As usual, I enjoyed reading your rewiev much more than the issue itself :) I agree with basically everything you said, only I am even less optimistic about the upcoming issues than you. I feel that instead of bringing "my" "Buffy" back the comics just say with the finality I have avoided for several years that the show and characters I used to love are gone for good. Also, I can't agree more with what one of the posters above said summarizing their impression of the season, "It feels like Joss is ruining his own work on the comic format". That may be my bitterness as well, of course :)

Anyway, thanks for sharing your thoughts (and helping me sort out mine) :) It was a very interesting read!