So I finally got my copy of Wolves at the Gate TPB

[Da Letter Jay]

It was an awesome comic, but at the same time, I knew that this series is definitely straying from its roots.

Okay, so we all know the Buffy/Satsu fling is the most controversial. I think if it had been executed a bit differently, then it would have been more "Buffy-like", rather than "That's-so-not-Buffy". In my opinion, I seriously doubt that Buffy would have done that on the show.

Next, is Dracula. I thought his inclusion in this arc was out of place, since he was just a one-timer on the show. He was back-written into the canon as being Xander's pen pal and source of support when Anya died, which to me screamed "Whhhhhaaaaaaa?" when I read it.

Also, the Giant Dawn VS Mecha Giant Dawn fight. Need I say more?

The only thing that felt like the original show was the fact that Renee died shortly after kissing Xander for the first time. That's so Whedon's shtick - killing off someone's lover when they're starting to become closer

So like I said, as a comic, it ROCKS. But as an "episode"... not so much.

 

[Lyri]

There's a one shot comic in the Tales of the Vampires TPB, where Buffy, along with two other Slayers, one of whom is called Kira, goes to Dracula's castle to get Xander back. Apparently, he's been living with Dracula for a while, and under some sort of spell, albeit, a mild spell. The Slayers succeed in rescuing Xander, but, at the end of the comic, Xander doesn't really seem upset at being Dracula's manservant, and when Xander leaves, Dracula turns into the old man we see in Wolves at the Gate.

Both Wolves at the Gate and the Dracula one-shot were written by the same person, so in a way, Wolves at the Gate canon-ized the one-shot and made it into BtVS history as having actually happened.

 

[Da Letter Jay]

Thanks for clearing up that Dracula bit. I have heard about that comic, but I never actually read it myself.

 

[November]

I saw this a while back, is this the one you were thinking of Lyri?

Preview :: Dark Horse Comics

Hope it helps you out Jay.

 

[sosa lola]

Apparently, he's been living with Dracula for a while, and under some sort of spell, albeit, a mild spell. The Slayers succeed in rescuing Xander, but, at the end of the comic, Xander doesn't really seem upset at being Dracula's manservant.

Because Xander was under Dracula's thrall. I think Dracula had kidnapped Xander and put him under his control so he won't leave.

Because if Xander was okay with staying with Dracula, why was he so upset in Wolves at the Gate when Buffy and Willow hinted that he should go to Dracula and bring him along? He didn't seem that thrilled with the idea of working with Dracula again and by the end of WATG, Xander had threatened to kill Dracula if he ever called him manservant again.

I love WATG, because it brings closure to Xander's butt-monkey story with Dracula. And unlike you, Da Letter Jay, to me it felt the most like a Buffy episode (after A Beautiful Sunset) than most of the other arcs.