Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2019) 8

The subject of this article is of alternate 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 #8

Publication

September 4, 2019

Length

22 pages

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2019) #8

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer #7	Buffy the Vampire Slayer #9

Buffy the Vampire Slayer #8 is the eight issue of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2019) comic book series. Written by Jordie Bellaire and illustrated by David López, it was published by Boom! Studios on September 4, 2019.

SynopsisEdit

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?^[1]

Summary Edit

At Sunnydale High, Buffy and Xander attend a Halloween party along with their classmates. As Xander teases Buffy about her costume, not recognizing it's supposed to be a bat, and Buffy reveals she hates dressing up. Xander points out that someone in a leather jacket and mask has been checking Buffy out from across the gym. Buffy replies that she isn't here to meet boys but to patrol for monsters on Giles's orders: while monsters lie low on Halloween night, it's only October 28th, and her peers could be at risk.

Giles, meanwhile, is attending Joyce's Egyptian exhibit, accompanied by Jenny. They find Joyce and Eric, introducing themselves and congratulating Joyce on her hard work. After talking about Buffy for a moment, the four of them admire the exhibit, which includes a golden dagger.

From the gym bleachers, Buffy watches Robin dance with another girl, Sandy Noxon. As she stews, the masked man Xander had pointed out approaches her. He asks if Robin is her ex-boyfriend, and Buffy tells him she doesn't have time to date, or do anything else she wants. The man suggests Buffy take some time to think about what she would be doing if she did have the freedom to have fun. He walks away after commenting on Buffy's costume, leaving her angrier than before.

Back at the exhibit, Jenny has found the dagger and points it out to Giles, who recognizes it as the key to opening the Hellmouth. Just as Giles reiterates that Drusilla can never find the dagger, Drusilla herself arrives at the gallery, along with Spike and multiple other vampires. Giles quickly stows the dagger inside of his jacket. As she approaches, Drusilla demands to speak with the exhibit's curator. When she threatens to start killing bystanders, Joyce steps forward, ignoring Eric's warnings. Joyce tells Drusilla she can have what she wants as long as she doesn't hurt anyone.

When Drusilla demands the Dagger of Sekhmet, Joyce finds that it has disappeared. Though Joyce swears she doesn't know where it went, Drusilla threatens that unless she finds it within sixty seconds, either Joyce or Eric will die while the other watches. When time is up, Drusilla orders Spike to kill Joyce. Right before he bites her, Jenny speaks up, revealing that she and Giles took the dagger. Giles has no choice but to hand it over to Drusilla. The vampire recognizes him as the Watcher, and tells him his company is weak for not knowing what's at stake. As Spike begins to celebrate their victory, Drusilla plunges the dagger into his chest. Elsewhere, the seal of the Hellmouth begins to smoke and glow with flames.

The fire alarm at Sunnydale High rings, and Buffy begins ushering students out of the school. The ground splits open, and Buffy and Xander both recognize the fiery scene from their visions. Meanwhile, birds gather on Willow's roof. Inside, Willow floats cross-legged over a pentagram, eyes black, spell books swirling around her.

ContinuityEdit

This story is established as taking place on October 28, 2019.
Angel encounters Buffy for the first time, identifying her from his visions in Angel #4. They'll introduce themselves in Hellmouth, Part One.
Teased once again about her costume in Hellmouth, Part One, Buffy will explain her tail was based on her encounter with the Camazotz in Welcome Back to the Hellmouth, Part Three.
Giles recognizes the appearance and function of the Dagger of Sekhmet from Xander's description in Buffy the Vampire Slayer #6.
The Seal of Danzalthar appears for the first time in this series, after its origins were revealed in "The Mission."
Buffy and Xander recognize the Hellmouth's fire in Sunnydale High School; she from her dream in Welcome Back to the Hellmouth, Part Two, he from his visions in issue #6.
Sandy Noxon, Robin's dancing partner, will be used as a sacrifice to open the Hellmouth, in Hellmouth, Part One.

AppearancesEdit

IndividualsEdit

Organizations and titlesEdit

SpeciesEdit

Bat (Only mentioned)
Cat (Only mentioned)
Demon (Only mentioned)
Dog (Only mentioned)
Human
Vampire

EventsEdit

Halloween (Only mentioned)

LocationsEdit

Egypt (Only mentioned)
United States
- Los Angeles (Only mentioned)
- San Francisco (Only mentioned)
- Sunnydale
  - Gallery
  - Hellmouth (Only mentioned)
  - Rosenberg residence
  - Sunnydale High School

ObjectsEdit

Death countEdit

Unidentified man, bitten by Drusilla.

Behind the scenesEdit

ProductionEdit

Marc Aspinall's cover features Buffy and Angel dressed as herself and Pike in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer film. The staked vampire was modeled after the character Edward in The Twilight Saga films.^[2]
Becca Carey's variant cover pays tribute to the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode "Halloween."
Kelly and Nichole Matthews's variant cover connects with their own for issues Angel #5 and Hellmouth, Part One.

DistributionEdit

Buffy the Vampire Slayer #8 was the 128th best selling comic issue in its publishing month, with 17,706 sales in September 2019 at comic specialty stores.^[3]