Everything has to start somewhere. Unfortunately for the Buffy the Vampire Slayer comic-book series, it started here.

The Remaining Sunlight and Uninvited Guests, both written by Andi Watson, are the first two collections from the Dark Horse series featuring everyone's favorite California slayer. Each contains several issue-length stories; multi-issue story arcs were still in the series' future, although one recurring vamp villain does get introduced here.

Unfortunately, Watson -- who I already know did better work further along in the series -- had not yet hit her stride with these books. The dialogue fizzles, sounding little like the characters we know and love from TV. Pacing is awkward and plots are dull. And the action scenes, which look so effortless on the TV screen, are uninspired and unexciting.

The Remaining Sunlight begins with "Wu-Tang Fang," in which Xander strives to learn martial arts just as a martial-arts devoted vampire comes to Sunnydale looking for worthy opponents. "Halloween," which introduces the villain Selke, is another tired look at the holiday when vampires sleep in -- in this case, with Willow and a few other people in the basement for snacks. In "Cold Turkey," Buffy tries to go shopping for a Thanksgiving feast while Selke seeks her revenge. "MacGuffins," a bonus tale by J.L. Van Meter, is a pointless attempt at being cute, in which Giles sends Buffy a pair of annoying gremlins to test her problem-solving abilities.

Uninvited Guests continues the holiday theme, first with "White Christmas," in which Buffy takes a job at a popsicle stand in order to earn enough cash for a gown; her secretive employer has nasty things going on in the freezer. "Happy New Year" introduces a cursed man and his hellhound. "New Kid on the Block," a two-parter, is all slumber parties and pizza 'til the vampires show up.

In each story, the plot is developed and resolved far too quickly to generate much interest. Fortunately, I peeked ahead and can assure you the series does get better from here.

by Tom Knapp
Rambles.NET
24 March 2007