Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 DVDFull, nerdy caveat out front and centre – had you explored my teenage bedroom (and to an extent my adult flat) and rifled through my draws, you would’ve likely found DVDs, comics, books, action figures and (DON’T JUDGE ME) the sheet music to Buffy’s musical episode ‘Once More With Feeling’.

I loved and still hold a mildly obsessive adoration for all things Buffy and Angel. Joss Whedon’s seminal fantasy series managed to harness that rare televisual alchemy, and – duff episodes and wayward plot points aside – brought a reliable mixture of heart, humour and hammy monster ass-kicking to screens with a consistency unmatched by other genre TV.

So when it was announced that Whedon would be resurrecting the Slayer (not the first time, natch) in comic form, and would be continuing her adventures in canon, it cemented my geeky love for the man.

Yet for those not quite as fanatical or of my nerdy comic-loving disposition, it may well have passed you by. Henceforth, Buffy Season 8 Motion Comics Issues 1-18, a DVD that brings the stories to life using animation technology that’s been floating around Marvel and DC for a couple of years now.

In essence, it harnesses each of the panels from the 40 issue run (although you only get the first 19 issues on this first DVD), animating them, adding the odd flashy special effect and overlaying surrogate voice acting to bring the story to life.

For those of you who would rather eat a comic than read one, this is a superb and eminently digestible way to catch up with the escapades of the Scooby Gang – for those of a more diehard persuasion, this package doesn’t quite live up to the legacy of old.

The over-arching plot finds Buffy at the helm of a mega Slayer army following the TV series finale. Yet while the world has changed, Buffy’s troubles haven’t. She still has boy trouble galore (as in, she doesn’t have one), friend and family issues, and a portentous, illusive Big Bad (the not-so-subtly named, genre mocking ‘Twilight’) on the horizon. Throw in a US army who suddenly sees the Slayers as a viable global threat, the return of some old (insane) faces, and renegade slayers, and she’s got a lot on her hands.

Whedon admitted that with the shackles of production budgets and executive demands no longer an issue, Season 8 was an opportunity to go wild and explore some ridiculously OTT concepts he’d never have had the opportunity to play with on-screen. Which is why the opening four issues alone bring you flying Big Bads, Dawn as a giant, dream worlds, slayer army vs zombie/human army megafights, and a globe-hopping series of locations.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 - Faith
"'Cos you gotta have Faith..."

While the spectacle is undoubtedly fun, you can’t help but feel the show’s appeal and universal core was the ability to keep the tone grounded amidst all the ridiculousness of the supernatural, and some of that is inevitably lost amidst the transition to the ‘all bets are off’ plot tangents.

Visually, it’s a joy. George Jeanty’s beautiful pencils straddle the line between relatable authenticity and cartoony vibrancy to perfection. The animation is similarly engaging, making a surprisingly amount of fluency from what are essentially mildly animated comic panels. The FX and occasional KAPOW-esque on-screen effects lend it enough razzamatazz to entertain, and the score is certainly competent enough to support the different story arcs.

The main – and most distracting – issue is the voice acting. It’s testament to the original cast that you never realise quite how reliant and effective Whedon’s stylised dialogue is on its delivery. When you’re reading it in the comics, you’re aware of the flow and nuance of the tone – when it’s spoken by knock-off voice actors, the lack of timing and intonation is undoubtedly jarring. Still, it’s not a complete loss, and while some of the main players seems frustratingly off (Buffy, Willow and Andrew), there are some that capture the mood of the show (Faith, Xander and Giles).

Fundamentally though, it boils down to the storylines, and for Buffy fans there’s still more than enough to entertain, including the brilliant and poignant Whedon-penned standalone issue ‘The Chain’, Buffy’s futuristic Fray crossover ‘Time Of Your Life’, and Brian K. Vaughan’s cracking Faith and Giles romp ‘No Future For You’.

Whether hardcore Buffy fan or comics curio, I’d recommend you read the comics first. For those wanting a quick Slayer fix and a chance to explore the animated Buffy series that never was, the motion comic is an ample compromise.

[Rating:3/5]

Buffy The Vampire Slayer – Season 8 Motion Comic (Issues 1-19) is available on DVD from 3rd October 2011.