Once thought to be legends only, they walk among us still, keeping to the shadows and avoiding the light of day. They were once ordinary people, someone you might see on the street, but something ... changed. Yes, they are fans of both Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the movie, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the long-running television series.

Rarer even than those who claim to like both the M*A*S*H movie and series, these dual-natured Buffyites have longed wrestled with the inconsistencies that exist between the two. Writers Christopher Golden and Daniel Brereton, with the aid of artist Joe Bennett, decided to solve that problem in the comics.

The popular Dark Horse series of Buffy books proved the perfect place to build a bridge between Los Angeles and Sunnydale. Working with creator Joss Whedon's original movie screenplay, Golden and Brereton wrote a version of the movie that takes the inconsistencies into account: there are now many Watchers, instead of just one; vampires put their evil faces on when attacking and go *poof* into dust when they are staked; and Buffy looks more like Sarah Michelle Gellar than Kristy Swanson. Oh, and she finally gets to burn down her high school gymnasium.

Fans of the movie will recognize many of the memorable lines -- "Does Elvis talk to you? Tell you to do things? Do you see spots?" -- but may be disappointed at just how much of the story was cut out. At a mere 80 pages, The Origin doesn't have room for basketball games, yellow "retro" jackets and little kittens to snack on. Maybe it should have been a little longer. Otherwise, it does a good job of carrying the tone of the movie; Buffy is not yet so serious or angst-ridden as she will become in the series, retaining her So-Cal attitude and humor.

There are downsides, certainly: the Watcher Merrick, unfortunately, loses the wonderful eccentricity that Donald Sutherland brought to the role; Luke Perry's reformed stoner Pike never gets fully developed; and vampire minion Amilyn lacks the brilliant comedic flair of Paul Reubens. But I guess those are sacrifices we must make so that Buffy has room for a complete retrofit.

Among longtime fans, The Origin is an essential part of the complete set. For newcomers making a first foray into the Buffyverse, this is the perfect place to start.

by Tom Knapp
Rambles.NET
14 October 2006