Whedonesque : Comments on 16015 : (SPOILER) Variant cover art for Buffy #16.

Is that Vi and Kennedy? Speaking of Vi, what's she up to?

Speaking of Vi, what's she up to?

Appearing in goofy ads with Andrew.

Well, besides that? Is she running a squad somewhere?

Wasn't sure who the other two were supposed to be. Certainly looks like two of them are supposed to be Buffy and Willow...

jclemens | April 07, 22:01 CET

So we're in New York, Vi and Kennedy are back, and Willow has an iPod. Gotcha.

The Dark Shape | April 07, 22:02 CET

It seems rather less spoilery than the painted cover, I have to say...

Craig Oxbrow | April 07, 22:06 CET

I still love Jo Chen's cover art...jeanty is great for panel to panel but cover art not so much IMO. Every great cover art from S8 that thus far has been from Jo Chen. There were a couple of other covers recently that were okay but not as great. I guess when you have only the cover to worry about you can spend more time but Jeanty has to worry about both.

GothicJossMinion | April 07, 22:06 CET

Glad to know I'm not the only one who looked at the pic and saw Vi. Dunno about the fourth member being Kennedy though...Jeanty conveyed Felicia Day's features quite well - and matured Vi's wardrobe a tad, I must say - but the character in the bottom left of the foursome didn't strike me as Kennedy. Even now, while looking at pics of Iyari Limon...the resemblance is a lot more vague.

BlueEyedBrigadier | April 07, 22:08 CET

GothicJossMinion, I have to agree that Chen's work is superb--imagine an entire issue (painstakingly, I'm sure) painted by her. That would be my ultimate season 8 fantasy come true. However, I have to say that I really enjoyed Jeanty's cover to issue #11. (Granted, that does have to do with the wonderful inking and coloring jobs as well.)

Also, I thought Vi and Kennedy immediately before reading any of these comments.

Buffy the Slayer Layer | April 07, 22:28 CET

So, #16's Jeantry is the variant for #16's Fray? Is that right? If so, they have little in common... maybe the buildings.

korkster | April 07, 22:29 CET

Vi!

And they're all standing around... pondering us?

Sunfire | April 07, 22:31 CET

@GothicJossMinion

I quite enjoyed the Jeanty variant cover for the last issue (for #13)--Xander in a side car!

draculatte | April 07, 22:35 CET

I liked the jigsaw one he did with Xander and Willow.

Simon | April 07, 22:35 CET

I hope thats Vi! Vi was probably my second favorite potential slayer in Season Seven. Amanda being my first favorite. I still start to cry a little when ever I think about her dying in Chosen. :(

I made myself sad...

xerox | April 07, 22:36 CET

I definately see Vi, but Kennedy? Hmm... I don't think it could be anyone else, though.

What I like about Jeanty's covers is that they feel real. Chen's are quie beautiful, almost painting-like. When I see Chen's work, it's like being at a gallery looking at someone's work. Looking at, but not connected to it. Jeanty's covers make you feel like you're THERE, even if they're more comic-y.

korkster | April 07, 22:40 CET

Now we just have to wait for Felicia to blog about being in comic book form.

theonetruebix | April 07, 22:40 CET

Wow...I couldn't imagine how long it would take for Jo Chen to complete an entire issue with the detail she puts into all of her art. It so funny on how I met her, she was at a local Wizard World Convention and was just on artisit row selling her artwork for like 10-50 bucks depending on if it was a sketch or painting. And she had all of these Whedonverse characters sketched really well, I bought a good friend of mine a Spike sketch and had it framed and then when I saw the first cover art for issue #1 of S8 I was like I know that artist. If you guys get a chance to check out he other art work on her new site at
Jo's Playground
http://jo-chen.com/main-data/jo.html...Shameless plug for a great artist.

ETA: draculette: I'm not saying that Jeanty is a bad artist, quite the opposite, he does great comic book art, but as an art lover in general Miss Chen's is the type I prefer. In fact I have multiple pieces by her framed in my house. just saying...

[ edited by GothicJossMinion on 2008-04-07 22:46 ]

GothicJossMinion | April 07, 22:40 CET

I hope thats Vi! Vi was probably my second favorite potential slayer in Season Seven. Amanda being my first favorite.

Me, too. Vi definitely moved up to #1 during that final fight scene though. And yeah, I didn't catch Amanda having died the first time through and had to rewind to figure out where it happened. That hurt. :(

Sunfire | April 07, 22:50 CET

I was so distracted by Buffy's severe case of camel toe that I could barely take in the other characters. Ewwww!

missb | April 07, 23:14 CET

Yeah I saw it and after a few seconds thought Vi and Kennedy. The Kennedy matches up with what we saw of her in #10.

Does anybody else hate Willow's hair?

brynmars | April 07, 23:18 CET

missb, you beat me to it -- I clicked into the thread precisely to say, "Forget who the other two women are; what the frack is going on with Buffy's pants?!?!" I mean, I can barely draw a stick figure so I shouldn't talk, but sheesh!

I also immediately recognized Vi, but needed some help with Kennedy.

karosurly | April 07, 23:20 CET

Hey GothicJossMinion, might there be anywhere i could see the sketch of Spike?
I've been hoping like forever that Jo C. might draw a Spike cover one day.

Vergil | April 07, 23:24 CET

Vergil, I will see if my friend will take a digital and post it to her photobucket or flickr accounts and then send you the link. Its really a great sketched he's in the coat and has his head tilted holding his throat and it looks so much like James Marsters you'd think he posed for it. Jo's art maybe more painting like but I know exactly who I am looking at when I see her covers. Also no camel toe there ;)

GothicJossMinion | April 07, 23:28 CET

Why does this cover remind me so much of Jeanty's variant for #6? Oh, maybe because it is very similar.
I think the "iPod" is part of Willow's belt, actually. But I could be wrong. That's not to say that I wasn't reminded of my iPod nano when I saw it.
I was actually more disturbed by Kennedy's exposed sock and ugly boot/shoe thing.
Vi looks really good, although I miss her fluffy hat. Kennedy's... well, I'll just say that if I hadn't read a kinda spoiler-ish interview a while ago, I wouldn't really have guessed. I kept looking for pink ends, just in case, though.

wenxina | April 07, 23:31 CET

GothicJossMinion said:
"Also no camel toe there ;)"

Depends on who you mean. If we're talking about Spike here, thank god for that! It would have been mildly anti-climactic, to say the least. If you meant Jo's cover of #16... no, I'd say there's no camel-toe there, but I think anyone viewing from above might see a wee bit more.

wenxina | April 07, 23:35 CET

wenxina Alas that is true but up(down)skirt is not near as disturbing or fashion faux pas as a camel toe....and suddenly I can't believe I'm actually having this conversation. ~sigh~

GothicJossMinion | April 07, 23:51 CET

Vi definitely moved up to #1 during that final fight scene though.

And also in the bus in the end - she was so strong on the bus!

crossoverman | April 08, 00:06 CET

Vi was very positively empowered in the bus :)

Furball | April 08, 00:35 CET

Vi was easily my favorite Potential, and quite possible the only one I really liked for. I just loved how weak she was as a Potential, but when she became a Slayer, she was quite possible the strongest. And once I discovered the amazingness of Felicia Day, I liked Vi even more.

Really looking forward to this arc. Love The Chrysler Building!

hitnrun017 | April 08, 00:41 CET

Nice cover, I really liked I think it was #9, with Giles and Faith, thought that was very funny. Also the cover for #5 (I want you to be strong!) which evoked a lot of emotion in me. Found it almost creepy, and at the heart of a lot of the things that Season 8 is developing.

Vortigun | April 08, 01:16 CET

This one's definitely a good cover. However, I love Jo Chen's covers... a lot, and the one for #16 is no exception.

Supersymmetrical | April 08, 02:02 CET

I always though Vi best showed the arc of the Potentials. The dorky girl at the beginning to the bad ass of the finale. Her and Kennedy easily got the most story meats of all the Potentials as well. I like Kennedy and I've never quite understood the hate. I think if there had been a TV Season Eight, people would have started loving her but that's just me. Vi was my favorite though. I also liked Lola from Beneath You, eventhough she only made it through one scene but she went out well.
OT I wonder when we're gonnna see Dana. Maybe one of the self contained stories coming up will deal with her in some way. Her slayer channeling was pretty damn cool and I'm really looking forward to seeing some more of her.

theMidnighter | April 08, 05:09 CET

I had no idea that that was Vi, but I recognized Kennedy immediately.

One problem might be that I can barely remember Vi from the series...

ETA: Yeah, what is up with Buffy's camel toe?

[ edited by UnpluggedCrazy on 2008-04-08 05:20 ]

UnpluggedCrazy | April 08, 05:20 CET

I love this cover. The self shout-out to the #6 variant, the composition, Vi (btw, have we ever had a confirmation of what is supposed to stand for, Violet, Vivienne, Vienna ?) AND Kennedy. Yes, I do not hate on the Kennedy. On the art side, I think Georges has massively improved over his run. Take issue 7's variant cover. That was.. improvable. This one, I don't have anything to moan about, really. Maybe only that F. being there would've been so just..

Perseo | April 08, 08:23 CET

I'm so glad we're going to hear more of the older slayers, such as Vi, Kennedy and hopefully Rona.

Sosa Lola | April 08, 11:44 CET

Simon, I agree, the Buffy puzzle piece cover was really good. It was the first variant I bought, and now I buy both covers for every issue.

Yes, I am a major nerd.

Buffy the Slayer Layer | April 08, 12:57 CET

Jeanty's cover for #12 was the only time he bested the cover artist, IMO. The painting of Willow and Xander in the background was gold.

septopus | April 08, 13:46 CET

Buffy's camel toe is just keeping in line with the series, this is canon. Am I the only one who remembers all the camel toe in the series. I'm still haunted by Cordelia's in The Harvest, gah.

jjay | April 09, 07:18 CET

And Buffy's in 'Lessons' Gotta love the camel toe!

Great cover. Still love Chen's a little more but I always look forward to seeing what Jeanty comes up with, and his usually give us more hints for what to expect.

vampmogs | April 09, 10:33 CET

Good lord, now I'm going to have to pull those episodes out...

Rowan Hawthorn | April 09, 12:16 CET

I never would have thought to associate my warm fuzzies with Buffy to camel toe.

Eeeeesh. *shivers*

korkster | April 09, 15:57 CET

I'm definitely excited about the idea of seeing some of season 7's potentials all slayered out. It's actually something I've been missing in season 8.

JCapra | April 09, 16:43 CET

April 07 2008