Buffy : Season 9

1. Bunny Hearts: Hi Mr. Jeanty, thanks for taking the time to answer questions for us. There’s a lot less globetrotting in this season of Buffy and San Francisco is such an interesting and iconic setting. Did you do much research into locations, local fashion trends and general vibe, or geography when this season was gearing up?

Georges: I did. I was doing a show in San Francisco and I stayed an extra day and did the touristy thing and took tons of pictures all over the city. I had a great time looking at all the locations I would be at some point drawing. I do feel that as a result, I have a much more organic feel for the city.

2. Bunny Hearts: Is there a character you particularly enjoy drawing, who just comes easily to you? Any who are harder for you?

Georges: I would have to say Buffy is the easiest at this point. I draw her constantly so I think I’ve developed a short hand with her. Andrew has come back in the book and I have always had a hard time drawing him. i don’t know if it’s just the way he looks, but he uses a lot of his mannerisms and he is very animated which ironically makes him harder to draw.

3. Sire: Hi Georges! Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to answer our questions! I was hoping you could let us know if there have been any developments with your involvement in Season 10? I’ve loved your work on the Buffy comics and feel that it would be wonderful for the continutity of the series to that see work continue.

Georges: As I understand it, there will be a Season 10, but it’s not official yet. Because of that, there hasn’t been any conversation about who’s coming back and who’s doing what. I’m sure there will be a conversation in the coming months though.

4. Bamph: Hey Georges. Do you determine yourself when you take a break from the interior art for Buffy or is that more a editorial decision?

Georges: That is determined by editorial. When they are working on fill-ins they try to take into consideration where in the story a break would work, how to utilize any subplots that will be getting their own issue that I might be able to miss. I try not to miss out on the really important stories just for continuity sake.

5. Bamph: Do you have a favorite thing you drew or a favorite moment from the "Guarded" arc?

6. Bamph: I imagine you are nearing the last leg of the season now from your end. Overall from the artistic side how has drawing Season 9 been compared to Season 8 at this point?

Georges: It’s been tremendously rewarding. This time around I was more confident of the art and I’ve been lucky enough to get the inkers that I’m always after. Dexter Vines and Karl Story have always been the guys that are on my short list, so to get the chance to work with both of those guys has been great, and I think the art work is that much better for it.

7. Stoney: Hi Georges, thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions again. Do you ever look at/review the issues undertaken by the guest artists and do you think it alters any of your own work and how you see the characters?

Georges: I love to see other guys come in and put their artistic hand to the Buffyverse. I’m a big fan of art in general and I love to see what other people do. I have to admit that after all this time on Buffy I have become a little protective over the franchise. I don’t own Buffy in any way but I am very aware of how she’s represented in the fill-in. It’s almost like letting someone else take out your girlfriend. You want to know everything that’s going on.

8. Stoney: Do you have to work in much time specifically to proof your own work for consistencies, such as flicking back through to check jewellery is the same throughout, cuts are in the right place etc etc?

Georges: Yes! All the time. Since Buffy doesn’t have a costume as such, I try and dress her in things that women would wear and when you do that you have to deal with styles, jewelry, accessories. And keeping track of that is often no small affair. I have copies of all the pages I’ve done so when they’re being inked or colored I can always refer to my copied pages. Some times she’ll wear the same thing for several issues some times it’s only for a few pages. I have to stay on top of continuity. That doesn’t mean that stuff doesn’t sometimes get by me, it does!

9. Stoney: How often do you get general directions for adding in background hints to the plot and themes during the season or times when you are specifically asked to place something in that we would view differently in hindsight?

Georges: Not often. Buffy is a very character-driven book as opposed to plot-driven. A lot of times the writer will designate what and where things are and any little important items, other than that I usually put in the background that I think fits the scene. I go through a lot of reference.

10. SueB: Thanks Georges for answering the questions. Are there any actors who likeness you can’t use for drawing because their permission was never received?

Georges: I haven’t come across that yet. I think most actors on a show sign a licence contract in addition to their general contracts. Most actors get a kick back for all of the miscellaneous stuff that might be done with their likeness. It’s become very standard in the industry.

Click on the link for more:

http://slayalive.com/showthread.php/3032-EXCLUSIVE-Q-amp-A-with-Georges-Jeanty-for-Buffy-Season-9-13