BOOM!; $3.99

The last issue of Buffy the Vampire Slayer ended with the shocking sight of Drusilla biting Xander to sire him as a vampire. Giles, the deep fount of magical/mystical knowledge, has found a way to help save Xander’s soul – which won’t be easy. If that problem wasn’t enough for our Scoobies, Drusilla wants to turn the men of Sunnydale into her own army and she knows what to use, just not where to find it. Yet.

The last issue ended on a note of ambiguity, regarding Xander’s fate, but that was cleared up very quickly when the cover for issue 5 was revealed. BOOM! has made some big changes to the Buffy characters, but this is by far the boldest move they’ve made. We got to see vampire Xander in “The Wish” episode of Buffy, but that was safely ensconced in an alternate reality.

I hate the idea of Xander permanently becoming a vampire, so hopefully Buffy will be able to change him back. On the plus side, this is a very juicy story, and will give writer Jordie Bellaire the chance to dive into Xander’s darker side and confront how the group will recover if (hopefully when) he is saved.

-Amanda Sheriff