I'm waiting....

[lirazel]

Replies to my last few posts are forthcoming (I've loved all of y'all's thoughts!), but first:

I am disappointed in y'all! No one on my flist has posted about the new Season 8 preview? I need y'all's thoughts! Your fury or excitement! Where's the drama?

Come on. With the way y'all are not talking, you'd think you had actual lives or something.

Comments

[eleusis-walks.livejournal.com]

I hated the comics from the very first issue, but I am heartened to see that it's apparently an Angel of ~the future~ rather than the regular article. Because honestly, Twilight is the worst. I still can't get over that gross line about how he and Buffy are meant for each other "which is why they can't be happy with anyone else." Fuck you, Joss.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

Your thoughts are my thoughts. I'm not the world's biggest Angel fan (I like him when he's interacting with Cordy or Connor, I find him fascinating when he's interacting with Darla or Spike or Dru, other than that, I just don't invest in him very much, though I think he's a very well-done character), but the whole characterization of him here just infuriates me. Even though I've had some major moral issues with some of his decisions before, the whole Twilight thing takes it to a new level that makes me offended on behalf of all the Angel fans out there.

I still can't get over that gross line about how he and Buffy are meant for each other "which is why they can't be happy with anyone else." Fuck you, Joss.

NO KIDDING. I kind of want someone to write crackfic where Cordy pops into Joss's office and is like, "Seriously?" and gives him a good talking to. Nobody can give a good talking to like Cordy.

[anythingbutgrey.livejournal.com]

WHEN I HEARD ABOUT THIS I WAS WALKING IN NEW YORK AND TIMOTHY TOLD ME ABOUT THAT PART AND I STARTED SCREAMING IN THE MIDDLE OF STREET. DO YOU PEOPLE WATCH YOUR OWN SHOW?

[eilowyn.livejournal.com]

Just adding a chorusing "fuck you." That's one line I want them to retcon the shit out of. I expect to be disappointed.

[anythingbutgrey.livejournal.com]

oh my god they parodied the eclipse poster.

OH MY GOD. LOL FOREVER.

this icon now applies to so many things involving twilight. i can't believe the fuckery these s8 comics have brought to the world. i have so much rage in me and i've read FOUR of them in total. and oh look i am literally talking about this on tumblr as we speak.

BUT REALLY WHAT IS THIS SHIT HOW IS IT ALLOWED TO EXIST?

[eleusis-walks.livejournal.com]

you know what actually i hate about the s8 comics more than anything else?

skinless alive warren

because absolving willow of murder retroactively is the absolute most disgusting thing

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

I do think that the Twilight parody is legit funny, even if it doesn't quite work.

But S8 is RIDICULOUS and I imagine that EVERY SINGLE THING about it makes you angry, and rightfully so.

[next_to_normal]

Sorry! I didn't know there was a preview, but now that I've read it, I pretty much have no idea what to make of it. It doesn't make any sense to me, though I suppose it doesn't make any less sense than what we've already gotten.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

I was mostly kidding, hoping Emmie or Maggie would pop up and be like, "OH THIS WAS FORESHADOWED TWELVE ISSUES AGO" or something. I don't know what to make of it either, but you're right about the level of sense-making. I can't say I'm fond of the talking dog thing, but whatever. We've definitely seen equally silly things before.

In which I am snarky and clueless

[snickfic]

I am ahead of the comics curve! Look at me!

I'm guessing this preview is explaining to us how NFA ended, right? Which would contradict A:ATF (assuming I'm correct in my non-existent grasp of A:ATF). Interesting. 'Cuz we've all wanted to know how much the DH and IDW comics related to each other. Or else, as someone else says, it's Angel of the Future.

Gotta say, the dog sounds more like he's mocking than guiding to me. "Even when things get most complicated, you stay doggedly simple." First, bad pun; second, not so much a virtue in Angel's case.

Also, the airplane wing reminds me of Donnie Darko, which, in terms of coherence and symbolism and what-all is worthy to squash S8 like a tiny ant under its shoe. (This says more about S8 than Donnie Darko. Just so we're clear.)

Re: In which I am snarky and clueless

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

The people on whedonesque seem to think it's an Angel from the future? I don't know?


Gotta say, the dog sounds more like he's mocking than guiding to me. "Even when things get most complicated, you stay doggedly simple." First, bad pun; second, not so much a virtue in Angel's case.

Absolutely.

Confession: I've never seen Donnie Darko, nor do I feel any kind of urge to really do so.

Re: In which I am snarky and clueless

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

Ooh! Ooh! So that would mean the poll I ran months and months and months (deep breath) and months ago about the way that Joss would nullify three years of pointless comics was right! I even had time travel and a reset button.

[fenchurche.livejournal.com]

Okay, so am I the only person who read the dog's comment about "that goofy little cheerleader" really spinning Angel around and assumed it was refering to Cordelia? I was actually a bit surprised by the later dialogue that indicated the dog apparently meant Buffy.

Because really? Cheerleader to describe Buffy?

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

You are not the only one. I would never use cheerleader to describe Buffy. Of course I wouldn't use "goofy" or "little" to describe Cordy, so I was confused all around.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

So, let's see. Angel has lost his marbles, has become Son of Sam, and Oceanic Flight 815 is breaking up overhead...

Sure, Joss. Surrrrreeee.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

I had to wiki Son of Sam. Apparently I'm ignorant.

But...yeah. I'm about on the same page.

[angearia.livejournal.com]

Here's what I can tell:

Angel falls through a portal and upon crashing down to earth, he expects to see ruins when he looks upon LA. Because that's what his city has become. He imagines he'll get to look at the lights of the city, then thinks it's a "long moment" because the lights are still there. Turns out he's back to his world before it's all gone to hell. He's been sent here to train and become Twilight to prevent this age of "ruins"--as soon as he "feel[s] it", he's going to fly up and save that plane with the wing breaking off.

This Angel is from the future, or a dimension he believes to be the future. It doesn't mean he himself is future!Angel. He could be the Angel coming from the time post-After the Fall who got a trip to the future (like how Buffy went to Fray) so he'd see the ruins and find the motivation to be Twilight.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that seems to be the common consensus over on whedonesque. Which kind of feels like it'll be a cop-out (oh, he's not the real Angel!). But I'm hoping he pulls it off, for the sake of you and Maggie and everyone else!

[eilowyn.livejournal.com]

I am just baffled.

BAFFLED!

Let's just say there are some bridesmaids who will be hearing me shout at the computer next week while baking cheesecakes, because I sure as hell will be glued to the screen watching the wank happen.

[powerofthebook.livejournal.com]

(headdesk) Joss, time travel only works in a very few fandoms, in a very few situations - a handy guide would be Star Trek IV, several episodes of ST:TNG, the third Harry Potter, Terminator, Dr. Who, and that one episode of the X-Files. IT IS NOT A FAILSAFE BUTTON. Seriously, if the highly-anticipated climax of this freaking comic comes down to "preventing a potential future someone saw," they've really been overstating Joss's storytelling powers.

There's a good quote from Deadwood that might fit here:
Steve the Drunk: "F**k you, f**k the institution, and f**k the future!"
Commissioner Jarry: "You cannot f**k the future, sir. The future f**ks you."

[shapinglight]

Seriously, if the highly-anticipated climax of this freaking comic comes down to "preventing a potential future someone saw," they've really been overstating Joss's storytelling powers.

There are whole storylines in the X-Men comics devoted to such plots. I don't like them in the -Men either.

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

Am I the one who thinks that the story becomes - how to say it? - openly lampoon-ish? A dog from "Lost" is hilarious, but he (it?) makes BtVS too close to Simpsons.

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

Except that the one time the dog talked on The Simpsons, it was in an alternate reality and specifically meant to be absurd and extra cartoonish.

/Simpsons nerd

[quinara]

I... Have nothing to say because, reading it now, I had no idea what the heck was going on (and did not expect to have to/could not be arsed to read a page of Whedonesque theorising until it made sense). I didn't watch much of LOST, so I didn't get that bit; I thought Angel had just been thrown through the Hollywood sign by a demon, because that's usually what that sort of dramatic entrance means in AtS. Buffy's a goofy little cheerleader now? I just don't understand...

[norwie2010.livejournal.com]

So, in order to "redeem" Angel, the character has to take over the show? Are we going to see anything else than "Angel whitewash" panels? After the Riley one shot now we get #36 with already 7 pages of exclusive Angel portrayal (betrayal). Will Xander get that many pages? Or poor Giles? Spike? Dawn?

So, for this to be some kind of "payoff" there needs to be a seriously interesting story behind the whole Angel stuff (and no, i don't mean the twilight zone stuff: I mean the reason Angel is in these comics at all. Needs to be more than shits and giggles, some poor referencing of BtVS season 1-3 and a bit of author-wanking - means there must be some kind of solution to the whole Angel arc within BtVS).

You know, just yesterday the dreaded "nerd-rage" came back to me (where is MAGGIE the GREAT when i need her?!) and, well, that never does good things to my mental capabilities. ;-)

But, it got me thinking/raging about a tangent, a layer of the story of Buffy'n'Angel, as presented thus far within the comics: Buffy, the abuse victim in love with the abuser. She gets beaten around for 33 issues (don't get me started on "church me!" symbolism) just to orgasm her abuser to heaven and, as far as we were told, will cry over him at the end of season 8. Talk about deconstruction. All the while Angel will get constructed to be sympathetic. I don't know. I need a fireing squad icon.

[elisi]

It's called Twilight. They even have the Buffy/Angel = Bella/Edward on the *cover*. Abuse/stalking/manipulation is *romantic*.

I'm waiting for the reveal that Buffy is pregnant with a death!baby... (Who will be the most gorgeous and adorable little girl ever, and who will solve all their problems and Spike will fall in love with her. *nods*)

[norwie2010.livejournal.com]

There. New icon, all for season 8. (Gosh, i'm obsessed...)

[elisi]

I've read it twice, but considering the logic at work in the story so far won't even begin to speculate as to how it all hangs together.

Although it does look like time travel, doesn't it? Oh, as usual, dear. The Doctor in my icon expresses my excitement rather well. ;) ETA: Actually, this icon is funnier! Oh Eleven, let me count the ways in which I &hearts you...

[ohwaluvusbab.livejournal.com]

Well, on behalf of... myself, who usually has raging mad love for Angel, I AM ENRAGED.

On the bright side, Vincent always makes things better. *pets Vincent*

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

Vincent always makes things better.

Yes. This. :)

[slaymesoftly.livejournal.com]

Hee! I just saw it this morning. Thought the dialogue was clever in places - that's about all I got from it.

ETA Although, based on some of the comments above, I may not have seen the whole thing? *is confused* but that's okay, I often am. :)

[mollivanders.livejournal.com]

Okay, I have a completely serious question :)

What are the good things about S8? Why not leave it at the tv show?

Fire away!

[elisi]

Xander/Dracula! (Which is in the 'Wolves at the Gate' arc. Of course it's total crack, but how! ♥)