Links and a thought.

[elisi]

ETA: How could I forget? moscow_watcher made me an icon! *points and giggles* Very sharable! :)

Of course there is also this very clever manip by sueworld2003 which should be made into icons and banners with the words 'There could be some kind of oil involved' across them!

Lots of S8 issue 3 links:

Review by shapinglight!!!
Review by moscow_watcher
Review by yourlibrarian.
Review by thedeadlyhook.
Review by aycheb.
Review by stormwreath.
Review by powerofthebook.
Review by ruuger.
Review by molly_may.
nightchick tries to identify the people in Buffy's 'dreamspace'.
Musings on the title and what it might mean for the direction of the story by stormwreath.
Musings on *that character's* boyfriend by qkellie.
Drabble by st_salieri.

So far most of my thoughts have been on the issue of canonicity (totally a word!) which there will be a post on tomorrow, but this morning something else struck me...

I’ve been thinking a little about comic!Buffy. Mostly though - why did she cut her hair and why are most of her clothes so ugly? What happened to our Buffy who could (weekly!) put together new and gorgeous outfits on Doublemeat vages? The prettiest thing she’s worn so far is the nightie, and that is for sleeping in - i.e. where no one will see it. OK, so she asks one of the other slayers for hair fashion tips, but still... why is her hair so boring to begin with? It’s a comic - long hair won’t take longer in make-up... sure there’s the issue of not turning her into a sex object (in which case - what’s up with the nightie?), but ‘The Bond Issue’ does come into play with Buffy: Women (girls) should want to be her, men should want to be with her. She’s the type of girl who’d wear cats strapped to her feet after all... the one who patrols in pretty halters. The one who makes sure that her makeup looks nice before going into battle. Practical, sensible clothes tend to say that she’s depressed (no overalls so far thank goodness!). Is this the case, or is it just that the artist is a man? *sigh*

Here follows the outfits Buffy has worn so far:





ETA?: Thanks to stormwreath for pointing out that I'd missed this one. And dream!Buffy has nice boots, if an appaling taste in men!


The 4th one is the only one that’s slightly interesting. Thoughts? Comments?

ETA2: Most depressing of all, I doubt that any of it actually means anything. Whatever thoughts/notes Joss made re. Buffy's clothes I doubt they were particularly deep (or symbolic). *sigh*

There's all the talk of an 'unlimited budget', but without a director, camera man, set manager, costume department, props-people etc to actually give their expert input, it seems a little... wasted? Sorry 'bout the negativity, but I'm feeling a little 'meh' today.


ETA3: Another thought, partly brought on by AOQ's re-watch of WSWB (amongst others). Buffy season openers are never *great* episodes, but they usually tell us where Buffy's head is at, or point towards her development during the season: S1 - she was running away from her calling. S2 - she was running away from her fears. S3 - she as running away from her life. S4 - she was worried about her new life. S5 - spurred on a quest for deeper understanding of her powers. S6 - "Is this hell?". S7 - something BIG is coming and girls are going to die! So far in S8 we've established that she misses her home and sex. As molly_may says:

How does she feel about having all these new slayers? Does she ever worry that she did the wrong thing with the spell? How are she and Giles handling reinstituting the Council together after the friction they experienced in S7? Does she ever think about quitting, about a "normal" life, now? Buffy's a rich character whose always had an interior life that went a lot deeper than just wanting to get laid.

Yes there is that one line about things having been difficult/different since 'they changed the world', but one line ain't enough. Sorry. I was never into Buffy for the stories, I was there for the characters. And where is my Buffy?

Comments

[molly_may]

I'm so with you on Buffy's clothes. Those are not stylish-yet-affordable boots she's wearing in that first panel, those are combat boots! Buffy wouldn't be caught dead in shoes like that. This is the girl who went down into the Hellmouth to fight an army of ubervamps wearing high-heeled, pointy-toed boots! You're probably right that it's just the fact that it's being drawn by a man who probably has no fashion sense, but it's just another small way in which Buffy's characterization feels like it got lost in the translation from TV to comic book.

[elisi]

Those are not stylish-yet-affordable boots she's wearing in that first panel, those are combat boots!
It's the same outfit from the very beginning of the comic, she's just removed the vest thing and added a jacket. *has brainwave* Maybe the boots are a secret sign that she misses Spike?

This is the girl who went down into the Hellmouth to fight an army of ubervamps wearing high-heeled, pointy-toed boots!
That was actually the starting point for this whole thing - or rather that image of Buffy at the end, in her gorgeous jacket and pretty outfit. (Also who sleeps in a teeny skimpy nightie like that in a COLD Scottish castle?)

You're probably right that it's just the fact that it's being drawn by a man who probably has no fashion sense
Sad but true. *focusses on OT3*

[stormwreath.livejournal.com]

Maybe the boots are a secret sign that she misses Spike?
Now you're abusing sarcasmmeta. *sticks out tongue*

Also who sleeps in a teeny skimpy nightie like that in a COLD Scottish castle?
People who've paid to have underfloor heating installed in their bedroom?

I suspect you're right about the comic artist not being an expert on women's fashions, though... By the way, you missed an outfit - the one Buffy's wearing in her kissing-Xander dream. Denim fringed jacket, white top, more shiny black trousers, fur-lined boots.

[elisi]

Now you're abusing sarcasmmeta.
Indeed I am.

People who've paid to have underfloor heating installed in their bedroom?
Where did the money come from?????

Denim fringed jacket, white top, more shiny black trousers, fur-lined boots.
You're right. I did actually look at it, but - being in a bit of a hurry - I thought it was the same as she was wearing before. Will remedy. Thanks!