Whoops! Buffy the Vampire Slayer is [spoiler redacted]!

Since everyone's favorite Slayer made the switch from our TV screens to comic books, there have been a host of controversial moves—a lesbian tryst, superhero sex in space and, oh yes, the destruction of all magic in the universe. So what's left?

How about a baby? Yes, it's true, the Buffster is up the proverbial duff. On the final page of Buffy Season Nine issue 5, our young Miss Summers is holding a pregnancy test with a big, fat plus sign on it, confirming months of speculation that she's on the road to mommyhood.

Part of what makes this so controversial is its execution. Writer Andrew Chambliss makes a point of saying that Buffy is no longer a girl now that she's with child. One might imagine there are a host of grown women who have never borne children who might take offense at the idea they are still "girls."

Moreover, there's a certain element of the soap opera when an unexpected pregnancy occurs. Questions of "Who is the father?" crop up, which, considering the life-and-death nature of the vampire series, can feel a touch domestic.

Speaking of which—who is the daddy? Could it be an old flame like Angel, Riley or Spike? A friend like Xander? Or is it a mystery man like Buffy's unseen neighbor, Heinrich, who sent her flowers in issue 1, who has provided the necessary genetic material?

Ultimately, we suspect it falls to the skills of the writer. Buffy has seen a lot in her life, done many things for better or for ill, but one thing she has never done is be a mother. There's a world of potential there. After all, being a parent means making impossible decisions, it means risk, it means holding a life in your hands and constantly fretting over how to do that life justice. It's all in the execution.

What do you think? Interesting development or frightfully pedestrian? LINK