Product Description
Dream-team creators Joss Whedon (TV's Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and John Cassaday (Planetary, Captain America) present the explosive flagship X-Men series - marking a return to classic greatness and the beginning of a brand-new era for the X-Men! Cyclops and Emma Frost re-form the X-Men with the express purpose of "astonishing" the world. But when breaking news regarding the mutant gene unexpectedly hits the airwaves, will it derail their new plans before they even get started?

Collecting:

Astonishing X-Men #1-6

... Read more

Customer Reviews (67)

Awesome Joss Whedon + X-Men Goodness
The X-Men were what got me into comic books. As a kid I'd watch the animated series and read whatever X-Men comics I could get my hands on. Wolverine. Iceman. Gambit. All the heroes I could ask for. As I grew, I still loved the Marvel staple, but I somehow got disconnected from the comics. I loosely followed what was happening, but not enough.

Years passed, and a lot happened in the Marvel Universe. I read the titular Civil War trade paperback, but none of House of M. Apparently the X-Men had so many convoluted arcs going that the series needed a hardcore reboot. The man to take the helm was none other than Joss Whedon, a man fully capable of telling the tale.

So I picked up the first edition of the new Astonishing X-Men, Gifted. Emma Frost and Scott Summers have decided to reform the team, intending on astonishing the world. Along with Wolverine, Beast, and Kitty Pryde, the X-Men set out to do just that. And as soon as they do, a remarkable cure for the mutant gene is found, ripping the world (and the team) apart.

Joss Whedon's plot was smooth and fluid, as his always are. Each character was well written, given enough individuality to make them stand out. The dialogue was also fun.

In the art department, John Cassaday does an amazing job. This could be the slickest art for any X-Men comic I've ever read. The colors were rich and vivid. The drawings were exactly what I want in a comic, especially one with superheroes in it.

One of my favorite characters was Beast. His design is awesome, and I think the Cassaday did an excellent job with him. Also, his personality is deep, and Whedon pegged him dead on. Plus, he's actually pretty cool now, acting "beastly" even. Quite a bit different than how I remember him from the old stuff.

The Astonishing X-Men let me re-live the sweetness of the X-Men again, and I thoroughly enjoyed this first volume. The next arc, Dangerous, is already in my possession, and I will eagerly dive back into its pages. For any fans of the X-Men, I easily recommend Whedon and Cassaday's Gifted.

Gelati's Scoop
The number of words in this post is going to be few. I am at a loss to adequately describe what I got to be a part of .The X-Men have been a big part of my collection from the number one issue. They were one of the cornerstones of the collection I had till I had to let it go. That being said this graphic novel is probably one of the best executed graphic novels I have ever seen. It is just that good.
The team of Joss Whedon and John Cassaday just blew me away. The story lines were intense and the artwork not only matched that but took it to a new level for me. Cassaday's artwork is some of the best I have ever seen in a graphic novel and the words and art fit like a glove. This is two masters of the genre at the top of their game; I loved every frame and every word.The team they have constructed headed up by Cyclops is nice and tight, the subplots are intense and the continuing action is amazing. I enjoyed the cameo by the Fantastic Four, it was brief but felt right and was a good addition. The attention to the smallest detail in both characters and artwork took this to a new level.
Unfortunately the comparisons I will make in my head about the graphic novels I look at for a while will travel back to this, Astonishing X-Men. To try to grab the same heart, emotion, intensity and quality of Weldon's writing will be difficult. The artwork will probably stay atop my charts for many months to come; it just fit the story frame for frame so well. The quality contained within these pages is rare and exciting to hold, don't pass this up. If you are a big X-Men fan, this is a must read, if you enjoy reading at all and want to hold a stick of dynamite, this is for you.I don't hesitate to recommend this to anyone, put this on your Goodreads and Shelfari -to read- list and move it to the top.
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Facebook & Linkedin. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. You can also follow us on Twitter, and the Gelati's Scoop Facebook Fan Page. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Gelati's Store Tab on our blog?Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day.
[...]

Astonishing!
Kitty Pryde is the newest member of the re-formed X-Men, now led by Scott Summers and Emma Frost, and through her we are introduced to this new chapter for the team. They face a threat from another world, a possible cure for mutations, and, of course, antagonism between Wolverine and Cyclops, between Wolverine and Beast, between...well, you get the picture.

This volume is a promising start to a new story arc. The dialogue was Whendon-esque--that is, clever and funny--and X-Man-esque, the art was good, and the story was definitely interesting and had some great ideas, particularly the idea of a "cure" for being a mutant, and what that would mean to different people affected by mutations. I enjoyed it. A lot of potential, I think.

Fun, entertaining, well told story - and you don't need to be a die hard fan!
I bought this book (volume 1) and the same day I got it I ordered volumes 2, 3, and 4!
This is a great, fun story that will have you reading from beginning to end in one sitting. It has drama, action, romance, thoughtfulness, funny moments, and a great story.
If you want to buy the whole story, be aware that although there are 5 or 6 volumes of "Astonishing X-Men", only volumes 1-4 cover the whole story. The volumes that come after are from different authors.
I highly recommend this title for both casual and die-hard graphic novel fans.
Be aware, however, that it's not "ground-breaking". It's a typical X-Men story, but a very good one.

Great story, great artwork, great buy - besides its Joss Whedon!
Well, I have to honest, I was curious about this series of X-MEN comics because of Joss Whedon's involvement.Let me just say, I was not disappointed.

I'm ashamed to say this, but I don't know if these stories tie directly in to the main story arc or not (I've only read the first few years of the original comics, and odd issues here and there since) so I don't know if the feel of the recent story line has been tampered or not.Regardless, I would just look at these as just one more possible future (there have been dozens of variant-stories anyway - e.g. Age of Apocalypse.)One of the best things about X-MEN has always been the political and ethical conflict of Human/Mutant relations, and Joss has followed suit and weaved together a story that feels as though it really could be taking place right now.

IN SUMMARY: Great story, great artwork, great buy. ... Read more

Product Description
Before Season 8, Joss Whedon brought generations of Slayers and vampires to comics with the help of his acclaimed TV writing team and some of the best artists to ever grace the comics page. Now all those stories, plus selected stories from Season 8, are collected in one deluxe hardcover with a new cover by Jo Chen. Joss writes multiple tales: a somber vamp tale drawn by Cameron Stewart, the story of the first Slayer drawn by Leinil Yu, and more. This essential complement to Season 8 features stories written by Buffy actress Amber (Tara) Benson and the amazing writers of the show, including David Fury (24, Lost), Doug Petrie (Tru Calling, CSI), Jane Espenson (Battlestar Galactica), Rebecca Sinclair (Gilmore Girls), Drew Goddard (Lost, Cloverfield, Cabin in the Woods), Drew Greenberg (Dexter) and The Tick creator Ben Edlund (Venture Bros., Supernatural).Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Tales also reprints for the first time new Season 8 stories written by novelist Jackie Kessler (Hell's Belles) and award-winning cartoonist Becky Cloonan (Demo), featuring vampires living in the public eye, killing Slayers and killing each other. ... Read more

Product Description
In Whedonistas, a host of award-winning female writers and fans come together to celebrate the works of Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse, Doctor Horrible's Sing-Along Blog).By discussing the impact of Whedon's work, their involvement with his shows' fandoms and why they adore the worlds he's created, these essayists aim to misbehave in Whedon's rich, fantastical worlds. Essay topics include Sharon Shinn ("Samaria" series) and Emma Bull (Territory) elaborating on the perfection of Firefly, Jeanne Stein (the Anna Strong Chronicles) revealing Buffy's influence on Anna Strong, and Nancy Holder (October Rain, The Watcher's Guide) relating on-the-set tales of Spike menacing her baby daughter while Riley made her hot chocolate.Other contributors include Seanan McGuire (October Daye series), Elizabeth Bear (Chill), Catherynne M. Valente (Palimpsest), Maria Lima (Blood Lines), Jackie Kessler (Black and White), Mariah Huehner (IDW Comics), Sarah Monette (Corambis), and Lyda Morehouse (AngeLINK Series).Also featured is an exclusive interview with television writer and producer Jane Espenson. ... Read more

Product Description
This biography of Joss Whedon, creator of television's Buffy the Vampire Slayer, offers a compelling look at one of the most talented television writers, directors, and producers of this generation. It explains how Whedon turned a midseason replacement show on the fledgling WB network into one of the most beloved shows of all time. Examined is Whedon's life from childhood to the present; his successful screenwriting career, which includes Toy Story, Speed, and X-Men; the development of Buffy and Angel; and the launch of his much-anticipated science fiction series, Firefly. Discussed are Whedon as a producer with a self-proclaimed "feminist agenda," as a genre fan writing for genre fans, and as a leader and mentor. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Retyping a few interviews does not = a biography
Don't be fooled by the intentionally deceptive marketing used to peddle this book as a biography - this is actually a handful of Whedon interviews, readily available on the Internet, retyped in roughly chronological order. A few quotes from the actors are thrown in for some faux-breadth.There are NO first-hand interviews behind this book, NO input from Whedon himself, and NO new information that even casual Buffy fans haven't heard before.The entire thing has the feel of something thrown together in a single day for a quick buck.

Please learn from my mistake and save yourself $16; to get all the useful information in this book, type +"Joss Whedon" +interview into Google and you can read the very same interviews Havens worked from first-hand, without having to waste money and time slogging through this distasteful mess.

Interesting content; writing style less so
This book is an interesting and concise overview of Joss Whedon and his work and life.As an avid Buffy fan, I enjoyed reading about Joss's inspirations and paths which led him to create the wonderful shows he had created.However, I found the writing style to be very basic and uninspired, reminding me of biographies I read in elementary school.This book merely tells the story, without taking the time to write with elegance or engaging prose.

One fine read
I totally love it.
As a fan of Buffy and Joss, and also a huge fan of the industry (screenwriting/filmmaking) itself i really enjoyed it.
I have read tons of articles on Joss and they are right when they say this book reveals a lot of stuff, and we're not only talking the chronology of things.
Joss is so unique. I like how book is full of examples of his vision and at the same time it's not only narrating or retelling, the author digs deep and the way she talks about Buffy is amazing. She breaks it down and draws out the basics, she made it structured and intriguing.
Only one remark. i hate it when people write about someone ina fashion where thay are absolutely praising the guy they are talking about. i mean, Joss is God, yes..then again, keep it down just for the sake of all the losers who's not him not to cry.
Still, this is definitely one fine fine read about one mind-blowing genius that Joss is.

An above average puff piece
Anyone who has seen or noticed many of my reviews probably knows at least one thing:I love BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, ANGEL, and FIREFLY/SERENITY.I'm about as big a fan of the work of Joss Whedon as you are likely to find.And I'm awaiting the start of his new series DOLLHOUSE more than one can easily imagine.

Nonetheless, this book is basically a puff piece.It is not a critical study, a critical analysis, or anything other than a fan raving about someone they admire.That being said, it is not a bad book for that.I merely point it out that this book is not there to dish the dirt, if dirt there is to be dished.And there is some, if not much.For instance, the book passes over a few unpleasantries, such as the inelegant dismissal of Charisma Carpenter from ANGEL (accounts vary, but one very prevalent rumor is that she was written out of the show because of a spur of the moment leave of absence she took during a few late Season Three episodes, only to return for filming the next season pregnant, something she had not apprised them of, resulting in the need for significant rewriting).Nor does the author delve into the botched attempt to have Amber Benson return in Season Seven (again, two rumors persist, one that she would have been the person that Willow saw in the otherwise wonderful episode "Conversations with Dead People," and the other that she might have returned to the show as the result of a wish that Buffy would have been granted -- after struggling with whether to remove Angel's curse or bring her mother back to life, the word is that she would have brought Tara back).Now, these are rumors.Perhaps there is truth to them.Perhaps there is none.But this is not the book that would dare deal with them.Nor Glenn Quinn's drug use, that got his arc on ANGEL ended earlier than they originally intended.

Still, I did pick up a few things that I didn't already know.And there were many snippets from interviews with Whedon and those on his shows that were obviously done for the writing for this book.So, the book becomes a source for those wanting to know more about Whedon, and not merely a book quoting other sources.

Nonetheless, I didn't end the book with complete confidence in it.I was a bit bothered by its unwillingness to engage anything the least bit controversial.I was also suspicious about whether it got every part of the story correct.Much is made of one of Whedon's college professors.Yet I know from other sources that he also profited from taking classes with renowned historian Richard Slotkin.I've read that it was in one of Slotkin's courses that he encountered Joseph Campbell's THE HERO WITH A THOUSAND FACES and someone with strong Wesleyan film studies connections told me that he took Slotkin's course on Western films.(Slotkin is the author of a classic three-volume work on the imaginative response to wilderness in U.S. history.The third volume of that work, GUNFIGHTER NATION deals with the rise of the Western in American culture.)My point is that I'm not sure that his book tells the whole story.I could be wrong.My sources could be wrong.Perhaps Richard Slotkin did not even teach Joss Whedon.Or if he did, perhaps he did not have any influence (I took classes with many famous scholars, virtually none of which had any actual influence on me.)

So, I can recommend this and can even consider it a pretty decent book, but one must be aware of its limitations.

Rather fluffy
An interesting but somewhat fluffy look at Joss Whedon's career. This book has the same almost naive as the Mary Tyler Moore biography I read last year. The book was written at a time when Buffy and Angel were both on the air. Firefly though floundering was still on the air but there's no mention of the upcoming film, Serenity.

What the book doesn't admit to is the possibility that Joss could burn out -- which it appears he has from recent interviews. Joss is clearly very driven and clearly loves his work but does he know how to slow down?

I found the insights into the storylines fascinating. Joss clearly lives by the adage of "write what you know" and it shows in his work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Disappointing..
I ordered this because I thought reading the comic version of one of my favorite episodes of one of my favorite TV shows would be fun to read through. Unfortunately, this is a BAD buy and not what I expected, at all. In short, everything is glossed over, skipped, or shortcutted. Scenes that would be a minute or two on the show happen in one panel, most of the time. Often, they'll reuse the same panel of illustration for multiple panels of dialogue. Like, three boxes of drawings that are exactly the same for three seperate panels of dialogue. Recycled panels, in other words. There are all kinds of shortcuts like this throughout the comic. And that's not even with mentioning how cheap the artwork is.

I do get it, though. I'm guessing the budget for this was very small and a shortened, limited budget would be the very reason for why this is so cheap. I was expecting the same quality as seen in After The Fall, but we don't get that, at all, here.

The worst thing is you can't even see the awesome scene in "Not Fade Away" where Wesley dies by the hands of Cyrus Vail, the powerful sorcerer and Illyria comes in and comforts Wesley when he dies and we see the scene where Illyria-Fred turns into Illyria before blasting Vail's skull apart with a single punch. Well, that WHOLE thing is pretty much cut, including Illyria's transformation punch! The whole thing is just one panel, inbetween "Take your best shot" and the actual explosive punch!

So, to sum it up, this is a Don't Buy, and it's cheap quality, and not-as-great-as-After-The-Fall artwork, and shortcuts in scenes from the actual TV episode makes it a disappointment. It's a shame too, because Not Fade Away is one of my favorite episodes from "Angel." ... Read more

Product Description
From Joss Whedon, the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Drew Goddard, writer of the monster movie phenomenon Cloverfield, comes the horror film to end all horror films!

The details of the plot are a closely guarded secret, though Joss himself has described it as “a straight-up, balls-out, really terrifying horror movie,” adding,"it is not just a slasher in the woods. It's a little more complicated than that..."

All will be revealed in the Official Visual Companion, featuring in-depth interviews, the full screenplay by Whedon and Goddard, stunning production art, and hundreds of color photos! ... Read more

Product Description
They're back! The chart-topping super-team of Joss Whedon and John Cassaday return for more Astonshing X-Men! If you thought their past efforts were full of shocks and surprises, hold onto your eyeballs - because you haven't seen anything yet, as things go from peculiar to just plain bizarre! Emma Frost's erratic behavior has the X-Men spinning in a non-stop downward spiral. Will an unlikely union be the final straw? After secretly lying in wait for months, the new Hellfire Club makes its move! Plus: The X-Man destined to destroy the Breakworld stands revealed! Who is it, and what will be their fate? Collects Astonishing X-Men #13-18. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Confusion reigns in the 3rd trade!!
I was all on aboard for the first two trades from Whedon & Cassaday.Here however, I was taken aback by inclusion of confusion, runarounds, and conflicting ideas.It was all over the place.The only thing keeping the from being rated lower was Cassaday's art.A step back.

Not quite a satisfying read
After the truly astonishing vol 1 comic, followed by the confusing vol 2, vol 3 sees some restoration of continuity to this X-men series. The title Torn refers (I think) to Emma Frost's state of mind whereby she betrays the X-men because she was brainwashed by members of the Hellfire Club into releasing a ghoulish looking lump of jelly from some pod. Naturally in turn, Emma brainwashes Kitty Pryde into actually doing the task.

The problem with this plot is the rationale for the Hellfire club in this comic. What the hell is it all about? A bunch of mutants(?) with what powers? Even their names were unclear. To a casual comic reader, this is bloody confusing.

The only continuity here is that Agent Brand decides to swoop up the X-Men and Ord for a trip to the Breakworld to sort out the intergalactic strife. I accept this last premise as it was part of the plot continuation from vol 1, which was the point of this series when it first started. The Hellfire Club plot was just filler, and poor filler at that.

A Growing Complexity
Vol.3 is astonishingly different from 1&2.The previous two had simpler plots and defined characters.This time its no-holds-barred for Joss Whedon.Torn dives deep and far taking us to places we never thought we'd see the series go.

A good portion of the volume is quite confusing at times.Since it involves a lot of psychic interference, it makes sense to complicate the reading, because the characters become totally entangled in a "hypnotic state", if you will.Some parts will seem bizarre and hard to swallow but as time goes on it will reveal itself to be quite plausible.It reminds me of a really tough math problem that baffles you instantly, but after you analyze it becomes intelligently beautiful.Joss Whedon can not only write a smart story like this, but he can form it with cinematic elements.I love that it feels like an awesome movie page for page.Aside from that he always has something incredible up his sleeve.I fell in love with this book for the journeys that our heroes go to.Trust me you will be laughing and gasping as you see what Wolvie, Beast, and Cyclops go through.Joss Whedon writes the characters the way I want them to be written.Nuff Said!

Astonishing!
LOVE IT! There so addictive, and well worth the price. Great characters, storylines, dialogue, illustrations...everything!

Confusing, Baffling, but Still Lots of Fun
Whedon and Cassaday return for the third installment of The Astonishing X Men, this one focusing on more psychological threats rather than the very tangible threats of the first two installments.Nonetheless, this is a very interesting and fun trip, with lots of good action, good humor and certain members of the x team like no one's ever seen them before.This is the most trippy of the four Whedon/Cassaday X Books, but it is still well worth a look.Die hard fans, pick this bad boy up whenever.Newbies, maybe you should start with the first two. ... Read more

Product Description
The fictionalized Los Angeles of television's Angel is a world filled with literature--from the all-important Shansu prophecy that predicts Angel's return to a state of humanity to the ever-present books dominating the characters' research sessions. This collection brings together essays that engage Angel as a text to be addressed within the wider fields of narrative and literature. It is divided into four distinct parts, each with its own internal governing themes and focus: archetypes, narrative and identity, theory and philosophy, and genre. Each provides opportunities for readers to examine a wide variety of characters, tropes, and literary nuances and influences throughout all five televised seasons of the series and in the current continuation of the series in comic book form. ... Read more

Product Description
Firefly, Joss Whedon's short-lived series, creates a fascinating blend of two genres: The western and classic space-faring science fiction and makes something truly new. Join Mimi Noyes for in-depth critique of and witty banter about Whedon's foray into the final frontier.

It's been six years since civil war between the Alliance and the Independents ended with an Alliance victory at Serenity Valley. Now the Alliance controls not just the core planets but all the once-independent worlds as well.

One of the few survivors of Serenity Valley, Malcolm Reynolds refused to live under the Alliance's thumb. Aboard Serenity, his firefly-class ship, Mal and his crew take whatever work comes their way--whether it be running cargo or ridding a village of bandits. It doesn't have to be legitimate, or even legal, as long as it pays. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Terrible!
I wish I had paid attention to the first reviewer rather than the two who gave this a decent rating, or read the excerpt at the other reviewer did and discovered bad errors.

There is nothing in this book that hasn't been said before, it's a cheaply made book, and the author's personal remarks are often dramatically off the mark.

Don't buy it.Whedon has already had an excellent guide of the first half of the episodes of Firefly published, with the second guide for the rest of the series run to be released soon.

don't own it but...
i haven't bought this, but by looking through the excerpt here i noticed not only did the author mess up on zoe's last name but book's first name(both totally incorrect, not just mispelled), and i believe also misspelled kaylee's, but i could be mistaken on that last one. the fact that there are two glaring errors right in the beginning tell me that this is not worth your time because obviously the author did not do her research. all you browncoats out there, and just people curious in firefly, go buy the official companions, they are accurate and have cast and crew commentary(a far better buy).

Worth your time
I almost didn't buy this because of the extremely negative review from TigWolf. Well, I'm glad I did. While not approaching the quality of "The Official Companion" or the focus of the essays in "Finding Serenity" this is a very good read and it shows that at least one Firefly fan can write and get published their thoughts on the best show to ever be on TV. TigWolf - write your own book and let us read it. I'll be waiting...

Worthwhile Episode Guide to Firefly
Unlike the previous reviewer, I found this episode more than adequate. It effectively summarizes each episode, making connections with other episodes, giving relevant background data about the making of/production of the episode, and providing information that the viewer otherwise wouldn't get - such as the translation of the chinese slang, and a variety of speculations in regard to the characters' words, actions and motives. An enjoyable companion for Firefly watchers watching or rewatching the series.

A Repetitive Regurgitation of Widely Known Facts...
Perhaps I should have been warned by the 'Unofficial, Independent Guide' in the title, or even the dreadful artwork on the book cover.However, considering how many 'unofficial' books and websites that offer a plethora of insight and information you might not otherwise know about; I ordered it.Thanks, Amazon, for suggesting it.

The best thing that I can say about this book is that despite it being listed as available in 2-4 weeks, I received it almost immediately.Unpacking it and holding it in my hands, the first warning bell began clanging in my head - this was a self-published book.I didn't even have to open it, you could just feel the cheap, "I wasn't paid to publish this, I paid somebody to publish it" quality of the book's printing.

Nonetheless, I pushed forward.First the author correctly suggests that you watch the series, preferably the boxed DVD set of the series.Then she goes forth and word for word steals entire episode summaries from various popular Firefly/Serenity websites that she acknowledges.She then lists like a giant revelation facts that are contained in the episode commentaries.

The only original material in here is what her impressions are: by this she says she means not only her mental reaction to each episode, but also any mistakes, continuity issues (which she gathers entirely from the commentaries), and questionable actions made by the characters.As I read these, I began noticing a trend wherein the author has a pre-adolescent boy's understanding of personal relationships.I know this for a fact as she at times phrases things exactly like my 12-year-old son, or rather like he did when he was 11-years-old.It's at this point I visit the 'about the author page' to discover that this woman is a self-styled movie 'web goddess', whose qualifications are working part time at what she refers to as the best DVD rental store ever.Oh, and she watches all those DVDs and a lot of TV.

The retarded emotional evaluation of the series relationships explained, I continued on my quest to find something worth the money I paid for the book and the time I invested in reading it so far.Sadly, it ended up being amusing only in its blatant errors and pathetic misunderstandings.There are times you snigger, such as when she mistakenly lists the name of a guest character's name with a series character's name.There are times when you feel like Wash as he says in one episode, "Yeah, a lot of people don't get me and Zoe at first."This author not only doesn't get it at first, she doesn't get it ever.Then there are the truly pathetic moments like when she states the main beginning theme of "Objects in Space" as River walking through the boat and hearing the thoughts of the people around her.A paragraph later, back in her "I have never been in a relationship mode", the author then painstakingly tries to work out why the Captain and Inara would just stand there talking for the whole ship to hear about their underlying romantic issues and how they are disjointed and pointless.You want to find the author's telephone number and refer her back to the fact that River is hearing their mental thoughts, they aren't actually having a conversations, they just happen to be next to each other sulking internally about the seemingly doomed feelings.Then you want to sit her down and tell her about the birds and the bees, take away her TV, and send her to some sort of rehab to raise her emotional age to at least young adult level.

Actually, upon reflection, in a lot of ways the author is like River.She observes, but doesn't understand.Sometimes what she says makes sense, but most of the time it's disjointed and random.In the end, however, at least River is intelligent, has interests outside of watching a glowing box, and has an extremely valid reason for her non-sequetors and juvenile misunderstanding of emotions.

The most painfully ironic thing about this book is its publishing date; October 2005 - Serenity, the movie continuation of the TV series was released at the end of September 2005.I believe the author meant to reap benefits of the movie's impossible release, monopolyzing not only on the pre-existing Browncoat fan-base but also on any new fans brought into Whedon's Firefly 'Verse by the fabulous movie.Instead of riding the wave of interest, the author ends up looking even more inane with the additional facts given in the movie, conflicting with her theories and misunderstanding of characters and their relationships as a whole.

... Read more

Product Description
In Angel's final television season, his world ended... but his story didn't. Picking up where Season Five of the fan-favorite TV show left off, this first collection looks at who lived after that climactic battle, who died, and what happened to all of Los Angeles in its wake. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

great!
great follow up to the end of the 'Angel' tv series. No one wanted the show to end, and now it doesn't have to!

Thank you Joss Whedon and fellow writers!

5 stars!

You know you weren't satisfied with how Angel Season 5 ended
That's right, even if you don't want to admit it, the finale of Angel Season 5 left you unfulfilled. This is your chance to fill that void.

It's a good beginning/continuation (and at this point, there's no telling where it eventually leads). The art, in my opinion, is inferior to the work being done on the Dark Horse Buffy Season 8 series, but it's still pretty good.

If you enjoyed Buffy and Angel as TV shows, this is a must for you. If you didn't enjoy the television shows, stay away.

The hardcover is well crafted with a nice in-bound ribbon bookmark (not present in all the volumes, but present in volume 1). Additionally, unlike the Dark Horse Buffy Season 8 collections, there is extra material present in the collection, like early storylines/scripts.

TV's Angel is back for Season Six!
This book is more fun than Karaoke night at Lorne's.It contains the typical witty banter and crazy battles we expect Angel to feature.The art is fantastic and the demon horde is properly creepy.

I do have three main bickers with the story:
1- The writer assumes that the reader will get there has been some time between the last episode of Angel and the start of this book.The TV series ended in the mid 00's!Give us some reference!An extra page flashing back to that last moment of the TV series to remind us where we left the gang would have been wonderful.
2- Tell us more about those "also starring" characters.Some minors from the TV series now have prominent roles.Give us a little identifier on who Nina is, or who the electric girl is. Don't make us go to Wiki.
3- The characters are almost indistinguishable.I have the same issue with the Buffy comics as well.The main characters (Angel, Spike, Fred, Gunn, Wesley) are very distinct and we can identify them right away.The rest of the humans, including the long-haired Connor, look mostly the same.It takes you right out of the story when you are not certain who is talking.

Huge thanks to IDW and Joss for delivering more of what we love.Brian Lynch understands these characters and has hooked me to the series with the five issue introduction.

Angel, After the Fall #1
Good story, a little confusing at first but once you get into it, it is well worth the confusion.

Angel: After the Fall Vol. 1
being a major Buffy and Angel fan, it was good to finally know what happened after the extreme clifthanger at the end of Beason 5. It had the dry witty humor that David Boreanaz brought to the character of Angel in Angel, and i loved the introduction by Brian Lynch. The book left on a clifthanger, and one that didn't ake sense, but in the next books, i hope, it is explained.

Anyway, really, really, really, really loved it. ... Read more

Product Description
Buffy Summers and her Slayer army have suffered heavy losses throughout Season Eight and faced scores of threats new and old, but the one mystery connecting it all has been the identity of the Big Bad Twilight! In this penultimate volume of Season Eight, New York Times bestselling novelist and comics writer Brad Meltzer (The Book of Lies, Identity Crisis) joins series artist Georges Jeanty in beginning the buildup to the season finale in the story line that finally reveals the identity of Twilight! In the aftermath of the battle with Twilight's army, Buffy has developed a host of new powers, but when will the other shoe drop, and will it be a cute shoe, or an ugly one? Still reeling from the losses of war, Willow goes looking for missing allies, and discovers a horrifying truth about several of the Slayer army's recent ordeals. Adding to the mayhem is the unexpected return of Angel, in his Season Eight debut! This volume also features two stories from series creator and executive producer Joss Whedon! In the Willow one-shot, Whedon and Fray artist Karl Moline reveal for the first time what Buffy's witchy best friend was up to between Seasons Seven and Eight, with a mind-blowing cameo by a frequently requested character. And in "Turbulence," Joss spotlights the complicated relationship between Buffy and Xander with a conversation that changes it forever. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Fun start but then goes a bit crazy
After the joyless slog of the last volume this book starts strong.Buffy has gained Superman-like powers leading to some funny scenes, interesting banter and well... joy.She outruns bullets, lifts locomotives and leaps tall Tibetan temples in a single bound (while everyone around her groans at the reference.The start of this book is happy.

But soon plot twists of out left field overwhelm the book.A group of villains ask to join the slayers and are accepted without question.Twilight's identity is revealed and passed off with a completely inadequate explanation.And then we have dozens of pages of world-shaking super sex.Oh and everyone has magic ipads now.

This is not a bad book, it's just not well thought out.I'll stick with it hoping it will all make sense in the end but I'm less and less confident it will.

WTF
I have looked forward to this Act IV of the season for years now, finding where the story concludes, how is this big bad related to Buffy's development and history?

On the one hand, I must thank the authors for giving me the opportunity to continue to enjoy and share in the lives of my most beloved cast of characters. Much of the dialogue is still sensational, and I really enjoy the transition to comics with a self-referential explosion in powers and relationships of characters to a new medium. You can't expect the story and characters to remain stuck in the television/drama genre. A new vehicle of expression (e.g. comics) makes for new plots, new stakes and new rules of storytelling.

HOWEVER, the reveal of the Big Bad, the explanation for this development, and the ensuing direction are just far fetched, even within a fantasy realm. Even in the story of the superhero with suspension of disbelief we need consistency in character, we need plausible explanation within the defined reality, and it needs to "add up" with the earliest episodes. I call b.s. As in last episode of Lost b.s. As in I feel uncomfortable reading about this cosmic boinking b.s.. You find a lot of the same themes in Watchmen, but there the universe-time-love-thing actually makes sense logically, the characters' motivations are clear and you feel that the story was planned from the beginning rather than having the reveal tacked on last-minute at the end of a long brainstorming session involving a lot of marijuana and doritos.

This is the first time Buffy has ever insulted my intelligence. I still love her, but we might have to go to counseling.

Wha...huh?
I'll be nice this time and let you know right now: spoilers ahead!



Twilight, the seventh collected volume of Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season Eight, appears to begin to bring everything full circle...sort of.The "big bad" of Season Eight called Twilight is none other than everyone's favorite vampire with a soul, Angel.Given that he went by "Twilight" when the series began reveals a big in-joke towards the Twilight-tween obsession (as Buffy says, she picked that idea first, and her vamp was much better), but also reveals a bigger picture as to what creator Joss Whedon was painting when he launched this comic series.Granted, at first when I saw a super-powered Buffy having airborne sex with Angel, I was at a bit of a loss for words.Still though, there is something so hypnotic about this storyarc that I can't help but enjoy it.Not to mention the conversation between Buffy and Xander in regards to his relationship with Dawn is sort of fitting (yet still somewhat gross, sorry), and the last page of the appearance of Spike on the last page of the arc promises that the Buffy-verse is in fact coming full circle.Granted that the series has lost steam since it first began, don't believe all the naysayers and give it a look for yourself before you decide if Whedon and co. (in this case the script is courtesy of novelist and Identity Crisis writer Brad Meltzer) have truly jumped the shark.Either way though, from this point forward, things are going to get even more interesting for Buffy and her crew.

Great Arc!
If only the plot hadn't been spoiled by revealing the true identity of Twilight before the comics revealed it...but, oh well!This arc honors the powerful force that has always been the love between Buffy and Angel.Its truly a wonderful story.Overall, a great addition the already tour de force that is Season Eight!

Good Grief What Have Joss Done to The Whedonverse?
9 words sum up the silliness of the 'plot':Flying space sex and an 'evolving' intelligently designed universe.

It doesn't make any sense and looks as ridiculous as it sounds.Stupid doesn't begin to cover it. ... Read more

Product Description
The fourth volume of the online comics anthology MySpace Dark Horse Presents continues to bring you a wide range of genres and classic characters in the Dark Horse tradition. For the first time, Star Wars debuts comic content online with Dark Times: Blue Harvest. Our commitment to webcomics continues to shine with contributions from online-strip creators Chris Onstad, David Malki, and Kate Beaton. Eric Powell's backwoods-charm-filled series The Goon is the subject of an "interpretation" from Gossip Whore Ann Romano. Plus, Joss Whedon teams with Season Eight cover artist Jo Chen for a special Buffy the Vampire Slayer story. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Collection of Terrific, Fun Comic Stories
Dark Horse Comics began running full comic stories on the social networking site MySpace in 2007. The site [...] offers exclusive content from star Dark Horse creators in the tradition of the Dark Horse Presents anthologies from the 1980s, only free to anyone online. So far, those comics have been collected into four anthologies. This latest collection is a smorgasbord of stories and art styles, offering readers an introduction to the variety of titles Dark Horse publishes.

With a nod to two of their most pop-culture friendly series, the anthology begins with a Buffy the Vampire Slayer story and ends with a Star Wars one. The Buffy tale is written by creator Joss Whedon with art by Buffy comics cover artist Jo Chen. It's a brief but funny look at the Slayer and some of the side characters from her past, with a little something-something for the fan girls. The Star Wars story is set in the Dark Times series, approximately four months after Revenge of the Sith. Written by Mick Harrison, with art by Douglas Wheatley, it also is one for the fans, though even casual knowledge of the Star Wars universe allows readers to see the strength in Harrison's quiet writing and Wheatley's realistic art.

Other Dark Horse comic series make their appearance as well. A brief Rapture story, written by Taki Soma and Michael Avon Oeming (who also handles the illustrations), will whet the appetite for more of that apocalyptic/tough-girl series. Sinfest: Street Poetry (written and illustrated by Tatsuya Ishida), The Marquis and the Coachman (from the series The Marquis: Inferno by Guy Davis), And What Shall I Find There? (a Hellboy/B.P.R.D. story from Mike Mignola and Joshua Dysart with art by Douglas Wheatley), and The Goon and Ann Romano: Gone Dishin' (by Ann Romano with art from Kristian Donaldson) all also offer something extra to fans, while still being eye-catching introductions for new readers.


Topping things off are stories from Matt Kindt (The Secret Files of the Giant Man in Paris), Gilbert Hernandez (Dreamstar), Alec Longstreth (R.J. Jr.: The Dragon's Librarian), Carolyn Main (A Day at the Zoo), and more, which are complete in and of themselves. These round the collection out nicely, keeping it out of the realm of "sales catalog" and making it seem more like what it really is: a collection of terrific, fun comic stories.
-- Snow Wildsmith ... Read more

Product Description
This collection of the first six issues of MySpace Presents Dark Horse include Joss Whedon's complete rock 'n' roll saga Sugarshock, a fun-filled story about a quirky girl named Dandelion and her love of music (and hatred of Vikings); Mike Mignola's haunting holiday tale, lushly illustrated by Guy Davis, "The Christmas Spirit"; a lost Umbrella Academy chapter written by Gerard Way about our favorite curmudgeon, The Kraken; and a four-part story dedicated to Eric Powell's The Goon. This volume also includes a wide range of established comics talent, and stories from newcomers who saw their professional debut in MySpace Presents Dark Horse. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

good stories prevail
even though The Sugarshock award winning story steals the show more of the stories are good. there are some misfires but not enough to spoil the book,
you can see a new story of Umbrella Academy, The Goon, Fear Agent - they worked like good samples of books i didnt know.
i think the book keeps pretty high standard and the stories are interesting.
The Sugarshock, The Circuit Closed are enough reason to buy this colection.
Good quality paper and print... dark horse rules.

Ups and Downs
There are some mediocre stories in this collection, but there are a few gems that knock it out of the park. The Sugarshock and the Kraken stories are great, punctuated by amazing, as usual, artwork by Ga and Moon. Mignola and Davis do what they do best. The Fear Agent is crazy and awesome and will make me check out the main series. The collection ends with a four-part Goon story written and drawn by different teams (sadly, no Eric Powell) where Frankie and The Goon look for Willie's pecker.

The good stuff is great, then bad stuff is skipable. Overall enjoyable enough to buy and I will most likely keep up with the series in the future. ... Read more

Product Description
Read the official novelization to get the full story of this terrifying movie! From Joss Whedon, the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Drew Goddard, writer of the monster movie phenomenon Cloverfield, comes the horror film to end all horror films! The details of the plot are a closely guarded secret, though Joss himself has described it as “a straight-up, balls-out, really terrifying horror movie,” adding,"it is not just a slasher in the woods. It's a little more complicated than that..." ... Read more

Product Description
In Gifted, Cyclops and Emma Frost re-form the X-Men with the express purpose of "astonishing" the world. But when breaking news regarding the mutant gene unexpectedly hits the airwaves, will it derail their new plans before they even get started? As demand for the "mutant cure" reaches near-riot levels, the X-Men go head-to-head with the enigmatic Ord, with an unexpected ally - and some unexpected adversaries - tipping the scales! In Dangerous, a tragic death at the Xavier Institute reveals a powerful enemy living among the X-Men that they could never have suspected - and no, it's not Magneto. Things heat up in a way none of the X-Men ever dreamed, but will teamwork save the day when they can't even depend on themselves? Collects Astonishing X-Men #1-12. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

Disappointing.Unambitious.Competent.
Let's start off with my biases: I think seasons 2, 3, and 5 of Buffy are the greatest network television ever made.I'm also a huge fan of the run preceding this book, Grant Morrison's New X-Men.So I really wanted to like Astonishing X-Men.

And for the most part it's solid.The art is pretty enough and the dialogue is fun.The utterly boring villains and the stupid Emma Frost plot twist are the only flaws in the book.

But true art is about more than just flawlessness!Whedon has no ambitions for his X-Men run.Grant Morrison clearly had a story to tell with a beginning, middle, and end.Astonishing X-Men feels like a filler arc before the story starts progressing again.It's a bunch of nice character moments and fight scenes that don't make a greater point.And that just doesn't work in superhero comics.

In television, it's not so terrible to have some filler episodes in an otherwise important show.You can have six fluff episodes and still tell a great story with the other 16.But on a superhero comic, as soon as a writer's run is over it half of it will be retconned and the next arc will probably be written by a hack.You can't give your audience a breather and expect the next writer to tell a great tale.

Oh, and it was embarrassing when Whedon had to think up an excuse to bring back the old school X-Men costumes.Marvel's editors change their minds about these things every few years, and I wish he would have told them to stuff it.

The X-Men Have Never Been Better
This is an undeniably powerful book, and Whedon and Cassaday have finally gotten the X-Men right in all aspects of characterization. Wheddon turns Emma Frost into a wonderfully suspect and sarcastic leader, such as when she gets a man to do her bidding by threatening him with a lifetime of being "obsessed with the works of Leroy Neiman . . . sexually." Wolverine is back to a poignant laconic stage, saying just what's right just when it's necessary and backing it all up with enough slashing fierceness that you'll never know why you stepped up in the first place. And the best part of his part of the dialogue is when he doesn't say a word:he tells Colossus that, if he's back up to strength and they want to get the bad alien guy's butt back on this planet so that they can squash it, he's only got three words for him. You have to be an X-Men fan to know what they are when the next scene all you see is Wolverine flying through the air and Colossus (far below and miniaturized due to the angle of perspective) in the classic pose of a discuss thrower. What a way to bring the Fast Ball Special back. And I'm telling you:I got chills from that scene. This book will have classic X-Men fans acting like sport fanatics at a championship game, stomping feet, yelling out loud, screaming for their characters to do something and turning the page and seeing them score. It's awesome. And Colossus gets unleashed, folks. That's worth the price of admission right there. There are so many things I could talk about here:Cyclops and Wolverine in a fight, Beast and Wolverine in a fight, the alien and Wolverine in a fight, . . . uh, okay: Wolverine in lots of fights. But you have to give lots and lots of credit to Whedon. He's got more seemingly throw-away lines that are brilliantly spot on that he shows himself to be in a league all his own. ("Superpowers, scintillating wit, and the best body money can buy, and I still rate below a corpse." / "You bite, I heal. I pop [his claws, which are stuck in an alien's mouth], you won't." / "In the end, though, aren't we all? Our limitations?" / Colossus' profession of love:"And Katya, you are not crowding me.") And Cassaday's X-Men art is to die for. Thank god he worked on this project. I feel like I've come back home.

Astonishingly awesome
This hardcover trade features Joss Whedon's first twelve issues of Astonishing X-Men.

Story lines included:
Gifted (issues 1-6)
Dangerous (issues 7-12)

Also includes an introduction by Brian K. Vaughan (of Y: The Last Man and Runaways fame), a cover gallery (featuring the regular covers and the variants), character sketches, Joss Whedon's planning e-mails, and the Marvel Spotlight interview with John Cassaday

Astonishing Writing and Artwork
Astonishing X-Men was even better than I had hoped.I've read a lot of X-Men and this was by far the most entertaining and attention grabbing of them all.The writing is witty and filled with twists and turns.The artwork is beyond gorgeous.It truly feels like you're watching an epic-sized motion picture of a book.Highly recommended.

A Refreshing Rebirth
Once the X- Men titles expanded in number, the history and storylines became more and more convoluted. Many newer "hipper" mutants were introduced, and older familiar characters were oftentimes changed beyond recognition. The titles also became the showcase for the hottest artistic talents of Marvel. This led to stories showcasing the art rather than developing the characters. Style triumphed over substance and that was the fate of the X titles from the late eighties well into the 21st Century.
Fortunately, writer Grant Morrison boiled the amazing concepts of the X-Men down and concentrated on presenting stories focusing on a few key members. With his departure, this formula was in jeopardy. The well timed addition of Joss Whedon and John Cassaday elavated the concepts presented by Morrison to a more streamlined, accessible and coherent storyline. Whedon has proven to be a capable storyteller balacing pertinent drama with fairly realistic action (as realistic as this sci-fi title can proport to be.) He presents the peaks and valleys of an adventurer's life, with each confrontation playing a role in the next high adventure. With each pace, one cares for the fate of the characters, and I found myself supporting the more controversial ideas, such as bringing in Kitty Pryde (not the most powerful mutant, but very well used in the storylines) and resurrecting a dead X-man. The return of a certain dead "original" member was handled well, with the appropriate level of surprise, emotion and action. The first story arch is nearly flawless in execution. The second suffers in execution, with the "hook" of the menace coming literally in the last pages. We have seen the X men battle this new threat for several issues, and are expected to develop a sort of emotional attachment at the very end. In fact, the emotional attachment comes from seeing Professor X in a new light. My criticism of this "new" light is its previous uses. Professor X's dark side and seemingly humanistic "I have to make these decisions for the greater good regardless of who suffers in the meantime" attitude has been explored in the Onslaught storyline, and even more recently in the Dark Genesis storyline. It makes one question the heroic role of Professor X, who now seems no better than Doom or even Magneto.
While the second arch does falter, please seek out the third storyline "Torn", which is a glorious return to form, tying together Joss Whedon's previous storylines and incorporating some important elements of Grant Morrison's epic three year run.
I cannot praise the work of John Cassaday enough. Not only is the man's design sense phenomenal, but his body language and facial expression visual library grows with literally each panel. Cassaday is continually improving himself right before your eyes. Even with his excellent output on Planetary, his work on Astonishing X-Men is by far his best.
If you enjoyed the X-Men in the past and want a great simple storyline, executed well with consistent top notch art, please treat yourself. ... Read more

Product Description
Stock up on the original novelization that started it all! Buffy is poised to knock'em dead--so don't miss this exciting opportunity to order the original movie novelization! Now a WB TV series, Entertainment Weekly calls Buffy, the Vampire Slayer "this season's most distinctive and sharply written new show.". ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Buffy, the beginning.
This is the novelisation of the movie.
I enjoyed the movie and the book adds a bit more to the characters.
Teenage girls are going missing. Buffy is a cheerleader at High School and thinking about the dance coming up and Pike.
She meets a man named Merrick, he tells her about her destiny, she is the Chosen One. That she will fight the vampires.
Buffy starts Physical and mental training so that she can fight the vampires and an enemy called Lothos.
So Buffy fights to destroy the evil.
A good read.

Boooring

This book rapidly swerves away from everything that made Buffy an amazing television show.The witty banter...not so witty or bantery, really.I am not one to usually judge the writing style, I tend to overlook "bad" writing, but I don't think anyone can read this and say that this is "good" writing.It's absolutely cringe-worthy.There are plenty of missing moments that should have been explained (parents' divorce, burning down the gym) and were not.There's not much connection to the series at all.I haven't seen the movie version of it, but I can pretty much guess that it's a lot better than this novelization (movie novelizations are, after all, usually horrible).It's just weird and...not Buffy.The one thing I do like a lot is that the Potentials are introduced, while in the series, it took 7 seasons to introduce them out of nowhere and it was really...lousy.

Rating: 1/5

Jhaeman's Buffy Reviews
Buffy, the Vampire Slayer

By Richie Tankersley Cusick, based on screenplay by Joss Whedon (1992)

RATING: 3/5 Stakes

SETTING: Prior to first season, movie continuity.

CAST APPEARANCES: Buffy, Merrick (watcher), Pike (boyfriend), Lothos (vampire master), Jennifer, Nicole, Kimberly (friends), Benny (Pike's friend), Amilyn (Lothos' servant), Joyce (Buffy's mom), Buffy's Dad

BACK OF THE BOOK SUMMARY

"The fourth teenage girl in L.A. has disappeared in less than two months! But Buffy's oblivious. She's brainstorming a theme for the senior dance. One nightmare later, she meets a stranger named Merrick who tells her she bears the mark of the order: only she--the Pom-Pom Princess of California cheerleaders--can stop the vampires before they engulf L.A. They're everywhere . . . she can't even trust her best friends! Merrick has brought her knowledge, physical and mental powers beyond her wildest dreams, and a terrifying enemy: Lothos, King of the Vampires, who is determined to have Buffy for himself! All she has are a stake, a cross and a mission: destroy the evil--even if it takes her own life!"

REVIEW

The tie-in novel to the 1992 Buffy, the Vampire Slayer (yes, there is a comma in the title) movie is interesting in two aspects. First, it's based more on Joss Whedon's original movie script than the final film version, and the differences are significant and striking. Second, the novel has several aspects that would later be revived in the first few episodes of the Buffy television series.

The overall plot will be familiar to anyone who has seen the movie. Buffy is introduced to us as a vapid, valley girl cheerleader attending Hemery High School in Los Angeles. She is accosted by Merrick, a Watcher, who eventually manages to convince her that she is this generation's Slayer. Along the way, Buffy befriends Pike, a fellow high school student, and battles Lothos, an evil vampire-king.

More of Joss Whedon's dry wit shows through in the novel than in the movie, and there are some interesting differences. Perhaps the most dramatic difference is that Merrick ends up committing suicide rather than let Lothos turn him into a vampire. Some other scenes are changed, such as a funny one where Buffy and Merrick play video games, and the very end scene, which has Pike and Buffy standing before an ancient castle instead of taking off on a motorbike as in the movie.

Many moments in the novel are seen again in the television series. For example, Buffy kills Lothos' vampire servant by pulling the same trick she did against Luke in The Harvest (tricking him into believing it's daylight and then staking him). Lothos is often referred to by other vampires as "The Master" and rises out of a pool of blood in his lair. Principle Murray in the novel has almost exactly the same "I want to be your friend" personality as Principle Flutie. Finally, drug-crazed gangs are blamed for vampire killings at the high school.

We can also see some of Joss' ideas that he later discarded. In the novel and movie, vampires faces don't change and they don't disintegrate when staked, and the Slayer always has a birthmark on her shoulder and suffers cramps when vampires are nearby.

Overall, the novel tie-in is probably more entertaining than the movie. Neither is spectacularly interesting but each has some value in its own way. In the end, the novel is probably worth picking up as it does contain Buffy's origin story in its original formulation.

Better Late Than Never
I came about five years later to the story of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.I did manage to see the original film on videotape before the series started, but just barely.I offer no excuses other than a mental inability to believe that the story of valley girl meets vampire might have more to it than the usual trashy horror flick.Okay, I admit I was badly mistaken.The dialog was far better than I expected, Buffy's character was complex and interesting, and the film turned out to be both funny and spooky.Nor can one fault Joss Whedon's new take on vampire mythology.

I picked up this novelization of the film, the first real Buffy book, to have as a reference.It has been long enough so that I no longer remember the film.I had just read the graphic novel version that retells the tale with Sarah Michele Gellar instead of Kristy Swanson and suspected that it had taken a few liberties with the script (it did).At fewer than 200 pages, the book actually takes less time to read than it does to watch the film.Moreover, I thought it would be fun.And so it was.

The plot is now so well known it hardly bears repeating.Girl cheerleads and shops, girl meets watcher, watcher trains girl, vampires try to eat high school, girl kills vampires.The girl is unusual in that, under the disguise of a young woman who makes shallowness an art, we find someone who is unexpectedly bright, has a strong personality and a surprising sense of duty.In fact, the film questions many of our images of Buffy's lifestyle, from geeks to basketball stars, and does it well.

Richie Cusick does a great job of turning a script into a novel, which it the difficult matter of turning atmosphere and scene into meaningful words.As I have already indicated, this is a quick, enjoyable read, and is surprisingly hard to put down.I you are an aficionado, or simply want to find out what all the excitement has been about, this is a good book to have.

this is a very good book
This is actually a very good book it starts with buffy as the slayer and shows her everything if u want to lke buffy get stared on this ... Read more

Product Description
Before the smash hit movie "Serenity" came "Firefly", the cult TV series, which started it all and became a DVD phenomenon, selling almost half a million copies. Set 500 years in the future, "Firefly" centres around Mal Reynolds, captain of the ship-for-hire Serenity and its eclectic crew of galactic misfits. When he takes on two passengers, a young doctor and his mysterious, telepathic sister, he gets much more than he bargained for...This official companion is just what the show's fervent fans, the 'Browncoats', have been waiting for, with unseen photos, scripts, behind the scenes secrets, and exclusive input from the cast and crew, including of course creator Joss Whedon. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

Must have for the Firefly fan
Contains the rest of the scripts for the series. Must have for Firefly fans. Gives all the translations for the Chinese spoken on the show.

Firefly Official Companion #2
This book was great. It was almost as good as watching the episodes. Loved the pictures!

firefly volume 2
This book was not what i thought it to be i wish i hadn't wasted my money on it.

A must for any fan of Firefly
If you are a cult fan of Firefly, this book is a must. If you have Volume One, then having this one too is a no brainer. This book gives great insight into the remaining episodes and Joss Whedon's, his writer's and cast's creativity. Enough said.

gurammit!!!keep flying!!
this book had all kinds of facts about every faccet of Firefly. Finally i knew what they were saying in chinese. it's to bad this show got canceled. it was a great show and movie!! ... Read more