Buffy 8.10 "Anywhere But Here" Discussion Thread

[KingofCretins]

I started the speculation/wish-list thread not knowing if we'd get a preview before the release.

Turned out... we did

And here it is --

"Anywhere But Here" preview

Spoiler:

So far, it's... very cool. Looks like it really might just be the character piece we've been hoping for. I can already hear the complaints about the guest pencils starting up... Buffy has a fantasy about Daniel Craig and is shown in a bikini! And then the blah blah sexist fanboy pandering swimsuit cakes.

But, also, already? Nice moments in both the conversations that the issue will focus on

[sueworld]

. I can already hear the complaints about the guest pencils starting up.

Oh that explains a lot. I thought the artwork looked a lot better this time around.

Dawn actually looks like she's meant to be for a start. *g*

[KingofCretins]

Spoiler:

Personally, I was waiting for the bevy of complaints about the opening image with Buffy in bikini (check out the book, btw: *snerk*), and then a whole lot of nothing about Fantasy Daniel Craig's 50 abs

A few thing I've already liked, little touches. Buffy, even in bikini at the beach, is still wearing her cross. I'm still not convinced it's *the* cross that Angel gave her -- unless that cross did the same magic morphing thing that Oz's van did, she has worn more than one, and this one looks too small.

Also noticed they made a point of Willow acknowledging that Daniel Craig works -- "gay now" attenuation signs? The preview pages are all about digging obsessively for layers of meaning, and Joss has heard four years of fan argument that Willow is presumptively bisexual.

I won't like, Cliff Richards has made all four of them pretty sexy so far -- Buffy with the bikini, Willow with the calm ease and gracefulness of the flying, Dawn with... her posture? I don't know, she's cute... and Xander workin' the stubble. And, there's nothing wrong with it at all.

Nice to see that they *are* taking Dawn's situation seriously, and came up with the thoughtful surprise of letting her have some more clothes. As long as she has a coat or something, I won't worry about her in the Scottish winter. I still wanna know how they get her protein, though -- cement mixers full of powdered eggs?

And, so far, no unpleasant developments on the 'shipping front

[sueworld]

Spoiler:

And, so far, no unpleasant developments on the 'shipping front

Shipping? I thought thats the last thing thast going on there. Nobody appears to be shacking up with anyone so far.

For me the verdict will be out until I read the whole issue I'm afraid.

[KingofCretins]

Spoiler:

Exactly... no news is good news on the 'shipping so far. As I said on the speculation thread, I am sorta thinking if there is any Scoobycest in the works for Season 8, particularly a Buffy/Xander 'ship (which will take the most careful set up), we're going to start getting some clear indication, some subtext in dialogue or something, starting in this issue.

[sueworld]

Spoiler:

Personally I'll be very, very surprised if any ship gets a look in in this series. Joss really doesn't seem to be interested in such things. His eyes are on the bigger picture.

[KingofCretins]

Since it's not a detail, I won't spoiler it, but I really disagree with the idea that Joss is indifferent-to-dubious about 'shipping. In seven televised seasons, there wasn't one that wasn't 'shipping intensive for at least two couples, and there was almost always at least one implicit love triangle playing out. Unless all that went on over his objections (and what, ever, did?), why assume he's going to stop now?

[sueworld]

Oh because I haven't seen any evidence of it so far, and because comics on a whole are very much a 'boy thing' in that they very rarely deal with 'young romance' type story lines.

[Nostalgia]

Wow..

:mouth waters:

Um.. I cannot believe how much better this guy is.. I can already tell how much I prefer him over Jeanty (no bashing towards Jeanty.. he's a good penciler..) but Cliff Richards is amazing!

And Buffy... in that bikini!

I can already tell I am going to fall in love with this issue. Just starting off with Buffy and Willow engaging in conversation.. without any true intro is fabulous. I love the Daniel Craig reference.. and it shows that the comics will indeed have the comedy package as well as the action and the drama. I truly feel like I am revisiting season 2 already.. this may be the closest Buffy's been with Willow in terms of friendship wise since season 2/3.. I'm loving it!

And also, Kings.. great point.. this does make me definitely begin to believe Willow is bi and not gay. Although it's subtle.. I definitely believe that this could be Joss working in some future hints. My guess? Xander/Willow.

[KingofCretins]

It actually cracks me up that if this was a TV episode, it would have a "Special Guest Appearance by Daniel Craig as Himself".

Buffy's bikini is going to be hammered, ridiculously, but it's not like we haven't seen the girl in a swimsuit before.

[Nostalgia]

Buffy's bikini is going to be hammered, ridiculously, but it's not like we haven't seen the girl in a swimsuit before.

Honestly, I think if we're gonna critique Buffy so much as to say THAT is too revealing.. I think we need to take our feminist side down a notch. Honestly, it blows my mind.. Do you honestly want Buffy to not have any lady-like qualities once so ever? Yes these pencilers are men.. but what I've always loved about Buffy was that she resembled the strength of women and at the same time was very good looking. If someone is going to say that that photo's not "proportional" to Sarah Michelle Gellar.. you need to go see read some anime. Plus, I kind of feel we're sort of offending SMG by consistently demanding to make her breast size smaller.. Do you honestly think she has no bust once so ever?

EDIT: Someone made mention of them hoping the bring up the ABH game again.. well.. that's the first thing they do when the issue starts it seems. Kind of a "Hey remember that game we played in high school? Wanna play?" kind of deal.

[vampmogs]

Oh because I haven't seen any evidence of it so far, and because comics on a whole are very much a 'boy thing' in that they very rarely deal with 'young romance' type story lines.

C'mon we've had technically two episodes, three if you count 'The Chain' it is far to early to determine wether or not Joss will focus on shipping. Besides we've already had a brief mention of the Willow/Kenny time out thing going on which will be further explained for certain and the little kissage between Buffy and Xander toying with the idea.

I think your being far too stereotypical and narrow minded in saying comics are a boy thing and thus Joss wont do shipping. Joss is a boy correct? Joss is still the same Joss that gave us seven years of relationships correct? Why'd you think suddenly because we are in the comic medium the guy has completely changed?

Buffy's bikini is going to be hammered, ridiculously, but it's not like we haven't seen the girl in a swimsuit before.

I'm expecting people going on about how big her breasts are but I don't really have a problem with it. Buffy is having a sexy fantasy, which means things have to be sexy. No harm in Buffy herself boosting herself up a little to suit her own steamy fantasy with Daniel Craig.

Really like where this issue seems to be heading. I got to say I like Jeanty's art better but then I actually liked his art better than the artist from 'The Chain' (Cliff Richards?) so it didn't really surprise me. Regardless the artist is still good. And it was adorable that Xander had that neat surprise for Dawn.

[Nostalgia]

C'mon we've had technically two episodes, three if you count 'The Chain' it is far to early to determine wether or not Joss will focus on shipping. Besides we've already had a brief mention of the Willow/Kenny time out thing going on which will be further explained for certain and the little kissage between Buffy and Xander toying with the idea.

Huh? It without a doubt three episodes.. don't discount "The Chain" just because it was side effort to the actual plot. I'm treating them as regular episodes.. and the issues take longer so the entire episodes are the ones that count. The standalones always have more pages in them (ABH has 26 pages.. that's HUGE for a comic)... so I'm gonna figure by the end we will have 22 full episodes.

Honestly? Her breasts aren't that much boosted.. It's not like Sarah Michelle Gellar was exactly missing too much in that department. I think the jury's out until things are spilling out.

[vampmogs]

Huh? It without a doubt three episodes.. don't discount "The Chain" just because it was side effort to the actual plot. I'm treating them as regular episodes.. and the issues take longer so the entire episodes are the ones that count. The standalones always have more pages in them (ABH has 26 pages.. that's HUGE for a comic)... so I'm gonna figure by the end we will have 22 full episodes.

Honestly? Her breasts aren't that much boosted.. It's not like Sarah Michelle Gellar was exactly missing too much in that department. I think the jury's out until things are spilling out.

I meant more that a arc is a lot more like the length of a real episode. With each issue being one act of an ep. 'The Chain' was one story with one issue and really isn't as long as an episode would be. Some people have seen it more as kind of a short film or something. I see it as an episode but I know some who don't, but I do just like I'll see this issue and the following issue as episodes as well.

[Nostalgia]

I meant more that a arc is a lot more like the length of a real episode. With each issue being one act of an ep. 'The Chain' was one story with one issue and really isn't as long as an episode would be. Some people have seen it more as kind of a short film or something. I see it as an episode but I know some who don't, but I do just like I'll see this issue and the following issue as episodes as well.

Yeah sorry if I came aggressive but I see this is just another way of slipping in a way to say "it's not the real deal.." Because if some people believe that this wasn't an episode.. than how can we say this is a real season if we have "short films" in between episodes? Just because it's shorter.. doesn't mean it's not real. Standalones are important to the medium because some things are perfectly addressed in one episode. I see it as a regular standalone in the series (episodes that don't reflect the arc to a certain extent.)

[KingofCretins]

Not a hard formula here; title = episode. Actually, Stormwreath is interpreting it as each 4 issue arc as a double episode, while the standalones are single episode, which would actually make "Anywhere But Here" episode 6 as opposed to Episode 4. Joss has said Season 8 is between 40 and 50 issues now; if we assume a 22 episode season*, that means we need to average 4-5 episodes per 10 issues. Which is exactly the pace we're on now.

*It's a comic book, so "season" is obviously not literal anyway. No reason to think Joss couldn't arc it around 20 or 24 'episodes'.

[alexa]

Buffy's anywhere but here is my anywhere but here.
I'm still waiting for #9 to arrive at my house, I hope by monday But took at a look at this preview anyway.

Spoiler:

I like Jeanty a little more I think, but Richards is fine.
I wouldn't mind having a slice of Daniel Craig. He's a little over muscled there though, heh. Bikini doesn't offend me, that's pretty much what you imagine looking like in your anywhere but here scenarios... plus she's at the beach.
Xander's line is cute.

[Sosa lola]

I'm the loveliest fangirl out there I thought the boobies in this season so far were very... what's the word?... rational? That's a stupid word to use, but I meant, okay for my standard. They weren't that big, and they weren't that small.

I've seen complaints about Jeanity being afraid to draw these characters as women, and from that I realized that there will never be a win/win situation with the boobies-complainers. They basically don't like the characters in the Buffyverse or just don't like that it's continued in comic form, and whatever Joss/Jeanity/any writer tried to do, it will never be seen as good by them. To each their opinion I suppose, I'm enjoying the comics so far and content with what the writers are doing.

The funny bit is that those boobies-complainers are enjoying After the Fall... and I've seen how the breasts are drawn there. Not that I'm dissing After the Fall, I'm enjoying it a lot, but if I'm gonna choose the comic where I'll be offended about how boobs are drawn, I'll pick After the Fall right away.


About this issue:

I think it'll be my favorite! I'm a huge Scoobies fan (Buffy, Xander and Willow rule!) and I'm so happy it's about them and them only. The Xander-Dawn scene was just the cutest! And Buffy and Willow playing the game is so nostalgic.

I thought this artist drew Xander and Dawn better than Jeanity, but Jeanity's Willow has more likeness.

[Phoenix]

Wow, seems like its going to be a great issue already The artwork is brilliant, but I prefer the way Jeanty drew Willow, it was more alike imo. But still great

[Enisy]

I like. I really, really like.

While I still think Joss's writing is better-suited to the TV medium -- especially his humor -- this definitely seems to be his best piece of work in the new season thus far (The Long Way Home was just disappointing). Looks like we'll be getting some beautiful Buffy/Willow interaction, the likes of which we haven't seen since early Season 7, and quite cute Xander/Dawn interaction. I'm crossing my fingers for the sitch on Dawn and the timespan between Chosen and The Long Way Home, as well as a little reminiscing about Willow/Tara, Spike/Buffy and maybe Xander/Anya. (It's a theme... dead girlfriends and, uh, not!dead!not!boyfriends.)

And actually, I might like Richards's art a bit better than Jeanty's, if this glimpse is anything to go by. Can we keep him?