Joss Whedon is Writing a BUFFY THE VAMPIRE Spinoff Comic about Young Giles
Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon is returning to the franchise to write a new spinoff comic book series based on a young Giles.
Whedon is co-writing alongside Erika Alexander on the four-issue series, which is called Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Giles. The art will be done by artist Jon Lam and colorist Dan Jackson. This will be the first time Whedon has written for Buffy since first two issues of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9.
The story follows Giles after he enrolls in a public city high school so that he could investigate a series of mysterious disappearances involving the school’s teachers. According to AV Club, the series will go back to its roots while exploring a very different educational environment. Whedon talked about the new story saying:
“Sunnydale was, apart from being on a hellmouth, a pretty privileged place. Giles has never really dealt with the public school system as it exists for most kids. He’s never been to the city. Giles has always had the advantage of being a part of the system that educated him. He was taught to be a watcher in a family of watchers. His education was, in the grand British public school tradition, both expansive and parochial. In-depth views of tiny portions of the world. Of course, he walked over the awkward hormonal coals of adolescence—but now he knows more, and expects better of himself. His once-more 15-year-old body, however, is oblivious to his wisdom/cynicism/impatience.”
I love this concept! I think it's awesome that we will get to see one of Giles' adventures as a teenager. I know this is a comic book and I'd much rather see a TV series, but this will still be a fun read and I'm excited to see how this story plays out. Whedon went on to talk about his co-writer saying:
“I wanted to tell a story about education, class, and race in America. Given my Gilesian resume, I wasn’t about to attempt it alone. Erika is so smart, knowledgeable and engaging, she made the story her own even as we first discussed it. I knew she could reach the characters and their history in a way I couldn’t, yet still give Giles a place in this new (for him) world. She doesn’t disappoint.”
For those of you who didn't follow Buffy after the story continued in comic book form, the reason that Giles is so young and enrolling himself in high school is because he was killed at the end of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 and then resurrected at the end of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9. In the process, he retained everything in his mind like it was when he died, but he had the body of a 10-year-old. He’s now reached his teenage years... for the second time. I love this series and how fun and odd it is!
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Giles #1 will be released on February 28, 2018.