I just wanted you to know the “All Things Joss” portion of this site has gone away, at least for now…

It turns out Joss Whedon is a very popular subject, and the traffic to that part of the site was simply eating up way too much bandwidth!

Maybe it will be resurrected on another server. Or I’ll buy some more bandwidth. Or something. We’ll see.

Anyway, I hope I didn’t give anybody a “wiggins” with the post title. This was just a “heads up” to let you know that thoughts and things, however slow a coming, are actually happening behind the scenes. This blog is not dead yet! Nor, thankfully, is Joss.

More changes coming, when I get around to it, of course.

Well… I’m thinking. I’m making a little music, and I’m thinking.

Where do I want to take it from here? Or do I want to take it anywhere from here?

Does anyone out there still enjoy the posts? Is it worth my time to try to entertain you? Or occasionally enlighten? Or? If you have any thoughts on the subject, they will be appreciated. But if not, that’s a-okay, too.

Maybe this respite will mean better things to come. Or maybe not. I guess it all depends on where my thinking takes me.

…should unquestionably be fascinated by

Angel Only Human #4 of 5

I’ve recently been persuaded that the entire Whedonverse, as well as all other story universes, as well as reality itself, are just figments in the fevered imagination of an autistic genius…

Okay, persuaded might be too strong a term; up to now, I’d always been pretty much persuaded that everything was a figment of my fevered imagination; nevertheless, if it’s the case — well, either way really — then it should come as no surprise that a “familiar scarecrow” should show up in a story that features Gunn and Illyria, right?

Right!

Unlike Illyria, this Old One is in its original form and the resulting battle between the two former lovers stretches from one end of Texas to the other! Ever wonder just how powerful Illyria is when she doesn’t have to worry about Angel or Spike or Wesley whispering sweet restraint in her ear? Gunn turns to the only help he can find to help Illyria defeat the Old One: a very familiar… scarecrow?

Gonna Get That Beauty ASAP: $2.99

…will definitely yearn for

Anita Blake Laughing Corpse Executioner #5 of 5

Hi all! Eli here again with another product.

I haven’t read this, and I’m not sure what is meant by ‘Mature,’ so please proceed with all due caution.

In other words, buy, read, whatever, at your own risk.

And just a reminder: that’s generally true of all products listed on this site.

I simply cannot purchase them all or read them all or wear them all or use them all, and I don’t think I’d want to if I could.

I try to keep it Buffyverse related, and if not, Whedonverse related, and if not, vampire related, and if not, at least horror and fantasy related, but it’s all just stuff.

Some of it is probably very right for some people and very wrong for others.

Okay? That’s my disclaimer.

Should probably do better, but that’s it.

And just in case it actually comes to pass… I am thinking of changing some things around come June.

Maybe I’ll try posting a different variety of topics, and on some other kinds of products, maybe, and just possibly I’ll get back into a more serious discussion or two about Buffy.

And who knows? Maybe bigger changes than all that.

Maybe. I’ll just have to see if I can find the time.

The adaptation of best-selling author Laurell K. Hamilton’s second Anita Blake novel concludes! Anita’s battle with the premiere voodoo priestess of St. Louis comes to a shocking end in a hail of bullets and blood as only the fan-favorite vampire hunter can deliver! It’s a finale you have to see to believe! Mature

Get It Right Now: $3.59

…would by all means love

Angel Aftermath #24

So… been driven insane lately by an Angel? Did he kill your whole family before turning you into a vampire? And just when you’d made your peace with being a spawn of the devil, did he then get cursed with a pesky soul and switch sides and become a constant thorn in your evil side?

No? Well I guess we can’t all be as fortunate as Drusilla…

‘Druzilla’ herself, Juliet Landau, enters the comics Whedonverse by co-writing alongside Brian Lynch a special two-parter that brings Druzilla into the After the Fall universe. As an added bonus, each issue will feature a special back-up pictorial with Landau, too. NOTE: PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THIS ISSUE OF ANGEL WILL SHIP WITH 3 COVERS INSTEAD OF THE USUAL 2 COVERS. 2 OF THE COVERS WILL BE BY FRANCO URRU AND THE THIRD COVER WILL BE BY NICK RUNGE. THESE COVERS WILL BE SHIPPED RANDOMLY.

Buy It Now: $2.39

…would die for

Buffy & Angel Figure Coll Mag #3 Spike

Let me begin (and end) today’s post with a confession:

As much as I love Buffy, Spike is my favorite character, not just in Buffy, and not just on TV, but of all time — in terms of all fictional characters I’ve come across in my life (so far) — on TV, in books, movies, etc.

I’ve never tried to analyze the why of it very much, but from the first moment of his introduction in the School Hard episode, I fell in love with this character — a monster, with the soul of a poet, who lives, loves and hates on his own terms.

Though I don’t generally gravitate toward, or root for, villainous characters, I’ve always had a soft spot for the rebels in this ol’ world, especially the ones who get away with it — and I suppose on some level, just knowing that the character of Spike is all pretty much in the name of fun makes him that much more appealing.

Some of it is the character’s style, some of it is James Marsters’ acting ability, some of it is the relationship with Drusilla, and later, with Buffy, some of it is the way he gives his all to passion, some of it is the rather astonishing character arc from Season Two to Season Seven, and no doubt some of it is Spike’s essential core personality and his refusal to play the game according to anybody’s rules — not even Big Ol’ Bad Evil’s.

And come to think of it, maybe some of it is that… well, there’s a little bit of monster even in the best of us, no?

Some of the writers have said that Spike is the most immature character on Buffy. I think Joss has even said it. Well, I don’t know what Spike being my favorite character says about me, but living with passion, loving without reservation, and yearning to live free of some of the conventions imposed by others — which all seem to be what the character of Spike is mostly about — seem less about immaturity to me and more about what we all, or nearly all, yearn to have more of in our lives.

While that Freudian id (if you will) part of ourselves that simply wants what it wants can be construed as being childish, or immature,  I suspect Spike, who seems to personify the id in so many ways, is simply about being human, sans acculturation — about that raw, selfish, emotional center of ourselves — and quite likely what most of us actually would be, if we could get away with it:  monsters, with the souls of poets…

The third issue in the smash hit Buffy & Angel collection features one of the most popular characters from the Whedonverse, Spike! Otherwise known as William The Bloody, Spike was a key character in both Buffy and Angel. The lead figure stands 4′ tall, and features Spike wearing the classic red leather jacket he took from former Slayer, Nikki Wood, whom Spike killed on the New York subway in 1977! The fact-filled magazine accompanying the figure features everything you need to know about Spike from television through the Dark Horse and IDW comics since the shows’ departure.

My Collection Needs It Now: $16.00

…would undoubtably have an appetite for

Angel Aftermath #28 Frison Virgin Variant Cover Edition

Angel taken down twisted roads…

Hmm. Seems totally out of character for a character like Angel, doesn’t it? Twisted roads indeed. Is that a metaphor?

How about a contest? With prizes? I think I ought to do something like that sometime. What do you think?

(Hint: whatever said contest or prizes may be, you get a point up right now if you leave a comment with your real email address. See, you knew there was a reason you read these posts so faithfully…)

An all-new adventure begins as Eisner-winning writer Bill Willingham Fables takes Angel down some pretty twisted roads as the group’s and its leader’s fame starts causing tension and testing loyalties. Starting in December, Willingham and new artist Brian Denham present part one of ‘Immortality for Dummies.’

Purchase It Right Now: $3.59