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In Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8, Dawn returned from college with a big problem: Dawn was a normal 50 foot young woman. She proved to be useful during battles by picking up enemies and crushing any of their arsenals.

Buffy was led to believe that Dawn’s transformation was a result of her sister losing her virginity to a Thricewise named Kenny.  In reality, Dawn’s boyfriend had put a transformation spell on her.  The reason as to why it happened to Dawn was kept secret from Buffy.

Dawn transformed into a giant woman then into a centaur.  What will her last transformation be?  Why did Kenny put a spell on her?  In 2009, Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8 #25 finally answered the audience’s questions.

Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8
Writer: Doug Petrie
Pencil: Georges Jeanty
Inker: Andy Owens
Color: Michelle Madsen
Letters: Richard Starkings & Jimmy Betancourt
Cover: Jo Chen & Georges Jeanty with Dexter Vines & Michelle Madsen
Issue: #25
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Pages: 40
Price: $2.99
Release Date: May 2009

Side Notes:

Doug Petrie, formerly a writer and director on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer television series, joins Buffy Season Eight with “Living Doll.”  The spell little Dawnie got whacked with by the Thricewise demon she angered just keeps . . . evolving.  First, she’s a giant; then, she’s a centaur; now, she’s a . . . what?!  Buffy, ever busy saving the world, will finally have to take action regarding her little sis when Dawn’s mysterious disappearance makes it a priority.  At least, she better be in some sort of danger, or Buffy’s going to kick her butt for wasting precious time acting like an attention-seeking teen — which is what Dawn is, after all.

Doug Petrie, artist Georges Jeanty, and executive producer Joss Whedon tackle Buffy Season Eight #25.

-Synopsis from Dark Horse Comics

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8 #25 was a really weird story.  The audience finally found out who the Thricewise was and why he put a spell on Dawn.

At first glance, Cover A was rather disturbing.  Dawn’s embracing a demon lovingly, in a mock-up cover of a romance novel painting.  The audience was never given a proper description of Kenny, so it was left to assume that it was him on the cover.  As a result, fans were shocked to see Cover A.

Cover B paid homage to Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8 #4, where a giant sized Dawn held Buffy in her hand.  I loved that Cover B paid homage to a previous issue and clued the audience in to the comic book’s story content.  It would have been interesting if Buffy and Dawn were wearing the same clothing as in Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8 #4.

The writing for the comic book was enjoyable, while the jokes were cute and straight to the point.  However, it took me a while to grasp what was going on in the story.  I wasn’t aware of the setting, because it started in the middle of a situation.  The comic book was a bittersweet story revolving around young love.

The artwork for Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8 #25 was good.  The old man in the story had multiple lines all over his body.  I wasn’t sure if those lines were his wrinkles or his scars he accumulated over the years.  Regardless, I was drawn to the underside of his hands in some of the panels.  I felt that Dawn’s dress was drawn beautifully as a black lace gothic doll dress, which was also detailed in each panel.

Kenny in his Thricewise form was drawn in great detail.  You’re able to see every bump, tentacle suction cup, or spot he has on his body in every frame.  I’m still unclear on whether or not it was a good thing to see.

The gremlin in the comic book was based off of Jeremy Hilary Boob Ph.D, the Nowhere Man, from Yellow Submarine.  I appreciated the reference to the movie, and felt that it was a nice fit for the gremlin.  Other references in the comic book were Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Rainbow album cover, and a magical totem statuette in the shape of Yoda.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8 #25 was an interesting take on revealing Dawn’s secret that she has kept from her sister.  The situation allowed Dawn Summers to develop a more in depth character.

Princess Powerful
princesspowerful@comicattack.net