We are really excited about Buffy Season 9 comics arriving on comic shop shelves Sept. 14th and wanted to reach out to fans and get their thoughts about Season 9 and Buffy the Vampire Slayer in general. Whedon fans are legion and probably some of the most generous and passionate we've ever encountered. We're excited to share their enthusiasm for Buffy here on our Blog.
Summer vacation in the Pacific Northwest is coming to a close. As the first day of school approaches, the Buffy marathon is reaching an end. Another disaster thwarted. Another triumph celebrated, however briefly. One more season to go. It is a tradition for my kids to ready themselves for a new school year by observing customary teen behavior as displayed by Buffy and the Scoobies (or is that Scoobys, because Scoobies looks like I need a cream). My attention strayed to Scott Allie’s blog entry “Buffy Season 9: Something New.” Scott took time to illustrate how he had grown with the extension of the ’verse into Dark Horse and gave a peek into the creative process of developing the new season. I am as much a fan of the process and work it takes to put on a great show as the end result. I took away a sense that Scott and the rest of the team have great expectations for the next season. Also, the passion and the sense of “this is fun” are still there.
As displayed every week (or, now, in every new book), our hero would not be able to be all hero-y without the great team she depends on. No matter how über the Slayer, she still needs support. Even if that means she is couch surfing with her sister from another brother. The team at Dark Horse has been a great Scooby. They accomplish quality work that entertains. Any battles vs. evil are invisible to the casual observer. Joss and the Powers That Be Holding the Contracts have set clear expectations and given each team a chance to stand on their own. And that, to me, is the seed of this pantheon’s magic. Fans relate to these stories. They identify with the characters. The creators and caretakers do, as well. From rebirths in different media to fans fighting for their favorite shows like the senior class of 1999 fought for their school. Buffy and team have had to constantly rediscover their place in the world after they changed it…again. With each new season, episode, and book, a new spin on the same challenge emerges. Do you go through the motions or do you get the mustard out? In an industry where the danger of being eaten alive is real, the fight is also real. The Buffy franchise has been an environment where talented individuals were allowed to develop. They continue to change the world.
What are my expectations for Buffy Season 9? I expect an apocalypse. Statistically I should expect a couple. I expect the revelation of an ultimate and unstoppable evil with a very positive and attractive-sounding name. I expect a Slayer that struggles with how she fits in the world. I expect snarky jargon and witty banter. I expect to look up from the newest book and exclaim, “Of course you did.” I expect no less than four references to Mr. Pointy. I expect to look up from the next book and exclaim, “Oh, no, you did not.” I expect all and none of these. I expect something new.
—Alan Kennedy