Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine #2

The Ninth Season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer continues right where the first issue left off (although sadly without the writing of Buffy creator Joss Whedon). Buffy and her pals run into a demon in an alley that's not after dinner, destruction, or mayhem. This one wants money, specifically Buffy's college loan.

It seems in a world without magic all sorts of demons have been trapped in our reality and forced into finding odd jobs to make do. This demon has become a debt collector, and from his frightening visage I'm guessing a pretty good one.

Buffy also has to deal with being hauled in by the police who catch her in the act of staking a vampire. The cops are at a loss as to what to charge her with, but are sure she's guilty of something, but the truth is what they are after is a mysterious young man who is miraculously bringing the undead back to death (so to speak).

Writer Andrew Chambliss does a fair job in picking up for Whedon but the dialogue and character reactions simply aren't as crisp this time around. It's still worth reading, but not quite as good as I was hoping. Worth a look.

[Dark Horse, $2.99]