More thoughts about the web comic
Jul. 2nd, 2009 11:53 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shapinglightHave to say one thing for this Buffy web comic – it’s the first time for a long time that I’ve found myself over-thinking anything to do with the Buffy comics in general (possibly something to do with the beautiful art. Doubt I’d be feeling the same if Jeanty had drawn this).
Unfortunately, the more I think about it, the more there is that makes me go, hmmm!
Thing is, once I got over the initial squee! at the Spangel-ness of it, I of course found myself thinking about the context in which it happens, which is in Buffy’s nightmares.
This led me to two places, first of which is a touch of irritation with people who were upset by it. I mean, come on. Fair’s fair. Both Bangel and Spuffy got enough in the show that both groups can claim to have won (or at least drawn) and they need only watch their DVDs if they want to see it all again. Spangel ‘shippers, despite whatever Joss said in his episode commentaries for AtS season 5, got an unfinished sentence from Spike in AtS’s penultimate episode, and that’s it. So yes, I was a little peeved that some people couldn’t get past their ‘shipping preferences and be pleased for us, especially considering that many people aren’t reading the comic, don’t consider it canon, and even in the comics ‘verse it’s not even real. Buffy’s dreaming it.
Then I sort of shrugged. This is just Joss, I thought. It's his way. He’s poking fun at the two major ‘shipping groups here, and using Spangel to do it, while poking fun at the Spangels too, and 'shippers will be 'shippers and they want what they want.
And then of course I reached an even lower place (and I’m not the only one, it seems, see![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
ruuger’s post) where I suddenly got quite annoyed at the way the Spangel in this scene was presented. This is Buffy’s nightmare, as I said, so apparently Spike and Angel preferring each other to her is one of the worst things she can think of. Also, before she sees them, she sees the arch-misogynist Caleb who reminds her that she’s just a ‘dirty girl,’ in contrast to the ‘clean boys.’ Then I realised that you could, if you so chose, interpret this scene to mean that Joss is portraying male homosexuals as nasty woman-haters (some are, no doubt, but so are many straight men), or at best making them into a big joke.
Then I thought – nah! Not his intention. This is all about Buffy and her state of mind, but that just led me back to, is Spike and Angel getting it on really the worst thing Buffy can think of? She didn’t seem so anti the idea in Chosen. Then I thought, well, Joss should be a bit more careful, and I felt grumpy, and lost my squee entirely. :(
Oh well, no doubt Joss would be thrilled to think people were taking his work apart with a fine toothcomb looking for hidden meanings the way they did with Restless. Shall just have to cling to the knowledge that in the end all the wild speculation about that episode was just that; speculation. And it won’t stop me nabbing some icons, because we may never get to see Jo Chen draw Spike and Angel again.
Cheese. It was all about cheese.
Unfortunately, the more I think about it, the more there is that makes me go, hmmm!
Thing is, once I got over the initial squee! at the Spangel-ness of it, I of course found myself thinking about the context in which it happens, which is in Buffy’s nightmares.
This led me to two places, first of which is a touch of irritation with people who were upset by it. I mean, come on. Fair’s fair. Both Bangel and Spuffy got enough in the show that both groups can claim to have won (or at least drawn) and they need only watch their DVDs if they want to see it all again. Spangel ‘shippers, despite whatever Joss said in his episode commentaries for AtS season 5, got an unfinished sentence from Spike in AtS’s penultimate episode, and that’s it. So yes, I was a little peeved that some people couldn’t get past their ‘shipping preferences and be pleased for us, especially considering that many people aren’t reading the comic, don’t consider it canon, and even in the comics ‘verse it’s not even real. Buffy’s dreaming it.
Then I sort of shrugged. This is just Joss, I thought. It's his way. He’s poking fun at the two major ‘shipping groups here, and using Spangel to do it, while poking fun at the Spangels too, and 'shippers will be 'shippers and they want what they want.
And then of course I reached an even lower place (and I’m not the only one, it seems, see
ruuger’s post) where I suddenly got quite annoyed at the way the Spangel in this scene was presented. This is Buffy’s nightmare, as I said, so apparently Spike and Angel preferring each other to her is one of the worst things she can think of. Also, before she sees them, she sees the arch-misogynist Caleb who reminds her that she’s just a ‘dirty girl,’ in contrast to the ‘clean boys.’ Then I realised that you could, if you so chose, interpret this scene to mean that Joss is portraying male homosexuals as nasty woman-haters (some are, no doubt, but so are many straight men), or at best making them into a big joke.Then I thought – nah! Not his intention. This is all about Buffy and her state of mind, but that just led me back to, is Spike and Angel getting it on really the worst thing Buffy can think of? She didn’t seem so anti the idea in Chosen. Then I thought, well, Joss should be a bit more careful, and I felt grumpy, and lost my squee entirely. :(
Oh well, no doubt Joss would be thrilled to think people were taking his work apart with a fine toothcomb looking for hidden meanings the way they did with Restless. Shall just have to cling to the knowledge that in the end all the wild speculation about that episode was just that; speculation. And it won’t stop me nabbing some icons, because we may never get to see Jo Chen draw Spike and Angel again.
Cheese. It was all about cheese.
no subject
Date: 2009-07-02 03:40 pm (UTC)As a confessed Spuffy shipper, I wouldn't have had a problem with the Spangel if it had been played differently. Spangel's actually the one slash pairing I enjoy, and I was rooting for the Spangel moments in After the Fall. But as I said on
no subject
Date: 2009-07-03 07:43 pm (UTC)One does begin to suspect that Joss actively loathes a large segment of his audience. However, since that makes no sense from a business perspective, I suppose I have to believe I'm just being paranoid.
And you like Spangel? I had no idea.
no subject
Date: 2009-07-04 10:31 pm (UTC)What I don't think he realizes is that a lot of people are tired of being teased. I'm perfectly fine with the way Spuffy ended - it leaves enough room for fanfic to flourish, and I can take the comics or leave them, so I'm not terribly concerned with canon after NFA. Personally, I'd rather Joss just put the ship to bed and let Buffy move on, rather than trying to keep my interest by dropping Spike hints when I know he's never going to pair them up again in any serious way. It makes me feel like he's underestimating my intelligence (then again, I feel that way about pretty much everything in season 8).
And yeah, I like Spangel. I don't seek it out much, but when I come across a decent Spangel fic, I usually enjoy it. I think it's because it's got a better footing in canon than most slash, and I really need that to find a ship believable.
no subject
Date: 2009-07-06 03:38 pm (UTC)That's good to know. I do think of my default status as Spangel 'shipper, but oddly don't write the pairing that often.
And this It makes me feel like he's underestimating my intelligence (then again, I feel that way about pretty much everything in season 8).
Absolutely. Not to mention I always have the sneaking feeling that Joss is going to pull the rug from under everyone at some point and then point and mock.
Where the comics are concerned, season 8 irritates me no end, because I want it to be better and it just never is. I enjoy some of the AtS books, but I like them better if the canon question never comes into it and I can just view them as fanfic with pictures.