cover image Tales Of The Vampires

Tales Of The Vampires

, and various authors. . Dark Horse, $15.95 (144pp) ISBN 978-1-56971-749-3

Although Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spinoff Angel have both ended, new stories set in creator Whedon's "Buffyverse" continue to appear in comics published by Dark Horse. Whedon and several of his shows' writers—Ben Edlund, Jane Espenson and Drew Goddard—contribute to this new collection of stories about vampires, set in disparate times and places. Buffy turns up for a rematch with Dracula, but Goddard's new story makes this mythic vampire look foolish. Brett Matthews's tale, in which the heroic vampire Angel again confronts his Hyde-like other self, Angelus, breaks no new ground. More successful is Goddard's prequel to the television debuts of the vampires Spike and Drusilla, dramatizing how these literally soulless beings can nonetheless be deeply in love. Espenson's three tales are particularly impressive, including one ironically written (and drawn by Scott Morse) in the style of a children's Christmas storybook. Artist Vatche Mavlian gives the right period look to Matthews's vampiric twist on the mystery of Jack the Ripper. Whedon intriguingly portrays the mindset of a lonely fantasy fan whose wish for "magic" in her life disturbingly comes true when she joins the ranks of the undead. The level of writing and art varies widely through the anthology, but the successes outweigh the disappointments. (Nov.)