well drawn and scripted just a little insubstantial., 02 Nov 2008
Set between the firefly TV series and the serenity movie this introduces dust devils, browncoat terrorists. If you have no idea what I am talking about watch firefly. Anyway because it is set between two established stories there is a limit to what the writers can do witht the characters. As a result the story isn't that strong, but the characters are excellenty written and it is a joy to read. roll on volume 3.

well drawn and scripted just a little insubstantial., 02 Nov 2008
Set between the firefly TV series and the serenity movie this introduces dust devils, browncoat terrorists. If you have no idea what I am talking about watch firefly. Anyway because it is set between two established stories there is a limit to what the writers can do witht the characters. As a result the story isn't that strong, but the characters are excellenty written and it is a joy to read. roll on volume 3.


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!

well drawn and scripted just a little insubstantial., 02 Nov 2008
Set between the firefly TV series and the serenity movie this introduces dust devils, browncoat terrorists. If you have no idea what I am talking about watch firefly. Anyway because it is set between two established stories there is a limit to what the writers can do witht the characters. As a result the story isn't that strong, but the characters are excellenty written and it is a joy to read. roll on volume 3.


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!



Great art and a nice little plot but nothing that really grabs the reader., 19 May 2008
I think this is deliberate though as it wouldn't do to have a comic tell an important story in the firefly setting just in case a new series or movie is commissioned. While that looks very unlikely now at the time this was first published it was more of a possibility.
That aside this is Ok, the art is nice and the characters are recognisable. The plot is simple and a bit too light but the characters are portrayed well, its like a filler episode of a TV series.

Great prequel to the Serenity movie., 22 Mar 2008
Even though it isn't aviaiable from Amazon directly, I bought the Serenity: Those Left Behind hardcover edition not expecting much, since the reviews I had put it down.

I was wrong.

This graphic novel is a great way to tigh in the cancelled tv series Firefly and the movie Serenity. I think comic book form is a great way to continue the saga of these lovable space pirates of the Firefly-class transport ship Serenity. The story is basically about the return and an old friend (well, enemy) and the chaos that ensues. You won't be dissappointed.

The book itself is fantastic. The front cover is so cool, and the speical features are cool as well (even though they appeared in the Firefly Official Companion, but I never bought that so it is ok). The only reasons I didn't give this 5 stars, is because i feel that they rushed the third issue of Those Left Behind, whereas they could have made it better by spreading it out into at least one more issue.

Apart from this, this is a fantastic prequel to the Serenity movie and sequel to the cancelled tv show Firefly. I have high hopes for Serenity: Better Days, which has already started and I hope they release that it hardcover first with no paperback.

EDIT: You have got to be joking! I bought this from someone else through Amazon marketplace because Amazon itself didn't have it in stock. And now, AFTER I bought it, they have it in stock!

Unfortunate let down, 04 Aug 2006
I first heard about Firefly and Serenity about 9 months ago and since then I've been hooked. The characters, the setting, the dialogue, all of it is the product of a great imagination and genuinely talented writing. After watching the TV series and the film I craved more which is why I was so happy to discover this comic collection.

Unfortunately it isn't anywhere near the heady heights of its filmed counterparts. Set in between the events of Firefly and Serenity it aims to create a bridging plot. Unfortunately it does not achieve this. I found the story dull, with nothing there to keep my interest going. It neither asked nor answered any questions of the characters and I felt really let down by the end.

Having said that, the artwork is extremely close to the look of the film and some of the dialogue is close to normal Joss Whedon standards. I'm glad I read it, just because I enjoy Firefly so much, but don't expect to be blown away in the same ways that Firefly and Serenity managed.

An entertaining story but..., 13 Apr 2006
This is a great comic and a great addition to the Firefly/Serenity universe. The art is great, the dialogue and script all sit well with the established universe and style. What stopped me giving it 4 or more stars was it being hyped as filling in the blanks between the end of the series and the film. It gives you nothing that you hadn't worked out for your self if you had seen both the series and film.

WARNING: I am going to explain a bit of the plot, but trust me, I'm not really giving anything away:

Inara said she was leaving, she does. Book doesn't always agree with the Captain, has a murky past and is moving around the universe, so, he moves on. The blue glove guys turn up and are nasty. The operative is introduced, briefly. It does bring back a character from the series that Joss Whendon said in the DVD commentary would have returned. so that's something. There are no great revelations. Buy this for another fun adventure with the same characters. Don't buy it to fill minor plot gaps, your imagination did that for you.

Average comic with big potential, 03 Mar 2006
This comic is meant to bridge the gap between the 'Firefly TV' series and 'Serenity' movie. In reality though it doesn't really carry the plot forwards, or even broaden the Firefly'verse at all, except in vaguely introducing the 'Operative'.

The strongest element of the comic is that the characters' likenesses are very close to that of the actors, and the dialogue also mostly catches their mannerisms. The rest of the artwork though is workmanlike and the settings are nothing special.

As a stand-alone story this comic is rather uninspired. It would be nice to see the comic continue though and if the writers had more freedom from the story arc of the show/movie it might really become something 'shiny'.

well drawn and scripted just a little insubstantial., 02 Nov 2008
Set between the firefly TV series and the serenity movie this introduces dust devils, browncoat terrorists. If you have no idea what I am talking about watch firefly. Anyway because it is set between two established stories there is a limit to what the writers can do witht the characters. As a result the story isn't that strong, but the characters are excellenty written and it is a joy to read. roll on volume 3.


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!



Great art and a nice little plot but nothing that really grabs the reader., 19 May 2008
I think this is deliberate though as it wouldn't do to have a comic tell an important story in the firefly setting just in case a new series or movie is commissioned. While that looks very unlikely now at the time this was first published it was more of a possibility.
That aside this is Ok, the art is nice and the characters are recognisable. The plot is simple and a bit too light but the characters are portrayed well, its like a filler episode of a TV series.

Great prequel to the Serenity movie., 22 Mar 2008
Even though it isn't aviaiable from Amazon directly, I bought the Serenity: Those Left Behind hardcover edition not expecting much, since the reviews I had put it down.

I was wrong.

This graphic novel is a great way to tigh in the cancelled tv series Firefly and the movie Serenity. I think comic book form is a great way to continue the saga of these lovable space pirates of the Firefly-class transport ship Serenity. The story is basically about the return and an old friend (well, enemy) and the chaos that ensues. You won't be dissappointed.

The book itself is fantastic. The front cover is so cool, and the speical features are cool as well (even though they appeared in the Firefly Official Companion, but I never bought that so it is ok). The only reasons I didn't give this 5 stars, is because i feel that they rushed the third issue of Those Left Behind, whereas they could have made it better by spreading it out into at least one more issue.

Apart from this, this is a fantastic prequel to the Serenity movie and sequel to the cancelled tv show Firefly. I have high hopes for Serenity: Better Days, which has already started and I hope they release that it hardcover first with no paperback.

EDIT: You have got to be joking! I bought this from someone else through Amazon marketplace because Amazon itself didn't have it in stock. And now, AFTER I bought it, they have it in stock!

Unfortunate let down, 04 Aug 2006
I first heard about Firefly and Serenity about 9 months ago and since then I've been hooked. The characters, the setting, the dialogue, all of it is the product of a great imagination and genuinely talented writing. After watching the TV series and the film I craved more which is why I was so happy to discover this comic collection.

Unfortunately it isn't anywhere near the heady heights of its filmed counterparts. Set in between the events of Firefly and Serenity it aims to create a bridging plot. Unfortunately it does not achieve this. I found the story dull, with nothing there to keep my interest going. It neither asked nor answered any questions of the characters and I felt really let down by the end.

Having said that, the artwork is extremely close to the look of the film and some of the dialogue is close to normal Joss Whedon standards. I'm glad I read it, just because I enjoy Firefly so much, but don't expect to be blown away in the same ways that Firefly and Serenity managed.

An entertaining story but..., 13 Apr 2006
This is a great comic and a great addition to the Firefly/Serenity universe. The art is great, the dialogue and script all sit well with the established universe and style. What stopped me giving it 4 or more stars was it being hyped as filling in the blanks between the end of the series and the film. It gives you nothing that you hadn't worked out for your self if you had seen both the series and film.

WARNING: I am going to explain a bit of the plot, but trust me, I'm not really giving anything away:

Inara said she was leaving, she does. Book doesn't always agree with the Captain, has a murky past and is moving around the universe, so, he moves on. The blue glove guys turn up and are nasty. The operative is introduced, briefly. It does bring back a character from the series that Joss Whendon said in the DVD commentary would have returned. so that's something. There are no great revelations. Buy this for another fun adventure with the same characters. Don't buy it to fill minor plot gaps, your imagination did that for you.

Average comic with big potential, 03 Mar 2006
This comic is meant to bridge the gap between the 'Firefly TV' series and 'Serenity' movie. In reality though it doesn't really carry the plot forwards, or even broaden the Firefly'verse at all, except in vaguely introducing the 'Operative'.

The strongest element of the comic is that the characters' likenesses are very close to that of the actors, and the dialogue also mostly catches their mannerisms. The rest of the artwork though is workmanlike and the settings are nothing special.

As a stand-alone story this comic is rather uninspired. It would be nice to see the comic continue though and if the writers had more freedom from the story arc of the show/movie it might really become something 'shiny'.

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.

well drawn and scripted just a little insubstantial., 02 Nov 2008
Set between the firefly TV series and the serenity movie this introduces dust devils, browncoat terrorists. If you have no idea what I am talking about watch firefly. Anyway because it is set between two established stories there is a limit to what the writers can do witht the characters. As a result the story isn't that strong, but the characters are excellenty written and it is a joy to read. roll on volume 3.


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!



Great art and a nice little plot but nothing that really grabs the reader., 19 May 2008
I think this is deliberate though as it wouldn't do to have a comic tell an important story in the firefly setting just in case a new series or movie is commissioned. While that looks very unlikely now at the time this was first published it was more of a possibility.
That aside this is Ok, the art is nice and the characters are recognisable. The plot is simple and a bit too light but the characters are portrayed well, its like a filler episode of a TV series.

Great prequel to the Serenity movie., 22 Mar 2008
Even though it isn't aviaiable from Amazon directly, I bought the Serenity: Those Left Behind hardcover edition not expecting much, since the reviews I had put it down.

I was wrong.

This graphic novel is a great way to tigh in the cancelled tv series Firefly and the movie Serenity. I think comic book form is a great way to continue the saga of these lovable space pirates of the Firefly-class transport ship Serenity. The story is basically about the return and an old friend (well, enemy) and the chaos that ensues. You won't be dissappointed.

The book itself is fantastic. The front cover is so cool, and the speical features are cool as well (even though they appeared in the Firefly Official Companion, but I never bought that so it is ok). The only reasons I didn't give this 5 stars, is because i feel that they rushed the third issue of Those Left Behind, whereas they could have made it better by spreading it out into at least one more issue.

Apart from this, this is a fantastic prequel to the Serenity movie and sequel to the cancelled tv show Firefly. I have high hopes for Serenity: Better Days, which has already started and I hope they release that it hardcover first with no paperback.

EDIT: You have got to be joking! I bought this from someone else through Amazon marketplace because Amazon itself didn't have it in stock. And now, AFTER I bought it, they have it in stock!

Unfortunate let down, 04 Aug 2006
I first heard about Firefly and Serenity about 9 months ago and since then I've been hooked. The characters, the setting, the dialogue, all of it is the product of a great imagination and genuinely talented writing. After watching the TV series and the film I craved more which is why I was so happy to discover this comic collection.

Unfortunately it isn't anywhere near the heady heights of its filmed counterparts. Set in between the events of Firefly and Serenity it aims to create a bridging plot. Unfortunately it does not achieve this. I found the story dull, with nothing there to keep my interest going. It neither asked nor answered any questions of the characters and I felt really let down by the end.

Having said that, the artwork is extremely close to the look of the film and some of the dialogue is close to normal Joss Whedon standards. I'm glad I read it, just because I enjoy Firefly so much, but don't expect to be blown away in the same ways that Firefly and Serenity managed.

An entertaining story but..., 13 Apr 2006
This is a great comic and a great addition to the Firefly/Serenity universe. The art is great, the dialogue and script all sit well with the established universe and style. What stopped me giving it 4 or more stars was it being hyped as filling in the blanks between the end of the series and the film. It gives you nothing that you hadn't worked out for your self if you had seen both the series and film.

WARNING: I am going to explain a bit of the plot, but trust me, I'm not really giving anything away:

Inara said she was leaving, she does. Book doesn't always agree with the Captain, has a murky past and is moving around the universe, so, he moves on. The blue glove guys turn up and are nasty. The operative is introduced, briefly. It does bring back a character from the series that Joss Whendon said in the DVD commentary would have returned. so that's something. There are no great revelations. Buy this for another fun adventure with the same characters. Don't buy it to fill minor plot gaps, your imagination did that for you.

Average comic with big potential, 03 Mar 2006
This comic is meant to bridge the gap between the 'Firefly TV' series and 'Serenity' movie. In reality though it doesn't really carry the plot forwards, or even broaden the Firefly'verse at all, except in vaguely introducing the 'Operative'.

The strongest element of the comic is that the characters' likenesses are very close to that of the actors, and the dialogue also mostly catches their mannerisms. The rest of the artwork though is workmanlike and the settings are nothing special.

As a stand-alone story this comic is rather uninspired. It would be nice to see the comic continue though and if the writers had more freedom from the story arc of the show/movie it might really become something 'shiny'.

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.

Stunning graphic novel, 08 Jul 2008
I, like many people I would guess, bought this novel after seeing the film. The first thing that struck me is how closely the film-makers stuck to the source material. There are several lines and scenes that have been duplicated to the letter in the film and the visual imagery is just as stunning in both adaptations.
There are some small changes between the book and the film e.g. everyone is totally naked apart from the cloak in the book but differences such as these are easily explained I would think i.e. the film-makers may have had a problem with 300 sets of male genitals being on screen for 90 minutes!
As has already been stated, this is not true to the history of the real event and never once has it claimed to be. Consequently, all you pendants out there who are moaning about this, get a life, seriously! This is an adaptation of the true events for entertainment, not for a historical study.
Overall, this a great novel in terms of imagery, story and overall presentation. If you liked the film, this is an absolute must.

Everybody knows that if you want a tough, manly comic book, you should turn to Frank Miller., 15 Dec 2007
Frank specializes in violent, testosterone-driven morality plays that make you want to run right out and hurt people. After years of hard-hitting crime stories, Frank turned his attention to what is possibly the ruggedest, manliest story in history: the battle of Thermopylae. In 480 B.C. King Leonidas of Sparta led 300 men to defend Greece from the vast Persian army. "But," as the book's back cover says, "these warriors are more than men... they are SPARTANS." You only think you've seen bad-asses before. The Spartans set whole new standards for bad-assery. The story's all about 300 mostly naked, sweaty Greek men, but you don't for a second imagine that they're gay. In fact, you don't think of them as sexual at all -they're purely devoted to killing, and they're very good at it. Even if you begin this book unsympathetic to their brutal culture, by the end you'll be cheering for them. Frank did a great job writing and drawing this story, and Lynn Varley did a great job adding the colors. The extra-wide pages allow for huge, sweeping shots and incredible battle scenes. The book has high production values all around - you'll want to leave it sitting out because it's just so damn pretty. Great artwork. Lots of memorable lines. And bone-crunching, overwhelming violence like you've never seen before. Five out of five!!! I would also recommend reading Tino Georgiou's masterpiece--The Fates--if you haven't read it yet.


I read this book, 300, before going to see the film, then re-read it after seeing the film., 29 Nov 2007
The movie is much more intense and complete, but it is still interesting to compare this book to the movie. I only notice one scene in the book that is not in the film, while the film adds a subplot about the queen getting political while the 300 are already in the field. The film also expands upon many scenes that only appear briefly in the book, like the stuff about babies being rejected by Spartan standards. There is less nudity in the book than the film, while the battle scenes are much more entertaining and more artful as they appear in the movie.

This book and movie are NOT hardly family-friendly fare for kids to see at all, that's why the film is R rated, and the book is for grown-ups.

Frank Miller is now a new reigning king of comic book success beyond the comics industry, and I like this 300 story much better than Miller's SIN CITY work. For me, SIN CITY was all about cruel violence for its own sake, as entertainment, but 300 serves a much better purpose, showing tons of violence, but basing it all around actual history. Despite the heightened, fictionalized polishes, the basic story of 300 teaches the reader/viewer the main points of this historical event, and the reader/viewer can then be intrigued enough to learn how this book and film of 300 differs, or is accurate, compared to the actual history.

300 is my favorite work by Frank Miller! Also, if you missed reading Tino Georgiou's masterpiece--The Fates, go and read it.

A beauty, if a bit short, 06 Nov 2007
Great action, great colour, good storyline. Better than watching the film.
And it's good for you too (on the grounds that it is a little bit educational) :-) Recommended.

Good Fun, 16 Jul 2007
First, for anyone looking for a real tale of history, then avoid this. But if you are looking for a highly stylized and visually stunning tale of epic sacrifice, then this is for you. Some of the art work and set pieces are brilliant. The story is brutal and unforgiving and includes some immortal one-liners. Slight criticism is that it starts a little slow, but once the action begins, it doesn't give up!

Frank Miller's Sin City is visually quite astonishing. A brutal adult noir set in the fictional Basin City, Miller's black and white artwork realises the atmosphere of some weird Depression-era-style future superbly well. Our principal character, Marv, is a giant, as large as he is ugly, who has found some peace, some kindness, some shelter in the arms of a prostitute called Goldie. Goldie, running from someone, scared as hell, needs protection as much as Marv needs a little human kindness. Hauling himself out of the depths of a huge hangover Marv wakes to find Goldie murdered. And revenge is one of the things Marv does best. While the artwork is undeniably fine the story is rather thin in places, and the sound effects come a little too thick and fast. Although not a great comic it is a very good one and, as the first part of the classic Sin City series, the beginning chapter in what has become an essential addition to the adult graphic novel collector's list. --Mark Thwaite

well drawn and scripted just a little insubstantial., 02 Nov 2008
Set between the firefly TV series and the serenity movie this introduces dust devils, browncoat terrorists. If you have no idea what I am talking about watch firefly. Anyway because it is set between two established stories there is a limit to what the writers can do witht the characters. As a result the story isn't that strong, but the characters are excellenty written and it is a joy to read. roll on volume 3.


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!



Great art and a nice little plot but nothing that really grabs the reader., 19 May 2008
I think this is deliberate though as it wouldn't do to have a comic tell an important story in the firefly setting just in case a new series or movie is commissioned. While that looks very unlikely now at the time this was first published it was more of a possibility.
That aside this is Ok, the art is nice and the characters are recognisable. The plot is simple and a bit too light but the characters are portrayed well, its like a filler episode of a TV series.

Great prequel to the Serenity movie., 22 Mar 2008
Even though it isn't aviaiable from Amazon directly, I bought the Serenity: Those Left Behind hardcover edition not expecting much, since the reviews I had put it down.

I was wrong.

This graphic novel is a great way to tigh in the cancelled tv series Firefly and the movie Serenity. I think comic book form is a great way to continue the saga of these lovable space pirates of the Firefly-class transport ship Serenity. The story is basically about the return and an old friend (well, enemy) and the chaos that ensues. You won't be dissappointed.

The book itself is fantastic. The front cover is so cool, and the speical features are cool as well (even though they appeared in the Firefly Official Companion, but I never bought that so it is ok). The only reasons I didn't give this 5 stars, is because i feel that they rushed the third issue of Those Left Behind, whereas they could have made it better by spreading it out into at least one more issue.

Apart from this, this is a fantastic prequel to the Serenity movie and sequel to the cancelled tv show Firefly. I have high hopes for Serenity: Better Days, which has already started and I hope they release that it hardcover first with no paperback.

EDIT: You have got to be joking! I bought this from someone else through Amazon marketplace because Amazon itself didn't have it in stock. And now, AFTER I bought it, they have it in stock!

Unfortunate let down, 04 Aug 2006
I first heard about Firefly and Serenity about 9 months ago and since then I've been hooked. The characters, the setting, the dialogue, all of it is the product of a great imagination and genuinely talented writing. After watching the TV series and the film I craved more which is why I was so happy to discover this comic collection.

Unfortunately it isn't anywhere near the heady heights of its filmed counterparts. Set in between the events of Firefly and Serenity it aims to create a bridging plot. Unfortunately it does not achieve this. I found the story dull, with nothing there to keep my interest going. It neither asked nor answered any questions of the characters and I felt really let down by the end.

Having said that, the artwork is extremely close to the look of the film and some of the dialogue is close to normal Joss Whedon standards. I'm glad I read it, just because I enjoy Firefly so much, but don't expect to be blown away in the same ways that Firefly and Serenity managed.

An entertaining story but..., 13 Apr 2006
This is a great comic and a great addition to the Firefly/Serenity universe. The art is great, the dialogue and script all sit well with the established universe and style. What stopped me giving it 4 or more stars was it being hyped as filling in the blanks between the end of the series and the film. It gives you nothing that you hadn't worked out for your self if you had seen both the series and film.

WARNING: I am going to explain a bit of the plot, but trust me, I'm not really giving anything away:

Inara said she was leaving, she does. Book doesn't always agree with the Captain, has a murky past and is moving around the universe, so, he moves on. The blue glove guys turn up and are nasty. The operative is introduced, briefly. It does bring back a character from the series that Joss Whendon said in the DVD commentary would have returned. so that's something. There are no great revelations. Buy this for another fun adventure with the same characters. Don't buy it to fill minor plot gaps, your imagination did that for you.

Average comic with big potential, 03 Mar 2006
This comic is meant to bridge the gap between the 'Firefly TV' series and 'Serenity' movie. In reality though it doesn't really carry the plot forwards, or even broaden the Firefly'verse at all, except in vaguely introducing the 'Operative'.

The strongest element of the comic is that the characters' likenesses are very close to that of the actors, and the dialogue also mostly catches their mannerisms. The rest of the artwork though is workmanlike and the settings are nothing special.

As a stand-alone story this comic is rather uninspired. It would be nice to see the comic continue though and if the writers had more freedom from the story arc of the show/movie it might really become something 'shiny'.

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.

Stunning graphic novel, 08 Jul 2008
I, like many people I would guess, bought this novel after seeing the film. The first thing that struck me is how closely the film-makers stuck to the source material. There are several lines and scenes that have been duplicated to the letter in the film and the visual imagery is just as stunning in both adaptations.
There are some small changes between the book and the film e.g. everyone is totally naked apart from the cloak in the book but differences such as these are easily explained I would think i.e. the film-makers may have had a problem with 300 sets of male genitals being on screen for 90 minutes!
As has already been stated, this is not true to the history of the real event and never once has it claimed to be. Consequently, all you pendants out there who are moaning about this, get a life, seriously! This is an adaptation of the true events for entertainment, not for a historical study.
Overall, this a great novel in terms of imagery, story and overall presentation. If you liked the film, this is an absolute must.

Everybody knows that if you want a tough, manly comic book, you should turn to Frank Miller., 15 Dec 2007
Frank specializes in violent, testosterone-driven morality plays that make you want to run right out and hurt people. After years of hard-hitting crime stories, Frank turned his attention to what is possibly the ruggedest, manliest story in history: the battle of Thermopylae. In 480 B.C. King Leonidas of Sparta led 300 men to defend Greece from the vast Persian army. "But," as the book's back cover says, "these warriors are more than men... they are SPARTANS." You only think you've seen bad-asses before. The Spartans set whole new standards for bad-assery. The story's all about 300 mostly naked, sweaty Greek men, but you don't for a second imagine that they're gay. In fact, you don't think of them as sexual at all -they're purely devoted to killing, and they're very good at it. Even if you begin this book unsympathetic to their brutal culture, by the end you'll be cheering for them. Frank did a great job writing and drawing this story, and Lynn Varley did a great job adding the colors. The extra-wide pages allow for huge, sweeping shots and incredible battle scenes. The book has high production values all around - you'll want to leave it sitting out because it's just so damn pretty. Great artwork. Lots of memorable lines. And bone-crunching, overwhelming violence like you've never seen before. Five out of five!!! I would also recommend reading Tino Georgiou's masterpiece--The Fates--if you haven't read it yet.


I read this book, 300, before going to see the film, then re-read it after seeing the film., 29 Nov 2007
The movie is much more intense and complete, but it is still interesting to compare this book to the movie. I only notice one scene in the book that is not in the film, while the film adds a subplot about the queen getting political while the 300 are already in the field. The film also expands upon many scenes that only appear briefly in the book, like the stuff about babies being rejected by Spartan standards. There is less nudity in the book than the film, while the battle scenes are much more entertaining and more artful as they appear in the movie.

This book and movie are NOT hardly family-friendly fare for kids to see at all, that's why the film is R rated, and the book is for grown-ups.

Frank Miller is now a new reigning king of comic book success beyond the comics industry, and I like this 300 story much better than Miller's SIN CITY work. For me, SIN CITY was all about cruel violence for its own sake, as entertainment, but 300 serves a much better purpose, showing tons of violence, but basing it all around actual history. Despite the heightened, fictionalized polishes, the basic story of 300 teaches the reader/viewer the main points of this historical event, and the reader/viewer can then be intrigued enough to learn how this book and film of 300 differs, or is accurate, compared to the actual history.

300 is my favorite work by Frank Miller! Also, if you missed reading Tino Georgiou's masterpiece--The Fates, go and read it.

A beauty, if a bit short, 06 Nov 2007
Great action, great colour, good storyline. Better than watching the film.
And it's good for you too (on the grounds that it is a little bit educational) :-) Recommended.

Good Fun, 16 Jul 2007
First, for anyone looking for a real tale of history, then avoid this. But if you are looking for a highly stylized and visually stunning tale of epic sacrifice, then this is for you. Some of the art work and set pieces are brilliant. The story is brutal and unforgiving and includes some immortal one-liners. Slight criticism is that it starts a little slow, but once the action begins, it doesn't give up!

Classic start to a classic series....a must have!, 24 Apr 2008
This is one of my favourite graphic novels. Utterly fantastic and visually stunning. Even if you are not a reader of graphic novels, any traditional crime fan would be pulled into Frank Millers world of hard cases, hitmen, dames and hookers. The men are big and burly, the women are so hot and curvy, and its all conveyed perfectly in harsh black and white artwork. Its like traditional film noir on the page.

This is the first in the series of Sin city, and the protagonist is the incredible Marv, hulking street fighter and tough guy with a "condition." He can't believe his luck when he meets a beautiful woman called Goldie...But it's not to last, and she ends up murdered. Then Marv is hot on the trail of her killers, and blood splattered vengeance will be his!! Kevin is truly one of the creepiest baddies I've seen, and Marv makes sure he gets what he deserves. Some of the characters are just amazing and recur throughout the Sin City series, like Gail, the fiery hooker, and Nancy, the angelic strip club dancer. This is a great crime story, as well a thrilling personal drama. I found it kind of romantic too, in a tragic way.

A welcome change from traditional superhero comics. Frank Miller is a genius! Read the rest of series now, and have a look at the art book! A great adult read indeed!

Impressive crime story, 06 Aug 2007
This is a great story and incredibly well drawn. Marv is a brute with justice on his side in this dark tale of violence, prostitution and corruption. Highly recommended if you're fond of noir and incredibly well designed drawings. Some of Miller's art is astounding and this is well worth a look.

Grimy "Goodbye", 26 Mar 2007
With a name like "The Hard Goodbye," it isn't surprising that the first volume of the Sin City series is pure, gritty noir. After practically reinventing the superhero comic, Frank Miller created a series that can definitely be called his opus -- gritty, dark, sexy and heady. Think of it as "The Big Sleep" meets "Kill Bill."

"The night is hot as hell. Everything sticks." With those words, tough, scarred Marv encounters and beds a beautiful, alluring "goddess" named Goldie. No sooner have they made love than she is found dead beside him, and unsurprisingly the police believe that Marv is the killer. Case closed? Not really.

Being blamed for the murder of the woman he loved, Marv devotes himself to finding who killed her and framed him. He rampages through the depths of Sin City, unearthing the twisted power structure that holds it up -- and in his homicidal quest, destroying his hidden enemies for the murder of Goldie... and in the process, dooming himself.

The noir atmosphere starts from the first panel -- toughguyspeak, a silhouette and a beautiful woman. That dark, dirty feel sets the mood for the book, and in fact for the entire series. Imagine one of those old Humphrey Bogart noir movies, with the smoky atmosphere and black-and-white film... but darker, more violent, openly sexual, and often gruesome in tone.

Miller's drawing style is all in black and white, and in "Hard Goodbye" the style is simple, but effective. He uses stark swashes of dark and light to illustrate the characters' faces and bodies, never overburdening the reader with too many unnecessary details. Although later volumes have more visual detail, Miller strips it down here to the bare bones, and it fits the spare narrative beautifully.

"Sin City" itself is a seedy underbelly, full of crime, revenge and corruption; Marv isn't the guy who's going to clean it up, a la Dashiell Hammett, but the guy who will get revenge, no matter what the consequences are. The characters are just as dark: a corrupted Cardinal, psychopathic cannibal Kevin, and moderately crooked cops. Lots of death ensues.

Frank Miller's "Sin City: The Hard Goodbye" is a hard book to read. However, the Chander-by-way-of-Tarantino comic book is an electrifying read, dark and bloody and vivid.

Five Star Sin, 29 Jun 2006
This has to be the perfect place to start from if you want to enter the world of Sin City. Frank Miller brings what has to be one of the best graphic novels ever to the public. If you have already seen the film and want to follow up your interest in Sin City, this is one of the 3 main books used. The others being That Yellow Bastard and The Big Fat Kill, there is also a small section of Booze, Broads and Bullets used.

The second Sin City film will be based around the book To Hell and Back, which is the seventh book of the Sin City Empire.

Hartigan saves little Nancy Callahan in Miller's comic noir, 07 Jun 2005
Although I still have a preference for Marv and narrative of "The Hard Goodbye," the first of Frank Miller's "Sin City" graphic novels, I think that artistically he hits full stride in the fourth, "That Yellow Bastard." It is just mildly ironic that this becomes the first volume in the series to add any color to Miller's black and white world. But whereas "The Hard Goodbye" had an almost kitchen sink approach with Miller pretty much trying everything he could come up with for black & white (or white & black) illustrations, I find there is much more of a coherent artistic vision and a rhythm to way in which Miller goes from predominantly black to predominantly white pages, and back again.

"That Yellow Bastard" begins with tough cop John Hartigan, whose good heart is going bad on him, trying to stay alive long enough to do one last case before he dies. Somebody has been raping and murdering little girls for some time and now they have taken 11-year-old Nancy Callahan. Hartigan is able to save Nancy from Roark Junior, the son of Senator Roark, but takes four bullets in the process. Junior is in worse shape, having an ear and both of his "weapons" removed by Hartigan's bullets. If an old man dies and a little girl survives, then Hartigan considers that a fair deal. But this bloody encounter is but the first act in this particular comic noir.

The first episode sets the rules for Hartigan's world, where protecting women is hard-wired into the psyches of tough guys like him. Even when Hartigan finds out that Nancy grew up and filled out, that does not change his mission (just complicates it a bit). Granted, the age difference would make more sense if he was her grandfather, but then there is a consistency to what Hartigan means when he says that he loves Nancy, even if she is inclined to read it a different way. There is a leap in the narrative at one point that you might find a bit hard to accept (i.e., confession leads to immediate release), but you have to admit it is a lot easier to be a pariah out in the world than stuck in prison (and I think Junior would have wanted it that way).

Again, the art work here is Miller at what I consider to be his best, but attention must also be paid to the sense of pacing that he shows in several scenes (most notably when Hartigan pulls himself together for the final confrontation with Junior). There are easily a dozen great looks at Hartigan's grizzled face, and a 15-page sequence, spanning two chapters, of Nancy dancing at the club, consisting of not only full-page shots but also two-page spreads, as she mesmerizes her audience. With "That Yellow Bastard" readers who were introduced to the graphic novels by the film that incorporated three of the first four volumes will be heading into new territory with "Family Values." It will interesting to see when and how Miller tops artistically what he came up with for this one.

well drawn and scripted just a little insubstantial., 02 Nov 2008
Set between the firefly TV series and the serenity movie this introduces dust devils, browncoat terrorists. If you have no idea what I am talking about watch firefly. Anyway because it is set between two established stories there is a limit to what the writers can do witht the characters. As a result the story isn't that strong, but the characters are excellenty written and it is a joy to read. roll on volume 3.


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!



Great art and a nice little plot but nothing that really grabs the reader., 19 May 2008
I think this is deliberate though as it wouldn't do to have a comic tell an important story in the firefly setting just in case a new series or movie is commissioned. While that looks very unlikely now at the time this was first published it was more of a possibility.
That aside this is Ok, the art is nice and the characters are recognisable. The plot is simple and a bit too light but the characters are portrayed well, its like a filler episode of a TV series.

Great prequel to the Serenity movie., 22 Mar 2008
Even though it isn't aviaiable from Amazon directly, I bought the Serenity: Those Left Behind hardcover edition not expecting much, since the reviews I had put it down.

I was wrong.

This graphic novel is a great way to tigh in the cancelled tv series Firefly and the movie Serenity. I think comic book form is a great way to continue the saga of these lovable space pirates of the Firefly-class transport ship Serenity. The story is basically about the return and an old friend (well, enemy) and the chaos that ensues. You won't be dissappointed.

The book itself is fantastic. The front cover is so cool, and the speical features are cool as well (even though they appeared in the Firefly Official Companion, but I never bought that so it is ok). The only reasons I didn't give this 5 stars, is because i feel that they rushed the third issue of Those Left Behind, whereas they could have made it better by spreading it out into at least one more issue.

Apart from this, this is a fantastic prequel to the Serenity movie and sequel to the cancelled tv show Firefly. I have high hopes for Serenity: Better Days, which has already started and I hope they release that it hardcover first with no paperback.

EDIT: You have got to be joking! I bought this from someone else through Amazon marketplace because Amazon itself didn't have it in stock. And now, AFTER I bought it, they have it in stock!

Unfortunate let down, 04 Aug 2006
I first heard about Firefly and Serenity about 9 months ago and since then I've been hooked. The characters, the setting, the dialogue, all of it is the product of a great imagination and genuinely talented writing. After watching the TV series and the film I craved more which is why I was so happy to discover this comic collection.

Unfortunately it isn't anywhere near the heady heights of its filmed counterparts. Set in between the events of Firefly and Serenity it aims to create a bridging plot. Unfortunately it does not achieve this. I found the story dull, with nothing there to keep my interest going. It neither asked nor answered any questions of the characters and I felt really let down by the end.

Having said that, the artwork is extremely close to the look of the film and some of the dialogue is close to normal Joss Whedon standards. I'm glad I read it, just because I enjoy Firefly so much, but don't expect to be blown away in the same ways that Firefly and Serenity managed.

An entertaining story but..., 13 Apr 2006
This is a great comic and a great addition to the Firefly/Serenity universe. The art is great, the dialogue and script all sit well with the established universe and style. What stopped me giving it 4 or more stars was it being hyped as filling in the blanks between the end of the series and the film. It gives you nothing that you hadn't worked out for your self if you had seen both the series and film.

WARNING: I am going to explain a bit of the plot, but trust me, I'm not really giving anything away:

Inara said she was leaving, she does. Book doesn't always agree with the Captain, has a murky past and is moving around the universe, so, he moves on. The blue glove guys turn up and are nasty. The operative is introduced, briefly. It does bring back a character from the series that Joss Whendon said in the DVD commentary would have returned. so that's something. There are no great revelations. Buy this for another fun adventure with the same characters. Don't buy it to fill minor plot gaps, your imagination did that for you.

Average comic with big potential, 03 Mar 2006
This comic is meant to bridge the gap between the 'Firefly TV' series and 'Serenity' movie. In reality though it doesn't really carry the plot forwards, or even broaden the Firefly'verse at all, except in vaguely introducing the 'Operative'.

The strongest element of the comic is that the characters' likenesses are very close to that of the actors, and the dialogue also mostly catches their mannerisms. The rest of the artwork though is workmanlike and the settings are nothing special.

As a stand-alone story this comic is rather uninspired. It would be nice to see the comic continue though and if the writers had more freedom from the story arc of the show/movie it might really become something 'shiny'.

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.

Stunning graphic novel, 08 Jul 2008
I, like many people I would guess, bought this novel after seeing the film. The first thing that struck me is how closely the film-makers stuck to the source material. There are several lines and scenes that have been duplicated to the letter in the film and the visual imagery is just as stunning in both adaptations.
There are some small changes between the book and the film e.g. everyone is totally naked apart from the cloak in the book but differences such as these are easily explained I would think i.e. the film-makers may have had a problem with 300 sets of male genitals being on screen for 90 minutes!
As has already been stated, this is not true to the history of the real event and never once has it claimed to be. Consequently, all you pendants out there who are moaning about this, get a life, seriously! This is an adaptation of the true events for entertainment, not for a historical study.
Overall, this a great novel in terms of imagery, story and overall presentation. If you liked the film, this is an absolute must.

Everybody knows that if you want a tough, manly comic book, you should turn to Frank Miller., 15 Dec 2007
Frank specializes in violent, testosterone-driven morality plays that make you want to run right out and hurt people. After years of hard-hitting crime stories, Frank turned his attention to what is possibly the ruggedest, manliest story in history: the battle of Thermopylae. In 480 B.C. King Leonidas of Sparta led 300 men to defend Greece from the vast Persian army. "But," as the book's back cover says, "these warriors are more than men... they are SPARTANS." You only think you've seen bad-asses before. The Spartans set whole new standards for bad-assery. The story's all about 300 mostly naked, sweaty Greek men, but you don't for a second imagine that they're gay. In fact, you don't think of them as sexual at all -they're purely devoted to killing, and they're very good at it. Even if you begin this book unsympathetic to their brutal culture, by the end you'll be cheering for them. Frank did a great job writing and drawing this story, and Lynn Varley did a great job adding the colors. The extra-wide pages allow for huge, sweeping shots and incredible battle scenes. The book has high production values all around - you'll want to leave it sitting out because it's just so damn pretty. Great artwork. Lots of memorable lines. And bone-crunching, overwhelming violence like you've never seen before. Five out of five!!! I would also recommend reading Tino Georgiou's masterpiece--The Fates--if you haven't read it yet.


I read this book, 300, before going to see the film, then re-read it after seeing the film., 29 Nov 2007
The movie is much more intense and complete, but it is still interesting to compare this book to the movie. I only notice one scene in the book that is not in the film, while the film adds a subplot about the queen getting political while the 300 are already in the field. The film also expands upon many scenes that only appear briefly in the book, like the stuff about babies being rejected by Spartan standards. There is less nudity in the book than the film, while the battle scenes are much more entertaining and more artful as they appear in the movie.

This book and movie are NOT hardly family-friendly fare for kids to see at all, that's why the film is R rated, and the book is for grown-ups.

Frank Miller is now a new reigning king of comic book success beyond the comics industry, and I like this 300 story much better than Miller's SIN CITY work. For me, SIN CITY was all about cruel violence for its own sake, as entertainment, but 300 serves a much better purpose, showing tons of violence, but basing it all around actual history. Despite the heightened, fictionalized polishes, the basic story of 300 teaches the reader/viewer the main points of this historical event, and the reader/viewer can then be intrigued enough to learn how this book and film of 300 differs, or is accurate, compared to the actual history.

300 is my favorite work by Frank Miller! Also, if you missed reading Tino Georgiou's masterpiece--The Fates, go and read it.

A beauty, if a bit short, 06 Nov 2007
Great action, great colour, good storyline. Better than watching the film.
And it's good for you too (on the grounds that it is a little bit educational) :-) Recommended.

Good Fun, 16 Jul 2007
First, for anyone looking for a real tale of history, then avoid this. But if you are looking for a highly stylized and visually stunning tale of epic sacrifice, then this is for you. Some of the art work and set pieces are brilliant. The story is brutal and unforgiving and includes some immortal one-liners. Slight criticism is that it starts a little slow, but once the action begins, it doesn't give up!

Classic start to a classic series....a must have!, 24 Apr 2008
This is one of my favourite graphic novels. Utterly fantastic and visually stunning. Even if you are not a reader of graphic novels, any traditional crime fan would be pulled into Frank Millers world of hard cases, hitmen, dames and hookers. The men are big and burly, the women are so hot and curvy, and its all conveyed perfectly in harsh black and white artwork. Its like traditional film noir on the page.

This is the first in the series of Sin city, and the protagonist is the incredible Marv, hulking street fighter and tough guy with a "condition." He can't believe his luck when he meets a beautiful woman called Goldie...But it's not to last, and she ends up murdered. Then Marv is hot on the trail of her killers, and blood splattered vengeance will be his!! Kevin is truly one of the creepiest baddies I've seen, and Marv makes sure he gets what he deserves. Some of the characters are just amazing and recur throughout the Sin City series, like Gail, the fiery hooker, and Nancy, the angelic strip club dancer. This is a great crime story, as well a thrilling personal drama. I found it kind of romantic too, in a tragic way.

A welcome change from traditional superhero comics. Frank Miller is a genius! Read the rest of series now, and have a look at the art book! A great adult read indeed!

Impressive crime story, 06 Aug 2007
This is a great story and incredibly well drawn. Marv is a brute with justice on his side in this dark tale of violence, prostitution and corruption. Highly recommended if you're fond of noir and incredibly well designed drawings. Some of Miller's art is astounding and this is well worth a look.

Grimy "Goodbye", 26 Mar 2007