Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Vol. 15: Viva Las Buffy [Paperback]

Scott Lobdell (Author), Fabian Nicieza (Author), Cliff Richards (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 28, 2003

The Buffy saga takes a bold new direction under the guidance of former X-Men writers Lobdell and Nicieza. It's 1996, and Buffy Summers has just accepted her role as the Vampire Slayer. After the destruction of her high school, she flees to Las Vegas to sort her life out, but there's more than Wayne Newton and hookers in the city of sin. A twisted coven den of vampires has big plans for the strip. And there's a tall, dark, and handsome stranger keeping an eye on her during those dangerous nights in Vegas.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Dark Horse (July 28, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1569719802
• ISBN-13: 978-1569719800
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 6.6 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,223,839 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Missing Chapter of Early Buffy, October 7, 2003

By 

Joshua Koppel (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Vol. 15: Viva Las Buffy (Paperback)

The television show did a pretty good job of rewriting the events of the movie to better fit the series. But there was always something missing from the time line. What happened to Buffy after setting fire to the school gym and before arriving in Sunnydale?

This book tries to answer the question. Here again is Pike, Buffy's companion in slaying. Together they discover a lot of vampires coming to LA from Vegas. Buffy decides she must see what is going on. In the shadows, Angel watches and gains more respect for this slayer's abilities.

A fun story with decent illustrations that fills in a critical hole in the Buffy time line. Even if you don't normally read the Buffy comics, this is a good chapter to read.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A BUFFY PREQUEL, January 11, 2005

By 

Tim Janson (Michigan) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Vol. 15: Viva Las Buffy (Paperback)

This Graphic Novel collects issues 51 - 54 of the Buffy Comic and features a bit of a departure for the comic. Rather than fitting in stories to the TV chronology, this 4 part story art actually takes place BEFORE the TV series starts and AFTER the events of the original film.

Buffy had just burned down the school gym and unable to cope with being the Slayer she flees to Las Vegas along with friend Pike, the character Luke Perry played in the movie. They get jobs in a casino that just happens to be run by a couple of vamps. Angel is on the scene too although Buffy is never aware of it so no continuity is screwed up. The art team of Cliff Richards and Will Conrad could have gotten away with all sorts of sleaze since the story takes place in Vegas. Instead, while they show Buffy suffering for her art in a bustier, hot pants and nylons, none of the artwork looks exploitive. She looks instead as seriously out of place in that outfit as she should.

In the end, Pike realize his place is not with Buffy and leaves Buffy alone where she would eventually go home and then move to Sunnydale. This was a solid storyline told from Pike's point of view and fills in a little depth to the Slayer's history.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Buffy: Vegas Style, June 14, 2006

By 

Beth White "college bookworm" (Stillwater, OK) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Vol. 15: Viva Las Buffy (Paperback)

Time frame: after when the movie took place (Origin comic) but before her parents put her in an insane asylum (Slayer, Interrupted).

Buffy goes to La Vegas to investigate this vampire factory/casino. The story is basically told by Pike, the guy Buffy hooked up in the movie and in Origins. He has to determine whether to let himself accept this lifestyle or let Buffy go. He also gets to double stake some vamps while on his motorcycle.

Meanwhile, Buffy is Watcher-less. The Watcher's Council must determine who will become Buffy's new Watcher and Giles has some competition. Even a bit of the ol' Ripper side comes out of his tweed.

Angel also shows up to watch Buffy's back and investigate the casino, although Buffy doesn't know it. He gets thrown into the 1930's through a closet portal thingy. Artistically, it's an interesting sequence since he's the only one in color in a black-and-white world.

Add a skimpy fighting outfit, time-traveling portal, vampire friendly casinoes, conjoined twins, black magic, and a priest being thrown into the water line, and you've got yourself an entertaining read.

The only weird part is that Dawn is present at Buffy's home.

Otherwise, highly recommended for any Buffy and Angel fan.