Scott Allie Q&A for #21 *Complete*

[michellebuffyfest]

Scott,

Just wondering if you were going to be at the New York ComiCon? If not, the San Diego one? Buffyfest will be at both and we were hoping to get to see you speak.

Thanks, Michelle
www.buffyfest.blogspot.com

[Emmie]

> 17. Simon: Should we expect any major Buffy announcements at the Dark Horse panel at New York's Comic Con next month?

No major ones, but some good bits of news. We met today to plan it, and you'll hear about a new comic coming soon, and some news about Jane's arc, the first real info about it you're gonna be hearing. And you'll see some covers for the first time, either at the show or on the web coverage of the show.

> 18. narflet: Actually, I would confess to being a little confused about the slayers fate. I assumed dead (also, Andy Dick I assumed...not dead?), but then I thought that wouldn't really be plausible would it?
>
> If someone was killed on a reality tv show (as in dead, passed on, ceased to be, expired and gone to meet their maker...) then the public wouldn't go for that, right? After all Buffy is meant to be an alternate to this reality and I can't think that we're living in a climate where someone being killed on a tv show would make it cool. So I therefore have to assume that the episode of harmony bites was spun as a scripted piece (i.e she's not really dead, haha, good hoax yes?), but even so surely that wouldn't pass with the extras who were there, and even some of the crew, who'd witnessed the event? Also, a couple of times it was mentioned how people could be bitten and not die, and there was all the people with plasters on necks so that added to my though that perhaps Harm is having enough savvy here to realise that killing people - celebrities, even her 'villians' (the slayers) - to promoter her brand won't do her any favours.

There was a question in there, right ...?
I think our ability to accept violence on TV is pretty inhuman in this day and age. So I don't know. Soledad attacked the heroine of the show. It's a stretch—I genuinely hope it's a stretch—but I think it's fair for fiction.

> 19. Trey: In "Anywhere But Here," Robin mentions something about "rescuing the prince". Will "rescuing the prince" play an important part in a future issue?

Yeah, Trey, nice catch. I haven't had anyone ask about that, I don't think. But there is something to that ...


> 20. bamph: I'm not sure if you can answer this since it might be spoilerish but will Harmony be appearing in more issues beyond just # 21? What I mean is will she have an ongoing presence in Season 8 throughout the rest of the season?

You will see her again in the comics, but that's all I'm gonna give you.

> 21. Skytteflickan88: On darkhorse's website, it says that the Spike & Dry story "Who made who" is in both Omnibus 3&4. Is that true or did someone screw up the descriptions?
>
> www.darkhorse.com/Books/15-012/Buffy-the-Vampire-Slayer-Omnibus-Volume-4
>
> www.darkhorse.com/Books/14-940/Buffy-the-Vampire-Slayer-Omnibus-Volume-3

I don't have this info handy, but it's certainly just in one of the volumes. Can someone who has a copy of the book handy answer this ...?

> 22. cheryl: Are we supposed to believe that "After these messages" was a 4 second dream? Or a trip to the past, somehow?

It definitely was a dream, but that's not to say it wasn't also a trip back in time. We can have pretty elaborate dream in just a moment's time ...

> 23. Witchy: Can we expect more Scoobies sweet moments, like the end of "After..."?? because we've seen the characters grow apart form each other, less in the Xander / Buffy relationship, but Willow and Dawn... I think that's really sad.

We will see more of that. We'll definitely be getting in to the emotions and the connections between the characters.

> 24. Enisy: Which of the main characters (Buffy, Willow, Xander, Dawn, etc.) do you think has the juiciest arc this season? Just your opinion.

Buffy. Xander will probably be a close second, but it might be Willow.

> 25. michellebuffyfest: Just wondering if you were going to be at the New York ComiCon? If not, the San Diego one? Buffyfest will be at both and we were hoping to get to see you speak.

I will be at both shows. I'll be doing a Dark Horse panel with Jeremy Atkins, the thing we were planning today. What's Buffyfest?

[bishopcruz]

Quick question Scott.

You mentioned that #25 would be a Buffy centric issue, I had heard that it would be a Dawn and Xander focused issue. Is there then going to be a Xander focused issue/arc? Or has that changed?

[sosa lola]

I have to say "Great job" on what you guys, especially Jane, did with this issue. People believing the media, even though they're aware it usually twists the truth, is a bitter fact in our world. Especially with the current events that are going now in real world. The part about the public accepting Harmony as a victimized hero is so true to what's happening nowadays it hurts. I just hope some people in Buffy's world will be smart enough to realize who's evil and who's not.

[BlueJay]

Will Rowena's and Leah's past be explored?

[Witchy]

Hi!!

Can we expect to see more of Fray in future issues? Or something that clears the air about her reality and Buffy's... after "Time of Your Life"?

[NotaViking]

Hi Scott, thanks for answering all these questions.

I'm afraid this issue is my least favourite of S8 (which has been great), but I'll spare you my analysis.

The new slayer, Soledad, was activated in the present timeframe, rather than at the time of "Chosen". How has this happened? What’s the trigger? I think the general assumption was that Willow's spell had turned all the potentials in the world into slayers (including those under 16 – i.e. the young girl playing baseball).

[michellebuffyfest]

Scott,

Thanks so much for answering our question. You've done a great job with Season 8 so far. To answer your question, Buffyfest is a collaboration of three writers, artists and activists based in New York, who have created a place to share news and our thoughts about the Whedonverse.

Thanks again,
Michelle

[Rowan Hawthorn]

Scott,

I noticed in the tie-in article in the back of "Kull" that Kennedy is on the "Most Wanted" list of Slayers - looks like she's been making something of a name for herself in the vamp community. Will we be getting any background on her and what she's been doing this season? By the way, thanks for taking the time to do these Q & As.

[Scott Allie]

Emmie, sorry to jump ahead of you, but I was online, thought I'd check in.

Bishopcruz—#25 involves Buffy heavily. She's not off stage, even though there is a lot of Dawn, as the covers, both of which I think are now up, reveal. Buffy's not out of the story, the way she is in #24.

Sosalola—Oh, that's not a question. Well ... yes.

Jay—I don't think there'll be much if any more insight into the past of those Slayers; they're gonna remain pretty sidelined by the characters that you've seen more development with.

Witchy—You won't see Fray again in this Season, but hopefully another Fray series down the road sometime will answer some questions.

Notaviking—Hm. You didn't like Jane's issue. Maybe you ARE a Viking. But we talked about this, and girls continue to be activated as they come of age. I'm trying to remember what issue that baseball girl was in; but was she definitely a little kid? Whatever the unique case with her may have been, there continues to be new potentials coming to light.

Michelle from Buffy Fest—Maybe I'll see you at NY. I'll be in the booth, and on the panel.

Rowan Hawthorn—Kennedy is definitely one of the more active and independent Slayers. But the way the story is stacking up as we approach the conclusion, after #22 I doubt we'll see a lot of her efforts away from the core group.

I'll do another round of questions tomorrow night, and then let's call it an issue.

Make sure you all check out the episode of Harmony's show on myspace.com/darkhorsepresents.

Scott

[dane5by5]

After we check back in with Faith & Giles in #24, are they going to be featured in the rest of the season, or will this be the last we'll see of them?

[xmadxscientistx]

Hi Scott! Killing a Slayer is a pretty big achievement in the vampire community, as we know from Spike's experiences. Has Harmony gained some street cred with other vampires, or do they have a problem with the whole outing them to the whole world thing?

[sosa lola]

Will the issues between Buffy and Giles be adressed in the future?

[Whedon Fan]

Good question "sosalola". I don't really get what Buffy and Giles even fell out over? The 'little' argument in No Future For You seems very petty and not even that big a deal. Not enough for them to not speak for the length of time that has passed. Buffy and Giles relationship is and should be stronger than what is being portrayed in season eight.

Anyway Scott I have a question regarding the Serenity comics. When is "A Shepards Tale" going to be released? Is there any further news on it at all. Has it been written, comic covers been done? There has been no new news since it was announced last summer, so anything at all would be great. Thanks.

[NotaViking]

Scott Allie - "I'm trying to remember what issue that baseball girl was in; but was she definitely a little kid?"

Yes, definitely. She's in 7.22 "Chosen" and looks about 9 or 10 years old. The montage of potentials elsewhere in the world being activated features her the most prominently - being at both the beginning and the end. Buffy's dialogue when the girl is on-screen is "From now on, every girl in the world who might be a slayer, will be a slayer".

She's also on the first page on issue 11 "A Beautiful Sunset" (picked presumably because it was such a defining image). Writing her off as unique just seems like covering up a mistake. Sorry, but it looks like a retcon to me. I know I'm being harsh, but I'm trying to be fair in posting here, rather than elsewhere, and giving you the chance to show I'm wrong (and a Viking ;-).

[Giant Michael]

Boring legal question ahoy! There are a couple of cameos in 'Harmonic Divergence' - how did they come about? When you use a celebrities image in such an overt way, do you have to have their permission?

MB x

[Skytteflickan88]

I also have legal question. Say that I were wanted to get a tattoo that's buffy-comic related, is that illegal?

I heard that as long as you don't make any money out of it or the company that owns the picture doesn't lose money, it's legal.

[cheungcheung]

when a slayer dies now, does a new one get activated? could that explain the 'live' activation?

[bishopcruz]

Scott, just so we're clear, did Harmony KILL Andy Dick, or just feed off of him? If she killed him, that might account for her popularity.

Thanks again.

[BlueJay]

Would you guys ever consider producing an audio drama featuring original cast members and/or professional voice actors to go along with the Season Eight comics?