August 26 2011
(SPOILER)
Buffy Season 9 #1 three-page preview.
Brought to you by Dark Horse Comics.
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Mitholas | August 26, 11:08 CET
Loki | August 26, 11:17 CET
I think the missed the title page, or whatever it's called. I feel like they jumped in mid-inner dialouge with "She's the third one this month".
Really funny preview. I got what Spike & Willow were talking about, but the ones in the second panel on the second page are...? And they're talking about...?
Skytteflickan88 | August 26, 12:23 CET
baxter | August 26, 12:32 CET
Buffyfantic | August 26, 12:38 CET
Sosa Lola | August 26, 13:17 CET
[ edited by The One True b!X on 2011-08-26 22:27 ]
@theonetruebix | August 26, 13:26 CET
Also hurray for the 20s wilderness years. I can relate to that.
Simon | August 26, 13:30 CET
Isn't Dawn asking about "tumble"?
Brierly | August 26, 13:51 CET
@theonetruebix | August 26, 13:55 CET
PuppetDoug | August 26, 14:00 CET
There was the 'making of' the first page that got posted awhile back. Maybe you saw the page before at a CSTS event in Portland or something like that.
Simon | August 26, 14:01 CET
Also hurray for the 20s wilderness years. I can relate to that.
My theory is that the party is actually a fantasy or a game of "Anywhere But Here" Buffy is having while she is out patrolling, very much alone.
And I hear you on the 20s wilderness years; that party was like a scene from every house party I have ever been to.
Kean | August 26, 14:07 CET
Simon | August 26, 14:15 CET
@theonetruebix | August 26, 14:24 CET
Nathan | August 26, 14:27 CET
YouDriveLikeASpaz | August 26, 14:52 CET
Seems like Dawn & Xander and Spike & unknown woman are having fun too. I wonder what Spuffy fans will say.
Skytteflickan88 | August 26, 15:00 CET
@theonetruebix | August 26, 15:07 CET
Dana5140 | August 26, 16:23 CET
[ edited by The One True b!X on 2011-08-27 01:41 ]
@theonetruebix | August 26, 16:39 CET
The Goose | August 26, 16:56 CET
sumogrip | August 26, 17:01 CET
Kairos | August 26, 17:15 CET
Effulgent | August 26, 17:42 CET
I saw a platter of brownies in one scene. Not that I'd know anything about it personally, but I've heard about brownies with ingredients in them that can really liven up party...
Reddygirl | August 26, 17:43 CET
Loved the Initiative reference.
WilliamTheB | August 26, 17:50 CET
Matt7325 | August 26, 18:49 CET
ETA: no I guess I was half-remembering the same "making of" Simon mentioned.
[ edited by Sunfire on 2011-08-27 04:18 ]
Sunfire | August 26, 19:09 CET
anca | August 26, 21:35 CET
zianna | August 26, 23:26 CET
Yesterday evening I rewatched "Life of the Party", to refresh my memory. Their behavior is very similar to the behavior of people affected by Lorne's advices. Could an empath demon be around?
Re: Xander's absence. I hope it will be him who'll arrive late (or maybe come by to drive Dawn home) and realise that something is wrong there. Unlike policemen, he has a lot of experience with people acting weirdly.
If it's Xander who finds a way out, then it could explain why he is reluctant to give Buffy shelter when she flees from police custody. He knows that her presence could hurt Dawn.
I wonder if Spike's words about giant mosquito are addressed to a police helicopter. :)
Moscow Watcher | August 27, 01:46 CET
And wow, everyone's getting some. Cept Buffy. Yay party shenanigans.
trunkstheslayer | August 27, 03:19 CET
Moscow Watcher | August 27, 03:26 CET
Isn't that Xander and Dawn kissing in the background in the second panel on the last page?
Kaan | August 27, 04:06 CET
Moscow Watcher | August 27, 04:09 CET
Dana5140 | August 27, 10:15 CET
buzzkill | August 27, 12:30 CET
Definitely looks like Dawn is in the background, so I imagine that is Xander. Then again, I would say Spike is probably snogging a random party goer, rather than someone he is in a relationship with. Note him arriving with Riley (going to be a regular?) and Andrew, not a lady friend.
Vandelay | August 27, 13:19 CET
As for spin the bottle, in my experience, and for obvious reasons, people in relationships don't play nearly so often as single people. Further, a spin of the bottle typically doesn't result in three couples all kissing, some on a couch, some over here, some over there. So, it stands to reason that that's Xander that Dawn is making out with. Still quite obnoxious if, as is the case so far, he's the only main/regular/recurring character at this party for whom nobody could contrive an actual word of dialogue.
I agree, Spike is probably just making out with someone he met at the party. Willow, who knows -- she could have met that woman that night, a day before, be on their 4th date.
KingofCretins | August 27, 13:32 CET
Only for issue 1 as far as I can tell.
Simon | August 27, 13:40 CET
I really disagree here. Spike snogging some random girl, five feet away from Buffy, is out of character.
Xane | August 27, 14:18 CET
Or maybe it's character development, that Spike and Buffy have moved on?
Skytteflickan88 | August 27, 14:20 CET
I guess maybe that B + S written in the heart on Spike's space ship might have been written by Beck. It's possible.
Xane | August 27, 14:36 CET
I mean, hell, is it "out of character" when Bones or Booth date other people when you know they are the elephant in the room? Or Castle and Beckett? And since "dating" is really overstating what we're seeing here, I think "out of character" is excessive to say the least. There's no contradiction whatsoever to "B+S" -- people date person A while pining for person B, and if they don't date, they certainly might casually make out at a party.
There are hazards to interpreting scenes that are not about any particular romantic relationship purely in the context of a particular relationship, and I think this is one. In glib-corporate-efficiency speak, it's audience paralysis by analysis.
KingofCretins | August 27, 14:47 CET
Anything can happen I suppose. It never would have occurred to me in a million years that Buffy would jump on Angel after all that time so what do I know?
Xane | August 27, 14:56 CET
Point being, it's hardly new ground, or ground so unfamiliar to what is/was/used to/should be just about the most genre savvy audience that ever was, that it should be alarming. If nothing else, Buffy's reaction is pretty instructive -- she either doesn't notice (meaning she isn't so dialed in Spike's coming and going at the party that she's even looked over there) or she doesn't mind (which means she doesn't mind, for reasons unknown -- intense 'shippers that don't want more Spuffy and even Spuffy 'shippers convinced of their own doom would tend to infer it's because she's DONE with him, just DONE, whereas for my part, seeing that she didn't act that way at the door, I just figure she doesn't consider him "hers". Which, really, is emotional progress for her about relationships in general).
And for Spike's part, him having his nose up Buffy's butt in every social setting they are together in would definitely feel much more like a product of the time between "Not Fade Away" and "The Long Way Home". That's not who he was (souled version) in Season 7 of "Buffy" and it wouldn't be consistent with who he was in Season 5 of "Angel" either.
KingofCretins | August 27, 15:06 CET
It's suprising, but it doesn't seem like out of character. To me.
Skytteflickan88 | August 27, 15:10 CET
Maggie | August 27, 15:47 CET
Del | August 27, 16:42 CET
trunkstheslayer | August 27, 17:30 CET
I personally love that the season start of with a few fun relaxed pages.
Skytteflickan88 | August 27, 17:38 CET
Del | August 27, 19:28 CET
Agree with Skytteflickan88 about Joss and balance, an element that was sorely missed while mia. Looks like a fun preview.
More than being surprised by Spike's behavior, lets face it, he gets around, was the Willow reveal. Last we heard she was in love with snake lady...
cheryl | August 27, 22:00 CET
buzzkill | August 28, 00:00 CET
http://www.darkhorse.com/Comics/18-923/Buffy-the-Vampire-Slayer-Season-9-1-Jo-Chen-variant-cover
Simon | August 28, 00:09 CET
And "I always loved that the characters can be both serious and silly. I doubt Joss lost the ability to balance the two." Dollhouse....
Dana5140 | August 28, 00:18 CET
I mean dear god couldn't they have got somebody new?
[ edited by sueworld2003 on 2011-08-28 10:15 ]
sueworld2003 | August 28, 01:13 CET
This book is going to be such a great balance with Angel and Faith, I am psyched.
[ edited by cazador on 2011-08-28 11:03 ]
cazador | August 28, 02:03 CET
[ edited by Mitholas on 2011-08-28 11:20 ]
Mitholas | August 28, 02:20 CET
Agrr! Okay, going for Jo Chen, always a safe bet.
Madhatter | August 28, 02:49 CET
I doubt Willow ever loved Vasuki. Cheated on Kennedy with seems likely, and made her feel connected to the magic and world, but I don't think it was more. It does creep me out so much that Kennedy comforts Willow after Willow is screaming about her maybe-lover. I mean, I don't like Kennedy that much, but come on.
@Dana5140
I didn't watch all of Dollhouse, just first season and part of the second, but the balance was there as well. I just didn't feel like watching anymore because I wanted more than half the main characters to die.
Skytteflickan88 | August 28, 03:18 CET
I really do hope Spike snogged someone. He needed some and is without reservation HOT and single. Buffy is either not interested or emotionally unavailable. I agree that Spike probably thinks she’s not interested. My guess is that he's right.
Hey, at the very least, they are in the same room, they attended a party and the world didn’t end! That’s progress in my book.
PS. I really thought Chen was going to work on more covers, which wasn't based on anything, isn't she?
hann23 | August 28, 04:52 CET
But hey thats just me, and art just like humour is avery personal thing.
I do think It's about time we were due for a change though. Surely DH know of other artists?
sueworld2003 | August 28, 05:16 CET
[ edited by wenxina on 2011-08-28 15:12 ]
wenxina | August 28, 05:44 CET
Kaan | August 28, 06:05 CET
buzzkill | August 28, 06:23 CET
Anyhoo, I concur it is classic mid twenties house party funnage which is nice. And it's nice to see Willow having a bit of fun with a new woman.
Looking forward to this immensley.
digupherbones | August 28, 11:56 CET
It seems the Buffy title is more of an Archie/Scooby Doo comic featuring vampires than about a girl, sorry, not a "girl" but a 30 year old woman trying to balance real life with the horrors of darkness that it should be. It's become, in a term Joss has used, "reset television". Where despite previous events they return unchanged.
Most of these characters seemed to have stagnated and become caricatures of themselves. So here's to hoping with fewer issues Joss and co will focus on story and developing the characters.
[ edited by The Goose on 2011-08-28 20:58 ]
[ edited by The Goose on 2011-08-28 21:05 ]
The Goose | August 28, 11:57 CET
gossi | August 28, 12:55 CET
Simon | August 28, 12:58 CET
"The story takes place "at least a year and a half" after the events of "Chosen", placing it at its earliest in the latter half of 2004 and after the events of "Not Fade Away" in Angel. (In issue #23, Andrew makes references to Heath Ledger's death, indicating it takes place after 2008, though in the same issue Buffy refers to having known Xander for only eight years, rather than at least 11)."
The chronology is all jacked. I assumed by season 9 the time will be updated to reflect the current world climate shy by a few months for publishing time. IDK, I could be wrong though.
The Goose | August 28, 13:18 CET
Season 8 started in November 2004 and, according to an interview with Scott Allie, I believe, ended roughly a year later. So Season 9 will take place roughly sometime in 2006, but in a 2006 that's more akin to our 2011.
Brierly | August 28, 14:42 CET
IrrationaliTV | August 28, 15:03 CET
I would say Simon is pretty much right about the age, although my guess might be a little older. Each season went through about a year, so Buffy was 22 when Chosen ended. If the story of season 8 takes place "at least a year and a half" after that Buffy must be 24 at the start (birthday episodes were usually around the mid-point of a season, if I recall correctly, so she would have just had one.) That means she must be 25 when season 9 begins, using Scott Allie's comment Brierly mentions.
Vandelay | August 28, 15:03 CET
With comic books there is almost a laid back timeline.It's why Bruce Wayne stays the same age yet Dick Grayson grows from a ten year old as Robin to in his twenties as Nightwing and eventually a current Batman,Or Jason Todd and Tim Drake continue to age as well
Another example is the DC relaunch next month that reboots the line and makes Superman the first public superhero and superhero's being around for five years yet somehow Batman stories prior to the relaunch are still in continuity.Meaning Batman has gone through five Robins(Dick Grayson,Jason Todd,Tim Drake,Stephanie Brown and Damian Wayne)in that five years.
It becomes almost a compressed timeline and I think the Buffyvese now falls under that idea now too.
[ edited by Buffyfantic on 2011-08-29 01:26 ]
Buffyfantic | August 28, 16:23 CET
Sunfire | August 28, 17:54 CET
I guess I’m just expecting Buffy to have grown up in a way that I approved of, or at least could logically accept from that story’s point of origin. But I also think it’s kind of one sided that everyone loves these three pages and cheers for it and when a few people balk at it they’re given a little bit of ribbing for it. I assure you that I love Buffy just as much as the next person, I’m just worried about where it’s going. Season 8 ended in a dark, melancholy place. It’s just jarring to open with everyone having a party and getting along. Which I’m sure is done with a purpose, but if this teaser preview is taken at face value I feel, personally, a little let down. So I have a lot of questions.
Yes, it’s just three pages. Yes, I am aware it is a comic book. But I should be allowed to voice my concern/doubt/worry just as much as those celebrating a return to fun.
Guess we all know now who never went to 20 something wilderness years parties.
The Goose | August 28, 18:06 CET
archon | August 28, 22:28 CET
nyrk | August 29, 00:10 CET
Mr Jeanty seems like such a nice guy, but I just don't take to his work sadly as I find It really distracting.
sueworld2003 | August 29, 02:31 CET
The Goose | August 29, 03:06 CET
I assure you, even in Soviet Russia, 30 years ago, there was a lot of wild student parties. But our cops never joined the fun.
Moscow Watcher | August 29, 04:36 CET
Brierly | August 29, 06:15 CET