Buffyverse Complete Reading Order Guide!

[Willow Tara]

Buffyverse Canon Timeline | All Timelines This is a list I also use to find the comics. Could you take a look at it and say if it's complete and right? (There is also something about the TV-Shows in yellow but that's not important for me right now) And also there they have Angel season 6 volume 1&2 and no After the fall. Are all After the fall volumes the same as 1&2 of Angel season 6? Or a part of? Or completely different storys?

 

[The Ferg]

Well it has most of the canon comics, but it's missing a couple. It also seems like you're wanting to read absolutely everything, so if that's the case, he's missing quite a bit. Here's the official canon problems I'm seeing:
Fray should definitely be read before Season 8. There isn't really a perfect spot, but I usually put it between Season 6 and 7.
Angel Vol. 5 and 6 (included in Season 6 Vol. 2) are probably not canon. Aftermath (Vol. 5) is atrocious, and Vol. 6 might as well be canon seeing as it's written by the writer of After The Fall and acts as an epilogue to it.
There are two Tales of the Vampires stories set in Season 8 that should be read around S8 Vol. 6, NOT beforehand with the rest of the Tales stuff.
He's missing the two mini-series' Willow: Wonderland and Spike: A Dark Place from Season 9.
Season 11 consist of two Buffy trades (12 issues), three Angel trades (also 12 issues), and a Giles mini-series.
Season 12 just started a couple weeks ago and is apparently the end of the "season structure."

Now, if you want everything, I could go on forever. Here's the short list of the important stuff. This is mostly everything, but I'm sure I'm missing a few:
Buffy: Omnibus Vol. 1-7
Angel: Omnibus (Dark Horse Edition) (includes all of the "classic" Angel comics that came out alongside the classic Buffy stuff)
Angel: Omnibus Vol. 1 (IDW Edition) (IDW bought the license to Angel after AS5 and published a few non-canonical series before Whedon came on to help with After The Fall)
Spike: Omnibus (collects a few non-canon stories, including the excellent Asylum and Shadow Puppets by the writer and artist that did After The Fall. I think most people consider those two to be canon)
Other Comics Published by IDW After AtF
Angel: Only Human (starring Gunn and Illyria; spins out of Angel #23)
Spike: The Devil You Know
Illyria: Haunted
Lorne: Music of the Spheres one-shot
Angel: Blood and Trenches (set in WW1)
Angel vs. Frankenstein I & II one-shots
Angel: Barbary Coast (set in 1906)

And here's your answer to the AS6 dilemma:
Angel Season 6: Vol. 1
After The Fall Vol. 2- First Night (issues 6-8)
Spike: After The Fall
After The Fall Vol. 1 (1-5)
After The Fall Vol. 3 (9-12)

Angel Season 6: Vol. 2
After The Fall Vol. 4 (13-17)
Aftermath (Vol. 5/issues 18-22)
Last Angel in Hell (Vol. 6/issues 23-27, Last Angel in Hell one-shot)

Angel: The End
Angel Vol. 7- Immortality for Dummies (28-33)
Angel Vol. 8- Crown Prince Syndrome (34-38)
Angel Vol. 9- The Wolf, the Ram, and the Hart (39-44)
Angel: Yearbook one-shot (collection of short stories)

 

[Willow Tara]

It also seems like you're wanting to read absolutely everything

You're right lol. I try to get as much as I can to have all Buffyverse stories some day....

Well it has most of the canon comics, but it's missing a couple. It also seems like you're wanting to read absolutely everything, so if that's the case, he's missing quite a bit. Here's the official canon problems I'm seeing:
Fray should definitely be read before Season 8. There isn't really a perfect spot, but I usually put it between Season 6 and 7.
Angel Vol. 5 and 6 (included in Season 6 Vol. 2) are probably not canon. Aftermath (Vol. 5) is atrocious, and Vol. 6 might as well be canon seeing as it's written by the writer of After The Fall and acts as an epilogue to it.
There are two Tales of the Vampires stories set in Season 8 that should be read around S8 Vol. 6, NOT beforehand with the rest of the Tales stuff.
He's missing the two mini-series' Willow: Wonderland and Spike: A Dark Place from Season 9.
Season 11 consist of two Buffy trades (12 issues), three Angel trades (also 12 issues), and a Giles mini-series.
Season 12 just started a couple weeks ago and is apparently the end of the "season structure."

Now, if you want everything, I could go on forever. Here's the short list of the important stuff. This is mostly everything, but I'm sure I'm missing a few:
Buffy: Omnibus Vol. 1-7
Angel: Omnibus (Dark Horse Edition) (includes all of the "classic" Angel comics that came out alongside the classic Buffy stuff)
Angel: Omnibus Vol. 1 (IDW Edition) (IDW bought the license to Angel after AS5 and published a few non-canonical series before Whedon came on to help with After The Fall)
Spike: Omnibus (collects a few non-canon stories, including the excellent Asylum and Shadow Puppets by the writer and artist that did After The Fall. I think most people consider those two to be canon)
Other Comics Published by IDW After AtF
Angel: Only Human (starring Gunn and Illyria; spins out of Angel #23)
Spike: The Devil You Know
Illyria: Haunted
Lorne: Music of the Spheres one-shot
Angel: Blood and Trenches (set in WW1)
Angel vs. Frankenstein I & II one-shots
Angel: Barbary Coast (set in 1906)

And here's your answer to the AS6 dilemma:
Angel Season 6: Vol. 1
After The Fall Vol. 2- First Night (issues 6-8)
Spike: After The Fall
After The Fall Vol. 1 (1-5)
After The Fall Vol. 3 (9-12)

Angel Season 6: Vol. 2
After The Fall Vol. 4 (13-17)
Aftermath (Vol. 5/issues 18-22)
Last Angel in Hell (Vol. 6/issues 23-27, Last Angel in Hell one-shot)

Angel: The End
Angel Vol. 7- Immortality for Dummies (28-33)
Angel Vol. 8- Crown Prince Syndrome (34-38)
Angel Vol. 9- The Wolf, the Ram, and the Hart (39-44)
Angel: Yearbook one-shot (collection of short stories)

So do I need to get Angel season 6 vol one and two plus Angel the end to have all ATF stories? And then I need to get the Angel Omnibuses and Angel & Faith to have everything Angel related, right?

 

[Willow Tara]

Buffy and Angel Seasons 11

Is there really Angel season 11? Angel&Faith end with season 10 and then there is Angel season 11, right? Or is it a tipo and he meant A&F season 11?

 

[Willow Tara]

So I believe this is what I have to get: (I will try to get as many as possible in german, the rest in english. Most of that I got from @Real Angel 's post. And thank you @The Ferg for all your help. Could you (or anyone else) correct or add things when I forgot something? I try to get the FULL story of all Buffyverse comics, so here we go)

- Buffy Tales (The Hardcover version with all srories of Tales of the Slayer/Vampires)
- Buffy Omnibus 1-7
- Angel Omnibus (Dark Horse)
- Angel Omnibus 1&2 (IDW)
- Spike Omnibus
- Angel season 6 vol. 1&2
- Angel: The end
- Angel: The John Byrne collection
- Spike: the devil you know
- Illyria: Haunted
- Spike: The Complete series
- Fray
- Buffy season 8 (already have it... in german)
- Buffy season 9 (already have it... in german. With the Willow story)
- Spike: A dark place
- Angel & Faith season 9
- Buffy season 10 (already have vol. 1... in german)
- Angel & Faith season 10
- Buffy season 11 already have vol. 1... in german variant cover)
- Angel season 11
- Buffy season 12

Did I miss anything? Is this really everything? Is this the best way to get them all? Can I get Angel season 11 in library editions? And thanks again for all the help! It really means alot to me I don't know how I would find all that out without you. Thank you.

 

[Willow Tara]

And here a question to german Fans who read the comics in german... if there are any. Do you know about the Buffy Omnibuses? In german I believe these are "die Buffy Chroniken" but I saw 8 of "die Buffy chroniken" but only 7 of the Buffy omnibuses. In the normal season for example season 8 in german they have 8 issues but in english there are 40 am I right? (not the library editions) So normaly they split the things more in english, but with the omnibuses the germans have one issue more than in english?

 

[Willow Tara]

And here a question to german Fans who read the comics in german... if there are any. Do you know about the Buffy Omnibuses? In german I believe these are "die Buffy Chroniken" but I saw 8 of "die Buffy chroniken" but only 7 of the Buffy omnibuses. In the normal season for example season 8 in german they have 8 issues but in english there are 40 am I right? (not the library editions) So normaly they split the things more in english, but with the omnibuses the germans have one issue more than in english?

What exactly do they mean with the english part? In german above they say "die Buffy Chroniken" are the ultimate collection of the first Buffy comics. That's what @Real Angel said about the Buffy omnibuses isn't it? But in english they say it's in a different order... okay I can live with that. But then they say it's a different series what do they mean? Is it a different story or not? And if not do you think just a different order is a problem? I'm sorry for the many questions I have... It's just my B-Day is in August and my mother wants to give me alot of prsents and my whole family and my friends ask what they can give me and I always wnated all Buffyverse stories so I figured I give them a list of all that I still need and everyone chooses something they give me and the rest I buy myself. So that's why I ask so many questions now. Sorry. And thanks for the help.

 

[famicommander]

So I believe this is what I have to get: (I will try to get as many as possible in german, the rest in english. Most of that I got from @Real Angel 's post. And thank you @The Ferg for all your help. Could you (or anyone else) correct or add things when I forgot something? I try to get the FULL story of all Buffyverse comics, so here we go)

- Buffy Tales (The Hardcover version with all srories of Tales of the Slayer/Vampires)
- Buffy Omnibus 1-7
- Angel Omnibus (Dark Horse)
- Angel Omnibus 1&2 (IDW)
- Spike Omnibus
- Angel season 6 vol. 1&2
- Angel: The end
- Angel: The John Byrne collection
- Spike: the devil you know
- Illyria: Haunted
- Spike: The Complete series
- Fray
- Buffy season 8 (already have it... in german)
- Buffy season 9 (already have it... in german. With the Willow story)
- Spike: A dark place
- Angel & Faith season 9
- Buffy season 10 (already have vol. 1... in german)
- Angel & Faith season 10
- Buffy season 11 already have vol. 1... in german variant cover)
- Angel season 11
- Buffy season 12

Did I miss anything? Is this really everything? Is this the best way to get them all? Can I get Angel season 11 in library editions? And thanks again for all the help! It really means alot to me I don't know how I would find all that out without you. Thank you.

You are missing:

-Angel (Untitled). This was a short series published in Dark Horse Extra #36, 37, and 38. Very hard to find, but you can read them for free here:
Angel :: Animations :: Dark Horse Comics

-Buffy: Rogues Gallery. This is a story which has never been reprinted anywhere. Only printed in Previews magazine, 2 pages per issue from March 1999 through February 2000. By far the rarest Buffy story, nearly impossible to find.

-Buffy: the High School Years. Series is comprised of three short paperbacks (Freaks and Geeks, Glutton For Punishment, and Parental Parasite) and one Free Comic Book Day special. They have Whedon's name on the cover so most consider them canon. They take place during season one.

-Spike: Into the Light (one shot graphic novel)

-Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Haunted Prologue. "Haunted" is included in the omnibuses, but the short 4 page prologue was only included in the trade paperback of the "Haunted" story

-Fallen Angel: Reborn. A crossover with the unrelated Fallen Angel comic series, but Illyria features as a main character.

I myself am still looking for Dark Horse Extra #38 and three of the 12 Rogues Gallery parts, so be patient if you really want to track it all down.

 

[The Ferg]

So do I need to get Angel season 6 vol one and two plus Angel the end to have all ATF stories? And then I need to get the Angel Omnibuses and Angel & Faith to have everything Angel related, right?

Technically AtF only last for the first four volumes (issues 1-17). Everything that comes after is just under the banner 'Angel.' But yea, Season 6 + The End is every main Angel story, ie: IDW's issues 1-44.
However, you'll still be missing all of the mini-series' that came out around the same time. The Dark Horse Angel Omnibus will get you everything that came out during the "classic" yearss. And the first IDW Omnibus (yes, there are two, which I'll explain in a sec) includes every Angel series that IDW published before AtF. The Spike Omnibus does the same, but for Spike... obviously.
Here's a handy list of every other IDW collection. All of these can be found in TPB format, but some may cost more than usual.
Angel Omnibus Vol. 2- Barbary Coast, Only Human (the one starring Gunn/Illyria), and adaptations of Smile Time, A Hole in the World/Shells, and Not Fade Away (this is why I didn't mention it earlier. No reason to get the whole Omnibus unless you just really wanna see these episodes in comic form, with substandard art)
Angel: The John Byrne Collection- Blood & Trenches, Angel vs. Frankenstein I & II (one-shots), Lorne: Music of the Spheres (one-shot)
Angel: Masks (one-shot)
Spike: The Devil You Know mini-series
Illyria: Haunted mini-series
Then there's Angel & Faith: Season 9, Angel & Faith: Season 10, and Angel: Season 11. No typo. And AS11 kind of sucks btw.

 

[The Ferg]

Did I miss anything? Is this really everything? Is this the best way to get them all? Can I get Angel season 11 in library editions? And thanks again for all the help! It really means alot to me I don't know how I would find all that out without you. Thank you.

Hey, it's not a problem at all! For some strange reason, I am absolutely addicted to this stuff. I really don't know what it is about the Buffyverse in comic form, but I'm just obsessed. Glad I can put this useless knowledge to good use!
Also, BS10's library editions are coming out throughout this year, but A&FS10, all of Season 11, and obviously S12 have yet to be collected in s library edition.

And kudos to @famicommander for remembering all of the little things I always leave out! I can't believe I forgot to mention the High School Years books, but I think I literally always leave out Into the Light. The book is awful and breaks canon so hard.

I still haven't read Fallen Angel: Reborn, and a few random mini-series' and one-shots, but I'm saving those for a little later down the road.

 

[The Ferg]

What exactly do they mean with the english part? In german above they say "die Buffy Chroniken" are the ultimate collection of the first Buffy comics. That's what @Real Angel said about the Buffy omnibuses isn't it? But in english they say it's in a different order... okay I can live with that. But then they say it's a different series what do they mean? Is it a different story or not? And if not do you think just a different order is a problem? I'm sorry for the many questions I have... It's just my B-Day is in August and my mother wants to give me alot of prsents and my whole family and my friends ask what they can give me and I always wnated all Buffyverse stories so I figured I give them a list of all that I still need and everyone chooses something they give me and the rest I buy myself. So that's why I ask so many questions now. Sorry. And thanks for the help.

I'm really not sure how to answer this... Do you know what exactly is in the first volume in German? If I knew that, I could tell you right away if the order has changed from the American versions.

 

[The Ferg]

Ok, I translated the goodreads page, and it looks like they're in a very similar order. However, the first Omnibus in English includes, in this order:
Spike & Dru #3: All's Fair
The Origin
51-54: Viva Las Buffy
55: Dawn and Hoopy the Bear
56-59: Slayer, Interrupted.

Whereas, the first German volume includes:
The Origin
51-54: Viva Las Buiffy

And the second volume has:
55: Dawn and Hoopy the Bear
56-59: Slayer, Interrupted
Spike & Dru #3: All's Fair

I actually like that order better tbh. I'll check on the rest of the volumes and get back to you.

 

[The Ferg]

@Willow Tara lol please, I enjoy doing this! It feels nice to help someone get into the same stuff I've been into for the last 10 years.

Also, I figured out the difference between the American and German versions! Basically, each Engligh Omnibus includes two of the German volumes. However, the fourth English volume and the 7th and 8th German volumes are quite different actually.
English Omnibus Vol. 4 (in order):
#9-10- Hey, Good Lookin
#11- A Boy Named Sure (#9-11 is Bad Blood Pt. 1)
#13-14- Love Sick Blues
#15- Lost Highway (#13-15 is Bad Blood Pt. 2)
#17-18- She's No Lady
#19- Old Friend (#17-19 is Bad Blood Pt. 3)
Annual '99: Bad Dog
Dark Horse Presents 141: Hello Moon, Cursed, and Dead Love
#1/2- Stinger
Short- Mall Rats (originally published in Buffy #50)
Short- Spike & Dru: Who Made Who? (originally published in the 'Lover's Walk' one-shot)
Angel: The Hollower (mini-series. Technically the first Angel story)
#20- Double Cross

German Vol. 7 (in order)
#9-11- Bad Blood Pt. 1
#13-15- Bad Blood Pt. 2

German Vol. 8 (in order)
#17-19- Bad Blood Pt. 3
Angel: The Hollower
#20- Double Cross

 

[Willow Tara]

Angel Omnibus Vol. 2- Barbary Coast, Only Human (the one starring Gunn/Illyria), and adaptations of Smile Time, A Hole in the World/Shells, and Not Fade Away (this is why I didn't mention it earlier. No reason to get the whole Omnibus unless you just really wanna see these episodes in comic form, with substandard art)

Okay I won't get the 2nd Angel Omnibus and just Barbary coast and Only Human on their own.

Angel: The John Byrne Collection- Blood & Trenches, Angel vs. Frankenstein I & II (one-shots), Lorne: Music of the Spheres (one-shot)
Angel: Masks (one-shot)
Spike: The Devil You Know mini-series
Illyria: Haunted mini-series

So if I get Angel: The john byrne collection, then I won't have to get Spike: The devil you know, Illyria: Haunted or any of the others that you wrote below the title on their own, right? because their completely included there from Blood & Trenches to Illyria: Haunted mini-series.

 

[The Ferg]

Okay I won't get the 2nd Angel Omnibus and just Barbary coast and Only Human on their own.
So if I get Angel: The john byrne collection, then I won't have to get Spike: The devil you know, Illyria: Haunted or any of the others that you wrote below the title on their own, right? because their completely included there from Blood & Trenches to Illyria: Haunted mini-series.

Oh no, I meant for the titles underneath the John Byrne Collection to be separate. So the only ones by Byrne are Blood & Trenches, vs. Frankenstein, and Lorne.

So the germans are missing the thick ones?

Apparently... 😕

 

[Willow Tara]

Oh no, I meant for the titles underneath the John Byrne Collection to be separate. So the only ones by Byrne are Blood & Trenches, vs. Frankenstein, and Lorne.

Okay so I still need to get
Angel: Masks (one-shot)
Spike: The Devil You Know mini-series
Illyria: Haunted mini-series even when I would have the John Byrne collection then.

Apparently... 😕

🙁 okay... Now I have to decide if I take the german and miss these or take the english ones... Are the thick ones very important? Because the language is not the problem the main reason why I'm trying to get the most in german is because of the shipping costs, german items shipping to germany cost less than oversea shipping... obviously. 🙁
btw thanks again for your help 😛

 

[Willow Tara]

You are missing:
-Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Haunted Prologue. "Haunted" is included in the omnibuses, but the short 4 page prologue was only included in the trade paperback of the "Haunted" story

So when I get the omnibuses and the tpb of Haunted then I'll have it all from haunted?

 

[Willow Tara]

You are missing:
-Angel (Untitled). This was a short series published in Dark Horse Extra #36, 37, and 38. Very hard to find, but you can read them for free here:
Angel :: Animations :: Dark Horse Comics

It doesn't work... 🙁 The link works but I can't read it on the site.

You are missing:
-Buffy: Rogues Gallery. This is a story which has never been reprinted anywhere. Only printed in Previews magazine, 2 pages per issue from March 1999 through February 2000. By far the rarest Buffy story, nearly impossible to find.

I have got the magazines issue 1-30 in german. I'm not sure where it starts and ends and I'm not at home so I can't look it up. (do you say "look it up" in that case? I'm not sure I'm sorry I'm not native speaker sorry) but what I'm sure about what I have are: 1999 issue 1-7 so January-July, but I believe it started with that so I should have them. When I'm back at home I'll let you know. And as I said it's in german so maybe some things of the original aren't included who knows.

You are missing:
-Buffy: the High School Years. Series is comprised of three short paperbacks (Freaks and Geeks, Glutton For Punishment, and Parental Parasite) and one Free Comic Book Day special. They have Whedon's name on the cover so most consider them canon. They take place during season one.

Okay I'll try to get them too. But I don't get it with the "free comic book day special" sorry.

You are missing:
-Spike: Into the Light (one shot graphic novel)

-Fallen Angel: Reborn. A crossover with the unrelated Fallen Angel comic series, but Illyria features as a main character.

Okay are these inculded somewhere or do I have to get them on their own?

 

[famicommander]

So when I get the omnibuses and the tpb of Haunted then I'll have it all from haunted?

Yes. The paperback itself has the entire story anyway, the omnibus is just missing the short prologue. So you'll end up with the main story twice.

It doesn't work... 🙁 The link works but I can't read it on the site.
I have got the magazines issue 1-30 in german. I'm not sure where it starts and ends and I'm not at home so I can't look it up. (do you say "look it up" in that case? I'm not sure I'm sorry I'm not native speaker sorry) but what I'm sure about what I have are: 1999 issue 1-7 so January-July, but I believe it started with that so I should have them. When I'm back at home I'll let you know. And as I said it's in german so maybe some things of the original aren't included who knows.
Okay I'll try to get them too. But I don't get it with the "free comic book day special" sorry.
Okay are these inculded somewhere or do I have to get them on their own?

1. You probably need to enable Flash on that site in your web browser in order for the Angel shorts to work. It works fine on my end. They used Flash to turn them into an animated comic.

2. I have no idea about Previews magazine in German. I know the magazine itself was in publication here for a very long time before the Buffy TV series even started. I believe, in the English version anyway, they were already up to the 9th volume of the magazine by the time they got to 1999.

3. The "free comic book day special" is a short single issue they gave away at comic book stores in the United States. You can read more about it here:
No Need to Fear, the Slayer's Here

4. You have to get Into the Light and Fallen Angel separately. I think Into the Light was only released as a graphic novel, in hardcover or paperback. Fallen Angel: Reborn was released in a four issue mini-series and as a paperback. Neither story is collected anywhere else.

Okay so I still need to get
Angel: Masks (one-shot)
Spike: The Devil You Know mini-series
Illyria: Haunted mini-series even when I would have the John Byrne collection then.
🙁 okay... Now I have to decide if I take the german and miss these or take the english ones... Are the thick ones very important? Because the language is not the problem the main reason why I'm trying to get the most in german is because of the shipping costs, german items shipping to germany cost less than oversea shipping... obviously. 🙁
btw thanks again for your help 😛

Masks is included in Angel Omnibus Volume 2

 

[AndrewCrossett]

The Tales hardcover includes everything that was in the Tales of the Slayers and Tales of the Vampires paperbacks, plus some extra stuff that came out after those were published: the "Broken Bottle of Djinn" one-shot comic (from TotS), "The Thrill" one shot (TotV) and the "Carpe Noctem" webcomic.