Reluctant Hero
Potential Slayer
To read makes our speaking English good. [Mo0:15]
Posts: 104
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Post by Reluctant Hero on Jun 16, 2009 20:19:59 GMT -5
I've been debating back and forth whether or not to get into the comics. After I watched Angel I was made well aware of how Whedon can take something you like and then make you cry like heck over it (pregnant cordelia anyone?). I just don't want to ruin Buffy the way I remember it.
Does everyone seem in character? Are the comics comparable to the show? By that I mean, do they tie in well or is the jump from show to comic a bit harsh?
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Just Willow
Wise-cracking Sidekick
Look to the Western Sky
[Mo0:22]
Posts: 2,575
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Post by Just Willow on Jun 16, 2009 20:44:07 GMT -5
well, the change is hard, and there is a bit more.....sort of lame comicbookyness to it, but they aren't bad. They're actually very good, just a change, and rabid fans need something.
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Post by AndrewCrossett on Jun 16, 2009 20:58:59 GMT -5
Everyone is as in character as they were in the TV show. (Which is to say, they sometimes act unpredictably, just like any interesting character.)
The change from season 7 is pretty large, but that was bound to happen... no more Sunnydale, army of Slayers to deal with.
Anyone who knows me knows that I am very resistant to change... but I found myself warming up to season 8 very quickly. It just seemed really cool to push Buffy and the Scoobies up to the next level. Their lives have changed drastically since Sunny-D, but everyone's lives tend to change drastically at that age (early-mid 20's).
Joss has a lot of fun doing a Buffy season with no budget constraints and no network censors. Some complain he enjoys it a little too much, but I think it's just right.
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Paul
Ensouled Vampire
[Mo0:34]
Posts: 1,173
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Post by Paul on Jun 16, 2009 21:26:00 GMT -5
Despite the title and being arranged to mirror a television season, it's written very much as a comic book. The smaller, more down-to-earth feel of the show is replaced with a global scale and epic visuals. That seems to have alienated some, who claim that's it's too over-the-top and silly, but it's really just a matter of personal taste.
It's better to view this not as an eighth season of the show, but an all-new series that follows up from the show (which is really what it is, it's just the title is misleading). There is a significant jump between the show and the comic, but the quality is still there, just in a different form.
I'd definitely recomend giving them a shot. Pick up the first three trade paperbacks and you should know from them whether you like the series or not. The first is a typical "season opener" getting you used to the new status quo, the second is a fairly grounded character story, and the third is totally epic and hilarious.
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El Diablo Robotico
Ensouled Vampire
Robo Pimp-Daddy
"Surely you have heard about our great victory over the Devil's Robot."[Mo0:3]
Posts: 1,199
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Post by El Diablo Robotico on Jun 17, 2009 0:35:42 GMT -5
Everyone is as in character as they were in the TV show. (Which is to say, they sometimes act unpredictably, just like any interesting character.) Perfect description. Any time anyone does something that doesn't already have an established precedent, people are so quick to jump up and scream "out of character!" As if people in real life don't do unexpected things sometimes. But yeah, they're still the same characters you know and love, and sound just like they always have, thanks to most of the issues being written by writers from the show (Joss, Drew Goddard, Jane Espenson, Doug Petrie, Steven DeKnight, Drew Z. Greenberg), and Joss is mainly responsible for breaking the stories, guiding the overall plot, and reviewing (and revising) all the scripts, just like he did for the first 7 seasons. Despite the title and being arranged to mirror a television season, it's written very much as a comic book. The smaller, more down-to-earth feel of the show is replaced with a global scale and epic visuals. That seems to have alienated some, who claim that's it's too over-the-top and silly, but it's really just a matter of personal taste. It's better to view this not as an eighth season of the show, but an all-new series that follows up from the show (which is really what it is, it's just the title is misleading). There is a significant jump between the show and the comic, but the quality is still there, just in a different form. The one thing you don't want to do is try to equate each issue to an episode of the show. Sounds obvious, but I've seen more than one person get fed up with the comics because they'd read 15 issues and not much had happened yet, when they were comparing it to the amount of story that had been told thru 15 episodes of a TV season. It takes more like 2-4 issues to make up the equivalent of 1 episode, so after 15 issues, you're only maybe 6 episodes deep. Definitely give them a shot. Worst thing that can happen is that you don't like 'em, right?
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Reluctant Hero
Potential Slayer
To read makes our speaking English good. [Mo0:15]
Posts: 104
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Post by Reluctant Hero on Jun 17, 2009 10:57:17 GMT -5
Thanks for all the help guys. I guess I be spending quite a lot of time in the comic section of my book store for a while.
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Post by henzINNIT on Jun 17, 2009 11:04:13 GMT -5
You should give it a try, but be wary. The characters are very true to those you remembered, but that is about the only thing that hasn't changed.
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Reluctant Hero
Potential Slayer
To read makes our speaking English good. [Mo0:15]
Posts: 104
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Post by Reluctant Hero on Jun 17, 2009 22:02:58 GMT -5
You should give it a try, but be wary. The characters are very true to those you remembered, but that is about the only thing that hasn't changed. I love the fact that you used the phrase "be weary" it's good to know that people still talk the way I do.
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Post by buffyfan21 on Jun 22, 2009 10:35:44 GMT -5
I think the comics are definitely worth the read (especially if you are a hard core fan ). Being someone who was not really a comic reader prior to S8, I was worried that the comics would not have the same impact on me that the show has. Overall, however, I can say that Buffy has translated over to the comic medium quite well. I find that when I am reading the comics I am able to clearly hear the distinct voice of each character in my head. Despite the change in medium I find that the emotional resonance is still there for me. There have been moments during my reading of the comics where I have laughed out loud, and others that have caused me to shed a tear. So although it may take some time to get used to Buffy in comic form, the quality of the stories being told definitely hasn't changed.
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