Random Fandom Stuff
Buffy comic #40 preview pages here.
Time jumps...there had better be a flashback in there somewhere. The comics have glossed over and omitted enough already. I'm not saying they won't back track--just saying they had better do so. Er, not that I can offer up any kind of repercussions whatsoever...
Also, everyone keeps talking about how Buffy was tripped by that witch/perhaps potential ex-slayer who's a potential again--she wasn't tripped. She kicked her in the back of the leg. That's much more overt than a tripping, and much more of a "You bitch" action as opposed to a "tee hee, let's see her fall!" She was really pissed, whoever she was. Also, Buffy's smile is clearly forced for her gay male clients. Yes--gay male clients. There seemed to be a lot of forced things mentioned in those first few pages that leads me to think Mr. Whedon has been trolling fanboards. I know there's been talk about the exploitation of lesbiansim in fandom, referring to whatever was going on with Buffy in s6 as "clinical depression," and how Buffy never seems to be doing any better with this circuitous bout of emotionally stunted growth. Whedon writes a few lines that seem to mysteriously cover all of this, and I feel like I'm the only one raising an eyebrow and going "Um, wat?" over here. In one of my fic writing classes, we were told that we should always show our audience instead of just telling them. There was a shit load of boring ass telling that addressed a lot of things without actually showing anything. And if they have the time to dedicate an entire issue of fucking in space (which was also strangely ignored by Buffy, who forgets that her "bestest day ever" included lots of fucking with Angel after all that time in "girl town," but all that's mentioned is girl town...), then they could have covered some of those things mentioned with actual "showing" as well.
Did a rewatch of "Damage" the other day, and I realized something...
Even though it's played for laughs, Andrew seemed to have grieved wickedly hard at the loss of Spike. I mean, he cries right there on the spot at the sight of him, and mentions how he was in therapy (or at the very least, talked to a therapist and mentioned the loss of Spike and its impact on him) over the whole thing, and embraces him in a hardy (and loving) hug. Spike even seems to know that something along those lines was going to happen. Someone truly missed him. And not that this should have been the reaction of all folks who may (or may not have) missed him, but I'm thinking Spike thought that nothing even remotely close to that--showing how much he was missed being dead and all--would occur with a certain someone, hence his staying away to spare himself a lackluster (and therefore emotionally damaging for him) "not so much a welcome back" moment. And...he'd have been very much right, I think.
ETA Thinky Thought: There's also been (and probably always will be) talk about Buffy's "clinical depression" in s6, and how it's unfair for some audience members who think she should have gotten over it, or behaved differently. Here's the thing, though--
Buffy: I was in this heavenly like dimension. I was warm and incorporeal and time didn't really exist and my mom wasn't there or the folks I care about but I was so fucking happy I can't stand being here--alive and stuff--even though the mark of time of a human is insignificant to eternity and I'll end up there again soon enough, but damn it! I'm depressed. Wah.
(Some) Audience Members After Having some time to ponder this: Um...you're sad panda cause of what now? Why didn't you just get over it? And how does that even correlate to using others? Wat?
Spike post soul: Things just aren't the same...all I want to do is drink and forget about my past which I now view as horrid and nearly unbearable now that I have a soul. Sure I guess I asked for it, willingly getting one and all but...there's so much blood on my hands that I can't even think straight right now and--
Buffy: Shut the fuck up Spike and get over it already! Be a killer and skilled fighter that I know you are and stop are your whinging so that you can help me! Who cares if you're depressed--I don't!
For someone who'd just been there the year before, it seemed mighty hypocritical to tell someone to just get over it and be who they were. And frankly, between the two, I think Spike had a lot more to be depressed about...
Saw this linked the other night, and I must say, I really like it. Bravo, J. August.