Buffy : Season 8

1. Hellbound Hyperion: Georges, #31 "Turbulence" was outstanding, both for you and for Joss. So I’m just gonna ask a simple question about it: did you have any favorite panels from this issue? Because I wept openly at the panel when Buffy takes to the skies in front of Xander, Kennedy, and Dawn. In my opinion, it’s one of your best panels from S8.

Georges: Wow. Thanks. It’s always a goal of any artist to move the viewer through art, and by those kind words, it sounds like I’ve done my job. It was an emotional issue and with Joss at the helm you know it’s going to strike that resonance. I really enjoy doing the Joss scripted issues. These are his characters and he knows what they say (or maybe they tell him?) it was my charge to make sure I could get the point across visually. At this point in our working relationship there’s very little description from Joss about the characters. All you have to do is read his script and, I think if you’re familiar with the Buffyverse, you can see what and how these characters are supposed to act like. It really is a great joy to illustrate these books and I think at this point I’m getting the hang of it, if only I had this from the beginning, I would have done those first few issues much more differently.

2. Hellbound Hyperion: What was your favorite moment writing-wise (for #31)? Joss scripts are full of gems, of course, but which one shone the most to you in this issue?

Georges: Like everyone else, I’m sure, it’s the dialog. I knew when I got to the point where Buffy and Xander are talking in the courtyard that I had my job cut out for me. The emotional resonance was there in the script and Joss had written little notes to me in the script that this should have an emotional impact. As a fan I was hanging on Xander’s every word because I kept thinking this is what he’s waited for years and know it’s there and he’s into another Summers girl! I especially like the part where Xan comes off as a little offended. You want me, now? I rate right under being gay for a potential romantic interest! I don’t know where Joss houses all this history for his characters, whether he has them on cue cards or saves them on a file, but he always manages to inject the history of these guys in a way that makes you go, ’oh yeah, that’s right!’

3. bamph:

I’m sure you know that the leak that Angel is Twilight has cracked the Buffy fandom. I think most of us are waiting to see how the story actually plays out. As Scott said in interviews, there is a lot we don’t know and wrong questions are being asked. We know Angel is Twilight but we don’t know why or how and what that actually means. But should fans really be worried?

Georges: Well, worried seems a little heavy handed. There is a reason that Twilight is who he is and because of that it will affect the ending of Season 8. I think after all this is said and done, the question of who Twilight is isn’t as important as what that means for the future of vampires and Slayers. This is cataclysmic stuff we’re talking about here. Like I’ve said, you’re really going to want a Season 9 after Season 8 is over. This is going to take the Scoobies in a whole new direction, I promise you.

4. bamph:

Joss having you draw Buffy leaning into Angel more than Spike in issue 3. Was this setup for Twilight being revealed as Angel since it would hurt Buffy so much because she still loves him and what’s your opinion of Angel being Twilight?

Georges:

I think that situation in issue 3 was more aesthetics. IMO, it’s no secret that Buffy loves Angel more than Spike so having her lean into him just made more sense. It wasn’t a set up per se, but more a visual treat as to what goes on in the mind of Buffy Summers. I was disappointed about the premature reveal. This was a really cool secret that all of the people involved with Season 8 have kept for like 3 years! And just 2 months shy of its reveal, this happens. How could you not be disappointed? The greatest thing about the reveal was that was all anybody talked about was "Who’s Twilight?!" When in fact the real questions are going to come after he’s been revealed. It was almost like having the reader look one direction while all this other stuff was going on and you don’t know that until you read the remaining issues. It was a great set up. While there’s still chills and thrills in store, people are more ready for it.

5. bamph: What’s your thoughts on how the Buffy/Xander/Dawn triangle was resolved in today’s issue?I thought the whole thing was handled really well.

Georges: That’s one of Joss’ specialties. He’s so good at the character dynamics. I thought it was handled really well, if for nothing else to show that Xander has grown up. Could you imagine the Xander of Season 1 having a conversation like that with Buffy? It reminded me when Xander had the talk with Dawn about being extraordinary in Season 7. Joss handled it in just the way where it didn’t make Buffy look bad for saying what she says and Xander doesn’t come off as condescending for saying what he says. Great piece of writing. So you can imagine how intimidated I was to have to illustrate it.

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