As an old-time comics fan, no it's not just a feature of American comics. The Buffy comics have significant pacing problems. I mean, you can see the difference just between Buffy's title and Angel and Faith, which, while not the greatest comic ever, has kept its main story rolling along fairly well. The Buffy comics meandered all over the place for the first half of the season, with the result that the (actually rather interesting) main plot is now being rushed at the end.
Right, that's also a big issue. Sigh. It's just bad writing and horrible story structure. Really sad, to be honest, because what I've seen this issue? That could've been pretty great. Minus the Dawn-victimizing, though that is certainly essential to the plot as it is. Doesn't mean I can't be pissed off at it, right?
*nods* I was recently looking at the older "classic" buffy comics like "Haunted" (btwn S3-4) and "Night of a Thousand Vampires" and wondered why the hell the newer supposedly canon comics couldn't come close in terms of pacing, storytelling, artwork, characterization...I guess somebody actually has to give a shit?
The notion that the problems with these comics are all because of the format is nonsense.
I didn't entirely buy Xander being like "even if Buffy doesn't remember you, I will" because I'm like NUUUUU NO ONE IS CLOSER TO DAWN THAN BUFFY,
FUCK THAT NOISE. Didn't these writers actually WATCH the damn show? And why do I keep asking that when I know what the answer is?
And if it turns out that once again that the writers agree with Xander because he's "the one who sees" or some shit? Grrrr...... *gets stabby*
Still hating that Dawn is being victimized.
Right? One of the things I loved best about Dawn in the show was her courage despite lack of Slayer powers, her independence and strong personality, and the way she has to overcome identity issues that could be crippling (Riley fucked up in S5 with far less to deal with but we already know this). Even when Dawn was the "damsel" to Buffy in S5 she was never a victim - she fought a demon with a coatrack to protect Joyce and sassed back the Hellgod who was going to kill her. bone_dry1013 said to me recently that "Summers blood must be the blood of true champions." So seeing Dawn reduced
( ... )
Nooo stay, these are entirely legitimate reasons to be furious! The fact that I liked it speaks to how meh the season has been so far.
... I'm so glad you agree with me on these points tbh, especially the Xander thing. I mean, as I said, seeing as they're a couple I can buy that this is Xander's perspective but idk it still rubbed me the wrong way.
And uuugh, Dawn - she's literally disappearing so there's not much she can do at all. :(
Finally: wow, I never thought I'd say this, but Ithink S9 might be an actual example of what happens when you try TOO hard to cram social issues into your story. These things are worthy of being addressed, but you need proper follow-up, and not the kind that makes matters worse (see: so I thought I was pregnant but Andrew just turned me into a robot).
bone_dry1013 and I have been talking a lot lately about social issues in the media and is it possible to handle political and social topics in such a way that it doesn't feel forced - a "very special episode" type of thing where everything comes screeching to a halt so that someone can be the writers' mouthpiece, blah blah. And I do believe it IS possible to do it right. we know that in fact. Look at Buffy S5 - it incorporates problems with the healthcare system, disparities in care re: socioeconomic class, overcrowding, the lack of resources and attention to mental health, the fact that women are overwhelmingly the caregivers for sick family members, etc. It's all there to unpack if you want to pay attention but they never stop telling the story. (the body being an exception, and that episode is the best tv I've ever seen about the realities of death and loss for the survivors. And Joyce's death is absolutely crucial to Buffy's story - it splits her world in two
( ... )
I could actually see Xander being closer to Dawn now, because... Dawn and Buffy are very close in S5, but I kind of don't think they ever really regain that closeness after Buffy returns from the dead? And while Dawn is very important to Buffy, in many ways it's sort of a symbolic importance - it's more that Dawn is the embodiment of the normal life, the humanity, that Buffy is convinced she can never have. Dawn has to be protected, Dawn has to be happy so Buffy can live vicariously through her. So a lot of times I think Buffy doesn't actually see Dawn for who Dawn is rather than who Buffy wants her to be
( ... )
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Also, hello! I believe we haven't spoken yet. :)
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I full support people being pissed off at the comics. Lord knows I am. *g*
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*nods* I was recently looking at the older "classic" buffy comics like "Haunted" (btwn S3-4) and "Night of a Thousand Vampires" and wondered why the hell the newer supposedly canon comics couldn't come close in terms of pacing, storytelling, artwork, characterization...I guess somebody actually has to give a shit?
The notion that the problems with these comics are all because of the format is nonsense.
Reply
FUCK THAT NOISE. Didn't these writers actually WATCH the damn show? And why do I keep asking that when I know what the answer is?
And if it turns out that once again that the writers agree with Xander because he's "the one who sees" or some shit? Grrrr...... *gets stabby*
Still hating that Dawn is being victimized.
Right? One of the things I loved best about Dawn in the show was her courage despite lack of Slayer powers, her independence and strong personality, and the way she has to overcome identity issues that could be crippling (Riley fucked up in S5 with far less to deal with but we already know this). Even when Dawn was the "damsel" to Buffy in S5 she was never a victim - she fought a demon with a coatrack to protect Joyce and sassed back the Hellgod who was going to kill her. bone_dry1013 said to me recently that "Summers blood must be the blood of true champions." So seeing Dawn reduced ( ... )
Reply
... I'm so glad you agree with me on these points tbh, especially the Xander thing. I mean, as I said, seeing as they're a couple I can buy that this is Xander's perspective but idk it still rubbed me the wrong way.
And uuugh, Dawn - she's literally disappearing so there's not much she can do at all. :(
Finally: wow, I never thought I'd say this, but Ithink S9 might be an actual example of what happens when you try TOO hard to cram social issues into your story. These things are worthy of being addressed, but you need proper follow-up, and not the kind that makes matters worse (see: so I thought I was pregnant but Andrew just turned me into a robot).
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