Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2019)

↳ Note: This article is about the 2019 comic series. For other uses, see Buffy.

This article is about a recent or upcoming release and therefore might not yet be complete.

The subject of this article is of alternative canonicity. While created as part of licensed material, it is not part of the original Buffyverse, but its own developed story.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer
First	Welcome Back to the Hellmouth, Part One
Last	To be announced
(January 23, 2019)
(To be announced)
Publisher	Boom! Studios
Writer(s)	Jordie Bellaire
Penciller(s)	Dan Mora, David López, Sas Milledge, Rosemary Valero-O'Connell, Julian Lopez, Ramon Bachs
Editor(s)	Jeanine Schaefer
Cover artist(s)	Kevin Wada, Marc Aspinall, Miguel Mercado, Becca Carey, Matthew Taylor, Ryan Inzana, David López, Kaiti Infante, Marguerite Sauvage et al.
Colorist(s)	Raúl Angulo
Letterer(s)	Ed Dukeshire

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a comic book series from Boom! Studios. It's described as the original homonym series reimagined for the year of 2019.

Premise

This is the Buffy Summers you know, who wants what every average teenager wants: friends at her new school, decent grades, and to escape her imposed destiny as the next in a long line of vampire slayers tasked with defeating the forces of evil. But the Slayer's world looks a lot more like the one outside your window, as this new series brings her into a new era with new challenges, new friends… and a few enemies you might already recognize. The more things change, the more they stay the same, as the Gang — Giles, Willow, Xander, Cordelia and more — faces brand new Big Bads, and a threat lurking beneath the perfectly manicured exterior of Sunnydale High, confirming what every teenager has always known: high school truly is hell.

Continuity

• This story is an alternative version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer original series, with no sense of continuity between them.
• The events are parallel to the spin-off comic series Angel, crossing over in the miniseries Hellmouth.
• The graphic novel anthologies Chosen Ones and Every Generation, as well as the Willow miniseries, are set in the same universe as this series.

Appearances

Considering the sixteen stories published so far:

• Rupert Giles (13/?)
• Alexander Harris (13/?)
• Willow Rosenberg (13/?)
• Robin Wood (11/?)
• Buffy Summers (10/?)
• Rose Martinez (9/?)
• Joyce Summers (8/?)
• Jennifer Calendar (7/?)
• Kendra Young (7/?)
• Anyanka (6/?)
• Cordelia Chase (6/?)
• Drusilla (6/?)
• Eric (5/?)
• Spike (5/?)
• Angel (3/?)
• Camazotz (3/?)
• Luke (2/?)
• Harmony Kendall (1/?)
• Sandy Noxon (1/?)
• Siphon (1/?)
• Swanson (1/?)
• Vea (1/?)
• Sam Zabuto (1/?)

Publications

Issues

Cover	Issue	Release date
	Buffy the Vampire Slayer #1	January 23, 2019
	Writer: Jordie Bellaire	Artist: Dan Mora
	Go back to the beginning as Buffy the Vampire Slayer is reimagined under the guidance of series creator Joss Whedon. Buffy Summers wants what every average teenager wants: friends at her new school, decent grades, and to escape her imposed destiny as the next in a long line of vampire slayers tasked with defeating the forces of evil.
	Buffy the Vampire Slayer #2	February 27, 2019
	Writer: Jordie Bellaire	Artist: Dan Mora
	The reimagining of Joss Whedon's groundbreaking series continues as Drusilla, the self-proclaimed Mistress and her pet, Spike, make their debut with their sights set on Buffy! Meanwhile, Giles is determined to teach Buffy about her destiny, responsibility, blah blah… can someone tell him to chill? How bad can it get?
	Buffy the Vampire Slayer #3	March 13, 2019
	Writer: Jordie Bellaire	Artist: Dan Mora
	The reimagining of Joss Whedon's groundbreaking series reaches the penultimate chapter of the first arc as Buffy and the Scooby Gang (the name was Xander's idea, he's workshopping it, it probably won't stick) delve deeper into the heart of Sunnydale's underbelly — and make a shocking discovery about the true nature of the Hellmouth. Meanwhile, Drusilla — aka the Mistress — sets her sights on Cordelia, as Cordy and Spike find accidental common ground.
	Buffy the Vampire Slayer #4	April 17, 2019
	Writer: Jordie Bellaire	Artist: Dan Mora
	The reimagining of Joss Whedon's groundbreaking series reaches the game-changing final chapter of the first arc as Buffy and the Scooby Gang (the name was Xander's idea, he's workshopping it, it probably won't stick) delve deeper into the heart of Sunnydale's underbelly — and make a shocking discovery about the true nature of the Hellmouth. There's no turning back for anyone on Team Slayer in this absolutely mind-blowing issue that fans can't afford to miss.
	Buffy the Vampire Slayer #5	June 5, 2019
	Writer: Jordie Bellaire	Artist: David López
	The reimagining of Joss Whedon's groundbreaking series jumps straight into the first chapter of the new story as Buffy and her friends deal with recent shocking events, friends turned foe, and enemies who might be allies, along with all the usual high school drama. Buffy's world has turned upside down, and it's only a matter of time before something comes along to tip her straight over into the darkness, but will she recognize the danger when it arrives or will it sneak into her life and sow the seeds of chaos from within?
	Buffy the Vampire Slayer #6	July 3, 2019
	Writer: Jordie Bellaire	Artist: David López
	Nothing will ever be the same after the attack on Xander. But with the Mistress Drusilla and Spike closer to opening the Hellmouth, Buffy is out of time to save her friend — and everyone else in Sunnydale!
	Buffy the Vampire Slayer #7	August 7, 2019
	Writer: Jordie Bellaire	Artist: David López, Sas Milledge
	The Scoobies are in disarray, and after the huge sacrifices she made last issue, Willow is still grappling with the consequences of losing such a monumental piece of her life. Was the sacrifice worth it? Or does this spell the end for the Scooby Gang as Buffy's friends and family deal with the fallout from recent events and attempt to put the pieces of their lives back together?
	Buffy the Vampire Slayer #8	September 4, 2019
	Writer: Jordie Bellaire	Artist: David López
	While the Slayer and the rest of the Scooby Gang were fighting to save Xander's soul, the Mistress Drusilla and her lieutenant Spike were busy searching for a way to open the gates of the Hellmouth so they could flood Sunnydale, then eventually the world, with demons and hell on Earth. And they're close. Can Buffy stop them in time to save the world from utter destruction?
	Buffy the Vampire Slayer #9	November 6, 2019
	Writer: Jordie Bellaire	Artist: David López
	The events of the historic Buffy and Angel event, HELLMOUTH, have left the town of Sunnydale without its Slayer. And since Buffy's missing in action, it’s up to the All-New Scooby Gang of Cordelia, Robin, Willow and Xander to save everyone in town. There's just one problem — the Hellmouth is spreading evil throughout the city, putting everyone under its thrall. As the inhabitants of Sunnydale turn on one another, will the Scooby Gang be enough to save the town from utter chaos and destruction?
	Buffy the Vampire Slayer #10	December 4, 2019
	Writer: Jordie Bellaire	Artist: David López
	With Buffy in Hell, someone new has answered the call to save what's left of Sunnydale. Who is this mysterious new Slayer? And how will the new blood cope with a team made up of a newly empowered witch and a half-human, half-vampire sidekick?
	Buffy the Vampire Slayer #11	January 8, 2020
	Writer: Jordie Bellaire	Artist: David López
	An evil and powerful magic from the open HELLMOUTH has taken over the men of Sunnydale, and it's up to Willow, Cordelia, and the new Chosen One, Kendra, to fend off the enthralled men of the town or there won't be a Sunnydale for Buffy to come back to! That is… if she's coming back at all.
	Buffy the Vampire Slayer #12	February 5, 2020
	Writer: Jordie Bellaire	Artist: David López
	As TEAM KENDRA fights for their town against the Hellmouth-possessed hivemind, Willow and Xander begin to feel the cost of sharing a soul between them. With darkness creeping into the place a soul should be, one of them will start down a road that they can’t turn back from.
	Buffy the Vampire Slayer #13	March 4, 2020
	Writer: Jordie Bellaire	Artist: Rosemary Valero-O'Connell
	After the game-changing conclusion to Hellmouth, The Slayer must defend Sunnydale... AND IT'S KENDRA? But as The New Slayer must confront an all-new threat to the ENTIRE WORLD, she'll need to pull the Scooby gang together once more after what happened to Buffy... WAIT... WHAT HAPPENED TO BUFFY?
	Buffy the Vampire Slayer #14	May 20, 2020
	Writer: Jordie Bellaire	Artist: Julian Lopez
	Kendra The Vampire Slayer — and the all-new Scooby gang — must defend Sunnydale from the aftershocks of the Hellmouth and a new threat that feels very familiar! But can they fill the void left behind by Buffy?
	Buffy the Vampire Slayer #15	July 1, 2020
	Writer: Jordie Bellaire	Artist: Ramon Bachs
	Buffy and Robin can finally go on a date, but with everything that was revealed during Hellmouth, do they have a future together?
	Buffy the Vampire Slayer #16	August 5, 2020
	Writer: Jordie Bellaire	Artist: Ramon Bachs
	When a beloved teacher from their school goes missing, Buffy and Kendra will have to put aside their differences to uncover the true threat — whose identity will shake both Slayers to their cores!
	Buffy the Vampire Slayer #17	September 2, 2020
	Writer: Jordie Bellaire	Artist: David López
	After the devastating effects of Hellmouth, the Watcher's Council convenes to make sure it never happens again. But when recent Watcher initiate Wesley Wyndam-Pryce stumbles across a dark secret, he learns of a conspiracy decades in the making — one that binds Robin, Giles and the Slayer.
	Buffy the Vampire Slayer #18	October 7, 2020
	Writer: Jordie Bellaire	Artist: Ramon Bachs
	The conflict brewing between Buffy and Kendra has finally come to a head! With multiple allies injured, the two Slayers feel they can no longer compromise — which is the perfect opportunity for the new Big Bad to make his move...

Extras

Cover	Title	Release date
	"Frenemies"	May 4, 2019
	Writer: Jordie Bellaire	Artist: Dan Mora, Serg Acuña
	There's something evil lurking under Sunnydale High School, namely a gateway to a hell dimension that's been foretold to destroy the world as we know it. Buffy and the gang have mostly got it under control… as long as everything stays exactly as it is, and we mean zero new plot points, no new characters, and absolutely no twists, turns, or misunderstood prophecies. Easy peasy!

Trade paperbacks

Cover	Title	Issues	Release date
	High School Is Hell	1–4	May 8, 2019
	Go back to the beginning as the critically acclaimed pop culture phenomenon Buffy the Vampire Slayer is reimagined under the guidance of series creator Joss Whedon! This is the Buffy Summers you know, who wants what every average teenager wants: friends at her new school, decent grades, and to escape her imposed destiny as the next in a long line of vampire slayers tasked with defeating the forces of evil… only this time around, her world looks a lot more like the one outside your window.
	Once Bitten	5–8	February 19, 2020
	Buffy Summers — the Slayer, the Chosen One meant to save the world from the literal evil forces of hell — must save her friend Xander before he dies… and returns as a vampire. As Giles and Willow each take drastic measures to find a cure, Buffy must face the hardest choice of her already not-so-easy life: save her friend or stop her new enemies, Drusilla (AKA The Mistress) and Spike from opening the Hellmouth. But where does the mysterious vampire with a soul named Angel fit into this mess? And what secret is he hiding that will forever change the war between the Slayer and the Mistress?
	From Beneath You	9–12	June 10, 2020
	Drusilla has opened the Hellmouth! With no time to waste, Buffy must do what any good Slayer would do — namely running directly into the heart of the problem. But where does that leave the rest of Sunnydale? Xander, Willow, Cordelia, and the rest of the gang must find a way to battle demons both inside and out, without their Chosen One to help them. Is this the end of the Scooby Gang?
	Frenemies	13–16	October 13, 2020
	After the shocking conclusion to the Hellmouth event, The Slayer must defend Sunnydale... AND IT'S KENDRA? Welcome to the next era of the Buffy-verse... the Ring of Fire! That's right, there's a New Slayer in Sunnydale must confront an all-new threat to the ENTIRE WORLD and she'll need to pull the Scooby gang together once more after what happened to Buffy… WAIT... WHAT HAPPENED TO BUFFY?
	Hellmouth Gift Set	9–12, others	November 3, 2020
	Buffy and her Scooby Gang will have to muster all their strength as they deal with an open Hellmouth that threatens the lives of everyone they love in Sunnydale. Meanwhile, Angel, the vampire cursed with a soul, arrives in town to find his redemption by doing whatever it takes to close the Hellmouth... and no human, demon or Slayer will stand in his way. It’s the historic first ever Buffy & Angel comic book event as our heroes meet face-to-face in the world-ending horror hundreds of years in the making — the opening of the gates to the Hellmouth!
	The Biggest Bad	17–20	April 6, 2021
	WHO WATCHES THE WATCHERS? Willow has returned to Sunnydale with a secret about Buffy and the Scooby Gang that'll change everything you they ever that they knew! There's just one problem — Willow can't share this secret just yet. But a countdown may have have started on Buffy's time as a Slayer, as the rotten truth about the Watcher's Council that binds Robin, Giles and the Slayer Before will be revealed... starting with a young Watcher named Wesley.

Hardcovers

Cover	Title	Issues	Release date
	High School Is Hell Deluxe Edition	1–12, others	March 9, 2021
	An oversized hardcover collection of BOOM! Studios' critically acclaimed reimagining of Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer, with an all new story featuring fan favorite Wesley Wyndam-Pryce.

Behind the scenes

• The subscription to the series at Boom! Studios reveals a prospect of at least 12 issues in addition to the current releases.
• The single issues have a recap section written from Cordelia's point of view since issue #2, then by Anya's since issue #12.
• At the end of the issue, there's a letters to the editor, called Sunnydale High Sentinel, which includes a "Daily School Bulletin" with details about school life.
• Series creator Joss Whedon is credited as story consultant. Editor Jeanine Schaefer has described his involvement in the series: "He read all our plots and the year-long story that we have planned. We walked him through the character beats to make sure we are servicing them properly for the fans, and for them as characters and for the universe. He's also asked us some tough questions and set some parameters we had to answer before we moved forward. Making sure we answer those questions is the most important part. He's really on board."
• The first issue of the series won as "Licensed Comic of the Year" for the Diamond Gem Awards 2019.