Post by wenxina on Nov 3, 2010 0:14:37 GMT -5
Hey all!
Rules are simple: Maximum of three (3) questions per member until I submit your questions to Jeanty. I will post a note to let you know when I send off questions to reopen the floor. As always, there is a possibility of a delay, so thanks for your patience. Keep it clean, keep it civil. Simple right? Entries are welcome until I post a closing post. Questions regarding Twilight NO LONGER HAVE TO SPOILER-TAGGED! (Thank goodness... it was a pain having to make sure that the appropriate questions/answers were spoiler-tagged).
Anyone who's reading this and not a member, I'm accepting questions at wenxina@slayalive.com. Feel free to send me your questions and I'll add them to the queue with credit to you.
Please note that Georges is often not really at liberty to divulge big spoilers, so don't waste those questions here... "No spoilers/comment" is a reasonable response to those.
Alright... GO!
1 bamph: Poor Angel indeed. I really do feel bad for him right now. Bad choices but with good intentions brought him onto the road he traveled this season and that road seems to end in this issue. Now Angel has been forcibly and bodily taken control of by Twilight. Anything terrible he does starting at the end of today's issue and next issue will be completely against his will and by force. I figure Angel under Twilight's control does do something pretty bad next issue that upset you, possibly killing a beloved character. My first thought though is we've seen this sort of plot before from Joss. The Angelus arc of Buffy season 2 and the Cordelia/Jasmine arc of Angel season 4. What's going on in particular feels like what went down with Cordy. Would you agree that this is similar to those two story lines and should we be looking for the differences?
Georges: It's just too depressing to go into (and you'll find out in a couple of weeks!)
2. bamph: This might be a bit spoilerish but will Buffy know Angel isn't in control of his actions next issue and will there be a element of trying to save him by freeing him of Twilight's control while they fight? Is this what,"rescue the prince" meant back in issue 10?
Georges: Wow. Someone has been reading their trades! Issue 10 was foreshadowing, that's all I can say.
3. bamph: How did you approach the end of the issue with Angel under Twilight's control? Art wise, did you have certain directions from Joss Whedon and Scott Allie? It's really subtle but works well when Angel first arrives on the scene.
Georges: What I was really trying to keep in mind was continuity. And that was more on Angel and where he'd been wounded. I tried to keep all the little tears in his jacket consistent and whatever bruises he was getting. I think I might have represented the Twilight factor by making his jacket a deeper black. Like not having any light reflected from it, or not to draw in the individual folds. That was the only conscious thing I did when he was becoming Twilight.
4. drywallman: You indicated in the previous Q&A that Dawn and Xander's relationship will continue, which would seem to mean they will both survive this season. We've already been told that there will be at least one major death this season. Why do you feel comfortable narrowing down the list, or are we misreading your comment?
Georges: I guess I wasn't trying to create a suspense here and the fact that I said their relationship continues does narrow things down a bit, doesn't it? But, where's Andrew? Faith?
Heavens, someone make sure they're alright! And Kennedy. Has anyone seen Kennedy? Is she okay? Pipe down all you K-haters! They'll be no rejoicing from you! Kennedy? Seriously, sweetie, say something...
5. cheryl: I am very confused about which side the PTB are on and who is supposed to be the good guys vs the bad guys. Is it safe to assume that Twilight is the bad guy? (Angel under the influence of the cat thing) Or is Buffy suspect too?
Georges: I thought that was a little vague too. I took it to mean that Twilight entity was more than just good and evil, it is another plain of existence, and such mortal concepts just don't apply. Buffy plays her part but has she ever really been evil? She's been misled, sure, but evil? She's just too cute, and oh that perfect little nose.
6. cheryl: This seems to be a mirror of what happened between Buffy and Angel in season 2 and the Angelus arc, only this time Angel is possessed and Twilight, are we naive to assume that this isn't going to put a bigger emotional burden on the relationship than the Angelus arc did?
Georges: Season 9 anyone?
7. cheryl: Are you guys afraid that the next issue might be so bad and the rage so high, that fans of the series walk away? For good? When you start talking about character deaths, fans get agitated and fast.
Georges: Yes! They'll walk away in rage and scream and shout. And then after a while they'll turn around and start to think that there's still one more issue to be had. Then they'll come back for that one, but that's it. Then they'll remember that there'll be a Season 9 and all hell will break loose again!
I honestly don't know how fans are going to react, I can only say this fan didn't take the news so well.
8. moscowwatcher: Hi, Mr.Jeanty! The new issue was awesome. Your cover and the last panel are forever imprinted in my mind. Thank you for all the wonderful panels. The fights are exciting and visceral with many rich details to make them memorabvle. I particularly liked the detail that Buffy makes herself a stake from Spike's axe. The characters' facial expressions are spot-on. Buffy's last close-up is heartbreaking. Thank you for great job.
Questions:
Several pages feature strange inserts - Angel's face with yellow eyes - on the pages with images, irrelevant to his face. These inserts are framed in yellow. At first I thought that it means that Angel gets information about the events that happen at this or that particular page (in some mystical way). Then, right before the Angel's entrance, the page on which Buffy and Spike fight monsters, there is a similarly framed rectangular insert of the detail of the green monster eyes (I guess these were eyes). Do these inserts mean something?
Georges: The inserts with Angel were supposed to signify that Angel was becoming Twilight while the fight was going on at the same time, that's why the panels were floating. It's a story telling device. The one of the demon was just a beat I thought that page needed before Angel rips it apart. Looking at it again, the borders probably shouldn't have been in yellow. I should have caught that.
9. moscowwatcher: The way the overall disposition is drawn it's unclear if the demons invade the Earth from the Twilight dimension or from many different dimensions. Were you given any notes on that subject?
Georges: I think when this new universe was being created it ripped the fabric of a lot of neighboring universes and created pockets of portals into our world where a the major fighting was taking place. You'll see more of this next issue!
10. moscowwatcher: Spike smokes cigarettes on almost every panel. Was it your contribution or you were given notes to draw him smoking?
Thank you again for answering our questions!
Georges: Some smoke breaks were suggested and others I just wanted to have something for him to do. You know Spike, he's only too happy to light up when he can. I mean, what's he got to fear, lung cancer? (Remember kids, smoking is bad for your health... unless you're a vampire... But when you get into that logic, how could a Vampire expel the smoke if a Vampire “has no breath to give”?)
11. maje77: From Scott and you, we’ve heard all these tragic and shocking ways to describe what happens in issue 39. As you’ve seen, some fans completely believe that Buffy and Angel’s relationship will be destroyed beyond repair, and that he’s the betrayer. Now that the full cover of #39 has been revealed to show Buffy fighting Angel, a fan could almost buy that. But I’m a suspicious person. Are we supposed to be shocked that Buffy and Angel fight because to me it’s more of a mislead of whose truly the betrayer in the sense that there’s a heck of a lot of suspect behavior from other characters going on. So I guess my question is, is there more to the cover than just assuming this massive fight/betrayal between Buffy and Angel?
Georges: Be suspicious. Be very suspicious.
12. maje77: In issue 38, Buffy loses her super strength when she gets close to the seed. Could we assume the same for Angel (even possessed Twilight Angel)?
Georges: Once Angel is Twilight it's a whole new ball game. His strength is no longer the issue... which is bad for Buffy...
13. maje77: The panels with Giles and Buffy gave me the feeling of goodbye, especially Giles’ line, “I’ll see you when this is over”. Is that interpretation valid?
Georges: Giles is ever the reassuring father Buffy never had. I think even if Giles were going off to fight to the death in the French Foreign Legion he would tell his little girl he'd see her when all this was over. If there was ever an anchor in the whole series of Buffy it has to be Giles. I know in Seasons 6 and 7 it seemed that he outlived his usefulness, but he was always an anchor to Buffy regardless if he was there as a Watcher or a father figure. I love Giles. I would have loved to see that Ripper series when that was still a possibility a few years ago. I thought it was going to be a lot like Torchwood.
14. AndrewCrossett: In the scene where Willow is with the Master and casting her spell with the Seed, are her eyes glowing red or is that just a reflection from the Seed?
Georges: I had it that her eyes were glowing red because she was absorbing the power of the Orb for what she does next issue... oh wait. I shouldn't go on.
15. AndrewCrossett: Do you know why General Voll (from Long Way Home) disappeared, and this new nameless General took his place? He seems to sound quite a bit like Voll when he talks.
Georges: Yeah. That was my bad. I had no idea that those two guys were one and the same. Major blunder on my part! Sorry. He just disappeared forever and when he resurfaced I thought he was someone else.
16. AndrewCrossett: Will it be explained why Faith now has the Scythe, and what's happened to it since Buffy lost it?
Georges: Buffy never lost it. I think the official story is that one of the Slayers went and got it back from Tibet and brought it to the fight. Sound about right?
17. Maggie: Hi Georges,
Sorry to re-ask this question, but I'm still not clear. Going back to #37, it's obvious that Buffy is fantasizing about kissing Spike and it doesn't really happen. The question is when does the fantasy start. I want to say that the whole page is the fantasy -- but it really is hard to tell. Did Buffy really tell Spike what it was like having sex with Angel. Did he really get upset by it? By the time she's standing up to comfort him, it seems like that has to be fantasy. But the rhythm of what happens when she stops fantasizing doesn't make sense if the him getting upset part actually happened. Anyway -- at what point does the fantasy start? Thanks!
Georges: All the talking stuff happened and all the kissy sexy stuff didn't. I like your idea though, that the whole thing after a while takes place in Buffy's head. It might have meant an interesting angle to peruse.
18. veiriti: I’d like to paraphrase the Maggie’s question about Buffy’s daydream with Spike – Does Buffy’s daydream have a purpose, or this is only a gift to us – the fans of Spike/Buffy relationship? If it’s a gift it was a really big gift – hours after her destructive sex with Angel, Buffy is dreaming about Spike! That was priceless! Btw – lots of fans love these panels, and IMO the fans like your friend Janette are a minority. Once again – great job!
Georges: All the sexy stuff is going on in her head and that's directly from Joss. We had many a conversation about how they were hooking up and just how much we should show. Where hands were. You never really know what's going on in someone's head and Buffy's no exception. She obviously cares for Spike and if the end of Season 7 said anything, it was that she had forgiven him his transgressions for his sacrifice and to find that he's alive, well, I wish Joss would write that scene. I'm so interested in seeing it! Enjoy your gift.
19. veiriti: I’ve just read the new issue and I loved it. This time your Angel is brilliant, especially in the end – Angel/Twilight facial expression and his eyes made me to shiver to the bones – the real face of a soulless evil. My question is – does Angel/Twilight still have a soul? Willow calls him “Angelus”, Spike calls him “Angelus” too. Spike and Willow have supernatural senses. Do they detect something wrong in Angel’s soul? And entire season 8 Angel/Twilight is acting just like Angelus for me.
Georges: Now if we went into explaining all this what would you have to read in the next issue? Patience, grasshopper. All will be revealed in time.
20. veiriti: Back to issue 36. The new twilight Universe is depicted as a talking dog at first – When the dog is talking about his plans he is scratching – the dog obviously has bugs. Angel obviously is Twilight – the obedient puppet who has to fulfill the New Universe’s plans. Is Spike the “bug” in the Twilight Universe’s plan? Joss Whedon said in an interview that Spike’s role on Buffy Season 8 will be very important, so will we see him playing a pivotal role in the end?
Georges: What's the right answer here...? Yes? No?
21. kdeb: Re: all the smoking Spike's doing, since we didn't see him smoke a single cigarette in Angel Season 5, is the fact that he gets through a whole pack of smokes in this one comic meant to imply that he's nervous about something? Does he in fact have an agenda? At this point, I don't know whether to hope that he does, because that will mean there's some point to his being in the story, which there currently doesn't seem to be except for fanservice, or to hope that he doesn't, because if he does it'll probably make things worse for Buffy.
So basically, the question is, does Spike serve any actual purpose in this story, or has he just been included to please the fans, and if he does, is the smoking meant to suggest anything?
Georges: Like I said in a previous question, Spike's smoking is just something that I have him do to give him something to do. Where it's appropriate. Buffy doesn't like him to smoke so he probably wouldn't smoke when he's talking to her, but there's nothing to read into, he just likes to smoke. Joss wanted to have the whole gang back at the end. So if you feel that he's just there as window dressing he is part of the core. And the fact that there's a huge battle is something he wouldn't want to miss.
22. kdeb: A couple of questions about facial expressions:
While Buffy is arguing with Willow in the cave, there's one panel of Spike with his back to everyone else (smoking again!) and frowning. Could you clarify for me what the expression on his face is meant to imply?
Georges: If I remember correctly they were talking about compromising and making an unholy alliance of sorts with the Master.
23. kdeb: Likewise, at the end, when Angel appears, is the expression on Buffy's face meant to be of joy or concern? I've seen it interpreted both ways and would like to know what you were going for when you drew it.
Georges: From the script it's meant to be happy on Buffy's face. Because she thinks Angel has come back to help tip the scales. What's not to be happy about that? The mood quickly changes when she can sense something wrong.
24. bamph: Not in the last Q/A session but the one before it,you said, "Oh man, if you don't like Angel now, you are going to really hate him soon!" As a followup to my first question in this session, why do you think there will more hate for Angel than what is already there by some given the fact that Angel is now being fully controlled by Twilight and anything he does next issue is against his will? If he's being totally controlled by Twilight at this point than doesn't that mean he is not in control of his actions next issue and should we feel more pity than hate?
Georges: Those are the best tragedies, aren't they?
25. bamph: There is a lot of talk going in sections of fandom that this entire storyline is about subverting and destroying the Buffy/Angel romance/relationship and they will be dead as a ship by issue 40 with Buffy maybe even hating Angel. You've been asked in these Q/A sessions about whether Buffy/Angel shippers should be in panic mode for there ship with the usual answer being to be very afraid. With just two issues to go and now knowing Angel is being controlled by Twilight in the next issue, I want to ask something sort of fundamental about Season 8 as a whole. Has this season been about subverting and destroying Buffy/Angel as romantic ship for Joss or is that not the right reading of what is going on or what Joss is doing?
Georges: I don't think Joss is set out to piss off one side of the fandom or the other. He's just out to tell good stories and drama is what hooks us the most. If you try and tell a story that pleases everyone it probably won’t be as good. Stick with the book till the end of the season and then you come back here and tell me what you think.
26. bamph: A more fun question. We've seen all of your covers and Jo Chen's covers for the season now except Jo's cover for the last trade. Do you have a favorite cover of your own and a favorite cover of Jo's?
Georges: I pretty much love all of Jo's covers! She's just so good! I really only like a handful of my covers. Recently, I have to say, I really liked the Giles cover. The way it was inked and colored is beautiful. I loved the idea that we finally gave him his own cover. I would have loved to have given Xander his own as well, but no such luck.
27. sosa lola: Did you get the script for #40 yet? If so, are you satisfied with the ending? Do you think there are things that weren't covered in the last two issues that should have been?
Georges: I have finished the last issue and it's a great epilogue to the series. After the events of #39, you get a glimpse into what Season 9 could be like. It's one of the best issues I've drawn. Joss wrote it and I felt that he was really on his game with it. There are so many great moments with just character stuff that I'm such a fan of. I kept telling Joss that this issue was so good that there didn't need to be any action in it.
28. sosa lola: Do you have any information about the characters' roles in S9? I'm mostly interested in Xander's role. There will be four titles: Buffy, Willow, Spike and Angel. In which book will Xander appear?
Georges: I think there will only be 2 ongoing books with a few limited series thrown in there when necessary. The great thing about Issue 40 is that it gives you a glimpse into Season 9.
29. zamolxis: I liked how Buffy and Spike fight together, it reminded me of Buffy asking Satsu in The Long Way Home “you fight with me, not next to me” and now I want to see Spike and Satsu working together. Will Satsu appear in the remaining issues?
Georges: I think she's running around the battle in #39 but there won’t be too much more focus on her, sorry.
30. zamolxis: The girls were beat down badly in the series, Angel put Buffy and Satsu in the hospital covered with bandages and IV, smashed Faith’s head pretty hard into a tile. Buffy already forgave Angel and had sex with him, but how about Faith and the rest, are they gonna forgive Angel for what he did to them before the reveal?
Georges: Faith does something really remarkable, that's all I can say about that.
31. zamolxis: At the end of #38, Angel is just possessed by Twilight or the Twilight entity transferred itself into Angel and that way giving Buffy and the Scoobies the opportunity to kill Twilight for good?
Georges: See? Good drama! How do you kill the Entity without killing the host?
32. wenxina: Hey Georges. Marketing question. If one were to hypothetically want to buy original art from you, is there a particular third party site to go to? Mighty Nib has some early stuff, but nothing past the first few issues.
Georges: Hit me up on my website www.kabalounge.com and let me know what pages you're interested in and we can go from there. Sound good?
33. wenxina: So, at the moment, we have Twilight aka Angel-under-a-mask, Twilight the realm/new universe, Twilight the apocalypse, and Twilight the new universe incarnate (the griffin). Is there more to come on this whole Twilight business?
Georges: That is a very good question....
34. wenxina: So the stakes are stacked pretty high right now. The legion of otherworldly demons are still pouring in. Angel's all possessed, and supposedly on an errand to retrieve the Seed for his and Buffy's offspring. Willow seems to be playing with the source of all magic. Xander seems to be in serious second thought land. Dawn is badly hurt. Is that enough badness, or is there more to come?
Georges: That's a lot for a single issue to wrap up, isn't it? I think you can see now why Issue 39 is such a big deal. It all happens here. It was probably the densest issue I've ever had to draw in this series. We get a piece of everyone and this whole thing comes to a climax. It's big. And sad. And cathartic. And good. And... well, you'll see in a couple of weeks, and then we can meet back here with what will no doubt be a serious Q&A session! Don't hold back!
Rules are simple: Maximum of three (3) questions per member until I submit your questions to Jeanty. I will post a note to let you know when I send off questions to reopen the floor. As always, there is a possibility of a delay, so thanks for your patience. Keep it clean, keep it civil. Simple right? Entries are welcome until I post a closing post. Questions regarding Twilight NO LONGER HAVE TO SPOILER-TAGGED! (Thank goodness... it was a pain having to make sure that the appropriate questions/answers were spoiler-tagged).
Anyone who's reading this and not a member, I'm accepting questions at wenxina@slayalive.com. Feel free to send me your questions and I'll add them to the queue with credit to you.
Please note that Georges is often not really at liberty to divulge big spoilers, so don't waste those questions here... "No spoilers/comment" is a reasonable response to those.
Alright... GO!
1 bamph: Poor Angel indeed. I really do feel bad for him right now. Bad choices but with good intentions brought him onto the road he traveled this season and that road seems to end in this issue. Now Angel has been forcibly and bodily taken control of by Twilight. Anything terrible he does starting at the end of today's issue and next issue will be completely against his will and by force. I figure Angel under Twilight's control does do something pretty bad next issue that upset you, possibly killing a beloved character. My first thought though is we've seen this sort of plot before from Joss. The Angelus arc of Buffy season 2 and the Cordelia/Jasmine arc of Angel season 4. What's going on in particular feels like what went down with Cordy. Would you agree that this is similar to those two story lines and should we be looking for the differences?
Georges: It's just too depressing to go into (and you'll find out in a couple of weeks!)
2. bamph: This might be a bit spoilerish but will Buffy know Angel isn't in control of his actions next issue and will there be a element of trying to save him by freeing him of Twilight's control while they fight? Is this what,"rescue the prince" meant back in issue 10?
Georges: Wow. Someone has been reading their trades! Issue 10 was foreshadowing, that's all I can say.
3. bamph: How did you approach the end of the issue with Angel under Twilight's control? Art wise, did you have certain directions from Joss Whedon and Scott Allie? It's really subtle but works well when Angel first arrives on the scene.
Georges: What I was really trying to keep in mind was continuity. And that was more on Angel and where he'd been wounded. I tried to keep all the little tears in his jacket consistent and whatever bruises he was getting. I think I might have represented the Twilight factor by making his jacket a deeper black. Like not having any light reflected from it, or not to draw in the individual folds. That was the only conscious thing I did when he was becoming Twilight.
4. drywallman: You indicated in the previous Q&A that Dawn and Xander's relationship will continue, which would seem to mean they will both survive this season. We've already been told that there will be at least one major death this season. Why do you feel comfortable narrowing down the list, or are we misreading your comment?
Georges: I guess I wasn't trying to create a suspense here and the fact that I said their relationship continues does narrow things down a bit, doesn't it? But, where's Andrew? Faith?
Heavens, someone make sure they're alright! And Kennedy. Has anyone seen Kennedy? Is she okay? Pipe down all you K-haters! They'll be no rejoicing from you! Kennedy? Seriously, sweetie, say something...
5. cheryl: I am very confused about which side the PTB are on and who is supposed to be the good guys vs the bad guys. Is it safe to assume that Twilight is the bad guy? (Angel under the influence of the cat thing) Or is Buffy suspect too?
Georges: I thought that was a little vague too. I took it to mean that Twilight entity was more than just good and evil, it is another plain of existence, and such mortal concepts just don't apply. Buffy plays her part but has she ever really been evil? She's been misled, sure, but evil? She's just too cute, and oh that perfect little nose.
6. cheryl: This seems to be a mirror of what happened between Buffy and Angel in season 2 and the Angelus arc, only this time Angel is possessed and Twilight, are we naive to assume that this isn't going to put a bigger emotional burden on the relationship than the Angelus arc did?
Georges: Season 9 anyone?
7. cheryl: Are you guys afraid that the next issue might be so bad and the rage so high, that fans of the series walk away? For good? When you start talking about character deaths, fans get agitated and fast.
Georges: Yes! They'll walk away in rage and scream and shout. And then after a while they'll turn around and start to think that there's still one more issue to be had. Then they'll come back for that one, but that's it. Then they'll remember that there'll be a Season 9 and all hell will break loose again!
I honestly don't know how fans are going to react, I can only say this fan didn't take the news so well.
8. moscowwatcher: Hi, Mr.Jeanty! The new issue was awesome. Your cover and the last panel are forever imprinted in my mind. Thank you for all the wonderful panels. The fights are exciting and visceral with many rich details to make them memorabvle. I particularly liked the detail that Buffy makes herself a stake from Spike's axe. The characters' facial expressions are spot-on. Buffy's last close-up is heartbreaking. Thank you for great job.
Questions:
Several pages feature strange inserts - Angel's face with yellow eyes - on the pages with images, irrelevant to his face. These inserts are framed in yellow. At first I thought that it means that Angel gets information about the events that happen at this or that particular page (in some mystical way). Then, right before the Angel's entrance, the page on which Buffy and Spike fight monsters, there is a similarly framed rectangular insert of the detail of the green monster eyes (I guess these were eyes). Do these inserts mean something?
Georges: The inserts with Angel were supposed to signify that Angel was becoming Twilight while the fight was going on at the same time, that's why the panels were floating. It's a story telling device. The one of the demon was just a beat I thought that page needed before Angel rips it apart. Looking at it again, the borders probably shouldn't have been in yellow. I should have caught that.
9. moscowwatcher: The way the overall disposition is drawn it's unclear if the demons invade the Earth from the Twilight dimension or from many different dimensions. Were you given any notes on that subject?
Georges: I think when this new universe was being created it ripped the fabric of a lot of neighboring universes and created pockets of portals into our world where a the major fighting was taking place. You'll see more of this next issue!
10. moscowwatcher: Spike smokes cigarettes on almost every panel. Was it your contribution or you were given notes to draw him smoking?
Thank you again for answering our questions!
Georges: Some smoke breaks were suggested and others I just wanted to have something for him to do. You know Spike, he's only too happy to light up when he can. I mean, what's he got to fear, lung cancer? (Remember kids, smoking is bad for your health... unless you're a vampire... But when you get into that logic, how could a Vampire expel the smoke if a Vampire “has no breath to give”?)
11. maje77: From Scott and you, we’ve heard all these tragic and shocking ways to describe what happens in issue 39. As you’ve seen, some fans completely believe that Buffy and Angel’s relationship will be destroyed beyond repair, and that he’s the betrayer. Now that the full cover of #39 has been revealed to show Buffy fighting Angel, a fan could almost buy that. But I’m a suspicious person. Are we supposed to be shocked that Buffy and Angel fight because to me it’s more of a mislead of whose truly the betrayer in the sense that there’s a heck of a lot of suspect behavior from other characters going on. So I guess my question is, is there more to the cover than just assuming this massive fight/betrayal between Buffy and Angel?
Georges: Be suspicious. Be very suspicious.
12. maje77: In issue 38, Buffy loses her super strength when she gets close to the seed. Could we assume the same for Angel (even possessed Twilight Angel)?
Georges: Once Angel is Twilight it's a whole new ball game. His strength is no longer the issue... which is bad for Buffy...
13. maje77: The panels with Giles and Buffy gave me the feeling of goodbye, especially Giles’ line, “I’ll see you when this is over”. Is that interpretation valid?
Georges: Giles is ever the reassuring father Buffy never had. I think even if Giles were going off to fight to the death in the French Foreign Legion he would tell his little girl he'd see her when all this was over. If there was ever an anchor in the whole series of Buffy it has to be Giles. I know in Seasons 6 and 7 it seemed that he outlived his usefulness, but he was always an anchor to Buffy regardless if he was there as a Watcher or a father figure. I love Giles. I would have loved to see that Ripper series when that was still a possibility a few years ago. I thought it was going to be a lot like Torchwood.
14. AndrewCrossett: In the scene where Willow is with the Master and casting her spell with the Seed, are her eyes glowing red or is that just a reflection from the Seed?
Georges: I had it that her eyes were glowing red because she was absorbing the power of the Orb for what she does next issue... oh wait. I shouldn't go on.
15. AndrewCrossett: Do you know why General Voll (from Long Way Home) disappeared, and this new nameless General took his place? He seems to sound quite a bit like Voll when he talks.
Georges: Yeah. That was my bad. I had no idea that those two guys were one and the same. Major blunder on my part! Sorry. He just disappeared forever and when he resurfaced I thought he was someone else.
16. AndrewCrossett: Will it be explained why Faith now has the Scythe, and what's happened to it since Buffy lost it?
Georges: Buffy never lost it. I think the official story is that one of the Slayers went and got it back from Tibet and brought it to the fight. Sound about right?
17. Maggie: Hi Georges,
Sorry to re-ask this question, but I'm still not clear. Going back to #37, it's obvious that Buffy is fantasizing about kissing Spike and it doesn't really happen. The question is when does the fantasy start. I want to say that the whole page is the fantasy -- but it really is hard to tell. Did Buffy really tell Spike what it was like having sex with Angel. Did he really get upset by it? By the time she's standing up to comfort him, it seems like that has to be fantasy. But the rhythm of what happens when she stops fantasizing doesn't make sense if the him getting upset part actually happened. Anyway -- at what point does the fantasy start? Thanks!
Georges: All the talking stuff happened and all the kissy sexy stuff didn't. I like your idea though, that the whole thing after a while takes place in Buffy's head. It might have meant an interesting angle to peruse.
18. veiriti: I’d like to paraphrase the Maggie’s question about Buffy’s daydream with Spike – Does Buffy’s daydream have a purpose, or this is only a gift to us – the fans of Spike/Buffy relationship? If it’s a gift it was a really big gift – hours after her destructive sex with Angel, Buffy is dreaming about Spike! That was priceless! Btw – lots of fans love these panels, and IMO the fans like your friend Janette are a minority. Once again – great job!
Georges: All the sexy stuff is going on in her head and that's directly from Joss. We had many a conversation about how they were hooking up and just how much we should show. Where hands were. You never really know what's going on in someone's head and Buffy's no exception. She obviously cares for Spike and if the end of Season 7 said anything, it was that she had forgiven him his transgressions for his sacrifice and to find that he's alive, well, I wish Joss would write that scene. I'm so interested in seeing it! Enjoy your gift.
19. veiriti: I’ve just read the new issue and I loved it. This time your Angel is brilliant, especially in the end – Angel/Twilight facial expression and his eyes made me to shiver to the bones – the real face of a soulless evil. My question is – does Angel/Twilight still have a soul? Willow calls him “Angelus”, Spike calls him “Angelus” too. Spike and Willow have supernatural senses. Do they detect something wrong in Angel’s soul? And entire season 8 Angel/Twilight is acting just like Angelus for me.
Georges: Now if we went into explaining all this what would you have to read in the next issue? Patience, grasshopper. All will be revealed in time.
20. veiriti: Back to issue 36. The new twilight Universe is depicted as a talking dog at first – When the dog is talking about his plans he is scratching – the dog obviously has bugs. Angel obviously is Twilight – the obedient puppet who has to fulfill the New Universe’s plans. Is Spike the “bug” in the Twilight Universe’s plan? Joss Whedon said in an interview that Spike’s role on Buffy Season 8 will be very important, so will we see him playing a pivotal role in the end?
Georges: What's the right answer here...? Yes? No?
21. kdeb: Re: all the smoking Spike's doing, since we didn't see him smoke a single cigarette in Angel Season 5, is the fact that he gets through a whole pack of smokes in this one comic meant to imply that he's nervous about something? Does he in fact have an agenda? At this point, I don't know whether to hope that he does, because that will mean there's some point to his being in the story, which there currently doesn't seem to be except for fanservice, or to hope that he doesn't, because if he does it'll probably make things worse for Buffy.
So basically, the question is, does Spike serve any actual purpose in this story, or has he just been included to please the fans, and if he does, is the smoking meant to suggest anything?
Georges: Like I said in a previous question, Spike's smoking is just something that I have him do to give him something to do. Where it's appropriate. Buffy doesn't like him to smoke so he probably wouldn't smoke when he's talking to her, but there's nothing to read into, he just likes to smoke. Joss wanted to have the whole gang back at the end. So if you feel that he's just there as window dressing he is part of the core. And the fact that there's a huge battle is something he wouldn't want to miss.
22. kdeb: A couple of questions about facial expressions:
While Buffy is arguing with Willow in the cave, there's one panel of Spike with his back to everyone else (smoking again!) and frowning. Could you clarify for me what the expression on his face is meant to imply?
Georges: If I remember correctly they were talking about compromising and making an unholy alliance of sorts with the Master.
23. kdeb: Likewise, at the end, when Angel appears, is the expression on Buffy's face meant to be of joy or concern? I've seen it interpreted both ways and would like to know what you were going for when you drew it.
Georges: From the script it's meant to be happy on Buffy's face. Because she thinks Angel has come back to help tip the scales. What's not to be happy about that? The mood quickly changes when she can sense something wrong.
24. bamph: Not in the last Q/A session but the one before it,you said, "Oh man, if you don't like Angel now, you are going to really hate him soon!" As a followup to my first question in this session, why do you think there will more hate for Angel than what is already there by some given the fact that Angel is now being fully controlled by Twilight and anything he does next issue is against his will? If he's being totally controlled by Twilight at this point than doesn't that mean he is not in control of his actions next issue and should we feel more pity than hate?
Georges: Those are the best tragedies, aren't they?
25. bamph: There is a lot of talk going in sections of fandom that this entire storyline is about subverting and destroying the Buffy/Angel romance/relationship and they will be dead as a ship by issue 40 with Buffy maybe even hating Angel. You've been asked in these Q/A sessions about whether Buffy/Angel shippers should be in panic mode for there ship with the usual answer being to be very afraid. With just two issues to go and now knowing Angel is being controlled by Twilight in the next issue, I want to ask something sort of fundamental about Season 8 as a whole. Has this season been about subverting and destroying Buffy/Angel as romantic ship for Joss or is that not the right reading of what is going on or what Joss is doing?
Georges: I don't think Joss is set out to piss off one side of the fandom or the other. He's just out to tell good stories and drama is what hooks us the most. If you try and tell a story that pleases everyone it probably won’t be as good. Stick with the book till the end of the season and then you come back here and tell me what you think.
26. bamph: A more fun question. We've seen all of your covers and Jo Chen's covers for the season now except Jo's cover for the last trade. Do you have a favorite cover of your own and a favorite cover of Jo's?
Georges: I pretty much love all of Jo's covers! She's just so good! I really only like a handful of my covers. Recently, I have to say, I really liked the Giles cover. The way it was inked and colored is beautiful. I loved the idea that we finally gave him his own cover. I would have loved to have given Xander his own as well, but no such luck.
27. sosa lola: Did you get the script for #40 yet? If so, are you satisfied with the ending? Do you think there are things that weren't covered in the last two issues that should have been?
Georges: I have finished the last issue and it's a great epilogue to the series. After the events of #39, you get a glimpse into what Season 9 could be like. It's one of the best issues I've drawn. Joss wrote it and I felt that he was really on his game with it. There are so many great moments with just character stuff that I'm such a fan of. I kept telling Joss that this issue was so good that there didn't need to be any action in it.
28. sosa lola: Do you have any information about the characters' roles in S9? I'm mostly interested in Xander's role. There will be four titles: Buffy, Willow, Spike and Angel. In which book will Xander appear?
Georges: I think there will only be 2 ongoing books with a few limited series thrown in there when necessary. The great thing about Issue 40 is that it gives you a glimpse into Season 9.
29. zamolxis: I liked how Buffy and Spike fight together, it reminded me of Buffy asking Satsu in The Long Way Home “you fight with me, not next to me” and now I want to see Spike and Satsu working together. Will Satsu appear in the remaining issues?
Georges: I think she's running around the battle in #39 but there won’t be too much more focus on her, sorry.
30. zamolxis: The girls were beat down badly in the series, Angel put Buffy and Satsu in the hospital covered with bandages and IV, smashed Faith’s head pretty hard into a tile. Buffy already forgave Angel and had sex with him, but how about Faith and the rest, are they gonna forgive Angel for what he did to them before the reveal?
Georges: Faith does something really remarkable, that's all I can say about that.
31. zamolxis: At the end of #38, Angel is just possessed by Twilight or the Twilight entity transferred itself into Angel and that way giving Buffy and the Scoobies the opportunity to kill Twilight for good?
Georges: See? Good drama! How do you kill the Entity without killing the host?
32. wenxina: Hey Georges. Marketing question. If one were to hypothetically want to buy original art from you, is there a particular third party site to go to? Mighty Nib has some early stuff, but nothing past the first few issues.
Georges: Hit me up on my website www.kabalounge.com and let me know what pages you're interested in and we can go from there. Sound good?
33. wenxina: So, at the moment, we have Twilight aka Angel-under-a-mask, Twilight the realm/new universe, Twilight the apocalypse, and Twilight the new universe incarnate (the griffin). Is there more to come on this whole Twilight business?
Georges: That is a very good question....
34. wenxina: So the stakes are stacked pretty high right now. The legion of otherworldly demons are still pouring in. Angel's all possessed, and supposedly on an errand to retrieve the Seed for his and Buffy's offspring. Willow seems to be playing with the source of all magic. Xander seems to be in serious second thought land. Dawn is badly hurt. Is that enough badness, or is there more to come?
Georges: That's a lot for a single issue to wrap up, isn't it? I think you can see now why Issue 39 is such a big deal. It all happens here. It was probably the densest issue I've ever had to draw in this series. We get a piece of everyone and this whole thing comes to a climax. It's big. And sad. And cathartic. And good. And... well, you'll see in a couple of weeks, and then we can meet back here with what will no doubt be a serious Q&A session! Don't hold back!