In the final issue of Buffy the Last Vampire Slayer, Buffy is up to her jugular in vampires while Thess and the coven try to jumpstart the sun’s powers again. Sacrifices are made and Buffy’s fate is decided.

Casey Gilly closes out her run in this series by giving Buffy a poignant and, honestly, rather unexpected ending of sorts. Without giving away too much, Gilly leaves the door open for the next generation of Slayers by also undoing the misogynistic trappings of the Slayer as an instrument created by men to do their bidding while also offering a less violent take on what a glorious legacy can mean. Gilly’s Anya is a major highlight in the series for me, nailing Anya’s occasional tone-deaf, self-aggrandizing narration.

Joe Jaro saved some of his best work for this issue, and the X-Men visual cues are unmistakable. Some of the best moments in this issue are the emotional moments between Buffy and a special guest star, and Jaro’s artwork is up to the challenge, depicting the scene with tenderness. Maria Keane helps out with inking duties, and the result is pretty seamless. Joana Lafuente’s colors look great here, complementing the linework. Ed Dukeshire continues to be a wonderful addition to just about any book, and his lettering reads so easily and naturally, which I’m sure is much more difficult than he makes it seem.

Overall, with things quite neatly wrapped up and with plenty of future potential, Buffy the Last Vampire Slayer played it smart when it kept the scope tight.  

Creative Team: Casey Gilly (writer), Joe Jaro (artist), Maria Keane (inker), Joana Lafuente (colorist), Ed Dukeshire (letterer)
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
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