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amandajensen87
09-09-08, 07:20 PM
Okay I watched my very first Buffy episode a few weeks ago with my mother-in-law. I was never interested in the show when it was on air but after watching that one episode (which was the premiere of the 3rd season) I started at the beginning and watched all 7 seasons within 2 weeks. Then I saw that season 8 is in comic book form. I'm new to the whole Buffy scene but I noticed that there are comics that were printed during the show? I plan on reading season 8 but should I read the ones printed while the show was still on air? Do they have anything to do with the episodes?
KingofCretins
09-09-08, 07:27 PM
The original run of Buffy comics published by Dark Horse are not "canon" works -- they take place during and roughly progress alongside the televised seasons, but they aren't "real" stories for the characters.

Season 8, however (as well as IDW's "Angel: After the Fall" and "Spike: After the Fall" titles), is the official canon continuation of the Buffy series set after Season 7 ended. The events of Season 8 are the "real" answer to "what happened" after "Chosen" for Buffy and everyone else. Season 8 is planned for 40 issues and just recently 8.18 was released. There is a Season 9 planned that will be shorter than Season 8.

On the Season 8 sub-forum, you will find a thread with transcripts of the first 18 issues of Season 8 so that if you don't think you'll be able to find the books soon, you can get caught up. In addition, Season 8 is being collected in trade paperback form as arcs are published. The "The Long Way Home" trade paperback has 8.01 through 8.05. "No Future For You" has 8.06 through 8.10. "Wolves at the Gate" has 8.11 through 8.15.
amandajensen87
09-09-08, 07:58 PM
Thanks, that clears things up. I've ordered 1-18 of season 8. I read that apparently one of the comics deals with what happened when Buffy met up with Angel after he learned that she was back from the dead. That one sounds interesting. Worth the read?
KingofCretins
09-09-08, 08:05 PM
Well, actually, minor spoiler for Season 8 no such storyline has actually played out at this point. We'll probably be getting a lot of Buffy's thoughts about her relationship with Angel overall in a forthcoming issue, though, that involves (plot spoiler for 8.20) Buffy "waking up" in her Season 1 life -- her "Season 8 brain in her Season 1 bod". The issue is going to be in the style of Buffy Animated. She'll probably have a lot of thoughts about her relationships with Angel, her friends, her family, and Giles.
amandajensen87
09-09-08, 09:07 PM
I think that's enough to get me hooked :-)
Vampire in Rug
10-09-08, 12:54 PM
Thanks, that clears things up. I've ordered 1-18 of season 8. I read that apparently one of the comics deals with what happened when Buffy met up with Angel after he learned that she was back from the dead. That one sounds interesting. Worth the read?

You're thinking of the comic Reunion (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reunion_(Buffy_comic)). It's non-canon (meaning that it's probably a "what-if" type story as opposed to something that definetly happend offscreen).

I think it's free to read online somewhere. I can't remember right now, maybe someone else can help. I wouldn't bother with it though.

In adition to being non-canon it's not very good. It doesn't explicidly deal with the offscreen Buffy/Angel meeting, it's Dawn, Anya and Xander sitting around speculating on what might have happened. So we get three versions of the event, none of which are what "really" what happend.
NileQT87
10-09-08, 10:27 PM
reunion was written by jane espenson, who was a writer on the show, however.
vampmogs
11-09-08, 03:50 AM
Oh that was a terrible comic in my opinion... :confused:

It's what makes me fearful of her upcoming Issue in season eight, I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt it'll be far more in line with her great televised episodes. But some of her lines in 'Reunion' where horrid.
amandajensen87
11-09-08, 04:26 AM
okay thanks. I don't think I'll read it then. So what else is in the canon other than the seasons 1-8? Anything?
Theresa Marie86
11-09-08, 06:34 AM
The comics are fun to read alond with the shows though.. i find it fun and entertaining to read episodes that never where. Maybe when your done with the series you coul read some of the books. I love the books. You get to read stories that never happened that could very well have been some excellent episodes.Oh and not to mention to magazines, granted they are not stories but its cool to see what the actors where up to and what nots... hope i could help!
Andrew
11-09-08, 09:01 AM
I think it's free to read online somewhere. I can't remember right now, maybe someone else can help. I wouldn't bother with it though.


You can find it at the ecomics page of the BBC Buffy site: LINK (http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/buffy/ecomics/). It's pretty meh but there are other comics there if you're interested.
spuffy4life
11-09-08, 12:36 PM
Ok majour confession LOL. Would LOVE to read some of the comics of season 8 but to my total annoyance can't find them anywhere :(
Any ideas where i can get my hands on them pleaaase your help would be greatly appreciated :D

Joss
Matt
11-09-08, 05:22 PM
Ok majour confession LOL. Would LOVE to read some of the comics of season 8 but to my total annoyance can't find them anywhere :(
Any ideas where i can get my hands on them pleaaase your help would be greatly appreciated :D

Joss

http://www.tfaw.com (Things From Another World) is a really great place for Buffy comics. If you search for "Buffy Season 8" under comics you should get all of them.

There are also the trade-paperbacks of the first 15 issues, if you search the same thing under Graphic Novels. The first is called The Long Way Home, the second No Future For You and the third Wolves at the Gate. There have been a total of 18 issues so far, but the other TPB won't be released until the 20th issue.
vampmogs
12-09-08, 02:27 AM
okay thanks. I don't think I'll read it then. So what else is in the canon other than the seasons 1-8? Anything?

There's 'Tales of the Slayers' and 'Tales of the Vampires' which are also both canon. And then "Angel: After the Fall' which is the canon continuation of 'Angel'.
Matt
12-09-08, 08:10 AM
There's 'Tales of the Slayers' and 'Tales of the Vampires' which are also both canon.

Out of all of the Buffy comics are they the only ones that are actually canon? If so that's kind of ironic considering how many comics there were overall.
vampmogs
12-09-08, 01:51 PM
Out of all of the Buffy comics are they the only ones that are actually canon? If so that's kind of ironic considering how many comics there were overall.

Yup, as far as I'm aware. Joss even writes some of the stories which certainly indicates canon status, that and he said it :lol: But yes, some of the other comics were so awful I'm glad they're not canon :lol:
spuffy4life
12-09-08, 02:32 PM
http://www.tfaw.com (Things From Another World) is a really great place for Buffy comics. If you search for "Buffy Season 8" under comics you should get all of them.

There are also the trade-paperbacks of the first 15 issues, if you search the same thing under Graphic Novels. The first is called The Long Way Home, the second No Future For You and the third Wolves at the Gate. There have been a total of 18 issues so far, but the other TPB won't be released until the 20th issue.

Oh, ok thanks muchly appreciated :)

Joss
stormwreath
15-09-08, 10:21 AM
okay thanks. I don't think I'll read it then. So what else is in the canon other than the seasons 1-8? Anything?As well as what's been mentioned there's also 'Buffy: The Origin', which is the comics adaptation of Joss's original script for the BtVS movie. (It's different to what was actually filmed, closer to his original intentions). Joss is on record as saying he "has some issues with it, but otherwise it's basically canon."

The best way to find it now would probably be in the Buffy Omnibus Volume 1 from Dark Horse.