[Ace Of Hearts]

Thanks!

[comic fan]

Part 1 of the WW13 Buffy S9 panel on you tube

Buffy Season 9 The Final Arc Panel at WonderCon 3/30/13 Jane Espenson Andrew Chambliss Part 1/2 - YouTube

screencap of two of the Buffy covers revealed at WC.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/0577c3b83...h6h2o1_500.png



ETA

Part 2 of the panel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UB4Zu...ature=youtu.be

[comic fan]

CBR's report from the WC13 Buffy S9 panel

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?p...ticle&id=44684

WC13: Gage, Espenson, Jeanty & Chambliss Wrap "Buffy" Season 9

Dark Horse and creators Christos Gage, Jane Espenson, Georges Jeanty & Andrew Chambliss visited WonderCon to talk about the upcoming finales of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel & Faith."

Josh Bell, Contributing Writer

"Buffy" creator Joss Whedon may not have been at Dark Horse Comics' "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" panel at WonderCon in Anaheim, but his presence was very much felt. Dark Horse's director of public relations, Jeremy Atkins, introduced panelists Christos Gage (writer of "Angel & Faith"), Jane Espenson ("Buffy" TV writer and occasional "Buffy" comics writer), Georges Jeanty (longtime "Buffy" artist) and Andrew Chambliss (ongoing writer of the "Buffy" comic book), and all four repeatedly invoked Whedon's name when talking about the driving force behind the "Buffy" comic books.

Atkins projected slides of recent "Buffy" artwork as he talked to the panelists and Gage and Chambliss gave the crowd updates on where their respective storylines stand as Season 9 of "Buffy" comes to a close. "It won't be the very last issue of the season when you find out whether or not [Angel and Faith] succeed at resurrecting Giles," Gage promised. Chambliss said Buffy has "spent a lot of the season kind of coming to terms with what she did to the seed." In the final arc, "It's all starting to come home for Buffy in a personal way."

Espenson talked about the story she's working on for issue #25 of "Dark Horse Presents" featuring her Billy the Vampire Slayer character. "I love that character, and it was great to see what he's doing now," she said. The story will have "both adventure aspects and relationship aspects," Espenson said. "It doesn't just fold Billy in without comment, but it doesn't make it all about his gayness."

Atkins asked each panelist about their background with Buffy before coming to work on the comics. "I had never seen 'Buffy' or 'Angel,'" Gage said. His introduction to Whedon's work came via the "Astonishing X-Men" series Whedon wrote for Marvel Comics. "To me it was the best X-Men I had read since the Chris Claremont/John Byrne era," the writer said. After getting hired by Dark Horse, Gage dove into the "Buffy" and "Angel" TV series. "I watched all the shows and just became a total fan," he said. He and his wife just finished watching Whedon's "Firefly," which drew plenty of cheers, and he mentioned having "Dollhouse" queued up next.

"I never watched the show before I got the job," Jeanty said. He was only set to draw the first four or five issues of the "Season 8" series, but Dark Horse Editor-in-Chief Scott Allie took him aside and said, "Trust me, this is bigger than you think," and he's now been on the series for nearly five years, and is a fan of the characters.

"I was definitely a fan before," said Chambliss, who worked with Whedon as a writer on "Dollhouse," alongside other frequent Whedon collaborators Espenson and Tim Minear. "I would always come home from work and rewatch stuff so I would know what they were referring to" in the writers' room, he said.

Atkins asked about the way the original show has stood the test of time. "I think it's the human universality that Joss brings to all his characters," Gage said. "I think in 50 years or 100 years when everyone is going to school on the internet, 'Buffy' will still speak to people."

Espenson said she was used to young women telling her how much the show meant to them, but that there have been just as many young men saying the same thing. "This show had a message for young people that went beyond even what we thought it was saying," she said.

"This could easily be Willow's show or Xander's show or Spike's show," Jeanty said. "There are so many characters that people have fallen in love with. I run into so many people that say they don't even like Buffy, but they love the show. I think if it was just Buffy for seven years, we wouldn't be talking about it for this long."

The panel then took up the topic of the final arc in each book. Gage reiterated that readers would find out soon whether Angel and Faith had succeeded in resurrecting Giles. Beyond that, "There will be big fighting. That's about all I can say."

For Espenson's "Dark Horse Presents" story, "You're going to learn a little something about zompires, and you're going to learn it from a very unexpected source," she said.

Chambliss revealed that the title of his final arc is "The Core," which "refers to the coming together of the core group of the Scoobies, but it also refers to the locale of the big showdown," he said. "We'll be going down to the middle of the Earth."

From there, the panel moved into questions from fans, who, Atkins noted, had far more to ask than he did. The first wanted to know about the possibility of crossover with another Whedon property, "Cabin in the Woods," which the panel dismissed, although Jeanty did suggest he might draw a character wearing a "Cabin in the Woods" T-shirt.

A fan asked about the planned "Drusilla" miniseries written by actress Juliet Landau, which was postponed indefinitely. "As I understand, Juliet got cast in a bunch of things at once," Gage said.

"We would still really like to do more Drusilla, and we would like to do more with Juliet," Atkins said, but it depends on her schedule. "It turns out that actresses are really busy."

Asked to describe their final arc in a single word, Chambliss chose "friends," Jeanty picked "loss," Espenson used "epic," and Gage said he couldn't boil his arc down to a single word, but did reveal the title: "What You Want, Not What You Need."

The next question was about the creative freedom the writers had from Whedon to expand on the universe he created. "He's really involved," Chambliss said, but "when he hears a good idea, he wants to do it. It's not about where it came from."

Gage said certain big developments, like Whistler's origin story and the season ending of "Angel & Faith," had to be run by Whedon early on, but other things he would catch later when reading scripts. Gage mentioned the way he originally wrote Giles' father, which Whedon thought was too close to Wesley's father, and so Gage went back and changed the relationship so that instead of seeing his father as a cold authoritarian, Giles experienced more of a generation gap. "It's all about what makes the best story in the end," Gage said.

A fan asked about the possibility of an animated movie adapted from season eight or season nine, along the lines of DC's direct-to-video animated movies. Jeanty pointed out that the motion comics were available on DVD, although he was frustrated with how they turned out. "I just wish they would've asked me, because there were so many little things in the artwork that I could have gotten so much better," he said.

The next question was about how "Buffy" had changed their lives. "I think it's affected everything else that I've written since seeing it," Gage said, with Espenson and Chambliss in agreement. They all said their writing had been informed by Whedon's style since seeing his shows or working with him. "It's that approach that it's all about the people," Gage said.

"'Buffy' has allowed me to travel," Jeanty said, citing his appearances at "Buffy" conventions around the world. "I have been to all these cool places that I never would have gone if it weren't for 'Buffy.'"

Asked about the possibility of more "Dollhouse" comic books from Dark Horse, Atkins said that the original "Dollhouse" miniseries sold well, and that while there are no "Dollhouse" series in the works at the moment, "I can safely say that I don't think we're done with those characters." He noted that all of Whedon's titles sell well. "We could have a 'Serenity' ongoing and sell **** tons of it every month," he said, but "we really want to have Joss involved." That said, there will be a new "Serenity" miniseries later this year.

The final question was about the hardest part of working on season nine for each of the panelists. Both Gage and Chambliss said that writing their first arc was the hardest. "I was like, 'Oh my God, I am going to totally screw this up,' or, 'What if he hates it?'" Gage said.

For Chambliss, it was taking over the ongoing series after Whedon wrote the first issue. "It was really intimidating to pick that up."

"The hardest thing for me artistically was doing the arc with Oz in Tibet [during Season 8]," Jeanty said. The arc, written by Espenson, had a huge number of characters from the show, and even new characters with photo references such as Oz' wife, whom Espenson wanted to look like "Dollhouse" actress Dichen Lachman. "It's one thing to have to draw somebody and have their photo reference," Jeanty said. "It's another thing to draw seven of them on every page."

Stay tuned to CBR News for more coverage of all the "Buffy" Season 9 titles.

[comic fan]

Rebekah Isaacs Slayalive Q/A for Angel & Faith # 20.

Spoilers *COMPLETE* Q&A with Rebekah Isaacs for ANGEL & FAITH #20

[comic fan]

Christos Gage video interview from Wonder Con 2013.

WonderCon 2013: Writer Christos Gage on Wrapping Up 'Angel & Faith' and the Final Fate of Giles!

WonderCon 2013: Writer Christos Gage on Wrapping Up 'Angel & Faith' and the Final Fate of Giles!

Written by Bryant Dillon, Fanboy Comics President
Friday, 05 April 2013



At WonderCon 2013, Fanboy Comics President Bryant Dillon catches up with writer Christos Gage (Angel & Faith) regarding the final fate of Giles, the latest fan controversy dealing with Spike and Angel's treatment of Harmony, and speculation on who from the Marvel universe should take on the dark slayer and the vampire with a soul

WonderCon 2013: Writer Christos Gage On Wrapping Up 'Angel & Faith' And The Final Fate Of Giles! - YouTube


A couple of points.

1)As revealed in the last arc.Giles did not have a natural death like we thought(his soul belonged to Eyghon) which is why he could potentially be ressurected.

2)The Eyghon thing was Jane Espenson's idea.

3)Issue 21 and 22 is when Angel and Faith are going to try something.

4)Gage talks about how he handled Spike in the issue.Spike's acts a cetain way around Angel and vice versa.They both envy each other a bit.If Spike stuck arounf the rest of the season,Gage wouldn't of continued to write him just like in # 19-20.

5)Gage is not allowed to say anything about season 10 when asked of Angel & Faith will continue post season 9.All he can say is that there will be a season 10 and he and Rebekah Isaacs will be involved in some way.Arond San Diago Comic Con,more info might come.

[comic fan]

Leyki's review of Buffy S9 # 20 is up.Spoilers

Review, Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9 #20 (The Watcher) | Light_Watcher

ETA

I have my copy of Buffy S9 # 20."The Watcher."

Very strong issue.Probably the strongest all season.Finally getting into Xander's head space now makes sense.I have a lot of problems with season 9,the Buffy side but in retrospect,Xander's storyline works for me now with this issue.You can sort of see the build up all season.What's happened to Dawn is the powder keg that sets it off.

I thought the flashback was perfection.If anybody was going to lose it with Angel in the aftermath of S8 # 39,it would be Xander.And Buffy stopping him plays perfect along with it.

I also thought the thing with using Andrew to relay message was the nice touch of humor this issue needed and when.Still not a fan of Andrew but thought he was used well here.

The Buffy and Willow reunion was excellent.Just loved it.

The plot with Severin and Simone and Xander going along with it.

First of all,I would be shocked if Severin and Simone aren't playing Xander in someway.But the idea of preventing Twilight.I can see why Xander would help them especially how they played on his emotions.But I also see the the Angel/Twilight parallels and how this is probably a bad move on Xander's part.

Severin and Simone I still think are weak big bads(although I do like Severin's new blue hair from draining Illyria) but if Xander does join them by helping them get the Vampr book,it atleast adds a little more emotional weight to their threat.

I just can't see the climax of the season being a repeat of the climax of Angel:After The Fall.I had problems with that ending then and would be disappointed if they repeat it here.

So I'm very happy overall with this issue.Buffy's side of season 9 has been mostly a disappointment but the recent issues keep improving IMO which I'm glad to see.

[comic fan]

Andrew Chambliss and Geroges Jeanty video interview from Wonder Con 2013.

WonderCon 2013: Andrew Chambliss and Georges Jeanty Tease the Finale of 'Buffy: Season 9'

WonderCon 2013: Andrew Chambliss and Georges Jeanty Tease the Finale of 'Buffy: Season 9'

Written by Bryant Dillon, Fanboy Comics President
Thursday, 11 April 2013



At WonderCon 2013, Fanboy Comics President Bryant Dillon talks with writer Andrew Chambliss and artist Georges Jeanty regarding the coming end of Buffy: Season 9, whether Buffy should age in the comics, and more.

WonderCon 2013: Andrew Chambliss & Georges Jeanty Tease The Finale Of 'Buffy: Season 9' - YouTube


Bullet points.

1)They were both glad to have Robin Wood back briefly and Chambliss enjoyed writing the Nikki Wood flashback.It would be cool to have Robin back with the team.

2)We're going to have to wait longer for addressing Buffy's trip to the Fray future and her encounter with Dark Willow there.There is good Willow stuff coming up(starting in this week's issue IMO).The Fray future won't be tackled by the end of season 9.

3)Whether magic returns or not is up for grabs but what happened with the seed will always effect Buffy.She's currently realizing the personal costs it had for her.That's going to stay with her passt the end of this season.

4)Jeanty hasn't heard anything about season 10 himself.He doesn't know anything about it.Chambliss hopes to be around for season 10(It sounds like unlike Christos Gage,Andrew Chambliss and Georges Jeanty aren't set yet for season 10 but want to be involved).

5)They talk a bit about the other slayer characters.Georges misses Satsu from this season.

6)They talk about aging Buffy.Should she age?Jeanty says that with Buffy in her 20's,How much aging can you really do from like 18 to 20's?

7)Talking about life events Buffy has experienced over the series and comics.Chambliss would like to see her eventually take on a family and be with someone who can handle her life.Building family whether that's with people already around her or someone new.Georges would like to see a arc where Buffy gets paranoid and realizes she's now the oldest slayer to have ever lived.Buffy dealing with paranoia that she has now lived past her expiration date.

ETA

Preview pages for Angel & Faith # 21.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?p...eview&id=16051

EXCL. PREVIEW: Gage & Isaacs' "Angel & Faith" #21

Courtesy of Dark Horse, CBR presents an exclusive preview of "Angel & Faith" #21 by Christos Gage and Rebekah Isaacs. Season 9's Big Bads put their plan into action April 24.



The time has come for Angel to make good on his promise to resurrect Giles—but at the same time, Season 9’s Big Bads, Pearl and Nash, together with Angel’s own mentor, Whistler, gather the final pieces needed to harness the last magical powers on Earth for their own apocalyptic plan.

Final arc begins!










ETA 2

Dark Horse July 2013 solicitations

http://www.newsarama.com/comics/dark...citations.html

DARK HORSE July 2013 Solicitations

By Newsarama Staff
posted: 11 April 2013

THE SCOOBIES REUNITE TO SAVE DAWN!

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SEASON 9 #23

Andrew Chambliss (W), Georges Jeanty (A/Variant cover), Karl Story (I), Michelle Madsen (C), and Phil Noto (Cover)

On sale July 10
FC, 32 pages
$2.99
Ongoing

Dawn’s life hangs in the balance, and Buffy will stop at nothing to save her little sis. Willow, Xander, and Buffy reunite to save the girl they love and begin a journey that reveals betrayal amongst the ranks as they descend into the mysterious Deeper Well, former home of Illyria and many powerful Old Ones.

• Executive produced by Joss Whedon!

“Season 9's strongest quality so far is that it feels very much like a return to basics for the franchise. Essentially, Season 9 tells stories in the style of the original TV show without having to make the same sorts of budgetary concessions.” –IGN





ANGEL & FAITH #24

Christos Gage (W), Rebekah Isaacs (A/Variant cover), Dan Jackson (C), and Steve Morris (Cover)

On sale July 31
FC, 32 pages
$2.99
Ongoing

Angel and Faith will need all the help they can get when it comes to stopping this season's ubervillains from unleashing a magic-fueled plague on the earth. Enter an archmage, a former Watcher, and two socialites who’ve dabbled in magic . . . Will it be enough?

• Final Arc!

• Battle to the death!

“Joss Whedon fans, you need this comic.”—CBR





ANGEL & FAITH VOLUME 4: DEATH AND CONSEQUENCES TP

Christos Gage (W), Rebekah Isaacs (A), Dan Jackson (C), and Steve Morris (Cover)

On sale Sept 18
FC, 136 pages
$18.99
TP, 7” x 10”

When a demon from Giles’s past emerges in London, Angel has his chance to capture the final piece of Giles’s soul. But when Faith’s innocent Slayer friends end up standing between the guilt-ridden vampire and his prize, Angel is unwilling to sacrifice new lives for one that was already lost—even if it destroys his quest altogether!

• Executive produced by Joss Whedon!




Dark Horse will be holding a twitter chat next Thursday with the enite season 9 writing team.

http://www.darkhorse.com/Blog/1361/b...e-twitter-chat

Buffy Season 9 Writers Live Twitter Chat Co-Hosted with Buffyfest

04/11/2013



Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9 is gearing up for the final arcs of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel & Faith comics and we're stoked to see how this season's climax brings the scoobies back together. We've joined forces with Buffyfest to cohost a chat with all of the writers of the Season 9 comics!

Join @buffyfest and @DarkHorseComics next Thursday, April 18th at 5pm Pacific Time for a Live Twitter Chat with writers Andrew Chambliss, Christos Gage, Jane Espenson, Drew Greenberg, Victor Gischler, Jeff Parker

Follow: @andrewchambliss, @christosgage, @janeEspenson, @drewZachary, @victorgischler, @jeffparker

We'll be taking over the Dark Horse Twitter feed for one hour next Thursday April 18th to chat with Season 9 Writers about the season and the various comics that have brought us to this final arc and what it's like writing for one of the most beloved pop-culture series!

We will host the chat using the #BuffyS9Chat hashtag.

Join us to ask your questions about the series, the writing process, and what we can expect from our favorite heroes in the future in this #BuffyS9Chat!

Participants will have the opportunity to win prizes! One (1) Grand Prize winner will win all four (4) volumes of the Season 8 Library Edition Hardcovers. Two other winners we'll receive a signed copy of Angel & Faith Vol. 1 TPB, signed by Christos Gage!

We'll pick three (3) random winners that qualify and work with you to ship your prizes to you! Participants must use the Hashtag #BuffyS9Chat in at least 3 separate tweets with appropriate questions or comments. Winners will be chosen randomly at Dark Horse Comics discretion. (Prizes available only to US Residents...Sorry)

Make sure you're prepared for this incredible #BuffyS9Chat!

[Ace Of Hearts]

Awesome artwork, as usual.

Thanks comic fan!

[comic fan]

SueB and Bunnyhearts at Slayalive has been transcribing the twitter Q/A with the season 9 writers grouped by topics.It's not a full transcript but hits many of the major things

Spoilers Buffyverse Season 9: News Nexus - Page 102

Here's a brief bulletpoint summary from her at same link.

BIG Things I remember. Will UPDATE THIS LIST after I compile the rest (it's going to take a while):

- S9 will end on a cliffhanger for both series. There will be NO crossover but there is a "subtly unified" ending at the same time.
- S10 summit happened a month ago. Buffy is confirmed (but not announced yet). No confirmation (or denial) on the A&F front.
- 2 characters will die on A&F, characters will die in BtVS "Actions have consequences". SueB Comment: Could be the villains so I'm not panicking.
- That Xander has PTSD is "on the right track"
- A non-answer to the significance of the Alice in Wonderland answers
- One word to describe the NEXT A&F issue: "Resurrection" (***ETA: Gage won't commit on whether or not it works***)
- MASSIVE action sequence in The Deeper Well
- Is Dawn fading in their memories or just the picture? Jane E. answer: whichever is the most dramatic.

Compiling now, update later.
UPDATE #1: We will find out the fate of Giles in A&F #21 & #22 (also #22 is Christos' favorite).
UPDATE #2: Whatever Buffy read about when she was in the future and was "too ridiculous" is still up for grabs in S10.
UPDATE #3: From Christos Gage:

@Mr_brooks007: so could it be that "the biggest betrayal" which was mentioned all the way back in S8 is Xander?
@Christosgage: No the biggest betrayal in S8 was Buffy betraying herself. I believe Joss said so. UPDATE #4: The "Dawn never needs to know" secret was that Xander "snapped" and almost killed Angel.

Status as of 11:11pm EDT: I've posted the "big news" for S10. Hit the link to see the pic. Bunny Hearts has a second very long string she'll post. I'll come back with the rest tomorrow.

transcript grouped by subject

First topic: S10 Summit Comments

@Christosgage: So about a month ago this happened pic.twitter.com/Ykw6GYdFom

@hann23 : shiny! Where was that?
þ@Christosgage: That was in Los Angeles at an undisclosed location
@JaneEspenson: Even with his huge success in features, Joss was so eager to dive into talk about the books. Inspiring.

@Paul Tobin: Why weren't you letting @ScottAllie wear shoes? Is it because he always runs away if you don't take them?
@Christosgage:The thing is @ScottAllie always has such awesome shoes I mug him for them

@JohnMusiM: Will Angel & Faith continue in season 10?
þ @Christosgage: Ask @ScottAllie

@LHJ19: You teased some news the other day that Scott Allie said you could spill?Can you spill it now?
@Christosgage: That pic I tweeted was the official Buffyverse Comics Season 10 Summit. Hey is that @NicholasBrendon ?
@Christosgage: I was referring to the fact that we had the Season 10 summit! Now it can be revealed!
@JaneEspenson: And that is @NicholasBrendon, who joined us!
@Christosgage: So cool to see the love Joss & @NicholasBrendon still have for each other. Manly love.
@VictorGischler: A lot of good stuff that day. I'm in awe of everyone's creativity

@Willowy04: Been a Buffy fan since 97, don't know those last three folks on the right. Helpy?
@Christosgage: That's @VictorGischler far right, then me, then my wife Ruth there for an outsider's (and accomplished writer's) POV
@VictorGischler: I'm the one that looks like I live on beer and chicken wings. *burp*

@jmdepaolis Will Angel and Faith continue in S10 or are both those characters rejoining the main Buffy title?
@Christosgage: I don't think I can say. There will be a S10 Buffy book. Past that S10 info must be revealed by a drunk @ScottAllie

@kostaszomgas : Was wondering, with all this big talented team how do you decide on a single storyline?
@JaneEspenson: Joss was there.
@AndrewChambliss: With Joss, the best idea always wins in the room, no matter who it comes from

þ@Christosgage: Highlight of the Season 10 summit may just have been @JaneEspenson 's impression of SNL's Stefon.
@JaneEspenson: Which is pretty much my impression of @GoCheeksGo's impression of Stefon.
@Christosgage: Now I gotta come to another one of your #Husbands signings and request that
@JaneEspenson: Oh! Please do! Our next stop: C2E2, then Seattle on April 30
**@DrewZachary (Drew Greenberg): Dr. Pepper.
@VictorGischler: The Highlight for me was being in awe of all the talent and Buffy-caring pros.
@DrewZachary (Drew Greenberg): I liked the goat cheese. Also the people.
@Christosgage: THERE WAS GOAT CHEESE? Worst summit ever, I didn't get any.
@DrewZachary (Drew Greenberg): Well, yeah. 'Cause I ate it all.
@JaneEspenson: There was a lot of cheese and grapes. I loved that.
@VictorGischler: I wouldn't know. I was the new guy and had to sit in the closet.
@Christosgage: Come out of the closet, Victor. Rainbow. Pride.
@VictorGischler: It was more of a "shut up, rookie" closet. Why did you all kick me so much?
@JaneEspenson: "Rainbow....power."
@Christosgage: No 4 real the summit was magic. Better than the S9 one which was magic too.
@VictorGischler: I agree that it was pretty awesome. So many smart people
**I believe this was in part of this thread, not positive.

Re-arranged a few of the conversation threads to go with the question they're responding to.

BunnyHearts1: For those of you who do it, how difficult is it to shift from TV writing to comics writing?
Christos Gage: For me not much. Some TV writers get too talky in comics. Breaking up into actions panels takes practice.
AndrewChambliss: You have to do a lot more work on the page for comics. You don't have a director, actor, etc making decisions.
Drew Z Greenberg: I found my first exhausting. Writing, directing, cinematography-ing, acting... but you get used to it &it eases up.
Jane Espenson: I have to trim back my dialogue like crazy when I write comics. Feels like having my tongue tied behind my back.
Drew Z Greenberg: I think Scott Allie can attest I have, on occasion, flirted with talkiness.
Jane Espenson: Writing comics is soooo much harder. More like directing.

Ann: So the writers are the ones who decide what dialogue goes in which panel? I always figured there was some panel guru.
Christos Gage: Usually writers decide what panel dialogue goes in so artist draws proper body language. It can change.
Jane Espenson: The writer says what line goes where, but the artist can call foul, ask to move it.

Harvey Jacobs: (to Chambliss) Would you want to write Buffy in season 10 or a different book next season?
Andrew Chambliss: Not sure who's going to end up writing what... I'm just excited to be anywhere in the Buffyverse!

Arielle del Calzada: (to Gage) More on those darn g-aunts, how did u come up with the names? Nvr heard of them. Name book right lol
Christos Gage: Joss came up with their names! Lavinia and Sophronia. Not sure where he got them but I love 'em.
Arielle del Calzada: guhhh leave it to joss to come up with the most gorgeous names to use

LHJ19: (to Espenson) When Buffy and Angel finally interact again. Would you want to write that scene?
Jane Espenson: Hm. I would love to try, but I actually never wrote that much Angel. Others are more qualified.

These focus on S9 of the specific BtVS comic (from the first 30 minutes of the tweet):


@Jordan Holliday6: why were classic scoobies xander and dawn ignored for 18 issues practically?
@JaneEspenson: why were xander and dawn ignored? Sometimes it's worth waiting for the room to tell the story right.
@AndrewChambliss: Jane's right… their story packs the biggest blow by having it in the final arc

@SnazzyO: Was Xander talking about almost killing Angel in S9 Issue 1 when he said “Dawn never needs to know.”
@AndrewChambliss: Yep, Xander didn't want Dawn to know that he snapped

@hann23 Was it planned that Dawn would be affected back when Buffy broke the seed?
@JaneEspenson that was an idea that we came up with at the S9 Buffy writer's summit
@AndrewChambliss: I think the idea first came from @DrewZachary
@DrewZachary:It seemed like a rich way to explore human consequences of losing the seed
@AndrewChambliss: it was a great idea that really brought the consequences of the seed's destruction home for Buffy
that was always the plan. Look back at S9 #1 and you'll see Xander and Buffy refer to it

@hann23 : I really glad to have Xander's flashback to Giles's death. Was that also planned, or did you write it?
@AndrewChambliss: that was always the plan. Look back at S9 #1 and you'll see Xander and Buffy refer to it

We also got this tidbit:

@annstarrr: How much input do the TV show actors have into their character's comic plot?
@JaneEspensonLittle or none. A sweeping story tends to need to be guided from above with Joss-like vision to have coherency.

ANGEL & FAITH (from first 30 min):

@smmilitello: why were Angel & Faith choosen to team up? any other team ups you would like to see in the buffyverse?
@Christosgage: Joss thought Angel & Faith should team up. Good enough for me! I want a Harmony/Lavinia/Sophronia book

No actual question found but good “answer”:
@Christosgage: No the last A&F arc is mostly bringing all the story threads together. No new cameos.

@LHJ19: Can you give a one word tease for the next issue?
@Christosgage: Is that issue 21? One word tease: Resurrection. Too bad you didn't give me 2 words, I could've said if it works.

@SnazzyO: Fun use of the Vopol blade in A&F. Alice in Wonderland references more than once. Easter Eggs or a theme?
@Christosgage: I figured a regular old blade couldn't kill Eyghon so easily so, Vorpal.

@Aoftheavenue on a scale of 1-10 how was ur Brit accent when writing the great aunts?
@Christosgage: LOL ask a Brit. I apologize to all Brits & the Queen for mangling British accents.

@SnazzyO: Did either BtVS or AtS ever have an archmage as a character before?I’m not sure what Vail was.
@Christosgage: I'm honestly not sure what specifically an Archmage is, I just liked the way it sounded.
@JaneEspenson: One of the writers in the #OUAT room had never heard of a mage! Can you believe it?
@SnazzyOid you school them? Please. It's essential genre knowledge.
@Christosgage: Y'all gotta have a D&D session (intervention?) in that room ASAP
@SnazzyO: Exactly.
@JaneEspenson: Oh yes.

@Mischlings: Was it intentional that Lavinia resemble Faith, or am I just crazy? It's gotten me confused in a few scenes...
@Christosgage: The Aunts were loosely modeled on Anthony S. Head's daughters who were to play them in the Ripper TV show
@Mischlings: In other words, coincidence and I'm getting confused for no reason. Not the first time that's happened.

@Aoftheavenue: and more on those darn g-aunts, how did u come up with their names? Nvr heard of them. Name book right lol
@Christogage: Joss came up with their names! Lavinia and Sophronia. Not sure where he got them but I love 'em.
@Aoftheavenue: guhhh leave it to joss to come up with the most gorgeous names to use

BTVS S10 Extrabits:

@ShinyAlex: Season 8 was very epic and 9 has been more intimate. Will season 10 continue in that vein?
@AndrewChambliss: The goal is to tell stories about characters so I'd say intimate. But it is Buffy so everything's always epic WILLOW

WONDERLAND:

@BunnyHearts1: Question for @jeffparker In Willow #4 in the one page group shot toward the beginning, who is the brunette in the back row?
@Christosgage: Was it Dawn? Or Kennedy?

SPIKE MINI-SERIES

@buffyfest Our hearts mourn for Sebastian. Please say he will be resurrected as the big bad this season?
@VictorGishler:Not sure that's in the cards. But I grew to luv the bugs while writing Spike. A nice surprise.
@VictorGishler: But if I made people "feel" for Sebastian, then I'm grateful to have done my job.
@JaneEspenson: I loved the bugs as well! They make me laugh.
@buffyfest : We grew to love the bugs too!! Who knew?
@VictorGishler: Thanks! I owe you eleven dollars for saying that.

ETA

Buffyfest full recap of last night's twitter Q/A with season 9 writers.

http://buffyfest.blogspot.com/2013/0...chat-with.html

[Ace Of Hearts]

Thanks for the news!

[comic fan]

Preview pages for Buffy # 21.

Preview: Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 9 #21 - Comic Book Resources

EXCL PREVIEW: "Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 9" #21

Courtesy of Dark Horse Comics, CBR has an exclusive preview of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9" #21 by Andrew Chambliss and Georges Jeanty. Buffy, Willow and Xander begin a new mission as a team May 8



The Scoobies are together again—and just in time! Buffy, Willow, and Xander begin a new mission as a team in order to protect something very dear to them all. But evildoers Simone and Severin have their own plans and are ready to undermine the happy reunion!

[comic fan]

A review of today's Angel & Faith # 21.

https://webcache.googleusercontent.c...&hl=en&ct=clnk

Angel and Faith #21 Recap

Posted by Kimberly Lynn Workman



This month, we saw Angel getting closer to resurrecting Giles and Spike falling into old habits again. At this point, I’m ready to root for the enemies if the main characters aren’t going to give me much drama. Ah, the slow process of raising a dead Watcher. How long will it take?

Note: This recap may contain spoilers!

Alasdair is a character that I think has potential to be strong, yet he keeps proving how weak he is. He’s not sure of Angel’s plan and he’s certainly not ready to give up his collection of magical items just so Angel can get super-powered for the spell, yet he gives in so easily when pushed. I’m all for getting Giles back, but couldn’t some of the characters stand up to Angel without backing down immediately? It would be nice but, alas, Alasdair is not going to be that person. Now, Angel’s got the Lazarene incantation ready to go and some magic to help him along. Seems like a win-win for the vampire, right? When is it ever that simple?

In the middle of the spell, which involved not only Alasdair, Angel, and Faith, but also the aunts, they got a rude interruption. Seems like Pearl, Nash, and Whistler want to tap into Alasdair’s magical stash as well. The poor man cannot protect his items, or himself it seems, as he’s nicked in the ensuing battle. He fights on, but at what cost? And will it be worth it? Whether Alasdair lives or dies, whether Giles has been resurrected or not, we won’t know until next issue. Always with the cliffhangers.

And where was dear Spike during all of this? Well, Buffy called Faith with news of Dawn’s illness. Of course, Faith and Angel have no idea about Buffy having a little sister, but Spike knows her well and cannot stand by while the Summers family is in peril. So he’s off to lend whatever help he can, while once again proving to Buffy that he can’t quit her. I adore Spike and I want him to be happy, but this whole issue of Buffy using him while rejecting him is getting on my nerves. He deserves better. Why can’t he see that? Even going to the moon didn’t break his devotion to this woman. Until Buffy recognizes Spike for all that he’s worth, it’s just going to be a cycle of abuse and he’s going to take it. Such a sad fate of a formerly strong vampire. I wish his future was brighter.

Rating: 3 / 5 Stars


ETA

I have my copy of Angel & Faith # 21.Part I of "What you Want,Not What You Need."

Well,we're are reaching the end of the road on season 9 starting this week here and continuing in two weeks with Buffy.This is what the whole season has been building to on the Angel & Faith side of things.

Will Giles realty be brought back.I've had my doubts but after this issue,I do think he will be brought back BUT not in the way we want or as we have known him(possibly tying into the title of this arc.I mean,we want Giles back but do we need him back if he's drastically altered?)The cliffhanger end to this issue pretty much screams it to me.

This whole issue gets to the heart of the title of this arc.Angel,Faith,the aunts and even Alasdair(who admits it despite he reluctance due to the danger) want Giles back.But is that what's really best?Is that what is really needed?

I think it's a pretty telling moment when Angel admits/understands that this doesn't undo Twilight.It doesn't bring everyone else who died back or fixes all his mistakes.But at least he feels he would of put one thing right.

Ironically the big bads over in Buffy,Severin and Simone are trying to undo Twilight,bring everybody back and basically do a cosmic rewind.

This whole issue was juicy with the back and forth of Angel,Faith,Alasdair and Giles's aunts.

I also am glad they gave Spike's exit in this issue on page instead of just having him turn up over in Buffy.I suspect he'll arrive in Buffy at the end of next issue in two weeks.

Was interesting seeing Angel learn about Spike knowing Pearl and Nash and that he ran into them again in Sunnydale.

I do like the fact that Spike was going to stay and help Angel & Faith and that Angel wanted that help if they hadn't got the call from Buffy.

I also liked Angel's little reaction to Buffy calling.Wonder if he was going to tell her about bringing back Giles.

And yes,it does seem the people less close to Dawn are losing their memory of her first.Jeez,I wonder if we're going to get to that point with the Scoobies.

And with all that, we got things coming to a head with Whistler,Pearl and Nash too.

So I enjoyed this issue very much.

[comic fan]

CBR Behind Buffy S9 with Scott Allie on Buffy # 20.

BEHIND BUFFY SEASON 9: The Siphon Turns Back Time - Comic Book Resources

BEHIND BUFFY SEASON 9: The Siphon Turns Back Time

CBR spoke to Dark Horse E-i-C and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" editor Scott Allie about "Buffy" #20, gaining insight into big bad Severin's motivations and some hints of what's to come.

Daniel Glendening, Guest Contributor

In Dark Horse Comics' "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 9" #20, written by Andrew Chambliss and featuring art by Karl Moline, Buffy finds herself at something of a loss for direction. Her sister, Dawn -- a manifestation brought about by magic forces -- is dying following the destruction of the Seed of Wonder. Willow has been, for a time, missing in action as she pursues her own mission, and Xander is a slowly simmering pot of rage. Without her allies, Buffy is unsure how to pursue the current big bad, Severin, as he goes about sucking the mystical energy out of every creature he can.

In the latest installment of BEHIND BUFFY SEASON 9, CBR spoke with Dark Horse Editor-in-Chief and "Buffy" editor Scott Allie for a peek behind the curtain of the most recent issue. Parsing out the motivations of the Scoobies, in their current fractured state, Allie gives readers a look into where things might be headed as the series inches closer to its finale. New schisms are forming just as old ones close and no one knows how to stop The Siphon.




CBR News: With the conclusion of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" #19 and the "Welcome to the Team" story arc, Illyria has been stripped of her powers by Severin, the council of gods had fled, it's revealed that Dawn is dying because of the loss of magic in the world and Xander and Buffy have a bit of a rooftop spat about who's to blame for all this. As issue #20 opens, how would you characterize the state of the Scoobies?

Scott Allie: Unsteady. No one is properly connected; no one is rooted. The friendships that define these characters are all stretched thin.



As the issue opens, Xander is thinking back to the seed chamber: how he then felt useless, or powerless, just as he feels now sitting besides Dawn, unable to help her. Xander's character arc, over the whole series, has taken him from being the wisecracking joker to, now, a man pretty full of rage and frustration. Has this shift been a function of Xander simply growing up?

Uh, no, I think this is normal for a sensitive man thrust into a very high-stakes game for, like, the last nine years of his life -- fending off apocalypses willy-nilly, watching girlfriends die and, compared to his friends, being mostly powerless to stop any of it. Watching Giles die was the last straw.

Are his feelings of powerlessness and rage going to drive him to action, or is he really as useless as he feels?

Oh, he's gonna do something about it. We definitely didn't leave him sulking in the corner all season just to have him fizzle through the finale.



Xander is suddenly whisked away and confronted by Severin and rogue slayer Simone Doffler -- why are these two going to Xander, and what makes them think he'll flip?

Now that you mention it, maybe they didn't think of Andrew -- But no, Xander is the guy to go to because he's powerless, because he stands to lose the most in some ways. They perceive him not just as a weak link, but a weak link with standing. He is part of the Core Four, the Scoobies, and yet his only function right now is frustration and losing his ****. He's the target they need.



Meanwhile, as Buffy is brooding on the rooftop, Willow suddenly appears, fresh from her search for magic! Willow's return seems to lift Buffy's spirits, and the fact that she has brought back even a small amount of magic fills her with hope. It seems that without her gang working beside her, Buffy often feels lost -- do they simply give her confidence? How much does she really need her Scoobies in action?

She needs them. The thing that sets her apart from every Slayer who came before her is that she has this support system, this team of friends. Buffy, the Whedonverse, all of Joss' work is all about friendships, and Buffy is not all she can be without her friends. It's not just confidence. They are all of them better when they're together, even when they're not at their best.

Though she's missed out on a lot of the action in San Francisco, Willow has been through her own tribulations. In what ways has she changed or grown since her last appearance in "Buffy?"

In my opinion, Will has been a bit of a brat since Season 6. Maybe "brat" trivializes what happened to her in Season 6, but bottom line is that since that season she hasn't been her best self. I found her too often annoying in the first few issues of Season 9 that she was actually in. I think in the miniseries she faced a lot of that, she got better, and she's way more together than Buffy or Xander as we head into the end.



Severin reveals his plan to turn back time to Xander, and requests his help in obtaining Giles' book, "Vampyr," from Buffy. In some ways, Severin sells this plan pretty well -- he must have some ulterior motives, right?

I think one of the most interesting things Andrew [Chambliss] has done in this climax is how he's set up Severin's motives, as opposed to Simone's motives. For those still asking, these two are the Big Bads, make no mistakes. Their motives are different. The means by which they intend to get to their goals are different. Their roles in the climax are going to be different. I don't know if ulterior motives cover it, but they're both playing Xander like a fiddle, for sure.

Billy's story is left on hiatus for issue #20, but we saw him in "Buffy" #19 getting to know a bit more of Anaheed's story. Why is he absent from this issue, and will we see him back in the fray going into #21?

We really wanted to use #20 to focus on Xander's arc. As originally conceived, #20 was a standalone issue, perfect for another artist. So it made sense to leave certain threads for when Georges [Jeanty] got back. In the writing, #20 really became more of a piece with #16-19, but plans were what they were, and we were happy to reduce the cast for an issue to focus on core characters. Billy and Anaheed are back in the middle of things in #21, before they depart completely for an offshoot in Dark Horse Presents #25-27, also drawn by Karl Moline, who's probably drawn more for us this season of Buffy than anytime since "Fray."


Billy is a civilian who has, without being chosen, taken on the mantle of Slayer and is fighting the Zompire plague. On the other hand we have Simone Doffler, a chosen slayer who has cast her lot with some pretty dark forces, and who seems to be, above all, power hungry. I'm curious what your thoughts are on these two sort of opposing forces. Does this possibly have to do with where we find strength, or the role of fate versus free will?

Yeah, I see more of a lesson about fate vs. choice in these two, but maybe what we see in a story just reveals who we are. I see them as two studies in choice. Buffy was chosen -- Billy chose. Simone was chosen, but she's rejected everything good that Buffy is about.

Throughout the issue, it seems like Buffy is feeling just as powerless as Xander: unsure how to move forward, or even who or what to call on to defeat Severin. Is she simply exercising patience, or is she out of ideas?

She's somewhat out of ideas. She's more focused on Dawn than the villains, and in that she is powerless. There is nothing she can do for her sister. If she were to pop through some blue hole and kill Severin and Simone, it wouldn't help Dawn.

If Buffy doesn't stop Severin, wouldn't she lose her sister, anyway? How heavily is guilt weighing on her, and to what extent does the previous loss of her mother play into her current state?

This season to some extent has pushed Buffy to look at her own choices, her fluctuating tendency to focus too much on the big picture, or too much on the personal picture. Either way you go, either way she has gone, you sacrifice something. Think back to the "Guarded" arc, with the Tin Can guy.

Also, considering the fact that Buffy and the rest of the team function best when all are present and accounted for, how will they cope with Xander's betrayal?

I like to think there are some surprises in store there…

Stay tuned to CBR News for more on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 9."

[Ace Of Hearts]

Thanks comic fan!

[comic fan]

CBR Behind Buffy S9:Christos Gage on Angel & Faith # 21.

BEHIND BUFFY SEASON 9: Christos Gage on "Angel and Faith" #21 - Comic Book Resources

BEHIND BUFFY SEASON 9: Christos Gage on "Angel and Faith" #21

Writer Christos Gage spoke with CBR about the latest issue of "Angel & Faith" from Dark Horse Comics, checking in with the cast as they enter the final arc of the series.

Daniel Glendening, Guest Contributor

As Dark Horse Comics' "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel & Faith" enter the final arcs of "Season 9," the world is in dire straights. While the Siphon keeps Buffy's crew occupied, Buffy watches her sister Dawn fade from the world. Meanwhile, Angel and Faith are desperately trying to resurrect Rupert Giles and prevent Whistler, Pearl and Nash from establishing a veritable Hell on Earth.

"Angel & Faith" #21 marks the beginning of the end for its "Season 9" run, and is written by Christos Gage with art by Rebekah Isaacs; the issue is the calm before the storm, as things begin to escalate and the story focuses in on character and dialogue. Angel has a plan, but in order for it to succeed he must convince everyone around him to risk the chance of utter failure -- and resurrection spells in the Buffy-verse rarely go as planned.

In the latest installment of BEHIND BUFFY SEASON 9, CBR News spoke with Gage about issue #21, looking at the developments of the chapter and what they might mean as the series moves toward its conclusion. In the end, Gage hints, it won't go well for all those involved.




CBR News: Christos, issue #21 seems more focused on character building and dialog than out-and-out action. What sort of tone were you hoping to strike with this chapter?

Christos Gage: I think the action only matters if we care about the characters it's happening to. We are beginning the culmination of the quest Angel started on in issue #1 and however it turns out, it has to mean something to those concerned. That's why I wanted to make sure to explore where everyone stands and how they feel.



Angel reveals his plan to use the Lazarene Incantation to restore Giles' soul to his body, tapping a magic artifact for its energy -- a trick he picked up from Whistler. Faith appears a little uneasy with this approach. How right is she to doubt this plan?

If history is any indication, Angel has a tendency to jump right into the deep end in order to accomplish a goal, so Faith has reason to be concerned. But just because a villain thought of something doesn't mean it won't work. The bad side is, if it works for Angel, it'll work for Whistler -- and two billion people could die.

Faith gets a phone call from Buffy and learns of Dawn's failing health. What is going through Spike's mind as he learns of Dawn's illness? Also, Dawn seems to be fading from Angel and Faith's memory -- is this something akin to her fading from Xander's photographs?

Yes it is. Angel and Faith had less of a bond with Dawn -- in fact, I'm not sure Angel's ever met her for "real" -- so as the spell that gave Dawn life slowly unravels, it's only natural that they would forget her before Spike. Spike always had a special relationship with Dawn, and genuinely cares for her, almost as a big brother. He hears she's in danger, that magic's involved and he sees Angel and Faith don't remember her. So rather than waste time trying to remind them -- and perhaps recognizing they have a big thing of their own to deal with -- he hurries back to San Francisco without wasting any time, to see what he can do.



At first, Alasdair is adamantly opposed to Angel's resurrection plan, feeling his motivations are based largely in self-interest. What sparks his change of heart?

He realizes two things. One, that Angel and Faith aren't going to give up, and without Alasdair's help, both they and the world stand a much worse chance of surviving. And second, he finally admits that he misses Giles too.

Giles' great-aunts also seem hesitant to go along with Angel's plan. Sophronia, in particular, seems to expect the worst. What is stopping them from halting the plan?

They want him back, simple as that. They just want to be ready if it all goes wrong -- but they're ready to take the chance.



As Whistler, Pearl and Nash burst into the mansion to steal Coames' artifacts, they interrupt the resurrection spell. It seems Angel's resurrection plan not only may have failed, but also tipped the evil trio off to a huge source of power. What has Angel really set in motion, here?

That remains to be seen! But you're right, it was the energy of the powerful resurrection spell that caught the bad guys' notice -- something that active and strong can't be hidden by the same artifact Alasdair used to conceal his collection.



Rebekah Isaacs has been bringing some great, nasty beasts to the page, but in this issue we really see her character-drama skills shine. This is most noticeable when Alasdair has his change of heart -- his body language and expression moves from trepidation, to sadness to something like fear and anger. In developing these scenes, how much direction do you give? Does she just take the script and run with it?

Pretty much. Sometimes I'll say how the character feels, or more often just let her interpret that based on the dialogue. She's so amazing with character acting I would be doing us all a disservice to try to micromanage it. Having written both TV and comics, the one thing TV does better is let you be subtler with the dialogue and let the actors act: use the skills and emotions of a real person. Rebekah comes the closest to making two-dimensional characters on a page into real people than any artist I've ever worked with. And if you think she did a hell of a job this issue, wait until the next one!



With #21, we've entered the final arc of "Angel and Faith." Will everyone we see going into this arc make it out the other side?

No. Two characters will not survive.

"Angel and Faith" #21 is available now from Dark Horse Comic.