My Problem with Season 10 So Far

[vellavu]

The main difference between Season 10 and Season 8 (Season 9 sucks so much that it's not an OK comparison material), is that Season 10's characters don't talk to each other, they do monologues to each other. Oh Buff (or Xander, or everyone else), instead of what you want to say, do you have to say your motivation, do exposition, share your emotions every time?

The drawings becomes the background noise, while the text becomes the main information source. I mean, no matter how Season 8 is insane or something sometimes, it at least respects the reader enough to use proper storytelling techniques instead of mundane linear timelines with all those repeating scripts to fill you with details of every damn thing.

Is it an intensional choice to make the new influx of readers who haven't watched the show understand? But I don't think it's possible that there are many fans attracted purely by the comics.

 

[thetopher]

That's a good point.
Season 8 did have more character-based drama that felt 'true' to what the characters actually said on the show. They talked to each other not AT each other- more conversations and less speeches. Pick any key S8 chacarter interaction and it at least had shades of awkwards and a separate layer of subtler characterization- Buffy/Xander, Buffy/Willow, Giles/Faith, even Twilght's secret ID kept people guessing.

S10 doesn't have any of that subtlty, if a character thinks it, then they say it, and explain it in plainly stated terms so that the reader will understand.
I'm thinking of most of Spuffy, or Xander's constant 'my therapist says this' or even Angel's little speech to Willow. Nothing is framed in ambiguous terms, its spoonfed to the reader. Like a lot of fan fiction tends to be.


The other thing that bugs me is this season: Andrew is getting more character stuff than Willow. Yeah, what the hell, writers? Willow did some stuff last season but a lot of it was away from Buffy (either in her own spin-off or in A&F) and now she's back and doing squat (well, sjhe gets injured a lot...).
Wheras Andrew had another 'misguided idiot' plot, his coming-out-at-gay plot and is going to have something else coming up. wtf? Who is the more important/interesting character between these two.
Completely unacceptable imo.

 

[EVIL UU]

Is it an intensional choice to make the new influx of readers who haven't watched the show understand?

I think that they're trying to be more like the TV show.

There's probably some irony in me posting in this thread since I have bitched about the ambiguity and incomprehensibility of season 8 for years but I stand by my words. Season 8 requires the readers to watch both BtVS, AtS and read Fray and then gives them a convoluted, esoteric mass of a plot that still does not make any sense by the way. That's too much to ask for from most Buffy fans because the show was never like that. It rewarded careful viewing and thinking and whatnot but it never required it. We, I mean the hard-core fandom, we're in a bubble. When it comes to Buffy the barrier to entry can never be too high for us. We will research, comb through scripts, create theories and so on but the casual fans, they will just give up.

Maybe, compared to the show, the spoon feeding has gone too far but I still think that generally it's a good direction.

Andrew is getting more character stuff than Willow. Yeah, what the hell, writers?

I tried comparing season 10 to season 7 and 5, both that came after two Willow-heavy seasons and no, it still doesn't compare favourably. I don't get it, they dropped this mother of magic bomb and then...they dropped it. Does Willow really need to start sleeping with Buffy to get some page space and development or something? I mean, the season's not over yet, Buffy's and Spike's issues are surely important, Xander needs to deal with his demons, Giles' stuff can be quite interesting but come on - it's Willow. And Dawn is in an even worse situation! I don't know, maybe Andrew gets all this development so we can feel sorry after he's finally killed off...

​

...and hey, I'm trying really hard to keep a straight face here.

 

[Silverspike]

"I don't know, maybe Andrew gets all this development so we can feel sorry after he's finally killed off..."

Oh god, If only......😀

 

[gite63]

I like Christos Gage writing, I don't see anything wrong with the character's voice.

The other thing that bugs me is this season: Andrew is getting more character stuff than Willow. Yeah, what the hell, writers? Willow did some stuff last season but a lot of it was away from Buffy (either in her own spin-off or in A&F) and now she's back and doing squat (well, sjhe gets injured a lot...).

I tried comparing season 10 to season 7 and 5, both that came after two Willow-heavy seasons and no, it still doesn't compare favourably. I don't get it, they dropped this mother of magic bomb and then...they dropped it. Does Willow really need to start sleeping with Buffy to get some page space and development or something? I mean, the season's not over yet, Buffy's and Spike's issues are surely important, Xander needs to deal with his demons, Giles' stuff can be quite interesting but come on - it's Willow.

It's really a shame that Willow has been underused. Besides being a powerful witch (and one of the main character of the Buffyverse duh), she is the mother of the New Seed and has recently broken up with a demon sorcerer who got very pissed off with her. It's hard to believe the season will end without some major plot with her...

Spoiler

We know she will have some disagreement with Buffy in a upcoming issue, and Gage said the Scoobies will split in the end, or something like that. Will Willow have her own title next Season? Or a bigger plot in BtVS due what will happen in the end of S10?

And Dawn is in an even worse situation!

Spoiler

Same with Dawn. It seems her keeyness will be used.

Maybe after dealing with Spuffy, crossover, kid Giles and Andrew, in the end we will have Willow, Xander/Anya and Dawn in the center of things.

 

[EVIL UU]

@gite63
I don't expect Aluwyn to show up. If the comic was called, I don't know, Willow The Turbo-Witch™ or Willow: Magic Town or whatever, then yeah, sure, but the comic is called Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Aluwyn, despite squatting in her comic for three seasons, has virtually no connection to Buffy, they've never even met. Anyway, I'm personally more interested in the mother of the seed aspect. What does it mean for Willow? It hasn't been addressed at all, she hasn't even talked about it to anybody - can you believe it?! It's...disappointing.

I like Christos Gage writing, I don't see anything wrong with the character's voice.

I think that his Buffy could use a little bit more Buffy-speak, if you know what I mean. I know that Buffy's getting older and whatnot but come on, it's still Buffy, the abuse of English language must continue! What else? Willow, Giles and Spike are more or less OK but Xander is inconsistent - there are too many scenes where Xander just doesn't sound like Xander in my opinion.