Buffy Canon

[tessarin]

"Hypothetically, if you could make things align, that would be fun," Whedon said, adding: "And it would be lovely to make it all tie in. But if I had to shoot down everything I'm doing in the comics because we were doing a project [and] I was filming with these actual people, I wouldn't lose a lot of sleep."

The above is from Paley, guess those of

Comments

[xandzfaith]

It's crap before and now it crap fan fiction.

[tessarin]

Well he is definitely putting a stake through the heart of the argument that comics canon enjoys the same status as the series closed canon. He says he will happily ignore everything. Which does imho confirm that this is JW's S8 an Au and not a canon continuation.

Still people can still enjoy them as they would any AU continuation just as long as they accept that he isn't bothered about tying it in with the closed canon, or keeping it. Pretty much confirms it will all go in the bin.

Whether he should have said it is another discussion. I wouldn't be happy if I were Dark Horse.

[keith5by5]

It was pants before this announcement and it's pants afterwards.

Remember this all you people holding your breath for Dollhouse.

The man's a lazy hypocrite who has a great imagination but no discipline whatsoever and has the moral fibre of an arrogant skunk.

[tessarin]

Well much harsher than I would go. :-)

Still looking forward to Dollhouse and will judge it on its own merits. But he does seem to lack focus.

His comment has created much angst and attempted positive spin on Whedonesque all failing so far. He now has two opposing statements amounting to 'they're canon.' or 'I'll happily bin them all.'

The only light is 'hypothetical' although by merely saying what he has he has turned the comics into their own canon rather than part of overall canon. He could retcon individual things from the TV but but 'everything.' Pretty damming imho and not unexpected. Lots of people were saying this upfront before issue 1 and people are now acting surprised.

[keith5by5]

"Well much harsher than I would go

[tessarin]

Actually not seen much reaction yet on LJ. I expect another clarifying interview soon with some form of backtracking.

[koos73]

I've discussed this exact point with some strong Buffy is canon believers about a year ago. Saying that Joss would never see the comics above the show or a possible movie. It's not suprising to see this coming out. Thing is though that BtVS S8 is canon untill . . .
Will that ever be?

[tessarin]

I think it basically means there is a closed canon until S7 and then comics canon. In the past I've argued this is about 60% canon due to it's ability to be disregarded. This as you say was commonly bought up before even Issue 1 came out.

I think the damning point is he says 'everything' not some retconning but binning it all. Plus the not losing much sleep shows me that he is mainly having fun and not really invested. The question raised then is how much should readers be invested in something that can be disregarded.

Of course that doesn't stop people reading and enjoying the comics. Just imho they're reading Joss Whedon's S8 a possible AU now.

As regards until... well until Fox decides to remake it. My belief is that they not Joss Whedon are the IP holders. Just like Paramount not Roddenbury own Star Trek.

[ozma914]

I guess I'd feel the same way as Joss -- real life canon would beat comic canon, anytime.

[tessarin]

The problem with Joss is he is notorious for tailoring his message to the audience he is speaking to. One of the prime selling points has been that this is the official continuation. Presumably Fox would have had to approve as part of the Dark Horse license agreement.

Personally I agree with his thinking.

But it does likely create an investment problem for the comics readership. It does show however that he really isn't that bothered in making it work with the closed canon, which is the problem that stopped me reading them.

But people can still enjoy them, they're no longer canon of the same status. I had been incorporating portions, now I'll happily ignore all of it.

[ozma914]

I'd been enjoying the comic as a comic; I guess ignoring the canon question is what made them easier for me to read. However, since I'd already established my post-Chosen universe, I never even considered incorporating any of them.