Discussion of 'The Lost Summer' one-shot - Released 5/5/2023

[The Ferg]

I didn't see a thread for this, so I figured I'd make my own.



Once again, Boom, and it's writers have no ****ing idea how to write a Buffy story. The dialogue was bland and unfunny, it didn't fit into continuity (even though it claimed it was trying to), and it didn't have a single action scene. What a waste of an IP. For the love of god, I hope they go in a different direction after The Vampire Slayer concludes, because I miss looking forward to new Buffy/Whedonverse content.

BOOM! Studios revealed today a first look at BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: THE LOST SUMMER #1, the special issue one-Shot! Buffy the Last Vampire Slayer writer Casey Gilly, along with artist Lauren Knight (Golden Rage, Time Before Time), colorist Francesco Segala (Firefly, House of Slaughter) with color assists by Gloria Martinelli, and letterer Ed Dukeshire bring fans a frightfully fun story set in the continuity of the cult classic TV series, available in May 2023.

 

[thetopher]

it didn't fit into continuity (even though it claimed it was trying to),

When is it supposed to be set?

 

[Skanky Vamp]

When is it supposed to be set?

I have no idea based off of the synopsis as the only time Spike was really chumming with the gang was in S5. And there really wasn't a time for summer road trip as Buffy was dead.

 

[The Ferg]

When is it supposed to be set?

Well that's kind of a mystery. It's supposed to be set during one of the summers between seasons, but that impossible, seeing as Tara is alive, Anya and Xander are together, Spike is ensouled, and Buffy and Spike are a loving couple. It's nonsense, and shows that Boom and Casey Gilly have no respect for the source material.

Just for shits and giggles, I checked the Buffy Fandom site, and they say pretty much the same thing in the 'Continuity' section:

• The comic was announced as taking place in the continuity of the original TV series. However, the events take place during a summer holiday in which Buffy and Spike are a couple ("Smashed" to "As You Were"), as are Anya and Xander ("Pangs" to "Hell's Bells"), and neither Buffy ("The Gift" to "Bargaining, Part One") nor Tara (from "Seeing Red" on) is dead. There was no such time period in the continuity of the original show.

 

[thetopher]

Well that's kind of a mystery. It's supposed to be set during one of the summers between seasons, but that impossible, seeing as Tara is alive, Anya and Xander are together, Spike is ensouled, and Buffy and Spike are a loving couple.

From the blurb I assumed that it HAD to be between S4 and 5 because of Anya/Xander, Willow/Tara and Buffy not being dead would almost work but Riley isn't mentioned and Spike was an outlier of the group who nobody cares about.

But I think the bolded bit gives it away; this is a Spuffy fic; a romp where everyone is happy and couple-y and they all go on a wacky, zany adventure together. *eye-roll*

Honestly, it seems like some BOOM writers just re-write the same wish-fulfillment fantasy over and over again with a slightly different skin on it. Sad and speaks to a deep well of insecurity about how they view a certain very well-worn relationship.

 

[AlphaFoxtrot]

Spuffy is one of the most popular ships, right? I mean, are you really going to write a story around Briley in 2023? It's also arguably the ship that's aged the best, as being problematic was always part of the fun.

 

[thetopher]

I mean, its a neat idea to do a 'lost summer' away from Sunnydale road trip....but maybe if you can't do something right, then don't do it at all?

I mean, are you really going to write a story around Briley in 2023?

I mean, I might. Given that their relationship was the only one to get a whole friggin' summer then roll with the idea. Change the 'poetry' hook (the weak, silly part) and think up something else to take the gang exploring elsewhere.

Since Briley had a beginning, middle and end then you can do interesting stuff; highlight the good/positive stuff and foreshadow how/why it would end. Certainly sounds more interesting than yet another Spike plot, in 2023 Spuffy has been done so many times it might be fresh to try something new.

Or hell, do something in between S6 and 7 and just focus on Buffy, Xander and Dawn without any silly shoe-horned in shipping. Try telling a story.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

I mean, its a neat idea to do a 'lost summer' away from Sunnydale road trip....but maybe if you can't do something right, then don't do it at all?

The only thing they did wrong was saying it fit in the original shows continuity. Other than that it seems like it's the typical fare for their series. It's not your Buffy anymore, so shouldn't expect it to be.

 

[AlphaFoxtrot]

I don't disagree. Writing a story about what the Scoobies were doing between their Freshman and Sophomore years of college is a good pitch. College summers were awesome, and the first ten minutes of Buffy v. Dracula seemed like a decent enough time. But, I'm not trying to sell comics.

Because if I was, I would have gotten the Passions License, and I could do a romance comic where T.C. gets hulk powers, Alistair gets a money vault, Theresa-chan always gets drawn with giant manga eyes and it turns out there were three Blackmailers.

 

[The Ferg]

The only thing they did wrong was saying it fit in the original shows continuity. Other than that it seems like it's the typical fare for their series.

Imo claiming that this fits into continuity, and then blatantly not giving a shit about continuity, is crossing the line. It just goes to show that they don't respect the source material.

Other than that it seems like it's the typical fare for their series.

Well you're not wrong there. Boom's output consistently has terrible dialogue, lackluster artwork, and skimps on the action. This one-shot was no different.

It's not your Buffy anymore, so shouldn't expect it to be.

So who's Buffy is this exactly? Who is this even supposed to appeal to?

 

[Skanky Vamp]

It just goes to show that they don't respect the source material.

Or their own consumers as they were lied to.

So who's Buffy is this exactly? Who is this even supposed to appeal to?

To me that answer has been clear since day one: the writers. Same thing is happening with TV shows. They are being written for themselves. Want they want to see.

 

[hoponlilmama]

.....and this is why for me personally the show ended in 2003 and that was it.

For those who enjoy the comics, I'm glad you do. But I could never get on board.

 

[thrasherpix]

To be fair, a lot of blurbs on the back of books (and at least one Buffy comic set in season 5) are misleading, and so are a lot of trailers. (They do it intentionally, I've seen how the trailers vary nation to nation, and they lie to everyone, just in different ways. Apparently it doesn't alienate enough people, otherwise they'd stop doing it.)

Book covers are notorious for it as well. Some authors even made up a song that goes, "There's a bimbo on the cover of my book." Or some variant of it saying she (or it) doesn't appear in the novel of her book.

 

[Angel6]

How dumb. A new low.