The Chain (Buffy comic)

Last updated
"The Chain"

Buffy 805 cover.jpg

Publisher Dark Horse Comics
Publication date July  2007
Genre
Title(s) Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight #5
Main character(s) Buffy decoy
Creative team
Writer(s) Joss Whedon
Artist(s) Paul Lee
Inker(s) Andy Owens
Colorist(s) Dave Stewart
With respect to the Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise
The material covered in this article is a continuity issue in the canon of Buffy the Vampire Slayer .

"The Chain" is the fifth issue of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight series of comic books, a continuation of the television series of the same name. It is written by creator Joss Whedon. [1] It is dedicated to the late Janie Kleinman, a network executive whom Whedon worked with and admired. [2]

<i>Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight</i> comic book series

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight is a comic book series published by Dark Horse Comics from 2007 to 2011. The series serves as a canonical continuation of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and follows the events of that show's final televised season. It is produced by Joss Whedon, who wrote or co-wrote three of the series arcs and several one-shot stories. The series was followed by Season Nine in 2011.

Joss Whedon American director, writer, and producer for television and film

Joseph Hill Whedon is an American screenwriter, director, producer, comic book writer, and composer. He is the founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-founder of Bellwether Pictures, and is best known as the creator of several television series, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003), Angel (1999–2004), Firefly (2002), Dollhouse (2009–10), and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013–present).

Contents

Plot

"The Chain" focuses on one of the Slayers used by Buffy Summers as a decoy to fool her enemies. [1] The comic is a standalone issue, and features no appearances from Buffy herself, although season seven characters Andrew Wells, Rupert Giles, Vi, and Rona play small roles. The story is told through parallel narratives, showing the Slayer's calling, assignment as a Buffy decoy, and death.

Buffy Summers lead character of Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Buffy Anne Summers is the titular character from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise. She first appeared in the 1992 film Buffy the Vampire Slayer before going on to appear in the television series and subsequent comic book of the same name. The character has also appeared in the spin-off series Angel, as well as numerous non-canon expanded universe material, such as novels, comics, and video games. Buffy was portrayed by Kristy Swanson in the film, and later by Sarah Michelle Gellar in the television series. Giselle Loren has lent her voice to the character in both the Buffy video games and an unproduced animated series, while Kelly Albanese lent her voice to the character in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight motion comics.

Serial (literature) publishing format by which a single literary work is presented in contiguous installments

In literature, a serial is a printing format by which a single larger work, often a work of narrative fiction, is published in smaller, sequential installments. The installments are also known as numbers, parts or fascicles, and may be released either as separate publications or within sequential issues of a periodical publication, such as a magazine or newspaper.

Andrew Wells fictional character from Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Andrew Wells is a fictional character in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, played by Tom Lenk. The character also appears in Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, the canonical continuation of the series.

The story itself is largely narrated by the Buffy decoy. An unnamed Potential Slayer, she is activated during the events of "Chosen". She is violently thrown on her back by the calling but then saves the lives of her schoolmates with her newfound powers. After seeing a commercial on local television starring Andrew and Vi, the girl finds the Slayer organization and "the chain" to which all Slayers are connected. While fighting vampires with a squad of Slayers, the narrator intervenes to save a fellow Slayer and is bitten by a vampire. Squad leader Rona identifies the Slayer as a candidate to serve as a Buffy decoy in an underground society of demons, monsters, and faeries. The girl is ultimately killed by the demon she was sent to deter, Yamanh, who is proud to have slain Buffy Summers. Following her demise, other Slayers drop in to dispose of Yamanh and his followers, who are engaged in battle with the underground clans of faeries, slugs, raven-like demons, and a "leafblower" type looking mystical creature that the decoy had united against Yamanh. The narrator's final thoughts suggest she is happy to have saved the world and been part of "the chain", even if her own name will never be known.

Production

Editor Scott Allie describes "The Chain" as an important story: "Joss put a lot into this one. If it were an episode of the show, he would have directed it." [3]

Paul Lee penciled the issue, proceeding Georges Jeanty, who returns the following issue. In one panel, Lee depicted past Slayers such as the First Slayer, the Righteous Slayer, Naayéé'neizgháni the Navajo Slayer, Nikki Wood, Elizabeth "Edward" Weston, Anni Sonnenblume, and the Chinese Slayer. In the same panel, season one villain The Master appears in the background along with a Turok-Han.

Turok-Han fictional characters from the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer

The Turok-Han vampires are fictional characters from Joss Whedon's TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. First mentioned in the Buffy spin-off Angel season 3 episode "Offspring", they finally appear in the 7th and final season of the original series, making their first on screen appearance in the episode "Never Leave Me", when the Seal of Danzalthar is opened under the basement of Sunnydale High, over the Hellmouth.

Reception

In a Harvard Independent review, "The Chain" received particular praise for "creating webs of complex and intellectually stimulating meaning" using the medium of comics. [4]

Canonical issues

This series has been described as 'canon' by both Whedon and various commentators. As the creator of Buffy, Joss Whedon's association with Buffyverse story is often linked to how canonical the various stories are. Since Whedon is writing this story, it will be seen as a continuation of the official continuity established by Buffy and Angel.

Season Eight contradicts and supersedes information given in the paperback novels set after Season Seven, such as Queen of the Slayers and Dark Congress , which are described as being set in an unofficial "parallel" continuity. [5]

Timing

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References

  1. 1 2 "Dark Horse Comics > Profile > Buffy the Vampire Slayer #5". Dark Horse Comics. Retrieved 2007-06-10.
  2. Whedon, Joss (February 2008), "Slay The Critics", Buffy The Vampire Slayer #11
  3. Allie, Scott (June 2007), "Slay The Critics", Buffy The Vampire Slayer #4
  4. Buffy the TV Slayer, Harvard Independent . Doan, Truc.
  5. Mata, Shiai, "CHRISTOPHER GOLDEN INTERVIEW 2 Archived 2011-07-23 at the Wayback Machine .", SlayerLit.us (2007).
Preceded by
"The Long Way Home"
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight storylines
2007
Succeeded by
"No Future for You"