The first crossover in the revamped Whedonverse comes to an end, but more big things are coming.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer / Angel: Hellmouth 5
Written by Jordie Bellaire and Jeremy Lambert
Art by Eleanora Carlini
After the events of the most recent issue of BUFFY – which should really be required reading for fans of the Whedonverse – the slayer goes in to a final battle with the Hellmother, who has taken over Angel’s body. It’s a big brawl that Buffy is only able to win once Willow, Kendra, Anya, Rose, Cordelia and Bat-demon vampire killer Camazotz show up in Hell to back her up.
These demons pining for world domination never count on the hero’s allies showing up for back-up. It’s a fatal slaw in their plans.
Like a lot of Whedonverse stories, the big fight is only the set-up for the real important stuff. Buffy questions her back-up about the missing member of the team: half-vampire Xander, who gave up the half a soul he had to save Willow in the issue of Buffy. Willow tells the Slayer that she can’t deal with the loss of her best friend and she’s going to study abroad for a few months. And Anya cryptically tells Watcher Giles that the Slayer before Buffy isn’t actually dead… and she’s coming to find Giles. Also, Anya was a Watcher before she became whatever she is now.
That’s a lot to take in during the waning pages of the story. And that’s before the epilogue that takes place on an alternate Earth where Willow is the Slayer.
I’m so enamored with what Jordie Bellaire is doing with the new Buffy series, and the final issue of the Hellmouth crossover has me really hyped for whatever is coming next. If you’re a fan of any iteration of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, this is a book you should be reading. It has all the heart of the original TV show with a completely original story that’s keeping me guessing.