Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 # 1 - The Long Way Home, Part I

Overview

Since the destruction of the Hellmouth, the Slayers--newly legion--have gotten organized and are kicking some serious undead butt. But not everything's fun and firearms, as an old enemy reappears and Dawn experiences some serious growing pains . . .

Buffy creator Joss Whedon brings Buffy back to Dark Horse in this direct follow-up to season seven of the smash-hit TV series.

Season 8 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer picks up after the end of the television series.

The world has been changed by the Scooby Gang's actions the previous year. While launching an attack on an old church (mysteriously protected by a force-field), Buffy reveals that there are now over eighteen hundred Slayers around the world, five hundred of which work for Buffy in military-like squads. There are even two decoy "Buffys" - one literally underground and one in Rome (a reference to the "Buffy" seen in Season 5 of the Angel TV show).

Before Buffy's squad enters the church, we are introduced to Buffy's "watcher" - Xander Harris. Xander (jokingly refering to himself as "Sergeant Fury" due to the eye-patch he wears over his missing left eye) has been positioned as a leader of the Slayers - he is seen to be monitoring the squads' actions from their headquarters in Scotland.

An incident occurs with one of the less experienced squads in Barcelona when they discover that the nest of vampires they were to attack is larger than they anticipated. Xander gives the order for Andrew's squad to assist them, indicating in the process that Andrew has become some sort of leader within their organisation.

Buffy leads her team into the church, only to be confronted by three large demons - and some dead bodies. Her team quickly defeat the demons, but are shocked to discover that the bodies they found had apparently come looking for the demons and set up the force-field. The bodies were also marked with an unknown symbol, apparently self-inflicted.

Unbeknownst to the Slayers, their actions were being watched by a mysterious person floating high above the run-down church.

Meanwhile, it would appear the United States military have become interested in the Slayers' actions also. A General Voll labels the Slayers "an army" as he flies in to investigate the crater that was once Sunnydale, California. An investigation has been set up to look at the crater. A man has been sent underground into the ruins to explore, and declares the place empty just before he is grabbed by a pair of hands.

Back in Scotland, Buffy and Xander have no idea what the symbol that was found on the bodies means, if anything. One thing Xander knows, however, is that Buffy needs to be more sisterly towards Dawn.

Buffy goes to speak to Dawn about her problems, one of which is that she has grown to a gigantic size. Dawn however, refuses to speak to anyone but the currently missing Willow, telling Buffy only that "Kenny never said he was a Thricewise". Buffy knows that Dawn had sex with Kenny, but does not discuss it with her.

In a military hospital, General Voll comes to inquire about "Subject One" and her "boyfriend". Subject One is the person that was found under the Sunnydale crater, and they have agreed to help the military take down Buffy. In a surprising twist, it is revealed that Subject One is Amy, a powerful witch who was both friend and enemy to the Scooby Gang in the past.