The Origin, Part One

Publication

January 13, 1999

Length

22 pages

The Origin #1

Next →
The Origin, Part Two

Colorist(s)

Jeromy Cox
Guy Major

Letterer(s)

Ken Bruzenak

The Origin, Part One is the first issue of The Origin comic book miniseries. Written by Dan Brereton with Christopher Golden and illustrated by Joe Bennett, it was originally published on January 13, 1999, by Dark Horse Comics.

Synopsis[]

The comic book adaption of the cult film starts the New Year off with a bang. Adapted from creator Joss Whedon's original screenplay, witness Buffy's humble beginnings as the Slayer! Follow her trials and tribulations as she comes to accept her destined role, and all the vampire slaying you can handle in a three-issue series. See the original Buffy before she set fire to the red-hot television show.^[1]

Summary[]

A popular high school student, Buffy Summers is planning her next big school dance when she became the Slayer. Merrick, her Watcher, seeks her out and informs her of her destiny.

Continuity[]

The events take place before Buffy moves from Los Angeles to Sunnydale ("Welcome to the Hellmouth").
Buffy's first encounter and patrol with Merrick had been shown as flashbacks in the episode "Becoming, Part One."
Buffy's fight against Robert Berman and the unidentified vampire, as well as the aftermath of this encounter, are eventually told to Dawn in the prose "The First Time."

Appearances[]

Individuals[]

Organizations and titles[]

Los Angeles Police Department (Only mentioned)
Slayer
Watcher

Species[]

Events[]

Hemery High School Dance (Only mentioned)

Locations[]

El Salvador (Only mentioned)
Europe (Only mentioned)
- Spain (Only mentioned)
Los Angeles, USA
- Hemery High School
- Summers residence
Hong Kong, China (Only mentioned)

Objects[]

Cross
Stake

Death count[]

Unidentified vampire, staked by the barmaid Slayer (in flashback).
The barmaid Slayer, killed by Lothos (in flashback).
Grueller, sired by Bessel.
Benny, sired by Amilyn (only mentioned).
Cassandra, killed by Lothos.
Robert Berman, staked by Buffy Summers.
Unidentified female vampire, staked by Buffy.

Behind the scenes[]

Production[]

According to editor Scott Allie, "established Buffy novelist Christopher Golden pitched an adaptation of Joss [Whedon]'s original screenplay, minus the camp of the film, and done in the style of the TV show."^[2]
Unlike the Buffy the Vampire Slayer film, the comic's story is canon. About this, Joss Whedon has stated: "The origin comic, though I have issues with it, CAN pretty much be accepted as canonical. They did a cool job of combining the movie script (the SCRIPT) with the series, that was nice, and using the series Merrick and not a certain OTHER thespian [referring to Donald Sutherland] who shall remain hated."^[3]
The photo cover features a promotional picture taken for Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 1.
Differently from other representations, at this point the comic issues had vampires able to transform into green creatures with red eyes, pointy ears, a wide mouth, and long teeth. Although, this seems more like an artistic choice, not having direct consequence to the stories.

Distribution[]

The Origin, Part One was the 33rd best selling comic issue in its publishing month, with 49,974 sales in January 1999 at comic specialty stores.^[4]

Collections[]

The Origin
Omnibus, Volume 1
Classic 2: The Origin

Pop culture references[]

Buffy mentions shoplifting a lipstick at department store Macy's.
Buffy asks if singer Elvis Presley (1935–1977) have talked to Merrick, questioning his sanity.

Goofs[]

Although Merrick affirms Robert had died three days before, his tombstone has his year of death as 1990, six years before the time this story takes place.