In case you haven't heard, I'm happy to announce I'll be writing the 5 issue Spike mini series for Dark Horse Comics. Details ... HERE.
My pretty professor wife got me into Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Spike is one of my favorite characters. I feel pretty jazzed about the opportunity.
26 comments:
Need any help with the Britslang?
If so, happy to help out.
Ha. Maybe. Thanks for the offer.
I liked Spike the best, too. He some of the best lines.
That is fantastic news Mr V. Still would like to see a new novel from you soon as well.
Congrats. I hope you'll enjoy this gig.
I'll be very interested to see your take on one of my all time fav characters. I do hope you're going to manage to avoid some of the overly 'blokey' attributes that IDW gave him when they had their stab at him.
Spike's quite a complex character really, and isn't just about seeking out a good fight.
I'm going to do my best, Anonymous. Editor Scott Allie made it clear this is about the character more that it is about fight scenes (although there will be those too) and he seemed to really approve of the first script.
So fingers crossed.
Glad to hear it.
Spike was written in the show as having a strong emotional side, which sadly got lost in the later run of IDW comics, so I'd love to see that softer side of Spike on show again at least now and again.
It's what made him stand out from many other more, dare I say, run of the mill vampire characters.
Looking forward to getting your first issue. :D
Great news on writing the Spike book.
I like the character but I never cared for the Buffy and Spike thing.I'm glad he is moving out of the Buffy book for a while at the very least and will get some more development.
I hope this is the start of having him move on from Buffy and find someone who really wants to be with him.I think that is really needed for the character at this point.
I'm looking forward to reading your take on Spike! It's great that the series is going to be character-driven. Can you give us any hints about the sorts of issues Spike will be dealing with? Also, is the plot completely a vehicle for the character issues, or does it reflect the character issues? (That's vaguely put -- BtVS at its best had the plotty mcplot stuff also serve to reflect interesting things back on the characters -- off the top of my head, the trio as interesting plotty big bad stuff, but also a reflection/mirror for the Scoobies).
Congrats on the chance to be tackling such an iconic figure! I'm looking forward to your take on Spike and will be grabbing the first issue in August (just a few days before my birthday too)!
I am curious though. As anon mentioned above, Spike is a really complex character and everyone has their own take on the character. To me Spike wears this "badass" persona though he is really is just a big emotional dork who can occansionally be an idiot and a jackass, though his heart is big and he wants to do the right thing. But many share a different view of Spike. So my question is (and something many fans are wondering) what is your take on the Spike character?
I know you are probably busy, so if you can't answer it's all good! Hoping to hear your name more often! ;)
Well, guys, I don't want to give away too much here and would rather let the issues do the talking.
But I agree he is a complex character and deserves to be handled carefully.
Wow, good luck in your new project and I hope you were warned about how much ardent are the devoted fans of Spike's character.
One thing that concerns me though is that Editor Scott Allie's views on Spike's character don't seem to match to the ones that Spike's fans have. According to them, Mr Scott Allie doesn't get the character so well and doesn't understand Spike's complex character. I've already read some complaints in fan boards and lj based on your comment here that the 1st script was approved by Scott Allie and not by Joss Whedon himself. Fans are concerned that the 1st script of a newly introduced writer in a new project should be approved by Joss himself and not by Allie. And they are scared that the way you'll write Spike's story and represent him will be closer to what the Editor has in mind and thinks about the character, than what Joss Whedon actually believes about him. According to Whedon, Spike is his most developed character.
So my question would be, are you in any contact with Joss Whedon himself so that he could help you write in paper the way the actual creator of Spike believes he is? Or any help that you may ask about Spike's complexity is by Editor Allie?
Whoops, I meant "view" on Spike.
Already, fair enough! I will be anxiously waiting what you do with the character in four months. I wish you the best! :)
Just to add to what you've probably realised is a big minefield you've walked into, Mr Gischler, there are a lot of what Mr Scott Allie refers to as 'hardcore Spike fans' who, unlike the ones Mr Allie seems to have talked to, are a very long way from wanting to see Spike move on from Buffy, who see their relationship as still ongoing and love it very much.
I'm saying this because it always feels like the Powers That Be at Dark Horse have a very different view of Spike and Buffy to most of the Spike fans I know, who are kind of baffled about who all these other 'hardcore' Spike fans are, who want them away from each other.
I'm one of those hardcore Spike fans who want them away from each other and for Spike to move on.
I find both characters written better apart.In Spike's case unfortunately he lost all the character growth he got in the last season of Angel since returning to Buffy.
Not all of the IDW books were great.I had some real problems with Bill Willingham's work for example as well as the story right after After The Fall concluded.Spike though got a lot of character growth in the various Brian Lynch comics.
Spike has greatly regressed in my opinion since returning to Buffy.So I'm hoping Mr. Gischler's series does address some of this and begin to move Spike on from Buffy.I think he's a much stronger character away from her.
Plus at this point Spike is a lead character like Angel and Buffy.He can support his own series.
So I'm one of these hardcore Spike fans that Mr. Allie is referring to.I love the character.I love a lot of what's been done with him over the years but the Buffy ties need to be cut for the character to really go forward now instead of standing in place.
To the commenter above you sound more like a Buffy/Angel shipper pretending to be a Spike fan.
As a true (non fake) Spike fan i love Buffy and Spike together and Most of Spikes character progression came from interacting and being around Buffy
Looks like their are passionate views coming from different directions, so I'm bound to upset somebody no matter what I say. Ha-ha. So I'll just keep it simple and say this: writng is how I pay the bills, but long before I'd written a single comic I was a Buffy (and Spike) fan. I have nothing but admiration and respect for Whedon's creations, so I plan to give it my all.
See you in August!
No I' m not a Buffy/Angel fan.There is not only one type of Spike fan.You don't have to like Buffy and Spike together to be a Spike fan just like you don't have to be a Angel fan and like Buffy and Angel together.
I also prefer Angel away from Buffy too.All the great development he got on his own show and his comics came post Buffy.
I think Angel is his own man away from Buffy and really grew as a character and I want the same for Spike Both had their time with Buffy and their relationships had their places and got them on the road to redemption but Spike has grown stagnant and regressed being back in Buffy's orbit.The same thing happens to Angel whenever he pops back over to Buffy.But Angel returns to his own show or title afterwards so the regression is thankfully only for a brief period.
It's time for Spike to take the same step Angel did.
Mr. Gischler,I'm sure you will do a great job.
See, I don't get why there's this constant harping on Angel and Spike not getting any character development when they're around Buffy.
Seems quite sexist to me. Does the character development they got around her not count because she's just a girly and they are big manly men?
And there was me thinking Buffy was a feminist show and one of my main reasons for liking Spike and Buffy together was because of the gender reversal.
Sorry if i came of too antaganistic It just seemed like you were trying to influence the writer with your anti Spike/Buffy comments.
Its fine to dislike Buffy and Spike together, but anybody who watches the show can see that most of Spikes developement came from interacting with Buffy.
Anyway im sure Mr Gischler will have done his reaserch and will have his take on the character.
Thank you for being patient with us Mr Gischler sometimes we get a bit too passionate
I know i will be buying the first issue
No sweat, guys. WOW. I thought X-MEN fans were passionate. You guys are giving them a run for their money. I love these characters too.
Onward!
Please forgive another impassioned fan's plea, but...I'd be thrilled to see Fred and Illyria join Spike in his new adventures. Not simply Illyria mimicking Fred, but Fred resurrected, and perhaps sharing her body with Illyria. Fred's friendship with Spike was so touching and such a breath of fresh air, and her goofiness would likely rankle haughty Illyria no end! I hope you'll consider adding them to the Spike comics at some point.
Good luck with your new project!
Looks like you have already figured out that you'll be walking through a minefield.
BTW, I'm a Spike fan who loves him with Buffy. Am I "hardcore" or "softcore"? Hard to say. I write stories about them, so I guess I qualify as "hardcore".
I'm looking forward to your take on Spike!
Hi! I'm Dina and I wish you good luck!
Hardcore Spike fan here, and Spuffy shipper as well. For years. Keep in mind please that to us hardcore Spike fans (not the "some" that Editor Scott Allie taked about, the rest, the majority of us) Spike's greatest character development was done next to Buffy. In AtS S5 he was there to serve as a comic relief most of the times, replacing Cordelia, and as Angel's rival to serve Angel's story. I'm not gonna talk about After the Fall where there is only plot and action and zero character development or about the Lynchverse version of the Whedonverse.
I hope in your story, you'll continue Whedon's vision and characterization about Spike. Looking forward to coming August to see your work!
Welcome to the "nancy tribe" Mr Gischler!
I hope you'll take good care of our guy.
Count me as a Spike fan that loves him with Buffy too.
Dear mister Gischler,
Sorry to join this discussion so late in the game, but I was wondering if any of the 'Team Spike' characters, namely Betta George or Beck (but also Tok Shinobu, Maria Harley, or any of the other Mosaic Wellness Centre patients) will make an appearance in your series? (Even if they get no more than a one-frame cameo)?
Thanks a lot for your answer!!!
Post a Comment