Joss Whedon

Buffy: Season Eight (Dark Horse)

Whedon pens the first two issues of the new year, joining original Buffy artist Cliff Richards for January’s #10 that includes an appearance by a new “real world” character created by Whedon as part of a MySpace contest. Then in February, Georges Jeanty returns and John Foster takes over on covers as Buffy has her first meeting with the “big bad” of Season 8.

Former “Buffy” show writer Drew Goddard comes on board for a four-issue arc in March that finds the Scooby Gang traveling to Tokyo to take on a pack of super-vampires, and series editor Scott Allie promises that fans can expect “giant Dawn to stomp around Tokyo like Godzilla!” Following that storyline, Whedon picks up the writing reins again for another four-part arc that’ll take the series into late summer/fall.

SERENITY: BETTER DAYS (Dark Horse)

The three-issue sequel to Those Left Behind touches down in February, once again written by Whedon and Brett Matthews with art by Will Conrad and multiple covers by Adam Hughes. Set between “Firefly” and the “Serenity” movie, this adventure finds Mal and his ragtag crew struggling with success after a very lucrative job. “Tensions arise and no one knows what to do,” explains Allie. “It screws up the whole picture. Even when they win, it sucks for them.”

ANGEL: AFTER THE FALL (IDW)

Whedon and co-writer Brian Lynch, along with artist Franco Urru, chronicle Angel’s ongoing adventures (issue #3 hits in January), as he and his surviving crew of supernatural slayers, including Spike and Gunn, continue their battle against the giant Armageddon dragon last seen at the conclusion of the TV show! They might even get some help from the all-powerful goddess Illyria—if she doesn’t kill Angel first.