Buffy #55 Dawn and the Hoopy Bear

By: Paul Lee
Cover by: Paul Lee

Continuing the look into Buffy's life before Sunnydale, we take a detour with Dawn -- a mysterious package is accidently delivered to the younger Summers sister, and the enchanted teddy bear Hoopy wreaks havoc upon the life of the little ten year old. Intended to destroy the Slayer, the gift leads Dawn unwittingly into her first adventure, years before she'd ever be accepted into the Scooby Gang. It's the all Paul Lee issue! Paul Lee, creator of Lurid and longtime cover artist on the Buffy series, writes, draws, colors, letters, and provides both photo and art covers for this special, hilarious issue.

Buffy #56 Slayer Interrupted (Part 1 of 4)

Written by: Scott Lobdell & Fabian Nicieza
Pencilled by: Cliff Richards
Inked by: Will Conrad
Cover by: Paul Lee & Brian Horton

Buffy returned from her runaway road-trip with Pike... only to discover that Dawn has read her diary, and shared what she found with their parents, who see no other choice: after she's burned down the school gym, run off to Vegas, and apparently lost her mind... they have her committed. Buffy #56 begins the first of a four-issue arc, "Slayer Interupted" by Scott Lobdell, Fabian Nicieza and Cliff Richards, in which we finally see what happened to Buffy in that mental institution.

Buffy #57 Slayer Interrupted (Part 2 of 4)

Written by: Scott Lobdell & Fabian Nicieza
Pencilled by: Cliff Richards
Inked by: Will Conrad
Cover by: Paul Lee & Brian Horton

Considering that she burned down the school gym and ran off to Vegas, and the strange entries in her diary, Buffy Summers's parents see no other choice than to have her committed. At the mental institution, Buffy sort of likes not having to slay vampires and demons night after night. But there's something sinister going on here, and the doctors may not be what they appear to be. And while Giles' black magic stopped a corrupt Watcher from destroying the Council, now he has to face the consequences of dabbling in the forbidden arts.