Buffy #40 variant cover (featuring a previously missing character) - BtVS

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December 16 2010

(SPOILER) Buffy #40 variant cover (featuring a previously missing character). Inked and Penciled. Including a character who wasn't in the previously released cover. Georges did say that this character was supposed to be on it. Still no word on why a certain other character isn't on it.

Nathan | BtVS | 14:25 CET | 25 comments total | tags: buffy, season eight, last gleaming, covers

I guess it's real considering how black the section of Gile's shirt was where Dawn was supposed to be. So I'm assuming it IS real

Nathan | December 16, 14:29 CET

Is it January 19th yet?

I'm really wondering why Spike is still missing from the cover, since the Sunnydale sign is very much a part of the picture. Then again, it hasn't been knocked down... Anyway, I'm glad they've included Dawn in the mix, but is it just me, or does her face not seem to have the right proportions to be that far behind Xander? (ETA) Just nit-picking.

[ edited by Guestage Drew on 2010-12-16 15:15 ]

Guestage Drew | December 16, 15:12 CET

@Guestage Drew i was worried it might be fake when i saw it but, without her there there's this massive blank space that isn't detailed or anything. And Georgs did say the Dawn was supposed to be in it above Willow

Nathan | December 16, 15:15 CET

Spike and his bug aliens stormed off in the last issue. Maybe he's not coming back in time for #40, so he's not on the cover?

Valentyn | December 16, 15:43 CET

I'm pretty sure Allie confirmed that Spike would be appearing in #40. I'm guessing that means he has a conversation with Buffy as apparently the entire issue is all through her eyes.

I think the only character who has been confirmed not to be appearing is Angel.

vampmogs | December 16, 16:06 CET

Angel leaving makes sense. He's been responsible (or at least his body has been responsible) for killing two of Buffy's friends, plus he's the one who kicked off the Twilight thing.

I'm sure he has centuries of new brooding to do.

quantumac | December 16, 16:14 CET

Oh, comon, I think they would have to settle for him brooding for a few months or so - or he would have to do his brooding while actually engaging in his own title action sequence. But even if he is missing in person in #40 his off scene presence would be the most heavily influencing the mood.

IMHO - the characters on the cover for 40 are the main players of S8.

[ edited by dorotea on 2010-12-16 16:39 ]

dorotea | December 16, 16:38 CET

I had no idea Angel would be absent, I really wanted to see the interactions between him and the others. Well that's disappointing.

Cover looks better with Dawn, guess they were leading us to think that she was gonna die.
Having Giles on the front ties in best with Dorotea's response, it looks like the most important people of the series.

BlueSkies | December 16, 19:22 CET

When was it confirmed that Angel wouldn't be appearing?

Shep | December 16, 19:43 CET

It is just a speculation at this point.

dorotea | December 16, 20:44 CET

Dawn not being included on the first released version of this cover was presumably to set up the fake-out of her impending demise.

Emmie | December 16, 21:27 CET

Angel isn't in #40.

Scott Allie said that Buffy is in every scene of #40 in one interview. In another interview, he said that Buffy and Angel don't share a scene in #40. Thus, no Angel.

Really, really unfortunate, that. He's the one who needs the explanation... who else could benefit more from a denouement of this story than Angel? People are still waiting for the explanation that was promised.

patxshand | December 16, 21:38 CET

Correct me if wrong, but isn't that sign just another continuity error? I seem to recall in the series finale the sign falling into the creator where Sunnudale HAD been.

tharpdevenport | December 16, 22:09 CET

@tharpdevenport- The covers don't always follow continuity, they are really used to set the tone of the theme of an issue.

Jelly | December 16, 22:20 CET

Maybe Amy put the sign back up when she and Warren were eating zombies in the Sunnydale crater.

quantumac | December 16, 22:30 CET

Correction here. Allie said that we won't see Buffy and Angel talk about Giles' death, that's it. He also said that Spike will have a panel - no indication that it won't be another Buffy imaginary flashback. Same goes for Angel btw - he can be in flashbacks - or not there at all. But I noticed dear SA always being sneaky and evasive in his answers when he wants to. (And that was a compliment rather than complain.)

[ edited by dorotea on 2010-12-16 23:17 ]

dorotea | December 16, 23:03 CET

He has to be evasive so he doesn't spoil the story. People need to be patient. Even if one wants to know everything that's going to happen before the issue comes out, you can't read Allie's comments as absolute in fine detail.

Emmie | December 16, 23:06 CET

There are multiple signs in and out of towns right? I honestly don't really remember/recall Sunnydale layout though. The first couple seasons they were near the docks but eventually they move inland and get a college, airport, club that's cooler than The Bronze, etc. Oh, and the giant crater.

As for the cover, in context of the events of 39, Willow seems surprisingly chill.

orangewaxlion | December 17, 01:04 CET

Still don't understand why Spike is missing.

baxter | December 17, 03:47 CET

About the sign: I'm assuming Sunydale had more than one exit or entrance, so it very well could have had more than one sign.

Continuity issue solved! (In my head anyway).

vr5cran | December 17, 04:34 CET

If it's daylight, and Angel is no longer Super-Angel, why isn't he on fire?

dispatch | December 17, 04:54 CET

He's a robot!

Sunfire | December 17, 05:38 CET

He's a mannequin!

Kairos | December 17, 06:06 CET

An evil mannequin?

Sunfire | December 17, 06:10 CET

Only if he experiences a moment of true happiness or gets possessed by a flying fire-lion.

Kairos | December 17, 08:50 CET