[comic fan]

Originally Posted by ashleyt (View Post) I'm not sure what to think about how Angel became Twilight. Maybe it'll seem better with the arts.

Here's a scan of the Buffy #36 preview page from PREVIEWS that wenxina posted at Slayalive.

SlayAlive - Season 8 - Last Gleaming Part 1: Issue 36



The specualtion that it is the Universe talking to Angel through these people and things.

[ashleyt]

Thanks. That's... lame How'd Spike figure it out so quickly?

[comic fan]

Buffyfest Interview with Spike:The Devil You Know artist,Chris Cross.

Buffyfest: Buffyfest Interviews Spike: The Devil You Know Artist Chris Cross

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Buffyfest Interviews Spike: The Devil You Know Artist Chris Cross

So Spike has his own comic. Maybe some of you reprobates have heard of it? It's called Spike: The Devil You Know. The first issue came out last week (buy it) and it's host to the man himself plus our mysterious blue demon boy, Eddie Hope. It's written by Bill Williams, whom you know and drawn by a man who you may not: artist Chris Cross. We thought it would be a crime to let the lack of association stand and so, without further ado, our interview (completely unfiltered) with Chris Cross.


Buffyfest: You've been in the business for a while. How did you get into comics?

Chris Cross: Not just a while, heh… almost 20 years! And I’m just getting started! Time flies. I got into comics during my tenure in the School of Visual Arts In Manhattan in the nineties. An old friend of mine named Brian Marshall told me of a company that was looking for new talent to do some of their books by the name of Milestone Media… a new upstart African-American owned publication and they looked to be ready to turn the market on its ear by producing some books that recognized the cultures of the characters that would be prime focus on the books themselves.

I had gotten a couple of pages of art published in small press up to that point and I was busy taking up animation and painting in SVA among other things, and I wanted to get into the medium as soon as possible. So I got my work and set up an interview with the office manager Christine Gilliam in the Milestone offices during one of my breaks in-between classes. And after a few funny shenanigans that happened, I wound up getting work from Milestone. And the rest, they say, is history. So, Kiddies, when there’s an opportunity, go get it!

Buffyfest: What comics have inspired you as an artist?

Chris Cross: Well, that’s way too exhaustive a list. I think the first book that got me wanting to draw comics was X-MEN 121. After I saw that book, I was hooked. Comics were hard to come by in my neighborhood and a kid I knew had stacks of them. And he pulled out The Uncanny X-men 121 and I must have read that thing 5 times in one sitting and just stared at the art. I had never seen anything like that.

So that’s when the hunger started. After that, I was a John Byrne/Terry Austin nut, then graduated to Jack Kirby… going backwards in time and then forward to Neal Adams…. And everyone else after that. Then I discovered Manga and then it was over. My friend, Buzz, a great artist in his own right, introduced me to the world of Ma Wing Shing in the early nineties…. or Wing Shing Ma in his country, and I had more to absorb. No one has caught up to that brother yet. And there’s a ton of European artists that inspire me also. So there’s a plethora of inspiration to drag and fuel from. You can guess that my mind is never at rest with all of that zooming in front of me. I, like most artists, have this fear of growing stale, so I inundate myself with tons of new material weekly. So I’m always looking to let my work evolve to the next level. Never happy with it, but I sometimes get a chuckle when it does something I never expected.



Buffyfest: Tell us a little bit about your technique. Do you prefer drawing character stuff, backgrounds?

Chris Cross: My technique. I think you can’t just decide if you’re a true storyteller, if you prefer characters to backgrounds. I like to say to myself that the backgrounds are as much a character as the characters themselves. You can’t have mood or juxtaposition in storytelling if there are no backgrounds. They sell the story. Sure, you can have flashy costumes and great faces, boobs and booty in slinky outfits.. but if you can’t draw a car or a building, why are you drawing sequential art in the first place? Even if it’s a box with holes in it and some round circles for wheels, It has to fit in the context of the art and the style in which you’re telling the story. My friends tell me that my work is American manga. I’m cool with that! A lot of people think that Japanese manga is full of big eyes, small mouths and limited expression… but these guys really know anatomy. And you have to know anatomy in order to distort it or to caricature. And you can never discount the Japanese artist’s ability to do great backgrounds. But I also learned a great deal from European artists such as Mobius, Brian Bolland, and others. I also buy and search out tons of architectural reference. A cityscape or a dystopia or a galactic sprawl has to have a definitive look to pull off why characters are what they are and do what they do. It’s as much the behavior as the character’s behavior. It can tell why the character chooses to rebel or why that character chooses to protect and add to that area’s greatness. It’s all about what the writer intends and what I can pull out of his/her head and mix it with my vision. Otherwise, it’s incomplete.


Buffyfest: How did you get the Spike comic gig?

Chris Cross: I had a hole in my schedule and I was looking for something different to get my hands into. And the Spike gig was open. Seems I keep getting these vampire assignments lately…. LOL.

Anywho, The world of Joss Whedon has a rich environment and I’m really surprised that it translates so well to comics. And the cool thing is that I did the first Angel cover that kicked off the series and full circle, I’m doing one of the minis. It’s a lot of fun, and tedious at times with all the reference I’m trying to use at my command… sometimes there’s such thing as TOO much ref….but I’m doing my best to make it more than just a vampire book. And I hope I’m achieving it.


Buffyfest: Was it tricky getting down the likenesses of Spike and Illyria? Is it easier drawing Eddie Hope since he's not a real person?

Chris Cross: Anytime you have to constantly do a person’s likeness, you run the risk of losing the likeness when you have to make that character act. Facial expressions and pre-supposing what that face would do in any given situation is headwracking. I miss and I hit, but I get that the fans will get the gist of Spike subconsciously when the action hits. I think they’ll get it when the character does his thing. Eddie is easier to draw, but not necessarily because he’s made up. His face and likeness takes less hassle, but I still use ref to make him look familiar to the strange eye. That way you can still identify with him. When he hits the demonform, it’s a little tedious for me because of all things, the ridges in his tail and horn. Then again, the markings on his face is a hassle also. But, it makes him who he is…Illyria is the easiest to draw for some reason. And it’s great to fall in love with drawing Amy Acker. Who doesn’t want to look at THAT face all day??



Buffyfest: Did you watch certain episodes for visual reference of Spike's persona and to figure out how to dress Spike? In other words, is there a certain Season of Buffy or Angel that you use when drawing the character?

Chris Cross: No. There was a whole website of stills that Bill and Mariah hooked me up with that had tons, I mean TONS of pictures, images and stills from all the Buffy and Angel shows. And dressing Spike is easy. Essentially, you’re drawing off of Billy Idol as a vamp. Black leather, black shirt and denim jeans. Honestly, the man has no concept of pastels or animal prints. You put that man in some Enyce, Ecko, Sean John or CStar, and now we’ve got a fashion bull. Any vamp can do black, homey.

Like I said, though, there was SO much reference that it took literally hours just trying to figure out what was fodder and what was butter. Kinda reminds me of the Humanoids work I did when I had to compile a ton of Egyptian reference… some 250 megs worth. Trust me… that is a LOT of photos and images. And multiple folders in my external hard drive.

I did have to watch an episode or two to remind myself of how James Marsters face moves and his body positioning is manipulated to try to mimic some of who he is when he’s doing his thing. But that was the easy part. Redrawing over and over his face eventually led to losing some of what made him Spike… at some point I wanted to just make Spike the comic character more important than just redrawing James’ face or it would start to become harder to adjust to the flow of the scripts. I wanted Spike the character of the comic to be an extension, not just James Marsters. Although, if I had James and Amy around to take tons of expression pics at my beck and call, things would look even better. But I hope what I’ve done is enough for the fans to adjust to. And I hope that the action and fun in the books itself hold up more and add to what I’m doing with Spike.


Buffyfest: Tell us about your working relationship with [Writer] Bill Williams and [editor] Mariah Huehner. How much communication is there between all of you during the process of putting this book together?


Chris Cross: Well, Mariah is the hawt-editor-cutey-little-pocket-person that allows me to just do my thing. If I’m appearing to take advantage of it, which I try never to do, she has no problem setting me back on course again. She knows her job and she’s not an ego to let it get in the way of the artistic process. Bill is pretty much the same thing. But he’s pretty intense in his scripts. There’s a lot of reference that can either break you or make you. Kinda reminds me of Christopher Priest in the amount of detail that he wants to expound in his stories. Only Priest actually had footnotes in the back of each 40 page script he sent me. Bill is lenient in that way. ...But then, Priest was a madman. Heh…

If I didn’t understand a certain thing, I can always call Mariah or Bill to pick their brains, which is a great thing. Not being able to get in touch with an editor or the writer when I’m in a pinch can be frustrating and annoying. But I don’t have that problem with either of them, for the most part. I usually prefer dealing directly with the writer so I can understand his pentameter. Otherwise, I’ll miss out on the writer’s nuances when I add my thing.


Buffyfest: Were you a fan of Whedon's work before you worked on this story? Did you watch the shows when they aired?

Chris Cross: I’ve watched every single episode of every single series that he’s ever done. From Buffy to Dollhouse. And he knocked it out of the park with Dollhouse. And pulling cards on society. I think that series was too much for Fox and the viewers to handle. Way ahead of its time and completely original in a time where there are too many regurgitated ideas. Great job, Joss. Anytime you wanna team up on something with me, you let me know. I like to work with great thinkers.


Buffyfest: So, who's your favorite character? What is your favorite Whedonverse episode and/or season?

Chris Cross: Come on…. It’s Echo from Dollhouse!! Every episode. Truly a great series.


Buffyfest: What do find interesting about the cast of characters and why do you think they resonate with the fans so much?

Chris Cross: Well, all of Joss Whedon’s characters have this quirky humanity to them, even if they’re laser-serious. He understands the concept of drama and has an even keel of comedy mixed into it. He can truly lighten a dark mood in the middle of a dark mood. Make you laugh in the midst of a desperate situation that he’s poised for any of his characters. And he can write for teens. Not a lot of people can do that without adding some outrageous hip-hop language and using certain present-day ethics that will beat people over the head. He truly understands his own medium and doesn’t write outside himself and his characters. I take lessons, trust me.


Buffyfest: What about Spike, what do you thinks drives the love for his character?

Chris Cross: Well, he’s essentially Billy Idol without the music, to me. He does what he pleases and has this intolerable sneer about himself. He doesn’t worry about much and he usually gets away with a ton more than Buffy would or even Angel. And women love bad boys for some reason. And nothing says “bad boy” like bleaching your hair, painting and chipping your fingernail polish and wearing leather.


Buffyfest: Which character would you love to draw that isn't in your story or maybe isn't even in IDW's books?

Chris Cross: Nowadays it’s usually whatever the project is. I like to mix it up a bit. Of course, Shazam would be the ultimate character to draw. Some would want Supes, but I’ve always been intrigued with the power of Captain Marvel and the dynamic with Billy Batson and his adult alter-ego. Who wouldn’t want to scream SHAZAM! in the midst of a stressful time and just jet to parts unknown? And who can beat that flashy entrance? There is no superhero with an entrance like that.


Buffyfest: Do you have any story tidbits or hints you can share about Spike: The Devil You Know?

Chris Cross: Nothing except that I hope that the fans like what they see and that the word of mouth gets people to buy plenty of issues. I hope it gives them something that the other Spike books didn’t and that they have lots of fun with it.


Buffyfest: Are there any upcoming projects that you'd like fans to know about?

Chris Cross: Well I’m also doing an issue of Marvel Adventures featuring Captain America for Marvel…and a ton of other things that I can’t talk about yet. I’ll sound off when these other things drop.

[comic fan]

Brad Meltzer talks his Twilight arc of Season 8.

An Interview with Brad Meltzer, Author of New Issues of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Comic Books - Blogcritics Books

An Interview with Brad Meltzer, Author of New Issues of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Comic Books


For a few years now I have been hounding novelist Brad Meltzer about his writing of four issues of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer comic book. I'm a fan of the Buffy series and was curious what he would come up with.

He alluded to the Buffy comics he was writing when I interviewed him about his novel, the Book of Fate and I made a deal with him - I'd do interviews to promote his other books provided he'd let me interview him about the Buffy comics when they come out. There was a long gap (at least four years) between when he told me he was going to write them and when they actually came out; I was not patient.

Fortunately, his other book, Heroes For My Son, was a good book otherwise I'd have an ethical dilemma on my hands as I try to avoid promoting bad books.The Heroes book, incidentally, would make a great Father's Day gift.

So... Buffy. What's to say about my love for it? Great television series. I love Joss Whedon whether it's Buffy or Firefly or the late Dollhouse. The writing on Buffy was always good and I liked the characters. I was sad that it ended and am intrigued that it is continuing on a graphic novel. I just found some information here teasing about how the season eight arc will end with Whedon writing the last part, the final five issues, and it will involve my favorite Buffy character, Spike.

I wasn't sure how good a fit this author would be with this comic book and TV series but now that I have read them it makes complete sense especially because in this arc Buffy has super powers and Brad's known for his interest in superheroes (it played a pivotal role in at least one of his books (Book of Fate) and he's even been doing work in recent years to restore the boyhood home of Superman's creator, Jerry Siegel.


Besides, this is not Meltzer's first foray into comics — he previously wrote for 13 issues for the Justice League of America series in addition to writing for other series in between his novels.

Enough talking, let's go to the interview:

Have you always been a fan of Buffy? Is it one of your favorite shows? Do you like Joss Whedon's other shows?

Love the show. And how could I not like the other ones?

How did the idea of writing for the comic come up?

Joss actually asked me to do it a few years back when he decided to put the so-called band back together. And when Joss asks, only a fool says no.

You've been talking about doing this for a few years - why such a long turn-around time?

The honest answer is simply because he wanted me to write the penultimate arc, and that means I gotta come at the end. So I've been waiting all these years simply because the other stories had to come first.

If memory serves you've always been interested in comic books and have mixed that interest into one of your books. So was this a dream come true, something to take off your bucket list, to be in one?

I think there's nothing like getting to work with the people you admire. And that's what I did this for — to learn from Joss, to see how his process works, and to try to be a better writer from it. That's all I care about: Always pushing my own limits.

Which part is yours - just the text or some of the drawing too?

I wrote four issues — a total of almost 100 pages. It's a big story. And finally (spoilers ahoy) reunited Buffy with Angel after all these years. And yes. They have sex.

Can you explain the mechanics of how this worked? Did you write the text and others did the drawings? How involved was Joss?

I pitched the idea to Joss. Then wrote it all, including what to draw. But it's the artist who does all the heavy lifting with the drawings.

Is it coincidence that you, a fan of superheroes and thus superpowers, are writing the chapter in which Buffy has superpowers?

You are good, Holmes. Perfect detective work. There are no coincidences. Especially in Buffy.

When you say Joss wanted to "get the band back together" can you explain what you mean?

Bringing back his writers from the show to do season eight. Half the writers were show writers, half were comics folk.

I received four comics - is that the full arc or is there more coming? Are they all on sale now?

Four is my arc. That's my story. Now Joss comes in to write the final arc for the season. Cue cliffhanger.

Whose idea was it — yours or Joss — to have Buffy and Angel having very detailed sex? And what's that title for chapter three - "Them F#&ing"? It is too funny.


I was proud of that title. And it was Joss who made the final call to actually "show it." God bless him.

Who is your favorite Buffy character and why?

Buffy (strength), Xander (humor), Willow (all of the above).

What was your favorite Buffy episode and what do you think explains the staying power and interest and appeal in Buffy even after it's gone off the air?

My favorite is still "Once More With Feeling." I know it's like saying Citizen Kane is your favorite film — no surprise at all. (Especially because Citizen Kane doesn't hold up). But the best is still the best.

As for staying power, it's just great character. That's the secret in the sauce.

[comic fan]

New Georges Jeanty interview at slayalive.Talks about The Season 8 art contest at Slayalive and offers some cryptic hints about the final arc of season 8 by Joss.

SlayAlive - EXCLUSIVE Jeanty on art contest, S8, etc

[SPOILER] EXCLUSIVE Jeanty on art contest, S8, etc

Hey all.
The deadline for our Buffy Season 8 Art Contest that's being judged by Season 8 main artist, Georges Jeanty, is drawing closer. So, just to liven things up, and perhaps inspire those still teetering on the participation fence, here's the man himself talking about the contest, his criteria, what he's been up to lately, and things to expect in forthcoming Season 8 issues.

SlayAlive: Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to do this with us, Georges. Three months of silence is a rather long time, so this is a welcome visit.

First of all, let’s talk about the art contest that you’re not only judging for us, but also co-sponsoring with Dark Horse Comics. As with all contests, let’s talk prizes. You’re contributing a page of original art as part of the grand prize, and I’m sure people would like to know which page is up for grabs.

Georges Jeanty: I've given that some serious thought. I thought what better way to reward art than with art? I love getting original pages from the artists that I admire, and what better way to own a piece of Buffy history that with art from Season 8? The piece will be on display along with this interview for all those Buffy hopefuls to see what they're drawing for!



SA: Is this your first experience judging fanart? For that matter, how familiar are you with Buffy the Vampire Slayer fanart? Any expectations?

GJ: I've done a lot of judging in my career, some on costumes that were done with some of the actors from the series at any given Buffy shows. I always feel judging is a subjective thing so I've never tried to be too strict with it. I usually go with what is creative and what catches my eye. I have never judged a Buffy fan art contest before so this should be interesting. Somewhere in the back of my mind I'm just hoping there isn't anybody out there who could draw the book better than me. Did I mention I'm my own worst critic?

SA: As you’re the sole judge of the matter, can you elaborate on what you’re looking for in the entries? Any specific criteria that you’ll be paying special attention to?

GJ: I don't know what to expect so I wouldn't know what to ask for. Just be creative. Do anything you like and have fun with it! It's all on the table. That's what I do when I draw the book! I will pay close attention to creativity.

SA: You’ve been particularly generous with your time with Buffy fans. What is it about this particular fandom that draws you to it? Have you met many Season 8 readers at conventions, book signings, etc?

GJ: It's no big secret; I'm a fan also. I really do love this Whedonverse and enjoy lounging around it from time to time when I'm not having to work within it directly. It's a rich vast universe filled with almost anything to satisfy the heart of anyone who gets into good melodrama!

SA: So, I recently saw that you landed a pretty sweet gig with drawing Book #4 of Grant Morrison’s 6-issue “The Return of Bruce Wayne”. Cameron Stewart was originally tapped to draw that book. What happened there, and how did you land the job? I’ve seen some of the uninked pages that CBR posted… they look great, by the way.

GJ: Yeah, that came about pretty suddenly. I found myself with a little time to kill and I called up some folks I know at DC. One guy, Mike Marts, is in charge of the Batman camp. I really didn't expect too much to come of it, but I was looking around to see if there was a little something I could do. I figured Mike would tell me he didn't have anything at the moment but that he would get back in touch. I did this with Marvel as well. Much to my surprise Mike said he just had a guy pull out of a project and if I wanted it, it was mine. It was just a single issue so I said yeah. I have no idea why Cameron Stewart pulled out. I was just happy to get something so quickly! It was a nice divergence from Buffy.

SA: Oh, and I have to ask… what’s it like working with Grant Morrison? The man wrote my second favorite X-Men run (New X-Men), which Joss’ Astonishing X-Men kinda used as a launching point of sorts.

I know! My one time out and I get a Grant Morrison script! How cool is that?! I wish I could say I had the same involvement with him that I have with Joss, but in truth the script was already written and I didn't have too much back and forth with Grant. I love his work too. Maybe when the book comes out he'll want to work together again?

SA: So, not only do you have the finale of S8 to draw, you now have Batman to juggle too. How are you managing to do that? Both Buffy and Batman are bestselling franchises for Dark Horse and DC respectively… how has the experience of drawing these two franchises differed for you?

GJ: I hadn't even thought about that. I just try and do the best I can do when I get a project. With Batman, the story I have is a Western so I have tried to make it as gritty as possible, a far cry from Buffy which is peppered with beautiful women and not a costume in sight. They have both been a joy to work on and I would relish the opportunity to do more!

Since we are a forum that’s pretty Buffy-centric, I have to ask, where are you in terms of drawing Season 8? Last I heard, you had finished #37. Are all of the scripts in yet?

GJ: I've got all of the scripts and am fast finishing up! It's great to do these last few issues, because it's Joss and me all the way. I know fans will really appreciate Joss coming in to finish Season 8 like he did most of the other seasons! And this season will end a lot like Season 7 did, with readers going, WTF?!

SA: Alrighty, Season 8… last we saw, we had Spike’s grand arrival. Three months waiting for the next issue just seems like cruel and unusual punishment. Especially for readers that have been with the series from the start. Any tidbits that you can drop? Some cryptic remark, perhaps? Or an outright spoiler?

GJ: Spike comes back! Oh, wait, that's not news... how about he sticks around? That unholy trinity is back in motion. All of you Spuffies and Bangels will have cause to rejoice, or is it despair? I always get those two confused. One thing's for sure. With Joss at the helm again, you're not going to see it coming, and no one is safe, alive or otherwise!

Thanks again, Georges. I look forward to compiling and sending you some stellar entries for judging.

Sounds like Joss has turned in all his scripts for the final arc to Georges.

[CatBAlover]

OMG! this does not look good

[comic fan]

From Brian Lynch on Slayalive about the Spike series.

SlayAlive - Spike: Ongoing Series (Alone/Together Now)

Just a heads up, we're changing the titles of the comics so each issue has an episode-esque title.

Issue 1: ALONE TOGETHER NOW
Issue 2: WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS SLAYS IN VEGAS

[comic fan]

Jo Chen's cover for Buffy Season 8 #37.

Dark Horse Goes 3B With 'Buffy,' 'B.P.R.D.' and 'Baltimore' Covers For October [Exclusive] - ComicsAlliance | Comics culture, news, humor, commentary, and reviews

Jun 29th 2010 By: Caleb Goellner

lMore Dark Horse Goes 3B With 'Buffy,' 'B.P.R.D.' and 'Baltimore' Covers For October [Exclusive]

Yeah, I really just wrote "3-B" in a headline. You would too if Dark Horse Comics shot you an exclusive (with the exception of Georges Jeanty's "Buffy" variant) first look at its most prominent titles beginning with the letter "B" out this October. Actually, you might have more restraint and general sense than me, but that's for the Grand Alphabet Council to decide.



You won't need any special equipment to take in the 3-B experience (we won't even make you wear skeezy, bacteria-riddled community goggles like some of the finer movie theaters!), but you will need some patience before the works of Mike Mignola on "Baltimore" #3, Guy Davis on "B.P.R.D.: Hell on Earth" #3, and Jo Chen and Georges Jeanty on their respective "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" #37 (from left to right) arrive this fall.

Patience is totally overrated, though. Go see the full images for each cover after the jump.




Jo's is a nice Buffy portrait cover.

[ashleyt]

Thanks for the updates

[comic fan]

Small Buffyfest interview with Brian Lynch about the Spike monthly.

Buffyfest: Brian Lynch teases Spike Series

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Brian Lynch teases Spike Series



Do you know what I love best? Lollipops! But, also, that Brian shot me a message out of the blue to make random comments about his upcoming Spike ongoing series. We were talking about the recent tendency towards sudden, unexpected sexy time in both the Buffy and Angel books and, as you'll see, that affected the tenor of the conversation a bit. I expect we'll be hearing much more but, in the meantime, a sneak peak into the mind of Brian Lynch...

Brian Lynch: How do you think fans would take Spike and George doing it? Because they're about to.

Buffyfest: I think they'll love it! On Opposite Day.

Brian Lynch: Kidding. So far Spike has not had sex in the book. But I get requests for Spike and Beck to have sex, which I don't think I will do.

Buffyfest: Here's a great teaser question: what else *won't* be happening in your book? Like what else would you never write?

Brian Lynch: I have no idea, because the stories have gone places that have made me write things I never thought I would, so the last issue of SPIKE could just be nonstop Spike/Beck loving.

Buffyfest: Well she does like to impersonate him a little.

Brian Lynch: She's kinda moved on from that. Now she's all troubled.

Buffyfest: Character growth, you say?

Brian Lynch: Hope so.

Buffyfest: Anything you want to hint about?

Brian Lynch: Hmmmmm. We have a lot of reunions in the SPIKE series, good and bad.

And there you have it. Consider your taste buds tasted... er, you know what I mean. There will be much more in the way of Spike series talk as we get close to that great big convention in the sky (read: San Diego) so if you have specific questions, feel free to let us know and, hopefully, we'll get all the answers.


There is also a ongoing Brian Lynch Q/A occurring at Slayalive about the Spike monthly.I'll post it once it looks done but there is some Buffy Season 8 news related to the Spike series that Brian revealed.

SlayAlive - SPIKE # 1 Q and A

Questions are still being taken.

[comic fan]

Newsarama Chris Cross interview about Spike:The Devil You Know.

Newsarama.com : Artist CHRISCROSS Enters the Buffyverse in New SPIKE Series

Artist CHRISCROSS Enters the Buffyverse in New SPIKE Series



By Vaneta Rogers
posted: 02 July 2010

For an artist, translating a TV universe onto a comic book page for thousands of fiercely loyal fans sounds daunting. But artist ChrisCross (aka Christopher Williams) makes it look easy.

ChrisCross, who has his own set of loyal fans from his work on books like Firestorm and Welcome to Tranquility, is working with writer Bill Williams on Spike: The Devil You Know, a four-issue mini-series that just started from IDW.

The takes the success of IDW's Angel and Dark Horse's Buffy to focus instead on charismatic vampire Spike, one of the fan-favorite characters from the "Buffyverse." Spike is a one-time killer of Slayers yet former lover of Buffy, and in this mini-series, he works with demon Eddie Hope to prevent new Hellmouths from opening in Los Angeles.

Reviews of the first issue have not only hailed the characterization of Spike, but the artwork by ChrisCross, who has a knack for drawing characters' facial expressions as well as cool-looking monsters.

Newsarama caught up with ChrisCross to find out more about his approach to the series.

Newsarama: What attracted you to doing the Spike project? Were you a fan of the character and/or the Buffyverse?

ChrisCross: What attracted me to the Spike project.... I think it was just a kismet thing. It’s weird. I did a mini-series project sometime ago that never left the ground for the now defunct company Big City Comics that involved, of all things, vampires. If you would have told me I would be doing that again in another mini-series, I would have scratched my head! “It’s a conspiracy!” I would say look over my shoulder.

I hit up IDW when I had a hole in my schedule and I talked to Chris Ryall about doing some stuff. We had been talking awhile for years, ever since I did the first Angel cover, that we should do something together or for the company. Spike was the one that got offered. And, me being no respecter of persons or businesses, you got a funky project? I’m down to draw it. Which I’m going to town with.

Although, I’m not too proud that he doesn’t look like James Marsters all the time. That being said, I decided to just have fun with the book.

Nrama: What can you tell us about the story you're telling in Spike: The Devil You Know?

ChrisCross: As I understand it... and if I get it wrong, Bill will sue me....

Spike is having a great time at a bar with a woman named Andrea (whose image is literally based off this woman on Facebook named Andrisbel Mariafernanda; when I saw her face I knew that was Andrea) half drunk off his mind and hugging up, smacking up, flipping and rubbing down Andrea on the way to an industrial car garage when he is attacked by vampires on their way to Andrea’s car. Or was it his? I gotta be careful. I can see Bill tapping his pen now.

This happens after Andrea takes a pendant from Spike’s neck that’s rumored to be the key to something. In the distraction of Spike kicking the unliving tar out of these vamps, Andrea has slipped away with the medallion, where Tansy Fry, another vamp from Spike and Angel/Angelus’ past, has been creating Hellmouths in Los Angeles for a purpose that I have yet to figure out.

This leads Spike into an investigation that eventually has him up against Andrea again, and bumping into Eddie the blue ice demon-dude. And they partner up to stop whatever Andrea and Tansy have up their sleeve.

I hope I gave but didn’t give too much away. I want people to have fun with this book.

Nrama: How are you approaching drawing Spike? Did you have to adjust your comic book style to be more realistic?

ChrisCross: Well, I went semi-realistic about drawing him, but I left opportunities for his face to fluctuate into something else and still keep him essentially Spike. Not my normal take on a character so well-known, but with the ton of material I was given, I can see myself just going insane trying to keep up with all of the megabytes of images that I was given through screenshot sites and the like.

But I wanted an homage of James Marsters and Billy Idol. Billy likes to sneer a lot, and I wanted to pull that off in one or two panels of the first Spike book. The rest is just long black leather trench, black shirt with gothic style tees and blue jeans punching and clawing through Vamp hordes — or whatever he’s fighting in this mini.

Nrama: You get to draw a big blue demon in this comic. How are you approaching Eddie's character?

ChrisCross: Actually, Eddie is the easiest to draw because he doesn’t have to look like anyone in particular. I try to pride myself in making faces of characters that appear that you actually met this man somewhere, that you’ve truly could have talked to this person. A familiarity. I want characters to make a home in your mind.

So I make him do off-the-wall expressions that will work with the story and also I add my personal touches to his form and the rhythm of his movements to create some kind of personality that will jive and jibe at/with Spike. Create some Tango and Cash atmosphere. Maybe even some Rush Hour spirit.

Nrama: What other characters have you been drawing from the series?

ChrisCross: I’ve had to draw some of the demons that trickle from the Buffy and Angel TV series. Illyria is one. Some I can’t say because those issues aren’t out yet. But It’s like an urban demonic Star Wars bar. Drawing monsters and demons and humans — oh my! — is the ultimate of what it means to tell stories. You have to really push your imagination to make sure that what you want to convey comes off as original and varied. Don’t want all the people to be bored with minutia or the lack of imagination.

Nrama: How would you describe the overall style of the book? Your art has plenty of realism, but it feels like there's some attitude here too.

ChrisCross: It’s — pardon the expression — SPIKE TV’S movies that men like to watch! It’s an urban cowboy fight. It’s literally Bill just saying, “I want to create something that just is. So here it is. Enjoy.” You got demons, vampires, portals, women, poker — you’ll see — dimensionally corporate headhunters, bad girls... Who wouldn’t want to see that in a show? Now, it’s in a book.

Nrama: Are you getting to do a lot of action scenes? Is there a lot of artistic choreographing going on?

ChrisCross: Well, Bill has a lot going on. So I have to make sure that it’s seamless. Which means making sure that the image of where they’re fighting and how they’re going to interact will prevail in my head. Most importantly, where they will be anchored when any situation that produces that action sequence blows up and ignites that kind of entertaining smackdown I’m looking for. Some stuff I add, some I shuffle, some I combine.

But I never take anything away from the writer’s script. Never My job is to push the script to get what I want. Not let ego take over and work against or rewrite circumstances. I don’t like it when artist do that to other writers and I would like writers to know that when working with me, I aim to push their scripts to the most it can be.

Nrama: You keep talking about Bill Williams — how has it been working with him?

ChrisCross: Unfortunately, I’ve only talked to him once. He and I are super-busy, but I called that one time to get in his head. And I can only hope that he continues to like what I’m doling out here, which, from various emails, is exactly what he’s liking. But the scripts are pretty straightforward, for the most part. And anything I don’t get or understand, I talk to him through email or call up Mariah Huehner, resident IDW editorship royalty.

I hope I got her last name right. Or she’ll slash me. She said that one time. Yup. Mh-hmm.

Nrama: Well, we wouldn't want to get you in trouble. Let's stop while we're ahead and just finish up by asking if there's anything else you want to tell fans about Spike: The Devil You Know?

ChrisCross: Go out and buy it, have fun with it. Even if you don’t think it looks exactly like James Marsters, just know that the spirit of Spike, (which he doesn’t possess) is in the pages.

ChrisCross invites his fans to check out his blog, The ChrisCrosser, at ChrisCross-EternalKick.blogspot.com or his Facebook fanpage, and encourages readers to let everyone in IDW, including the writer Bill Williams and the inker Marc Deering, know on their forums and social networking pages how much you like the comic.

[comic fan]

Brian Lynch Spike Series Slayalive Q/A.Don't know if any more questions are being taken or answered.If any more questions are added and answered,I'll add them to this.


SlayAlive - SPIKE # 1 Q and A

SPIKE # 1 Q and A

To celebrate SPIKE's new series (solicited next month!) and my movie HOP'S wrapping photography, I will gladly and happily answer any questions you have about anything. Go for it!

How much time has past between "Boys and their toys" and your Spike's first issue?

(only one question or more, please specify)

Big thanks for your time with us

Ask as many as you want, I will answer as many as I can.

BOYS AND THEIR TOYS to SPIKE, I'd say it's a few months, at most.

Will it be more geared towards story arcs, like IDW's Angel series/Dark Horse's Buffy S8, or will it be more akin to the superhero on-goings from the major publishers (Amazing Spider-Man, Thor, etc.)?

Little story arcs that build to a big story arc.

How has Buffy season 8 impacted your plans for your new series?Has having Angel and Spike having big roles in it made plotting your story more difficult now especially if you don't know how things are going to play out in Joss's final arc?

It changed things slightly. I think for the better.

What's the current balance on pre-existing Buffyverse characters to new ones? Will we start seeing lots of new characters right away, or will there be more emphasis on the people already there?

So far, it's established characters. Spike, obviously. Angel and Illyria appear. Beck and George get a lot to do. We see some MOSAIC action. A few surprises. But not really many new characters. Not yet, anyway.

I know in passed comments that you said that you won't be dealing with the current plotline Willingham is working on with Angel and Spike's role in the current story.But how does the Spike series work time-line wise in relation to Bill Willingham's/Bill Williams Angel run?Does the Spike series start before the current story in the Angel monthly or does it run con-current with it?

I would say it happens after the current story arc.

Based on the title of issue #2, it seems that Spike will not always be in L.A. - if so, will this be common? Is Spike going to start wandering the world more or will he stick close to L.A.?

He'll be in Vegas for much of the first story.

Do you like how HOP'S is wrapping? Did you have to rewrite any scenes or do you expect re-shooting some of them?

Passing a question from a friend (eilowyn)

"If Spike were to be a guest on The Muppet Show, what songs would he perform (and with what Muppet), and what skits would he be involved in. Yes, we are being dead serious here."

I don't know about re-shoots, still very early to think about that, as we just wrapped. That said, the movie is hilarious and shaping up very very nicely. James Marsden is hilarious, and Russell Brand's voicework is just awesome. They both really came to play, and are great people.

I'd say Spike would perform some of his own stuff if on THE MUPPET SHOW. He'd do some poems with the Electric Mayhem backing him. Miss Piggy would have a crush on him, Kermit would get bent out of shape, and Spike would bond with Rowlf the Dog.

Plans for any of the following characters to appear?

Non
Noelle
Drusilla
Harmony
Spider
Jeremy

That would be telling, no? I would say that the majority of those characters will make an appearance, or at least be referenced.

Do you think Juliet Landau would be willing to come back and help write another Dru-centric story? Angel #24-25 are amazing and I don't know of many people here who would object to more Dru.

And speaking of Harmony, if you can talk about this, have you had to tweak any of your plans for her because of S8, or has that character been more freeing to play with vs. the main character and his nemesis Tall Dark and Forehead?

Harmony isn't really popping up in SPIKE as of yet, so no fudging of plans there. And I would love to work with Juliet again, I'm sure I will one way or another, but there are no plans for a follow-up collaboration in terms of comic work.

Is Urru planning on sticking around as long as possible? (I like him. ) And, one more story/character-related question: do you expect Spike to be running into any Slayers/do you have any plans to include a new Slayer character in your story?

Yes, Franco's in for the long haul, hooray!

I think there are slayers in Spike's future. Though not how you may expect.

Sounding pretty great! So the solicit comes out next month, does that mean a more solid shipping date for issue #1 is set? (And I guess as a corollary, how many issues have you written already and how many do you know of that Franco has finished drawing?)

Franco is working on 2, I have written 1 and a half and have outlined many. I think it premieres in October.

Are you going to follow Willingham's continuity? Or are you just gonna do your own thing and try not to contradict the story he's telling?

I will do my best to not contradict the story he is telling.

Do you have a favourite scene that you've written thus far for the Spike series or anything that you're really looking forward to seeing/hearing fan reactions about?

YES, absolutely. I love some of the new goings on of the survivors of AFTER THE FALL (in the first five pages, you all are gonna look at a different character VERY differently), but I'm most looking forward to your reaction to the last four or so pages of issue 1. It sets something up that could be really interesting, might piss some people off, but will lead to big, great things in the arc.

Hello, Mr. Lynch, as a huge Spike fan I want to see your Spike’s outgoing series so badly!
Chris Ryall mentioned in his blog "The series will also feature an appearance by a popular Whedonverse character who’s only ever appeared in the BUFFY comics (and her own one-shot there, if that hint wasn’t enough before)."
I have got questions about that mysterious character. Will she meet Spike accidentally? (Probably she doesn’t know about Spike’s resurrection…) Or Spike will make a contact with her, asking her for a help (or for advise)?
And uhh, I don’t expect an answer, but what color is the hair of that character?
And what about the strange yellow machine in which Spike made his appearance in the end of Buffy issue 35? Will it appear in your story either?
In your Spike/Angel ATF series we saw some flashback and flashforwards panels with Spike (I mean the panel with Spike in a futuristic world holding a scythe-like axe over the decapitated Spider’s body.)Will we get more about it in your outgoing story? And is it the Buffy’s Scythe or not? And what about time- or dimensional travels? Or your Spike’s story will be situated in Las Vegas only.
Thank you for your answers!

The person will run into Spike on purpose. The yellow machine MAY make an appearance, hmmmmmm. We will get a few answers about the black scythe. It's not Buffy's. The main thrust of the first story will be Vegas, for sure.

What would you say is the tone of the series in comparison to your previous work in the Whedonverse?

I think it is close to ASYLUM or SPIKE:ATF. Some funny moments (very funny, hopefully) but a very dark story that deals with Spike's psyche.

Can you do the Numfar dance for us?

I joke, but seriously, I read Asylum and Shadow Puppets. Then I went back and read After the Fall. I also then picked up Spike: After the Fall. I think I may be in love with you. But anyway, I appreciate how you were able to progress the characters in a believable way. I'm absolutely excited for your new Spike series. My question to you is...once Season Eight wraps up and the Buffyverse story will be moved forward for Season Nine, do you plan on doing the same for Spike? I guess what I mean is how everything coming from IDW in regards to the Angelverse takes place before Season Eight. Will there be an official shift in time where we can move the characters a couple of years forward?

Not really. By the end of the first arc, you'll see where it fits. And OH it fits.

Hey, Mr. Lynch - thank you so much for agreeing to answer our questions!

My first question is, have you discussed with Joss the direction of your Spike series? Did he give you any notes? Have you contacted Joss at all, post-Twilightgate?

My second question is about the timeline: is it safe to assume that the events of Spike the Series take place before the Twilight arc in BtVS season 8?

Joss has contacted IDW about making everything click, yes. And it will. And yes, it takes place before TWILIGHT

Mr. Lynch, thanks for the answers and I’m really glad that your arc fits with Season 8 arc. I do not mind to see another disconnected story about Spike, but that’s really GREAT!
I can’t wait to find out more about the yellow machine and the black scythe!
I’d like to ask you another question – in the end of Angel ATF, Spike says to Angel:

“If and when the time comes that you do to try to tip the balance between good an evil in a favor of whatever side I’m not on, I will absolutely kill you, no problem.”

How do you comment these words? What he’s talking about? Is there another connection with the final apocalypse and Twilight?
I love Spike and Angel as good friends fighting on one side than as rivals on opposite sides, but looking at the recent events on Season 8 maybe we will see some bad blood between these two vampires again…
Oh, and thanks for the answers again!

In my head, Spike and Angel are on the same page than they've ever been at the end of AFTER THE FALL. That said, Spike knows how this world works, and things change pretty quickly. So, if Spike needs to act, Spike will act. It was meant as a reassuring gesture, but in a very Spike-ian way.

Is Spike going to be acknowledged as famous in Las Vegas or do they not know him there?

A little bit of both.

Dear Brian,

I'm very excited about your return to the Buffyverse comics; I know you've gone on paper saying you hate canon-discussion (as I and so many of us have come to do). But I love that you're working on making sure the continuity will fit. So, a big thanks for that!

My question is, do you have any idea how long this series will run for? (Please say infinitely, cause else, we're probably already going to start a countdown.)


PS: If given the chance, would you write an arc or issue for Buffy Season 9? (I know, this is a second question, I hope you'll forgive me )

I will write this series as long as I'm allowed to.

I would write an arc in BUFFY if there was an idea I was good for and people wanted me to. Oh, and if I had time, because I don't want to rush any job.


That's great to hear - I know things have been a bit mad post-Twilight reveal, so it is nice to hear that things are being done to make everything jibe together. I hope that applies to the Angel monthly as well - that Willingham didnt piss Whedon off too much with his rant. It would be sad if the Angel title suffered because of one writers opinions.

So the questions!Will Angel and Illyria be appearing in just the 1st arc...or will they be popping up after that? And something you may not be able to answer but will Spike be just appearing in his own monthly, or will he be in Willinghams arc as well?

Will be good to have a Lynch/Urru Whedonverse comic back!

I think Spike will be in the ANGEL book, but not a large amount. Angel and Illyria will be popping up as the story calls for it. So, yes, they'll be around.

Totally silly questions, but will there be more puppets at any point? I feel sorta sad that Trots the Puppet Horse was beheaded in Shadow Puppets; can he be sewn together again like Puppet Angel was?

Speaking of Shadow Puppets, will Tok be making an appearance in the new series?

I think poor Trots is permanently glue, I'm sorry. As for Tok...she's my favorite original character I've created for the Whedonverse. sooooo possibly. I'm dying to do a TOK: SUPERNATURAL ASSASSIN comic. Human ninja vs vampires, werewolves, etc? So much fun.

Brian, I've said that you're my favorite person in the whole wide world, right?

Thank you so much for doing this. I've been dieing for some SPIKE news ever since it was announced.

My question is:
You stated that you had a 'main cast' chosen for series already. I take it Beck and Betta George are apart of that 'cast', but are there any other characters, that haven't been mentioned of yet, that are apart of that same 'cast'? Feel free to give some specific names, buddy. ...Or not; Whatever floats your boat.

Beck and George are in it, yes. As for who else...well, there's a lead that isn't introduced in the first issue, but will serve as a surprise in issue 2. This character is from the TV show, not the comics.

Can you tell us something about the covers? Will it be like each issue has a cover A by Urru and a painted cover B by someone else (please say yes, by Alex Garner) or will it work differently?

To be honest, I'm not sure how much aware you are of what happens with the covers or if that's something that's totally up to Mariah.

Mariah asks me if I have any ideas and I write a list. Sometimes they're used, sometimes they're not. The first issue will have two covers, I think. One is a group shot (I think previewed in Ryall's blog) the other is an amazing solo shot of Spike.

Do we get to see more of the idea you put there in Boys and their toys and the tail end of ATF about how Spike is Destiny free in the sense that his isnt written in stone and he can make his own mark? When I first caught onto that I was sure right then and their that that idea alone would make for a compelling tale.

Spike is definitely concerned with going his own way in the SPIKE series. He misses the day when he didn't have to follow someone else's lead 24/7, and actively seeks it out. He is still very much part of Team Angel, he just doesn't want to ONLY be that, you know?

Another thing that just popped into my head:
You said that you've outlined a bunch; How far ahead have you outlined to? (Like, how many issues, in estimation?)

- Thanks!!

8 issues in.

So obviously we've seen you write Spike before, but outside of writing him, what's your own personal view of the character and his growth over the course of the series and the comics? In brief, anyway, I'm sure many fans could write essays about this singular subject.

I think if a character doesn't grow and change, then the story is pointless. Canon, non-canon, the tale you're telling better make an impact on the person you're writing about or it's unnecessary. I know people have their favorite versions of Spike, and that version will differ from the next person, but I really love how he's grown in the AFTER THE FALL series. I am definitely continuing that in the SPIKE series.

There's news about motion comics being made for Buffy season 8. Is there plans or any consideration for making Angel/Spike motion comics? It will be a shame if After the Fall doesn't make it to motion comic form and its sister series(Buffy season 8) does.

I'm not sure. Would love to see them, but I am just the writer. Could be really neat though.

[comic fan]

Buffy Season 8 #37 solicitation.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer #37: Last Gleaming part 2 (Georges Jeanty cover) :: Profile :: Dark Horse Comics

Buffy the Vampire Slayer #37: Last Gleaming part 2

Writer: Joss Whedon
Penciller: Georges Jeanty
Inker: Andy Owens
Colorist: Michelle Madsen
Cover Artist: Georges Jeanty
Genre: Action/Adventure





Spike and Buffy are finally reunited (*sigh*) and lucky him-he's discovered the source of all her problems, and it's not Angel. Now Buffy must revisit the place where love was indiscriminate, the Scoobies were formed, and Hell's mouth was closed for good.

Joss Whedon and Georges Jeanty launch readers into the finale of Buffy Season Eight, promising more adventure, twists, and turns. Bonds are tested, lives altered, and oh!-the fate of humanity hangs in the balance.

Joss Whedon writes the series finale!

Publication Date: October 06, 2010
Format: FC, 40 pages
Price: $2.99

[Sosa Lola]

The sigh after the mention of Spuffy made me laugh.

[ashleyt]

Well at least Angel isn't the source of Buffy's problems