Buffy gets a reboot! It's official.

Skanky Vamp

Skanky Vamp

Sniffin' the Slayer
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Aug 12, 2008
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Black Thorn
The comics are rebooting Buffy.

From EW

Calling all Buffy Summers fans: Our favorite vampire slayer is set to be reborn.

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, in association with 20th Century Consumer Products, has officially acquired a new Buffy the Vampire Slayermiddle-grade series written by cartoonist Carolyn Nowak, EW has learned exclusively. The first book, New School Nightmare, will be released in September 2018.

Nowak’s series will maintain the original WB series’ themes of empowerment and independence. The fun, innovatively assembled books will be told through comics, journal entries, class notes, doodles, text messages, and other in-world artifacts as Buffy is revived for new young audiences and older, longtime fans of the character.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a supernatural drama series that ran for seven seasons on the WB and UPN. Starring Sarah Michelle Gellar in the title role and created by Joss Whedon, it centered on teenager Buffy Summers, a young woman chosen by fate to battle against vampires, demons, and other forces of evil. The show ended in 2003 but remains a cult classic.

EW can also exclusively reveal the cover for Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New School Nightmare, as well as a delightful eight-panel excerpt. Read on to see what’s in store for Buffy in the newest series of her adventures.

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Excerpt from ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New School Nightmare,’ by Carolyn Nowak
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Well, this goes in the non-canon pile. Buffy wasn't a Slayer in middle school. Why not do that weird missing period that is fall 1996? She transferred mid-year, but she must have done schooling somewhere for half a year post-Hemery. Lots of comics fill in the spring/summer months, but it's a bit empty in the fall/winter.

Summer vacation periods are also ripe for being filled in.

Weird spinoff.
 
It may be a reboot, but it doesn't even sound anything like Buffy. And, yeah, I know, she's supposed to be 12 here, but still. I also think it's a lot more aimed at youngsters than us 'hardcore' older fans, because the writing is very childish. I definitely wouldn't pay to read this, I'm not even sure you could pay me to read it.
 
@Mr. Pole yeah but it also says for older fans 🙂
 
Skanky Vamp
Skanky Vamp
In the description it says it's for middle school readers. So...
Lots of people don't see the DH comics as canon. Others think anything past S4 isn't authentic Buffy. Some think only S1-3 are worth anything. . . . It's whatever works for you. These comics are meant for children, they're cute, I have no problem with them at all. Some would say they are as much Buffy as 'Dawn-verse' Buffy or DH comics Buffy.
 
Priceless said:
Lots of people don't see the DH comics as canon. Others think anything past S4 isn't authentic Buffy. Some think only S1-3 are worth anything. . . . It's whatever works for you. These comics are meant for children, they're cute, I have no problem with them at all. Some would say they are as much Buffy as 'Dawn-verse' Buffy or DH comics Buffy.
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And the thing is it opens Buffy up to a whole new demographic. I mean 7, 8 or 9 year olds (to whom this is geared) really shouldn't be watching the TV show or reading the comic.

This is for older fans. Specifically older fans with kids or nieces or nephews whom them want to indoctrinate in the mythology. I know @Nix wanted to get her daughter involved in Buffy but for a long time wondered if she was too young, this would be a perfect way to bridge the gap.

Plus, the idea of Buffy being in this age- with text messaging, etc, could really spin the thing differently.
 
In my day, the kiddie equivalent of BtVS was Goosebumps and Are You Afraid of the Dark? So Weird was likewise The X-Files for kids.


^The kids weened on this were the ones who were probably the first audience for BtVS.

Basically, Goosebumps and its edgier sibling Are You Afraid of the Dark? were a lot like BtVS season 1, ventriloquist dummies and giant preying mantes included! Way wrong tone here for early BtVS geared at the kiddie level, given that the '90s were absolutely loaded with supernatural-horror books, shows and movies aimed at kids.

They could have at least pulled a Muppet Babies and made it all the Scoobies as kids, but keeping Giles also the same without the gender swap.

Then again, the Dark Horse comics ever since Joss' involvement have also completely forgotten there used to be horror elements in the franchise.
 
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As an existing Buffy fan it looks pretty awful to me but hey, if it leads people back to the original show, then it’s alright.
Seems to just be using the Buffy name to generate an audience but will pay basically zero homeage to the actual series. I understand it’s a reboot but it seems strange to pick and choose elements and disregard the rest and a 12 year old Slayer. That’s so strange.
 
MarlieTheSlayer said:
Not convinced so far. Why couldn't it be about another slayer (because money). I'm also not a fan of the art.
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Yes - but this art style probably has big appeal for their target age group - it's Kid Cute. I don't plan on being a new reader - I don't much care for the new High School Buffy either - One thing that I do like is the choice of age. Buffy as a 12 year old won't be getting into any "romance and angst" complications. Personally, I wish there were not a reboot because I can easily imagine that kids reading these comic books would want to go into the series and I personally don't think the TV era series is age appropriate for older children of this age group. Of course, this is just my personal opinion and I'm very much in the Way Old Age fan group so I'm highly influenced by the cultural norms of a much earlier generation than even the original viewers.

I think this would appeal to this age group - but for original viewers - not sure how they might like it. I purchased the first issue of the Clueless reboot that Amber Benson is involved in and could not get past a few pages.
 
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