Something next to normal, that's the thing I'd like to try

Sounds to me like the way they're planning on doing season 9 will be much better for this kind of story. Multiple concurrent arcs focussing on different characters rather than one grand linear four-year storyline. You could have Twilight showing up in Buffy's comic being cryptic and creepy, and at the same time have an 'Angel' comic that has much more space to get into his side of the story. You could even show the same scenes from both points of view, with all sorts of dramatic irony.