I’m known as the Marvel guy around here, but how did I get so into Marvel in the first place? Well, truth be told, I have always been into Marvel. But my love resurged in a big way when my hero Joss Whedon was announced to direct The Avengers. Having followed all his series, movies, webseries and comics (and even dedicating a podcast to the man), I couldn’t pass up covering the “Welcome to the Whedonverse” panel by Dark Horse at the SDCC!
Couldn’t make it? Let’s take a look at the highlights of what you missed.
We have done the impossible, and that makes us mighty! Isn’t it insane that Firefly is even more beloved in 2016 than it was when it was cancelled after it’s brief run 13 years ago? The series isn’t making it’s return any time soon, but it lives on in comics. The new series “No Power in the ‘Verse” from writer Chris Roberson was announced to follow up the award winning “Leaves on the Wind”. Rather than focusing on dealing with the death-that-shall-not-be-mentioned, the new series focuses on River. Roberson teased exciting new changes in relationships and “things that just don’t work out” (you leave Simon and Kaylee alone!). He also mentioned that the series will see the return of comic villain Operative Kalista, a hilarious Jayne subplot, and a main character with a secret they’d rather not reveal. Juicy!
Writer Christos Gage was on hand to give us a little teaser of the shorter 12-issue Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 11, the fourth comic series installation after the television series seven season run. Previous arcs featured Buffy leading an international army of Slayers, a killed and resurrected Giles, Dawn being cursed to turn into various creatures (such as a living doll, centaur and giant), Buffy briefly gaining the ability to fly, “zompires”, and the controversial pregnancy arc. In season 11, Gage informed us, Joss Whedon has decided to pair up Buffy and Spike for real after several rocky half-starts. He also said that an instant catastrophe will shake things up and promised what we all expected – more “Angel & Faith” comics to come, too!
Not up to speed with the Buffy comics? Prefer to live in the past? Kel McDonald was present and ready to talk more of “Buffy: The High School Years.” Not much was said, but characters like Principal Bob Flutie and Jonathan Levinson are expected to appear in the season one era story “Glutton for Punishment”, issue one of which hits shelves October 19, 2016.
