Season 8 of Buffy!

[andrew r]

Yes it will happen! In comic book form. Read on....

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Is Back: The Complete Joss Whedon Q&A
by Ileane Rudolph

Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan alert — the Scooby Gang lives! If you've been waiting since 2003 for the answer to little sister Dawn's series-ending question ("What are we gonna do now?"), it's finally on its way. Creator Joss Whedon is preparing Buffy: Season 8, but this time around the adventures are in comic-book form, arriving in March 2007 from Dark Horse Comics. We talked to Whedon about Buffy, today's TV and his many other projects.

TVGuide.com: Why did you decide to do an entire eighth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in a comic-book series?
Joss Whedon: Well, I'm not that bright. I keep thinking that I have all this free time that I don't have. It started going in my brain — "Wouldn't it be fun if... " and, "You could... " while the other voice was saying, "It's death. I'm out of control. I'm already writing." So I basically said, "We could do something and for once we could make it canon. We could make it officially what happened after the end of the show." Let Buffy not only address certain themes that slipped between the cracks of the show, but also really be a comic book. Take the template of the show, but not so religiously that they're all standing in the Magic Box, talking, for 10 pages.

TVGuide.com: Did you have a concept for the eighth season already mapped out in your head after the sort of sudden cancellation of the series? Or did it come about after the nixing of the much talked-about spin-off movies?
Whedon: The show was not canceled suddenly — I knew that the show would not go past seven years, that I could not go past seven years. I had originally intended to go only five, but once it was clear that we were going to do more than five, both Sarah [Michelle Gellar] and I, and all the other actors, knew that seven was it. But the idea of doing movies about some of the ancillary characters got me really excited, because I love those actors and I love that world. That kind of fell through, but when I started working on the comic... I sketched out this sort of broad arc that would connect everything. Now it will probably only appear on the comic-book pages, but it will be really well drawn. George Jeanty (The American Way) is the artist.

TVGuide.com: How many issues will there be? And how many are you writing?
Whedon: The season should run between 20 and 30 issues, I'm guessing. It has, like the [TV] seasons did, an overriding story with an ending point. I'll be writing the beginning, the first four, the last four, and I'll definitely be doing some others. I have a bunch of other writers — comic-book heavies and former writers from the show — who are going to write the other issues. I'll be overseeing the whole thing, and they've all got my giant mission statement about what the giant arc is about.....

Click on the link for the rest and pics!

http://www.tvguide.com/News-Views/In...22578DAA927%7D

I am not interested in comic strips or anything else related to Buffy that does not involve SMG herself.

^^^ Here, here! Buffy was about more than Joss Whedon. And quite frankly what I've read doesn't sound appealing at all.

Whoever drew Sarah needs tarred and feathered.

I have seen some of the buffy comics. They look so cool.

[eadweard]

I am looking forward to this: more Buffy adventures under the imprimateur of Joss, no less! But, yes, Sarah IS Buffy, and that is what I really long for. Tidbit: there will be 3 Buffys, our heroine and two impersonators. It seems the bad guys are out to get her and the other two are decoys. One of them is in Rome, playing the party girl with some dude called the Immortal. I guess this means, if this bit is true of Joss's plans, that Angel and Spike's trip to Rome was in pursuit of a decoy!...AHA! That's why we never got a good look at her!!

[andrew r]

A mixed reaction I see. I'm interested in how it's all finished. It would have been nice if Sarah came up with part of the story, who knows for the future?

[BlackWolf]

Well, being a comic fan I'm excited, Joss is a damn good comics writer and should make an excellent book, better than most Buffy/Angel comics anyway.

As a Buffy fan though, I agree it won't be the same without the actors, they were the characters. It doesn't matter if the lines are penned by the same guy the delivery won't be the same.

So, on the whole, I will most certainly be buying and reading these, but maybe only for the good writing and familiarity. Only time will tell if I can accept this as a true continuation of the series.

[schmemmm]

I am very excited, I'm still very much into BTVS and I just cannot wait. I really get into the different writing styles of all the writers and I know that a lot of them are big geeks just like me lol haha just kidding, but they are really into comic books and I am happy to have some more canon stuff coming out after living on fanfic for forever!

At least this forum is loading, I cannot get the ED one to load in Firefox grrrr.
Anyways it might not be smidge, but the comic will be canon so really it will be a continuation of the journey that we associate with Sarah's work and the work of the rest of the cast and if there ever was a time when they came back to the fold and decided to do another television or big screen event, this would be a fantastic lead into that, a nice part of the history, and it also lends itself to being more freeing because you don't have those budgetary restraints or other limitations so the story can really evolve in a more organic way.

[eadweard]

Those are some of the same points they made regarding the animated series that never got off the ground. I think it was doomed when neither Sarah nor David agreed to do the voice work.

[andrew r]

Well it's divided opinion that's for sure... But If Joss is doing the stories, I'm sure it's in good hands.

[wilywiccan]

I kept hearing about an 8th season and had no idea what people were talking about. A continuation of the series through the comic books sounds... interesting. Definitely not the same as having SMG, JM, etc but at least we know that BTVS isn't dead. Maybe someday there will be a movie. Or Sarah will realize she misses those long hours, bruises, etc and decide to reprise her role as our favorite vampire slayer and sign on to bring the series back. A girl can dream.

[rlm]

i read an interview in a mag where joss talks about the 8th season comic book. he joked a little here and there but he seemed serious when he said that if they ever did a buffy reunion movie or a movie based on another buffy character that it would make reference to events in the season 8 comic. cuz as joss whedon has stated this is the official 8th season and i think continuity is a must. so anyone who doesn't read the 8th season will have to live with what they missed. i've seen some some early drafts for upcoming issues and they're trying to close some loose ends. such as willow vs. amy. and boy do they get in a witchy magic fight.

[ThisYearsGuy]

I just got done reading issue #2 - I am really loving this Season 8 - its very different but its great how all the characters are spot on and you just get right back into that world so easily! There are some great scene switches at the start of issue 2 that just made me see it as tv all over again - glad to have Buffy back and I am glad Joss would referto this as canon if they ever did a tv/movie reunion of any sort! Can you imagine how amazing that would be?!

[eadweard]

The 8th Season: if you aren't reading it, you're missing something good. Find what is hilarious in Buffy's line to Dawn: Your butt looks big in those pants.

[andrew r]

I haven't got a copy yet.

[ohiofan]

I'm not a comics fan, but I did buy #1 of Buffy and just ordered #2. I was impressed by the way Joss continued the saga and it makes you wish you could see it on the big screen! I just put up the 11x17 poster from the comic and it looks really nice. You guys are right. Sarah will always be Buffy to me.

[wilywiccan]

Do you think I can get my local library to order them? I don't have the cash yet to buy them. :(

I definitely feel like I'm missing out now on BTVS.

[rlm]

the local comic stores where i live don't even carry buffy comics anymore. they carry angel comics and i've asked as to why that is. at the main comic store i go to they told me that buffy comics weren't selling so well so they stopped ordering them but that angel comics were doing ok. i just don't get it, you would think they would sell well too. so i've had to download issue 1 and now issue 2. they won't even order the comics for me at the store. i also don't wanna be ordering them at home.

[Vader]

Originally Posted by rlm

the local comic stores where i live don't even carry buffy comics anymore. they carry angel comics and i've asked as to why that is. at the main comic store i go to they told me that buffy comics weren't selling so well so they stopped ordering them but that angel comics were doing ok. i just don't get it, you would think they would sell well too. so i've had to download issue 1 and now issue 2. they won't even order the comics for me at the store. i also don't wanna be ordering them at home.

Well go back and tell your comicbook guy that season 8 of buffy sold out both issue 1 and 2. Your comicbook guy does't seem to smart.I would pick them up order them if u are fan. You can't go wrong with this buffy book.

[andrew r]

Looks like it's doing really well everywhere.