Need Help Identifying This Graphic Novel

[DeadOne]

I'm trying to identify what product this comic/tpb/graphic novel was included with. I am assuming that it was a freebie included with another product only because of the "Not For Resale" printed on the cover:

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Play With Fire .published by Dark Horse Comics in 2003



.the cover has three logos: Dark Horse Comics, Fox Interactive, and Vivendi Universal Games.

Any help identifying just where this might have come from (board game, video game, dvd/vhs, magazine, etc...) would be greatly appreciated.

[Skytteflickan88]

It's a tradepaperback en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Play_With_Fire_(Buffy_comic)

[DeadOne]

LOL! Thanks Skytteflickan88. I kinda guessed that part.
I'm looking for how it might have been originally distributed. Any guesses on how it might have been given away or with what other Buffy product it might have been included with?

[PJ]

i'm kinda going to guess and say it was most likely given with the BtVS: Chaos Bleeds video game because of the 'FoxI' and 'VU' logos. Maybe it was a special pre-order deal or something...

[DeadOne]

Jul 4, 2010 10:34:08 GMT -5 PJ said:

i'm kinda going to guess and say it was most likely given with the BtVS: Chaos Bleeds video game because of the 'FoxI' and 'VU' logos. Maybe it was a special pre-order deal or something...

I thought so as well. The publication dates and the release dates match up pretty well. Cannot get an email response from DHC, FoxI, or VU. I've been trying for months.
I was hoping one of the many Buffy fans on this site might have first hand knowledge.

[wenxina]

Some info for that HERE.

[DeadOne]

Jul 4, 2010 11:06:02 GMT -5 wenxina said:

Some info for that HERE.

Thanks.
"similar" link to skytteflickanfan88's link in the earlier post.

Jul 4, 2010 9:31:17 GMT -5 Skytteflickan88 said:

It's a tradepaperback en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Play_With_Fire_(Buffy_comic)

Wiki has nothing

Anyone own this (besides me) that might remember how they picked it up???

[wenxina]

It's the same link. I didn't see her link before posting it. From what I know, this is not the only version of the book. I think Titan had a print too.

[whitecandy]

I think that PJ was right with his idea that it came free with a video game. I have tried looking into it for you but came up with nothing. I will keep searching and let you know if something comes up. It is a nice piece to have, obviously super rare as we can't find anything on it

[DeadOne]

Yep... PJ was on the right track. I was able to find this obscure reference on a website which looks like it was going to be dedicated to promotional comic book giveaways.

vu.morrissey-solo.com/vu/promos/index.html

Looks like somebodies forgotten pet project. I've tried to contact the email link on the site so we'll see. Now that it looks like this was a promotional extra w/ the Chaos Bleeds game, I hope to narrow it down to stores and quantity. I don't believe it was packaged with all Chaos Bleeds video games.

wenxina... you're right about Titan. They published the UK version of this same tpb. This one was published by Dark Horse in the USA according to the indicia. I wonder which was printed first??? My USA published one says first printing.

[Skytteflickan88]

Have you emailed darkhorse? It's weird that it's not on their site, not the version from the wikipedia-site either.

What are the names of the comics in it? I think one might be Stinger.

[DeadOne]

The first thing I did was email Dark Horse... several times over several months. Along with Fox Interactive and Vivendi Universal Games. No responses.

The stories are reprintings from The TV Guide shorts, Dark Horse Extra, Wizard 1/2 BTVS, and BTVS Annual 1999. The stories include: Dance with Me, Play With Fire, Stinger, and The Latest Craze.