Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight is a comic book series from Dark Horse Comics, published from March 2007 to January 2011. It is the canonical continuation of the seventh season of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer television series.
Premise[]
Buffy and Xander now lead the Slayer Organization command center, which is situated at a citadel in Scotland. At their disposal are a wide array of witches and Slayers, along with a vast amount of technology. There are 1,800 Slayers worldwide according to Buffy, almost 500 of whom are working with the Scoobies, separated into 10 squads. Squads include Andrew's in Italy, Robin's in Cleveland, Rona's in Chicago, and Vi's in New York City. For Buffy's protection and because her name is feared worldwide, two decoys are put in place: one partying in Rome with the Immortal, and one acting underground.
In the wake of Sunnydale's destruction, elements within the United States military view them as an army akin to terrorist cells and characterize Buffy as a "charismatic, uncompromising and completely destructive" leader. General Voll, a member of a mystically aware government project, describes fear of their resources, power and ideology. The government has teamed with Sunnydale survivor/powerful witch Amy Madison and villain Warren Mears, both of whom seek revenge from Willow. Simultaneously, a British socialite Slayer Lady Genevieve Savidge plots to usurp Buffy's place in the Slayer hierarchy, and a shrewd cabal of Japanese vampires scheme to reverse the global activation of Potential Slayers. The appearances of these villains so far appear connected to "Twilight," the enigmatic Big Bad of the season, a masked person who plans to destroy all of the Slayers and bring the end of magic.
A subplot involves the repercussions of Dawn's college relationship with Kenny, who cursed her with mystical transformations: into a giant, a centaur then a living doll. Among the core group, Buffy is for a time romantically drawn to the Slayer Satsu, and Xander to the Slayer Renee; Willow's relationship with the core group is more estranged, while she protectively withholds Kennedy from her friends. Giles and Buffy, at odds, have momentarily fallen from speaking terms with one another. Giles now works with Faith, in trying to prevent more Slayers from going rogue. Along with these new obstacles, Harmony exposes vampires to the world at large, causing pop cultural love for vampires and animosity towards Slayers.
Continuity[]
- The events take place after "Chosen," "Antique," After the Fall, Part Seventeen, and Stranger Things.
- The story is concomitant to the Tales stories The Thrill and "Carpe Noctem."
- The Season Nine story "Magical Mystery Tour, Featuring the Beetles" takes place before the conclusion of this season.
- The series continues in Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine and Angel & Faith.
Appearances[]
- Buffy Summers (38/40)
- Alexander Harris (36/40)
- Willow Rosenberg (34/40)
- Dawn Summers (31/40)
- Rupert Giles (23/40)
- Andrew Wells (21/40)
- Angel (21/40)
- Faith Lehane (19/40)
- Leah (18/40)
- Amy Madison (15/40)
- Satsu (15/40)
- Kennedy (14/40)
- Warren Mears (14/40)
- Rowena (12/40)
- The General (9/40)
- Renee (8/40)
- Spike (7/40)
- Daniel Osbourne (6/40)
- Riley Finn (5/40)
- Simone Doffler (5/40)
- Dracula (4/40)
- Melaka Fray (4/40)
- Master (4/40)
- Kumiko Ishihara (4/40)
- Raidon (4/40)
- Roden (4/40)
- Genevieve Savidge (4/40)
- Toru (4/40)
- Erin Fray (3/40)
- Gates (3/40)
- Ethan Rayne (3/40)
- Violet (3/40)
- Gunther (2/40)
- Harth Fray (2/40)
- Harmony Kendall (2/40)
- Trafalgar (2/40)
- Clement (1/40)
Publications[]
The series included 40 issues and 7 extra stories, collected in eight trade paperbacks, four hardcovers, and two omnibuses.
Issues[]
| Cover | Title | Issue | Release date |
|---|---|---|---|
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The Long Way Home, Part One | 1 | March 14, 2007 |
| Writer: Joss Whedon | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| Since the destruction of the Hellmouth, the Slayers — newly legion — have gotten organized and are kicking some serious undead butt. But not everything's fun and firearms, as an old enemy reappears and Dawn experiences some serious growing pains… | |||
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The Long Way Home, Part Two | 2 | April 4, 2007 |
| Writer: Joss Whedon | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| The destruction of Buffy's hometown, plus covert and powerful slayer "cells" around the world, add up to a new label for the Scoobies: Terrorist threat. Speaking of Sunnydale, the crater formerly known as, has opened to reveal the witch Amy, and boy is she pissed. Now: Giles, smoochies, a knife to the heart, and a big sleep. Season Eight continues. | |||
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The Long Way Home, Part Three | 3 | May 2, 2007 |
| Writer: Joss Whedon | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| With Buffy incapacitated, Amy the witch has taken the opportunity to-get this-lay siege with an army of the undead. Willow takes her on in a witches' battle royal as hundreds of Slayers defend their Scottish citadel, but without the kiss of true love, Buffy will be out of commission indefinitely — with an unwelcome familiar face, and an image you won't soon forget. | |||
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The Long Way Home, Part Four | 4 | June 6, 2007 |
| Writer: Joss Whedon | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| Buffy's back in action, thanks to a kiss of true love, but Willow's another story entirely — their capture of Amy the witch opened up a magical trap door, and now the Wiccan is in the belly of the beast. To make matters worse, she's at the mercy of someone truly bent on revenge, and he's been waiting for this for a long time. The conclusion to Season Eight's first arc. | |||
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The Chain | 5 | July 25, 2007 |
| Writer: Joss Whedon | Artist: Paul Lee | ||
| Buffy's new position as leader and figurehead of the world's five hundred most powerful women has made her a bigger target than ever before. "The Chain" tells the story of one of the decoy "Buffy" Slayers, a tale personally important to series creator Joss Whedon. Guest artist Paul Lee pencils the first standalone issue of Season Eight. | |||
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No Future for You, Part One | 6 | September 5, 2007 |
| Writer: Brian K. Vaughan | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| The second arc of our bestselling Season Eight starts here. Top creator Brian K. Vaughan takes over writing duties and dives headlong into what Faith is up to-infiltration, assassination, and nonstop Cleveland. The fugitive Slayer is given the assignment that could change her life… if Giles's specialized training doesn't make her want to end it first. | |||
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No Future for You, Part Two | 7 | October 3, 2007 |
| Writer: Brian K. Vaughan | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| Faith's out to kill a Slayer. Lady Genevieve Savidge is one of the most dangerous women on the planet. If she's left unstopped, the British heiress will usher in the apocalypse. Faith has accepted Giles's offer of an early retirement package for this gig — but the wetworks will have to wait till she's infiltrated Savidge's mystically protected estate. | |||
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No Future for You, Part Three | 8 | November 7, 2007 |
| Writer: Brian K. Vaughan | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| Faith hits the ground running after she infiltrates the estate of a rogue Slayer, that is until Buffy pops in and is confronted by her longtime nemesis. Certainly, chaos ensues. | |||
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No Future for You, Part Four | 9 | December 5, 2007 |
| Writer: Brian K. Vaughan | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| Slayers battle to the death in the thrilling conclusion to Brian K. Vaughan's four-issue run on Buffy Season Eight. | |||
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Anywhere but Here | 10 | January 2, 2008 |
| Writer: Joss Whedon | Artist: Cliff Richards | ||
| Buffy and Willow meet a demon who reveals a dim future, forcing the two to reflect on their past. Meanwhile, back in Scotland, Dawn confides in Xander the deed that led to her mysterious growth spurt. | |||
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A Beautiful Sunset | 11 | February 6, 2008 |
| Writer: Joss Whedon | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| An ill-prepared Buffy comes face to face with the new Big Bad in the form of an old-fashioned death match in this standalone issue titled A Beautiful Sunset. | |||
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Wolves at the Gate, Part One | 12 | March 5, 2008 |
| Writer: Drew Goddard | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| Acclaimed television series writer, Drew Goddard, takes the reins on Season Eight with his four-issue arc titled "Wolves at the Gate." The gang (yep, Dawn too) travels to Tokyo where they duel vampires with unusual, yet strangely familiar, powers. | |||
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Wolves at the Gate, Part Two | 13 | April 2, 2008 |
| Writer: Drew Goddard | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| Drew Goddard continues his story arc "Wolves at the Gate," which has Buffy and the gang fighting a team of über vamps in Tokyo. In order to better understand their mysterious new foes, Xander must recruit an old ally to join in their cause to defeat this new danger. | |||
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Wolves at the Gate, Part Three | 14 | May 7, 2008 |
| Writer: Drew Goddard | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| The Scoobies' mysterious new foes have obtained a powerful instrument that may destroy everything that Buffy has worked so hard to build. Acclaimed screenwriter, Drew Goddard continues his fun-filled romp through Tokyo with Wolves at the Gate part 3. | |||
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Wolves at the Gate, Part Four | 15 | June 4, 2008 |
| Writer: Drew Goddard | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| Having traveled from her base in Scotland, Buffy ventures to the heart of Japan in order to reclaim her stolen scythe, in Drew Goddard's conclusion to Wolves at the Gate. Along the way, Buffy and the legion of Slayers join forces with the irresistible Dracula to defeat a tight-nit group of nefarious vampires, in which the Slayers suffer a massive hit. | |||
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Time of Your Life, Part One | 16 | July 2, 2008 |
| Writer: Joss Whedon | Artist: Karl Moline | ||
| On a hot tip, Buffy and Willow head to Manhattan hoping to unlock the secrets of Buffy's mysterious scythe, but something goes terribly awry when Buffy suddenly finds herself transported to an unknown world, and into the path of future Slayer Fray. | |||
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Time of Your Life, Part Two | 17 | August 6, 2008 |
| Writer: Joss Whedon | Artist: Karl Moline | ||
| After a shaky introduction, Buffy and Fray must join forces in order to discover the purpose of their meeting, and its impact on the world at large. | |||
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Time of Your Life, Part Three | 18 | September 3, 2008 |
| Writer: Joss Whedon | Artist: Karl Moline | ||
| A powerful enemy from Buffy's past confronts the Slayer and Frayin the future, having allied with Fray's greatest foe. Meanwhile, Dawn's gone through another bizarre change. | |||
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Time of Your Life, Part Four | 19 | November 26, 2008 |
| Writer: Joss Whedon | Artist: Karl Moline | ||
| Buffy and Fray take on a powerful foe, who's lasted hundreds of years just so she can bring down the last two Slayers. | |||
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After These Messages... We'll Be Right Back! | 20 | December 17, 2008 |
| Writer: Jeph Loeb | Artists: Georges Jeanty, Eric Wight | ||
| Acclaimed comic-book writer Jeph Loeb was set to executive produce, alongside Joss Whedon and animator Eric Wight, the proposed Buffy animated TV series. While Buffy fans won't be viewing that show anytime soon, Loeb, Wight, and Whedon offer the next best thing — a comic inspired by the animated series! | |||
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Harmonic Divergence | 21 | January 7, 2009 |
| Writer: Jane Espenson | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| Television writer Jane Espenson returns to Buffy the Vampire Slayer in Season Eight. Espenson is the first of five acclaimed writers that tackle this groundbreaking story arc — where Buffy fans are introduced to a new world where vampires are in and Slayers are out. Cue Harmony, the bubblegum cheerleader from Sunnydale High whose ambitions include blood sucking and stardom. | |||
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Swell | 22 | February 4, 2009 |
| Writer: Steven S. DeKnight | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| Vampires are the hottest thing around — forget hipsters; being a bloodsucking fiend is where's it's at! Slayers must take the good fight underground if they're to avoid any bad press from the general public. When Kennedy is sent to Japan to evaluate Satsu's efforts as team leader, they are taken by surprise by some fierce furry creatures who want to do nothing more than destroy Buffy (surprise!), while Twilight remains the captain of the anti-Slayer ship. | |||
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Predators and Prey | 23 | March 4, 2009 |
| Writer: Drew Z. Greenberg | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| It's Buffy — and Andrew — on a mission in Italy… together! Awkward? Yes! Since Harmony's television stunt, the ensuing of general vampire-love from the masses, and the destruction of the Scotland base, operations at Slayer headquarters have been somewhat strained. Rogue Slayers — Simone and her gang — have not been helping Slayer-civilian relations with their attacks against the military, bank robbing, and occasional snitching at Hot Topic. Now, Andrew has a lead on how to gain intel on Simone's plans… but he has to go to Italy — now! With Xander and Willow busy holding together their Slayer legions Buffy seems to be the only one with an open schedule to act as Andrew's backup. Hours of travel… just Buffy and Andrew… Really? | |||
|
Safe | 24 | April 1, 2009 |
| Writer: Jim Krueger | Artist: Cliff Richards | ||
| Faith. Giles. Let's catch up! In an amazing one-shot issue, the esteemed Jim Krueger fleshes out the go-to girl for dirty deeds, Faith, and her new partner, Giles. After her last thankless escapade, where she put a stop to Buffy-hunting Slayer and kindred spirit Lady Gigi, Faith decided that though she's determined to be finished with bloodshed, she's not ready to leave misguided Slayers (like Gigi) with nowhere to turn. Fast-forward to the present… bloodshed still abounds, and the Faith-and-Giles team is still finding out what it really means to help those chosen to slay… | |||
|
Living Doll | 25 | May 6, 2009 |
| Writer: Doug Petrie | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| The spell little Dawnie got whacked with by the Thricewise demon she angered just keeps… evolving. First, she's a giant; then, she's a centaur; now, she's a… what?! Buffy, ever busy saving the world, will finally have to take action regarding her little sis when Dawn's mysterious disappearance makes it a priority. At least, she better be in some sort of danger, or Buffy's going to kick her butt for wasting precious time acting like an attention-seeking teen — which is what Dawn is, after all. | |||
|
Retreat, Part One | 26 | July 1, 2009 |
| Writer: Jane Espenson | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| Team Buffy has become all about sneaky in a world where Slayers are now feared and hated, and vampires would rank at the top of a popularity poll. All hands are on deck as Scotland's brand-newest Slayer headquarters comes under attack; but, when things get more than a little fried, Buffy has to punt. There are yaks. | |||
|
Retreat, Part Two | 27 | August 5, 2009 |
| Writer: Jane Espenson | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| Slayers are out. Vampires are in. Mysterious big bad Twilight has just become a bigger bad — he can zero in on Team Buffy and her army of Slayers by tracking their use of magic. But Buffy and her allies have taken their submarine — yes, Buffy picked up one of those… they're a necessary piece of equip — straight to the only person she knows with an inside track on suppressing magic: the werewolf Oz. In the yak-filled mountains of Tibet, Oz has found his peace and formed a new life. The butter tea flows freely at the reunion, where — among other fun reunion-y things — Buffy learns that suppressing her demon side could be the biggest risk of all… | |||
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Retreat, Part Three | 28 | September 2, 2009 |
| Writer: Jane Espenson | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| Buffy and her group of Slayers use hard labor and meditation to suppress their inherent magic in order to remain hidden from Twilight. Meanwhile, Andrew uses his videocamera to seek out and expose a spy amongst them — but it may be too late. | |||
|
Retreat, Part Four | 29 | October 7, 2009 |
| Writer: Jane Espenson | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| Having been discovered by Twilight and his army, the Slayer Organization prepare to do battle with human weapons in order to survive to fight another day. | |||
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Retreat, Part Five | 30 | November 4, 2009 |
| Writer: Jane Espenson | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| The epic battle between the Slayers and Twilight's army rages in the Tibetan mountains. Without their magic, how will the Slayers hope to be victorious? | |||
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Turbulence | 31 | January 13, 2010 |
| Writer: Joss Whedon | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| Without powers the Slayers are unable to keep up the fight against missile fire, grenade launchers, and tanks. It would seem that all is lost, and Buffy — all alone — must make her last stand on a battlefield covered in the bodies of friends and foes. | |||
|
Twilight, Part One | 32 | February 3, 2010 |
| Writer: Brad Meltzer | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| Faster than a speeding— you know. More powerful than a— yeah, one of those. Able to leap tall... castles in a single bound. Still working on that x-ray-vision thing. In the aftermath of battle with Twilight's army, Buffy has developed a host of new powers, but when will the other shoe drop, and will it be a cute shoe, or an ugly one? Still reeling from the losses of war, Willow goes looking for missing allies and discovers a horrifying truth about several of the Slayer army's recent ordeals. | |||
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Twilight, Part Two | 33 | March 3, 2010 |
| Writer: Brad Meltzer | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| The Slayer army has suffered heavy losses throughout Season Eight and faced all kinds of threats new and old, but the one mystery connecting it all has been the identity of the Big Bad: Twilight. In this issue, Buffy finally confronts Twilight one on one, setting the stage for Twilight's unmasking in Buffy #34! | |||
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Twilight, Part Three | 34 | April 7, 2010 |
| Writer: Brad Meltzer | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| Twilight has been unmasked! Buildings fall, oceans churn, and the earth moves as titans come together in a bizarre twist! We also see some intense passions. | |||
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Twilight, Part Four | 35 | May 5, 2010 |
| Writer: Brad Meltzer | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| The conclusion of the "Twilight" story arc. | |||
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Last Gleaming, Part One | 36 | September 1, 2010 |
| Writer: Joss Whedon | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| The Big Bad-Twilight finally stands revealed, and it's tearing the Scoobies apart, testing the limits of their friendship. Seems like a perfect time for Spike to come back. Joss Whedon writes the final five issues of Buffy Season 8, taking his greatest characters to places only he can take them! Teamed with series artist Georges Jeanty, Joss counts down to the biggest Buffy final ever-and it starts right here! | |||
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Last Gleaming, Part Two | 37 | October 6, 2010 |
| Writers: Joss Whedon, Scott Allie | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| Spike and Buffy are finally reunited (*sigh*) and lucky him-he's discovered the source of all her problems, and it's not Angel. Now Buffy must revisit the place where love was indiscriminate, the Scoobies were formed, and Hell's mouth was closed for good. Joss Whedon and Georges Jeanty launch readers into the finale of Buffy Season Eight, promising more adventure, twists, and turns. Bonds are tested, lives altered, and oh!-the fate of humanity hangs in the balance. | |||
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Last Gleaming, Part Three | 38 | November 3, 2010 |
| Writers: Joss Whedon, Scott Allie | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| While Super Buffy is fighting side by side with Spike in Sunnydale, Angel is on the other side of the world fighting demons of his own. As Twilight he was given a clear mission in regard to Buffy — help her reach the next plane, together create a new world, and end all suffering. But Buffy doesn't play by the rules, and this "higher plane" and a lifetime of happiness with Angel wasn't gonna cut it — not if she had to sacrifice her family to keep it. And now Angel has to answer for his failings as Twilight — willingly or not. Back in Sunnydale everyone is fighting for their lives against a horde of demons, and someone close to Buffy joins forces with a villain from the past to strive for a common goal — protect the seed. The finale of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight is in full effect, and you won't want to miss a single beat of Joss Whedon and Georges Jeanty's fateful conclusion years in the making. | |||
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Last Gleaming, Part Four | 39 | December 1, 2010 |
| Writers: Joss Whedon, Scott Allie | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| It's war, and there will be casualties not soon forgotten as Buffy faces her most fearsome enemy. Buffy creator Joss Whedon and series artist Georges Jeanty join forces for the most emotional issue to date as they approach the finale of Season Eight. | |||
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Last Gleaming, Part Five | 40 | January 19, 2011 |
| Writer: Joss Whedon | Artist: Georges Jeanty | ||
| Season Eight has at last brought Buffy the long way home, and betrayal comes in the shape of the closest, most unexpected individual of all. Reeling from their losses, the Scoobies will never be the same again. | |||
Extras[]
| Cover | Title | Release date |
|---|---|---|
|
"HARM" | January 14, 2009 |
| Artists: Georges Jeanty, Karl Moline | ||
|
"Harmony Bites" | January 1, 2009 |
| Writer: Jane Espenson | Artist: Karl Moline | |
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"Vampy Cat Play Friend" | February 1, 2009 |
| Writer: Steven S. DeKnight | Artist: Camilla d'Errico | |
|
"Always Darkest" | July 1, 2009 |
| Writer: Joss Whedon | Artist: Jo Chen | |
|
"Harmony Comes to the Nation" | August 1, 2009 |
| Writer: Jane Espenson | Artist: Karl Moline | |
|
Willow: Goddesses and Monsters | December 23, 2009 |
| Writer: Joss Whedon | Artist: Karl Moline | |
| Willow Rosenberg has worn many faces — a shy computer geek, a loyal friend, a passionate lover, a fierce Wiccan, and a dark Willow. Now in Season Eight of the critically acclaimed, award-winning Buffy comics series, Willow's powers have grown exponentially. She can fly. Teleport. And may or may not be immortal. All we know is that Willow went on a walkabout following the demise of Sunnydale, and she met a very sultry, extremely powerful serpent lady who seems to be the key to unraveling the mysteries of what Willow is, and will become. | ||
|
Riley: Commitment Through Distance, Virtue Through Sin | August 18, 2010 |
| Writer: Jane Espenson | Artist: Karl Moline | |
| In the midst of the battle, Buffy's former flame, the demon fighting soldier Riley Finn, seemingly in league with Twilight, was revealed as a double agent working for the Slayer army. Now Espenson and artist Karl Moline uncover the secrets of Riley's recruitment by Buffy, his infiltration of Twilight's inner circle, and what's become of him and his superspy wife, Sam. | ||
Trade paperbacks[]
| Cover | Title | Issues | Release date |
|---|---|---|---|
|
The Long Way Home | 1–5 | October 31, 2007 |
| Since the destruction of the Hellmouth, the Slayers-newly legion-have gotten organized and are kicking some serious undead butt. But not everything's fun and firearms, as an old enemy reappears and Dawn experiences some serious growing pains. Meanwhile, one of the "Buffy" decoy slayers is going through major pain of her own. | |||
|
No Future for You | 6–10 | May 14, 2008 |
| When a rogue debutant Slayer begins to use her power for evil, Giles is forced to recruit the rebellious Faith, who isn't exactly known for her good deeds. Giles offers Faith a clean slate if she can stop this snooty Slayer from wreaking total havoc — that is, if Buffy doesn't beat her to it. | |||
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Wolves at the Gate | 11–15 | November 19, 2008 |
| Vampires that, at will, can transform into wolves, panthers, insects, or fog invade the Slayer base of operations in northern Scotland, and not only walk away unscathed, but in possession of Buffy's scythe, the symbol of Slayer power worldwide. Buffy and the Slayer legion travel to Tokyo in order to learn more about their dangerous new foes, as Xander journeys to Transylvania to solicit the only person they've ever known to possess such power: Dracula. | |||
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Time of Your Life | 16–20 | May 6, 2009 |
| Willow and Buffy head to New York City to unlock the secrets of Buffy's mysterious scythe, when something goes terribly awry. Buffy is propelled into a dystopian future where there's only one Slayer — Fray, the title character of Joss Whedon's 2001 series, the first comic he ever wrote. Their uneasy alliance falls apart, leading to the death of a major character from the TV series, while back in the twenty-first century, the Scotland base falls prey to a mystical bomb courtesy of the Biggest Bad-Twilight. | |||
|
Predators and Prey | 21–25, extras | September 30, 2009 |
| Buffy's world goes awry when former-classmate-turned-vampire Harmony Kendall lands her own reality TV show, Harmony Bites, bolstering bloodsucking fiends in the mainstream. Humans line up to have their blood consumed, and Slayers, through a series of missteps, misfortunes, and anti-Slayer propaganda driven by the mysterious Twilight, are forced into hiding. In Germany, Faith and Giles discover a town where Slayers retreat from a world that has turned against them, only to find themselves in the arms of something far worse. A rogue-Slayer faction displaces an entire Italian village, living up to their tarnished reputation as power-hungry thieves. And finally, with the help of a would-be demon lover, Dawn addresses her unfaltering insecurities. | |||
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Retreat | 26–30, extras | March 3, 2010 |
| Vampires have solid footing at the top of the totem and Slayers have been crushed to the bottom — in short, no one likes Buffy anymore... least of all this season's mysterious Big Bad, Twilight, who is hot on her magical trail! Now that it's the world against Slayers, Buffy must find a way to return the status quo to... status quo — and keep her girls alive long enough to do it! Enter Oz, the only person/werewolf Buffy knows who is down with the suppression of magic, and can take the Slayer army off of Twilight's magic-specific radar. With Oz's assistance, the Slayers and Wiccans try to become "normal" through meditation and hard labor — although, not everyone sees the advantage of being magicless, namely, Willow, Giles, and Andrew. And they could be right. After all, is a peaceful life for a Slayer even possible? | |||
|
Twilight | 31–35, extra | October 6, 2010 |
| Buffy Summers and her Slayer army have suffered heavy losses throughout Season Eight and faced scores of threats new and old, but the one mystery connecting it all has been the identity of the Big Bad — Twilight! In the aftermath of the battle with Twilight's army, Buffy has developed a host of new powers, but when will the other shoe drop, and will it be a cute shoe, or an ugly one? Still reeling from the losses of war, Willow goes looking for missing allies, and discovers a horrifying truth about several of the Slayer army's recent ordeals. Adding to the mayhem is the unexpected return of Angel! | |||
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Last Gleaming | 36–40, extra | June 1, 2011 |
| At long last, the Big Bad stands revealed — Angel is back, and it's tearing the Scoobies apart, testing the limits of their friendship. But Twilight's unmasking is only the beginning, and Buffy must still face the ultimate betrayal. | |||
Library editions[]
| Cover | Title | Issues | Release date |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Season 8 Library Edition, Volume 1 | 1–10, extra | May 30, 2012 |
| After the destruction of the Hellmouth, the Slayers — newly legion — have gotten organized, but it's not long before new and old enemies begin popping up. Buffy, Xander, Willow, and a very different Dawn are introduced to the season's big bad, Twilight, and are only beginning to understand the incredible reach of this mysterious threat. Meanwhile, rebel Slayer Faith teams up with Giles to handle a menace on the other side of the Atlantic. It's a dirty job, and Faith is just the girl to do it! | |||
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Season 8 Library Edition, Volume 2 | 11–20, extra | September 12, 2012 |
| The Slayer legion is organized and encountering mega-obstacles, while Twilight's threatening reach continues to expand. Buffy and her Slayers travel to Tokyo to face a new kind of vampire with powers they've only witnessed in Dracula... Then, Willow and Buffy head to New York to investigate the secrets behind Buffy's scythe; ever full of the unexpected, Buffy is transported to a dystopian future where her first chance meeting is with Fray, future Slayer! | |||
|
Season 8 Library Edition, Volume 3 | 21–30, extras | December 12, 2012 |
| In a strange turn of events, Buffy begins to experience Twilight's reach through the growing mass popularity of vampires — they even have a spokesperson with a reality TV show, Harmony Kendall! Rebel Slayer Faith continues on her journey to help other directionless Slayers, and Slayer Simone has also come back onto the Scoobies' radar. Meanwhile, Dawn finally deals with her ongoing growing pains. | |||
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Season 8 Library Edition, Volume 4 | 31–40, extra | March 20, 2013 |
| Season 8's Big Bad is revealed in Buffy and Twilight's second major encounter. Buffy realizes she is in a fight to save all of humanity. The Slayer reunites with Angel and Spike, searching for the one thing that can save the world, while the Slayer army crumbles and one in their ranks is lost. | |||
Omnibuses[]
| Cover | Title | Issues | Release date |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Omnibus: Season 8, Volume 1 | 1–20, extras | September 13, 2017 |
| Series creator Joss Whedon brought Buffy the Vampire Slayer back to life with this comics-only follow-up to Season 7 of the television show. Aptly named Season 8, these comics are the official sequel to Buffy and continue where the live-action series left off with the Slayer, her friends, and their ongoing challenge to fight the forces of darkness. | |||
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Omnibus: Season 8, Volume 2 | 21–40, extras | March 7, 2018 |
| Creator Joss Whedon's official sequel to Season 7 of the television series continues in this second of two volumes that contain the entirety of the Chosen One's eighth season of fighting demons and dark forces to save the world and mankind. | |||
Behind the scenes[]
Production[]
- The series was originally supposed to consist of about 25 issues,[1] but eventually expanded to a 40-issue run.
- About this season following comic book time style, editor Scott Allie has declared: "I don't think much about what year Season Eight takes place in, or how time is passing. I can't tell you the year of Buffy's death. Season Eight does take place about a year and a half after season seven; but I don't necessarily think of season seven having been in 2003. If you need to see it like that, and can believe in a world full of Slayers and vampires and demons, would you believe Casino Royale came out in 2004? In season six, the kids weren't reacting to 9/11 the way every actual person in America was. Believe me, editing comics, reading comics, if you think too much about what year a comic takes place in, it drives you nuts. Read the stories. Sometimes more time passes between issues than others. Sometimes more time passes within an issue than in others. Everything you need to know to enjoy the story is in there. Timelines kill the spontaneity of a comics story. We recently did a massive timeline for the Hellboy comics, and I couldn't regret it more, because it's hemmed in all sorts of things that never needed for story purposes to be hemmed in."[2]
Awards[]
- The series earned a nomination for "Best Continuing Series"[3] and won the category "Best New Series" for the 2008 Will Eisner Awards.[4]
- The issue The Long Way Home, Part One won two Diamond Gem Awards in 2007, as "Licensed Comic of the Year" and "Comic Book of the Year, under $3.00".[5]
- The collection Wolves at the Gate received a GLAAD Media Award in 2009 as "Outstanding Comic Book," for honoring its representation of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.[6]
International titles[]
- Finnish: Buffy, vampyyrintappaja kausi 8
- French: Buffy contre les vampires, Saison 8
- German: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Staffel 8
- Italian: Buffy l'ammazzavampiri, Ottava stagione
- Portuguese (Brazil): Buffy, a Caça-Vampiros 8.ª Temporada
- Spanish (Spain): Buffy Cazavampiros, Octava Temporada
- Turkish: Buffy Vampir Avcısı Sezon Sekiz
Adaptations[]
- Fox Home Entertainment produced the Season Eight Motion Comic, adapting the first nineteen issues of the season.
References[]
- ↑ "Interview with Buffy creator Joss Whedon 3/26/07." Dark Horse Comics, March 26, 2007.
- ↑ "Ask Scott Allie - August '08." SlayAlive Forum, August 6, 2008.
- ↑ "2008 Eisner Nominations Announced." CBR, April 14, 2008.
- ↑ "2000s." Comic-Con International: San Diego. Retrieved on May 11, 2019.
- ↑ "Diamond Gem Awards." Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc.. Retrieved on May 11, 2019.
- ↑ "Tyra Banks, Suze Orman Honored at 20th Annual GLAAD Media Awards Presented by IBM." GLAAD, March 29, 2009. Archived from the original on May 8, 2009.