Buffy the Vampire Slayer #28: Wake up and Smell the Coffin

I have to admit to being a bit confused by previous issues of this storyline, but the cloud of obfuscation begins to clear this issue. The Watchers have been up to something with Faith, and we learn the details. Silas stays on the hunt and tosses a wrench into the workings of the Watchers. As expected, Ethan is also playing his own game. Anya and a mystery woman have been bouncing around the multiverse saving the Scoobies. In Buffy #28, we find out who our mystery woman is (and you’re going to love the reveal). Buffy and Willow create an attack plan as only Buffy and Willow would.

B-story

Anya and Silas have a past. If you are a fan of Anya, you can guess at the relationship and how it ended. It’s an extra layer of Buffy-lore that adds to the enjoyment of the issue.

The Words

Lambert’s dialogue works. It sounds like the television show, and it moves the plot forward. I especially liked the scene between Ethan and Cordelia. Her matter-of-factness is so Cordelia.

The Art

Valentina Pinti was also the artist on Buffy #25. She did an excellent job on art duties again this issue. Her characters aren’t photo-copy illustrations of the Buffy-cast actors, but they have strong elements of the actor’s attributes. Generally I can tell who’s who with the exceptions of Cordelia and Anya. There’s one panel of Faith waking up that could be right out of the television show. It’s absolutely creepy. Raul Angulo’s colors continue to be a strong factor in Buffy #28. Blue tints for outside. Greens and purples reflecting magic effects.

Between the Panels

The panels do exactly what we need them to do subtly moving us through the comic with no confusion about reading order. Ed Dukeshire’s word balloons and sound affects add to the comic; i.e., Silas having his own style speech bubbles and “tweet, tweet, tweet” of Ethan’s wards. The “To Be Continued” in the Buffy logo font is inspired.

Themes

If you met multiverse doppelgangers would you feel friendly, sisterly, envious, or inadequate? There are a lot of comics and movies running with a multiverse concept (DC Comics and the MCU). None of them are dealing with it at the personal level. Lambert is expertly weaving the multiverse into Buffy the Vampire Slayer as only a Buffy comic could. Buffy’s always had a confidence problem. It makes perfect sense that she would feel inadequate after meeting more Buffys.

World Building

We visit all the usual locations in this issue of Buffy the Vampire Slayer: secret Watcher base, graveyard, the magic shop and Anya’s secret base.

Who’s in this Issue

– Buffy
– Willow
– Giles
– Kendra
– Cordelia
– Faith
– The Mayor
– Dorothy (Giles’ Mom)
– Ethan
– Weasley
– Silas
– Morgan Palmer
– Anya

Favorite Quote

“Giles, is the plural of Buffys with an ‘s or -ies? Biff-i?” – Buffy to Giles.

Who will like It?

If you are a geek for Slayer history, this issue is for you.

I Need More

• Before opening this issue of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, launch your Spotify app and search for Buffy soundtrack (or visit this link for a Buffy Playlist.)
• Season 4 Episode 12: A New Man will remind you how devious Ethan is.
• Season 5 Episode 11: Triangle for insight into Anya’s past.
• Valentina Pinti’s Instagram for more Buffy images