That's so awesome. Thanks for posting!

hobnail | January 16, 04:07 CET

Great opening. looking forward to seeing what happens next!

angeliclestat | January 16, 04:18 CET

I still haven't even seen #10.

The One True b!X | January 16, 04:22 CET

That does look fantastically awesome, even has a couple things I predicted, so I'm kind of excited about that. But, it also has what is pretty much own personal worst case scenario for the Season 8 story arc pretty much spelled out, at least how I'm reading it, so while I have no doubt it will be a great story, it's probably going to be a difficult one. But I'll be out there pushing more people to get into Season 8 anyway.

KingofCretins | January 16, 04:26 CET

Amazing stuff. The series has really found it's footing, and Jeanty just *rocks*. I love that the issue starts with the baseball girl, and also that we see Satsu being empowered. The Buffy/Xander stuff is cool, but I thought him calling her sexy was kinda strange. Another cookie for the "Buffy and Xander will get together" pile, which--at this point--isn't what I want, but if it happens, I'm down. I'm insanely excited for the Buffy/Satsu talk.

And finally, we get a lengthy preview on time. The one for #10 seemed so short and #9 came on the day before the issue came out. This is how I like it. Two weeks after #10, and enough stuff to leave me satisified (if that's possible) until #11 is released.

patxshand | January 16, 04:42 CET

Oh, and what's up with the new colorist?

patxshand | January 16, 04:45 CET

Nevermind :)

[ edited by KingofCretins on 2008-01-16 02:48 ]

KingofCretins | January 16, 05:21 CET

Oh, this looks good. I was waiting for the bank heist to get complicated. Far from being outraged by Buffy's grand theft in #10, to me it felt a little Ocean's 1n. A caper in which nothing goes horribly wrong? No one gets seriously hurt? Everyone gets away scot free? (Despite what Willow thinks, I think if General Voll knew, he would have topped his list of grievances against the Slayer army with "International Jewel Thieves," sexy or not.)

Yes, stealing is wrong, but stealing from people who profit from Nazi atrocities is about as troubling as securing funding from an abandoned pot of leprechaun gold. And they're insured Nazi war crime profiteers. Willow could at least have lectured her on how the settlement money for the bank would have to come from the premiums paid by thousands of people who purchased insurance for property loss, damage and theft. Doesn't sound very dramatic, but if Frank Capra could make the savings & loan industry gripping in It's a Wonderful Life, Joss could do something with Property Insurance Policy Holders: Crime’s Hidden Victims.

Buffy the Super-Villain can go to some interesting dark places. In addition to the super-villains she created accidentally, she has to deal with the ones she created deliberately, her Geneva partners in crime. Lots of people have justified lots of bad things by telling themselves they're saving the world.

[ edited by Pointy on 2008-01-16 02:57 ]

Pointy | January 16, 05:54 CET

This is a fantastic opening. I love where they are going with the story. I feel like there is no barrier between the TV show and the comic continuation. It flows so wonderfully, it feels like I'm watching new episodes. And I'm not saying this to diss the comic book format. I love the new medium.

I was a bit taken aback with the bank heist, but it adds so much to the gray area of the characters. Buffy was a drama show first, and action second, and I'm glad it's still written that way. I cannot wait to see where Joss and co. will push the characters next!

Valentyn | January 16, 07:29 CET

Any musings on who "Twilight" is, assuming we've met the chap before and we get a reveal this next issue?

Should our tale twist that way, my virtual and valueless money's on "Rack" or possibly "Robin Wood." Here's my reasoning:

Last we saw Rack, he was dead, but he was also floating. If he's not dead, or he got better, then maybe he's still floating. Maybe he's grown disenchanted with magic. Rack wasn't the kind of guy who was loyal to anyone, so killing his own wouldn't bother him a bit. Also, it frames the story nicely for the eventual return of a certain blonde witch. Call me hopeless. :)

My second guess makes more sense. Robin could end up blaming magic for all his problems, so he thinks, "hey I'll get rid of it." Either that or he's Twilight's man on the inside, for much the same reason.

quantumac | January 16, 07:49 CET

Oh, even though the badass Slayers are in Italy, am I wrong in thinking it was the Italian dupe that was the jewel thief? I suppose these pages fueled my personal theory, but most definately debunked them. Ah, well.

CaptainB | January 16, 07:51 CET

Quiblet: Misspellings in this issue and (pardon someone's French) the last. Xander says, "We'll pay Whak-a-Mole." Unless they're hiring someone out of Dick Tracy to track Simone, it's play Whack-a-Mole.

Pointy | January 16, 07:56 CET

Those animated ads are really a pain at a slow connection speed.

Anyway, this issue looks to be profoundly meaningful: Xander is wearing a new outfit. And it isn't even all black!

Sunfire | January 16, 08:36 CET

And he hands Buffy tea. Wordlessly. Warms the Jane Austen of my heart.

Pointy | January 16, 08:59 CET

My Austen is getting rusty. Is that a specific reference or just generally novel of manners-esque?

I did note that he seems more involved with the tea than she does. But they're both kinda touchy-broody with it. It did seem potentially a bit romantic. I also had an immediate thought about their increasing similarity with that greatest of English literary duos, Batman and Alfred.

Sunfire | January 16, 09:29 CET

Xander said "boomstick!" Heh.

I like what's happening with the Simone character. Her random unanswered question about guns make a lot more sense now.

Also, Jeanty is growing on me. The art seems much more consistent and detailed now than it did in the first few issues.

RaisedByMongrels | January 16, 09:36 CET

Non-specific subtly supportive relationship, Sunfire.

Pointy | January 16, 10:19 CET

So, call me ridiculous, but would a crate load of ammo really have 'AMMO' scrawled on it's side? Hey what do I know, maybe it would. Or perhaps it is a clever ruse and really there's a badger within.

Potential badger-boxes aside; awesome! I also can't wait for the little convo with Satsu, any guesses on the content?

Darwinfox | January 16, 10:29 CET

I've been figuring since the covers came out that this would be Buffy having the "Angel, you need to talk to Fred" talk with Satsu about the younger Slayer's true love for her. Buffy, not knowing Xander was peeking anyway, would probably not want to explain it to him.

Did Joss go ahead and make Buffy and Xander a couple and just decide not to tell anyone? I'm being kinda serious, because... that would be really funny. A nice way to turn 'shippy anticipation on its head. They haven't behaved yet in a way that is any more decisively not-couplish than decisively couplish, and, really: if you had never watched or really heard much about Buffy, the show or the comic, until picking up 8.11 and reading those first five pages, what would you think? I'd think they were a couple. Which is, of course, the very coolest possibility ever.

KingofCretins | January 16, 11:28 CET

I thought that Doffler would feature prominently somehow. She was in issue 1 (was it the question about the guns?) and issue 5. Also its in the back of my head that Andrew is the big bad aka Twilight.

Simon | January 16, 11:29 CET

Y'know... as perverse as it is to think... Andrew as Twilight makes sense. Well, sort of. Twilight's really big on creating schisms between his enemies (white hats and demons alike), right? Getting them to take themselves off the board one way or another. Sound at all like telling a vampire with a soul that the world's preeminent whitehat, his former lover, doesn't trust him anymore?

KingofCretins | January 16, 11:41 CET

Fabulous. The tea drinking is totally sexy. When did I end up a Bander shipper, huh?!
Love the fact this seems to be a good combo of action and emotion/feeling/connection between characters.

Veverka | January 16, 12:10 CET

So, Simone finally cracked. Been waiting for that for a while, and pleased it's come to a head.

As for Buffy/Xander...I really don't want them to be a couple. Really, I don't. But it would definitely be interesting.

And, yes...Xander said "boomstick." This would be Xander's second Evil Dead reference in the series' history, yes? The world is a happier place.

Also, Georges' art is great.

UnpluggedCrazy | January 16, 14:40 CET

The previews don't work for me, don't know why.
I would really like to see B/X. The only thing that scares me though if they go down that road is, that we all kind of allready know how that would end. Relationships never work out in Whedon's stories and Xander would probably not survive it^^

If Xander would be killed of it would be the end of the comics for me. He is the only character on Buffy a guy can identify with.

Hanselel | January 16, 17:27 CET

KingofCretins, I agree that Buffy and Xander being a couple without anyone knowing seems like a possibility... However, the one thing I think goes against it is that Buffy says she misses sex in the first issue. Of course, that doesn't mean they're not together, but you'd think they'd be doing it. Maybe they got together during the course of the comic stories... I've always been a Buffy + Angel fan, and will always hope the two will eventually be together, but pairing her with Xander might be a fantastic read!

As for Andrew as Twilight... it's ridiculous enough to work!

Valentyn | January 16, 17:28 CET

Hanselel, it could be the first/only happy ending.

At some point there's got to be one.

Right?? (looks up to the heavens with hope and a furrowed brow)

MadeToLoveJoss | January 16, 20:19 CET

I'm a little nervous even posting it because my sister laughed herself silly when I brought it up-but I thought it would be interesting if Riley were Twilight. He has a lot of reason to hate magic and he has the military connections.

B/X doesn't bother me. I think it could be interesting.

Betsy | January 16, 20:45 CET

Great preview. I'm hungry for the whole issue. February 6th can't come fast enough.

Simone. I'm glad she's reappeared as an object lesson of what was "gray area" about the whole beautiful "Chosen" thing. She's awful, isn't she? As for her being from Chicago, that means, I think, that that's where the unnamed Slayer came from or was at least brought to in "The Chain." A geeky little factoid.

It was great seeing baseball girl again. As for Xuffy, whatever happens is great with me. I'm along for the ride and thrilled. I agree with you, Valentyn - these comics are feeling more and more like a true extension of the TV series to me. At first I couldn't help but feel, at least slightly, that they took place in two different universes even though the comics are canon. (God, I hope I didn't start anything with that. Please don't jump on that anyone. Please. Hasn't it all been said? Let's agree to disagree for this thread. Please.) But now? It's all flowing together. It's probably a reflection of my growing ability to read comics and get more out of them. Season 8 is da bomb. It's diabolically deliciously fantastic.

Poor Satsu. Buffy's talk with her will hurt. As for Andrew's possible villainous role, it wouldn't surprise me. I don't think he has the cajones or gravitas to be Twilight, but I could see him as the man inside. Robin Wood I can also see as the man inside. Maybe even as Twilight. Riley? I'm not laughing at that, Betsy. Interesting idea.

[ edited by phlebotinin on 2008-01-16 19:15 ]

phlebotinin | January 16, 21:52 CET

When I read that part about the man inside my first thought was Xander. Would be stupid as hell, but also the most shocking. Crossing fingers that that is just stupid talk^^

Hanselel | January 16, 21:58 CET

February 6th cannot come soon enough. Love that Joss and Georges are back on a high. Newcomer Michelle Madsen, now that is some colours I like. It does look a lot more realistic and too be honest I find what I have seen so far to be better than Dave Stewart's. Looks to me that Satsu is going to die in this issue as it will be a huge shock for us. It will be like we are gonna get a lot from this character in this ish, getting to know her better and then out of the blue, bang your dead. Well that's what me thinks!!!

bennyboi91 | January 16, 22:06 CET

Ooh, this issue looks good. I'm definitely thinking they are heading into a Xander and Buffy relationship, but Joss has pulled the wool over our eyes before. It would make sense because Xander is the only guy that Buffy is around right now, so she could be feeling some attraction towards him because he is the only option.

These previews are making me re-read the first five-issue arc again, to catch on stuff I missed the first time.

[ edited by crazygolfa on 2008-01-16 19:45 ]

crazygolfa | January 16, 22:11 CET

I'm beyond thrilled with those pages and the direction it might be heading. We are in for a ride, it seems!
And it was so exciting to see the talk about saving the world as presenting the status quo vs. changing the world as starting an apocalypse with unknown outcome - which is chaos and destruction more often than not in real life. Because those were exact words used in debates on the meaning of NFA and Angel's last stand which I participated in a lot this year. NFA wasn't about keeping the status quo, which meant it was the other thing... And that's why the fallout in Angel: After the Fall comic seemed so logical to me.
And now we can see some parallels with Buffy here. I just say - vow! It's so great that the most burning questions we had about endings of both shows were also burning questions for Joss.

Every page is chock full of intriguing details. Satsu background and Buffy connection with her. Is Xander a traitor setting Buffy up and just lulling her into comfort zone with his remarks glorifying her bank robbery? Or is he on the same wavelength as Buffy and Bander is on the horizon? They do seem very intimate here. Loved the gags about Xander's "man" and Andrew. Wonder if the "man" turns out to be Dracula... And loved follow-up with Simone.
Can't wait for this issue!

Nata | January 17, 00:28 CET

Also its in the back of my head that Andrew is the big bad aka Twilight.

Hmmm. Damn. I ruled out Warren based on the lines, but I never even thought about Andrew.

I don't think it's Simone that's cracked. Just her patience, finally. Without some kind of significant change, she was always going to go rouge and with as much weaponry as she could get her hands on. Buffy's line is astute-- no one was willing to step up and deal with her.

Sunfire | January 17, 02:06 CET

As much as it could make sense that Xander could possibly be the one who could be the one who betrays Buffy in the future, I just can't see him doing it. Buffy is extremely loyal to Buffy, and he would never want to hurt her and betraying her would hurt her. The only way I can see Xander turning on Buffy is if he is put in the middle between Willow and Buffy, because I think Xander is just slightly more loyal to Will than Buf.

I also noticed that the title "A Beautiful Sunset" is a reference to a line Buffy uttered in the first issue of "The Long Way Home" when talking about Twilight.

[ edited by crazygolfa on 2008-01-17 00:05 ]

crazygolfa | January 17, 02:59 CET

A few things....

I find it incredibly heartwarming that we got so much info about Satsu from just a single panel. She cried tears of what look like joy, upon becoming a slayer. If you notice, one knee was scrapped and the other had a band-aid on it. She looked a bit messy also. I imagine that she was a clumsy, accident-prone schoolgirl. And now she is a balanced, powerful slayer!

Also, I'm on board the Bander ship now lol.

Thinking Twilight is Riley...

Wondering what will happen with the Bangel 'ship, considering the INSANE reveal that happened today in Angel: After the Fall Issue 3!!!

CowboyGuy | January 17, 05:27 CET

I for one hope Riley isn't Twilight. On the other hand, however, I hope he doesn't try to help the Scoobies. Let them dig themselves out of their own mess. And from the looks of things, it's going to be a big one.

deepgirl187 | January 17, 07:47 CET

Oooh!
This is sweet, chilling and for me, edge of my seat goodness and I can't wait for the 6th. I love how it's getting more twisty and morally ambiguous (and oh, Satsu:( ).

I have no super speculations on Twilight-my guess is that he (she? you can't tell under the mask) may be standing alone...then again, we haven't seen Amy or Warren for a long time. I am so curious to see how this turns out.

JessicaMelusine | January 18, 01:40 CET

Xander needing a man is the best continuty ever! But please, not with Andrew. With Spike, yes!

I really love the flashback to when Satsu became a slayer.

Sosa Lola | January 18, 02:06 CET