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Welcome to the Team, Part One is the sixteenth issue of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine comic book series. Written by Andrew Chambliss and illustrated by Georges Jeanty, it was originally published on December 12, 2012, by Dark Horse Comics.

Synopsis[]

Buffy takes on the zompire epidemic in San Francisco with new allies — the SFPD and Billy the Vampire Slayer! Just as Buffy finds contentment in her life, she's torn from routine battle and forced to confront an ancient demon from her former lover's past!

  • Executive produced by Joss Whedon!
  • The surprise return of a fan-favorite character![1]

Summary[]

In the streets of San Francisco, zompires attack a man and forced him to drink their blood. Buffy interrupts them, but the zompires best her in the fight. Dowling and Billy are there to help stake two, while the third gets away. Billy wants to give chase, but Buffy reminds him that his grandmother only allowed him to stay if she Skyped her at every sunrise to let her know he was okay. Dowling expresses concern that Buffy got hurt; she shrugs it off, but notes the remaining zompire was exceptionally strong. While Billy and Dowling make plans to research this notion, Buffy comments they became a team.

In her apartment, Dawn is throwing up in the bathroom. Xander comes in and asks what is wrong. Dawn isn't sure, but she tells Xander how much she loves him taking care of her.

In Buffy's apartment, Anaheed snoops through boxes of Buffy's stuff when she and Billy comes in. Anaheed explains she was looking for a sparkly top. Buffy uses the opportunity to pay rent ahead for the next six months.

Buffy stops by Dawn and Xander's to see how her sister is feeling. She brings peanut butter, which Dawn is allergic to but Buffy forgot somehow. While Dawn has to throw up again, Xander has a look at Buffy's injuries. Buffy explains her accelerated healing is not working too well because she was injured with a mystical blade. Dowling calls, signalling Buffy he found a nest. Xander teases that it may be a love nest instead of a vampire nest, but Dawn states Buffy would not be interested in someone like Dowling because he is not a vampire. Before Buffy leaves, both confirm they like him for her.

Buffy meets up with Dowling just after dark. She tells him that Xander and Dawn think they are dating. He admit he is glad they do because he wants to ask her out. He asks her on a breakfast date for the following morning, which she accepts. Billy catches up with them with a lasso drenched in holy water as a special weapon to capture the lead zompire. Buffy thinks it is a good idea, but she wants to wield it herself.

Inside, they fight a horde of zompires, including the strong leader. While Billy and Downling slay the weaker minions, Buffy focuses on the leader. In spite of the rope, the zompire manages to fight Buffy off. Buffy realizes she knows this person before she was a zompire. While she says that, she is teleported elsewhere. The lead zompire jumps onto Dowling and bites his neck.

Buffy finds herself on a rooftop overlooking Los Angeles. Someone in the shadows says they represent a Council, not the Watcher's, but something more important. The figure tells Buffy she will join them because it was her actions that caused the world to change for worse. Buffy wonders how it is possible this person teleported her, given there is no magic. Illyria reveals herself and explains that such are the powers they have inside her. She freezes Buffy from attacking her and tells the Slayer to either join them or perish.

Continuity[]

  • Buffy mentions she once held her arm like it was just tore off, a reference to when her mind was put in a Buffybot and a zompire tore off her robotic arm in On Your Own, Part Two.
  • Buffy notices the escaping zompire is stronger than normal. In Welcome to the Team, Part Four, it'll be revealed she is one of Simone's experiments on Slayer-zompire hybrids.
  • Dawn claims she is allergic to peanuts, something neither Buffy or Xander seem to remember. She made a peanut butter quesadilla in "Wrecked."
  • The Scoobies continue to forget aspects of Dawn, such as her birthday in Freefall, Part Three.
  • Buffy agrees to go on a date with Dowling. Spike observed Dowling may be attracted to Buffy in On Your Own, Part One.

Appearances[]

Individuals[]

Organizations and titles[]

Species[]

Events[]

Locations[]

Objects[]

Death count[]

  • Four zompires, staked by Billy.
  • Four zompires, staked by Dowling.

Behind the scenes[]

Distribution[]

  • Welcome to the Team, Part One was the 91st best selling comic issue in its publishing month, with 23,896 sales in December 2012 at comic specialty stores.[2]

Collections[]

Pop culture references[]

Gallery[]

Covers[]

Cover artwork[]

Quotes[]

Dowling: "You're holding your arm like someone just tore it off."
Buffy: "Trust me. I've held my arm like someone just tore it off, and it looks nothing like this."
Dawn: "You think? 'Cause I kind of like it."
Xander: "Really? 'Cause if you don't flush, I'm about to switch my eye patch to my good eye."
Xander: "So you're back for good? No trips into space... Sidebar — jealous — no more being a robot... Sidebar — still jealous — no more working for Kennedy... Final sidebar — not so jealous."
Buffy: "Wait. Why wouldn't I be interested in a guy like Dowling?"
Dawn: "He's not your type. Alive. Under a century. Gainfully employed. And you're actually returning his texts."
Illyria: "We know. You've irrevocably changed this world. And because of you, things are far worse than we ever thought possible. But like you... I still have power in me."
Buffy: "... Can't move..."
Illyria: "So you can either join us or perish."
Buffy: "Is there a third option?"

References[]

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