‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ Lived On After the Original Show

The Big Picture

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• The Buffy the Vampire Slayer comics expanded the story and action of the television series, with bigger fight scenes and new powers for Buffy and her friends.
• The shift from Dark Horse to BOOM! Studios allowed for a fresh take on the Buffyverse, presenting alternative narratives and attracting both longtime fans and newcomers.
• The Slayers: A Buffyverse Story podcast provides a new perspective on Buffy characters, with the actors reclaiming the narrative and exploring alternate realities, offering a greater dimension to their roles.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer might be one of the few franchises that’s managed to always find a second life on and off the screen. At first, it was a campy B-movie. Then screenwriter Joss Whedon transformed his initial vision into a television series, which not only enjoyed ratings success and a spinoff series in Angel but also provided the building blocks of what the WB (later to be renamed the CW) would build most of its programming on. Shows like Smallville and Supernatural owe their existence to Buffy. After its seventh and final season, however, Buffy would still find new life — both in comic book form and the recent Slayers: A Buffyverse Story podcast.

It only makes sense that the story of Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) would be continued in the comics; Whedon served as a champion of the genre and even wrote or co-wrote a number of comics — including Astonishing X-Men in 2004 and a trio of miniseries fleshing out the events that led up to Serenity. But in becoming an ongoing comic series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer didn’t just pick up where the series left off; it also upped the scales in terms of story and action.

The ‘Buffy The Vampire Slayer’ Comics Continued the Show’s Storyline While Expanding Its Scope

A number of comic book writers and former Buffy staff writers helped shape the course of the Dark Horse Comics run, including Brad Meltzer (Justice League of America), Brian K. Vaughn (Runaways, Y: The Last Man), and Whedon’s Cabin in the Woods co-writer Drew Goddard. Whedon himself would serve as an “executive producer” throughout the Dark Horse Comics era, shepherding the overall stories while pitching in to write story arcs. To keep a strong sense of visual continuity, artist Georges Jeanty was brought on — his work managed to capture both the likeness and the overall character of Buffy‘s cast, while still providing his own visual flair.

That flair was only helped by the expansiveness of the comic book medium, which Whedon and his fellow creators were all too happy to take advantage of. “Comics are the best medium. If you can think of it, then you can put it on the page. Comics have an unlimited budget!!” Whedon said in an interview prior to Buffy Season 8. This led to bigger fight scenes and bigger moments from Buffy‘s heroes (Willow becomes a spellcaster on the level of Doctor Strange, while one arc sees Buffy gaining the power to fly). That expansion was also built upon the Buffy series finale, which saw an expansion in the Slayers’ ranks. Buffy Season 8 shows Buffy commanding armies of Slayers, conducting global operations, and learning the ups and downs of becoming a leader. A key moment comes when she learns that one slayer, Satsu, is attracted to her; this forces Buffy to confront her sexuality while also questioning if she can ever have a stable relationship. Whedon’s script, combined with Jeanty’s depiction of Buffy’s inner turmoil, makes for a story that’s equal parts humorous and haunting.

The Dark Horse Comics era also allowed the Buffyverse to touch upon character dynamics and settings that only enriched the universe. Angel & Faith paired together Eliza Dushku‘s rebellious Slayer and David Boreanaz‘s soulful vampire while exploring the long rocky road that is redemption. The Season 8 arc “Time of Your Life” connected Buffy‘s narrative to the Fray miniseries that Whedon had previously scripted; said series took place in a future where vampires ran rampant and the last living slayer Melaka Fray fought against them. But the biggest moment came from the Season 8 issue “After These Messages…We’ll Be Right Back!” That took the concept of an animated pilot that Whedon and Jeph Loeb (Batman: The Long Halloween) tried to get off the ground and repurposed it for comic book form. “After These Messages…We’ll Be Right Back” is a great example of how Buffy would often stray from the beaten path when it came to traditional storytelling, and how the comics didn’t have to necessarily follow the path the show did.

‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ Found a New Home and Direction at BOOM! Studios

In 2019, the license to print Buffy comics shifted from Dark Horse to BOOM! Studios due to Disney’s purchase of 20th Century Fox; Fox had a minority stake in BOOM! at the time. BOOM! rose to prominence with its take on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, which took the concept of the popular series and adapted it for the modern day — and Buffy received a similar treatment. Buffy was back in high school, juggling a part-time job at a fast food restaurant with fighting vampires. But there were new wrinkles in the story: she befriends Willow and Xander when they’re about to get eaten by a vampire, and she ends up fighting Spike and Drusilla earlier than expected. By shaking up the narrative in such a way, writer Jordie Bellaire was able to keep longtime Buffy fans on their toes while also reeling in newcomers.

This also led to an expansion of comics, each presenting their own take on the Buffyverse. The Vampire Slayer takes place in a world where Willow becomes the Slayer instead of Buffy — but the cost leads to Buffy forgetting her friends, which causes Willow immense guilt. Meanwhile, Buffy the Last Vampire Slayer features an aging Buffy continuing to fight against the forces of darkness. Both of these series offer an alternative view into the world of the Buffyverse while also providing yet another fresh start for new readers.

‘Slayers: A Buffyverse Story’ Gives Minor Characters Major Agency

The Buffyverse has gotten yet another shakeup — and another fresh start — with Slayers: A Buffyverse Story. The podcast picks up in an alternate reality from the Buffy TV series, with Spike training a new Slayer. But things take a turn when this world’s version of Cordelia Chase (Charisma Carpenter) comes seeking their help. Carpenter returns alongside James Marsters, Amber Benson, and Juliet Landau, as well as a host of other Buffy alumni, to bring Slayers to life. Having the actors who brought these characters to life provides a hook for Buffy fans old and new to listen to Slayers — and the alternate universe angle means that these characters are afforded a different and sometimes greater dimension than they were in the original series. Cordelia is a more world-weary Slayer in this world, while Benson’s Tara Maclay takes a very dark turn.

It also lets the actors reclaim the narrative from Whedon, who came under fire when multiple parties, including his ex-wife Kai Cole and Carpenter, revealed a pattern of toxicity that stretched all the way back to Buffy‘s early days. By giving Cordelia more agency in her role as a Slayer, Slayers manages to build upon the excellent character development that Cordelia went through in Buffy and Angel. The same goes for Tara, whose death sent shockwaves through Buffy fandom, and whose new story is laced with meaning, since Benson also co-wrote the entirety of Slayers.

Vampires, cancellation, and a toxic creator — Buffy the Vampire Slayer has lived through it all, and will no doubt continue to live on beyond the original show.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is available to stream on Hulu in the U.S.

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