
I'm not sure if there's going to be a continuation of this, but if there is . . . I probably won't be continuing. It just didn't grab my attention enough. But it was doable for just a nice standalone, especially if you're interested in Willow's character.
We follow Willow leaving on her own after what happens in Buffy the Vampire Slayer volume #3 (From Beneath You). She's lost and doesn't know what to do. Then she finds herself in a witch town, then finally finds herself where she belongs.
There's not a lot that goes on. There's no action, no magic, no nothing. There's not even a whole lot of dialogue. It's really just following along with Willow and her thoughts as she navigates through her feelings.
I'm not sure if there's going to be a continuation of this, but if there is . . . I probably won't be continuing. It just didn't grab my attention enough. But it was doable for just a nice standalone, especially if you're interested in Willow's character.
July 24, 2022
So I'm a bit confused at whether this is a continuation from the Buffy television show, which I watched but not religiously, or the graphic novel series, which appears to be a reboot?
As someone who only knows the bare basics of Willow, this was a fun enough adventure, although I wish they had left out the YOU CANNOT ESCAPE aspect, which made the witch enclave a bit two dimensional in that it's a forced utopian society. Wish we had actually gotten to know more of the group and they had left out the study abroad session completely, as when the grand confrontation occurs, I had no emotional connection with the new witches, so it wasn't really a huge betrayal.
But nice enough artwork, gorgeous cover art, and I'd probably look into future Buffy comics. I did have to read it because it was written by Mariko Tamaki!
As someone who only knows the bare basics of Willow, this was a fun enough adventure, although I wish they had left out the YOU CANNOT ESCAPE aspect, which made the witch enclave a bit two dimensional in that it's a forced utopian society. Wish we had actually gotten to know more of the group and they had left out the study abroad session completely, as when the grand confrontation occurs, I had no emotional connection with the new witches, so it wasn't really a huge betrayal.
But nice enough artwork, gorgeous cover art, and I'd probably look into future Buffy comics. I did have to read it because it was written by Mariko Tamaki!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2022
3.5 stars. This story was adorable. Willow, dealing with PTSD issues travels. Rather quickly for my tastes she ends up in a quaint New English Style town that seems to be the home to only women. Turns out that all the women are Witches. But no hilarity ensues (not even some hot consensual witch action) and no men were sacrificed at the bonfire. So, needless to say I have a few notes.
There was no reason for this story to be 5 issues.
The whole you can't leave you might not come back, don't you love us thing was weird either be evil cult stealing power or not (let them travel).
What about the evil man Willow met at the gas station?
What about the other Witch Willow was trying to help escape? Did she get away or did the wolves get her?
What about the woman in the early issue chased by evil (men?)?
Dead Xander sent Crows to help?
So many questions.
Like I said the comic was adorable like one of those Hallmark Channel Christmas movies. But as a comic in the long running Buffyverse it needed something more to fill the pages or it should have been much shorter.
There was no reason for this story to be 5 issues.
The whole you can't leave you might not come back, don't you love us thing was weird either be evil cult stealing power or not (let them travel).
What about the evil man Willow met at the gas station?
What about the other Witch Willow was trying to help escape? Did she get away or did the wolves get her?
What about the woman in the early issue chased by evil (men?)?
Dead Xander sent Crows to help?
So many questions.
Like I said the comic was adorable like one of those Hallmark Channel Christmas movies. But as a comic in the long running Buffyverse it needed something more to fill the pages or it should have been much shorter.
October 26, 2021
Late review. (Read as single issues.)
I mostly enjoyed this; the art is decent to quite good, and the writer seems to "get" Willow for the most part.
Problem is? NOTHING REALLY HAPPENS. And while I appreciate slice-of-life comics periodically, this seems almost "Un-Buffy-like", if that makes sense.
Of course, it could be my growing dissatisaction with the path this incarnation of the "Buffyverse" is taking bleeding into this....
I mostly enjoyed this; the art is decent to quite good, and the writer seems to "get" Willow for the most part.
Problem is? NOTHING REALLY HAPPENS. And while I appreciate slice-of-life comics periodically, this seems almost "Un-Buffy-like", if that makes sense.
Of course, it could be my growing dissatisaction with the path this incarnation of the "Buffyverse" is taking bleeding into this....
July 21, 2025
As a Buffy fan and as a Willow fan, of course I was going to love this.
Taking place just after Willow gives half her soul to you-know-who (no spoilers) and loses her closest friend, she finds herself in England taking some time and space away from Sunnydale. On her way back, she finds herself in the midst of a coven of queer witches living in harmony together. But not all is as it seems and her dreams are getting a little weird.
The illustrations were beautiful and the story was littered with a classic Willow inner monologue that we all know and love.
Taking place just after Willow gives half her soul to you-know-who (no spoilers) and loses her closest friend, she finds herself in England taking some time and space away from Sunnydale. On her way back, she finds herself in the midst of a coven of queer witches living in harmony together. But not all is as it seems and her dreams are getting a little weird.
The illustrations were beautiful and the story was littered with a classic Willow inner monologue that we all know and love.
September 4, 2021
Something I enjoyed about this volume that other people disliked is that there was a slower pace, it was more atmospheric and less happened. One of my main criticisms of the main series is how much it jumps around and how much it burns through plot.
Mariko Tamaki is also someone I always enjoy when I pick up her work.
Lesbian witches 4ever.
Mariko Tamaki is also someone I always enjoy when I pick up her work.
Lesbian witches 4ever.
June 4, 2021
A charming story about Willow Roseberg making a personal journal across England away from Buffy, Xander, and the other Scoobies, needing some quality me time. She encounters a coven of witches whom she feels entirely too comfortable with. Of course it’s too good to be true, but there’s a twist to the twist which takes the story and Willow’s personal odyssey to a deeper level.
This was one of the most beautiful Buffy the Vampire Slayer graphic novels I’ve ever read. I enjoyed both its simplicity and its depth, how it connected to a greater whole in both Willow’s story and perhaps anyone’s journey. Some of the banter and patterns of speech I love in the Buffy universe were missing and I missed them. Enough was left for the main character to be recognizably Willow and I appreciated the chance to get to know one of my favorite characters on television and in comics a little better. For all these things, I give this four stars.
This was one of the most beautiful Buffy the Vampire Slayer graphic novels I’ve ever read. I enjoyed both its simplicity and its depth, how it connected to a greater whole in both Willow’s story and perhaps anyone’s journey. Some of the banter and patterns of speech I love in the Buffy universe were missing and I missed them. Enough was left for the main character to be recognizably Willow and I appreciated the chance to get to know one of my favorite characters on television and in comics a little better. For all these things, I give this four stars.
December 31, 2021
Review in Wrap Up Vlog
https://youtu.be/kCy9r937eU8
https://youtu.be/kCy9r937eU8
March 4, 2022
3,5*
September 7, 2022
This was super beautiful and I adored the colours and art style. It was a quick comforting read 🖤
October 5, 2025
Representation: bisexual white protagonist, queer secondary and tertiary characters of colour, queer secondary and tertiary characters.
Content Warning: violence.
Content Warning: violence.
May 14, 2022
I came for the story but stayed for the fashion inspiration
October 10, 2025
I wasn't really interested in reading any of the Buffy comics and don't know a lot about them, but this looked cool to me based on the cover. I ended up being honestly really disappointed. Like I knew I probably would be plopped into the middle of a story, but this felt like barely even an idea of a story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews