Who’d have thought a character development in the 12th issue of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 would be the next comic story to create a stir in the mainstream press?
The New York Times “broke” the story yesterday — the same day the issue hit comic shops in North America — and now the ABC News and MTV websites swoop in for the follow-up.
In case you haven’t read Part One of “Wolves at the Gate,” or didn’t see The Times piece yesterday, I’ll hide the spoilers after the break. After today, all bets are off.
You’ve been warned, though.
Yes, Buffy Summers slept with fellow slayer Satsu in a storyline that creator Joss Whedon says “evolved naturally.”
“We had already established that there was this character, Satsu, was in love with Buffy and that Buffy was kind of lonesome,” Whedon tells ABCNews.com. “[We decided] it would be fun if they just went ahead and did it, rather than have it be a ‘will they won’t they’ situation.”
But ABC News’ Emily Friedman, who consistently refers to publisher Dark Horse as Dark House, finds a naysayer in one Stephen Krensky, author of Comic Book Century: The History of American Comic Books.
He seems to think Buffy’s “gay romp” is nothing but a ploy to keep the comic from its “demise” — Friedman’s words, not Krensky’s — despite there being no indication that Season 8 is anywhere near danger of cancellation.
MTV.com turns to the story arc’s writer Drew Goddard, who’s also penned episodes of Buffy, Angel and Lost, as well as the movie Cloverfield: “Even though we’ve still got a ways to go, we’ve made tremendous progress with regard to portrayals of human sexuality in pop culture over the last 10 years or so. So the stage just feels different now. I’m sure people can argue that Willow/Tara broke a lot of ground in that regard, but it’s not like we go into these things saying, ‘How can we make a grand political statement here?’ We just try to do what feels right for the characters. The rest takes care of itself.”
Related: Whedonesque reacts to Issue 12
Related: So does AfterEllen.com
March 6th, 2008 at 9:41 am
lesbians!? in a comic!? I wonder if the army of chronic masturbators that read comics will allow this?
March 6th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Not even a mention of Whedon’s rather shabby treatment of gay male characters? Pfft.
March 6th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Well, I guess they had to come up with something to stop the sales from dropping when Whedon wasn’t writing the series.
March 10th, 2008 at 2:31 am
Wonder what Sarah Michelle Geller had to say about this?
March 27th, 2008 at 1:56 am
who cares season 8 rocks! I feel like i am right back in the series as though i were watching it on t.v. again. I think Sara Michelle Geller would be proud of the writing and fully support the writers and the path they choose to take her on. And really i am straight but i would totally take on Satsu..she’s hot.