Horror Books

Coming up to the fiftieth issue of Swamp Thing, and also the time of Crisis On Infinite Earths.

This time, Swamp Thing needs some help, and he ends up in an alliance of a whole bunch of the groovy magical and supernatural characters that DC has floating around, including The Phantom Stranger and Deadman. Magic vs Magic to keep Heaven intact, that sort of thing.

There are trippy bits here, too, as eating bits of Swamp Thing can do odd things to your mind.

This book is a consolidation of everything that is good about Alan Moore's run at the Swamp Thing series. He once again takes a standard superhero-type occurance from the DC Universe, in this case the famous Crisis on Infinite Earths, and gives it his special spin. Swamp Thing is an American fairytale, a superhero book, and an epic piece of literature all rolled in to one. If you've never read Swamp Thing, I urge you to jump in where Alan Moore takes over. Comic book fans will not be disappointed and those who aren't familiar with comics will find a new medium of art to enjoy. Highly recommended!

After following the manipulative John Constantine to several incidents of evil, Swamp Thing begins to develop doubts about his place in the universe. But before he can deal with that, he must participate in the Crisis on Infinite Earths, and an evil cult's plan to attack Heaven after the Crisis is resolved.

"Swamp Thing: A Murder of Crows" is the fourth volume of Alan Moore's work, and in many ways is the most eclectic. The central focus is Swamp Thing's role in the overarching approach of a truly horrendous threat, standing alongside a group of the DC universe's greatest sorcerers and supernatural characters. But there are some interesting small stories, as a few people experiment with roots grown from Swamp Thing's body, and experience life in a new way; a serial killer stalks his prey in the swamps; and Swamp Thing discovers something about the nature of swamp elementals.

While Moore almost certainly didn't intend it, "A Murder of Crows" is a foundation stone for what eventually became DC's Vertigo line. Various writers, chief among them Neil Gaiman, picked up many of the ideas Moore threw into the Swamp Thing pot and ran with them in other books, and certainly the existentialist approach to super-heroics Moore brought to Swamp Thing has been a common thing in all super-hero books since (for good and for ill).

As to the merits of this volume: the overall quality is good, but the presence of the rest of the DCU tends to deflate some of the strong horror elements that Moore had incorporated into the series in previous volumes. The dark threat is tied into the Crisis, however indirectly, and so the overall tone is far more the conventional adventure story. The art, by a collection of top notch talent, is still surreal and just a tad creepy, which is generally a good thing, except for scenes depicting the gathering of super-heroes, where it looks out of place.

While this volume is sophisticated, it's not the suspense the old cover blurb promised. Rather, it's an adventure novel with suspenseful undertones. Moore and company provided excellent storytelling that changed the industry, mostly for the better. Read here to see the prototypical Vertigo.

...is the apex in this Fourth Volume of the Alan Moore helmed issues #43 - 50 of D.C. Comics, 'The Swamp Thing.' But before this battle occurs some interesting things take place. For starters we get an imaginative hallucinatory ride as two people under different circumstances eat servings of the Swamp Thing's 'yam fruit,' and experience vibrant psychedelic journeys that change their lives in one way or another. The Swamp Thing also does battle with a serial killer, faces a legion of ghosts in a Winchester Mystery House-esque haunted mansion, stumbles into violent chaos when parallel worlds collide, learns some new Elemental tricks while meeting his ancestors, and finally faces off with the ancient tribe of Warlocks - the Brujeria - who are bent on unleashing an ancient evil that will destroy Heaven itself. From this point, the last few chapters build up too a whopper of a climax in the ultimate battle between dark and light that the universe has ever seen.

Definitely a great volume in this series as it offers fans everything that they've come to expect while taking it to new metaphysical heights and thus gearing readers for some intersting twists to come.

This book is no exception. "Murder..." continues the story started in "The Curse." Crisis was a cheesy, albeit necessary, method of fixing the many continuity errors that had developed in the DC Universe. Leave it to Moore to take this complicated plot correction and turn it into a significant development for the soon-to-be Vertigo line.

Like the first volume of Kristina, Queen of Vampires, this is an erotic graphic novel from Dutch author Frank Mensink. The translations have the same problem in Volume 2 as in Volume 1: namely, an amateurish feel, lack of attention to tone, and some occasionally bizarre word choices. Like I said in my review of that volume, this is nothing you haven't experienced if you've ever read HEAVY METAL. If you can forgive that weakness, then read on.

Volume 2 picks up more than a year after Volume 1; Kristina, a medieval vampire who was accidentally resuscitated in the modern age, is just waking up from a long period of regeneration after her ill-fated encounter with police investigators Mark and Iris. (That's what you get for coming between a woman and her man, honey.) She quickly goes back to her kinder, gentler feeding routine -- she only goes after criminals, particularly murderers and rapists, figuring that nobody will care if they're gone. She also rekindles her charmingly affectionate affair with John and Veronica, the two humans whom she took as thralls in Volume 1. Things take a bit of a different turn, however, when she is approached by the leader of a large nest of vampires who want her to be their queen. It seems that they don't make vamps like they used to, and Kristina has the mystic mojo necessary to be the most powerful vamp around.

Again, this series is unusual because it's hard to find any real villains, other than the human scum who comprise Kristina's nightly entrées. Even the modern vampires treat their thralls kindly, though that seems to be more for their own comfort than out of genuine compassion for the thralls ("I hate it when they scream all the time," says the vamp leader). It would be easy to root for happy endings for all involved, if Kristina weren't still obsessed with snagging Mike as her immortal beloved.

Much like Volume 1, Volume 2 is obviously set up for a sequel. That's fine by me; these are fun, sexy stories with good art and much more interesting characters than most erotic comics. Hopefully it won't take another two years for Mensik to come out with Volume 3.

First off, let me say that the art seems to have improved since the first chapter. Which is not a put down of the first chapter it just points out how the artist, like many others, is always trying to improve on his work, trying to reach and go beyond his own standards.
The story also makes some sense. While the other vampires are weaker than Kristina they have been living within modern society longer and understand how to survive within it. Of course she has no idea about silver bullets. As she SAID the best weapon they had in the old days were crossbows. I wonder how she will react to the Internet Chat Rooms and Blood Banks? She should get a sports car. Why should she fly all the time when she can pick up victims in style?
Frankly, I can't wait to see Chapter Three. And it is nice to know Kristina, the real model used for the Queen's character, helped to develop this chapter of the story and it was a bonus to see a photo of her on the back cover.

While this is a spin off of the Vampy series, I found the two books in the series well writen and very well drawn. As someone who likes a working plot with the graphics I was quite pleased with the results.Kristina, Queen of VampiresKristina Queen of Vampires Chapter 2 (Kristina, Queen of Vampires)

I've waited patiently for 14 months, and I received my copy of Chapter 2 on 11/08/2007. The art, as expected, is outstanding. But to be honest, the storyline left me wanting (well, see for yourself), it just lacked the punch of Chapter 1! Still, I do recommended it to everyone to get yourself a copy and check it out! Myself, I am looking forward to Chapter 3!

It is my hope that Kristina and Mensink will once again, raise the bar in the next Chapter.

My rating: 5 Stars (art) 3 Stars (story) Final rating: 4 stars!

The art was once again excellent. Mensink uses vibrant colors, the proportions were spot on and the people didn't look cartoonish. The sex was hot and explicitly rendered, as in the first installment. However, this "novel" is shorter and the story was a disappointing follow-up to chapter one.

Chapter one ended with another vampire Lord becoming aware of Kristina's presence and wanting her as their queen because she's so strong. She does visit them, and naturally an orgy ensues. But yet, she was quickly foiled again by the female DA and ended up wounded exactly as in chapter one! If she's so powerful why shouldn't she come out ahead this time? And how has the coven survived so long when they're supposedly so much weaker than her?

Sure, I realize this is "just" an adult comic, but that doesn't mean the story can't be as good as in part 1. Another thing I didn't care for was the increased amount of F/F action than in the first book. I will definitely buy chapter 3 when it's finally released, but I hope it follows through on the promise of chapter 1.

Smart, clever, witty, intresting; these are just a few words describing Suze's exciting mystery known as the RLS Angels, four successful teenagers who were murdered although the killer set it up to look accidental. Then theres Micheal. The one who crashed into the car the sent the RLS Angels plummeting off a mountian side to the untimley death. His sister in is a coma from falling into a pool drunk at one of the RLS Angel's parties. Everyone gave up hope on her ever awakining. There is Micheals motive but did he really kill four people. And is he the one who attempted to kill Suze's family? A real thrill, a must read series for all teens!

Such an awsome book the whole series is great everyone who loves romance action all in one should read!

I really enjoyed reading this book. It has lots of great details. When Susannah found out about this murder, she just had to investigate it. With the help of Father Dom and Jesse she finally got the killer but was put into hospital. It would help if you read the first two books or else you will get really confused with all the names and places. This book has lots of twists and turns and will keep you reading. You won't want to put it down!

whoa!! this book is SO amazing! it's about this girl, suze, and her supposed boyfriend, michael meducci, and he could be a possible killer of the RLS angels! he has had a grudge against them and only for one reason that he could be able to kill them; jealousy! jesse and father dominic have helped out quite a bit but not enough that suze ends up in the hospital! i HIGHLY recommend this book! and i cannot wait to read the next one!!!!

The Mediator 3: Reunion is about Suze Simon, a fifteen-year-old girl with a very special gift, she can speak to those beyond the grave. Awesome, right? Wrong. Ghosts aren't always the most cooperative people. So, when Suze tries to help four teenage ghosts that were in a car accident, they aren't very thankful, unless you'd say that trying to kill her is a proper "thank you". However, Suze will find out some secrets about someone she never thought would keep them from her and that this car accident might not have been an accident at all.
This book teaches readers always to be happy with who they are. Suze has to try to accept that she is a mediator and has to adapt to being haunted every day of her life. She's spunky and her attitude is as unpredictable as the weather but she's also very generous and always willing to help. It really shows people how we take everyday things for granted.
Meg Cabot does an extraordinary job with this book with a perfect balance of mystery, teen troubles, and family issues. It takes you deep into Suze's life and feelings. I couldn't pry my fingers off of it. The Mediator is an amazing series and I've read most of them, but this one was by far my favorite. So, if you like suspense and surprises, you'll love The Mediator 3: Reunion.

After reading the rest of the Dollanganger series, I was naturally eager to start this book. It is stunning how a woman that you end up feeling sorry for turns into such a horrible person in FitA. Yes, Olivia went through a bad transformation, but here you see who the REAL villain is. Bravo for such a wonderful book.

This is one of my least favorite books in the series. I will say this, though. It does have a stronger plotline than Seeds of Yesterday. And it's more necessary to the series than the third and fourth books were. It's interesting to read about Olivia's life and there's an interesting twist. I won't tell you what that twist is. I did find it to be overkill but maybe it really does help explain Olivia's behavior. The thing is, there are times when I feel like the book tried too hard to make her into this poor, poor woman who was betrayed by everyone she loved. I don't know if I believe that. I would have liked to have seen more of her cruel side throughout the book. There were flashes of it but it seemed to fade away as soon as Corrine was born, leaving me to wonder if that was where the GW picked up. Then again, it's been a while since I read this so I might need to read it again before I say that for sure.

There are some inconsistencies in this book. It contradicts some stuff we learned in the earlier books. Also, I didn't find the characters to be particularly compelling, although I admit Olivia had some depth to her. I liked reading about Bart Jr. (I thought he was a complex villain), so maybe that's why I preferred the unnecessary third and fourth books to this. I didn't really care for Olivia but she was a little more three-dimensional than the other characters. The most interesting thing about Malcolm was that we got to see evidence of his Oedipus Complex up close. But it was a bit cheesy. Screaming out his mother's name during sex? A little too heavy-handed if you ask me.

I liked the ending. It brings us right up to the beginning of Flowers in the Attic and it leaves us with something to think about, something that turns the whole notion of the attic being to blame for Cathy and Chris's relationship on its head. It could be a grandmother's suspicious mind or it could be something more.

I would say this deserves a 2 or 2 1/2. I do think it's better than Seeds of Yesterday and it certainly leaves the reader with some things to think about. I don't think it even comes close to justifying the grandmother's behavior---nor should it because what she did was horrific and unjustifiable---but it does give us more information on what has to be V.C.A.'s most twisted family.

i sent it to my sister so i couldn't tell ya, she seemed to be pleased though

The 5th installment, prequel to the Flowers in the Attic/Dollanganger series, picks up a notch from book 3 and 4 which although entertaining were a bit of a let down.
This book follows Olivia, who in her mid twenties, looks destined to be an old maid. In comes handsome Malcolm Foxworth, whose unromantic wedding proposal gives Oliva hope of living a life of love and family. they are soon dashed when Malcolm's true nature is revealed. So begins a downward spiral of dissapointment, deceit and bitterness, twisting Olivia into the cruel Grandmother first introduced in Flowers in the Attic.
Entertaining, but not one of V C's best.

I don't really accept this book as a true part of the "Flowers in the Attic" story -- any more than I accept "The Phantom Menace" as a real part of the Star Wars epic -- but I have to admit, it's a fun read, and I found it much more interesting than I thought I would. And, yes, it's certainly a lot better than "The Phantom Menace" (not that that's saying much).

So, why the disclaimers? Well, for starters, there's quite a bit that doesn't jibe with "Flowers in the Attic." Additionally, a lot of key issues aren't dealt with. For example, in a story dealing with the young Corinne, you would expect to see some sort of a hint of a deficiency in her character, some darkness that would jibe with what we see later, in "Flowers in the Attic." Similarly, the character of Olivia is not what it should be. You expect to see a real transformation in her, and you see a bit of one -- but not enough. There's not enough to foreshadow the monstrosity that follows. In addition to that, within this novel itself, the character's behavior is inconsistent. I get the feeling that the author thinks that these fluctuations are nuances, but they just seem unreal.

On the upside, though: the author definitely understands Southern gothic, and he (or she) weaves in some funky surprises that not only fit into the basic FITA story, but complement it nicely, and make you think about it in new ways. The character of Alicia, who we hear so much about in the other books, comes to life vividly. Best of all, there's a painfully ironic twist at the very end of the book that, I have to admit, I don't totally buy, but it's a gutsy choice, and it's fun to mull over the fact that things could have happened that way.

In sum: it's a fun read, best enjoyed if you think of it as the brainstorm of a good friend imagining how the Dollanaganger kids came to be locked in the attic. Then you can come up with your own version. Too bad we'll never know for sure what V.C. Andrews thought.

Every page is packed with facts, information, and awesomeness, a great read and reference guide.

The best way to sum it up:
X-files + Ripley's + Tales from the Crypt = ENCYCLOPEDIA HORRIFICA

I read a five-star review of the book somewhere and I couldn't understand what the fuss was about. But then I bought it as a gift for my nephew, and I liked it so much that I had to buy another copy for him! It PULLS you in like a hand from the grave......

The author ("Investigator Gee") has maybe achieved the impossible by creating a book that appeals to readers of all ages, but in different ways. There are plenty of facts and pictures for early Ripley's/Goosebumps readers like my nephew who love all things gross, but the look and feel and humor of the book are a lot like a My Chemical Romance video or a Tim Burton movie.

There are also a million "blink and youll miss it" references to grown-up stuff like Stephen King and Neil Gaiman plus "unexplained" science, etc.

And YES it even has a holographic cover!!!
:-)

Joshua Gee's ENCYCLOPEDIA HORRIFICA: THE TERRIFYING TRUTH ABOUT VAMPIRES, GHOSTS, MONSTERS AND MORE packs in evidence, special explorations, interviews and eyewitness accounts to probe the facts behind the fictional representations of mermaids, ghosts, aliens, Dracula and more. Eye-capturing color illustrations accompany `strange case' biographies and historical facts, making this much more than your usual Halloween-oriented fright title - and suitable for any collection seeking to inspire recreational nonfiction reading in kids.

The cover of this great book will attract you to pick it up, the content inside will make you buy it. The cover which is actually referred to inside the book so obviously must be on all published editions has a fanged skull with a spider in its eye socket in the traditional skull mouth closed pose. When you open the cover to begin reading the skull opens it mouth terrifying the spider which flees its shelter. Gimmick covers often mean average content with the gimmicky cover needed to sell the average work, not so with Encyclopedia Horrifica where the content is also very good.

Inside the reader will learn the differences between many a Hollywood or fiction novel version of a creature, myth or tale and the original historic creation. Topics covered include vampires, zombies, ghosts, aliens, sea monsters, witches and psychics. The information is laid out in an entertaining and easy to read format complete with colour photos on every page. There are also quizzes and other interactive features of the book to further grip the reader.

A very good book. If you want other good entertaining and educational books covering these topics also check out Creepy Stuff, Ripley's Believe It or Not! Encyclopedia of the Bizarre (Ripley's Believe It or Not!) and the brilliant Informania: Vampires or Spine-Tingling Tales (Info Adventure).

In spite of the `horrifica' in the title, this author's tongue was tucked firmly into his own cheek during the compilation of this witty encyclopedia. Joshua Gee never comes right out and says, for example, that vampires really exist. Instead he leads his reader on with teasers such as, "If we could ask Stoker himself whether or not he believed in vampires and werewolves, what might he say? Well, hopefully nothing. After all, he's been dead since 1912!"

Mindful of the age of its intended readers, this encyclopedia doesn't go into too much shocking detail. For instance, it never does state what Vlad Dracula a.k.a. Vlad the Impaler did with all of those six-foot wooden stakes. Mr. Gee just drops a big hint: "It [impalement] is best described in a foreign language that the reader does not understand..."

Nevertheless, there are lots of interesting bits of folklore and science to entertain your young Buffys and Van Helsings. For instance, did you know that vampire slayers had to ride a horse "...as black as the blackest ocean" or that vampire bat spit contains a substance called `draculin' that prevents its victim's blood from clotting?

Although this is a standard, hard-bound book with multiple pictures (in gory color) per page, there are lots of interactive features to engage the computer-savvy reader, such as a quiz on the `real' versus movie Dracula: "Who would win in a furious fight to the (un)death? YOU decide."

I'll go with the real Dracula whose "victims accumulated on his front lawn like `a mighty forest'!"

"Encyclopedia Horrifica" has something for everyone who is interested in the supernatural, from aliens to zombies. It's not really arranged in an encyclopedic format, i.e. A to Z, but there is an index if you need to look up, say, "The Call of Cthulhu" or `fugu sashimi.'

This review wouldn't be complete without mention of the many wonderful pictures that adorn this book, from the holographic spider that crawls in and out of a skull's eye socket on the front cover, to the scariest photo of all: an eyelash mite in its natural habitat on your skin, magnified 240 times to look like a wormy alligator. Ugh!

vol 6 of this series does a good job of continuing the story and leaving you wanting more yet again when it finishes up

Robert Kirkman, The Walking Dead: This Sorrowful Life (Image, 2007)

Kirkman returns with This Sorrowful Life, the sixth installment of his excellent Walking Dead series, with Rick and co. captured by the insane Governor. How will he and his compatriots get out of the city and back to the prison, and what will they find when they get there? As usual, the focus here is less on the zombies themselves and more on the survivors and their relationships with one another, as it should be. Kirkman has created a fine, fine thing with The Walking Dead; even if you're not a big horror fan, this one's well worth checking out. ****

Amazingly, this series is not about zombies. It is about the end of the world and how the remaining humans struggle to survive in this distopia. Not since "Lord of the Flies" have we seen or read about the baser nature of humanity, once modern technology and institutions are removed.
If you are a fan of "Lost" or "Battlestar Galactica", you will love "The Walking Dead". Start with "Volume 1" and enjoy!

This collection is brutal, proving man in his own worst enemies. Our heroes are beaten and hurt. And the story keeps rolling.

Volume 6 is titled This Sorrowful Life and Kirkman sure does hit it right on the nail with the title. The book tells the second half of the story arc begun in volume 5. To recap in the previous volume Rick and his group make way to investigate a crashed helicopter only to run into another group of survivors who have holed up in the partially walled off and fortified town of Woodbury. Whatever joy they find in knowing there are other survivors other than themselves was short-lived as they finally meet the person who runs and rules Woodbury.

This Sorrowful Life takes the story up with Rick, Michonne and Glenn in even a worse situation than being stuck outside with the zombies. The book introduces the people of Woodbury as not just survivors but also the polar opposite of those surviving in the prison. While the book makes a point to not paint the whole Woodbury population as losing their humanity it also points out that they've sacrificed their humanity to those promising them safety. They've pretty much given up their rights to the one who calls himself the Governor who rules Woodbury through intimidation and so-called bloodsports involving gladiator-like fighters and corralled zombies. We see hwo the difference between Rick and the Governor's way of keeping their people safe also show the kind of people the are. Where Rick tries to keep his people safe and together without losing their humanity the Governor goes the opposite way and grabs a hold of power even at the cost of everyone.

Kirkman does a great job of showing the two groups and how its probably inevitable that the two will have a confrontation either in Woodbury or back in the prison. While no everyone in Woodbury are out for themselves, a few manage to sympathize with Rick and his group, the rest of the town could easily be considered as the biggest threat hanging over the prison survivors. Again Kirkman shows that sometimes its not the zombies themselves who are the biggest threat to humanity's survival but the people and their flaws to always get into conflict with each other instead of pulling together for the greater good and survival of everyone.

The book ends with Rick having to make another decision where he has to sacrifice some of his own ideals in order to keep his family and friends safe. Will this sacrifice end up costing him down the line will be up to Kirkman to tell us. I hope he continues to expand on this Woodbury angle but at the same time not go overboard on the extreme end of the emotional spectrum. It's great that he's limited the amount of soap opera-style stortelling which dominated volume 4, but going for just action and action and action without plot would be just as bad. So far, volume 6 and it's predecessor in volume 5 tells me he's got a great hold on the story.

This story has more twists and turns than I can ever imagine! Now Light has a murderous girlfriend with her own death god. How does he kill her? Can she help him kill anybody else? How does L manage to survive? Light is a psychopath who needs a psychopathic girlfriend like a guy needs a hole in the head.

I started watching the dvds but then took up reading the books. I would highly recommend the books to any Death Note fan. The books are great and add to the dvds. I truly enyoy having experienced both.

The last volume ended with a bit of a cliffhanger... someone besides Light possesses a Death Note and has made the deal for shinigami eyes. This second Kira is eager to meet the original, and L and the task force hope to intercept copycat before Kira can. Of course, Light is still active on the task force. When the second Kira reveals herself (gasp!) to Light, he must decide how best to use her and her shinigami.

Okay, so getting down to specifics, Misa (the second Kira) reveals herself to the police and then Light, confessing her love for him. She not quite what anyone expected. Compared to super geniuses (Wile E. Coyote-style) like Light and L, Misa isn't nearly as clever, but she's no dummy. She's unpredictable as well, being much more emotional than Light, and having the power of shinigami eyes. Her shinigami, Rem, is the complete opposite of Ryuk - forthcoming, patient, caring, and protective. Light isn't prepared to handle this curveball, and we see him acting more and more on the defensive.

Still, you can't help but feel that L is also struggling with the investigation. There's an interesting exchange between L and Light, where they talk about being friends. While you know that Light is just playing a part, you do feel for L, who seems lonely. He also contemplates his own mortality, knowing that he should concentrate on what he can do instead of letting the fear of death control him.

I think this volume's shift in focus - away from Light and Ryuk and on to L, Misa and Rem - was effective. While L has grown on me over the past three volumes, I liked Misa and Rem almost right away. Perhaps it's that they aren't as calculating as the other characters, but rather plain about their feelings. I'm looking forward to the next volume, especially after this new cliffhanger.

You can't not buy this... It's the kind of book that you have to read. Like the rest of the series... Lol.

With Misa as the second Kira, things get more complicated, with L wanting to stop her, and Light wanting to discover how to work with her. This is made somewhat easier for him when she turns up at his place and confesses serious love.

Her Shinigami also apparently has become quite attached to her, and makes it plain to Light in no uncertain terms that she is not to be harmed.

Good for new readers who love Scooby. Kind of dopey plot though (of course tv show always ends "too neatly" for anyone who's not a kid- part of scooby's campy appeal).

A collection of many comics, with the setting actually being before she ever made it to Sunnydale.

The one addition to this history appears to be the presence of Dawn as something around a 10 year old. So, apparently told from the point of view of Buffy's memory, given Dawn didn't really exist then.

Backstory of the brief time she spent in an institution, and also how Giles came to be her watcher.

Reasonable for those interested in Buffy, but that is about it.

This product is exactly what I asked for and not only did it arrive in the selected time limit but it arrived early! I would definitely buy from this buyer again.

"Omnibus" was my first venture into the Buffy comic universe, having just finished the television series and looking for more. This graphic novel contains five previously-published stories by several different writers and artists, all set before the first season of Buffy. The first story is "The Origin" and is an adaptation of Joss Whedon's original screenplay from the film version of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer and shows how Buffy learn of her powers and how to cope with her destiny as the Slayer. Most fans are familiar with this and there's not really anything new here.

We also get a look at Buffy during her time spent in Las Vegas. While it's interesting to see Buffy's love interest from this time, who is made out to be fairly significant, the overall plot was boring and I didn't think the vampires in this story had much interest.

The rest of the stories are fairly decent, with the exception of "Dawn and Hoopy Bear," which shows what happens when Dawn is given an enchanted bear as a gift. It's not awful, but it's pretty much a "throwaway story" and doesn't offer any incite at all into the Buffy Universe, especially when you consider that it's just an implanted memory and not a real event.

Although some of the artists are better than others, I was fairly impressed with all of the artwork. Omnibus is definitely worth the money if you haven't read any of the previous comics or paperbacks on which it is based, although I'm not sure I would pay for it again if I knew I could find it in my local library.

This is so much better than the Season 8 comics, I can't wait to see the next volumes. It's actually got more plot and more said and more substance. It's interesting with better storylines, filling in the blanks we always wanted filled in. I loved seeing Angel (and Whistler!), Wesley, Giles, and whoa, Giles' Dad! Even the artwork was infinitely better, it wasn't like the other ones where it was all about the skin. This was more sophisticated and just...awesome. Spike's story was kind of boring, as was the Vegas part, but after that, everything picked up and it was stuff we actually cared about. This is a must-read for Buffy-fans, it's stuff that was mentioned in passing in the show but never elaborated on, until this. I'm so glad I found it!

With a faithful adaptation of Joss Whedon's ORIGINAL screenplay for Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the movie), a story about the immediate after effects where Buffy runs away to Las Vegas, as well as giving us the story about her sojourn in the mental institution, we're finally given a good glimpse into what forces shaped the Buffy we grew to know and love in the first season of the series. Of course, we're also treated to a cute story featuring Dawn (because although she wasn't *really* there at the time, Buffy REMEMBERED her as being there), and we see Spike and Dru at the world's fair in 1933. All in all, a great collection of stories; a bit pricey, perhaps, but well worth the time to read - and practically a must-have for any serious B:tVS fan.

Wow, what a great series. It is cool getting to learn Buffy's Backstory, which started in Volume 1 and continues through this one. I thought that the Dru and Spike stories were a waste as the plot of each one is nothing but "let's get something to eat" in each one. It is great that all of these collections have been put together in one nice book.

If you are a Buffy fan then this is a must have. Ever since the show ended I've been finding different things such as vampire novels, buffy comics, angel comics etc. just to get my slayer fix. This is a great collection of previous comic stories in one place.

Following Buffy from her parents' decision to get a divorce, moving to Sunnydale and even into the evil Angel era, this excellent collection of tales of the Slayer will help to keep your thirst for Buffy to a manageable level. The art in this one is uneven - the first story is done in a very unusual manner - that is, in a very cartoonish manner - and it was rather a shock. I ended up rather liking it, but I think this is an issue that will definitely be a polarizing one: people will either love it or hate it and froth about it. :-) However, I liked the story it told and I especially liked how Angel was lurking all over the place in the story. Some of the stories were rather fun, such as Maguffins (McGuffins? MacGuffins? - I can't remember how it is spelled now and I'm too lazy to go check!) - taking place in the summer between Season 1 and Season 2, two mischievous imps are sent to Buffy as a "test." As they destroy her father's house, she must figure out how to stop them. We also get a rather ... interesting story with Dawn, set at the same time that Buffy is in Las Vegas - a case of mistaken identities leaves Dawn with a Djinn that causes no end of troubles.

The addition of Dawn into these stories is one that Joss Whedon says he thought long and hard about, and one which is also likely to be a polarizing force among fans. He said he finally decided to go with having her there because although she wasn't REALLY there, Buffy REMEMBERED here being there ... plus it gave him a chance to have the artists and authors writing these stories come up with some fun ones, such as the story just mentioned above.

All told, an excellent addition to the Buffymorbilia of a true Buffyaholic. Don't miss it!

If you missed any of the comic books, this'll get you what you need. My only complaint is that comic books are too darned short! I am always left wanting more!

When Dark Horse Comics began publishing in 1986, they took a strategic path far different than most of the other independent publishers of the day. Dark Horse was clever enough to go after licensed properties that already had a built-in fan following. Titles such as Aliens, Predator, Terminator, and the many Star Wars titles gave them a huge leg up on their competition. That's why they are still around over twenty years later while companies like Eclipes, First, Comico, and Malibu are but distant memories. Another property which has proven to be enormously popular for Dark Horse has been Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

This is the second omnibus edition of slayer tales and reprints several issues from the Buffy comic as well as various trades/graphic novels into this 320 page tome. The stories are set at various points in Buffy's career although they are all set in during season three of the TV series or earlier. In fact the first story, "A Stake through the Heart" predates Buffy's move to Sunnydale although after the destruction of the gym at her old school. In this tale writer Fabian Nicieza makes the controversial move of retconning Dawn into the Buffyverse before her actual creation. Buffy and Dawn are dealing with their parent's separation and their eventual move. Buffy is already feeling guilt over her parent's marriage troubles and Angel makes things worse by accidentally releasing malignancy demons to torment her.

"McGuffins" is a short story from Dark Horse Comics Presents. Giles sends Buffy a "present" as a test...a pair of nasty little gremlin-like creatures who run amok in her house. Buffy cannot win this one with her fists. She'll have to use her wits to defeat the little pests.

Two of the stories are Spike and Dru adventures and don't even feature Buffy at all...kinda strange since she's the title star but oh well..."Queen of Hearts" finds Spike and Dru gambling on a riverboat and discovering their host is a demon who leeches the luck off his customers. The pair have a bad breakup in "Paint the Town Red" as Spike nearly destroys Dru. He takes a break from her, heading off to Turkey but Dru isn't going to let him go so easily.

"Ring of Fire" takes place during Season Two when Angel is going though his evil period. He, Dru, and the wheelchair-bound Spike have found a set of ancient Samurai armor that belonged to a demon named Kelgor. They plan to use the armor to raise the demon and Buffy, Kendra and the rest of the Scoobys have to stop them.

Finally in "Dust Waltz" two ancient demons, Lillith and Lamia come to Sunnydale for an ancient Hellmouth ritual called the Dust Waltz where each chooses a champion to battle to the death. Since Buffy has killed Lillith's champion, she is forced to fight in his place.

There isn't a standout story in the book but there are no stinkers either. "Stake through the Heart" is probably the weakest as it is a slower moving, depressing story that seems out of place with the tone of the stories from early in Buffy's career. It reads more like a story from Season Six. The Spike and Dru stories are quite fun as the pair is basically off just carousing and having a good time. The art is strong throughout although I was never particularly fond of regular series artist Cliff Richards. I much preferred the lighter style of Luke Ross on "McGuffins" and Hector Gomez on "Dust Waltz." The Dark Horse Omnibus editions are a bit more expensive than those from Marvel and DC, but they have the advantage of being in full color.

REVIEWED BY TIM JANSON