Buffy : Season 9

Issue #2 of Buffy Season 9 marks the first true test for this new series. Joss Whedon scripted issue #1, but now he steps into the background and allows Andrew Chambliss to take over scripting duties. Buffy and friends soldier on much as they always have under a rotating crew of writers, even if a bit of the signature Whedon spark is missing.

Season 9’s strongest quality so far is that it feels very much like a return to basics for the franchise. The silly excesses of Season 8 have been trimmed away. The focus is smaller and more intimate. Essentially, Season 9 tells stories in the style of the original TV show without having to make the same sorts of budgetary concessions.

Issue #2 offers up some strong character work for Buffy, who continues to find the real world a very cold and unwelcoming place. Whether it’s staring down a demonic bill collector or attracting the unwanted attention of the police, Buffy is facing a very different sort of struggle than she did in Season 8. Structurally, this series is shaping up well, but Whedon’s departure is tangible in some ways. Chambliss’ dialogue lacks some of the crackle of Whedon’s. The humor is more downplayed. Chambliss offers a much more straightforward take on the characters, which isn’t entirely a bad thing, but it never fully clicks either.

Georges Jeanty’s pencils, meanwhile, are fairly variable in quality. Jeanty’s close-up shots look good, offering clean, recognizable takes on the familiar characters without resorting to blatant photo-referencing. On the other hand, there are too many medium to wide-range shots that lose detail and feature characters that are stark almost to the point of abstraction. Jeanty’s work needs a more unified, consistent feel.