Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Artist Paul Lee might not be a vampire slayer by profession, but that didn’t stop him from drawing them in the pages of Buffy The Vampire Slayer # 5. He’s a fan of Joss Whedon’s creations and hopes that shines through in the art ....

THE PULSE: I remember the first time I saw Buffy the Vampire slayer on television, I purposely avoided watching the series, because I thought I’d like it, then it would be canceled before one season — like a lot of other shows of that ilk. What was it about Buffy that you think allowed it to outlast so many other shows and become the stuff of legend?

PAUL LEE: Good writing. Simple. Joss and his writing staff really tapped into the spirit of the times. There was something so witty and entertaining about the show that transcended the genre. And the characters were lovable.

THE PULSE: What do you remember being your initial thoughts when you first heard about or saw the television series?

LEE: My first thought was that it was just another WB teeny bopper show. Like so many others around that time. Boy was I wrong.

THE PULSE: I think a lot of the success of Buffy was the chemistry between the cast. How tough is it to translate that chemistry into the pages of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer comic book?

LEE: It helps to be a huge fans of the show. Having watched every episode, I got to know the characters, and hopefully I’ve been faithful to them when I draw them.

THE PULSE: You’re working on the first stand-alone issue in the new series. How influenced were you by what Georges Jeanty had done in the prior issues in terms of how you illustrated the issue?

LEE: I did try to incorporate some of his characters in some of the background scenes, and I tried to keep in step with his visual direction.

THE PULSE: What were some of the other things that influenced how you saw these characters?

LEE: Well, in my issue, Giles and Andrew are the main cast members I dealt with. There are also appearances from some of the "Slayerettes" from season 7. I actually try really hard to get accurate likenesses. That’s one of my strengths, and why I got the gig.

THE PULSE: How tough is it to draw characters who were immortalized on television, but have to make them slightly different for the comic book universe? Do you ever find yourself slipping and maybe making Buffy look too much like Sarah Michelle Gellar? Was there even something in place that said you couldn’t make them look like their TV counterpoints?

LEE: Well, likenesses are always a challenge. And, translating anything to a different medium always requires some adapting. I don’t think there is a prohibition against making Buffy look like SMG, though.

THE PULSE: I know your story features one of the "decoy" slayer slayers. How did you approach that character?

LEE: I pictured a girl who was of similar build but looked different enough as to clearly not be SMG. I thought of a girl who would be your typical fan of the Buffy show. Joss wrote her with great edgy attitude. She had a subversive streak to her. So I did my best to capture that.

THE PULSE: What is the collaboration like with Joss Whedon? He seems to be getting a lot of comic book experience lately with all his work. How does working with him stack up to those comic writers who are JUST comic writers?

LEE: Joss is a great writer. Hands down. He knows his craft. He brings the same degree of wit and intelligence as he does to his TV scripts. It was a real joy to work on this book. It actually contains a really complicated story telling structure involving many flashes that jump around in time. So it took a few reads for me to get it right. I would love to work with Joss again.

THE PULSE: What have been some of the toughest parts of this story to convey? Were there any pages that you really struggled with getting just right?

LEE: This story had a personal element to Joss. The biggest challenge was to remain true to how Joss felt about the story. The last sequence took a few passes to capture just the right tone Joss was looking for.

THE PULSE: What are some of the things that add to the degree of difficulty in illustrating a page?

LEE: Well for me, finding the right balance between dynamism and realism is what I find most difficult. On the one hand I want the world to feel real and believable. I do a great deal of reference research. But the comics medium also requires a degree of exaggerations and drama. So my struggle is to find the right mix of the two.

THE PULSE: What did you personally enjoy the most about this assignment?

LEE: The best thing was getting to work on Buffy again. I am still such a huge fan of the show, that to be able to take part in Season 8 is a fanboy’s wildest dream. And to work on an issue written by Joss, it’s all icing.

THE PULSE: What other projects are you working on?

LEE: I am working on some fill in issues of Conan. A Devil’s Footprint Graphic Novel. And other things I can’t talk about yet.