Satyana Hannigan-Denisof's Getting So Big!

The Royal Family of the Whedonverse, Alyson Hannigan, Alexis Denisof and their adorable little girl Satyana were out and about this past weekend in sunny Los Angeles. Michelle and I were at this particular place of recreation not long ago, the Brentwood Country Mart. Check out Miss Thing's cute ginger curls!

Photo source: X17

When Characters Collide: Temperance Brennan and Richard Castle

I was just skimming over the Emmy's and caught this moment where Emily Deschanel and Nathan Fillion presented an award together.  It got me thinking, what would happen if their characters appeared together?  Who would guest on whose show?  What would the plot be?

Here's my pitch: When a college freshman at Marist finds the skeletal remains of a student who disappeared the year before on moving in day, Bones and Booth are called into investigate.  When the same exact thing happens at NYU a few days later, there can be little question that there is a serial killer at work.  Enter Rick Castle, mystery writer and serial killer expert, to help solve the case, go toe to toe with a certain FBI agent who likes funny socks, and woo a lady or two at the Smithsonian in the process.

That's my lame idea.  What's yours?

Nick Brendon added to CruiseCon

I know what you're doing on this lazy Sunday. You're...watching the Emmy pre-show? Nah, Neil Patrick Harris isn't hosting this year. Hmm. You are...starting up or trying to douse a flame war on SlayAlive? Nah, nah too predictable. I KNOW! You're...shopping for travel deals on cruises, of course! That's totally a Sunday thing to do. Well look no further because Clare Kramer and her crew have just added Nicholas Bredon and a coupon to their CruiseCon! This will visit Mexico, Honduras, Belize, and Mexico again! Expect a double rainbow or even a triple rainbow.

If you add the code MCOL100 before Oct 31, you can get $100 off this Whedony cruise...sea bound with all the stars of the 'verse. So get your credit card out and mark your calendars for June 11, 2011.

Buffyfest Podcast Interview with IDW's Mariah Huehner and David Tischman

It occurs to me that we have one more interview from SDCC that has been left all by it's lonely.  Today that will be remedied.  It seems fitting, now that the craziness from the licensing move has begun to die down, that we can release this audio interview with Mariah and David.  It's funny, at the time we conducted the interview, it seemed like the plan was to keep the fact that they would be taking over the writing under wraps but, a day later, the announcement got made.  Oh, well.  A little egg on the face never hurt anyone.  This is a long interview that we're keeping to an audio format.  However, here are a few bullet points of what we talked about:

- The origin of the True Blood Comic

- Why Mariah and David like to write about supernatural characters

- Differences between writing for True Blood and writing for Angel

- What makes for a good TV licensed comic and what doesn't

- What matters most to Angel

It's a really great listen and, honestly, just hearing some of their answers made me feel really good about where IDW is going to be taking Angel, Spike, & Co. for the last leg of their journey.  Enjoy!


click play




postscript: Mariah and David recently did an interview with Comic Book Resources.  I'll keep an eye out for it and link to it here once it goes live.

Charisma Carpenter is on a Roll!

Big congrats to Charisma Carpenter who has landed yet another big screen film role! She's starring in Michael Madsen’s directorial debut entitled “The Human Factor” alongside Sean Patrick Flanery, Eric Roberts, Danny Trejo, and others

According to beyondhollywood.com Charisma will play Lori Stoltz, a character described as a “determined and strong-willed newspaper reporter”, while Flanery will play Eric O’Neill, a renegade police detectives (are there any other kind) determined to get to the truth. The film’s plot has the duo joining forces to uncover the disappearance of homeless people in New York City.

Wonder if it will be filming in NYC? If so, we'll try to get some shots from the set.

Exclusive Interview: Chris Ryall and Mariah Huehner Discuss Angel Leaving IDW

The past couple of days have been a whirlwind of Whedonverse comic news. Yesterday, we caught up with Dark Horse about their recent reacquisition of the Angel title. Today we spoke with IDW's Chris Ryall and Mariah Huehner to get their take on what's happened. Check it out:

Buffyfest: Let's start at the beginning, the business end of things. How does the world of licensing work? How did IDW passing the Angel license to Dark Horse happen?

Chris Ryall: Well, there’s the usual licensing world, which works one way, but this one worked a bit differently. When the universe’s creator is still actively involved in the property, it does change the rules a bit. So as it turns out, Joss getting back involved in Buffy Season 8 was the probably the real catalyst.

Now, it’s a strange thing, this – I would never want to keep the characters out of the hands of their creator. So in that respect, I understand and can live with it. It’s not a license I wanted to see leave, but all things considered, it’s one license for a company that puts out 40-50 titles a month, and we won’t go wanting for vampire comics with new projects like True Blood. The simple gist of it is, Joss called his characters home. I would’ve liked to continue on, but I understand from that aspect.

Buffyfest: How did you find out about this development? How long have you known?

Chris Ryall: I found out about it in a discussion with our Fox rep. And I’ve known for a little while now, and been working on this side the best way to make this work. This isn’t a small thing, so there’s a lot that needs to get figured out before we were ready to have the news get out publicly. We do a good amount of Angel-related comics, so many freelancers and jobs are potentially affected by this so it’s important to me to do right by everyone.

Buffyfest: A few weeks ago, you, Scott Allie, Mariah Huehner, & Brian Lynch all had a conference call.  Since you knew what was happening at that time, did you all outline what would happen in the coinciding stories in that call?

Chris Ryall: We’d been talking about ways to integrate some story points for a while now, and this was more of that, yep.

Mariah Huehner: Not all of it, but a lot. We've got some really fun ideas to play with, and Brian's stuff is obviously amazing. I have no idea how he does it, but he can take pretty much take anything and run with it and make it both hilarious and touching. I'm looking forward to what he does. As for Angel, that one is a lot trickier. But we're working really hard to make sure we tell a story fans of IDW's stories feel closure with, while not conflicting with Buffy Season 8.

Buffyfest: What about original characters like Beta George that were created at IDW, will they be fair game now at Dark Horse?

Chris Ryall: Typically, any characters created in a licensed comic are the licensor’s property. It remains to be seen if that’s the case here. Which is why we’ll be killing all of them in Angel 44…

Buffyfest: Scott said he got a call from you once this was all accidentally leaked in the back of the Riley one-shot. How did that conversation go?

Chris Ryall: I think I liked making it as much as Scott liked taking it.

Buffyfest: Brian Lynch told us that after the mess of the "Twilight-gate" cover leak, that he convinced Joss to let him use Willow in return. After this recent gaff, what will IDW be getting out of Dark Horse this time? Buffy, perhaps?

Chris Ryall: I think we’re getting Zac Whedon this time around. And Scott swore he’d cut all his hair off at the NYC con this October in penance. Make sure to remind him when you see him there. And bring scissors.

Mariah Huehner: Personally, I'd love to get to use Clem. Remember him? I think he needs to find a nice girl to settle down with. And a kitten farm.

Buffyfest: We heard you're having a joint interview with Scott Allie later today. Where can we find it and what will it entail?

Chris Ryall: It’s being done for Comic Book Resources. I assume it’ll run as soon as they can transcribe Scott and I talking over each other and edit out all the profanity.

Buffyfest: Is there anything you want to say to all the fans that have been loyal to IDW and the Angel franchise?

Chris Ryall: Couple things: one is that we’re still here – some of the posts have taken on a sort of “wake” feel, but we’ve still got lots more Angel and Spike to come. And I also want everyone to know that the deal does allow us to keep all our Angel collections in print for years to come, which is rare in these kinds of instances.

But also, the main thing, is just that I appreciate the support. I love the way the fans have been so passionate and vocal and supportive and called us on things they don’t like (well, that last part, “love” might not be the right word). The fans have made this an incredibly gratifying experience from the start, and I’ve formed some good friendships with people across the world because of this license. The Angel comics started about the same time as I did, so it’s hard to see it leave. So ultimately, what I want to say is thanks.

A secondary thing I’d like is for them all to transfer their loyalty from Angel comics to our True Blood comics next year…

Mariah Huehner: Don't worry! Our books aren't going anywhere for awhile and we're working really hard to give our Angel series an ending we (and hopefully the fans) can be proud of. While we are working to make things line up, we aren't just writing this story to match up with Buffy. It's its own animal. I also think Dark Horse will be doing some great stuff with these characters (and no, I have no idea about specifics) and I'm looking forward to reading what they do.

On a personal note: It's been an incredible privilege for me to get work on this series for the past year. I never thought I'd get to work on something created by Joss Whedon and, while it may sound a bit fangirly, I've loved it and I love this world of characters. Interacting with people who care so passionately about it has been a lot of fun, too. When a story really connects with people they have strong opinions and I think it's great that this is a story world that encourages that.

Buffyfest: What are you most proud of in your 5 years creating for the Whedonverse?

Chris Ryall: So many things, and so many great creators, but to name one thing, I’d point to working with Brian Lynch and Joss on “After the Fall.” It’s a story I’d wanted to tell from the start, and only with Joss. Brian and Franco being a part of it made it even better. But really, it’s all been an extreme sense of pride and accomplishment from start to next year’s finish.

Buffyfest: A lot of people are worried about Brian Lynch's Spike mini-series. Can you elaborate on the fate of that title?

Chris Ryall: Well, it’ll end when Angel ends. But until then, it’s going to be fantastic.

Mariah Huehner: Well, Spike will be moving with Angel in late 2011, but Brian's series will be "canon" and lead up to his bug ship story in Season 8. And that's not all. So, fans needn't worry. They're going to get 8 amazing issues of Spike that'll show him as the hero he is.

Buffyfest: Many fans love your Angel historicals. Besides Angel vs. Frankenstein, is there any chance for more of those type of stories before the character moves to Dark Horse?

Chris Ryall: There are some flashes back to Spike’s past in that upcoming book but no other full flashback issues/series planned.

Buffyfest: Is there anything you want to tease that will be coming up in the final arc?

Chris Ryall: Wolfram & Hart! Giant alien bugs! Willow! Illyria turning into…! Also, everybody upon everybody dies.

Mariah Huehner: Wolfram & Hart! Okay, not much a tease anymore, but the full extent of what they're doing and why they come back into Angel's life is going to unfold over the last arc. Are they good guys, kind of? Maybe! We're also going to see L.A. in a way we never have before...not even when it Hell A. And Angel has some pretty big character leaps, too, along with more of an exploration of his relationship with Connor and where everyone is headed as a group.

Buffyfest: Finally, since everyone knows Scott Allie HATES Spike, do you think Spike will be dusted and dead forever in Scott's first issue?

Chris Ryall: Scott Allie would never let Spike off so easily.

Exclusive Interview: Scott Allie Discusses Angel's Move to Dark Horse

(Spoilers Below) Well... smoke 'em if you got 'em because it's the end (and beginning) of an era. eA few hours ago, Dark Horse confirmed that Angel will be back joining Buffy as one of their titles for Season 9. IDW also released a statement revealing that Angel's final IDW story will be told beginning in November.

It's been crazy watching License-gate unfold over the last 24 hours. Buffyfest has been privy to this juicy bit of news for quite some time now and we were just waiting for the official announcement to hit the web so we could finally talk about it! As you'll see from the following interview with Scott Allie, this wasn't the way it was all supposed to go down. But the truth is out and it's time to look forward to Season 9 while still relishing in the awesome stories that IDW is putting out right now.

Buffyfest: How did this huge announcement wind up in the back of the Riley one-shot?

Scott Allie: STUPIDITY. I screwed up. I am a slob.

Buffyfest: Was there a particular reason this wasn't announced at San Diego Comic Con?

Scott Allie: Yeah. Me promising Chris Ryall we'd wait until later in the year. That was the specific reason it was not announced at San Diego. Apparently it did not prevent me from writing it in a goddamn column that I blacked out of my memory until I got a phone call from Chris, and he ... refreshed me.

Buffyfest: Now that the Angel franchise is back with Dark Horse, what does this mean for the characters of that universe? Will Angel have his own title? Will any other characters get their own books? Any specifics?

Scott Allie: Well, it's not here yet. IDW has a bunch of stories yet to tell. But yes, Angel will eventually have his own title, as will some other characters. Some to last the whole of Season 9, some shorter. Details won't be coming for a little bit yet. I'll give you guys something exclusive at New York Comic Con.

Buffyfest: Will Joss be overseeing the Angel titles like he is with Buffy?

Scott Allie: Yeah, all titles of S9 will be part of a singular plan. Avengers will definitely take up more of his time than Dollhouse did, but we've got a plan we're gonna manage together.

Buffyfest: IDW's press release mentioned that their Angel series will tie in with what's happening with your story at Dark Horse. To what extent is that happening?

Scott Allie: This seems to be the main question on people's tongues, but I don't really know how to explain it. You've gotta wait and see. I saw some posts on Slayalive, and I know everyone wants an absolutely mathematical answer, but it's not like that. The main thing is that IDW has to wrap up their stories. Buffy Season 8 started four years ago. How dull would it be if all IDW did was climax their five-year run by segueing into a story that's been rolling almost as long? There will be some of that, but that's not all they're there for. We're showing them what we're doing, and we're knocking back and forth some details to sync it up.

Buffyfest: Will all the Buffy and Angel characters be interacting with one another throughout Season 9?

Scott Allie: Yes, but believe me, it sucks to have too many characters in a single book. All these characters will be in continuity with one another, there will be as much fluid crossover as we want, but S9 will not be all about getting twenty pithy characters in a room together.

Buffyfest: Will we see Buffy in Angel's book or Angel in Buffy's? What about secondary characters such as Connor or Illyria interacting in Buffy's book?

Scott Allie: Yep, yep. Can't give you specifics, but what you're talking about is sort of the point. Think early Marvel universe. This will be the Buffyverse.

Buffyfest: Switching gears to the Riley One-Shot. It seems like Jane Espenson was really paralleling Riley and Sam's relationship with Angel and Buffy's.

Scott Allie: Thank you, Michelle! Bingo. Has anyone else figured that?

Buffyfest: For example Riley's line, "No, it's okay. We're together even when we're not" can just as easily be Angel's line. Are we supposed to see it that way?

Scott Allie: Jane Espenson is HOTTT!

Buffyfest: What makes the relationships between Riley and Sam and Buffy and Angel similar? What makes them different?

Scott Allie: That is such a great question, but I think it's really for readers to think about, not for me to answer. But when we decided to do a Riley oneshot, our reasons were fairly simple. We felt that Riley's role in S8 needed a bit of explanation, and that it could shed some light on Twilight's days before he revealed himself to Buffy. But the stuff Jane came up with really elevated it. It revealed more about Season 8 than we'd imagined when Joss and I first decided to do the oneshot. Much praise upon Jane.

Buffyfest: A few questions about the surprise appearance of Whistler. How long has Whistler been back in the picture as of this issue and how long has Angel been Twilight as of this moment? Will we be seeing Whistler again?

Scott Allie: You will see Whistler again. Yeah. No hard answers to the other part of your question. We don't like defining the timeline more than we have to, but it was my suggestion to put Whistler in that role—we needed someone Angel trusted to talk to, and I came up with Whistler— and Jane and Joss were real into it, because he's been out of it for so long.

Buffyfest: In the preview to Buffy #36, we see Angel seemingly hearing voices from a number of strange, random sources, including a bird. What's up with that? Is Whistler really Whistler?

Scott Allie: Whistler is Whistler, but you'll see what's up with those other voices shortly. It's pretty clear a few pages into #36. It's already at the printers.

Buffyfest: The subtitle of the Riley One-Shot "Commitment Through Distance, Virtue Through Sin" seems to be Angel's destiny in this issue and many times in his past. Can you talk about how that title came about?

Scott Allie: Sure. Jane was working on the script, sent me that title in an email asking if I thought it was cool, and I just thought, Man, that is a lot of words to put on the cover. But it had a great, military-recruitment-ad vibe to it, and hit the theme right on the noggin. So, as I often do with Jane, I said, Yes.

Buffyfest: Does that title have implications going forward as we head into the final arc?

Scott Allie: Eh, sort of, but it's more where we've been, where a lot of our characters have been, how these relationships go.

Buffyfest: Is this the last we'll see of Riley this season? What about season 9?

Scott Allie: We will see more of him in the future, but I won't say exactly when.

Buffyfest: Finally, since the Angel title is back at Dark Horse and since everyone knows you HATE Spike, can we expect Spike to be dusted and dead forever in the first issue?

Scott Allie: Well, I start co-writing as of #37 ...

And there you have it!

Photo Credit: Dirk Wood

Is Dark Horse Angel's New Home?

Where are all the spoilers and discussions for the Riley One-Shot that hit the shelves today? Oh yeah, that's right, they're buried under the other shocking news or rumor or misunderstanding that was written in the last paragraph of the last page of the issue - It seems, although yet to be confirmed, that Angel will be moving to Dark Horse Comics in 2011. Seriously, can the high drama of Buffy and Angel's world even compare to the even higher drama that is Dark Horse and IDW's world? I think not. Take a look for yourself below.

Riley One-Shot and Angel #36 Review (SPOILERS)

It's Wednesday (or "Hump Day" if you're an office dweller) and, for those of us who are nerd with the most capital of "N's", it is thought of first and foremost as "New Comic Book Day".  For those keeping score, there are two comics for Whedon fans to get their filthy paws on and I've got both of them.  I'll be talking about them in detail so, if you're feeling the fear of knowing before you know, then scatter yourselves to the wind.  If not, then seek onward, Whedon solider, seek onward.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Riley: Commitment Through Distance, Virtue Through Sin

It's a fine day in the sun for our young Riley Finn, his wife, Sam, the much beloved Jane Espenson, and the generally well-liked Karl Moline.  This comic is important for a few reasons.  For one, it's the first Buffy comic we've had in a little while which means that fans are chomping at the bit for just about anything Season 8 related (whether it's to enjoy or to wail and flail about "crack fic").  For another, it's the issue where we finally get to find out how Riley and Twilight got hooked up together which is a piece of the puzzle that most people were scratching their heads about.  Is the answer plausible?  Are the character's actions believable?  Can an elephant fly?

First things, first, I am of the opinion that Jane Espenson is at her best when she's given one issue only to do her thing.  Retreat was, for me, the weakest arc of Season 8 while the Harmony issue was one of the strongest.  Jane knows character, voice, and how to tie things up in a little bow even when there isn't much ribbon to use.  That has never been more true than in this issue.  Not only do we have a much better sense of who Sam is in just one issue, but we also get the reintroduction of another long forgotten character, explanations into both Riley and Angel's motivations, but we also get some great humor to boot.  This is how a Buffy comic should be.  If every issue were this good, there would be a lot more happy fans and maybe even a few more issues sold.  But that's neither here nor there.

The secret character, by the way, is Whistler, or so we are led to believe.   It's entirely possible that this is a Fauxstler, but let's not jump ahead.  Whistler is here with one purpose: to help the audience understand why Angel has been up to no good.  Now, in my opinion, if you're on the Angel hate train then nothing is getting you off but kudos to Jane and Dark Horse for recognizing that even those of us who actually like the comics still kind of wanted more explanation.  The short version is that Whistler comes straight from the PTB and is the one who convinced Angel to keep Buffy out of the whole Twilight plan.  I find it pretty believable that Angel would follow Whistler's instructions since, thus far, the guy has kind of led Angel down the right path.  Whistler was there pre-Buffy.  Hell, he introduced Angel to Buffy, essentially.  So, yeah.  if anyone can get Angel to stay away from Buffy, Whistler is the dude.

Meanwhile, Sam is the one who is pushing Riley to help Buffy by playing double-agent guy.  I just loved the interactions between Sam and Riley.  Who would have thought I would ever say that?  They're love is just so palpable and Jane does a brilliant job of getting at the nuances of an adult relationship.  Sam has her ulterior motives for getting Riley back in the game but Riley, too, has motivations of his own.  And they trust each other!  My goodness, I can't remember the last time we had a relationship in Buffy land where that happened.  Has that ever happened?  Anyway, it's a huge relief to see two adults working together to make their relationship stronger.  My favorite moment in the whole issue is when, in the middle of an argument, Riley comes behind Sam to fix her collar.  That's the kind of moment you don't see much in the comics and it's exactly what made this issue feel like Buffy.

I'll end up repeating this when I come to the Angel review but, let there be no doubt, the people who make the comics are trying to appease angry fans right now.  In fact, I'm surprised they didn't just call this issue "Riley: The Olive Branch of Exposition as written by Jane Espenson (you guys love her, right?)"  It's fan service from the first frame to the last.  That's not a judgment.  It is what it is.  People wanted to know what the what was with Riley and they got it.  People wanted to know why Angel would go against Buffy and they got it.  People wanted the humor and the subtlety that the show did so well and it's there.  Riley is thinking about Buffy and Angel is thinking about the fate of the world.  I can get down with that.

Angel #36

Even though it's been meant to be kept under wraps, there is no denying that there's a gradual changing of hands on who is writing this book.  Open the cover and plain as day it reads "Additional Scripting: David Tischman and Mariah Huenher".  There's a lot I could say about that but, to be brief and fair, I think of this as the first issue of David and Mariah's story even though the story they penned on their own doesn't begin for a little while yet.

Let's talk about the issue in hand, though.  We last left off with the revelation that Spike (apparently) is soul free in '93 and this issue picks up right from there.  The whole affair is very fast-paced so there's not a ton of time to deal with Spike's current status other than for him to defend himself and for everyone to silently agree that they've got bigger fish to fry.  That fish, by the way, is the soul eater who is one nasty little bugger.  Most of the issue is dedicated to fighting her and, ultimately, (and this is a huge spoiler) she kills Dez before Angel finally finishes her off himself.  Connor gets pulled out of the action to help the Sisterhood of the "sexy demons what wear armor" brigade, and James decides to pay a visit to a long lost character, Anne.  It's all a big setup for a full on demon attack coming, presumably, in the next issue.

So!  Lots to talk about here.  The reason I made such a fuss about the scripting is that it's clear (at least to me) that this is a very different book with new and more capable people writing the dialogue.  Is it perfect?  No.  I still think Illyria is a little more... colloquial than she ought to be but it's not easy to figure out where she fits or who she is now, if we're being totally fair.  Laura gets a lot of page time which is great for me (I like her) but frustrating for those who want more time with the characters from the show and less with the newbies.  Angel is very Angel, though and, while I'm sure not all will agree, Spike has sounded more like himself than he has in nearly a year.  The action clips along at a solid pace and Elena is very good at expressing motion form panel to panel.  If I might ask, though?  What the hell is the soul eater wearing?  Is she from the 90's?  DO NOT WANT.  Thank goodness she's dead.

Remember that thing I said about Dark Horse getting all mea culpa with the fandom?  Well consider this to be part two of that particular tune.  Spike standing up for himself, Angel taking action, Dez biting the bullet... all these things were done to get the show back on the proverbial road.  Connor is off dealing with his destiny, who knows where Kate is, and the Bill Williams' side story just got a guest appearance from two vamps wot have the souls.  The chickens are coming home to roost, fully roasted and it's clear that the folks at IDW are looking to get the more opinionated fans back on board before the next arc begins, the Spike comic starts, and Illyria gets a book of her own.  It's several steps in the right direction but Rome can't be built in a day.  It's nice to see we're getting to the goods and getting our focus back on the folks that matter.  In short: the title of this issue should have been "Angel: Let's Ge tthe Show Back On the Fucking Road".  If this is what Mariah and David have in mind, then I think IDW is going to finish out 2010 with a bang.

Sorry to Interrupt: SDCC Edition

A big thanks to Ivan from everyone at Buffyfest for all the help with filming and editing (not to mention carrying and carting!) at San Diego Comic Con. "Thank you, thank you.......thank you." Ha! Well, you'll laugh at that last bit more after you watch the 2 short videos below.

Buffy Season 8 Jones Soda Tasting

Dear Bitsy,

Want to come over next weekend for a taste test/review of the Buffy Season 8 Jones Sodas? They had the Jones truck at Comic Con but we couldn't find it, so I'm going to pick some up. We'll get drunk on Jones and see if they are good enough to carry the Buffy label. Personally, I'm already partial to the "Dawn's A Centaur Root Beer," despite the uninspired name.

Love, Tara

If anyone else cares to indulge, order here:

http://www.myjones.com/limited/buffy

Jayne Hats!!

We've always wanted to do this and at San Diego Comic Con we had our chance. Every time we saw a Jayne Hat, we asked the owner of the head that held the beloved Jayne Hat for a photo. Asking to snap a pic of someone's hand knit JH always sparked a fandom conversation. Of course, there were many, MANY more than shown below, but with all the chaos we kept missing our chances. "Oh! Jayne Hat!", Michelle would say...but there they went. Off with their fuzzy orange heads to the Dr. Horrible sing-along or to a signing at the Dark Horse booth or wherever. We'll get those guys next time. Until then, Jayne Hats!

click to zoom

1. Jayne Hat Trio!, 2. Jayne Hat Crew!, 3. Jayne Hat! 15, 4. Jayne Hat! 14, 5. Jayne Hat! 13, 6. Jayne Hat! 12, 7. Jayne Hat! 11, 8. Katie in a Jayne Hat!, 9. Jayne Hat! 10, 10. Jayne Hats in Ballroom 20!, 11. Mother and Daughter Jayne Hats!, 12. Jayne Hat! 9, 13. Jayne Hat! 8, 14. Jayne Hat! 7, 15. Jayne Hat! 6, 16. Jayne Hat on a plane!, 17. Jayne Hat! 5, 18. Jayne Hat! 4, 19. Jayne Hat! 3, 20. Jayne Hat! 2, 21. Jayne Hat! 1

Buffyfest Attends Round Table with Anthony Stewart Head

San Diego Comic Con holds "Round Table" press events just prior to a show's panel, where members of the press can get face time with the show's stars. Bitsy had the fine opportunity to sit in at the Merlin Round Table discussion and interview the legendary Anthony Stewart Head. He of course brought it right back to the Whedonverse and asked ASH about Dark Horses' Buffy Season 8 comic, but this is chock full of Merlin too. Check out the Round Table in it's entirety below, with Bitsy's question around the 2:46 mark. So glad he filmed it and brought a little piece of the press experience to the masses. And ASH sure is smoldering!

Fantastic Fanart of 'The Joss Whedon Experience' Panel

Buffyfest reader and tweep krystyna (aka @hellotyyna) was inspired by our SDCC video coverage of "The Joss Whedon Experience" and created this super-cool drawing. How awesome? We love it! Thanks a lot for sharing, krystyna!

Dark Horse Issues Apology to Creators of Serenity Fan Film 'Bellflower'

From Scott Allie:

"My apologies to the crew of the Serenity fan film Bellflower --
Recently, we made a truly unfortunate mistake regarding the use of art from a fan film in one of our comics. We would like to make an apology to the artists and the filmmaker who were affected by our error.  

While preparing to draw  Serenity: Float Out , artist Patric Reynolds researched ships from the ’Verse online, and mistook some ships designed for the fan film Bellflower for canonical ships. The ships were designed by John Douglass, S. E. O’Brien, Sam Osbourne, and filmmaker Mark James. Their work is terrific, and completely professional, like so much of what the Browncoats do, so no one realized the mistake.

We understand that this was a serious oversight on our part. We want to assure everyone that this is not a usual occurance, and we will make sure to be more careful in the future.

Please accept my most sincere apologies, on behalf of Dark Horse and artist Patric Reynolds."

-Scott

They really want to spread the word about this oversight. Grapevine says Scott also apologized publicly at the Browncoats meeting on the last day of San Diego Comic-Con.

Exclusive Interview with Whedonverse Costume Designer Shawna Trpcic

All Whedonverse shows have their trademark clothing. Whether it be Jayne's infamous hat, Dr. Horrible's lab coat or Illyria's form after taking over Fred's body, the outfitting in our favorite shows help shape the personalities and create visual icons of each beloved character. Shawna Trpcic is the fabulous designer responsible for not only those items mentioned, but many more costumes in the Whedonverse.

Shawna was nice enough to meet with us right before her SDCC panel Costume Designers: Designing for TV Production on Friday morning at the Hilton Gaslamp, directly across from the San Diego Convention Center. Check out our interview below where we talk about all things Whedonverse style. For us, this was one of the highlights of the now historic SDCC 2010, where Whedonites and Joss himself ruled the weekend. Enjoy!

A big thanks to Shawna Trpcic for taking the time out of her busy Comic Con schedule to talk to us!

Buffyfest Interviews Marvel Man and Whedon Fan, Arune Singh

We're not done with our SDCC wrap-up just yet! We still have interviews coming up with the faulous Anthony Stewart Head, Costumer Shawna Trpcic, even more from the entire crew at IDW including Scott Tipton and Mariah Huehner, and the cameras turned around when Buffyfest was interviewed by Brian Lynch for a twist. Fun stuff. Look out for all of that next week in part two of our SDCC wrap up.

To kick the second part off, check out our interview with a Marvel Executive who just happens to also be a hard core Whedon fan, Arune Singh. This was shot right on the SDCC convention center floor by the Marvel booth, just prior to The Avengers announcement. Good times. 

How cute is he? Big thanks to Arune for taking the time to speak to us in the middle of Marvel chaos.

And below, in place of our (sometimes) usual fanvid Sunday, check out our Bitsy (who is 5) display his loot from Comic Con. Trust me when I tell you, he'd rather skip a convention-center-quality-meal than pass on a toy Tardis. Priorities, people!