This is Fun and Responsible!
Before I start, I have to admit it: Despite my long-standing love for all things Buffyverse, I was not the biggest fan of Season 8. There were parts that I loved (Xander and Dawn, Faith and Giles) and parts that made no sense to me at all (oh, Angel, how you let me down...), but overall the season did not really feel like a season. The plot ran away from its roots and into the stratosphere to a point where many readers just couldn't follow any longer. That being said, this intro issue took the old problems I had and threw them out the window, taking the good from last season as well as building on the nicely handled finale issue.
Five by Five (The Good): I have to give a shout-out to the humor, which is one of the things from the previous season that I felt was handled well. But Joss's presence on the book gives it the feel of the original--the dialogue is smoother, the characters interact at their normal snappy pace, and the one-liners manage to be as smart and witty as always.
Speaking of the characters, the real achievement of this comic is the interactions that it showcases. The issue was action light, but that doesn't mean it was exposition-y (sorry, I had to do one). It managed to set up some interesting conflicts within the confines of the narrative, without anyone (well, except maybe one person) falling into monologue format. Each characterization felt as real as it did in the series, and even some (cough cough, Dawn and Riley) felt better than they had back in Sunnydale. I'm actually a big fan of Riley's moments in this issue, because he points out the logic in the situation in a way that's clear, concise, and not at all selfish. Buffy's characterization alone was enough for me to recommend the book; now that she's out of tough-girl leader-mode, the personality that I've been missing since somewhere around Season 5 is back.
On top of all of that (if I wasn't raving enough), the framing device for the issue was smart. It gave the book a television-like feel that truly made this feel like an episode out of the series. I also have to draw some attention to Jo Chen's awe-inducing cover, displaying more of the feel and the tone that I hope the new season will have than the actual art within the issue (but more on that below).
The Big Bad: I talked about the art, and that might be the one major thing that bugs me here. At times the character's faces are indistinct and I find it hard to follow the emotions. It's never that they were expressing the wrong emotion, but more that their facial features were just too jumbled to make much sense of. Not that I'm dissing on Jeanty's art entirely; when he hits the parts where he has to draw monsters and ghouls, he nails the shapes with ease (I'm a particular fan of the art on the final few pages). But human face did seem to be a weak point (he does display their bodies in a strong enough fashion), even more than I felt it was in Season Eight. Overall, it wasn't terrible, but it did get a bit distracting.
Also, what about Giles? There isn't a single mention of him in the issue (unless I missed it). I understand that he's a large focus of the Angel & Faith series, but it feels almost like there should be more reeling going on from that massive blow suffered at the end of last season.
Chosen: I give this one a nice big fat recommendation. The issue flowed, the characters were strong, and it felt like a strong call-back to what was good before. The goods overruled the bads in this case, and I have to say I was wholly satisfied.
