CBR feature on the upcoming Buffy season 8 arc - BtVS

Is that alternate cover Fray's brother?

Can't wait!

Is that alternate cover Fray's brother?

Yes.

And is that Dru behind him?

I think it is time to open up my Fray stash again. Ah, the hassle of it! ;)

Should I even bother saying how awesome the covers are?

Then it begins all over again. It can be hard work, but also a ton of fun. I mean, hello, I get to work on ‘Buffy' comics!

Yes, you do, you lucky SOB Hahn.

And is that Dru behind him?

Oooh, I thought that too, be then I thought that I couldn't be that lucky!

Mirage | April 18, 19:35 CET

The image at the bottom looks intriguing but there's no description for it. Issue 18 cover?

Simon | April 18, 19:36 CET

Is the bottom image a third cover?

Buffyfantic | April 18, 19:43 CET

I think it's a homage to a famous painting but for the life of me I can't figure out where I've seen it before. Certainly the infinity symbol halo and the pentagram will give people food for thought.

Simon | April 18, 20:01 CET

As much as "Chosen" was the perfect finale for Buffy, the character, I can't help but feel that a televised eight season could have been the perfect finale of the Slayer mythology, with "Fray" as the final, final finale. The quality of the comics would only be enhanced by the actors, etc. But, I'll take what I can get. I just can't shake the feeling that Buffy didn't really go out "on top" as everyone thought at the time. Btw, who do we think would have played Meleka Fray, Satsu, Roena, etc? But damn, I'm excited for this.

CaptainB | April 18, 20:06 CET

Amazing cover, especially for "Fray" lovers. Amazing alternate cover, too. I also immediately wondered if that were Drusilla with Fray's brother. Hah! That would be fantastic. As for the interview, I stumbled a bit before I realized that "Violet" meant "Vi." Interesting that there is nary a mention of Satsu. I wonder if she goes off into the sunset or off into that good night before "Time of Your Life?"

phlebotinin | April 18, 20:11 CET

Simon wrote:

And is that Dru behind him?

We are certainly supposed to think so. Black hair, lace, archaic dress... every Buffy fan worth his/her/its salt is going to jump up and say, "Dru!" And she never did get staked that we saw, no?

ManEnoughToAdmitIt | April 18, 20:13 CET

I thought that looked like Dru, too. I haven't been reading the comments as much lately, but has there been popular speculation that Twilight is Harth? He has the Slayer memories, so his dialogue and actions in issue 11 would really make sense.

CaptainB | April 18, 20:15 CET

It looks like the third image is a homage to the Strength and the Magician card from the traditional Rider-Waite tarot.

I think it's gorgeous!

JessicaMelusine | April 18, 20:19 CET

The main cover is the best SMG likeness I've seen in Season Eight yet. Nicely done.

karosurly | April 18, 20:26 CET

And is that Dru behind him?

I hope not. I mean I love Dru, but I really want her story to involve Spike. And I really don't want Spike involved in the Buffy title.

Haunt | April 18, 20:37 CET

Here's another off the wall choice.How about Amy?We haven't seen her or Warren since the first arc.

Buffyfantic | April 18, 20:44 CET

Great cover and I can't wait for these issues to hit the stands. So OK: if we were casting an on-air Season 8, who would play Melaka Fray? Don't say Ellen Page.

doghouse | April 18, 20:50 CET

This series has been light on vampires until recently, so beyond my total awe at the Jo Chen cover and general plot direction, I am pretty psyched to see a bunch of vampires on the alternate cover, and Dru especially (if that is her).

What is the beastie in the water? (I have not read Fray yet).

The Magician references I see, but not so much Strength. The outfit looks very Roman.

Sunfire | April 18, 20:53 CET

I wonder if Dark Horse would consider an Absolute Fray edition (composing of the mini-series, the one-off in Tales of The Slayers and the Time Of Your Life arc).

Simon | April 18, 21:11 CET

Sunfire, the beastie in the water is Gunther, Fray's sometime employer in quasi-legal actitivies. Grab the Fray tpb, it's superbly written and drawn.

doghouse | April 18, 21:15 CET

Ah, thanks doghouse. I'm going to read it before we get to that arc, for sure.

Now I think that outfit is a Greek peplos with a red thing over it.

Sunfire | April 18, 21:24 CET

The Magician references I see, but not so much Strength. The outfit looks very Roman.

As I recall, Strength also has an infinity sign over her head, which is probably where I was getting it from (and that if I were to be thinking of Buffy in the Tarot, she'd be Strength:)).I'm pretty darned sure that it's actually the Magician. I also find it very awesome that the stake is the wand.

Does anyone know who the artist is? I need this for my wall, badly.

I love the Jo Chen cover too--it looks like this arc is bringing in the gorgeous art!

JessicaMelusine | April 18, 22:32 CET

I think this will be one of my favorite arcs from Season 8.

Some friends of mine did especulate, a couple years ago, what live action Mel would look like, we agreed on one actress in those discussions, which would be Olivia Wilde, who plays Thirteen in House.

[ edited by Numfar PTB on 2008-04-18 19:49 ]

Numfar PTB | April 18, 22:40 CET

Awesome, just awesome, covers. Gunther is spookily natural, Harth's crew scares the creepy crawlies out of me (and that IS Dru, my friends), but that third cover.. wow, way with the symbolism. Season 8 keeps on rocking.

Perseo | April 18, 23:02 CET

Awesome. And as for that image at the bottom? Probably because I commuted past it for years, but all I could see was the Statue of Liberty. Pose isn't quite right, but wouldn't it be fun if Lady Liberty was once a tribute to the Slayer, but had to be "sanitized" with a book and a torch so as not to scare the tired and poor...

barest_smidgen | April 18, 23:17 CET

Colbie Smulders for Fray? We know Joss loves her...

I actually just read Fray this week. I did it all in one sitting, which I think might have affected the pacing for me. Things seemed a little too rushed, however I did still enjoy it. Hopefully they can wrap up some of the unanswered questions from Fray in "Time of Your Life", like what were Urkonn's masters true intentions? Was he actually a good guy? How did vampires survive the purge of deamons/magic? The story (and how it could be related to S8) really got me thinking a lot, which is fun!

TOASTERslayer | April 18, 23:49 CET

Totally unfamiliar with Fray (and categorically uninterested in that 'verse as such) but this sounds exciting.

Hmm, a Buffy characters Old Maid set (similar to the Movie Monster set from the 60s) might be interesting. I say that because I doubt the B'verse has enough characters to fill the MAjor Arcana plus the Face cards of a Tarot. But a horror films-and-tV version incl. Whedonversers with others could prove interesting.

DaddyCatALSO | April 19, 00:38 CET

I think you're right, barest. Ever since I saw the image this morning I've known I should recognize that pointy headdress from somewhere. I think she does look a lot like Lady Liberty there. Might explain the facial expression, too.

Sunfire | April 19, 00:41 CET

Fray's verse is the very same 'verse as Buffy's. Time of Your Life kinda reinforces the concept.

Perseo | April 19, 00:46 CET

I thought Lady Liberty, too, and I like your idea barest. The defender of NY Harbor! Big change of image for her, though.

jcs | April 19, 00:50 CET

I personally hope it's not Dru either. I know we have a lot of great characters in the Buffy-verse, but using them just because you have them isn't necessarily the best thing. It doesn't really make sense that Dru would be with Mel's brother, so why create a back-story to have her there? That's kind of how I felt about seeing Warren in the comics as well.

On the other hand... I'm beyond thrilled to see Fray and Buffy together, and can't wait until we get this arc. No matter who that is standing behind Harth!

I could see Olivia Wilde as Melaka Fray.

jls730 | April 19, 01:08 CET

Olivia Wilde definitely works for me as Fray -- she was in The Black Donnellys, right?

doghouse | April 19, 01:37 CET

I'd love it if Dru was still alive all the way into the future! Not that I thought it was her or looked like her at all until I saw her name mentioned here, but... that would be kinda cool if she lived that long.

crossoverman | April 19, 04:15 CET

I think it's Amy and Warren who got cured.
She looks much more like Amy than Dru to me.
And the guy looks like Warren with skin, taking into account Jeanty's penchant to make everyone look a bit childish.

On the other hand - if Dru were in Fray's future, maybe that would explain that Future!Spike panel from ATF?

Nata | April 19, 04:31 CET

I'm pretty sure the guy is Harth.Fray's vamp brother and the villain from the original Fray series.

I've already speculated on the woman maybe being Amy.But if it is Dru,I'm still taking what Brian Lynch said at face value and the future flashes with Angel and Spike in ATF have nothing to do with the Buffy/Fray arc.I know Brian has covered up stuff before to protect certain secrets in ATF but I still get the vibe that this is one of the things he wasn't pulling games with like when people were speculating that the mystery woman in the second First Night issue will be Buffy.I just think certain things like those,Brian is frank on in order to keep people from setting themselves up for disappointment.

It would be a funny crossover to see Betta George and Gunther meet though.

[ edited by Buffyfantic on 2008-04-19 02:11 ]

Buffyfantic | April 19, 05:10 CET

How amazing will these covers get? They just keep getting better! And they were near perfect to begin with! Me = happy.

Valentyn | April 19, 06:50 CET

The time travel has got to work both ways. Harth being in cahoots with Drusilla would certainly explain him, as Twilight, having an in-depth knowledge of her, the Slayers and the use of magic. Dru could have been biding her time to get back at Buffy- not just as the Slayer, but as the bitca who stole her mate.
Cat fight, anyone?

Perhaps then, Buffy will have to have to change tack and take out present day Dru in order to prevent Twilight from coming forth in the first place. This opens up lots of possibilities to change present day events.(Like the Buffy/Satsu pairing- 'specially if Satsu bites it before this arc.)

It's all very Back to the Future. Or perhaps I'm over thinking things again.

Since it seems to me that the 'Grecian/Lady of Liberty' picture looks an awful lot like Britney Spears. Eeek!

missb | April 19, 06:58 CET

That is an absolutely beautiful cover.

And where is this Lady Liberty image people are talking about? I don't see it...

UnpluggedCrazy | April 19, 07:43 CET

Go here: Rider-Waite Tarot Dcck

and click card 1: The Magician or Juggler

(If I could frickin' type...)

[ edited by Rowan Hawthorn on 2008-04-19 04:59 ]

[ edited by Rowan Hawthorn on 2008-04-19 05:00 ]

Rowan Hawthorn | April 19, 07:58 CET

Yeh whats this third picture business?
Me no see...

That Chen cover is frakkin amazin... Best SMG/Buffy depiction ever I reckon. I don't rekon thats Dru in the second cover though. Head is differently shaped and whatnot I think....

aus-mitch | April 19, 07:59 CET

Bottom right for the Buffy image that looks like a Tarot card.

Sunfire | April 19, 08:05 CET

Just went back in to save, and the third Liberty-type picture has been removed!

Either it had nothing to do with Buffy (doubtful), or you can all commence with the conspiracy theories.

missb | April 19, 08:18 CET

Huh. They took the image off the page. Still on the server, though.

Probably a limited time offer, once they realize people can still access it. Call now, operators are standing by, etc.

ETA: I expect they slipped and revealed an image from an upcoming article. It was strangely placed on the page before. Their mistake is our speculatory gain. Woot!

[ edited by Sunfire on 2008-04-19 06:07 ]

Sunfire | April 19, 09:05 CET

Still on the server, though.

Thanks Sunfire. I was too late as often. Nothing to add except that the snake-eating-its-tail belt is also an infinity symbol. Sort of an odd depiction of it, but what else could it be?

dreamlogic | April 19, 09:34 CET

Jörmungandr, the Midgard Serpent?

Rowan Hawthorn | April 19, 10:14 CET

What if Dark Horse are going to release a Buffy tarot deck ? Each card with a character from the show, in the traditional card background. They have the Oujia board out in September, so a tarot set could be in the same vein. Also, a must buy.

Perseo | April 19, 10:22 CET

I still refuse to buy the Ouija board until it comes with Jonathan Woodward analyzing me; I'll likewise refuse to buy any tarot cards that can't predict which agents of the Order of Turaka are coming to assassinate me.

ManEnoughToAdmitIt | April 19, 11:22 CET

Might be some optional abilities that DH will sell with the merchandise:-) Shell out that cash!

Perseo | April 19, 11:37 CET

A Buffy Tarot: the one-size-fits-all Xmas gift I've been dreaming of for years. Put me down for a master carton. Are you getting this, Dark Horse?

doghouse | April 19, 16:23 CET

Hmm,isn't there a Dark Horse panel later today?Maybe they removed the third image because it was supposed to be saved for the panel.The same thing happened yesterday at CBR with a Mark Waid/Steve Wacker interview about Waid doing a arc of Amazing Spider-Man.The interview was put up and then quickly pulled until after the first Marvel panel where the formal announcment was made.

Buffyfantic | April 19, 20:17 CET

Perseo: I understand it's apparently the same canonical 'verse, doesn't make me interested. The B'verse without magic hoes my hum.

DaddyCatALSO | April 20, 00:31 CET

April 18 2008