Buffy 8.16 Time Of You Life I discussion thread

[Tom]

Buffy 8.16 is out this Wednessday, Thursday for those in the UK. I'm intruiged for Buffy and Fray to finally meet. Its been out for a while but the preview can be found here:

CLICKY

Spoiler:

The preview doesn't show us very much. Only that the artist has to practice drawing Buffy IMO. (I know the artist has said that they had difficulty.) We know Buffy is transported to the future looking for information on the Scythe. I hope it isn't another "spell gone wrong".

[Sosa lola]

Even though this is the third time we have a different artist who draws, I pretty much wish GJ sticks to drawing and no one else does. I'm now more used to and comfortable with the way GJ draws the characters and so far his Buffy is my favorite. He's the best with Willow as well and he draws Xander amazingly.

[allthings]

Ive been thinking all week 'where is the preview?' and after clicking it ive realised i saw it months ago. im excited for the arc but they released it too early imo. im still looking forward to this arc sooooooo much

and regarding the artwork, I prefer this guys Buffy to GJ's. I think GJ draws Buffy awful, she resembles a pig most of the time. i know thats harsh but im not really impressed with the buffy likeness. the person who did the latest Serenity comics was great with the likeness.

[Wolfie Gilmore]

Spoiler:

I am excited for the Buffy/Fray arc, but part of me resents Fray's inclusion (and Buffy’s excision from the present) at this stage, because I feel there's so much I want to know and have explored in the present that it feels frustrating to have this put off by the return of yet another character!

But I’m hoping that they'll weave in some present day action that will move things along... and that Buffy's interaction with Fray will shed light on what's going on in the present. I mean...I'm assuming it will - perhaps it will give her the distance she needs to reflect on what's going on with her organisation/Giles/Satsu/nicking diamonds? Perhaps seeing Fray's criminal tendencies will make her consider what anarchy and want take having means when you take it to its extreme? It’d be interesting to see Buffy with both sisters (wait, the other one didn’t die did she? I really can’t remember Fray as well as I thought… must re read), the cop and the robber, and perhaps Buffy will think about where she stands in terms of that dichotomy?

[dinamo]

I don't have any problem with this storyline/arc, I just wish it was the next arc not this arc. It seems like so much has been left hanging in the air after the stuff in Tokyo, It'd be nice to have some of it wrapped off before we jet off into the future and split the group up.

[Koos]

Even though this is the third time we have a different artist who draws, I pretty much wish GJ sticks to drawing and no one else does.

We can't have an issue every month if we don't have any other artist than Jeanty. It's impossible for him to keep up.

And one issue each month is already way too slow.

[Matt]

I'm in two minds about the artists work, I mean, I think he's done Willow and Buffy okay-ish on the cover, but Kennedy and Vi look kind of... odd. But the work inside is a tad better, I like the first image of Buffy, but I'm not that fond of the shot with her and Fray flying off the building, I know it's meant to be remaniscent (spelling?) of the beginning of the Fray series with Fray saying that and then flying off the building, but I don't know, it doesn't look too much like Buffy to me. Karl Moline did a couple of sketches that were in the back of the Fray TPB of Buffy and they were fairly good. I guess I'll decide when I've read it and have seen all of the work.

OKay, just realised it was GJ that did the cover, so what I said about Kennedy and Vi was obviously about him instead, but what I said about the work inside still stands for Karl Moline.

I'm guessing the cover for 8.19 is due to be released soon, like within the next month or so?

On a sidenote, the third TPB of A Beautiful Sunset and the Wolves at the Gate arc looks pretty, I'm almost certain I have to buy them now.

[ThePoet's<3]

I am really excited about this storyline!! I hope it lives up to my expectations!

This storyline doesn't bother me at all because we are ultimately working towards the Fray story and an appearance of Fray is almost inevitable.

AND! I'm so excited that Jo Chen is back on covers!!! I've missed her so much! But thank goodness GJ's variance covers were GREAT!

Out of the two I will pick Chen over Jeanty evey time. Mostly I think Geanty draws Buffy too "young".

And from the two Slayers I chose Fray over Buffy. To me Fray seems to be a cross between Buffy and Faith. There's just enough of the bad girl in Fray to be theif and just enough of the good girl to make moral Slayer decisions.

Yep! Can't wait to see Fray!!

[vampmogs]

I agree that 'Fray' or at least a connection to 'Fray' was bound to happen in season 8. With the looming end of magic how can we not have something to do with Fray? I'm really excited to see Buffy's reaction to the future and to hear her thoughts on what effects she believes the lack of magic had on the world? The demon in 'Anywhere But Here' told her it was her life goal to end magic, presuming because it would rid her off her duties once and for all. It'll be interesting to see if she begins fighting for the survival of magic again.

Actually, I think she was always planning to fight for the survival of magic, because that's fighting for Willow and the slayers but I don't think she'd fully realised herself that she's often wanted that world to end.

[Wolfie Gilmore]

I don't have any problem with this storyline/arc, I just wish it was the next arc not this arc. It seems like so much has been left hanging in the air after the stuff in Tokyo, It'd be nice to have some of it wrapped off before we jet off into the future and split the group up.

Yeah, I agree. Fray arc = cool, placing of arc...well, a little frustrating, unless it manages to tie up loose ends too.

[vampmogs]

I'm guessing it begins with Buffy and Willow wanting to uncover more about the Scythe seeing as how they were caught unaware about how it could be used to reverse the spell, which is why they head to New York.

And I'm betting they go to the Watcher's Council there, the same building Fray falls into in the future as she's chasing the monkey demon who stole the scythe. It's where she found the texts on previous slayers, the story can be found in 'Tales of the Slayers.' I reckon that's why Buffy and Willow are going to New York.

From the previews I guess we'll be getting some progression to Dawn's situation I look forward to see where this is all going and what exactly Joss has planned, in particular with the centaur imagery. I'm guessing that's probably what the story back at the castle is going to be about this arc?

[dinamo]

I'm sort of suprised I'm saying this but I'm quite excited to see Kennedy in this arc. We have quite a few loose ends as far as Willow goes so hopefully having Kennedy there may answer a few questions. Although then again I suppose it could just open more doors and not answer anything. Personally I'd like to know about the dying and coming back to life taht she did.

[KingofCretins]

...you cannot be shown. You cannot just watch, but you must see. See for yourself, but only if you're willing to make the exchange.

I must say, reading the start of the rocket-paced (heh) "Time of Your Life", the first thing I'm glad to see is that there is no new time-travel mechanic introduced here. Rather, to my surprise and delight, the method by which Buffy is pulled into the future appears to be the same as the one used in "Get It Done" -- the exchange portal. I love this especially because it suggests that there is real, Powers That Be/Good Guy type importance to this meeting, just as there was to Buffy learning the true origin of the Slayer.

Love seeing Willow and Kennedy together again. I was every bit as happy to see Kennedy and Vi as I thought I would be, and they both rocked. ESPECIALLY love Kennedy dropping "Les-faux" on Buffy, because, heh.

Dawn's centaur turn is pretty much perfunctory, and it's about what we thought -- the second of a three phase thing that will presumably lead to Dawn being Dawn again. It makes me wonder, though... maybe this is a good thing. Whatever happened, whether it was Kenny or not, maybe it's vital. Dawn as a giant made a huge difference, twice, doing something she couldn't have done otherwise -- incapacitating Amy, and leading the Slayer rally in the Tokyo battle. Now maybe Dawn as a centaur will be able to do something vitally important she couldn't have otherwise done.

Xander... poor Xander. First the loss of Renee and his apparent determination to push ahead alone, but now the BHC. I worked hard and took pride in coining the enduring fan name for the Slayer headquarters, but after 8.16, I'm changing it from BHC to BPR -- Big Pile of Rubble. Xander, sans Bluetooth, left standing and watching while the BHC was totally destroyed and everyone in it -- including Leah and maybe Rowena and who knows who else -- is all but certainly killed. The guy is living a nightmare at the moment, and is totally going to be blame himself for this. First he lost his girl, now he lost his command, his friends, his students.

Twilight continues to be awesome, of course, and clearly means very serious business. This attack seems to settle the vain hope that he means well in some way. Amy and Warren, though, may be the two dumbest smart people on the planet. They are openly working with Twilight, so they are either too stupid to inquire into his agenda (which is very anti-them), or too stupid to *understand* that his agenda is very anti-them. Either way, though, Amy and Warren are owed pain now, in a big way.

There was so little of Fray in this issue it's hard to comment on, but the set-up is great.

Kumiko *was* a vampire

[Wolfie Gilmore]

Now maybe Dawn as a centaur will be able to do something vitally important she couldn't have otherwise done.

Yes. Have sex with Roonwit. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Sounds like a great issue, can’t wait til it comes out here tomorrow.

[dinamo]

Kumiko *was* a vampire

I can't get this until issue until Friday but does that mean she's dead, or just not a vampire anymore? If she's dead I'm going to be so annoyed, as she looked like someone who could challenge Willow, and add a connection with the snake lady.

[KingofCretins]

No, it's just a dialogue reference to her being a "goth vamp", which settles the random debate that came up with some folk insisting she wasn't a vampire. She was/is. Whether she survived "Wolves at the Gate" is not addressed.

[dinamo]

Thank You for the reply. That means I can continue to live in a land where she got away with her witchly powers and is still out there for someone to actually be a macth for this new earth goddess uber witch somtimes still got black and veiny Willow.

[Hekate]

Did anyone else think that Buffy was kind of lame in this issue? She was kind of... ditzy, especially with the limo and the clothes and everything. I don't know, it didn't feel right, especially because she was in a limo for Homecoming and it didn't excite her all that much. Maybe it's just because the issue is a setup for a new arc, so there's less action or whatever.

I love the changes with Dawn though, and she and Xander are great together as always.

[Sacred Knight]

Kennedy called Buffy a faux-Lesbian? That's awesome! My feelings towards Kennedy just went up a notch. Can't wait to read this.

[bishopcruz]

Called her a les-faux to be precise. It was pretty funny.

Also is it me or are the writers trying to snap Xander's psyche like a dried twig?