Question for Spuffy Fans

[gryfndor_godess]

I typically don’t stray outside Spuffy fandom on LJ, but the impression I’ve gotten over the past few months (and it could be wrong) is that S8- and let’s face it, mostly #39-40, ‘cause they were fine with the spacefrak- caused many Bangel fans disavow the comics, change their tune on the comics’ canonicity, or simply lose interest in the ship and series because they were so disgusted. It also seems as though even fans who didn’t like the comics to begin with have been turned off of fandom.

I don’t expect Spuffy to end up happily ever after.  However, I also can't imagine Buffy and Spike ever fading into a lukewarm, 100% platonic relationship.  So that begs the question, what will Joss do to ensure that they cannot be happy together?  Knowing the way Joss’s twisted little mind works, part of me thinks he’ll set up Spuffy on a grand scale only to knock it down in a horrible fashion, a la Twangel, so as to put both ships on even, scorched earth. Frankly, I’m not sure that Joss could ever do anything to destroy Spuffy as thoroughly as Bangel has been destroyed because Spike and Buffy have already dragged each other to hell and back. Barring Spike killing Dawn or actually raping Buffy, I’m not sure what he could do that would betray Buffy as much as Angel betrayed her (although I’ve probably jinxed it now that I’ve said that).

In any case, let’s suppose that Joss does his worst and ruins Spuffy as horribly as Bangel has been ruined- that Spike betrays Buffy as badly as Angel did. My question is, how would you, as a Spuffy fan, react? Would you be able to stay in fandom as usual and love Spuffy- TV Spuffy, S8 Spuffy, your own version of Spuffy, etc.- as whole-heartedly as ever? Would you be able to ignore the comics? Or would you be so disgusted that it would tarnish your love for any kind of Spuffy and make you want to leave fandom?

I’m not certain what effect it would have on me, but I think my Spuffy love would survive the trauma. Barring a miracle movie or show with all the actors, for me, canon will always have ended with NFA; so while I enjoyed the lovely Spuffy bits in S8, I wasn't and still am not heavily invested in the comics. However, I know there are Spuffy fans who take the comics a heck of a lot more seriously.

In conclusion, thoughts please: Whether you’re a fan of the comics or not, would a Spuffy implosion of Twangel proportions in the comics hurt your love? How do you think it would affect our awesome corner of fandom?

Comments

[gryfndor-godess.livejournal.com]

That said, I totally don't get how people refuse to see the comics as canon. I mean Joss say they are 100% canon so no matter what we think...they are.

I'm one of those people, so I could explain that viewpoint. First of all, it simply doesn't matter to me if Joss is involved or what he says; I don't care for him that much, and this was before the spacefrak, which made me lose a lot of my respect for him. Secondly, S8 is a different medium, which is a valid reason for separating it from canon. Why should I have to consider comic books, which have a different writing team, different way of communicating to readers, and lack the actors who were so vital to bringing the characters to life, as canon equal to the TV show? It's not. The show has subtleties and nuances that the comics can never match because of their two-dimensional, actor-less quality. Thirdly, I've read (and this is the Internet, so it may be false) that Joss has said that if the actors miraculously agreed to return for a TV-show S8, he would scrap the plotlines from the comics. If the creator himself says he would disregard "canon" that easily, it doesn't hold much water as canon in the first place.

If you're looking for a reason to not consider them canon, I hope that helps. I'm sorry it would ruin Spuffy for you otherwise. :(

Thanks for your input! I always like new input on old posts. :)

[(Anonymous)]

Thanks for the thoughtful answer. Oh, well if the actors were to return for an S8 it would be the only good reason to retcon the series. I wouldn't have a problem with that. However how unlikely is it? It is not happenning plus Joss has spent like years developing the comics. It was him who had the last word in the Buffyverse. Like remember how the actors were against the AR and it still happened? Joss is the God in the series, like it is the case with Carter in the Xfiles or Hanson in Bones, etc.

Note I am not crazy about S8 at all. Angel was seriously disrespected misused and ground to bits, and the whole thing is bordering ridiculous. Personally I didn't purchase or read anything except the last three comics because I knew there was buffy/spike interaction.

[darynthe.livejournal.com]

Ooops sorry, anonymous was me, Darynthe