Happy New Year

The subject of this article is non-canonical.
While created as part of licensed material, it has not been confirmed as part of the "real" Buffyverse.

Comic Issue
Happy New Year

Publication date	January 27, 1999
Pages	22
Series
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Classic #5
previous White Christmas	next New Kid on the Block, Part One
Creative Team
Published by	Dark Horse Comics
Writer(s)	Andi Watson
Penciller(s)	Hector Gomez
Editor(s)	Scott Allie
Cover artist(s)	Randy Green, Rick Ketcham & Guy Major
Inker(s)	Sandu Florea
Colorist(s)	Guy Major
Letterer(s)	Janice Chiang

Happy New Year is the fifth issue of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Classic series. It was written by Andi Watson and illustrated by Hector Gomez.

Synopsis

This New Year's Eve is going to be one to remember for the town of Sunnydale. When a cursed Puritan rolls into town, looking to break a hex placed on him centuries before, trouble follows: in the form of a giant Hellhound! Mania and mayhem ensue! Continue the adventures of the hit television show every month from Dark Horse Comics.^[1]

Summary

Continuity

As this story takes place at New Year's Eve, it's before the Christmas episode "Amends" and after the return to school in "Gingerbread".

Appearances

Individuals

Organizations and Titles

Species

Dog (Only mentioned)
Hellhound
Human
- Werewolf
Witch (Only in flashbacks)

Events

New Year's Eve

Locations

New England, USA (Only in flashbacks)
Sunnydale, USA
- The Bronze
- Sunnydale High School

Weapons and Objects

De Praesigis Daemonum (book)
Dictionaire Inferal (book)
Witch Trials of the New World (book)
Witchcraft and Demonology: The Idiot's Guide to Alchemy (book)
Crossbow

Rituals and Spells

Black-dog curse (Only mentioned)
Hellhound curse (Only in flashbacks)

Death Count

Mariana and Ben Johnson, burnt at the stake for witchcraft (in flashback).
Nathaniel Filmer and Mangus, fell from a church tower.

Behind the Scenes

Production

The photo cover features a promotional still taken from episode "Welcome to the Hellmouth".
Differently from other representations, at this point the comic issues had vampires also able to transform into green creatures with red eyes, pointy ears, a wide mouth, and long teeth.

Goofs, Bloopers & Continuity Errors

Sunnydale is mistakenly written as "Sunnyvale" in some dialogues.
The Bronze, differently from the TV show, appears as a large building in city centre, and has a sign identifying it as "Bronze Club".

Collections

"Uninvited Guests"
"Omnibus: Volume 3"
"Classic 17: Happy New Year"

Pop Culture References

Buffy says "American werewolf in Sunnydale" in a reference to the movie An American Werewolf in London (1981).
Xander mentions the romance writer Jackie Collins.
Giles owns a copy of the book Malleus Maleficarum (1486).
Xander mentions the reality television series When Animals Attack!.