3.5 stars

That felt like a definitive ending. I wonder if it really is. If so, The Reckoning was a good story to end with, even if some of the plot points bummed me out. A villain I never thought I’d see again showed up, and his goofy lines made me so happy. I felt a little lost because I hadn’t kept up with the Angel comics, but it wasn’t hard to get up to speed, even if I hate feeling like I missed part of the overall story. The artwork was good, and the cover art was spectacular as always. ( )

Book source ~ Library

Buffy and gang have been living their life in the wake of the last big near-apocalypse. Magical creatures are laying low and life is quiet. Buffy and Spike have broken up, Dawn and Xander are married with a baby and living in the burbs of San Fran, Giles is his old self again, and Willow is teaching women how to empower themselves. But something big is coming. Bigger than anything they’ve ever faced before. And they’ll need everyone on board to stop it.

This graphic novel says Volume One, but it feels an awful like The End to me. I know I read that Joss Whedon and Dark Horse were parting ways after Season 12, but I’m not sure if there will be a Volume Two to this one. Maybe?

I’m really not happy with the fast forward. What the fuck? So many changes and no explanations. Then Angel and Illyria show up and I find out they are lovers? Again, I say wtf?! Where is all this coming from? Apparently the Angel and other comics have some major shit going on that I missed.

What I like about this last gasp: The humor, the appearance of some major characters, the fight scenes.

What I don’t like: the fast forward, the huge changes dumped on me with no explanation, a lot of the artwork is just…off. There were many times I couldn’t tell who was who in this. Ugh.

I really get the feeling this is it – the end. So, good-bye, my friends. I’ll miss you. ( )