Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Time of Your Life (Season 8, #4) by Joss Whedon - Ashley's Review

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Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Time of Your Life (Season 8, #4)
Authors: Joss Whedon (Scriptwriter), Jeph Loeb (Scriptwriter), Karl Moline (Penciller), Georges Jeanty (Penciller), Andy Owens (Inker), Eric Wight (Goodreads Author) (Animator), Ethen Beavers (Animator), Adam Van Wyk (Animator) , Michelle Madsen (Colorist), Lee Loughridge (Colorist), and Richard Starkings (Letterer)
Publication Date: May 6, 2009

My The Long Way Home (#1) Review
My No Future For You (#2) Review
My Wolves at the Gate (#3) Review

Synopsis: Willow and Buffy head to New York City to unlock the secrets of Buffy's mysterious scythe, when something goes terribly awry. Buffy is propelled into a dystopian future where there's only one Slayer -- Fray, the title character of Joss Whedon's 2001 series, the first comic he ever wrote. Their uneasy alliance falls apart, leading to the death of a major character from the TV series, while back in the twenty-first century, the Scotland base falls prey to a mystical bomb courtesy of the Biggest Bad-Twilight.

* The first two volumes of Buffy Season Eight have combined to sell over 160,000 copies!

* Includes the highly anticipated Buffy/Fray crossover, "Time of Your Life," and "After These Messages . . . We'll Be Right Back," written by Jeph Loeb (Batman: The Long Halloween).

* Collecting issue #16-20 of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight series.

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Review: I kind of feel like this volume would have made a lot more sense/been more exciting if I had read Fray first. I mean, it's exciting enough and there's just enough information to figure out what's going on, but it doesn't seem like it's the full story. It also doesn't really seem to fit in with this season. It's more like one of those episodes from the show that has nothing really to do with the Big Bad and just goes off on its own little tangent.

The story itself is interesting enough. Something Buffy does in the present changes the entire future, and the world is back to having one Slayer - Fray. Her Watcher is a water-dwelling demon, and she shares her powers with her twin brother. She has the strength and the skills, but he has the Slayer memories. I really wanted to know more about Fray and her life and why her world is the way it is, but I guess that's a story for another day. Anyone who has already read Fray will probably really enjoy this cross-over.

Buffy is long gone in the future, but Willow is still around. And of course, whatever Buffy does in the present has also changed her life. She's definitely not the same Willow that Buffy knows. She totally plays both sides of the conflict to benefit herself, and it was a really Willow thing to do... especially considering the circumstances. I also thought the artists did a great job translating her into comic book form. 

I did really enjoy getting to see Kennedy again though! Also, she was wearing a Marzipan shirt (see HomestarRunner.com), so 1000 extra cool points there. I love the ridiculous pet names she and Willow give each other and I'm glad that we actually get to see a little bit of what she's up to now. Especially since Willow keeps her far away in NYC so she doesn't get hurt. It's kind of ridiculous because Kennedy is a Slayer after all... but whatever. 

If you've read the first three volumes in this series, this one is a nice break from all of the Twilight stuff. It's also not necessarily one that you have to have read the first three to appreciate, although I wouldn't recommend reading them out of order of course. I would also say that any fans of BtVS should still read these comics, because they're pretty decent. Great artwork, interesting story, humor and wit, and (mostly) the Buffy we all know and love. 4/5.


--Ashley