Classic (Non Canon) Buffy Comics. (Are they better than the Canon comics? Discussion)

[BuffyNvrForgets]

Ever since I finished the show, I've begun to collect all the comics I can get my hands on. And boy, is that a harder task than it needs to be. It generally means constantly checking my local used bookstores...
But now I'm the proud owner of all of season 8, most of seaon 9, and (the pride of my collection,) all of the omnibuses containing all the Classic (Non- canon) Buffy comics.
(Man...has anyone else noticed that all the canon comics are now incredibly hard to get one's hands on? I can't find any beyond season 9!)

I'll be completely honest...I feel the Classic comics are better than the canon ones.

The canon comics are messy...I've not read all of them yet (because I only own a fraction) but from what I know, the plotlines are all over the place. Characters make stupid, out of character decisions, characters are used by the writers in degrading ways, and they introduce a ton of ridiculous stuff like spaceships.

but the Classic comics...
The stories are fun.
Yes, there are a couple that are "eh", But all the rest are absolutely charming.
But then, then you have some that are absolute masterpieces.

Also, the art in the classic comics is phenomenal.
Buffy comics has an amazing roster when it comes to artists, and yes, Georges Jeanty in one, but in my opinion, Cliff Richards beats them all. His art is actor/triss acurate, and the women aren't drawn.....*cough* extremely out of proper proportion, and the clothing isn't unrealistically skin tight. in fact, it's cute! Also, all the men aren't drawn like beefcakes. If an actor/triss is small, they are drawn small. If they are large, they are drawn large. I appreciate that.

I could go on forever about this, but basically, If you haven't checked them out yet, go do it!

The best collections are:

Slayer, Interrupted
Bad Blood
Dawn and Hoopy the Bear
A Stake to the Heart
The origin
Viva las Buffy

What do you think?
Have you checked them out? Do you agree?
Are the canon comics better?
Which is your favorite?

 

[thrasherpix]

I'm not that big a fan of the classics (but they're okay for the most part), but I agree they're MUCH better than season 8+ and Boom. They usually feel at least a little tied to the show, like it wouldn't take too much work to adapt them to be an (or at least a slice of it in an) episode.

Currently, my favorite is this one:

The Death of Buffy

The Death of Buffy is the thirteenth volume of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Classic trade paperbacks, collecting issues forty-three to forty-six of the comic book series and one one-shot. It was originally published on October 16, 2002, by Dark Horse Comics. Buffy is dead. Her friends are trying...

buffy.fandom.com

This links season 5 to 6, why the Buffybot wasn't working as Dawn's guardian (on top of everything else, they want the REAL Buffy to speak with the principal rather than the Buffybot), fighting the forces of the Hellmouth without Buffy, where Willow got the resurrection spell (from snake demons, I think, and related to the one shop owner that tried to sacrifice Dawn when Glory couldn't make it), and how Spike learned of the place of the demon trials (as thanks for a favor to someone else).

All in all, it would've made a decent movie to link 5 to 6. And I like it when shows add detail, depth, and answer questions (though it leaves plenty unanswered still) than just reboot and rehash the old.

 

[Priceless]

I am in the minority that love the canon Dark Horse comics (S8-12) and aren't really interested in reading the non canon ones, although I am sure they're a fun read. I think if you preferred seasons 1-3 (possibly 4) of the show, you will love those classic comics. Are they all self contained or do the things that happen in them have repercussions for later comics?

 

[BuffyNvrForgets]

I am in the minority that love the canon Dark Horse comics (S8-12) and aren't really interested in reading the non canon ones, although I am sure they're a fun read. I think if you preferred seasons 1-3 (possibly 4) of the show, you will love those classic comics. Are they all self contained or do the things that happen in them have repercussions for later comics?

Some of them are told like full season, one in particular is written like a mini season, that one being “Bad Blood”. I believe there are also a few where previous comic villains come back…Aside from stuff like that, generally they are rather self contained.

 

[famicommander]

The quality varies wildly.

Some stories have vampires eating human flesh to recover from injuries. Some stories are so lazy they call the town Sunnyvale, and have other characters refer to Angel by that name during both his human days (when he'd have been called Liam) and his evil days (when he'd have been called Angelus).

But then there are some that are fantastic. I think Haunted is one of my favorites.