Type of bind: Paperback
EAN num: 9781840237825
Format: Import
ISBN number: 1840237821
Label: Titan Books Ltd
Manufacturer: Titan Books Ltd
Page Count: 96
Printing Date: January 23, 2004
Publishing house: Titan Books Ltd
Studio: Titan Books Ltd
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Rated by buyers -
After reading the so-so "The Origin" comic, I was weary to get my hopes up that the other pre-Season One Buffy comics would be any good. But in this trade paperback "Viva Las Buffy", gone is Christopher Golden's disjointed storytelling and artist Joe Bennett's purple vampires are no where in sight. Instead the infinitely more competent team of writers Scott Lobdell and Fabian Nicieza and penciller Cliff Richards, with Paul Lee and Brian Horton tackling the covers.
In this miniseries, Buffy and Pike (who narrates this tale) take on a vampire-run casino in Las Vegas, while the other characters from the series (who Buffy, at this point in her life, has yet to meet) deal with their own demons. Angel's story arc is very true to the show, as in he pretty much does nothing but watch over Buffy. However, he gets into his own bit of trouble during this, which leads to a very interesting twist involving time travel and temporal folds. Perhaps the most interesting side story in this miniseries involves Giles, who finds himself in a spot of trouble while trying to stop a colleague from using grey magic to take him out of the competition to become Buffy's watcher. There are many nods to the show there, including appearances by Quentin Travers, Wesley Wyndam-Price, and even soon-to-be-rogue watcher Gwendolyn Post.
Each story unfolds at a satisfying pace, very similarly to the show it's based off of. Buffy is especially entertaining, as she is one-hundred percent in character. Here, she is Season One Buffy, lacking the edge and the bitterness that the character later took on, especially in seasons six and seven. She has excepted her destiny as the slayer, but is still very new to the world and hasn't developed the cynical outlook that she later does. It's refreshing to see Buffy like this. Another great aspect of this series is the villain, who is--to say the least--unique.
While ninety percent of what I have to say about "Viva Las Buffy" is complementary, this isn't a perfect volume. The inconsistency of Pike's character from "The Origin" to here is disturbing and, though the character is much more likable here, I sometimes felt like this Pike was a completely different character all together. Another thing that annoyed me, perhaps unreasonably, was how Wesley was portrayed. What he did (snitching on Giles) was perhaps in character at that point in his life, but I can't say it didn't annoy me, as I've become a very big fan of Wesley. My biggest problem, however, is Dawn's presence in this miniseries (as well as the other pre-Season One comics). Essentially, we are seeing these events as Buffy remembers them, not how they truly happened. I have to say I'd much rather know what actually happened in these stories, not the magically altered memories including Dawn.
8/10
Rated by buyers 
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I wasn't entirely sure I would like this, as it doesn't have any of the regular cast besides Buffy herself, but I was suprised to find that I really enjoyed it. The writers did a great job and the art is fantastic. Pike is pretty cool (it was him I was afraid I wouldn't be able to like), and this gives us more background for Buffy, which is always good (at least for me). I'd definitely reccomend this for any Buffy fan.
Rated by buyers -
Time frame: after when the movie took place (Origin comic) but before her parents put her in an insane asylum (Slayer, Interrupted).
Buffy goes to La Vegas to investigate this vampire factory/casino. The story is basically told by Pike, the guy Buffy hooked up in the movie and in Origins. He has to determine whether to let himself accept this lifestyle or let Buffy go. He also gets to double stake some vamps while on his motorcycle.
Meanwhile, Buffy is Watcher-less. The Watcher's Council must determine who will become Buffy's new Watcher and Giles has some competition. Even a bit of the ol' Ripper side comes out of his tweed.
Angel also shows up to watch Buffy's back and investigate the casino, although Buffy doesn't know it. He gets thrown into the 1930's through a closet portal thingy. Artistically, it's an interesting sequence since he's the only one in colour in a black-and-white world.
Add a skimpy fighting outfit, time-traveling portal, vampire friendly casinoes, conjoined twins, grey magic, and a priest being thrown into the water line, and you've got yourself an entertaining read.
The only weird part is that Dawn is present at Buffy's home.
Otherwise, highly recommended for any Buffy and Angel fan.
Rated by buyers -
This Graphic Novel collects issues 51 - 54 of the Buffy Comic and features a bit of a departure for the comic. Rather than fitting in stories to the TV chronology, this 4 part story art actually takes place BEFORE the TV series starts and AFTER the events of the original film.
Buffy had just burned down the school gym and unable to cope with being the Slayer she flees to Las Vegas along with friend Pike, the character Luke Perry played in the movie. They get jobs in a casino that just happens to be run by a couple of vamps. Angel is on the scene too although Buffy is never aware of it so no continuity is screwed up. The art team of Cliff Richards and Will Conrad could have gotten away with all sorts of sleaze since the story takes place in Vegas. Instead, while they show Buffy suffering for her art in a bustier, hot pants and nylons, none of the artwork looks exploitive. She looks instead as seriously out of place in that outfit as she should.
In the end, Pike realize his place is not with Buffy and leaves Buffy alone where she would eventually go home and then move to Sunnydale. This was a solid storyline told from Pike's point of view and fills in a little depth to the Slayer's history.
Rated by buyers -
What's a Slayer to do after burning down her high school gym and getting expelled? Avoid her problems by running away to Los Vegas with her boyfriend Pike, ostensibly in search of more vampires. At least that's the premise of this comic that tries to fill some of the gaps between the end of the movie and the beginning of the TV show. Using the excuse of checking out a potential vamp nest, Buffy and Pike ride off on his motorcycle, get jobs at a casino (Buffy as a hat check girl), and start getting into trouble. Angel, lurking in the shadows, tags along, helping as best he can. Meanwhile, back in England, we get to see how Giles, in slightly Ripperesque form, becomes Buffy's new Watcher.
In many ways, this is a fun read. The story is told from multiple perspectives, giving insight into how the characters feel. Pike's emotions are especially well-explored, and we find out why Buffy is boyfriendless when she comes to Sunnydale. I liked the art work a great deal; some of the drawings of Buffy the Hat Check Girl were priceless. My only complaints were that the Big Bads were genetically impossible (yeah, I know it's fantasy, but still . . .) and that the storytelling was somewhat disjointed toward the end. Otherwise, "Viva Las Buffy" is a quick, satisfying excursion back into the Buffyverse.
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