Iconic Character Officially Confirmed For Buffy the Vampire Slayer's 2027 Return

Published Nov 10, 2026, 7:00 PM EST

Robert Wood is a writer and editor based out of Cheshire, England. He is the author of 'The False Elephant: and 99 Other Unreasonably Short Stories' - 100 stories, each told in exactly 100 words.

Rob got into comics via Bendis' Ultimate Spider-Man and the UK anthology 'The Mighty World of Marvel,' which was running Frank Miller's Daredevil, Classic Hulk and Contest of Champions II.

Prior to journalism, he worked in copywriting and copyedited for Oxford University Press. He is on X as @PinchTwigs and Instagram as roobwoodjourno.

As Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel head towards their 2027 return, it's been confirmed that several fan-favorite characters will return. However, a major unanswered question means that fans don't know exactly what version of a Buffyverse icon they'll be getting.

Beginning with the 1992 movie starring Kristy Swanson, Buffy the Vampire Slayer was rebooted into an iconic 1997 TV series starring Sarah Michelle Gellar as the titular hero. Now, the story will continue, though fans aren't yet clear on where the new narrative will pick up from.

One thing fans do know is that fan-favorite characters including Spike, Faith and Tara will return. But with some of them dead by the conclusion of the original TV series and others transformed over the course of the narrative, fans don't quite know what to expect...

Spike, Tara and More Confirmed for Buffy Return

In March 2027, Dynamite Entertainment will publish Buffy the Vampire Slayer #1, from Kelly Thompson, Stephen Byrne, Lee Loughridge and Jeff Eckleberry. The bumper-sized issue will begin a new narrative spread across the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series and a new Angel series, from Thompson and Giulia Giacomino.

Now, thanks to a press release from Dynamite and recent interviews by Thompson, fans know some details of which characters will return. Character designs shared by Dynamite (below) have confirmed several members of the Scooby Gang, including Spike, Dawn, Tara, Faith and Anya, with preview art confirming Angel's Fred and Thompson ruling out Oz for the time being.

Meanwhile, Dynamite promises the "comics debut of a beloved Buffy fan-favorite character" who is represented by a silhouette on the cover art shared so far. While these announcements are Manna from Heaven to longtime Buffy fans, major questions have been raised about the timeline and how it affects the cast.

Where Does New Buffy Fit Into the Timeline?

Thanks to details like Tara being alive and Xander having both eyes, fans have been asking questions about how the comics fit into the TV series timeline. The question is a big deal for Spike, who only gains a soul late in season 6, significantly altering his outlook and motives.

The first issue's summary referencing Buffy's death has fans speculating that the comics will pick up after season 5 of the original show, though this would mean the majority of TV Angel wouldn't be in canon. The summary reads:

Eisner-winning writer KELLY THOMPSON (Absolute Wonder Woman, Black Widow) and superstar artist STEPHEN BYRNE (Wonder Twins) present a vision of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER you've got to read to believe! Featuring the comics debut of a beloved Buffy fan-favorite character!

Into every generation, a slayer is born. And Buffy Summers may have broken the mold. Though Buffy's powers were varied and great, it was the love and devotion she inspired that was perhaps her greatest power. And when she gave her life to save the world, the people who loved her couldn't live with that. This is that story.

Speaking to AIPT, Thompson acknowledges that she's been deliberately cagey about the timeline, while implying the comic WILL respect the show timeline up to a certain point, saying:

I’m not pinning it down. I do think that anyone who’s paying attention to the sketches and stuff that have been out, Fred is in one sketch, and Dawn is there, too. So these things suggest it has to be at least a certain point. It’s a terrific non-ness.

Thompson also promises that Buffy the Vampire Slayer #1 will act as an "atom bomb" for the characters, suggesting that while the comics will likely begin at a certain point within the TV timeline, it won't necessarily feel the need to fit into the gap between that and future seasons, likely charting its own course in terms of ongoing continuity.

One area in which this is likely to be noteworthy is Tara's characterization. Thompson notes that due to the groundbreaking nature of Willow and Tara's relationship at the time, Tara wasn't given the same compelling flaws as other characters - something that can be remedied in the new comics. Thompson says:

I don’t want people to come and think they’re getting ‘The Tara Show.’ She’s a supporting character at best in this first arc. We’ve got to build to [more interesting characterization], especially with the big reveals that are in issue #1.

Buffy and Angel's Return Is Going To Be Big

From what fans know so far, it's clear that the new Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel series are going to be an explosive return to the franchise, coming from a writer who knows it inside and out and isn't afraid to take big swings with this new era.

At the same time, the series' sense of independence from canon and where it fits into it is likely to lead to character regression in some places and evolution in others. Fans will find out exactly how these characters will change when Buffy the Vampire Slayer returns in 2027.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer #1 is coming March 10 from Dynamite Entertainment.

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  Buffy Summers

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  Alexander Harris

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a television series created by Joss Whedon, focusing on Buffy Summers, portrayed by Sarah Michelle Gellar, a young woman chosen to battle against vampires, demons, and other supernatural forces while navigating the complexities of teenage life.