Buffy Anne Summers, aka

Posts Tagged ‘james marsters’

…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

…will probably die for

Spike Omnibus TPB

Hey, all you fellow Spike lovers!

Love him or hate him, few can deny that this was and is one of the most fascinating characters — and character arcs — ever to appear on television.

He had and has style and wit. He was and is sexy, vicious, romantic, loyal… a monster with the soul of a poet and even, eventually, a champion…

And did James Marsters ever play him convincingly!

Could anyone else have played him as well? I find it hard to imagine.

Learn more about the bad boy of the Buffy-verse in Spike’s earliest stories like Lost & Found, Old Wounds and Old Times, then read along as Spike battles that lord of the undead in Spike vs. Dracula, and finally catch up with Spike as he heads to the Asylum on a work-for-hire mission before heading to Japan to stop maniacal puppets in Shadow Puppets. It’s more Spike than you can shake a sharp, wooden stake at!

Get It Now: $22.49

Well, I’ve got to post something occasionally, right? So it’s time for a little more James Marsters. I’m deep in a couple of projects and haven’t been able to come up for air (or very much Buffy) in quite a while, but soon… (he said), soon… but don’t anybody hold their breath! — unless you’re a vampire of course.

James Marsters interview on Rove Live back in July of 2004. Yeah, it's old but its kinda funny, and James, after your comment about Rove Live versus Letterman, I've had to rethink your blasphemy. It was just a very dry joke. Maybe it was just that British sense of humor that threw me (that you got by playing Spike all those years, as you were never actually British in spite of what some Buffy fans still seem to think).

But I get it now. I'm cool.

Sorry about that James.

James Marsters, Julie Benz, Kristy Swanson, Charisma Carpenter