For those who haven't experienced Buffy Season 8's action-packed story (SPOILER ALERT), it picks up several years after the events on "Chosen" (the series television finale in which Buffy and Willow use the scythe's essence to harness slayer strength for all potential slayers all over the world, taking a vote from the potentials present for the final fight in Sunnydale, CA) and Angel (in the episode "Damaged," a psychologically disturbed girl awakens to slayer powers and, after being pursued by Angel Investigations, eventually goes into the custody of Andrew, who leads a slayer cell in Italy, where in the episode "The Girl In Question," Angel and Spike pursue "Buffy"). The comic explores Buffy and her team's efforts to collect the slayers and help train them to fight evil, but also shows how corrupt leadership and bureaucracy create cracks in the Slayers that can be taken advantage of by recently-out-of-the-supernatural-closet vampires who attempt to integrate with humans and give "full" disclosure of their existence. Recently, the series took many twists and revelations, bringing many of the franchise's most memorable heroes and villains back into the story in unexpected new alliances.
Read more about the Buffy creators we met, including Jane Espenson pitured above, and see photos of the meetings and the signed works, after the jump!
First, we met Jane Espenson (who wrote "Harmonic Divergence," "Harmony Bites," and the entire "Retreat" arc from Season 8!), currently writing and co-executive producing Battlestar Galactica and Caprica, and was the executive story editor for Buffy over at Mutant Enemy Productions. She was gracious and very welcoming, and I was starstruck considering she had been credited for writing and co-writing 23 episodes, including some of my favorites!
"Band Candy," (grown ups turn into teenagers on the inside, and keep their unfortunately aged features HAHA) "Earshot," (Buffy can read minds, impress her teachers, get to know her friends, become very unpopular as a result, and, oh yeah, her head almost explodes from the deafening adolescent whining around her) "A New Man," (Giles copes with unemployment and turns into a monster, DAMN that sucks) "Superstar," (Why is Jonathan the center of the universe?) "Checkpoint," (The Watcher's Council makes a futile attempt to be important for Buffy, guarding the only information that she needs to know: that Glory is a goddess. Oh, and Willow is a demon?) "I Was Made To Love You," (It's okay to feel bad for the violent sexbot!) "Doublemeat Palace," ("The double-meat medley is PEOPLE!" Except it isn't... it's something far far worse.) "Same Time, Same Place," (Willow goes through some invisible-girl syndrome like in "Out of Mind, Out of Sight," and oh yeah the Gnarl peels your skin off and eats it while you watch) "Storyteller," ("Good evening, gentle viewers...") "End of Days." (Buffy's always right. Am I the only one who doesn't find this annoying? I love her! Everybody fall in line damn it!)
Speaking of her writing, she also wrote "Flooded," and as I mentioned earlier in this blog, we met Todd Stashwick, who was the M'Fashnik demon in that episode. I dont truly get that 6 degrees game, since, if I meet anyone, doesn't that make them just one degree from me? But, anyway... met Jane Espenson = wrote "Flooded" = Todd Stashwick was in it = met me while promoting his web comic "Devil Inside." That works right?
Many thanks to you, Jane Espenson, because as I said: "From Special Features to Comic Con," meeting you was truly a dream! I know you were there to promote your work for BSG and Caprica, so I held off on the many questions I would have liked to ask. Maybe at the next Con! :)
Andy Owens works hard for the Buffy comic series, his inks make vivid Georges Jeanty's excellent pencils, bringing shadow and depth that makes each action-packed frame flow beautifully through the bright Scottish highlands, the darkness of the Tokyo cityscape at night, and recently, the subtly lit mists of Tibet. I had a chance to tell him how exquisite his work is for the signing. I overheard him say that he was one of the fans who even enjoyed the movie. I told him that I, too, loved the franchise through its many incarnations, including the original feature film, which was my gateway into the series. I could just tell that it was a special story with a powerful feminist message. How cool for someone working in the Buffy franchise to actually admit a love for it! Meeting Andy Owens was a better experience (in terms of sharing the Buffy love) than meeting and attempting to speak with the show's actors...
Jo Chen does the comic series' elegant cover art. Her work is expressive but focused, with gorgeous visible stroke work that evokes a smoky feel, and she nails the original cast's features to help the fan base engage with the comics as a true canonical continuation of the series. Her art is not bold, but beautifully soft, not vivid, but dreamlike and sophisticated. I told her this much when I had a chance to speak with her for the signing.
Although to the occasional chagrin of many clueless Con-ers, ending with the Buffy musical episode really is paying tribute where tribute is due. I credit Buffy the way I credit Sailor Moon, in that it was on the backs of projects such as these that the entertainment industry could experience truly significant change. When Buffy debuted in 1997 and went to the con in 1998, it connected with a then-mainstream (now crazy loyal fan) base where it was no longer enthusiasts of esoteric sci-fi/fantasy/horror that identified with Comic-Con, but a much broader constituency who were able to be introduced to other things through being at the con. I say the same for Sailor Moon, which brought elegant mainstream anime into the Con after years of Gundam-esque robotic male-oriented programs and manga (I love Gundam!) and also revitalized the magical transformation girls genre. Thanks goes to Joss Whedon, whose story of taking back the night, and touting of the capable hands of a seemingly insignificant girl, has captivated millions and guided so many -- not just women, but say, a gay ethnic boy growing up in a San Diego suburb reading Michael Ende -- to true empowerment.
It is such a joy to have Buffy continued in this Season 8 comic format. I'll take just about any format to get my Buffy fix! But seriously, Jo Chen, Andy Owens and George Jeanty's work (among others) is breath-taking and worthy of such a marvelous story.
ReplyDeleteWill Whedon ever be able to bring the cast together for a movie??? I hope so, and soon, mainly for Spike and Angel's sake.