Buffy season 8 continues to shine in its darkly comical way, 08 Jan 2009
Long Way Home gave us fans the set up for how the season will go about things, No Future For You was a fantastic and frantic step up from the norm with an excellent faith orientated plotline.
now Wolves At The Gate gathers far, far more momentum and becomes one of its own with grande epic proportions,bodies flung at gleeful abandon and death defying stunts that not even the highest budget for tv could pull off.
yes this graphic novel is a fantastic character driven epic that involves a lot of the main cast (minus faith and Giles unfortunately but they will be back)including Andrew and Dracula in his second appearance on the show,he and Xander provide the laughs.
the art is derivative and Buffy develops her character further in an unlikely relationship...also Willow has grown depth as a character over the past few volumes and is now a strong wicca.
this is a must for definate fans along with No Future For you and Long Way Home...season 8 is just like the show,EXCEPTIONAL.

Best Volume So Far, 02 Jan 2009
I've been a Buffy fan for a very long time, having owned all the DVDs and seen/loved every episodes I was thrilled to learn the Season 8 comics published here in the UK.
However the Season 8 journey has not been smooth; the first volume was very fast paced, features cameos that felt out of place, didn't give enough information to process where they are now/how they got there, plus it lacked Joss Whedon's humour. The 2nd volume was better paced but fans were confused about plot surrounding Faith for canon reasons (she already redeemed herself, etc). The 3rd volume is the best volume so far; stronger story, better characterisation and the return of the humour that made Buffy stand out of the crowd.

This volume contains the comics 'A Beautiful Sunset' and the four part story - 'Wolves at the Gate'.

'A Beautiful Sunset' is a short revolving around Buffy, Satsu (a fellow slayer) and their first encounter with the big bad - Twilight. A nice story that lets readers know bad Twilight really is (he doesn't just float around!) and sets interesting themes that'll hopefully be further developed later on. Plus it fills some gaps in the story that the past volumes had left empty.

In 'Wolves at the Gate', the legendary scythe is stolen by a group of Japanese vampires who seem to possess magical abilites simular to the infamous Dracula. In need of his help; Xander seeks Dracula in order to stop them. The first volume of this story raised questions as Buffy has a one night stand that was accused of being a 'marketing ploy' - personally I have no problems, it seemed fitting considering how 'A Beautiful Sunset' left off. The only problem I did have is Dracula, some of the character traits he has in this story don't seem to fit how he was protrayed in the TV epiosde he appeared in - but that's just my opinion.
Otherwise; a good story, nice twists added plus great imagrey. There were some nice scenes in here that would work brilliantly on-screen if they ever decide to do another Buffy film (currently rumoured).

Overall; the 3rd time's the charm, the best collection Season 8 of the lot so far. Can't wait for volume 4.

I hope this helps.

Buffy season 8 continues to shine in its darkly comical way, 08 Jan 2009
Long Way Home gave us fans the set up for how the season will go about things, No Future For You was a fantastic and frantic step up from the norm with an excellent faith orientated plotline.
now Wolves At The Gate gathers far, far more momentum and becomes one of its own with grande epic proportions,bodies flung at gleeful abandon and death defying stunts that not even the highest budget for tv could pull off.
yes this graphic novel is a fantastic character driven epic that involves a lot of the main cast (minus faith and Giles unfortunately but they will be back)including Andrew and Dracula in his second appearance on the show,he and Xander provide the laughs.
the art is derivative and Buffy develops her character further in an unlikely relationship...also Willow has grown depth as a character over the past few volumes and is now a strong wicca.
this is a must for definate fans along with No Future For you and Long Way Home...season 8 is just like the show,EXCEPTIONAL.

Best Volume So Far, 02 Jan 2009
I've been a Buffy fan for a very long time, having owned all the DVDs and seen/loved every episodes I was thrilled to learn the Season 8 comics published here in the UK.
However the Season 8 journey has not been smooth; the first volume was very fast paced, features cameos that felt out of place, didn't give enough information to process where they are now/how they got there, plus it lacked Joss Whedon's humour. The 2nd volume was better paced but fans were confused about plot surrounding Faith for canon reasons (she already redeemed herself, etc). The 3rd volume is the best volume so far; stronger story, better characterisation and the return of the humour that made Buffy stand out of the crowd.

This volume contains the comics 'A Beautiful Sunset' and the four part story - 'Wolves at the Gate'.

'A Beautiful Sunset' is a short revolving around Buffy, Satsu (a fellow slayer) and their first encounter with the big bad - Twilight. A nice story that lets readers know bad Twilight really is (he doesn't just float around!) and sets interesting themes that'll hopefully be further developed later on. Plus it fills some gaps in the story that the past volumes had left empty.

In 'Wolves at the Gate', the legendary scythe is stolen by a group of Japanese vampires who seem to possess magical abilites simular to the infamous Dracula. In need of his help; Xander seeks Dracula in order to stop them. The first volume of this story raised questions as Buffy has a one night stand that was accused of being a 'marketing ploy' - personally I have no problems, it seemed fitting considering how 'A Beautiful Sunset' left off. The only problem I did have is Dracula, some of the character traits he has in this story don't seem to fit how he was protrayed in the TV epiosde he appeared in - but that's just my opinion.
Otherwise; a good story, nice twists added plus great imagrey. There were some nice scenes in here that would work brilliantly on-screen if they ever decide to do another Buffy film (currently rumoured).

Overall; the 3rd time's the charm, the best collection Season 8 of the lot so far. Can't wait for volume 4.

I hope this helps.

Buffy is back, 19 Nov 2008
That is a great comics, really hold your breathe in till "the end" of the book!! i am waiting for the vol.3 with great impatience!
At least in this one we find again the usual Buffy VS Faith fight!!
Fantastic

Gotta have faith!, 14 Jul 2008
I was a late convert to the world of Buffy. Like many I had watched it as a teenager, enjoyed it, and then been persuaded by who knows who, that it was not something one should be proud of watching. Then I watched Serenity and thought it was great, backtracked to firefly and loved that too. Then one day somebody told me that the same guy that did those, did buffy. "WHAT!" I said, "That cant be!", half clouded by the fact that everybody said that Buffy was rubbish, half trying to cover up my embarrassment of not making this ling earlier.

So to cut a long story short, I watched all of Buffy in a very short time, and I loved it. And then I watched Angel and I loved it less, but loved it all the same.

Before Mr. Whedon ever entered my life, and then during, and still now, I've been an avid reader of comics. All comics, from the good, to the bad, to the fugly. Some of my favourites in the world of comics were the likes of Y the last man, and Runaways. Boy, I'm rambling here. Bear with me. What I'm really trying to say here, with probabl too much context, is that this comic is great. It's great as a part of the Buffy canon. I couldn't be happier with how the series has been carried on, and BKV's addition is on par with Whedons.

This is probably not a comic that is going to be among the greats. It's no Maus, it's no Watchmen. But it does what it sets out to do well, it carries on the story of our favourite vampire slayer (or whichever is your favourite). It's not a comic that revels in the medium of comics. If it was adapted into another series or a film, it may be even better. But that aint going to happen. And honestly, i'm not complaining.

Sorry for the diatribe, one last thing i'd like to say... Keep it coming.

P.S. It's also way better than Angel: after the fall. Seriously.

Disappointingly unoriginal 'new' story, 08 Jul 2008
I was severally disapointed by this new part in the so-called Season 8 of Buffy. Not because it is a bad tale overall or badly written or anything like that, but because the story is completely unoriginal and tired. A story about a rogue Slayer trying to kill Buffy has been done already in Season 3 of the original TV series, with Faith herself as the rogue Slayer. An episode of Angel Season 5 also featured a rogue Slayer trying to kill Spike. And Giles asking Faith to help track down the rogue Slayer to redeem herself is also a bit silly considering the events at the end of Season 7. I think her saving Buffy's life at the end should have been more than enough to be forgiven for her past sins. Original ideas needed for the next installment please!

so after reintroducing buffy and co we then move away from them to faith., 07 Jul 2008
Which in some ways seemed an odd idea, because it focuses so much on Faith that buffy barey gets a look in. Grumble over, it is still a fine read and faith has been part of buffy for years so why whinge anyway.
The same flaws with the art apply, as well as the same benefits. Brian k vaughns handle on faith is pretty good, his Giles is perfect.
The story is fairly simple but well handled and leaves a few more dangling threads.

Revisionist history?, 17 Jun 2008
I'm somewhat confused about the plot of this one. It seems to me that Faith was more than redeemed during S7 of the show and more than made up for her previous evil and mistakes. Seems rather churlish to be talking about wiping the slate clean after that!

Buffy season 8 continues to shine in its darkly comical way, 08 Jan 2009
Long Way Home gave us fans the set up for how the season will go about things, No Future For You was a fantastic and frantic step up from the norm with an excellent faith orientated plotline.
now Wolves At The Gate gathers far, far more momentum and becomes one of its own with grande epic proportions,bodies flung at gleeful abandon and death defying stunts that not even the highest budget for tv could pull off.
yes this graphic novel is a fantastic character driven epic that involves a lot of the main cast (minus faith and Giles unfortunately but they will be back)including Andrew and Dracula in his second appearance on the show,he and Xander provide the laughs.
the art is derivative and Buffy develops her character further in an unlikely relationship...also Willow has grown depth as a character over the past few volumes and is now a strong wicca.
this is a must for definate fans along with No Future For you and Long Way Home...season 8 is just like the show,EXCEPTIONAL.

Best Volume So Far, 02 Jan 2009
I've been a Buffy fan for a very long time, having owned all the DVDs and seen/loved every episodes I was thrilled to learn the Season 8 comics published here in the UK.
However the Season 8 journey has not been smooth; the first volume was very fast paced, features cameos that felt out of place, didn't give enough information to process where they are now/how they got there, plus it lacked Joss Whedon's humour. The 2nd volume was better paced but fans were confused about plot surrounding Faith for canon reasons (she already redeemed herself, etc). The 3rd volume is the best volume so far; stronger story, better characterisation and the return of the humour that made Buffy stand out of the crowd.

This volume contains the comics 'A Beautiful Sunset' and the four part story - 'Wolves at the Gate'.

'A Beautiful Sunset' is a short revolving around Buffy, Satsu (a fellow slayer) and their first encounter with the big bad - Twilight. A nice story that lets readers know bad Twilight really is (he doesn't just float around!) and sets interesting themes that'll hopefully be further developed later on. Plus it fills some gaps in the story that the past volumes had left empty.

In 'Wolves at the Gate', the legendary scythe is stolen by a group of Japanese vampires who seem to possess magical abilites simular to the infamous Dracula. In need of his help; Xander seeks Dracula in order to stop them. The first volume of this story raised questions as Buffy has a one night stand that was accused of being a 'marketing ploy' - personally I have no problems, it seemed fitting considering how 'A Beautiful Sunset' left off. The only problem I did have is Dracula, some of the character traits he has in this story don't seem to fit how he was protrayed in the TV epiosde he appeared in - but that's just my opinion.
Otherwise; a good story, nice twists added plus great imagrey. There were some nice scenes in here that would work brilliantly on-screen if they ever decide to do another Buffy film (currently rumoured).

Overall; the 3rd time's the charm, the best collection Season 8 of the lot so far. Can't wait for volume 4.

I hope this helps.

Buffy is back, 19 Nov 2008
That is a great comics, really hold your breathe in till "the end" of the book!! i am waiting for the vol.3 with great impatience!
At least in this one we find again the usual Buffy VS Faith fight!!
Fantastic

Gotta have faith!, 14 Jul 2008
I was a late convert to the world of Buffy. Like many I had watched it as a teenager, enjoyed it, and then been persuaded by who knows who, that it was not something one should be proud of watching. Then I watched Serenity and thought it was great, backtracked to firefly and loved that too. Then one day somebody told me that the same guy that did those, did buffy. "WHAT!" I said, "That cant be!", half clouded by the fact that everybody said that Buffy was rubbish, half trying to cover up my embarrassment of not making this ling earlier.

So to cut a long story short, I watched all of Buffy in a very short time, and I loved it. And then I watched Angel and I loved it less, but loved it all the same.

Before Mr. Whedon ever entered my life, and then during, and still now, I've been an avid reader of comics. All comics, from the good, to the bad, to the fugly. Some of my favourites in the world of comics were the likes of Y the last man, and Runaways. Boy, I'm rambling here. Bear with me. What I'm really trying to say here, with probabl too much context, is that this comic is great. It's great as a part of the Buffy canon. I couldn't be happier with how the series has been carried on, and BKV's addition is on par with Whedons.

This is probably not a comic that is going to be among the greats. It's no Maus, it's no Watchmen. But it does what it sets out to do well, it carries on the story of our favourite vampire slayer (or whichever is your favourite). It's not a comic that revels in the medium of comics. If it was adapted into another series or a film, it may be even better. But that aint going to happen. And honestly, i'm not complaining.

Sorry for the diatribe, one last thing i'd like to say... Keep it coming.

P.S. It's also way better than Angel: after the fall. Seriously.

Disappointingly unoriginal 'new' story, 08 Jul 2008
I was severally disapointed by this new part in the so-called Season 8 of Buffy. Not because it is a bad tale overall or badly written or anything like that, but because the story is completely unoriginal and tired. A story about a rogue Slayer trying to kill Buffy has been done already in Season 3 of the original TV series, with Faith herself as the rogue Slayer. An episode of Angel Season 5 also featured a rogue Slayer trying to kill Spike. And Giles asking Faith to help track down the rogue Slayer to redeem herself is also a bit silly considering the events at the end of Season 7. I think her saving Buffy's life at the end should have been more than enough to be forgiven for her past sins. Original ideas needed for the next installment please!

so after reintroducing buffy and co we then move away from them to faith., 07 Jul 2008
Which in some ways seemed an odd idea, because it focuses so much on Faith that buffy barey gets a look in. Grumble over, it is still a fine read and faith has been part of buffy for years so why whinge anyway.
The same flaws with the art apply, as well as the same benefits. Brian k vaughns handle on faith is pretty good, his Giles is perfect.
The story is fairly simple but well handled and leaves a few more dangling threads.

Revisionist history?, 17 Jun 2008
I'm somewhat confused about the plot of this one. It seems to me that Faith was more than redeemed during S7 of the show and more than made up for her previous evil and mistakes. Seems rather churlish to be talking about wiping the slate clean after that!



Fantastic, 19 Nov 2008
Fantastic and great! All the fans stll can follow the adventures of Buffy the Vampire Slayer after the destruction of Sunnydale!
Great comics, very well done!

Season 8, 02 Sep 2008
When I read that Joss Whedon was collaborating with the Buffy comic people I jumped out of my seat. This is season 8 but in comic format, and boy is it good...I have just started reading "No Future for you" which is the second book collecting the next 5 or so issues. Buffy at war with more than just demons! Dawn has for some reason become a giant! Xander a general type of the slayer army! Willow can...well I havent given much away here and dont want to risk giving any more. Suffice to say that there are more than a few twists here including some old and terrible characters from the Buffyverse. Take it from me once you pick this book up you wont be putting it down until the very last page. Also Angel has a similar thing going on with a Season 6 comic series.

Not perfect but a good addition to the Buffy mythos., 07 Jul 2008
One of the criticisms levelled at this buffy season 8, is that it strays from the original set uo of the TV series. It is a fair point but as the opening narrative tells the reader "the funny thing about changing the world is afterwards everythings different."
Long way home has the task of reintroducing us to Buffy and co as well as setting up a new status quo, it works well enough with only a few minor bumps. Yes it lacks some of the charm of the cosy early series of Tv show, but the characters are still very much the same.
Georges Jeanty is a fair artist, however the inking doesn't do his work justice. I have seen him do much better work in the past. That said most of the characters are easily recognised.


Amazing!, 25 Jun 2008
i was really disapointed when the 7th series finnishedand heard that there were to b no more
but then i got the graphic novel of the 8th series and was really impressed they are awesome and the pictures are simply amazing especially the chapter covers and the front covers they could almost b photos

a definate must have for all Buffy fans


xxlittlewolfxx

Season Eight, 27 May 2008
If you love the television series, you'll love the Season Eight Buffy comics. These are of a higher standard than any of the Pre-Season Eight Buffy comics that I've read. The creator of the Buffy television series, the illustrious Joss Whedon, has written the stories for these Season Eight comics, as well as writing the text for many of these issues.
Even if, like me, you haven't read a comic in years, you'll not regret getting your hands on Buffy Season Eight.

As well as recommending Buffy Season Eight, I also recommend Astonishing X-Men which is entirely written by Whedon. The outstanding text is complimented by Cassaday's fine artwork.
Even if you are new to American comic books, I strongly encourage you to buy the Astonishing X-Men trade paper backs, starting with the first volume, Gifted.

Buffy season 8 continues to shine in its darkly comical way, 08 Jan 2009
Long Way Home gave us fans the set up for how the season will go about things, No Future For You was a fantastic and frantic step up from the norm with an excellent faith orientated plotline.
now Wolves At The Gate gathers far, far more momentum and becomes one of its own with grande epic proportions,bodies flung at gleeful abandon and death defying stunts that not even the highest budget for tv could pull off.
yes this graphic novel is a fantastic character driven epic that involves a lot of the main cast (minus faith and Giles unfortunately but they will be back)including Andrew and Dracula in his second appearance on the show,he and Xander provide the laughs.
the art is derivative and Buffy develops her character further in an unlikely relationship...also Willow has grown depth as a character over the past few volumes and is now a strong wicca.
this is a must for definate fans along with No Future For you and Long Way Home...season 8 is just like the show,EXCEPTIONAL.

Best Volume So Far, 02 Jan 2009
I've been a Buffy fan for a very long time, having owned all the DVDs and seen/loved every episodes I was thrilled to learn the Season 8 comics published here in the UK.
However the Season 8 journey has not been smooth; the first volume was very fast paced, features cameos that felt out of place, didn't give enough information to process where they are now/how they got there, plus it lacked Joss Whedon's humour. The 2nd volume was better paced but fans were confused about plot surrounding Faith for canon reasons (she already redeemed herself, etc). The 3rd volume is the best volume so far; stronger story, better characterisation and the return of the humour that made Buffy stand out of the crowd.

This volume contains the comics 'A Beautiful Sunset' and the four part story - 'Wolves at the Gate'.

'A Beautiful Sunset' is a short revolving around Buffy, Satsu (a fellow slayer) and their first encounter with the big bad - Twilight. A nice story that lets readers know bad Twilight really is (he doesn't just float around!) and sets interesting themes that'll hopefully be further developed later on. Plus it fills some gaps in the story that the past volumes had left empty.

In 'Wolves at the Gate', the legendary scythe is stolen by a group of Japanese vampires who seem to possess magical abilites simular to the infamous Dracula. In need of his help; Xander seeks Dracula in order to stop them. The first volume of this story raised questions as Buffy has a one night stand that was accused of being a 'marketing ploy' - personally I have no problems, it seemed fitting considering how 'A Beautiful Sunset' left off. The only problem I did have is Dracula, some of the character traits he has in this story don't seem to fit how he was protrayed in the TV epiosde he appeared in - but that's just my opinion.
Otherwise; a good story, nice twists added plus great imagrey. There were some nice scenes in here that would work brilliantly on-screen if they ever decide to do another Buffy film (currently rumoured).

Overall; the 3rd time's the charm, the best collection Season 8 of the lot so far. Can't wait for volume 4.

I hope this helps.

Buffy is back, 19 Nov 2008
That is a great comics, really hold your breathe in till "the end" of the book!! i am waiting for the vol.3 with great impatience!
At least in this one we find again the usual Buffy VS Faith fight!!
Fantastic

Gotta have faith!, 14 Jul 2008
I was a late convert to the world of Buffy. Like many I had watched it as a teenager, enjoyed it, and then been persuaded by who knows who, that it was not something one should be proud of watching. Then I watched Serenity and thought it was great, backtracked to firefly and loved that too. Then one day somebody told me that the same guy that did those, did buffy. "WHAT!" I said, "That cant be!", half clouded by the fact that everybody said that Buffy was rubbish, half trying to cover up my embarrassment of not making this ling earlier.

So to cut a long story short, I watched all of Buffy in a very short time, and I loved it. And then I watched Angel and I loved it less, but loved it all the same.

Before Mr. Whedon ever entered my life, and then during, and still now, I've been an avid reader of comics. All comics, from the good, to the bad, to the fugly. Some of my favourites in the world of comics were the likes of Y the last man, and Runaways. Boy, I'm rambling here. Bear with me. What I'm really trying to say here, with probabl too much context, is that this comic is great. It's great as a part of the Buffy canon. I couldn't be happier with how the series has been carried on, and BKV's addition is on par with Whedons.

This is probably not a comic that is going to be among the greats. It's no Maus, it's no Watchmen. But it does what it sets out to do well, it carries on the story of our favourite vampire slayer (or whichever is your favourite). It's not a comic that revels in the medium of comics. If it was adapted into another series or a film, it may be even better. But that aint going to happen. And honestly, i'm not complaining.

Sorry for the diatribe, one last thing i'd like to say... Keep it coming.

P.S. It's also way better than Angel: after the fall. Seriously.

Disappointingly unoriginal 'new' story, 08 Jul 2008
I was severally disapointed by this new part in the so-called Season 8 of Buffy. Not because it is a bad tale overall or badly written or anything like that, but because the story is completely unoriginal and tired. A story about a rogue Slayer trying to kill Buffy has been done already in Season 3 of the original TV series, with Faith herself as the rogue Slayer. An episode of Angel Season 5 also featured a rogue Slayer trying to kill Spike. And Giles asking Faith to help track down the rogue Slayer to redeem herself is also a bit silly considering the events at the end of Season 7. I think her saving Buffy's life at the end should have been more than enough to be forgiven for her past sins. Original ideas needed for the next installment please!

so after reintroducing buffy and co we then move away from them to faith., 07 Jul 2008
Which in some ways seemed an odd idea, because it focuses so much on Faith that buffy barey gets a look in. Grumble over, it is still a fine read and faith has been part of buffy for years so why whinge anyway.
The same flaws with the art apply, as well as the same benefits. Brian k vaughns handle on faith is pretty good, his Giles is perfect.
The story is fairly simple but well handled and leaves a few more dangling threads.

Revisionist history?, 17 Jun 2008
I'm somewhat confused about the plot of this one. It seems to me that Faith was more than redeemed during S7 of the show and more than made up for her previous evil and mistakes. Seems rather churlish to be talking about wiping the slate clean after that!



Fantastic, 19 Nov 2008
Fantastic and great! All the fans stll can follow the adventures of Buffy the Vampire Slayer after the destruction of Sunnydale!
Great comics, very well done!

Season 8, 02 Sep 2008
When I read that Joss Whedon was collaborating with the Buffy comic people I jumped out of my seat. This is season 8 but in comic format, and boy is it good...I have just started reading "No Future for you" which is the second book collecting the next 5 or so issues. Buffy at war with more than just demons! Dawn has for some reason become a giant! Xander a general type of the slayer army! Willow can...well I havent given much away here and dont want to risk giving any more. Suffice to say that there are more than a few twists here including some old and terrible characters from the Buffyverse. Take it from me once you pick this book up you wont be putting it down until the very last page. Also Angel has a similar thing going on with a Season 6 comic series.

Not perfect but a good addition to the Buffy mythos., 07 Jul 2008
One of the criticisms levelled at this buffy season 8, is that it strays from the original set uo of the TV series. It is a fair point but as the opening narrative tells the reader "the funny thing about changing the world is afterwards everythings different."
Long way home has the task of reintroducing us to Buffy and co as well as setting up a new status quo, it works well enough with only a few minor bumps. Yes it lacks some of the charm of the cosy early series of Tv show, but the characters are still very much the same.
Georges Jeanty is a fair artist, however the inking doesn't do his work justice. I have seen him do much better work in the past. That said most of the characters are easily recognised.


Amazing!, 25 Jun 2008
i was really disapointed when the 7th series finnishedand heard that there were to b no more
but then i got the graphic novel of the 8th series and was really impressed they are awesome and the pictures are simply amazing especially the chapter covers and the front covers they could almost b photos

a definate must have for all Buffy fans


xxlittlewolfxx

Season Eight, 27 May 2008
If you love the television series, you'll love the Season Eight Buffy comics. These are of a higher standard than any of the Pre-Season Eight Buffy comics that I've read. The creator of the Buffy television series, the illustrious Joss Whedon, has written the stories for these Season Eight comics, as well as writing the text for many of these issues.
Even if, like me, you haven't read a comic in years, you'll not regret getting your hands on Buffy Season Eight.

As well as recommending Buffy Season Eight, I also recommend Astonishing X-Men which is entirely written by Whedon. The outstanding text is complimented by Cassaday's fine artwork.
Even if you are new to American comic books, I strongly encourage you to buy the Astonishing X-Men trade paper backs, starting with the first volume, Gifted.

the tale continues, 04 Nov 2008
Its been about a year since i read the gunslinger born. In the time between reading that ad this, the long road home i have read 5 stephen king novels, and a multitude of marvel graphic novels. They were good, but the are all just a pillar for this.

In my own opinion, surely not everyones, but if your reading this you might agree, that the dark tower series is one of the best fantasy series of all time. The question is what does the long road home add to that?

Without ruining the story, ill say that it adds a considerable amount of knowledge we previously never had about the crimson king, as well as doing what it says on the cover, adding to the gap years between the barony of mejis and jericho hill.

I do have to say the artwork is once again brilliant, with a lot of effort being put into the book. Once again hard bound in leather straight away you are getting value for money. The writing is good, but recognisably comic dialogue rather than novel dialogue. Its snappish, witty, and not a word is ever wasted.

There are 2 bad points about this book though, as happy as i am with it. The first is that the plotline is very thin. not a lot really happens, i can see this being a set-up for another book down the line. The other thing is i dont see it being instantly accessible to those who have never read the novels. There are references to other books than the wizard and glass in here.

One final thing, at the back is a map, which shows the path roland took on his journey in wolves of calla, song of susannah and the dark tower.

Even if you arent a fan of graphic novels in the slightest if you want the dark tower you will enjoy this.

A long road ahead, 10 Oct 2008

"The Gunslinger Born" explored the origins and early struggles of young Roland Deschain, as well as the loss of his first true love, Susan Delgado.

And Stephen King's "Dark Tower: The Long Road Home" picks up right after that, showing us more devastating events that shaped Roland Deschain into the gunslinger anti-hero we know and love. While the first part is rather slow, it has plenty of horrific moments and the haunting quality of a "world that has moved on."

A devastated Roland takes down Susan's charred body, as Alain and Bert argue about whether they should be stopping. But suddenly Roland fires at Maerlyn's Grapefruit -- which suddenly turns into a tentacled eyeball that jumps on Roland's face, and enthralls his very soul before they can peel it off. His ka-tet is chased by a bunch of local thugs, the last Big Coffin Hunter, and a ghastly pack of mutated wolves.

Nearby, a mentally challenged boy named Sheemie was seen climbing into old war machines, only to encounter a strange robot that is somehow still "alive."And inside Maerlyn's Grapefruit, Roland is slowly being driven mad in his own memories -- right before being dragged to the hellish citadel of the Crimson King, who reveals a ghastly secret to the young boy from long ago, which will change him forever...

"The Dark Tower: Long Road Home" isn't quite as gripping as its predecessor, "The Gunslinger Born" -- partly because it's a briefer story, and partly because it's simpler. It's a tribute to Stephen King's original story -- and to the hauntingly vivid artwork -- that it's still such an intense rollercoaster ride.

After the heartbreaking first few pages, the plot speeds into a suitably confusing, desperate chase through a lonely wilderness, with plenty of gunshots and dying creatures. Things actually get rather gory as Roland's pals struggle over rickety bridges and across a red-tinged wilderness, since one of them almost gets his arm bitten off (and announces that he'd rather die than shoot left-handed forever. Hardcore, kid).

And since this is a world made by Stephen King, we have plenty of the eerie and the horrible -- Sheemie's confrontation with a baby-faced robot is just one example. King's rich, old-time narrative translates well into comic form, almost as if he were conversing with the readers ("But don't be laughing at Sheemie, I beg ya, because he's been through considerable trials").

And Jae Lee and Richard Isanove really bring this story to life -- they create a world split between bright bloody red mist and autumnal twilight, filled with shadowy faces, barren lands, and ghastly pursuers. And inside the Grapefruit, we get a full cornucopia of horrors, with Roland defiantly trying to keep his sanity and soul intact in a dusty, hazy landscape full of withered trees, tragic future selves, evil crows, lumpy castles, and the vaguely spidery King with his hellish magic and his suitably evil offers to Roland.

"The Gunslinger Born" introduced Roland as a boy, but "The Long Road Home" has undeniably made him a man. He has the guts and integrity to snarl not just at Marte but at the King himself. And after being in Roland's shadow for so long, Alain and Cuthbert also get to take center stage here -- we get to see just how strong and capable they are.

"Dark Tower: The Long Road Home" is not as tightly-written as its predecessor, but it's filled with a sense of overhanging horror and some solid action for the sidekicks. Definitely worth checking out.

Buffy season 8 continues to shine in its darkly comical way, 08 Jan 2009
Long Way Home gave us fans the set up for how the season will go about things, No Future For You was a fantastic and frantic step up from the norm with an excellent faith orientated plotline.
now Wolves At The Gate gathers far, far more momentum and becomes one of its own with grande epic proportions,bodies flung at gleeful abandon and death defying stunts that not even the highest budget for tv could pull off.
yes this graphic novel is a fantastic character driven epic that involves a lot of the main cast (minus faith and Giles unfortunately but they will be back)including Andrew and Dracula in his second appearance on the show,he and Xander provide the laughs.
the art is derivative and Buffy develops her character further in an unlikely relationship...also Willow has grown depth as a character over the past few volumes and is now a strong wicca.
this is a must for definate fans along with No Future For you and Long Way Home...season 8 is just like the show,EXCEPTIONAL.

Best Volume So Far, 02 Jan 2009
I've been a Buffy fan for a very long time, having owned all the DVDs and seen/loved every episodes I was thrilled to learn the Season 8 comics published here in the UK.
However the Season 8 journey has not been smooth; the first volume was very fast paced, features cameos that felt out of place, didn't give enough information to process where they are now/how they got there, plus it lacked Joss Whedon's humour. The 2nd volume was better paced but fans were confused about plot surrounding Faith for canon reasons (she already redeemed herself, etc). The 3rd volume is the best volume so far; stronger story, better characterisation and the return of the humour that made Buffy stand out of the crowd.

This volume contains the comics 'A Beautiful Sunset' and the four part story - 'Wolves at the Gate'.

'A Beautiful Sunset' is a short revolving around Buffy, Satsu (a fellow slayer) and their first encounter with the big bad - Twilight. A nice story that lets readers know bad Twilight really is (he doesn't just float around!) and sets interesting themes that'll hopefully be further developed later on. Plus it fills some gaps in the story that the past volumes had left empty.

In 'Wolves at the Gate', the legendary scythe is stolen by a group of Japanese vampires who seem to possess magical abilites simular to the infamous Dracula. In need of his help; Xander seeks Dracula in order to stop them. The first volume of this story raised questions as Buffy has a one night stand that was accused of being a 'marketing ploy' - personally I have no problems, it seemed fitting considering how 'A Beautiful Sunset' left off. The only problem I did have is Dracula, some of the character traits he has in this story don't seem to fit how he was protrayed in the TV epiosde he appeared in - but that's just my opinion.
Otherwise; a good story, nice twists added plus great imagrey. There were some nice scenes in here that would work brilliantly on-screen if they ever decide to do another Buffy film (currently rumoured).

Overall; the 3rd time's the charm, the best collection Season 8 of the lot so far. Can't wait for volume 4.

I hope this helps.

Buffy is back, 19 Nov 2008
That is a great comics, really hold your breathe in till "the end" of the book!! i am waiting for the vol.3 with great impatience!
At least in this one we find again the usual Buffy VS Faith fight!!
Fantastic

Gotta have faith!, 14 Jul 2008
I was a late convert to the world of Buffy. Like many I had watched it as a teenager, enjoyed it, and then been persuaded by who knows who, that it was not something one should be proud of watching. Then I watched Serenity and thought it was great, backtracked to firefly and loved that too. Then one day somebody told me that the same guy that did those, did buffy. "WHAT!" I said, "That cant be!", half clouded by the fact that everybody said that Buffy was rubbish, half trying to cover up my embarrassment of not making this ling earlier.

So to cut a long story short, I watched all of Buffy in a very short time, and I loved it. And then I watched Angel and I loved it less, but loved it all the same.

Before Mr. Whedon ever entered my life, and then during, and still now, I've been an avid reader of comics. All comics, from the good, to the bad, to the fugly. Some of my favourites in the world of comics were the likes of Y the last man, and Runaways. Boy, I'm rambling here. Bear with me. What I'm really trying to say here, with probabl too much context, is that this comic is great. It's great as a part of the Buffy canon. I couldn't be happier with how the series has been carried on, and BKV's addition is on par with Whedons.

This is probably not a comic that is going to be among the greats. It's no Maus, it's no Watchmen. But it does what it sets out to do well, it carries on the story of our favourite vampire slayer (or whichever is your favourite). It's not a comic that revels in the medium of comics. If it was adapted into another series or a film, it may be even better. But that aint going to happen. And honestly, i'm not complaining.

Sorry for the diatribe, one last thing i'd like to say... Keep it coming.

P.S. It's also way better than Angel: after the fall. Seriously.

Disappointingly unoriginal 'new' story, 08 Jul 2008
I was severally disapointed by this new part in the so-called Season 8 of Buffy. Not because it is a bad tale overall or badly written or anything like that, but because the story is completely unoriginal and tired. A story about a rogue Slayer trying to kill Buffy has been done already in Season 3 of the original TV series, with Faith herself as the rogue Slayer. An episode of Angel Season 5 also featured a rogue Slayer trying to kill Spike. And Giles asking Faith to help track down the rogue Slayer to redeem herself is also a bit silly considering the events at the end of Season 7. I think her saving Buffy's life at the end should have been more than enough to be forgiven for her past sins. Original ideas needed for the next installment please!

so after reintroducing buffy and co we then move away from them to faith., 07 Jul 2008
Which in some ways seemed an odd idea, because it focuses so much on Faith that buffy barey gets a look in. Grumble over, it is still a fine read and faith has been part of buffy for years so why whinge anyway.
The same flaws with the art apply, as well as the same benefits. Brian k vaughns handle on faith is pretty good, his Giles is perfect.
The story is fairly simple but well handled and leaves a few more dangling threads.

Revisionist history?, 17 Jun 2008
I'm somewhat confused about the plot of this one. It seems to me that Faith was more than redeemed during S7 of the show and more than made up for her previous evil and mistakes. Seems rather churlish to be talking about wiping the slate clean after that!



Fantastic, 19 Nov 2008
Fantastic and great! All the fans stll can follow the adventures of Buffy the Vampire Slayer after the destruction of Sunnydale!
Great comics, very well done!

Season 8, 02 Sep 2008
When I read that Joss Whedon was collaborating with the Buffy comic people I jumped out of my seat. This is season 8 but in comic format, and boy is it good...I have just started reading "No Future for you" which is the second book collecting the next 5 or so issues. Buffy at war with more than just demons! Dawn has for some reason become a giant! Xander a general type of the slayer army! Willow can...well I havent given much away here and dont want to risk giving any more. Suffice to say that there are more than a few twists here including some old and terrible characters from the Buffyverse. Take it from me once you pick this book up you wont be putting it down until the very last page. Also Angel has a similar thing going on with a Season 6 comic series.

Not perfect but a good addition to the Buffy mythos., 07 Jul 2008
One of the criticisms levelled at this buffy season 8, is that it strays from the original set uo of the TV series. It is a fair point but as the opening narrative tells the reader "the funny thing about changing the world is afterwards everythings different."
Long way home has the task of reintroducing us to Buffy and co as well as setting up a new status quo, it works well enough with only a few minor bumps. Yes it lacks some of the charm of the cosy early series of Tv show, but the characters are still very much the same.
Georges Jeanty is a fair artist, however the inking doesn't do his work justice. I have seen him do much better work in the past. That said most of the characters are easily recognised.


Amazing!, 25 Jun 2008
i was really disapointed when the 7th series finnishedand heard that there were to b no more
but then i got the graphic novel of the 8th series and was really impressed they are awesome and the pictures are simply amazing especially the chapter covers and the front covers they could almost b photos

a definate must have for all Buffy fans


xxlittlewolfxx

Season Eight, 27 May 2008
If you love the television series, you'll love the Season Eight Buffy comics. These are of a higher standard than any of the Pre-Season Eight Buffy comics that I've read. The creator of the Buffy television series, the illustrious Joss Whedon, has written the stories for these Season Eight comics, as well as writing the text for many of these issues.
Even if, like me, you haven't read a comic in years, you'll not regret getting your hands on Buffy Season Eight.

As well as recommending Buffy Season Eight, I also recommend Astonishing X-Men which is entirely written by Whedon. The outstanding text is complimented by Cassaday's fine artwork.
Even if you are new to American comic books, I strongly encourage you to buy the Astonishing X-Men trade paper backs, starting with the first volume, Gifted.

the tale continues, 04 Nov 2008
Its been about a year since i read the gunslinger born. In the time between reading that ad this, the long road home i have read 5 stephen king novels, and a multitude of marvel graphic novels. They were good, but the are all just a pillar for this.

In my own opinion, surely not everyones, but if your reading this you might agree, that the dark tower series is one of the best fantasy series of all time. The question is what does the long road home add to that?

Without ruining the story, ill say that it adds a considerable amount of knowledge we previously never had about the crimson king, as well as doing what it says on the cover, adding to the gap years between the barony of mejis and jericho hill.

I do have to say the artwork is once again brilliant, with a lot of effort being put into the book. Once again hard bound in leather straight away you are getting value for money. The writing is good, but recognisably comic dialogue rather than novel dialogue. Its snappish, witty, and not a word is ever wasted.

There are 2 bad points about this book though, as happy as i am with it. The first is that the plotline is very thin. not a lot really happens, i can see this being a set-up for another book down the line. The other thing is i dont see it being instantly accessible to those who have never read the novels. There are references to other books than the wizard and glass in here.

One final thing, at the back is a map, which shows the path roland took on his journey in wolves of calla, song of susannah and the dark tower.

Even if you arent a fan of graphic novels in the slightest if you want the dark tower you will enjoy this.

A long road ahead, 10 Oct 2008

"The Gunslinger Born" explored the origins and early struggles of young Roland Deschain, as well as the loss of his first true love, Susan Delgado.

And Stephen King's "Dark Tower: The Long Road Home" picks up right after that, showing us more devastating events that shaped Roland Deschain into the gunslinger anti-hero we know and love. While the first part is rather slow, it has plenty of horrific moments and the haunting quality of a "world that has moved on."

A devastated Roland takes down Susan's charred body, as Alain and Bert argue about whether they should be stopping. But suddenly Roland fires at Maerlyn's Grapefruit -- which suddenly turns into a tentacled eyeball that jumps on Roland's face, and enthralls his very soul before they can peel it off. His ka-tet is chased by a bunch of local thugs, the last Big Coffin Hunter, and a ghastly pack of mutated wolves.

Nearby, a mentally challenged boy named Sheemie was seen climbing into old war machines, only to encounter a strange robot that is somehow still "alive."And inside Maerlyn's Grapefruit, Roland is slowly being driven mad in his own memories -- right before being dragged to the hellish citadel of the Crimson King, who reveals a ghastly secret to the young boy from long ago, which will change him forever...

"The Dark Tower: Long Road Home" isn't quite as gripping as its predecessor, "The Gunslinger Born" -- partly because it's a briefer story, and partly because it's simpler. It's a tribute to Stephen King's original story -- and to the hauntingly vivid artwork -- that it's still such an intense rollercoaster ride.

After the heartbreaking first few pages, the plot speeds into a suitably confusing, desperate chase through a lonely wilderness, with plenty of gunshots and dying creatures. Things actually get rather gory as Roland's pals struggle over rickety bridges and across a red-tinged wilderness, since one of them almost gets his arm bitten off (and announces that he'd rather die than shoot left-handed forever. Hardcore, kid).

And since this is a world made by Stephen King, we have plenty of the eerie and the horrible -- Sheemie's confrontation with a baby-faced robot is just one example. King's rich, old-time narrative translates well into comic form, almost as if he were conversing with the readers ("But don't be laughing at Sheemie, I beg ya, because he's been through considerable trials").

And Jae Lee and Richard Isanove really bring this story to life -- they create a world split between bright bloody red mist and autumnal twilight, filled with shadowy faces, barren lands, and ghastly pursuers. And inside the Grapefruit, we get a full cornucopia of horrors, with Roland defiantly trying to keep his sanity and soul intact in a dusty, hazy landscape full of withered trees, tragic future selves, evil crows, lumpy castles, and the vaguely spidery King with his hellish magic and his suitably evil offers to Roland.

"The Gunslinger Born" introduced Roland as a boy, but "The Long Road Home" has undeniably made him a man. He has the guts and integrity to snarl not just at Marte but at the King himself. And after being in Roland's shadow for so long, Alain and Cuthbert also get to take center stage here -- we get to see just how strong and capable they are.

"Dark Tower: The Long Road Home" is not as tightly-written as its predecessor, but it's filled with a sense of overhanging horror and some solid action for the sidekicks. Definitely worth checking out.

Many twists and turn(ing stomach)s, 28 Nov 2008
At long last the hardback volume 4 of Kirkman/Adlard's epic zombie comic series arrives, as luxuriously produced and printed as its predecessors.

Inspired by the author's desire to explore a zombie apocalypse and its effects on survivors way beyond the point where most films would end or leave many questions unanswered, Kirkman's story is literate, well-paced and full of well-developed, highly individual characters. Charlie Adlard's austere artwork is both high in contrast and energy, his bold lines and meticulous attention to detail giving the stories a gritty, verite feel that serves them well.

Volume 4 begins where volume 3 ended, with our band of survivors literally caged in a prison they have found, each coming to terms with their emotional and physical wounds after encountering a twisted community of survivors in a nearby town who are under the thrall of an insane and sadistic meglomaniac.

As with the best zombie fiction, it is not the undead who mark the greatest threat, instead becoming opportunistic bystanders who wait patiently for any chance to strike when the petty squabbles and affairs of the living cause them to let their guard down and make an often fatal mistake.

Nor are they evil, as they are merely motivated by impartial instinct. True evil in Kirkman's apocalypse exists within those who have used the breakdown of society as an excuse to indulge their darker cravings for power, and this is epitomised by the aforementioned insane governor (he keeps his zombie daughter around his apartment, along with a wall of fishtanks containing the reanimated heads of his victims). In volume 3 he is maimed, in one of the most graphic sequences ever to grace the printed page, by one of the female characters he had systematically abused for pleasure, and in volume 4 he sets upon the prison seeking the lives of all within. Like the worst tyrants of history, he doesn't see his actions as evil and twisted, but as righteous and worthy.

Shamelessly lying to get his population to follow him on a vengeance quest that makes absolutely no sense in a world where the dead return to life to attack the living, much of volume 4 features an epic armed siege with sporadic bouts of incredible action and violence. Characters that have been carefully cultivated over the entire run are written out in a manner that is sudden, merciless and shocking. In fact, the closest thing I can equate to the bleak tone of this book is the ending of Frank Darabonts film The Mist.

As with the others I did read this in one sitting, so gripping is the story, and as with the others I will be rereading it again soon at a more leisurely pace so I can absorb its many details and intricacies. Owners of the first three will need no encouragement - newcomers are best starting at the beginning The Walking Dead Book 1: Bk. 1, but I can guarantee that very quickly you'll have bought all four!

Buffy season 8 continues to shine in its darkly comical way, 08 Jan 2009
Long Way Home gave us fans the set up for how the season will go about things, No Future For You was a fantastic and frantic step up from the norm with an excellent faith orientated plotline.
now Wolves At The Gate gathers far, far more momentum and becomes one of its own with grande epic proportions,bodies flung at gleeful abandon and death defying stunts that not even the highest budget for tv could pull off.
yes this graphic novel is a fantastic character driven epic that involves a lot of the main cast (minus faith and Giles unfortunately but they will be back)including Andrew and Dracula in his second appearance on the show,he and Xander provide the laughs.
the art is derivative and Buffy develops her character further in an unlikely relationship...also Willow has grown depth as a character over the past few volumes and is now a strong wicca.
this is a must for definate fans along with No Future For you and Long Way Home...season 8 is just like the show,EXCEPTIONAL.

Best Volume So Far, 02 Jan 2009
I've been a Buffy fan for a very long time, having owned all the DVDs and seen/loved every episodes I was thrilled to learn the Season 8 comics published here in the UK.
However the Season 8 journey has not been smooth; the first volume was very fast paced, features cameos that felt out of place, didn't give enough information to process where they are now/how they got there, plus it lacked Joss Whedon's humour. The 2nd volume was better paced but fans were confused about plot surrounding Faith for canon reasons (she already redeemed herself, etc). The 3rd volume is the best volume so far; stronger story, better characterisation and the return of the humour that made Buffy stand out of the crowd.

This volume contains the comics 'A Beautiful Sunset' and the four part story - 'Wolves at the Gate'.

'A Beautiful Sunset' is a short revolving around Buffy, Satsu (a fellow slayer) and their first encounter with the big bad - Twilight. A nice story that lets readers know bad Twilight really is (he doesn't just float around!) and sets interesting themes that'll hopefully be further developed later on. Plus it fills some gaps in the story that the past volumes had left empty.

In 'Wolves at the Gate', the legendary scythe is stolen by a group of Japanese vampires who seem to possess magical abilites simular to the infamous Dracula. In need of his help; Xander seeks Dracula in order to stop them. The first volume of this story raised questions as Buffy has a one night stand that was accused of being a 'marketing ploy' - personally I have no problems, it seemed fitting considering how 'A Beautiful Sunset' left off. The only problem I did have is Dracula, some of the character traits he has in this story don't seem to fit how he was protrayed in the TV epiosde he appeared in - but that's just my opinion.
Otherwise; a good story, nice twists added plus great imagrey. There were some nice scenes in here that would work brilliantly on-screen if they ever decide to do another Buffy film (currently rumoured).

Overall; the 3rd time's the charm, the best collection Season 8 of the lot so far. Can't wait for volume 4.

I hope this helps.

Buffy is back, 19 Nov 2008
That is a great comics, really hold your breathe in till "the end" of the book!! i am waiting for the vol.3 with great impatience!
At least in this one we find again the usual Buffy VS Faith fight!!
Fantastic

Gotta have faith!, 14 Jul 2008
I was a late convert to the world of Buffy. Like many I had watched it as a teenager, enjoyed it, and then been persuaded by who knows who, that it was not something one should be proud of watching. Then I watched Serenity and thought it was great, backtracked to firefly and loved that too. Then one day somebody told me that the same guy that did those, did buffy. "WHAT!" I said, "That cant be!", half clouded by the fact that everybody said that Buffy was rubbish, half trying to cover up my embarrassment of not making this ling earlier.

So to cut a long story short, I watched all of Buffy in a very short time, and I loved it. And then I watched Angel and I loved it less, but loved it all the same.

Before Mr. Whedon ever entered my life, and then during, and still now, I've been an avid reader of comics. All comics, from the good, to the bad, to the fugly. Some of my favourites in the world of comics were the likes of Y the last man, and Runaways. Boy, I'm rambling here. Bear with me. What I'm really trying to say here, with probabl too much context, is that this comic is great. It's great as a part of the Buffy canon. I couldn't be happier with how the series has been carried on, and BKV's addition is on par with Whedons.

This is probably not a comic that is going to be among the greats. It's no Maus, it's no Watchmen. But it does what it sets out to do well, it carries on the story of our favourite vampire slayer (or whichever is your favourite). It's not a comic that revels in the medium of comics. If it was adapted into another series or a film, it may be even better. But that aint going to happen. And honestly, i'm not complaining.

Sorry for the diatribe, one last thing i'd like to say... Keep it coming.

P.S. It's also way better than Angel: after the fall. Seriously.

Disappointingly unoriginal 'new' story, 08 Jul 2008
I was severally disapointed by this new part in the so-called Season 8 of Buffy. Not because it is a bad tale overall or badly written or anything like that, but because the story is completely unoriginal and tired. A story about a rogue Slayer trying to kill Buffy has been done already in Season 3 of the original TV series, with Faith herself as the rogue Slayer. An episode of Angel Season 5 also featured a rogue Slayer trying to kill Spike. And Giles asking Faith to help track down the rogue Slayer to redeem herself is also a bit silly considering the events at the end of Season 7. I think her saving Buffy's life at the end should have been more than enough to be forgiven for her past sins. Original ideas needed for the next installment please!

so after reintroducing buffy and co we then move away from them to faith., 07 Jul 2008
Which in some ways seemed an odd idea, because it focuses so much on Faith that buffy barey gets a look in. Grumble over, it is still a fine read and faith has been part of buffy for years so why whinge anyway.
The same flaws with the art apply, as well as the same benefits. Brian k vaughns handle on faith is pretty good, his Giles is perfect.
The story is fairly simple but well handled and leaves a few more dangling threads.

Revisionist history?, 17 Jun 2008
I'm somewhat confused about the plot of this one. It seems to me that Faith was more than redeemed during S7 of the show and more than made up for her previous evil and mistakes. Seems rather churlish to be talking about wiping the slate clean after that!



Fantastic, 19 Nov 2008
Fantastic and great! All the fans stll can follow the adventures of Buffy the Vampire Slayer after the destruction of Sunnydale!
Great comics, very well done!

Season 8, 02 Sep 2008
When I read that Joss Whedon was collaborating with the Buffy comic people I jumped out of my seat. This is season 8 but in comic format, and boy is it good...I have just started reading "No Future for you" which is the second book collecting the next 5 or so issues. Buffy at war with more than just demons! Dawn has for some reason become a giant! Xander a general type of the slayer army! Willow can...well I havent given much away here and dont want to risk giving any more. Suffice to say that there are more than a few twists here including some old and terrible characters from the Buffyverse. Take it from me once you pick this book up you wont be putting it down until the very last page. Also Angel has a similar thing going on with a Season 6 comic series.

Not perfect but a good addition to the Buffy mythos., 07 Jul 2008
One of the criticisms levelled at this buffy season 8, is that it strays from the original set uo of the TV series. It is a fair point but as the opening narrative tells the reader "the funny thing about changing the world is afterwards everythings different."
Long way home has the task of reintroducing us to Buffy and co as well as setting up a new status quo, it works well enough with only a few minor bumps. Yes it lacks some of the charm of the cosy early series of Tv show, but the characters are still very much the same.
Georges Jeanty is a fair artist, however the inking doesn't do his work justice. I have seen him do much better work in the past. That said most of the characters are easily recognised.


Amazing!, 25 Jun 2008
i was really disapointed when the 7th series finnishedand heard that there were to b no more
but then i got the graphic novel of the 8th series and was really impressed they are awesome and the pictures are simply amazing especially the chapter covers and the front covers they could almost b photos

a definate must have for all Buffy fans


xxlittlewolfxx

Season Eight, 27 May 2008
If you love the television series, you'll love the Season Eight Buffy comics. These are of a higher standard than any of the Pre-Season Eight Buffy comics that I've read. The creator of the Buffy television series, the illustrious Joss Whedon, has written the stories for these Season Eight comics, as well as writing the text for many of these issues.
Even if, like me, you haven't read a comic in years, you'll not regret getting your hands on Buffy Season Eight.

As well as recommending Buffy Season Eight, I also recommend Astonishing X-Men which is entirely written by Whedon. The outstanding text is complimented by Cassaday's fine artwork.
Even if you are new to American comic books, I strongly encourage you to buy the Astonishing X-Men trade paper backs, starting with the first volume, Gifted.

the tale continues, 04 Nov 2008
Its been about a year since i read the gunslinger born. In the time between reading that ad this, the long road home i have read 5 stephen king novels, and a multitude of marvel graphic novels. They were good, but the are all just a pillar for this.

In my own opinion, surely not everyones, but if your reading this you might agree, that the dark tower series is one of the best fantasy series of all time. The question is what does the long road home add to that?

Without ruining the story, ill say that it adds a considerable amount of knowledge we previously never had about the crimson king, as well as doing what it says on the cover, adding to the gap years between the barony of mejis and jericho hill.

I do have to say the artwork is once again brilliant, with a lot of effort being put into the book. Once again hard bound in leather straight away you are getting value for money. The writing is good, but recognisably comic dialogue rather than novel dialogue. Its snappish, witty, and not a word is ever wasted.

There are 2 bad points about this book though, as happy as i am with it. The first is that the plotline is very thin. not a lot really happens, i can see this being a set-up for another book down the line. The other thing is i dont see it being instantly accessible to those who have never read the novels. There are references to other books than the wizard and glass in here.

One final thing, at the back is a map, which shows the path roland took on his journey in wolves of calla, song of susannah and the dark tower.

Even if you arent a fan of graphic novels in the slightest if you want the dark tower you will enjoy this.

A long road ahead, 10 Oct 2008

"The Gunslinger Born" explored the origins and early struggles of young Roland Deschain, as well as the loss of his first true love, Susan Delgado.

And Stephen King's "Dark Tower: The Long Road Home" picks up right after that, showing us more devastating events that shaped Roland Deschain into the gunslinger anti-hero we know and love. While the first part is rather slow, it has plenty of horrific moments and the haunting quality of a "world that has moved on."

A devastated Roland takes down Susan's charred body, as Alain and Bert argue about whether they should be stopping. But suddenly Roland fires at Maerlyn's Grapefruit -- which suddenly turns into a tentacled eyeball that jumps on Roland's face, and enthralls his very soul before they can peel it off. His ka-tet is chased by a bunch of local thugs, the last Big Coffin Hunter, and a ghastly pack of mutated wolves.

Nearby, a mentally challenged boy named Sheemie was seen climbing into old war machines, only to encounter a strange robot that is somehow still "alive."And inside Maerlyn's Grapefruit, Roland is slowly being driven mad in his own memories -- right before being dragged to the hellish citadel of the Crimson King, who reveals a ghastly secret to the young boy from long ago, which will change him forever...

"The Dark Tower: Long Road Home" isn't quite as gripping as its predecessor, "The Gunslinger Born" -- partly because it's a briefer story, and partly because it's simpler. It's a tribute to Stephen King's original story -- and to the hauntingly vivid artwork -- that it's still such an intense rollercoaster ride.

After the heartbreaking first few pages, the plot speeds into a suitably confusing, desperate chase through a lonely wilderness, with plenty of gunshots and dying creatures. Things actually get rather gory as Roland's pals struggle over rickety bridges and across a red-tinged wilderness, since one of them almost gets his arm bitten off (and announces that he'd rather die than shoot left-handed forever. Hardcore, kid).

And since this is a world made by Stephen King, we have plenty of the eerie and the horrible -- Sheemie's confrontation with a baby-faced robot is just one example. King's rich, old-time narrative translates well into comic form, almost as if he were conversing with the readers ("But don't be laughing at Sheemie, I beg ya, because he's been through considerable trials").

And Jae Lee and Richard Isanove really bring this story to life -- they create a world split between bright bloody red mist and autumnal twilight, filled with shadowy faces, barren lands, and ghastly pursuers. And inside the Grapefruit, we get a full cornucopia of horrors, with Roland defiantly trying to keep his sanity and soul intact in a dusty, hazy landscape full of withered trees, tragic future selves, evil crows, lumpy castles, and the vaguely spidery King with his hellish magic and his suitably evil offers to Roland.

"The Gunslinger Born" introduced Roland as a boy, but "The Long Road Home" has undeniably made him a man. He has the guts and integrity to snarl not just at Marte but at the King himself. And after being in Roland's shadow for so long, Alain and Cuthbert also get to take center stage here -- we get to see just how strong and capable they are.

"Dark Tower: The Long Road Home" is not as tightly-written as its predecessor, but it's filled with a sense of overhanging horror and some solid action for the sidekicks. Definitely worth checking out.

Many twists and turn(ing stomach)s, 28 Nov 2008
At long last the hardback volume 4 of Kirkman/Adlard's epic zombie comic series arrives, as luxuriously produced and printed as its predecessors.

Inspired by the author's desire to explore a zombie apocalypse and its effects on survivors way beyond the point where most films would end or leave many questions unanswered, Kirkman's story is literate, well-paced and full of well-developed, highly individual characters. Charlie Adlard's austere artwork is both high in contrast and energy, his bold lines and meticulous attention to detail giving the stories a gritty, verite feel that serves them well.

Volume 4 begins where volume 3 ended, with our band of survivors literally caged in a prison they have found, each coming to terms with their emotional and physical wounds after encountering a twisted community of survivors in a nearby town who are under the thrall of an insane and sadistic meglomaniac.

As with the best zombie fiction, it is not the undead who mark the greatest threat, instead becoming opportunistic bystanders who wait patiently for any chance to strike when the petty squabbles and affairs of the living cause them to let their guard down and make an often fatal mistake.

Nor are they evil, as they are merely motivated by impartial instinct. True evil in Kirkman's apocalypse exists within those who have used the breakdown of society as an excuse to indulge their darker cravings for power, and this is epitomised by the aforementioned insane governor (he keeps his zombie daughter around his apartment, along with a wall of fishtanks containing the reanimated heads of his victims). In volume 3 he is maimed, in one of the most graphic sequences ever to grace the printed page, by one of the female characters he had systematically abused for pleasure, and in volume 4 he sets upon the prison seeking the lives of all within. Like the worst tyrants of history, he doesn't see his actions as evil and twisted, but as righteous and worthy.

Shamelessly lying to get his population to follow him on a vengeance quest that makes absolutely no sense in a world where the dead return to life to attack the living, much of volume 4 features an epic armed siege with sporadic bouts of incredible action and violence. Characters that have been carefully cultivated over the entire run are written out in a manner that is sudden, merciless and shocking. In fact, the closest thing I can equate to the bleak tone of this book is the ending of Frank Darabonts film The Mist.

As with the others I did read this in one sitting, so gripping is the story, and as with the others I will be rereading it again soon at a more leisurely pace so I can absorb its many details and intricacies. Owners of the first three will need no encouragement - newcomers are best starting at the beginning The Walking Dead Book 1: Bk. 1, but I can guarantee that very quickly you'll have bought all four!

A Sting in the Tale , 02 Jan 2009
After a slightly lacklustre second volume (being only an extension of the Vol. 1, but without the excitement of discovering the series' excellent premise), 'Death Note Volume 3' is back on a par with the series' awesome opener. 'L' and Kira continue their game of 'cat and mouse', playing for the highest of stakes.

Failing to flush Kira out, using surveillance technology, 'L' resorts to a carefully orchestrated face-to-face meeting, during which he tries to lure Light Yagami into revealing that he is indeed Kira. This is tense stuff, with little action and lots of fascinating dialogue between these two towering intellects, as they attempt to draw one another out. With honours roughly equal, the novel enters an intriguing third phase with Kira stepping up his reign of terror.

This final section is as exciting as anything that had come before (in all three volumes), and has a unforeseen (by me anyway) conclusion. There is a slightly preposterous twist, which works at least in the short term, but feels a little like its inclusion may in order to spin out the series (much like watching 'Lost' or 'Heroes'). I sincerely hope not, but only by reading further will I find out. For now, I'm hooked, and looking forward to the 4th instalment!


A new twist!, 02 Nov 2008
Volume 3 of the hit Death Note manga gives a big hit to the story and brings things together in a good way.

I wont tell youy what happens but the fight between L and Light gets more and more fantastic.The battle of wits and who is justice is far from over.
This series will keep going better and better for you trust me.

----Alex Gradwell/Venomtheevil

Kira & L meet face to face, 01 Jan 2008
The third volume of the Death Note manga carries on from where the previous volume finished with Lights house heavily bugged with his father and L watching every move he makes. Light manages to find a way round the surveillance but L still suspects him and so enrolees in the same collage as Light in order to take his measure.

Death Note continues to be an excellent series with great illustrations and is very well plotted; the twist at the end of this volume is especially great if a little predictable. The volume is full of great moments, such as Light and L's tennis match, and the Shinigami Ryuk is quickly becoming my favourite character in the series. Death Note continues to be one of the best things I have read in ages.

L emerges and hits hard..., 03 Feb 2006
The story continues where it left off, Ryuk searching Light's room for hidden camera's and bugs put there in the first place by L. Majority of this volume is Light vs L head to head! Firstly, in a first tennis match following some hard talk in a cafe! Suprising killing spree at the end, but who was it?

As always, the story of Death Note keeps everything tight to the last moment. The art is asusual, very attractive and simply wonderful. Both the art the the story makes you to want more! Well, you can get more, as soon as March!

Buffy season 8 continues to shine in its darkly comical way, 08 Jan 2009
Long Way Home gave us fans the set up for how the season will go about things, No Future For You was a fantastic and frantic step up from the norm with an excellent faith orientated plotline.
now Wolves At The Gate gathers far, far more momentum and becomes one of its own with grande epic proportions,bodies flung at gleeful abandon and death defying stunts that not even the highest budget for tv could pull off.
yes this graphic novel is a fantastic character driven epic that involves a lot of the main cast (minus faith and Giles unfortunately but they will be back)including Andrew and Dracula in his second appearance on the show,he and Xander provide the laughs.
the art is derivative and Buffy develops her character further in an unlikely relationship...also Willow has grown depth as a character over the past few volumes and is now a strong wicca.
this is a must for definate fans along with No Future For you and Long Way Home...season 8 is just like the show,EXCEPTIONAL.

Best Volume So Far, 02 Jan 2009
I've been a Buffy fan for a very long time, having owned all the DVDs and seen/loved every episodes I was thrilled to learn the Season 8 comics published here in the UK.
However the Season 8 journey has not been smooth; the first volume was very fast paced, features cameos that felt out of place, didn't give enough information to process where they are now/how they got there, plus it lacked Joss Whedon's humour. The 2nd volume was better paced but fans were confused about plot surrounding Faith for canon reasons (she already redeemed herself, etc). The 3rd volume is the best volume so far; stronger story, better characterisation and the return of the humour that made Buffy stand out of the crowd.

This volume contains the comics 'A Beautiful Sunset' and the four part story - 'Wolves at the Gate'.

'A Beautiful Sunset' is a short revolving around Buffy, Satsu (a fellow slayer) and their first encounter with the big bad - Twilight. A nice story that lets readers know bad Twilight really is (he doesn't just float around!) and sets interesting themes that'll hopefully be further developed later on. Plus it fills some gaps in the story that the past volumes had left empty.

In 'Wolves at the Gate', the legendary scythe is stolen by a group of Japanese vampires who seem to possess magical abilites simular to the infamous Dracula. In need of his help; Xander seeks Dracula in order to stop them. The first volume of this story raised questions as Buffy has a one night stand that was accused of being a 'marketing ploy' - personally I have no problems, it seemed fitting considering how 'A Beautiful Sunset' left off. The only problem I did have is Dracula, some of the character traits he has in this story don't seem to fit how he was protrayed in the TV epiosde he appeared in - but that's just my opinion.
Otherwise; a good story, nice twists added plus great imagrey. There were some nice scenes in here that would work brilliantly on-screen if they ever decide to do another Buffy film (currently rumoured).

Overall; the 3rd time's the charm, the best collection Season 8 of the lot so far. Can't wait for volume 4.

I hope this helps.

Buffy is back, 19 Nov 2008
That is a great comics, really hold your breathe in till "the end" of the book!! i am waiting for the vol.3 with great impatience!
At least in this one we find again the usual Buffy VS Faith fight!!
Fantastic

Gotta have faith!, 14 Jul 2008
I was a late convert to the world of Buffy. Like many I had watched it as a teenager, enjoyed it, and then been persuaded by who knows who, that it was not something one should be proud of watching. Then I watched Serenity and thought it was great, backtracked to firefly and loved that too. Then one day somebody told me that the same guy that did those, did buffy. "WHAT!" I said, "That cant be!", half clouded by the fact that everybody said that Buffy was rubbish, half trying to cover up my embarrassment of not making this ling earlier.

So to cut a long story short, I watched all of Buffy in a very short time, and I loved it. And then I watched Angel and I loved it less, but loved it all the same.

Before Mr. Whedon ever entered my life, and then during, and still now, I've been an avid reader of comics. All comics, from the good, to the bad, to the fugly. Some of my favourites in the world of comics were the likes of Y the last man, and Runaways. Boy, I'm rambling here. Bear with me. What I'm really trying to say here, with probabl too much context, is that this comic is great. It's great as a part of the Buffy canon. I couldn't be happier with how the series has been carried on, and BKV's addition is on par with Whedons.

This is probably not a comic that is going to be among the greats. It's no Maus, it's no Watchmen. But it does what it sets out to do well, it carries on the story of our favourite vampire slayer (or whichever is your favourite). It's not a comic that revels in the medium of comics. If it was adapted into another series or a film, it may be even better. But that aint going to happen. And honestly, i'm not complaining.

Sorry for the diatribe, one last thing i'd like to say... Keep it coming.

P.S. It's also way better than Angel: after the fall. Seriously.

Disappointingly unoriginal 'new' story, 08 Jul 2008
I was severally disapointed by this new part in the so-called Season 8 of Buffy. Not because it is a bad tale overall or badly written or anything like that, but because the story is completely unoriginal and tired. A story about a rogue Slayer trying to kill Buffy has been done already in Season 3 of the original TV series, with Faith herself as the rogue Slayer. An episode of Angel Season 5 also featured a rogue Slayer trying to kill Spike. And Giles asking Faith to help track down the rogue Slayer to redeem herself is also a bit silly considering the events at the end of Season 7. I think her saving Buffy's life at the end should have been more than enough to be forgiven for her past sins. Original ideas needed for the next installment please!

so after reintroducing buffy and co we then move away from them to faith., 07 Jul 2008
Which in some ways seemed an odd idea, because it focuses so much on Faith that buffy barey gets a look in. Grumble over, it is still a fine read and faith has been part of buffy for years so why whinge anyway.
The same flaws with the art apply, as well as the same benefits. Brian k vaughns handle on faith is pretty good, his Giles is perfect.
The story is fairly simple but well handled and leaves a few more dangling threads.

Revisionist history?, 17 Jun 2008
I'm somewhat confused about the plot of this one. It seems to me that Faith was more than redeemed during S7 of the show and more than made up for her previous evil and mistakes. Seems rather churlish to be talking about wiping the slate clean after that!



Fantastic, 19 Nov 2008
Fantastic and great! All the fans stll can follow the adventures of Buffy the Vampire Slayer after the destruction of Sunnydale!
Great comics, very well done!

Season 8, 02 Sep 2008
When I read that Joss Whedon was collaborating with the Buffy comic people I jumped out of my seat. This is season 8 but in comic format, and boy is it good...I have just started reading "No Future for you" which is the second book collecting the next 5 or so issues. Buffy at war with more than just demons! Dawn has for some reason become a giant! Xander a general type of the slayer army! Willow can...well I havent given much away here and dont want to risk giving any more. Suffice to say that there are more than a few twists here including some old and terrible characters from the Buffyverse. Take it from me once you pick this book up you wont be putting it down until the very last page. Also Angel has a similar thing going on with a Season 6 comic series.

Not perfect but a good addition to the Buffy mythos., 07 Jul 2008
One of the criticisms levelled at this buffy season 8, is that it strays from the original set uo of the TV series. It is a fair point but as the opening narrative tells the reader "the funny thing about changing the world is afterwards everythings different."
Long way home has the task of reintroducing us to Buffy and co as well as setting up a new status quo, it works well enough with only a few minor bumps. Yes it lacks some of the charm of the cosy early series of Tv show, but the characters are still very much the same.
Georges Jeanty is a fair artist, however the inking doesn't do his work justice. I have seen him do much better work in the past. That said most of the characters are easily recognised.


Amazing!, 25 Jun 2008
i was really disapointed when the 7th series finnishedand heard that there were to b no more
but then i got the graphic novel of the 8th series and was really impressed they are awesome and the pictures are simply amazing especially the chapter covers and the front covers they could almost b photos

a definate must have for all Buffy fans


xxlittlewolfxx

Season Eight, 27 May 2008
If you love the television series, you'll love the Season Eight Buffy comics. These are of a higher standard than any of the Pre-Season Eight Buffy comics that I've read. The creator of the Buffy television series, the illustrious Joss Whedon, has written the stories for these Season Eight comics, as well as writing the text for many of these issues.
Even if, like me, you haven't read a comic in years, you'll not regret getting your hands on Buffy Season Eight.

As well as recommending Buffy Season Eight, I also recommend Astonishing X-Men which is entirely written by Whedon. The outstanding text is complimented by Cassaday's fine artwork.
Even if you are new to American comic books, I strongly encourage you to buy the Astonishing X-Men trade paper backs, starting with the first volume, Gifted.

the tale continues, 04 Nov 2008
Its been about a year since i read the gunslinger born. In the time between reading that ad this, the long road home i have read 5 stephen king novels, and a multitude of marvel graphic novels. They were good, but the are all just a pillar for this.

In my own opinion, surely not everyones, but if your reading this you might agree, that the dark tower series is one of the best fantasy series of all time. The question is what does the long road home add to that?

Without ruining the story, ill say that it adds a considerable amount of knowledge we previously never had about the crimson king, as well as doing what it says on the cover, adding to the gap years between the barony of mejis and jericho hill.

I do have to say the artwork is once again brilliant, with a lot of effort being put into the book. Once again hard bound in leather straight away you are getting value for money. The writing is good, but recognisably comic dialogue rather than novel dialogue. Its snappish, witty, and not a word is ever wasted.

There are 2 bad points about this book though, as happy as i am with it. The first is that the plotline is very thin. not a lot really happens, i can see this being a set-up for another book down the line. The other thing is i dont see it being instantly accessible to those who have never read the novels. There are references to other books than the wizard and glass in here.

One final thing, at the back is a map, which shows the path roland took on his journey in wolves of calla, song of susannah and the dark tower.

Even if you arent a fan of graphic novels in the slightest if you want the dark tower you will enjoy this.

A long road ahead, 10 Oct 2008

"The Gunslinger Born" explored the origins and early struggles of young Roland Deschain, as well as the loss of his first true love, Susan Delgado.

And Stephen King's "Dark Tower: The Long Road Home" picks up right after that, showing us more devastating events that shaped Roland Deschain into the gunslinger anti-hero we know and love. While the first part is rather slow, it has plenty of horrific moments and the haunting quality of a "world that has moved on."

A devastated Roland takes down Susan's charred body, as Alain and Bert argue about whether they should be stopping. But suddenly Roland fires at Maerlyn's Grapefruit -- which suddenly turns into a tentacled eyeball that jumps on Roland's face, and enthralls his very soul before they can peel it off. His ka-tet is chased by a bunch of local thugs, the last Big Coffin Hunter, and a ghastly pack of mutated wolves.

Nearby, a mentally challenged boy named Sheemie was seen climbing into old war machines, only to encounter a strange robot that is somehow still "alive."And inside Maerlyn's Grapefruit, Roland is slowly being driven mad in his own memories -- right before being dragged to the hellish citadel of the Crimson King, who reveals a ghastly secret to the young boy from long ago, which will change him forever...

"The Dark Tower: Long Road Home" isn't quite as gripping as its predecessor, "The Gunslinger Born" -- partly because it's a briefer story, and partly because it's simpler. It's a tribute to Stephen King's original story -- and to the hauntingly vivid artwork -- that it's still such an intense rollercoaster ride.

After the heartbreaking first few pages, the plot speeds into a suitably confusing, desperate chase through a lonely wilderness, with plenty of gunshots and dying creatures. Things actually get rather gory as Roland's pals struggle over rickety bridges and across a red-tinged wilderness, since one of them almost gets his arm bitten off (and announces that he'd rather die than shoot left-handed forever. Hardcore, kid).

And since this is a world made by Stephen King, we have plenty of the eerie and the horrible -- Sheemie's confrontation with a baby-faced robot is just one example. King's rich, old-time narrative translates well into comic form, almost as if he were conversing with the readers ("But don't be laughing at Sheemie, I beg ya, because he's been through considerable trials").

And Jae Lee and Richard Isanove really bring this story to life -- they create a world split between bright bloody red mist and autumnal twilight, filled with shadowy faces, barren lands, and ghastly pursuers. And inside the Grapefruit, we get a full cornucopia of horrors, with Roland defiantly trying to keep his sanity and soul intact in a dusty, hazy landscape full of withered trees, tragic future selves, evil crows, lumpy castles, and the vaguely spidery King with his hellish magic and his suitably evil offers to Roland.

"The Gunslinger Born" introduced Roland as a boy, but "The Long Road Home" has undeniably made him a man. He has the guts and integrity to snarl not just at Marte but at the King himself. And after being in Roland's shadow for so long, Alain and Cuthbert also get to take center stage here -- we get to see just how strong and capable they are.

"Dark Tower: The Long Road Home" is not as tightly-written as its predecessor, but it's filled with a sense of overhanging horror and some solid action for the sidekicks. Definitely worth checking out.

Many twists and turn(ing stomach)s, 28 Nov 2008
At long last the hardback volume 4 of Kirkman/Adlard's epic zombie comic series arrives, as luxuriously produced and printed as its predecessors.

Inspired by the author's desire to explore a zombie apocalypse and its effects on survivors way beyond the point where most films would end or leave many questions unanswered, Kirkman's story is literate, well-paced and full of well-developed, highly individual characters. Charlie Adlard's austere artwork is both high in contrast and energy, his bold lines and meticulous attention to detail giving the stories a gritty, verite feel that serves them well.

Volume 4 begins where volume 3 ended, with our band of survivors literally caged in a prison they have found, each coming to terms with their emotional and physical wounds after encountering a twisted community of survivors in a nearby town who are under the thrall of an insane and sadistic meglomaniac.

As with the best zombie fiction, it is not the undead who mark the greatest threat, instead becoming opportunistic bystanders who wait patiently for any chance to strike when the petty squabbles and affairs of the living cause them to let their guard down and make an often fatal mistake.

Nor are they evil, as they are merely motivated by impartial instinct. True evil in Kirkman's apocalypse exists within those who have used the breakdown of society as an excuse to indulge their darker cravings for power, and this is epitomised by the aforementioned insane governor (he keeps his zombie daughter around his apartment, along with a wall of fishtanks containing the reanimated heads of his victims). In volume 3 he is maimed, in one of the most graphic sequences ever to grace the printed page, by one of the female characters he had systematically abused for pleasure, and in volume 4 he sets upon the prison seeking the lives of all within. Like the worst tyrants of history, he doesn't see his actions as evil and twisted, but as righteous and worthy.

Shamelessly lying to get his population to follow him on a vengeance quest that makes absolutely no sense in a world where the dead return to life to attack the living, much of volume 4 features an epic armed siege with sporadic bouts of incredible action and violence. Characters that have been carefully cultivated over the entire run are written out in a manner that is sudden, merciless and shocking. In fact, the closest thing I can equate to the bleak tone of this book is the ending of Frank Darabonts film The Mist.

As with the others I did read this in one sitting, so gripping is the story, and as with the others I will be rereading it again soon at a more leisurely pace so I can absorb its many details and intricacies. Owners of the first three will need no encouragement - newcomers are best starting at the beginning The Walking Dead Book 1: Bk. 1, but I can guarantee that very quickly you'll have bought all four!

A Sting in the Tale , 02 Jan 2009
After a slightly lacklustre second volume (being only an extension of the Vol. 1, but without the excitement of discovering the series' excellent premise), 'Death Note Volume 3' is back on a par with the series' awesome opener. 'L' and Kira continue their game of 'cat and mouse', playing for the highest of stakes.

Failing to flush Kira out, using surveillance technology, 'L' resorts to a carefully orchestrated face-to-face meeting, during which he tries to lure Light Yagami into revealing that he is indeed Kira. This is tense stuff, with little action and lots of fascinating dialogue between these two towering intellects, as they attempt to draw one another out. With honours roughly equal, the novel enters an intriguing third phase with Kira stepping up his reign of terror.

This final section is as exciting as anything that had come before (in all three volumes), and has a unforeseen (by me anyway) conclusion. There is a slightly preposterous twist, which works at least in the short term, but feels a little like its inclusion may in order to spin out the series (much like watching 'Lost' or 'Heroes'). I sincerely hope not, but only by reading further will I find out. For now, I'm hooked, and looking forward to the 4th instalment!


A new twist!, 02 Nov 2008
Volume 3 of the hit Death Note manga gives a big hit to the story and brings things together in a good way.

I wont tell youy what happens but the fight between L and Light gets more and more fantastic.The battle of wits and who is justice is far from over.
This series will ke