Or - “I Fail To See The Controversy, I Guess…”
For some time now, there have been some underground rumblings regarding this particular issue of Buffy, and how it would be shocking and world-changing. While the events depicted herein (which aren’t really even the point of the story) can certainly be seen as life-changing for the characters, they don’t, as of yet, have a whole lot of effect on the storyline…
If I don’t put a MAJOR SPOILERS warning here, some Russell is going to get upset that I’ve ruined the issue for them (drink).
But trust me, you’ll want to take the jump.
Or - “Asking That Musical Question: Who Frenched The Head Slayer?”
The wonderful part of the Buffy comic is the way the voices of the characters, though aged and changed, have remained consistent with their TV personae. ‘Course, since the creator of the characters and the head writer of this title are the same guy, it just stands to reason. In early seasons of Buffy, the most fascinating portion of the show wasn’t the monster of the week, it was the high school interactions: Xander kissing Willow. Buffy falling for a loser. Willow’s flirtation with Oz (”I mock you with mah monkay pants!”) Likewise, for me, the most fascinating question of BtVS:SE so far hasn’t been who’s the schmendrik who wants to KILL Buffy… It’s who loved her enough to mystically revive her issues ago.
Or - “Treat The Other Man’s Faith Gently…”
Even knowing what a good writer Bryan K. Vaughan is from Runaways, Y: The Last Man, and various and sundry other works, I have to admit that I was a little concerned to hear that other writers would be handling parts of the Buffy: Season 8 series. I am officially thrilled to know that (at least in the case of BKV) the characters and mise en scene established are strong enough to make the change with aplomb, and that Vaughan has a lock on Whedon-esque dialogue and a knack for drama, not to mention making a fight between three tonne (since they’re in England) gargoyles and a 115 pound woman seem totally believable.
Dark Horse Comics has sent Major Spoilers the solicitation information and cover images for titles shipping in December 2007. Take the jump for the complete list that includes all the Indiana Jones you could want in one volume, Mike Mignola goodness, everyone’s favorite Buffy the Vampire Slayer (and Faith too), lots of Conan, and Star Wars, Star Wars, Star Wars!
Or - “My Fair Slay-dy…”
In a very deeply hidden part of myself, I’ve always harbored a secret love for rogue Slayer Faith. Maybe it’s the dark eyes, maybe it’s her street-smart and sexy facade, maybe it’s just that I’ve always preferred brunettes to blondes, but somehow Faith has managed to eclipse even Buffy herself as my fave-rave Sunnydale character (though Spike runs a close second.) Add to that the literary stylings of the awesome Brian K. Vaughan, and we’re looking at an issue that I’ve been looking forward to, even given that the first five were pretty awesome in and of themselves. Where, oh where, has Buffy’s dark shadow been since the destruction of Sunnydale?
With the success of Buffy: Season 8, fans have been wondering if Angel would get a similar treatment. Word out of San Diego is, indeed Angel will have a series that follows the end of the hit television show that ran on the WB.
Angel: After the Fall will be a canoncial series written by Brian Lynch and released by IDW Publishing. You may be familiar with Brian’s work on Spike: Asylum, and if you aren’t, you should be, as this is the title the Joss Whedon read and suggested IDW hire Brian on as Angel’s writer.
Art for the series will be done by Franco Urru who also worked on the Spike series.
The first script is done, and five or six issues have been planned. The series is described by IDW as a 12 issue-plus series.
Take the jump for the full cover.
Or - “Buffy Is Officially A Phenomenon. Again…”
The first issue of BtVS:S8 (pronounced “Betivisate”) ranked #9 on Diamond’s sales charts for March of this year, in a month that also featured the death of Captain America, the debut of Mighty Avengers, the last issue of the opening arc of Justice League of America, and the sales juggernaut that is Dark Tower. Each subsequent issue has been hovering just outside the top ten, an astonishing feat for a Dark Horse title with no capes or costumes in sight. Even at our store (Gatekeeper Hobbies, Huntoon & Gage, Topeka! Ask where Mr. Mxyzptlk is hiding!) the pull list file seems to have nearly doubled, bolstered by people who are only picking up The Buffster. This issue is a bit of an anomaly, featuring as it does the unseen life story of Buffy Summers, the death of Buffy Summers, and no Buffy Summers at all…
Electric Tiki Design has posted a sneak peek of statues on display at this year’s San Diego Comic-con. New statues on the way include “Tooned-Up” Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Mandrake the Magician, Prince Valiant, and Mighty Mouse II.
Take the jump for a peek at the unpainted sculpts of Mandrake and Valiant, plus concept sketches for Buffy and friends.
Well it isn’t really that cut and dried…Dark Horse, Joss Whedon, and eBay have teamed up to offer fans an opportunity to have dinner with the Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con.
Funds raised from the charity auction will benefit Equality Now, an organization founded in 1992 to work for the protection and promotion of the human rights of women around the world. Working with national human rights organizations and individual activists, Equality Now documents violence and discrimination against women and mobilizes international action to support their efforts to stop these human rights abuses.
Sounds like a great cause, and you Buffy fans might get lucky. The dinner will be open for bidding on July 2 on eBay (ebay.com/josswhedon).
Or - “Mortal Danger Brings Out The Best In Some People…”
Here’s something that strangely entertained me about this issue of Buffy, aside from the story (which is quite good.) This book is called “Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Season 8.” The words Season 8 are printed (though perhaps a bit small) on every cover so far. Yet, on the inside of the front cover, there is a disclaimer that reads “This story takes place after the end of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Season 7.”
…
I wonder who that warning is for, exactly?
Or - “This One Time? At Band Camp? I Totally Set My Hands On FIRE!“
Hey, whenever you can make an Allyson Hannigan… Allisyn Hannigon? Alisin Haniggin? Alison Hanigon? Forget it, I’ll just call her Willow… Any time you can make a ‘Willow-doing-naughty-things’ joke, you have to make it. It’s in the Comic Geek Code, right after ‘Thou shalt not avoid a chance to argue Superman Vs. The Hulk’ and before ‘Lo, it is written that Greedo did shoot first, and thus shall it be spake.’ In either case, with this issue we officially see the return of the troika of characters that drove the earliest episodes of Buffy the television series, and coincidentally, the return of Buffy’s best friend and confidante. With all the internalizing going on in the first three issues, do you suppose we’re finally ready for people to start TALKING? Cue the music! Boodly boodly boodly oow! Doo DOO doo DOOOOOO…
Or - “The More Things Change, The More They Aren’t Like They Used To Be Anymore…”
There’s just something that’s irresistible about a cute, petite woman with a battleaxe big enough to dismember a diplodocus. This sort of visual dichotomy is part of what makes Buffy the Vampire Slayer popular, at least to my mind… She’s not an uber-buff American-Gladiators-type amazon warrior, (Not that there’s anything wrong with that… Stop hitting me, Barda!), she’s just a woman, and a relatively small woman at that. Sarah Michelle Gellar may be very slight, but this only serves to make Buffy’s superhuman agility and strength seem somehow more awesome compacted into her form, and I think that is part of the reason people love the character and her universe so much (though awesome writing doesn’t hurt either).
Or - “Waitaminnit! That Ain’t Kristy Swanson! I Call Shenanigans!”
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I can tell you right now where the real difficulty lies with each and every Buffy comic I’ve ever read. Sure, that Joss Whedon dialogue is rough to reproduce, and the exact personalities of the various Scooby gang members can be a little amorphous (especially Willow), but the real difficulty, the thing that’s torpedoed my enjoyment of some previous Buffy comics is simple: Sarah Michelle Gellar’s face defies any attempt to draw it. There is some strange aspect of the way her features coalesce that makes Buffy look not-so-much like Buffy when drawn on paper. The same problem with Gillian Anderson killed the X-Files comic, in my opinion. But, that said, Georges Jeanty and Andy Owens have minimized, if not entirely overcome this problem, and there’s some interesting (and occasionally awesome) stuff going on here…
Joss Whedon has updated his blog with info on the status of the Wonder Woman script and the new Buffy the Vampire Slayer, due out from Dark Horse Comics sometime next year.
And since I haven’t posted (anything real) in some time let me bring y’all up to speed. The Brothers Warner HAVE read Wondy Gal, and are arranging a meeting to tell me that it is a perfect crystalline gem and I must not change a word, nay, not a syllable. I’m certain that’s how it will go. I’m pounding away on X-men #18 and Buffy #2 and having a blast. Like a “close the blast doors” sized blast, especialy after I saw my first page of Georges Jeanty’s Buffy art. That cute little sketch on his website? No, no, silly british man. The real thing is SO deeply cherry. It makes the fun I’m having revisiting these characters increase tenfold.
via Whedonesque (link)
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