Sunday Trade: Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Wolves at the Gates Scripts by Joss Whedon & Drew Goddard, Pencils by Georges Jeanty, Inks Andy Owens, Colors Michelle Madsen, Letters Richard Starkings & Comicraft

The 3rd volume of "Season 8" and probably the strongest. Collecting issues 11-15, with only the first written by Whedon. Which is a good issue. But Goddard honestly hits a home run with it. Capturing the idiosyncratic voice of the original series while adding his own improvements. This arc has the return of Dracula, a fairly flat character in the one television episode. But here, especially in the weird friendship between him and Xander, he's a scene stealer. Also you have a giant teen-age girl getting in a fight with a giant robot version of herself. Also Andrew lecturing a group of Slayers about Dracula while wearing George Hamilton's costume from Love at First Bite. And what else. Oh yeah, lesbianism. This is the arc with Buffy's fling with fellow slayer Satsu. Which of course made it the greatest comic ever written. I have mathematical formulas proving it...

Not that everything is perfect with the writing. Aside from Dracula and the original cast few of the other characters have much in the way of developed personalties. And Xander Harris shows that he matches Kyle Rayner in being a guy no one should date. Ever. Seriously of all the people he's EVER been romantically linked to, no matter how brief, two have survived. And one of those went gay...

The 4400: Season 3: Disc 2

I hate fast-aged Isabelle. That is all...