[comic fan]

Preview pages for Buffy # 1 now with dialog.

New Buffy series from BOOM! officially announced! - Page 23

[comic fan]

Another Buffy # 1 variant cover as the issue goes to a second printing before release.

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #1 Sells Out Before Going on Sale

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #1 Sells Out Before Going on Sale

The forthcoming comic from writer Jordie Bellaire and artist Dan Mora has sold out at the distributor level nearly a full week before its on-sale date.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer #1, which is due out this coming Wednesday, has already sold out and been sent for a second printing.

The comic’s publisher, BOOM! Studios, made the announcement Thursday, nearly a full week before its new series was scheduled to launch. Buffy the Vampire Slayer #1 is from writer Jordie Bellaire and artist Dan Mora. It reimagines the bygone pop culture phenomenon that hit hardest in the late ‘90s for our current times, taking the familiar characters—Buffy, Giles, Willow, Xander, etc.—and basically putting them in 2018. Original Buffy TV series creator Joss Whedon (also the director behind the TV show Firefly and the mega hit movie The Avengers) is on board as a story consultant.

That second printing will hit on Feb. 20 with a new cover by Amelia Vidal, a new cover (pictured above) starring the young witch Willow Rosenberg.

The series selling out isn’t really a surprise. Both Bellaire and Mora are massive talents on the rise. It is, however, maybe a little interesting that it sold out before even going on sale. Somebody maybe underestimated just how interested comics fans still are in all things Buffy, or in the rising creative team.

Also, if you haven’t pre-ordered a copy and are interested in that sort of thing, you may have to do some slaying yourself this Wednesday. Not of vampires, heavens no, but rather of the hopes of fellow collectors and readers, as you snap up a copy that would-be theirs.

Anyway, enough of all that. The full release from BOOM! Studios can be found below:


“
BOOM! Studios announced today that Buffy The Vampire Slayer #1, reimagining the groundbreaking pop culture phenomenon from the very beginning in partnership with 20th Century Fox Consumer Products, has sold out at the distributor level before arriving in comic book shops on January 23rd.

To meet this overwhelming demand from fans, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #1 SECOND PRINTING VARIANT will arrive in stores on February 20th with a stunning all-new cover by Amelia Vidal, featuring everyone’s favorite young witch – Willow Rosenberg!

Eisner Award nominated writer Jordie Bellaire (Redlands) and Russ Manning award-winning artist Dan Mora (Klaus, Saban’s Go Go Power Rangers), along with series creator and story consultant Joss Whedon (the visionary writer/director behind Firefly, Marvel’s The Avengers, and more) welcome you back to the Hellmouth for the very first time!

This is the Buffy Summers you know, who wants what every average teenager wants: friends at her new school, decent grades, and to escape her imposed destiny as the next in a long line of vampire slayers tasked with defeating the forces of evil. But the Slayer’s world looks a lot more like the one outside your window, as this new series brings her into a new era with new challenges, new friends…and a few enemies you might already recognize. The more things change, the more they stay the same, as the Gang – Giles, Willow, Xander, Cordelia and more – faces brand new Big Bads, and a threat lurking beneath the perfectly manicured exterior of Sunnydale High, confirming what every teenager has always known: high school truly is hell.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer premiered on the WB Network on March 10th, 1997. The Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated series, which ran for seven seasons from 1997-2003, stars Sarah Michelle Gellar as “Buffy Summers.” Chosen to battle vampires, demons and other forces of darkness, Buffy is aided by a Watcher who guides and teaches her as she surrounds herself with a circle of friends called the “Scooby Gang.”

“Everyone working on this series is incredibly thrilled by and grateful for the response from retailers and fans to this new beginning for the story of Buffy Summers,” said Jeanine Schaefer, Executive Editor, BOOM! Studios. “The faith and support in us is the thing that motivates us to go big or go home on every issue. Believe me when I say you haven’t seen anything yet: the events of issue four alone will have every Scooby talking.”

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #1 SECOND PRINTING VARIANT is available exclusively in comic shops (use comicshoplocator.com to find the nearest one) on February 20, 2019.

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER is the newest release from BOOM! Studios’ eponymous imprint, home to critically acclaimed original series, including Abbott from Saladin Ahmed and Sami Kivelä; Bury The Lede from Gaby Dunn and Claire Roe; Grass Kings from Matt Kindt and Tyler Jenkins; and Klaus from Grant Morrison and Dan Mora. The imprint also publishes popular licensed properties including Joss Whedon’s Firefly from Greg Pak and Dan McDaid; and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers from Marguerite Bennett and Simone Di Meo.

For continuing news on BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER comic books, graphic novels and more from BOOM! Studios, stay tuned to BOOM! Studios and follow @boomstudios on Twitter. And follow Buffy the Vampire Slayer on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

[comic fan]

Another BOOM! Buffy # 1 review

https://sequentialplanet.com/comic-r...pire-slayer-1/

Comic Review: Buffy The Vampire Slayer #1

By Marcus Orchard on January 19, 2019

Buffy The Vampire Slayer #1

BOOM! Studios

Writer: Jordie Bellaire

Artists: Dan Mora & Raúl Angulo

Buffy is back in print, but this time with BOOM! Studios. While the last Buffy comic book series fit into the original television show’s canon and continuity, this new series brings the vampire slayer to the modern age. The debut gives Buffy Summers the opportunity to shine in a new era and appeal to a new generation.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer is written by Jordie Bellaire, known for her fine coloring and strong writing in Redlands. From the beginning, Jordie Bellaire proves that she has a good understanding of the characters, ensuring that longtime fans will read the characters in their original voices. Everyone fits right in the modern era, making everything feel fresh but familiar. Xander and Giles are especially in character here.

Bellaire’s pacing is solid throughout the issue, avoiding the usual pitfalls that most debut issues make. There is little exposition, and instead, the characters meet organically, and little dialogue is needed to establish the basic personalities of the characters. Those who are unfamiliar with the characters should still be able to get the basic gist of everything, especially during a sequence in the iconic (Now modern) school library. While Bellaire doesn’t get bogged down on establishing the characters, she also doesn’t rush everything. A large amount of the cast isn’t introduced in this issue. This decision is for the better and allows the reader to get to know the core characters.

There is clearly a lot of love put into this issue. Many scenes feel like they come straight from the show. There are also plenty of Easter Eggs and references to both the show and other Joss Whedon projects. Bellaire’s script is cheesy, and keeps the campy atmosphere of the original series.

Dan Mora’s pencils capture the charm of the original series. The characters appear animated, with expressive faces. Bold lines ensure that the action pops out at the reader. The action flows well throughout the panels, and everything feels like it has a sense of motion. A heartfelt scene involving the bonding of the Scooby Gang perfectly displays the marriage of words and art that only comic books are capable of producing. Raúl Angulo’s colors are bright and cheery and make the book feel cozy.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer #1 is the fresh start the franchise needed. It’s a perfect opportunity for the uninitiated to be a part of the fandom. It’s also exactly what long-term fans needed. Jordie Bellaire, Dan Mora, and Raúl Angulo have something good going on here, and it is wonderful to see these iconic characters comfortably enter a new generation.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer #1

8.2

Like It

The Scooby Gang is back and adjusting to the modern era well. This is a great read for both fans and newcomers.

[BlackWhiteRose]

Thanks for sharing.

[comic fan]

NY Times article for this weeks Buffy # 1.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/20/a...omic-book.html

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Returns to High School in New Comic Books



By George Gene Gustines
Jan. 20, 2019

High school can be hell and no one knows that better than Buffy the Vampire Slayer, who returns to her teenage roots in a new comic book series from Boom! Studios that arrives in stores on Wednesday.

“Buffy,” written by Jordie Bellaire, illustrated by Dan Mora, colored by Raúl Angulo and lettered by Ed Dukeshire, reboots the character and her friends and resets them to their high school days — in contemporary times, not 1997, when her television series debuted. (The show ran for seven seasons and later explored her college years.)



There was also a take by Dark Horse, which published comics from 2007 to 2018 that envisioned what Seasons 8 through 12 would have been like if the show had continued. Joss Whedon, who wrote the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” film that was released in 1992 and created the TV series, serves as a story consultant for the comics.

Jeanine Schaefer edits the new series. She recruited Bellaire for the book thanks in part to her work on Redlands, about a coven of witches in a small Florida town. “It felt like the exact right mix of talking about identity issues, gender issues and still having that thread of horror and so moments of levity,” Schaefer said during a conference call with Bellaire.

Terror and humor resonate for many as an apt description of high school, including for Bellaire. “Me and Jeanine talked about how teenagers now are growing up a bit different than they did in the ’90s,” she said. “It is a trying time for teenagers. I think people are feeling a lot of pressure and negativity.”

Previous adventures will not be rehashed in the reboot, which will tell all new stories. The setting allows some of the characters to begin at a new point. While Willow, for example, eventually came out as a lesbian on the TV series, she is already open about her orientation in Issue No. 1 of the new comic. “The ’90s was a different time on TV and for the L.G.B.T. community,” Bellaire said. “I’d like to think it is a little more open now,” allowing Willow to be much more confident.

[comic fan]

Another Buffy # 1 review.

Review: Bellaire and Mora’s “Buffy” is a Revamp that Slays - Comics Bulletin

Review: Bellaire and Mora’s “Buffy” is a Revamp that Slays

Daniel Gehen
January 19, 2019

BOOM! Studios

(w) Jordie Bellaire (a) Dan Mora (c) Raul Angulo

Welcome to the Hellmouth! And for longtime Buffy fans, welcome back. After much buildup, the new Buffy the Vampire Slayer series from BOOM! Studios is here. Good news: it doesn’t suck. Better news: it’s really good. Similar in the vein of the publisher’s Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers books, this new series effectively relaunches the franchise in a modern setting. But unlike the other series, Jordie Bellaire and Dan Mora are taking things all the way back to the beginning.

Like the celebrated television series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer #1 more or less occurs after the events of the less-celebrated 1992 movie. But make no mistake, this is not the world of Kristy Swanson, Donald Sutherland, and Paul Reubens. This is literally as if the show started today, as evidenced by the likenesses of Sarah Michelle Gellar, Anthony Stewart Head, and the rest of the show’s cast. In fact, almost everything about this book looks good, thanks to the artwork by Dan Mora and Raul Angulo. Though his renderings of Buffy and Anya (more on her in a minute) are too similar, it is perhaps the only notable blip on the radar in terms of visual errors.

If anything, readers should be spending time scouring each page for the many fun, little details Mora has planted throughout. Three of the more notable references are “Spider-Man: No More,” Firefly, and Joss Whedon’s production company, Mutant Enemy. As fun as the Easter egg hunt may be, it means nothing if the artist is incapable of being a visual storyteller. Mora, however, has proven time and again to be capable. Look no further than his work on the badass Santa comic, Klaus. But as impressive as his work has been in those stories, it is arguably even better here. In terms of sequential storytelling, Mora’s work is phenomenal. Should readers to choose to simply look at the artwork and ignore all Jordie Bellaire’s words, they would still be able to follow the issue from start to finish.

With that said, Buffy is a Joss Whedon creation, and as such it requires a healthy dose of wordplay. Jordie Bellaire proves up to the challenge. Bellaire is adept in finding each character’s voice early and giving them authenticity that will hold up under the scrutiny of the most hardcore of Buffy fans, which she herself admits to being. Whether it’s Xander and Willow talking about that weird-looking guy that tried attacking them, or Buffy lamenting her responsibilities to Giles, the script reads like something these characters would actually say. This was probably the biggest problem facing the series under Dark Horse, so for BOOM! Studios to get that right in the first issue is one hell of a win. But for the most part, these characters are written in a welcoming and inviting manner for the uninitiated, while longtime fans will find comfort similar to slipping on their favorite sweatshirt. In fact, the only character that seems to be taken in a completely different direction is the wish-giving demon Anya, who now runs a shop full of all manner of mystical objects. How she factors into the creative team’s long-term plans remains to be seen, but it’s a welcome change which I personally cannot wait to see unfold.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer #1 successfully revamps the franchise in a manner which should please almost everyone. It isn’t flawless, but it’s as close as you can get from a first issue. Bellaire and Mora have built a great foundation for this series to thrive well beyond the foreseeable future. While certainly containing a fair share of action, the duo understands that Buffy has thrived and resonated on the strength of its characters, and that’s what is presented here. This is a strong, character-driven issue that exceeds the loftiest expectations.


More preview pages

New Buffy series from BOOM! officially announced! - Page 26

[comic fan]

Interview with Buffy comic writer and editor.Head to link to see larger versions of the new preview pages.

https://www.newsarama.com/43586-boom...eneration.html

'Huge Changes' With Emotional Resonance Coming with BOOM!'s BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Relaunch

By Kat Calamia, Newsarama Contributor
January 23, 2019



Spoilers ahead for this week's Buffy the Vampire Slayer #1.

This week's Buffy the Vampire Slayer #1 comic book returns to the classic Sunnydale High drama which made the cult-favorite TV series a hit for high schoolers of the time, with writer Jordie Bellaire and artist Dan Mora transposing it to modern times for high schoolers of today.

Unlike Dark Horse's previous years-long run which focused on stories after Buffy's TV series finale, BOOM!'s Buffy will exist alongside the classic episodes TV but add fresh layers, context, and drama.

Newsarama spoke with Bellaire and editor Jeanine Schaefer about this week's #1,what's to come, as well as continuity questions with the show and the overall impact it had on modern culture. With this, we have covers, character sketches by Mora, as well as pages from February 27's second issue.

Newsarama: Jordie, Jeanine, what modern changes are you making to the Buffy franchise? Since the title is not exploring teens of the 1990’s but now teens of 2019.

Jeanine Schaefer: I think everything changes. I think the joke is – oh you’re updating it now there’s just cellphones. Kids have a much different outlook on things than kids in the 90’s did. The concept of being a teenage and the concept of just being a human being and those connections don’t change much, but the ways we understand that stuff changes. The ways we understand identity and connection changes. This changes the way our characters are going approach stuff, that said I think spiritually they’re the same people. Just the way they react to stuff and the way they are able to interact with things changes.





Jordie Bellaire: I want to reiterate what Jeanine was saying about connection, to say teenagers of today are the same as teenagers from 1994 or 1997 is really not the case at all. I think young people today are far more connected and far more in the know on politics and on culture as a whole, and that’s where these characters are going to come from too.

I can’t tell you how cringe-worthy it would have been if Jeanine would have been hey do you want to write Buffy, and let’s make all these cellphone chats happen. I would’ve been like this is horrible and I couldn’t be part of that. So it’s definitely not just a technology thing. I think the minds of people have changed since we’ve become more connected for sure.

Nrama: In the television series Willow’s queerness is not really touched upon until later seasons. Do you want to explore this with Willow in her high school days?

Bellaire: Jeanine put to me best when we first started talking about it, being queer in the 90’s is a lot different than it is now. Again I think we are talking from a more connected place where children, teens, and adults can feel more comfortable because they have more groups, more people to talk to, and to be more honest and open about who they are. I would hope so any way, in comparison to how it was in the 90’s.



So I would say the things with Willow will become a lot more apparent. Things will happen sooner the way I think is appropriate for today really. I would hate to have her buried and hiding. We want her to be confident and fully herself.



Schaefer: Not that the coming out story isn’t relevant, but I think we wanted to explore other facets of that for modern teenagers. What is it like to be queer and out as a teen? What does that look like? What challenges do you face? I think it opens up spiritually in line with Buffy. What kinds of things she has to deal with on that end.

Nrama: What made BOOM! want to bring Buffy back to her high school days?

Schaefer: Dark Horse did such a great job exploring so much of Buffy. So many facets of it. They touched on such a wide range of the universe, and had taken her so far. We kind of felt like I don’t know what else we could do in that universe. We thought it would be fun when we first started talking about it, how do we spiritually keep this a Buffy book - the theme of it and the characters of it are so relevant still. The stuff they talk about, like Jordie was saying, the issues of connection and relationships and questions of identity, these are still so relevant that we wanted to give kids of 2019 a Buffy that kids in the 90’s had.

Nrama: There are so many great character journeys in the Buffy franchise, which is one of the many reasons why the series still resonates with so many people, but one of my favorites was the character growth of Cordelia. Are we going to see some of Cordelia’s layers that was established in Angel and the later high school seasons in your series?

Bellaire: You are speaking my language. Cordelia became my favorite character. Her journey in Angel is especially wonderful and beautiful, and I really think she’s an interesting character. I’m definitely excited to say I will be bringing her into the fold, and more in line with what it sounds like you and I were interested in about Cordelia. It’s those layers. It’s not just that she’s this angry, mean, beautiful woman, but that she’s actually a very sincere, kind, compassionate person. I think that’s much more interesting.



Nrama: I’m very happy to hear that. Cordellia doesn’t get enough love.

Bellaire: I flipping love her. She’s legit my favorite. I adore her.

Nrama: Do you feel like this series has to be restrained by continuity?

Schaefer: Oh no, not at all. I think what’s awesome about it is that we get to quote on quote update, and we get to play with dramatic irony. The continuity of Buffy is so rich and so wide, and there is still so much opportunity to explore it. I think we are really excited about using the dramatic irony, and subverting some of the stuff and enhancing some of the stuff. I think it’s great. I’m really excited.



Nrama: The series is diving into the very early days of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but it looks like some characters from later seasons are already making their appearance, like Anya. Do you plan on exploring storylines from future seasons through the lens of their high school years?

Bellaire: Future seasons through their high school years? I guess so. I’m not going to be borrowing stories and looking through the high school lens, much as I am taking characters from later seasons that I find interesting and adding them now. Where does Anya fold in now?

Nrama: Speaking of Anya, what can we expect from her for this initial arc?

Bellaire: I really like Anya, she’s one of my favorites. It’s hard because everyone on Buffy is my favorite, but Anya is also one of my favorites. I can’t get over how much I adore Anya. So I really like Anya as this ancient, demon, badass lady. She’s going to have a big part to play and very interesting insight to all things Hellmouth and Slayer that I think she previously hadn’t had before. I want to make her very powerful. I love her, she’s great.

Nrama: Do you think there’s a possibility of more Buffy-related series? Maybe an Angel title?

Schaefer: We have a super robust, publishing clan. We have a lot of ideas of what we could do. So we have ongoing conversations about that. Right now we are really excited exploring who Buffy is and digging into this, but we have some surprises coming up our sleeves.

Nrama: Has there been any collaboration with Joss Whedon?

Schaefer: Joss was really involved early on. We sat down with him, and went over the plot and walked him through everything we wanted to do for the first year. He really gave us his blessing and was really excited about the changes we wanted to make. He had a couple of hard questions for us that he needed us to answer, and he was happy about how we were able to do that. So you will see those things peppered trough.



Nrama: Can you tease some of the character arcs that will be explored in this series?

Bellaire: I want to be careful because I don’t want to ruin things for readers. I actually just met up with this wonderful lady, who is a huge Buffy fan, and she wanted to know things and I felt horrible telling her what I had planned because you can tell she wanted to hear, but she didn’t want to hear. So I guess just expect new character arcs, and some things you haven’t seen before that might take you different places. I don’t want it to sound so stupid, but I don’t want to ruin things.



Schaefer: I know. I think when these big emotional points are revealed - it’s funny because we talked a lot about well what’s the plot. What’s the physical plot? We kind of knew what that was. We were more interested in the emotional arcs driving that physical plot. There’s a couple of things, you’ll know it when you see it, where we will say this is what we are talking about. These are going to be some huge changes to these characters that we can’t go into unfortunately. But when those changes happen you will see how that drives both their emotional arcs and the actual physical plot.

Bellaire: Yeah, because it’s like you said earlier Buffy is really character-based stuff and that’s what makes it so good. That’s especially what me and Jeanine are leaning on. We aren’t leaning on any of the stuff that happened before. We want to do new stories, and because they are so character driven if we said even one thing I feel like it would ruin the surprise.

Nrama: Dan Mora has worked on other high school books with BOOM!, one being Go Go Power Rangers. One thing I loved about reading the first issue of Buffy is that I felt the distinct movement of Buffy. Jordie, can you tell us a little bit about your collaboration with him?

Bellaire: Dan is amazing. I was really excited to hear from Jeanine that she had gotten Dan for the project. I had already seen his stuff from Go Go Power Rangers, and know that he’s absolutely ridiculously talented. Then seeing him translate that whole kinetic energy that he has to his work into Buffy. Yeah, he’s just killing it.

I think I’ve only given him one point of reference as far as clothes, and it was Willow will wear leggings. So I don’t know how much Jeanine helped him, but I want to honestly say that I think Dan took it upon himself to build this new updated universe and he just has a beautiful ability to demonstrate character and energy. Like we’re so lucky we got him. I personally think he’s amazing and he’s so perfect for the role. He’s so good!



Nrama: Question for each of you - what are your individual, personal connections to Buffy? Did you watch it when it first aired or binge watch it?

Bellaire: I use to love Buffy as a kid. When I was in college I properly binged the show because I have a problem with finishing shows. I get too sad. I can’t tell you how many tears I cried as an adult woman watching the end of Buffy. I actually didn’t want to watch Angel because I hated Angel on the show. Then I was convinced to watch Angel, again as an adult woman in my mid-twenties, and I was so wrong. This is an amazing everything. So the big connection to Buffy, which I wish I made younger, but I think because I made it so much as an older lady in my mid-twenties. I felt like I could appreciate all the things.

Schaefer: Well I’m an old so I was in college when Buffy started, and I watched it from the beginning. Me and some of my girlfriends will all get together and pile into someone’s room and watch it every week. I really loved it. I felt like it was really formative for me - not just in terms of seeing a girl that could be flawed and also strong, to have agency and make decisions - to make bad and good decisions and there be no judgement on her for that, which is really incredible.

I felt like there wasn’t a lot of that before Buffy that I was at least aware of. But also it was really informative to me in terms of serial storytelling – to see how things unfolded and the ways we talked about what we thought was going to happen and weaving together the monster of the week with the larger plot, the emotional core driving it through. Just on all levels it was really informative to me. When BOOM! called me to ask to come in and help them launch it, it was a no brainer for me.

Nrama: For my last question, what’s your favorite Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode?

Bellaire: I love “The Body." It may give you an idea of what I love about Buffy. It’s the sad, horrible thing where characters go on the edge of who they need to be and what they are. Then pushes them over that brink, and I think that final cut from “The Body” is probably one of my favorite cuts that I had ever seen in 10-12 years of television. It still sits with me to this day. I’ve only seen the episode twice but it just will be attached to my eyelids forever.

Schaefer: I was going to say the same thing, but I’ll change it. But really quick, I felt Jordie was perfect to write this book because we have a very similar liking to having our favs suffer terribly.

Bellaire: We are horrible people, Jeanine.

Schaefer: I know! But here’s the thing you already said “The Body”. So my other favorite episode, which may give you a bit more insight into this book, which is “Once More, With Feeling."

Bellaire: Yes! That’s my second favorite episode, Jeanine.

Schaefer: I love it. I mean that’s everything. That’s the show. Right? And being a nerdy theater kid too, I mean are you kidding. That’s it.

[comic fan]

Another interview

https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/01...vampire-slayer

Why BOOM! Studios Decided to Reboot Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Buffy is ready to rule 2019.

By Jesse Schedeen

It's a time of major upheaval for the Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise. Not only is there a new TV series in the works, Dark Horse Comics' long-running Buffy continuation finally reached its end last year with Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 12 #4. Now the franchise has made a new home at BOOM! Studios (alongside fellow Joss Whedon creation Firefly).

BOOM! has made a very interesting choice with its first major Buffy project. Rather than attempt to pick up where Season 12 left off, the new series serves as a completely fresh start for Buffy and the Scooby Gang. Buffy the Vampire Slayer #1 reboots the entire saga from the beginning. All the same ingredients are still in place, but the characters and situations have been re-imagined to suit 2019.

We recently had a chance to talk with Executive Editor Jeanine Schaefer and writer Jordie Bellaire about the origins of this new series and why it was necessary to give Buffy a fresh start. First, check out our exclusive preview of issue #2. Then scroll down to find out more about what makes this new series so different.

Why Reboot Buffy?

Between the seven seasons of the original Buffy TV series, five seasons of the Angel spinoff and 11 years' worth of comic book continuations, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer is nothing if not a sprawling epic. And according to Schaefer, that was one of the reasons the choice was made to reboot Buffy and her world rather than continue where Dark Horse ended in Buffy Season 12.

"Dark Horse did such a great job with the book," Schaefer said. "They did so much with it, and they were really able to not only explore every corner of the Buffy universe, but also took her so far as a person and took her relationships so far. So as we were thinking about it, it feels really closed. It feels like they brought her to such a great point."



Instead, the goal became to re-examine Buffy in a way that would appeal even more directly to contemporary readers. Schaefer said, "Buffy is still so relevant now in 2019. The themes and the emotional arcs and her as a character are still very relevant for kids in 2019. We thought we should give kids now their Buffy. Make a Buffy for kids now. Once we started talking about it, it was a no-brainer. All of the possibilities we have in front of us right now - it’s really exciting."

On Joss Whedon's Involvement

Whedon took a fairly active role in the development of Dark Horse's Buffy comics, including personally scripting several storylines on Buffy Season 8. We were curious if Whedon is taking a similarly hands-on role with this series.

According to Schaefer, Whedon isn't quite as directly involved in the production of the new BOOM! series, though he did provide valuable input in the initial stages.

Schaefer said, "He got our initial outline. We sat down with him and walked him through what was in the outline and then some of the finer points of some of the character arcs. That’s really what he was most concerned about. And just some of the bigger ideas we had. He was really excited, particularly about two of the character points. Unfortunately, I can’t talk about them, but you’ll know it when you see it."

Schaefer continued, "He also gave us a couple of challenges and some big questions that he wanted us to answer before we could move forward. Because this is something that’s so important to him. I’m happy to say we were able to answer those questions for him in a way that he was really excited about. He gets the scripts as we move forward, and he’s really given us his blessing here, which we’re really excited about."

We were also curious how Bellaire dealt with the challenge of trying to channel Whedon's distinctive voice while still bringing her own personal touch to the series. Bellaire described it as a mostly "instinctual" process, one aided by her long-time love of both the Buffy and Firefly franchises.

"I guess because I’m such a big Joss fan, between Firefly and Buffy, I think that’s really ingrained in my brain anyway," Bellaire said. "It’s lovely stuff. It’s fun. It’s harrowing. It’s upbeat in places. I think it’s really informed who I am as a writer anyway. Approaching it, I think I’m already kind of working in the vein, but trying to give it my own voice, too."

A Tale of Two Reboots

BOOM's decision to reboot Buffy is all the more interesting given that this comic won't be the only attempt at updating the TV series for a modern audience. Whedon himself is also executive producing a reboot TV series, one that features Monica Owusu-Breen as showrunner and is said to feature an African American lead (though whether or not this character is actually Buffy Summers remains unclear).

We wanted to know if there were any concerns about two distinct Buffy reboots debuting within a relatively short span of time. Schaefer downplayed the idea that the new comic and TV series might step on each other's toes.

I think one of the beautiful things about Buffy is that the universe is so rich and so wide that there’s plenty of room for us to do what we’re doing and to have them do that too," she said. "We talked to them early on, and we’re both aware of what the other is doing. And we’re both really excited that we’re coming out in tandem. I think it’s great. I mean, more Buffy is always better, right?"

How the Saga Is Changing

The first issue of the new series offers some superficial signs of how Sunnydale has changed in the shift from the late '90s to 2019. However, we were curious what Schaefer and Bellaire saw as the fundamental difference between the classic Buffy era and this reboot. What makes Buffy's story so different this time around?

According to Bellaire, a lot of it boils down to 21st technology and the increased sense of interconnectivity in this age of smartphones and social media. She said, "Jeanine and I talked a lot about how we’re more connected than ever, whether that’s for better or for worse. It can kinda go both ways. I think it’s going to make a lot of our kids more confident, as well as a little more pressured to perform. There’s such an issue of connectivity. Again, not that it’s a bad thing. But sort of - all eyes are on you at every moment. That Slayer thing that she’s got all this pressure on her - we’re going to explore something like that and how it’s not just a Slayer that feels that way. Everybody feels immense amounts of pressure."

The first issue also makes some significant changes to the general Buffy plot, culminating with the unexpectedly early debut of Drusilla on the final page. Bellaire noted that she was conscious of a need not to adhere to the formula of the TV series too closely.

"In a weird way, I’m just kind of letting Sunnydale just write itself as I write it, without sounding pretentious," said Bellaire. "It’s been kind of happening like that naturally. I don’t know how much I’ve actually planned on when I reveal Dru versus when I reveal Cordie. I’m happy to say I do have Cordelia showing up, because I love Cordelia and think she’s essential to Sunnydale. She's going to be a very different person. But Dru is just taking the role of Master, which we saw pretty early on in the Buffy stuff. It’s important that we got to her really quick, because she’s going to be Buffy’s antagonist - woman on woman - in this arc."

Schaefer also revealed that the first year of the series has been mapped out, teasing that some more major changes to the familiar Buffy saga will be arriving when that first year wraps.

Will Classic Buffy Return?

For all the excitement surrounding this rebooted take on Buffy, there's no ignoring the fact that some fans are concerned about losing the version of the character they had been following for the past 11 years in Dark Horse's comics. It's a situation not unlike that of the Star Wars Expanded Universe, where decades' worth of novels and comics were wiped out of continuity in order to make way for Disney's new sequel movies. Those old stories may remain in print, but Disney has yet to revisit the old Expanded Universe through new projects.

With that in mind, we were curious to know whether BOOM! might have plans to explore the classic Buffy universe in future projects. When the Buffy license was first revealed to be shifting to BOOM! last year, the publisher indicated that multiple comics were in the works.

Schaefer indicated that she and her colleagues are very aware of the concerns of long-time Buffy fans, drawing a comparison to a different long-running sci-fi property. "That is the biggest concern we’ve heard, and I totally get that. When Star Trek rebooted - I’m a huge Star Trek fan in my blood. My mom is a huge Star Trek fan. I loved the original series and Next Generation. I was nervous about the 2009 reboot. That’s something that was really important to us. These are the sorts of questions we’re using as our road map going forward. So I can’t give anything away and I can’t say much about what our plans in terms of a larger universe are, but I will say that it’s something we’re really aware of and something that’s important to us."


More Buffy # 1 reviews

https://www.cbr.com/buffy-vampire-sl...-comic-review/

Buffy the Vampire Slayer #1 is the Fresh Start the Franchise Needs

by Matt Lune
– on Jan 23, 2019

Back, once again, to the Hellmouth, for the first time.

It’s fair to say there was some trepidation going into this new start for the Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The transition from Dark Horse (the home of Buffy comics for close to 20 years) to BOOM! Studios meant a reboot, a term that doesn’t always sit easily with fans. With talks of a new beginning on the small screen for the Slayer, too, it seemed as though Joss Whedon’s shining star was no longer sacred. While the cult TV series ended in 2003, its world continued 2007 with Dark Horse's canonical Season 8. That ran until last year, when Fox pulled the comics license with Season 12. This BOOM! relaunch has more than two decades of continuity to contend with. Does it stand a chance?

Yes, actually: Buffy the Vampire Slayer #1 is amazing, relevant and important. It feels immediately as if readers have been thrown back to the beginning, permitting them to experience it all over again. It's quintessentially "Buffy’" in a way that later seasons weren't. Writer Jordie Bellaire and artist Dan Mora are clearly using the TV series as a starting block, before sprinting off in their own direction, the seeds of which are planted here.

With the (unfounded, in retrospect) trepidation also came the questions: Is this a new universe? Is this a full reboot or a soft relaunch? Will it be all-new characters or something familiar? The answers become clear as you work through this issue. This is all-new, but it’s also familiar. It’s a full reboot, right back to the beginning, but it’s set in 2019. Everything you know and love about Buffy -- the world, the characters, the humor, the heart -- are all here, but it all feels strange and, well, new. If you read the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers comics from BOOM!, you may be familiar with this feeling, as those comics pull off something similar, offering new takes on the setting, characters and stories beloved by fans.

There are a few cheeky nods here and there to what’s come previously: Xander’s “Grr. Argh” as he imitates a vampire; Buffy telling Willow that “even she” could be a witch if she wanted to be; Willow asking about werewolves. Yet there’s nothing that goes out of the way to appeal to longtime fans. It would be jarring if the past were repeatedly referenced in tongue-in-cheek ways. This is a new beginning for everyone involved, and Bellaire embraces that.

That’s not to say there aren’t things for longtime fans to love, however; the issue welcomes them with a warm hug. The faces and places look the same, and the character talk and behave the way we remember. The script has that perfect balance between weight and wisecracks, and the characters -- Buffy, Xander, Willow, Giles (plus a few surprising faces) -- are all there like you want them to be. Mora’s art goes a long way to making this feel like home, too. The original actors have clearly been referenced, but not to the detriment of Mora’s wonderfully expressive style. There’s no awful photorealism; instead, this has the essence of the actors without literally lifting from scenes of the show. Mora injects energy into the characters that bring them to life in brand new ways, and the beautiful details in the establishing shots -- not to mention the backgrounds to every scene -- make it clear that Sunnydale is going to be as much a character as any of the cast.

It would be easy for Bellaire to retread old ground with this series, and especially in this opening arc, but to her credit, there are multiple times in this issue where we veer drastically from its source. This is a new start in every way, and while it’s fun to witness past events unfold all over again -- the growing bond between Buffy and Giles, which is still so cold and confrontational here; the development of Xander and Willow’s characters, already markedly different from what we know -- what’s more exciting is seeing what is done now that the slate truly is clean.

With this unpredictability is an energy that's not been felt in this franchise in years. Even the later seasons of the show didn’t shine as brightly as this issue, which might be considered sacrilegious in some circles, but nevertheless true. Whether you’re a new fan or old, reading through this debut feels like the first exciting step on a new adventure. Welcome back to the Hellmouth, Buffy. We’ve missed you.

https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/01...layer-1-review

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Gets a Much-Needed Fresh Start (Buffy the Vampire Slayer #1 Review)

Still slaying after all these years.

By Jesse Schedeen

BOOM! Studios is taking a fairly risky approach to its first Buffy comic. Buffy the Vampire Slayer #1 isn't a continuation of the long-running sequel saga Dark Horse published from 2007 through 2018. Nor is it a tie-in to the original TV series. It's instead a complete reboot that overhauls the Buffy mythos for 2019. While that approach threatens to alienate long-time Buffy fans, the new series actually strikes a very delicate balance. It retains the spirit of the old Buffy while also giving newbies an easy jumping-on point to the franchise.

It helps that there's nothing radically different about this rebooted Buffy. Writer Jordie Bellaire and artist Dan Mora aren't attempting to reinvent the Slayer wheel here. Even describing the new series as "Ultimate Buffy" overstates the differences. This is still the story of Buffy Summers moving to Sunnydale and trying to balance the pressures of high school with her vampire-hunting responsibilities. The characters all still closely resemble their respective actors. This first issue makes it clear that the new series will follow its own path in terms of plotting and the order in which certain major characters are introduced, but also that it won't be making changes simply for the sake of change.

It's actually pretty impressive how much this first issue manages the seemingly contradictory task of giving the franchise a clean slate while still appealing to existing fans. The formula survives intact, but the plot is just different enough to differentiate the comic from what's come before. Bellaire is able to channel Joss Whedon's distinctive voice without the book feeling slavishly devoted to that voice. There's both a comfortable familiarity and an exciting freshness to the series. The characters survive intact, even if their personalities and relationships are subtly tweaked for the 2019.

It's a huge help having artist Dan Mora on board for this project. Mora has a singular talent for handling licensed comics. He's able to capture the essence of his characters without being forced to rely on stilted photo-reference. Mora's Buffy is a dead ringer for Sarah Michelle Gellar. The same for Xander/Nicholas Brendon and Willow/Alyson Hannigan. But in all cases, the characters have a playful energy and sense of style that firmly differentiates the comic from the source material. Between that and the generally effective blend of comedy and horror Mora is able to craft in these pages, this may well go down as the best-looking Buffy comic yet published.

Most importantly, this issue is something that can easily be read and enjoyed without any prior exposure to the franchise. It makes a clean break from the past even as in acknowledges that past in various tongue-in-cheek ways. There's no reason this reboot should work as well as it does, but there's no doubt that Buffy and friends have found a great new home.

The Verdict

As risky and disaster-prone as it might sound on paper, BOOM's new Buffy the Vampire Slayer comic immediately reinvigorates a long-running property. This series doesn't go overboard trying to overhaul the source material. Instead, it gives the characters a fresh start and builds up a new take on Buffy;s world that's both comfortably familiar and excitingly new. It's a book that should please Buffy fans of all types.

8.8

Great

Buffy the Vampire Slayer #1 manages to reboot a long-running franchise without losing its core appeal.


Preview pages for Buffy # 2.

New Buffy series from BOOM! officially announced! - Page 29

[comic fan]

I finally have BOOM! Buffy # 1.

I ended up not being able to get to my comic shop yesterday as I planed and ended up going this morning.I just finished reading the first issue.

First I want to mention that since this is a reboot.I'm approaching this like I do all reboots.As a fresh start and put my baggage from the previous version to the side.For example I actually liked the 2016 Ghostbusters.I feel like one of the few who did.I put aside my love of the previous films and approached it
fresh and ending up finding it a fun film.I'm sort of divided on the recent news as a result.On the one hand,I would of been up for a sequel to that but at the same time,I'm looking forward to a proper Ghostbusters 3 that we're getting in July 2020.

So with that said.What did I think of this first issue of the rebooted Buffy?

I liked it.I thought it had the vibe of the original show but with a fresh paint job.

I liked the new takes on the characters and their first meeting here.

Giles is probably the most like the original version.

I also enjoyed some the re-jiggering of later canon into here such

as the intro of Anya and bringing in this new version of Dru.Also liked

the Wolfram & Hart mention.

I think the art is good.

Overall I enjoyed and i'm in for the rest of this arc at the very least..

[comic fan]

Buffy Sollicitation for April 2019.

https://www.newsarama.com/43673-boom...citations.html

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #4

Publisher : BOOM! Studios
Retail Price : $3.99
Writer: Jordie Bellaire
Artist: Dan Mora
Cover Artists:
Main Cover A: Matthew Taylor
Main Cover B: Kevin Wada
Main Cover C: Fefei Ruan
Preorder Cover D: Paul Mann
Incentive Cover E: Jenny Frisson
Incentive Cover F: Jenny Frisson

Synopsis: This is the issue no BUFFY fan can miss! In the shocking conclusion of the first story arc of the most-anticipated reVAMP of 2019, someone from the Scooby gang must make the ultimate sacrifice. And don't miss the massive first appearance that will have everyone talking!

[BlackWhiteRose]

Thanks for the news.

[comic fan]

More Preview pages for Buffy # 2.

New Buffy series from BOOM! officially announced! - Page 32

[comic fan]

Preview pages for Buffy # 3.

The Skies Get Hellish In This Exclusive Preview Of Buffy The Vampire Slayer #3 – COMICON

[comic fan]

Buffy # 2 preview pages with dialog.

Buffy comics officially moving to Boom - Page 13

[comic fan]

https://www.bleedingcool.com/2019/02...sells-buffy-2/

Buffy The Vampire Slayer #3 Outsells Buffy #2

Posted by Rich Johnston February 22, 2019

It doesn’t happen a lot. Green Arrow after DC Rebirth was one. Immortal Hulk has been another. Thanos too. A couple of the Ahoy Comics titles of late.

A continuing series that puts on sales is a rare beast. It generally means an underrated comic book with retailers unwilling to risk ordering non-returnable comics, given that it is expected that with every issue someone will decide to stop reading it. It’s called attrition and everyone seems to expect it. Which is why you get all those relaunches, as an attempt to persuade people to jump back on. Though it can also persuade others to jump off too.

You get the big splashy launch and then sales diminish upwards of 50% between the first two issues and don’t stop falling with each subsequent release. And they definitely don’t increase orders from issue #2 to issue #3.

Unless you’re Buffy The Vampire Slayer from Boom.

Issue #1 sold out of its 41,000 print run. The secret variants are still selling for a nice price. And next Wednesday, issue #2 hits stores with the first appearances of Spike, Robin Wood, Cordelia and Willow’s new girlfriend Rose Yup. Right now that’s roughly 25,000 units sold.

But issue #3, the one we told you ties to a pretty big surprise item shipping alongside the fourth issue? Rather than falling further, that jumped a thousand copies to 26,000 sold.

So now we have Buffy The Vampire Slayer #2 hitting stores next week with those first rebooted appearances, the beginning of a Buffy/Robin romance, the new Willow romance and, what I’m told, will be hints of a potential divisive new pairing that some Angel purists fans will…have strong feelings about, to say the least. You can expect we’ll probably spoil it for you if you ask nicely…

It’s looking like Buffy The Vampire Slayer #2will end up being the rarest issue of the series if these sales continue to hold strong, as we’ve seen with sister series Firefly. And is expected to also sell out before it hits stores.

Kinda makes you wonder what could be so big about that fourth issue, doesn’t it?


The potential divisive new pairing Angel purist comment has me intrigued.

Since this is a reboot,I'm more open to doing something wild or radical.