Product Description: Tales of the Vampires presents stories ranging from medieval times to the Depression to today, all intricately woven around Joss Whedon's central story about a group of young Watchers in training. Not to be missed is Buffy's rematch with Dracula and Angel's ongoing battle with his own demons. Wrapped in a haunting cover by Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, these diverse tales flesh out the history and the world of Joss Whedon's unforgettable creations and fill the void left by the Buffy TV show better than any other writers ever could.
cleverly done I enjoyed reading Tales of the Vampires very much. I have missed BTVS ever since it ended in 2003 and this provided me with a much needed fix. I also found the artwork to be pretty cool. And as everyone keeps pointing out to me special effects are a lot easier in comic books than on tv.
Vampire-zine Absent the Buffy series this is the closest we can come (along with the Buffy Season 8 comics)
"Vampire, You Are Everything I Loathe. But I Have Learned From You."
Where "Tales of the Slayers" was entertaining, "Tales of the Vampires" is, to say the least, a spectacular collection of stories tied together by a first-rate tale which gives insight into the mythology of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." It's the best Buffyverse comic that I've read (other than Season Eight and Spike: Asylum, of course), and that's saying a lot. This collection simply has so much to offer. There's stories with drama, stories with depth, stories that explore and expand the mythology, and a few simply funny tales. It's clear to see that this was penned by people who loved writing for the show (Whedon, Espenson, Goddard) and others who loved watching the show (anyone with eyes/ears).
While "Tales of the Vampires" can be described as a collection of short graphic stories about vampires, it also tells a cohesive story about one vampire named Roche telling tales of the undead to a group of young watchers. As the stories unfold, it is simply a pleasure to see the young watcher named Edna realize what Roche's true reason for telling these tales is. The Roche/Edna plot that unfolds over the length of this book is written by Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy and Angel.
Some of the most interesting stories in this edition are about vampires we've never met before, but what fans will surely be most interested in is the stories about characters who have already been established in the Buffyverse. There are plenty of those. Spike and Drusilla's love story in "The Problem With Vampires" is touching, classic, and leads right up to their first appearance in the show. "Antique" is the first we hear of Buffy since the end of the series (this is pre-season eight) and it has her battling with Dracula for Xander's freedom. The closing story is one about Angel called "Numb" which takes place during the Season Three episode "Amends." It expands on the dreams that are tormenting Angel about his past, and has some of the most beautiful comic art I've ever seen. It really fits with the snowy mood of the episode.
The writing, as I mentioned above, is top-notch. The art, different for each story, is almost always great--except for, perhaps, the depiction of Buffy, Xander, and Dracula in "Antique." A bit to blagh for me. But all else is well. If you're interested in vampires, Buffy, comics, or are currently reading "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season Eight", then this is the book for you.
9/10
The Myriad Tales of the Vampire An amalgam of stories about vampires - familiar vampires, new vampires, male vampires, female vampires, modern vampires, vampires of old. What makes them different, alien, and what makes them just like us. All set in the frame of an old, chained story-telling vampire, deep in the catacombs beneath the Watcher's Guild. Brilliant, imaginative, often lyrical, and highly enjoyable.
After the show is over, we get more of the good stuff The ending of the tv show "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" left me bitter and disappointed for many reasons. But this book reminds us about what vampires are all about: blood, mayhem, destruction along with the complex underpinnings of emotion that make them such fascinating creatures.
After all, they DO come from human stock.
While I didn't care for the titular character of "Stacy" (just another teenaged loser craving power in all the wrong places), the story made me understand why somebody actually would want to be a vampire...a sense of connection with something bigger than herself.
"Father" gives that same feeling. The vampire truly cares for his family. That sense of family didn't die when he did; he remains joyful and happy when his son marries and produces a child of his own. You almost feel sorry for the creature when a violent, righteous Slayer kicks in the door and puts an end to his undead existence.
But I've always believed that humans weren't meant to be immortal. It does bad things to us. In almost any story about humans gaining eternal life, the human becomes inhuman, a monster who shrugs off his humanity like a dirty coat.
That's why I liked "Taking Care of Business." You didn't see too many really old vampires on the show. One gets the feeling most of them are too arrogant or stupid to keep existing for long. So in "Business" you see what can happen when a vampire sticks around for too long. He goes insane. So what happens when he meets a human even loonier than he is? There's the joke.
But it was "Antique" that really made me smile. How could it not when it had the vampire that rings out above all others...DRACULA!
Okay, he was shown to be a pompous gypsy windbag on the show and "Antique" furthers that hilarious concept. But in the end we see what all the mesmerism, fancy clothes, posturing, self-aggrandizement and oratory is really about...the need for attention. Dracula is a very lonely figure, in spite of his riches, and all he really wanted was a friend, somebody to listen to him, keep him company, praise him and show him something new about the world. Too bad the only way he knew how to get it was by hypnotizing people.
All in all, I would certainly recommend this comic book to anybody wanting to feed their Buffy fix. Even if you never saw "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" you would love this work for its interesting twists and ideas about vampires.
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
