Buffy the Vampire Slayer – “Cold Turkey”
Dark Horse Comics – November 1998
Writers: Andi Watson
Artists: Guy Major, Joe Bennett, Rick Ketcham
Editor: Scott Allie

Remember last time when I wrote about “Halloween” and I said I couldn’t fucking wait for the cliffhanger vampire to show back up and wreck havoc? I was being sarcastic then, if you couldn’t tell. Yet here we are, a comic taking place over Thanksgiving – that’s a full month after Halloween, mind you – and Buffy is worried that there might be fallout from an event that took place a month ago. This takes place during season three, remember. There was plenty of shit going on in the third season. Why is she suddenly worried about one vampire a month ago? Faith and Buffy had to fight an ex-Watcher in “Revelations” a few days ago and it takes place in the same time as the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” game on XBOX. So, she probably had bigger stuff to deal with than one vampire from a month ago. I digress.

Its better than the previous tale, but only because more time is spent on the characters and less on stupid vampire fights that are impractical and lame. I mean, this one ends with one, but its 15-page narrative isn’t driven on them. So, that’s a plus. But the art is still bad, the writing is kinda poor, and the fact that the vampires still look feral is just a turn-off. Plus, it once again features no lesson for the characters, no greater understanding of their personalities or motivations. Its just stupid.

BOOOOOOOOOOOORING.

Final Verdict: Gets points for a cute section where Buffy asks Giles to order a weapon and Giles muses that he’s wasted enough money on weapons she never uses, anyhow. Which is true. That locked cage in the library is full of things she never touches. Good call, writing team.