James Marsters' idea for the Spike TV movie is becoming a graphic novel! - BtVS

Well I wasn't expecting that.

Looks like fun!

James's wife as the love interest is rather random, voyeuristic, and generally questionable if this takes place between Season 6 and 7. Maybe it will make more sense in the story.

Enisy | November 20, 13:07 CET

I'm not clear on whether this graphic novel will be James writing the story according to Joss's original idea for the telemovie, or a completely original idea by James himself.

Either way, I'll be getting it.

AndrewCrossett | November 20, 13:09 CET

What's the interviewer talking about? James says it's after Spike gets his soul back, and the interviewer keeps going on about Buffy season 6. Where did the interviewer even pull that question from? It seems to just come out of nowhere, unless the interviewer has heard that somewhere, in which case I ask: Is there any other source saying that? Because if it's post-crazy, as James suggests, that seems to suggest it's set either during or after season 7.

GreatMuppetyOdin | November 20, 13:13 CET

I echo Simon. Unexpected.

I thought it might be a Season 10 story on first read of the thread title. Strange that they are going backwards.

faith in Angel | November 20, 13:14 CET

Yeah... from what James says it seems to be set in early season 7.

AndrewCrossett | November 20, 13:16 CET

I wonder if we will get the Willow and Illyria TV movies told in comic book form as well.

Simon | November 20, 13:19 CET

Does anyone know when this comes out? Is it already? I couldn't find any info.

Out of Objects | November 20, 13:30 CET

Yeah, it sounds like this is possibly more of what James wanted for the Spike movie moreso than Joss. But it's hard to say. Maybe Joss will post here and explain a little more :)

libradude | November 20, 13:31 CET

I think the interviewer *meant* Season 7, because Season 6 - no soul. I wish that he had phrased the question along the lines of, "So does this take place during 'Buffy' on air, during 'Angel,' or after 'Angel'?" If this is an idea that James Marsters has been playing with for the last decade, it probably wouldn't be in continuity with the relatively recent comic book series.

Shapenew | November 20, 13:35 CET

It also probably won't have anything to do with Joss's idea for a Spike TV movie, since that was going to take place after Season 7.

Enisy | November 20, 13:41 CET

I think there was a script by Tim Minear for the Spike tv movie, which seeing as it came this close to happening is not much of a surprise.

I have a feeling this is James' red shoes story so I may tweak the headline accordingly.

Simon | November 20, 13:44 CET

I might buy this.

eddy | November 20, 13:45 CET

No mention of Joss' involvement or approval. And (of course) no mention of canonicity.

Allycat | November 20, 13:48 CET

Well if it's happening, then you may assume that Joss has approved. The article also left out a lot of other things but I manage they'll be addressed in time so I wouldn't worry.

Simon | November 20, 13:57 CET

This is surprising news.He says season 6 but this sounds like it's more likely set in season 7 since Spike didn't get his soul until the last episode of season 6 and didn't get his sanity back until mid season 7 or so.

Buffyfantic | November 20, 14:08 CET

Very cool! I would look forward to this. Minor nit, though. Article says that in S6, Spike had the worst of it. I would say Tara did, really...

Dana5140 | November 20, 14:44 CET

I kinda hope its set during season ten and flashes back.

Jaymii | November 20, 15:15 CET

Not until she died. Its arguable Buffy had the toughest journey that year.

eddy | November 20, 15:16 CET

People! We're missing the most important globby of news! There's a Metal Hurlant teevee show in production, James is IN IT, AND IT COULD BE COMING TO 'MERICA! *Faints*

The book sounds cool, too.

roddikinathome | November 20, 15:27 CET

So, I'm not the odd (wo)man out to say that we hadn't heard about this before, right?

It seems very clear to me that this is between seasons 6 & 7, after he got his soul but before he returns to Sunnydale. It does seem kind of weird that they would do this story at the same that time season 10 will be coming out. If they do it in a flashback kind of way and somehow tie it into the current story, that'd be great. Although actually I'm interested in it either way.

VisionGirl | November 20, 15:54 CET

sounds cool, but as others said be interesting to knoe if its canon or not and hope it does get linked into season 10 somehow even tjough its set in season 6/7.

whedonfandavid | November 20, 16:26 CET

I saw a clip of James pitching an idea during a ComicCon or something once about his own idea for a Spike story where Spike manages to achieve something small for himself (*cough* Gem of Amara *cough*), by getting some new shoes, and it sounded pretty poor. Judging by the footwear in the cover art this is going to at least incorporate some of that.

It makes zero sense to put this between getting his soul and going back to Sunnydale. At an absolute minimum he would need to clearly still be somewhat insane through it all. The love interest aspect is totally out of balance to where Spike was at when he first got his soul back too. If this story ran alongside AtS 5 it would possibly work better, but barely tbh. They are trying to crowbar it in and it doesn't work. I'd be surprised if Joss puts his name to it.

Stoney | November 20, 16:29 CET

And just thinking about it more... It feels like another example of DH not taking Spike's story seriously that they want to drop in a stupid caper in the middle of the most important and serious moment of the main arc for the character. Really? Why do that? To show what? Life 'kicks Spike in the head'?!! So, nothing that adds to his development but undermines how he was feeling about what he did, how seriously he took what happened and why he went to get his soul in the first place. So JM can have a comic story romance where he gets to play Spike with his wife as the love interest.

But heyho at least he managed to find some new boots and wasn't a total drop out loser because he ticked the box on his big original aim for fresh footwear before he went back to Sunnydale to work on his actual path of redemption, geez *rolls eyes* (assuming it is the same story James described).

[ edited by Stoney on 2013-11-21 02:19 ]

Stoney | November 20, 16:56 CET

eddy, dead is dead. It sort is not worse than that, usually. And certainly not for those characters. Now, Buffy was dead, true... :-)

Dana5140 | November 20, 17:01 CET

Am I the only one who is NOT thrilled with James' idea for Spike? It doesn't make sense for it to take place after season 6 or anywhere during season 7. And it doesn't make sense to be placed during season 5 of Angel or during the 'After the Fall' comics by IDW.

I'm worried about the continuity of the story. Anyone know if it will be considered cannon? Dark Horse has published many Buffy graphic novels that were not cannon, which despite that received Joss' approval to be created.

[ edited by hpgwbtvs on 2013-11-21 02:22 ]

hpgwbtvs | November 20, 17:09 CET

I find this very odd and can't work up any enthusiasm for the idea.

Spike is my second favorite character in the "Verse and I'm fond of JM but I have no idea why DH greenlighted this thing.

Reddygirl | November 20, 17:44 CET

Sounds like fun to me, I'll buy it.

Curly | November 20, 17:46 CET

I agree with Reddygirl.

I would rather have the graphic novel Juliet was supposed to write for Drusilla.

hpgwbtvs | November 20, 17:46 CET

I found the clip, James talks about it during a Q&A with Juliet Landau at Toronto's Fan Expo Aug 25 2012. Very likely it is hugely spoilery (to some degree at least) for the planned story. James starts talking about it around 16.30 minutes in and gives quite a detailed overview of his idea.

He does pitch it as Spike proactively planning to do something and then going out and achieving it. Why does the Gem of Amara not tick that box, or hey, you know getting his soul??? Anyway, I think the love interest aspect really does mean this should not in any way feature between getting his soul and dying on the hellmouth or it just undermines what he was going through post Seeing Red/Grave and his feelings about that and his motivation to change. Spike's arc in the show is so powerful this is just silly.

I like JM but despite his amazing portrayal his grasp on the character has always been somewhat hit and miss.

[ edited by Stoney on 2013-11-21 03:01 ]

Stoney | November 20, 17:58 CET

People! We're missing the most important globby of news! There's a Metal Hurlant teevee show in production, James is IN IT, AND IT COULD BE COMING TO 'MERICA! *Faints*

Yeah, that is pretty awesome. I used to love reading the U.S. edition that DC published for a couple of years.

No idea on the canonicity of the story. I know Dark Horse wouldn't publish a Buffy comic without Joss's approval, but I don't know if we can say that "approval" equals "involvement."

I think Scott Allie said once that since the start of season 8, DH is no longer interested in doing non-canon Buffy comics.

If they at least run the story by Joss and get his OK on it (and I assume they will), and make sure it stays in continuity, I'd consider this canon most likely.

AndrewCrossett | November 20, 19:35 CET

How can there be continuity to 7.01/7.02 unless he is written as loopy and talking in riddles throughout which he obviously won't be. Plus he falls in love in JM's outline at the Expo which is pretty undermining towards the significance of why he went to get his soul just to slot in a silly caper. It is just milking it and I doubt you will see Joss name anywhere near it.

Stoney | November 21, 00:26 CET

Is this the "I'm drowning in footwear" dream?

anca | November 21, 02:53 CET

Spike is my favorite Whedonian character, in a substantial part thanks to James' magnificent portrayal of him. And even though it's nice to hear that James still cares about the character, even to such extent that he is writing his own Spike comic book, I have to agree with Stoney that story-wise, continuity-wise and character-wise, it just doesn't make any sense...

Anuris | November 21, 04:46 CET

Add me to the list of Spike lovers confused and concerned about how this story fits into his arc.

hann23 | November 21, 05:09 CET

Oh how it sucks to be a Joss fan who doesn't like graphic novels. :(

alex atkin uk | November 21, 05:17 CET

Spike is one of the most well developed characters I've ever seen and James played him masterfully...
That said, I always felt from interviews and such that JM never really understood Spike or Whedon's direction for him overall. The things he's saying about this graphic novel really seem to emphasize that fact, esp if it's set right after he gets his soul. Love interest? At that point? Kind of doesn't fit with his early season 7 "There's nothing crazier than the idea that there is any woman other than Buffy" line (paraphrased obviously)
I dunno. Sounds like awkward wish fulfillment.

trunkstheslayer | November 21, 06:25 CET

Oh how it sucks to be a Joss fan who doesn't like graphic novels. :(

I'm a Joss fan who LIKES graphic novels and comics. What I love about the Whedonverse is Joss' story telling ability. Joss has done a fantastic job getting his messages/stories across via graphic novels, live action t.v. or a cartoon show, movies, and web series. However, I feel this is a case where James is writing fanfiction and turning it into a graphic novel just because he can. From what I've read in this interview and seen in the Fan Expo clip, James' interpretation of Spike will compromise Spike's story and character development from btvs season 6-7 to ats season 5. IMHO, what sucks is bad storytelling.

hpgwbtvs | November 21, 06:44 CET

Presumably this won't be just a case of James showing up with a manuscript, dropping it on Scott Allie's desk and saying, "Here, don't change a single word."

The editor's job is to make sure it's a good story before it gets the Dark Horse logo put on it, or the Buffy logo. DH doesn't publish fanfiction and I doubt they'd make an exception for JM. Margins are too tight in today's comics industry for publishers to print clearly bad books just to make an actor happy.

Sometimes, stories are significantly re-written by the editor. In any case, I'm sure both Scott and Joss will make sure this book doesn't get published if it's not good.

Whether it will be canonical or in continuity is a different question. It could be an alternate-continuity story, like "Long Night's Journey."

AndrewCrossett | November 21, 07:16 CET

"Whether it will be canonical or in continuity is a different question. It could be an alternate-continuity story, like "Long Night's Journey.""

That is true. I just can't see how it could fit in the existing canon of BtVS S6-7 anywhere with a love interest involved so they could present it as an alternate if they want to set it straight after Spike gets his soul.

I'm sure they would fine-tune it or change aspects they wanted. I think the fanfic feeling is just because it is a) shooting out off-canon and b) ignoring/avoiding canon to include the writer's shipping preference!! :)

Stoney | November 21, 08:11 CET

Does anyone find it odd that we are hearing nothing from Dark Horse? I would almost chalk this up to wishful thinking on JM's part except... we already have cover art !!

VisionGirl | November 21, 08:58 CET

Maybe they meant either during Season 7 of "Buffy" or Season 6 of "Angel." *That* would make sense. (We know Spike did not have qualms about having sex with women other than Buffy after he was resurrected - Harmony, for one.)

Shapenew | November 21, 09:09 CET

Isnt Nick Brendon writing Buffy comics too? I never heard anything from DH on that.

eddy | November 21, 10:15 CET

He was at the writer's summit for the planning of Season 10. Dunno that he was actually a writer so much as just creative input though I think

trunkstheslayer | November 21, 11:08 CET

Actors rarely dwell upon the nth degree of their characters the way fans do. I'm sure in JM's mind, his story being set between seasons 6 and 7 meshes with canon just fine. That said, he also knows that some fans will purchase anything with Spike's name on it and he's cashing in. Either way, he's got a story that he and his wife want to tell.

Dean | November 21, 11:23 CET

Well Scott Allie has answered the questions in an interview with Buffyfest. It does sound better the way he puts it, a lot lighter, more harmless almost(!). It is set later on in S7. The love interest doesn't sound like a major thing. As much as I wouldn't go there, I wouldn't assume it will undermine Spuffy but be more about Spike's feelings of self worth in wanting to avoid being seen as a vampire and whether he attracts someone rather than that he fell in sudden love with a random girl. Time will tell on that one. But Joss has given it the OK although his name won't go on it and Scott says it is set after things have calmed down for Spike a bit and the story covers a little more than twenty four hours. I'm still not totally convinced but it isn't the same as slotting it in straight after he got his soul.

Stoney | November 21, 14:33 CET

November 20 2013