Whedon Wednesdays at Dark Horse! (Spoilers)

Oops! Is it Thursday already? Well, in case you missed it, Dark Horse just announced Whedon Wednesdays which will run now through the launch of Buffy in September. If the art above is any indication, we're in for some awesomeness this year!

Also, check out the artistic process of the new Angel & Faith artist Rebekah Issacs here.

Feeling Down? Just Sing 'What Would Buffy Do?"

This brand new, original anthem is for any fan who needs a little self-esteem boost. A little pep in your step. Sing it loud: "You got what it taaakes....to beat the uber-suck!"

The vid's got some great special effects, vamp makeup and even a fake Willow and Xander. Go on, click play. You know you want to!

Buffy the Vampire Slayer “Tooncast” Contest

Make a fun Buffy animation and win a S.8 Blu-Ray/DVD or even an iPad!

Here's the skinny: NetToons created the motion comics app that is featured on the Buffy Season 8 DVD called Tooncast Studio. It lets Buffy fans make and share motion comics. A free version of Tooncast Studio is available here - It’s a slimmed down version of that S.8 DVD app.

To enter, fans create and enter animations use either the DVD app or the free version. You have three ways to win each week:

· Get Popular - the two Tooncasts viewed by the most people during the week
· Get Recognized - two Tooncasts selected from those the NetToons team considers “favorites”
· Get Lucky - two Tooncasts randomly selected from all entries shared with friends

Now I was a little afraid of messing with a fandom attached Adobe Air product. As it is, I still have Eliza Dushku slithering all over my screen in a gown or blowing it up in a leather coat every single damn morning because I don't have the heart to delete the "Virtual Echo Dollhouse App". But this was actually pretty fun! Check out my quick and clunky attempt at explaining Buffy's Eight Season using the Tooncast Studio app below:

The Grand Prize winner will be selected at random from all entries received. This contest is ending in two weeks on April 24th, so better get cracking on those Season 8 shorts!

Visit Tooncasts.com for the full deets or NetToons Facebook page for additional info.

(Spoilers) Exclusive Interview with Buffy S.9 Writer Andrew Chambliss

Cover by Jo Chen
Click to Enlarge

If you've been chomping at the bit for some more Buffy comic news, today's been a good day. Wonder Con's Dark Horse Panel just introduced Andrew Chambliss as writer for Buffy Season 9. We've got a great interview below, where the man himself spills the beans on the direction of Season 9, and more. Check out how his "Geek Street Cred" really shines through this interview!

Buffyfest: Although you've been part of the Whedonverse since Dollhouse was on the air, we want to welcome you to the Buffyverse, Mr. Chambliss! Thanks so much for talking with us. Set the stage for us: How were you approached about writing Buffy Season 9?

Andrew Chambliss: I'd been working with Jed and Mo on the Dollhouse miniseries when I got an e-mail from Joss saying he'd heard good things from them about my “Dollhousery”. He then asked if I'd be at all interested in working on Buffy Season 9 with him. It didn't seem like much of a question to me. The chance to work with Joss? In comics? About Buffy? Umm, yes please. And here I am. Okay, there might have been a few intermediate steps, but that's how it all started.

Buffyfest: Great story! In terms of your intro in the Buffyverse, how did you prepare for Season 9 once you got the news you were writing it?

AC: I'd already read the first three or four trade paperbacks of Season 8 over the past year or so, but I'd fallen behind as my life started to get busier and busier. After Joss emailed me about working with him, I quickly ran out and bought the rest. I read the entire season cover to cover two or three times. I also pulled my Buffy DVD set off the shelf and started watching my favorite episodes -- both to remind myself of the world and to start planting the characters' voices in my heads. Joss also held a Buffy summit at his house with Season 8 writers to brainstorm ideas for Season 9 and the Angel and Faith series. Getting to spend an afternoon with people like Joss, Jane Espenson and Drew Greenberg. Geek heaven.

Buffyfest: Oh, to be a fly on that wall! Now that you're at the helm, which character are you most excited to write and why?

AC: It may seem the obvious choice, but I'm going to have to say Buffy. Going into season 9, she's in a really interesting place – she always thought she was going to die saving the world, but now that she actually survived, she has to face her real life (don't worry, they'll still be lots of slaying). And at the same time, she's watching her friends move on with their lives, and has to deal with the fact that the Scooby Gang might not be there to help her like they used to be.

I'm also excited to write Andrew because I can unabashedly let my inner geek shine through him. And I think this is the first time I will have written a character that shares my name.

Buffyfest: What about a character that you're disappointed you won't get to write with Giles dead, Spike off in his Bug ship and Angel and Faith moving over to the Angel title?

AC: Of course, I'm disappointed that I won't get to write Giles. If I learned anything from writing Adelle on Dollhouse, it's that British characters are fun to write. Maybe it's because you can add completely unnecessary letters to their dialogue, in words like “colour” or “aluminium”. Speaking of British accents, I can safely say that Spike won't be on his bug ship for very long. He'll definitely be a part of Buffy's Season 9 life.

Buffyfest: Let’s go back to Season 8 for a minute. Fans have had a lot to say about Buffy's move to comics. How about you? How did you feel about Buffy Season 8?

AC: I'm a big fan of Season 8. I think comics was the perfect medium to tell a story with the scope that Season 8 needed -- how else would you tell the story of Buffy struggling to lead an army of hundreds of slayers, except in comics? Even though the scope was often bigger than anything that could ever be produced on television, Season 8 still felt like it was the show – the voices were spot on, the writing was clever, and at the end of the day, it always came down to character.

Buffyfest: Okay, let’s talk art. Who’s the Season 9 artist and how has working with him/her been?

AC: Georges is returning for season 9, which makes me all kinds of happy. I loved his work on season 8, and have been impressed with what I've seen for Season 9 so far. The thing that constantly blows me away is how much thought he puts into everything he does. Recently, he sent us rough concept art for one of the covers – not only did he have 8 really cool cover ideas for a single issue, but he also had detailed explanations for each one. Right now, we're just getting started working together, but I know I'm going to love the experience.

Buffyfest: You've written comics for Heroes in the past, talk a little bit about your writing process for comics and the difference between comic writing and television writing.

AC: For me, television writing generally starts with the dialogue and builds from there. It's often an auditory medium before it's a visual medium. How many times do people listen to the TV while doing something else in another room? Comics are always a visual medium first, so I often have to remind myself to think visually just as much as I think about the dialogue. There's as much – if not more – that you can tell the reader through the art than captions or dialogue. Which reminds me of the best part about comic book writing – I never have to worry if anything I write is too expensive to draw. In television, you always end up having to scale back to meet the budget of the episode. But in comics, if you can write it, the artist can draw it. It's really freeing, especially when you're writing about things like demon armies or the post-apocalyptic Los Angeles cityscape.

I'm still fairly new to writing comics, so there's a lot I'm learning along the way. But, luckily, I'm writing under the watchful eye of Scott and Sierra who have been great in helping me figure out what works in comics and what doesn't.

Buffyfest: What about the big man himself? How will the co-writing work with Joss? Will you write all the issues or split the work load with him?

AC: Joss and I have been doing most of the story breaking over e-mail and the phone (I think he's busy with a movie or something). We're splitting the script writing duties at the moment and hope to continue to work that way as we continue to write the season.

Buffyfest: Any spoilers you'd like to share for the Season 9? Please?!

AC: They'll be some new characters introduced early on in the season. I won't give away too much, but one of them includes a hunky demon who served time in a mystical prison.

Buffyfest: That’ll definitely have people talking! With the announcement that there will be two main titles under the banner of Season 9, are you working with the Angel series writer to crossover the two stories?

AC: At the moment, we don't have any large crossovers planned, but we'll most likely send certain characters off to one another between both series.

Buffyfest: Switching to Dollhouse, what's the inside story on how you got the writing job for the show?

AC: I'd met at both Fox and 20th shortly after the WGA strike ended, and the executives there told me that they were sending my material over to Joss to read for Dollhouse. Cue the excitement, nerves, and whatever other neurotic behavior you can imagine. And then nothing. A month later, when I had finally forgotten that Joss might be reading my script, I got a call from my agent telling me that I was meeting with Joss the next afternoon (turns out it took him a while to read my script because he had been busy shooting something called Dr. Horrible). Cue the excitement, nerves all over again. The Dollhouse pilot script was delivered to my house that evening, I read it, and stayed up half the night working on pitches.

I met with Joss, Liz Craft and Sarah Fain the next afternoon. I pitched a bunch of ideas that Joss must have liked (which included Victor/Topher – some thing I was super happy to see land in season two) because I got a phone call from my agent saying they were offering me the job as I was driving home from the Fox lot. Twenty-four hours later, I was working on the show. I can still remember how surreal it felt at the time.

Buffyfest: Wow, that’s an amazing story, but there was obviously not a happy ending. From a writer's perspective, was it frustrating working with the network amidst all the problems at the time?

AC: It's always frustrating to have to change course when you really believe in something. The original Dollhouse pilot (it's on the first season DVD – watch it!) was really cool and set the stage for where Joss ended up taking us with “Man on the Street”, but the network was worried that the pilot came at the premise sideways and wanted something that felt a little more stand-alone.

Buffyfest: What are you most proud of when it comes to your storytelling on Dollhouse?

AC: There are things that I love about every episode of Dollhouse I worked on, but overall I think I'm most proud of the first episode I wrote for the show – “A Spy in the House of Love”. It was such a fun ep to write because each act really was its own self-contained story, and I really got to build to some huge character moments for everyone – Paul's realization that Mellie was a sleeper doll, Adelle opening up for the first time to someone who doesn't even exist, and Echo starting to own her burgeoning individuality. I think the fact that “Spy” was also my first episode of produced television adds to my fondness for it.

I'm also really proud of “Epitaph 2”. I was over the moon when Joss asked me to co-write the script with Jed and Mo. First off, because Jed and Mo are awesome to work with. Secondly, because I was going to have the opportunity to say goodbye to all these characters I had grown to love. And finally, it was post-apocalyptic – and who doesn't want to write a post-apocalyptic script? Everybody does. Especially when you throw in a Mad Max-style semi driven by people called “Freakshows”.

Buffyfest: And what story do you wish you could have told before the show ended?

AC: I would have loved to have been able to tell the story of how Topher ended up working at the Dollhouse. His arc from amoral, arrogant scientist to someone who was willing to give up his life to undue the damage his creations had caused was really interesting to me. I would have loved to have shown where Topher began that journey. I had outlined an episode where Topher had to "brain-nap" his former college mentor, and though we scrapped the episode for some very good reasons, I would have loved to have been able to tell that story in a later season.

Also, a post-robocall season 3 would have been a blast to write for TV. But that's why we have comics!

Buffyfest: You've moved from Dollhouse to the very popular Vampire Diaries. It's no secret that vampires are popular right now, so how do you approach the idea of a "good" vampire?

AC: For me, writing "good" vampires is actually a lot more interesting than writing bad vampires. They're in constant conflict between who they are – someone who wants to be good – and what they are – creatures whose instincts are too kill.

Buffyfest: A lot of people have compared Damon and Stefan to Spike and Angel. Do you see the comparison?

AC: I can see why people make the comparison. Stefan and Angel are both characters who strive to be good despite their dark pasts, and Spike and Damon often want to be bad in spite of the good that can't help but come to the surface.

Buffyfest: Any spoilers or scoops you can give to our Vampire Diaries fans out there?

AC: I'm going to stay tight-lipped, but the end of the season will be epic.

Buffyfest: Okay, we’ll just have to wait and see! So, let's finish with some fun fan questions. How did you get into Buffy?

AC: I remember watching the early seasons of Buffy when I was in high school, and never did the thought cross my mind that I might be writing in that universe at some point in my future. When I started to get interested in television writing a few years later, I began to watch the show much more carefully, and that's when I realized just how incredible it was. At that point, I was hooked.

Buffyfest: Was there a particular moment that made you think, "This is more than just an ordinary TV show”?

AC: There are so many moments, but if I have to pinpoint one, I think I'd say Angel losing his soul in season two.

Buffyfest: What about favorite season of the show?

AC: This is tough, but I think I'm going to say season 6. Spike and Buffy. The Trio. Dark Willow. In fact, I think I'm going to go watch some Season 6 right now.

Buffyfest: Us too! Before you go, though, anything you'd like to say to Buffy fans before Season 9 starts?

AC: Just thank you for welcoming me to all things Buffy!

Buffyfest: Thanks again for taking the time to speak with us. We're looking forward to the story you're going to tell in Season 9!

(Spoilers) Buffy Season 9 Interview News

We just finished up an interview with the new writer for Season 9! We'll be posting it at 4 pm (PST) on Friday, directly after Wondercon's Dark Horse Panel. Stay tuned!

Also, check out this awesome sneak peak Spike art for Season 9. It's getting exciting around here!

Who is Writing and Drawing Buffy Season 9?

We don't know that just yet, but Super Scott Allie did give us a little tease:

"I can tell you this. The scripts for the first issues of our main series are in the hands of the artists. Who wrote them and who's drawing them will be announced at WonderCon."

And there you have it! Just a couple of weeks before we know for sure.

Buffy Season 9 News from ECCC

Some exciting Dark Horse news came out of Emerald City this year including confirmation of a Buffy: Season 10. Also, we don't have to wait too long for more stories as Season 9: Buffy #1 is scheduled to be released at the beginning of September and Angel #1 at the end of August. Structure-wise, Season 9 will be much shorter, lasting 2 years with 25 issues coming out of both the Buffy and Angel titles. Check out the panel for full details:

Buffy Jones Soda: A Tasteless Tasting

Some time back, the fine folks at Fox (yes, that's what I said) sent us a box full of carbonated beverages designed with the young slayer in mind.  Since Tara and I are clearly chosen ones (sorry, Michelle!), we knew what had to be done.  For the curious in the audience, the event was captured on film.  The moment was so profound, that it knocked the audio out of sync.  Our apologies for being that awesome.  Without further ado, please for to be enjoying the Buffy Jones Soda tasting.

Tara's review list in order of preference:
#1 - Xander's Strawberry/Lime
#2 - Dawn's a Centaur! Root Beer
#3 - Willow's Green Apple Witch's Brew
#4 - Twilight's Old Moon Orange & Cream
#5 - Buffy's Blue Bubblegum
#6 - Giles's Grape Potion

Bitsy's review list in order of preference:

#1 - Giles's Grape Potion

#2 - Dawn's a Centaur! Root Beer

#3 - Willow's Green Apple Witch's Brew

#4 - Xander's Strawberry/Lime

#5 - Twilight's Old Moon Orange & Cream

#6 - Buffy's Blue Bubblegum

As you can see, our opinions/favorites differed quite a bit but eh, to each his own. Have you sampled the ye olde Jones?  What did you think?

www.myjones.com/limited/buffy

Buffy's Birthday Bash Recap

Jeff Ayers, General Manager at Forbidden Planet was approached by a shopper wondering "What's happening tonight?" All around her, people stood, some in costume, some talking, some singing, interviews were being held but what was happening?

"It's Buffy's Birthday", Jeff replied.

"Oh", the comic shop denizen replied. "Is she here?"

Only in a comic book store, ladies and gentlemen.

Yes, we held us a shindig at the much beloved and ballyhooed Forbidden Planet and, for once, nothing bad happened on the day of our young Miss Summers' birth. There were cookies, there were giveaways, people wore silly costumes and sang along to both Doctor Horrible and Once More with Feeling. It was, in short, a delight.

Dark Horse did us a sweet solid by supplying a number of signed comics to give away and so, with great frequency, we held drawings based on a myriad of Buffy trivia and, lo, many a Buffy fan walked away a victor.

Bitsy on the Mic:

Buffyfest's Tara and Bitsy (channeling his inner Spike) with friend-of-Buffyfest Ian Klein.

Some fab photos from the event taken by Lawrence Brenner.

More photos

Check out Buffyfest tomorrow where we'll be holding a costume contest from the event. You'll get to vote and choose the winner! The prize is a fabulous Jo Chen Buffy cover print signed by the artist herself.

Exclusive Interview: Scott Allie on the Road Behind and Ahead for Buffy

Wow, it's been a long, strange trip. There's been ups, downs and outright wars - so basically, it was like any other season of Buffy. And just like other seasons, there's something bitter-sweet about saying goodbye to the gang for awhile. Luckily, we spoke with Scott Allie, editor and writer of the season, to keep the fire from going out for just a little longer.

Buffyfest: So, we’ve come to the end of Season 8. It’s been a long haul with many ups and downs. What is your most memorable moment from the past 4 or so years?

Scott Allie: When Joss emailed to tell me, "You're officially cowriting the finale with me." Or the moment that I realized, in a meeting with Marketing, that we hadn't shown issue #12 to Fox. 

Buffyfest: Those sound memorable! Now, in this final issue, we find Buffy living in San Francisco. Who's idea was it to set Buffy up in SF for Season 9?

SA: Pretty sure that was Joss. He had a pretty solid idea of where she'd wind up after this. 

Buffyfest: What about that city made sense in the decision? 

SA: Lotta stuff. It's a good place for a girl in her twenties to restart her life, and that's what she has to do. It's a meaningful place for a young person to head to. Plus she's gonna look really good doing the Batman thing hopping around those particular rooftops. We liked the idea of keeping her in California, but striking out to new ground. And we felt like San Francisco was a city that was up for grabs, in terms of superheroes. Lot of factors.

Buffyfest: Now that we’re at the end of the season, how much time has passed from the beginning of Issue 1 to the end of #40?

SA: I don't know. We haven't spent two minutes talking about that, to be honest. It's not long—it's not four years. Mostly things moved along pretty quick, although they were in Tibet a lot longer than it took to read those issues. But mostly things moved ahead without a lot of time passing. So maybe it's been a year, somewhere around there.

Buffyfest: One of the most asked questions in the forums is “Who's the prince?” Is this something we should have figured out already or is there more to come on this in Season 9?

SA: No comment.

Buffyfest: We'll take that "No comment" as "There are a lot of comments I can't share". Getting into specifics of issue #40, who's the bleeding guy on page 23? If you can't tell us, can we at least get a hint?!

SA: "Bleeding"? Is it his blood, or someone else's? Find out in Season 9.

Buffyfest: Oooh! Ok, moving on to the big break-up of the issue. Does Kennedy know that Willow's a cheating slimeball and, if not, do you think she would feel differently about their break-up if she knew the truth? 

SA: I don't think she knows, but we could alter that depending on how we set things up at the beginning of Season 9. I think more info for Kennedy can only make her feel worse. Willow's not at her best.

Buffyfest: No she is not, but Faith is! She gets Giles’ belongings, but Giles still gives Buffy the title of THE Slayer even in death. Is your interpretation of Giles leaving Buffy the "Vampyre" book the same as Faith's?

SA: My interpretation is different than Faith's. Faith's right, but there's more to it than that. Giles wouldn't give it to Buffy to burn Faith. Giles was a smart guy.

Buffyfest: Even though Faith is helping Angel, she seems reluctant to do so. Has she forgiven Angel or is she just doing it for the good of the group?

SA: Her gratitude for what Angel did for her goes way beyond forgiving him. It's the sort of thing where you never have to say you're sorry. Faith has grown a lot this season, and she's uniquely equipped to deal with Angel now. She's up for this. And her concern is not the group. 

Buffyfest: Who's idea was it for Angel to crash at Giles' apartment in London: Faith or Buffy? 

SA: I'd say Faith.

Buffyfest: Faith has "faith" in Angel. What about you? Is there hope for Angel?

SA: Yes. I think there's always hope for people. But he really has to earn it. He has to grow from this. He has to find a new way to deal with who he is. He really has some bad karma, and I mean that far beyond him having done some bad stuff he has to make up for.

  
Buffyfest: Connected to that, we have Buffy’s last line in the issue being “Let’s Go to Work” which Angel’s iconic last line in “Not Fade Away”. What’s up with that?

SA: It's the mission statement, but it also means something real different from when Angel said it. 

Buffyfest: What story are you looking most forward to telling in regards to Season 9? Why?

SA: Oh, I don't know. There's a lot. I've been really excited about some stuff with Willow for a long time, but as we tie some things together in the early planning, there are things that get more and more interesting. We've got bits for Faith, something for Spike, for Angel, for Buffy that I'm really excited about. Angel's gonna have some of the best bits. But there are lots of things we still have to nail down.

Buffyfest: Continuing with Season 9, what’s a Buffy and Angel world going to look like without magic? Are there any loopholes we need to know about?

SA: There are loopholes. Look at the dialogue between Willow and Aluwyn in one of my issues. Aluwyn spells some things out. But the world is really different. There are both good and bad repercussions to this. 

Buffyfest: In tune with a world without magic, will we see Fray again next Season?

SA: We've talked about it, but only if it makes sense. Only if it pushes the story forward. We definitely want to bring Fray out again, but it might not have a place in Season 9.

Buffyfest: What about the alternate slayer from the issue, “The Chain”? The fairy makes an appearance in this issue, so will we see the slayer again in Season 9 or is her death imminent at the end of the issue?

SA: I've always thought of her as dying there, but it's possible she survived. 

Buffyfest: Are the titles set in stone? Last we heard at Comic Con, there are going to be Spike and Willow books, as well. Is there any more news on that?

SA: We still have some work to do. Neither Spike nor Willow are set in stone—the only things that are rock solid are the two main titles.

Buffyfest: We know that this past weekend, you had a writer's summit in L.A. to map out the story for Season 9. Can you tell us who was there?

SA: Joss, Sierra, me, Zack, Jane Espenson, Drew Greenberg, Danny Kaminsky, and a few other writers ... names we'll share soon. There were some people we were counting on spending the day with who weren't able to make it because of their busy weeks, which was disappointing. 

Buffyfest: How did the process of setting up the story go?

SA: Great. It was fun. It was educational for me, and I've got a lot riding on it. We nailed the themes, the central conflicts. Lots of details to work out, but we found the main plotlines for all the main characters, and we nailed down our starting points. We still need to do outlines, breaking the bits into a real structure. But we spent the day throwing around ideas, seeing which ones still sounded good an hour or two later, and then watching ideas overlap and reconnect. It's gonna be a weird season.

Buffyfest: Can you tell us about any great moments that came out of the meeting? 

SA: Lightsaber fights and karaoke. I didn't even think I knew the Thompson Twins. 

Buffyfest: Ha! To be a fly on that wall. Finally, any other Season 9 news you’d like to share?

SA: Just that Joss is taking a bigger role in it than we initially expected. He'll be more directly involved in the writing than I was expecting, which is a relief. But we've got some other good stuff set up, things I wish we could tell readers, but now is not the time. 

Buffyfest: Don't worry. We'll be waiting patiently. Thanks for being a part of the reason we still get to talk about Buffy. See you next Season!

SA: Thanks, Michelle—thanks for keeping the readers talking.

Buffy #40 Analysis - SPOILERS (but only a little)

♠Disclaimer: This is not a review.  If you're looking for the full on spoiler fest, you ought to poke your peepers elsewhere.  This here is some fine genuine analysis so get the darn comic and, when you're done flipping through it a few times, put on your best smarty pants, and then read this thing.

Hope.

It might just be the theme, not just of season 8, but of Buffy as a series.  Sometimes hope can be the thing that leads us to salvation but, sometimes, it can lead us astray.  Sometimes the road to hell is paved with hope.

I suspect that was Brad Meltzer's intention during the "Twilight" arc as he cobbled out this idea that one girl vs. innumerable vampires, demons, ad infinitum works but an army of slayers makes for a topsy turvy world gone wrong.  We all know that Buffy's decision in Chosen was going to have consequences, that her decision to call all the potentials at once meant taking the choice away from countless other women but, at the same time, I don't think it's enough to say "Buffy was wrong".  I don't think a writer can ever say, simply, "that was bad, no cookie for you" nor can we, as viewers or readers ever say, conclusively, what the truth of things is.

All that being said, Buffy was wrong.  She betrayed herself, she betrayed her girls, her family, her friends, and the world.  That's the theme after all.  Betrayal.  And hope, but we're not there just yet.  Keep that one in your back pocket for now.

Buffy #40 is the end of the great experiment that was Season 8.  Can you take a show that aired for seven seasons and turn it into a successful comic book?  Can an army of slayers unite to fight the forces of darkness?  Can fandom not bicker and , in general, behave like a bunch of collective dillweeds for five seconds?  One of the best (and worst) things about Season 8 is how all of these things have become so interconnected.  Buffy, Joss, you and I… we're asking the same questions, fighting the same struggles; we're just doing it on different playing fields in different ways.  But this is Joss's baby and, before everyone else has their final word, el jefe gets to say his piece.

What's he saying?  Well, I think he's saying that there is no one single ideal that can keep hundreds of unique voices in synch forever.  I think he's saying that Buffy is a charismatic leader but, then again, so was Hitler.  I think he's acknowledging some of the flaws that have been repeatedly pointed out, most especially that sex in space is kind of silly.

Buffy #40 is an entire issue that simultaneously gets back to the old formula while also saying "Don't get too comfy just yet".  It's a pinch of fan service with a few heaping spoonfuls of "I'm still in charge, alright?"  This is the last time we'll probably see all the Scoobies contained within the same pages for a while and we don't even see them all together at once.  This is Buffy's POV, so it all ekes out a little at a time. 

What we do get is gloriously familiar.  Buffy with Xander and Dawn is the humor and intimacy of family.  Buffy with Willow is the shared pain of regret, the labored love and resentment that two best friends can only share when they've given and taken away everything from each other.  Buffy and Faith are the separated sisters still in constant competition despite themselves, both still vying for the love of a father that can't hear them anymore.  Buffy and Spike are the old lovers, uneasy in their own skin whenever they're close but still trying to look beyond the scars they've given each other and still reach out for…

Hope.  Because changing the world aint all it's cracked up to be.  Sometimes when you try to build a better world you sort of kind of accidentally almost destroy the entire universe in the process.  Sometimes you don't change anything at all and, even when you do, it's never in the way you intended it.

But, if you're Buffy, there's always hope.  It's the thing that separates her from Angel, and the reason I think Joss chose to mirror the end of "Not Fade Away".  Funny thing about a mirror, what you see in the reflection is the same but opposite.

Hope is the one thing we all struggle to keep.  We're all hoping that out lives will have meaning, that we can make a difference.  Whether your demons are literal or metaphorical, whether you're the one who created it all or are part of the community that binds it together, we all hope for more, for better, from each other, from ourselves, from the world.

I just hope we don't all accidentally have a fan orgy in the vacuum of space and destroy the universe in the process.  All I'm sayin'!

Reminder: Buffyfest's Buffy Birthday Bash at Forbidden Planet Tonight!

If you're in the New York area, come down to Forbidden Planet where we'll be celebrating Buffy's birthday and the release of Season 8's Finale Issue. Dark Horse sent us a box of fun prizes, there will be a Buffyfest Booth, a Costume Contest and more! Click hree for the deets. or here for the Facebook event page.

If you're not around these neck of the woods, check around because there are Buffy Birthday events happening all around the country tonight! Here are some resources:

Dark Horse Facebook Announcement

GeekGirlCon

Happy Birthday Buffy!

Buffyfest Presents: Buffy's Birthday Bash at Forbidden Planet NYC

To celebrate Buffy's birthday and the release of Season 8's Finale Issue, we've teamed up with long time friends, the legendary Forbidden Planet, in New York City for a Paaarrty! Dark Horse sent us a box of fun prizes, there will be a Buffyfest Booth, a Costume Contest and more! See below for the deets:

The Where:
Forbidden Planet NYC
13th Street and Broadway

The When:
Wednesday, January 19th, 2011
6 pm to 10 pm

The Fun:
6 pm - Buffy's Birthday Party begins!

Forbidden Planet will be having amazing sales all day. All back issues of Buffy Season 8 will be $1. If you come in Whedonverse Costume, they'll be 50 cents! Additional sales to be announced!

7 pm - Costume contest! Winner to be announced on Buffyfest the following day.

8 pm - Trivia, Prizes & Fanterviews: read the issue, get the final word on Season 8

9 - 10 - "Once More, With Feeling" Sing-Along

Swing by, eat some cookies, buy some comics, do the wacky. It'll be a time. More details as they come.

You can RSVP here.



See you there!

Buffy S.8 Motion Comic Conest Winners!

We recently had a contest. The prize? The first 19 issues of Buffy Season 8 in Motion Comic form on Blu-Ray/DVD. Didn't realize that it comes with a precious, adorable, itty bitty version of Buffy S.8 #1. Adorbs!

On to the big announcement, the winners are:

::drumroll::

Heather Schroeder
Kevin Bachelder
Jonnathan Molina
 
Congrats to the winners! We'll contact you over email and twitter. Please make sure to send us your mailing addresses. Thanks to everyone else who participated. We'll have another contest soon, so better luck next time!

Thanks again to Twentieth Century Fox for the generously sending the prize packs.

And the Winner of the Dark Horse Haiku Contest is...

Congratulations to Amber for giving us the best of the best in Haiku goodness. Our inbox was filled with some great ones, but Amber seemed to capture the essence of Buffy Season 8 in just a few short lines. For the creative effort, Amber will receive a package filled with a copy of Hack/Slash signed by Super Scott Allie, and a bunch of Buffyfest goodness, too! Check out Amber's work of art:

I lost who I was
never to be seen again
now queen of slayers

Honorable mention goes to Scott Allie's ex-wife Melinda, who wrote an unintentional almost-Haiku inspired by Scott himself that we couldn't resist mentioning:

You never had a good memory.
You are too stuck in your head.
I'm not insulting you.

Teaser Panels for Buffy Issue #40

Over on Dark Horse's Blog, Super Scott Allie has hand picked panels from Issue #40 as a sort of "scenes from next week's episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer". Yes, I know it's not really next week as they've pushed the finale issue out until January 19th to celebrate Buffy's birthday, but still, the teaser is pretty awesome. Now since we've had the EXTREME pleasure of reading the issue already, we know exactly what's the what with these preview images...but hopefully it will hold you off loyal reader until Jan 19th. Click to enlarge!

 

 

 

 

The Final Preview Pages of Buffy Season 8 (Spoilers)

We don't normally post all of the preview pages, but since they will be the last preview pages of any Buffy stories for a while we thought we should. Obviously if you don't want to be spoiled, don't read ahead. Courtesy of CBR, here are the preview pages of the finale of Buffy Season 8 "Coda":

The Top Ten Whedonverse Moments of 2010

Majors spoilers for Season 8 if you're not completely caught up...

Time really flies when you're having a Whedon-filled year and this one was no exception! Over the course of the year, we conducted 35 interviews and published tons of exclusive content and images. But well beyond this place we call our home, the fandom was hit with a slew of information and news this year, both good and bad.

Here's a look back at our Top Ten Whedonverse Moments of the year. Happy New Year to all!

#1 - The Death of Rupert Giles
The wounds are still fresh, but we couldn't leave 2010 behind without acknowledging our favorite Watcher. Giles is a beloved character here at Buffyfest and he will be sorely missed.

#2 - San Diego Comic Con
Seriously, no words can express this experience. There was laughing and excitement one minute and then something akin to four deers caught in the headlights another. No matter what, the hard work paid off because we got to mix and mingle with the "who's who" of the Whedonverse.

#3 - Twilight-Gate
The spoiler heard round the world. That is all.

#4 - Jane Espenson Interview
We were humbled when Ms. Espenson talked with us about all things Buffy and to be honest, we're still feeling a little gitty in the after-glow of that interview.

#5 - Buffyfest 2010
This year we gambled it up with kittens, of course! The annual Buffyfest celebration was "high stakes" with all the usual fun, food and a dash of debauchery for good measure.

#6 - Other Cons without Michelle (NYCC, Big Apple Con, and Philly Comic Con)
It was a busy year for us as we navigated the Convention scene all along the northeastern sea board. With Michelle living in Sunny Los Angeles, these had to be handled East Coast style by Tara and Bits.

#7 - License-Gate IDW has treated Angel well, but with the news of the move to Dark Horse next year, Angel's unlife will be in the hands of 2011's Season 9 umbrella. It was another one of those "-gates" that rocked the fandom hard.

#8 - Joss and The Avengers
The demise of Dollhouse opened the door for Joss's huge directorial debut on The Avengers. We broke the news in San Diego and can't wait to see what Joss has in store for this elite super hero bunch. We still think Buffy could kick all their asses. 

#9 - Space Sex
It was certainly something to talk about. Well, it was porn on paper. Buffy and Angel porn on paper. In space.

#10 - Buffy Movie Reboot
It's possible that by this time next year, the reboot release will be a rumor of the past, but no matter how you feel about this news, shocked or awed, a big screen Buffy movie has to make it on this list. Funny thing is that a year and a half before this news broke, we did our very own recast of a Whedonless Buffy movie.

Contest: Want a Free DVD of the Buffy S.8 Motion Comic?

With all this talk of the Buffy Season 8 Motion Comic, there's no time like the present for a little contest.  The motion comic takes Joss Whedon and Dark Horse's S.8 print comic and shakes it up like a little bottle of fruit juice. The DVD of 19 episodes comes out next week, January 4th, and you can get it here for FREE!

You can enter the contest 2 ways:

Sign up for Buffyfest updates by simply emailing buffyfest@aim.com with MOTION COMIC in the subject.

or follow us on twitter and RT the following:

Win a free Buffy S.8 Motion Comic on Blu-Ray and DVD @Buffyfest. Follow them and RT to enter.

Winners will be announced this Monday, Jan 3rd! Here's a trailer to keep you sedated in the meantime:

Buffyfest Interviews Buffy S.8 Motion Comic Creator, Jeff Shuter

Jeff Shuter is the man responsible for the animated motion comic form of Whedon and Dark Horse's notorious Buffy Season 8. This will be the 7th or 8th incarnation of the Buffy franchise, with no end in sight for our snappy slayer. All episodes of the motion comic are now out, 19 in total, and they are being compiled on DVD for release next week. We'll be giving away a few copies, more on that tomorrow.

Still can't wrap your brain around this motion comic business? Check out our conversation with creator Jeff Shuter. (I asked him if it's "Shutter" like Shutter Island or "Shooter" like Shooter McGavin. He clarified with Shutter Island.)

Following this video clip is the full text interview below:

Buffyfest: So, Jeff, how did you come to be on the Buffy Season 8 Motion Comic?

Jeff Shuter: How did this come to be? How did I get here myself? I was, I had been working in this field in this genre for about 6 years and I had an opportunity to look at this material and see how it would fit into this type of format and explore. It's all a very experimental thing. I think there's a lot of polar opinions about motion comics, about whether or not this can be brought to life in this way. And, I thought, it's a great format for this type of thing because obviously it's a series adaptation, it's a movie to a show and now this ::gestures to signage of Dark Horse's Season 8 comic.::

Buffyfest: Yes, it's been done in many forms.

JS: Yes, We have freedom, it's not as something we've taken completely from scratch and trying to bring to life. So you can look, you can find there's a reason for it. But also, it's like in terms of this material and really try to incorporate my own take to what it is, I found that in fact there was some controversy about what this comic is. I thought "I love that, I love the controversy", you know, let's find out how to bring her back in a new format.

Buffyfest: Now were you a fan of Buffy or any of Joss Whedon's works before?

JS: You know what's interesting is I watched the show, in high school, a lot of my friends were super into it. I was into it, I watched it, but I wasn't a die hard fan. So what's interesting is when I went into this, I think part of the reason I wanted to get involved is the challenge. I wanted to really come into it in terms of figuring out what exists in the comic that doesn't necessarily exist in the tv show. To a certain extent, and with the resources of what these things are, you're never going to recreate the TV show. I feel if that's what folks want, they'll get that in this, but that may not be 100% what this is.

Buffyfest: Did you go and re-watch anything?

JS: Absolutely, I watched...I was a student of Buffy for quite a while. Really just trying to get a sense of what Buffy is and Buffy is quite a lot of things. I found that going into I'd like to say that my decision in breaking down the material was mixing Season 7 with Season 1 you get to Season 8. If you are a student of numerology...

Buffyfest: 7+1=8

JS: You know...it's that simple.

Buffyfest: Interesting...

JS: That's exactly my reasoning behind it. Because to a certain extent it makes sense, right? And also because there is so much numerology takes place in what's going on. I was like "That's the best way to do it" and in Season 1 she's in high school she doesn't realize the power and she's just...she's just starting to understand the consequence of the Hellmouth. And then in Season 7 it blows wide open.

Buffyfest: Literally.

JS: Exactly! What she knows is destroyed. In fact, I even added in S.8, the very first issue of the book, I really wanted to make that connection to Season 7. So in the shot after General Voll I'm assuming you're familiar...

Buffyfest: I've seen it (laughs).

JS: No, but I mean the comic.

Buffyfest: Oh! I've read them all, of course.

JS: So in the first book, right? They're in the helicopter, they're flying over and General Voll is talking about They're terrorists" and "We don't like her ideology" and all that stuff...

Buffyfest: yep

JS:...and I wanted to add that iconic symbol of that sign falling as they go across, as the helicopter goes across.. I really wanted to make a personal statement because that, to me, was where we were going with this. The sign has fallen, we're going over that crater and now this universe, this Hellmouth has expanded.

Buffyfest: It is an impactful beginning.

JS: Exactly.

Buffyfest: Now in the world of motion comics...how is it doing? Is it getting a good reception?

JS: It's amazing, actually! It's doing really well. We started this as this little... this little digital project, you know? And we were kind of hoping we'd experience it, we were hoping we'd explore it and just invent stuff along the way and really kind of adhere to the books. That was the thing, I wanted to make the book central, that was really important to me. That's my background. That's what was critical to me coming into this. And I think what's helpful is that it shows! From what I hear and I don't know all the bean counting, per se...from what I hear it's attracting almost as well as a cable show...it's attracting much better, people are really pleased with how this is doing. I think as people start to get used to the new interpretation and it brings in new people as well, which i think it awesome. It's drawing new viewers.

Buffyfest: Now, were you at all concerned about people who were really familiar and used to the voices of Sarah Michelle Gellar and everyone else...they're so ingrained. Was the voice acting a concern?

JS: No, I mean, that's a tough question because ultimately we knew that, that we were gonna, that we were going to break away from that. We wanted to find, you know, actors that could...that didn't necessarily sound the same because that's very difficult. We had limited resources making this. So we wanted to find people that had a similar identity. I wanted to find people that I felt gave a sense of what Buffy's about. And of course . I know that I'm sure that by saying that...that's going to be ripped apart likely...

Buffyfest: I don't know about that...

JS: The thing is everyone , everybody has an idea of what Buffy sounds like. I wanted to find somebody that sounded like....We found Kelly, who played the role who, I think she, talk about a lot of weight on somebody's shoulders. She pulled it off and played it wonderfully. But we wanted to find someone, Kelly has a mixture of Season 1 and Season 7. She's got the seriousness of Season 7 with the kind of spunk and kind of wide-eyedness of Season 1.

Buffyfest: Now, there is going to be 19 episodes in the end of Season 1, correct? And all compiled on DVD?

JS: Uh, that to my knowledge that is what is the case. In terms of the other stuff they're gonna be doing, that I don't know, but I'm pretty sure that it's gonna be, from what I hear they're doing a lot of stuff. it's coming packed with a lot of extras.

Buffyfest: Do you know if it's the 40 issues of the season packed into 19? Or each one is it's own episode?

JS: From what I hear and I think they're still figuring it out, I think they're still playing with ideas, they want to make it, I know they want to make it really special. They want to make it really cool.

Bitsy takes over.

Buffyfest: So, how was working with Dark Horse?

JS: Oh, well working with Dark horse, I worked with Dark Horse, I worked with the books, my involvement with Dark Horse was strictly to read...

Buffyfest: So was there input from any of the artists involved?

JS: You know what that I can't....you're asking me a tough question. That is outside of my pay grade. I have no idea how that works.

Buffyfest: Ok, that is alright.

JS: Just so you know basically, I was given the books and said learn them and learn them well. Make them beautiful and make them wonderful.

Buffyfest: Before they multiply...

JS: Exactly. To a certain extent.

Buffyfest: OK, so let's switch tacks. So you had mentioned elsewhere that you had hit the ground running for the first 4 episodes. Can you tell us about some of the challenges you faced as you were learning how to do this?

JS: In terms of the like aesthetic of the comic or learning the world?? All of the above?

Buffyfest: All of the above.

JS: I think, I was saying stuff was constantly happening and experimenting with the format, trying to see where and bringing it to life that allows the viewer to feel that at the same time they can let go! Maybe follow the world itself, just recreating that experience. That's been going on for a while, trying to figure it out. It's not necessarily new, but what's cool is that it's constant experimentation, it's constant reinvention. That's what happened here. We really were inventing. It took about a good 6, 7 weeks of just like throwing stuff against the wall trying to figure what, trying to see what stuck, what makes sense, and we went through the first I'd say like 3 or 4 issues before I really felt that what that we'd started to see the work that our crew was bringing together. It started to mold and shape. It started to get to what I felt was the open aesthetic and literary, and hopefully given those who love the canon this material, has become a poetic voice for the material.

Buffyfest: Were there any innovations that you had throughout the project that you were especially proud of?

JS: Absolutely. It was sort of a development of a sophisticated camera system, it was based on digital effect software. We figured out that what really brought this to life and what really gave us a sense of movement in this particular production was having a sense of this inside camera that maneuvered around, cut out characters built it out like a diorama like you do, like you do in first grade. We build it that way with characters and props and the backgrounds. Then we choreograph that movement to an outside camera to something that's moving hub in general. I found that when choreographed right to specific points of dialogue you really get the sense of the narrator. You really get the sense of the voice. Then it was literally just shaping that and finding in that voice to the way the actor that played Buffy spoke and to the way that the world sounded. Finding those sort of focal points and building, making that choreograph around that essentially creating Buffy! That's her voice!

Buffyfest: Was there any particular scenes that you did and you thought "That's it!"

JS: In issue 5, it's with the decoy Buffy. And it happened there because I started to really click in my mind what Buffy is, to a certain extent. You can kind of see that. It's like when you look in the mirror and you look at yourself but you see yourself in a different way, you know? It's sort of like that issue to me was putting Buffy in a mirror and seeing what she saw that deeply describes what it is to be Buffy. Then it was in that moment throughout that episode where I really felt that things came together. Let's see there's another one too where we really felt in issue 10, when we're talking about dreams and we're talking about ripples in ripples and sort of narratives within narratives, that's also where I felt that it wasn't just a sense of Buffy that was a, to a certain extent that was... it was symbolic, it was an emblem of what this Buffyverse is. Because these books are not just a continuation, I feel that they are also written for the fans too, you know? I feel they are a celebration of what this world is about. And I felt like this stuff about dreams is emblematic...that I felt things coming together because I was really playing with when I got a sense of "dreams within dreams" to how these characters relate and how their world unfolds, I started playing with the aesthetics of windows within windows and, to a certain extent, that's what I felt was the key aesthetic moving forward at that point, that became the rest of the show.

Buffyfest: It's interesting that you happened to pick those two issues because they're two of the most popular issues and two that really resonated with fans...

JS: Really? And you know I didn't even know. That's interesting...cause I went into this....you know I didn't want to do...I did diligence, obviously, I watched the series, I did diligence on the show, but I went into this not wanting to know too much. I wanted to discover it alongside of everyone who is watching. I wanted to feel like, I really feel like that comes across. I hope people don't think that's, you know, weird, but I wanted to...I feel that this work represents me as a reader, substantially, discovering what's amazing about this universe at the same time that they are. I think that I started to feel a connection with Buffy and started to have a sense of the narrator as we moved along. That's why I felt like it was really truthful, because look I can't sit here and quote every quote from the TV series I'm not going to try to, I wanted to experience it and I wanted to make that possible.

Buffyfest: Um, speaking of discovering things, there's this lovely Buffy Jones Soda, have you had chance to try any of it?

JS: I have! I have! It tastes like Root Beer and it tastes like...no it's great, it's awesome. I love Jones!

Buffyfest: Is there any particular one that you like?

JS: I like, you know what? I like them all! I have them all at home. They're great, they're cool! I think they're awesome! I like the uh, to be honest with you, the orange and cream and that's because I come from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Buffyfest: That's awesome. Thank you very much sir.