A Spuffy Valentine

[double_dutchess]

So I didn't have much time (as usual) but I still wanted to do something for Valentine's Day. So here's a little Spuffy valentine based on the S10 comics, art by Megan Levens. (With a few small "fixes" -- yeah, I really dislike that line she always draws across Spike's nose.)

Comments

[teragramm.livejournal.com]

Very nice! Happy Valentines day to you!

[chasingdemons.livejournal.com]

I love your stuff based on the comics! Especially since I don't have a chance to see it otherwise. This is just adorable. Happy Valentines Day!

[double_dutchess]

Thank you, and a Happy Valentine's Day to you too!

[double_dutchess]

Thank you! I'm not a big fan of how Megan Levens draws Spike, but I like her Buffy and in particular her facial expressions. I love how she looks at Spike in this image. Happy Valentines Day to you too!

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

Eeee! That's perfect!

[double_dutchess]

Thanks! Those are two of my favourite panels from the recent comics.

[velvetwhip.livejournal.com]

How cute!


Gabrielle

[double_dutchess]

Aren't they just? I had never thought that the Buffy/Spike relationship could ever be described as cute (not without any magic involved, anyway) but the comics have done it, and I'm not complaining! Especially since I'm sure it won't last :-)

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

FYI I recently read the Lady Frankenstein comics that Levins illustrated (and wish I hadn't)
And she does that line on the nose with just about everyone. (Andrew has the same little line.)

I dislike the weird little lines she does on Buffy's nostrils but beyond that she gets the spirit of the characters right. (It looks like you got rid of the lines on Buffy's nose too, thank you!)

This card is absolutely adorable! And who'd a thunk we'd get Spuffy relationship that is canonically adorable? And for some reason I am more optimistic about it than everyone else. Either I'm just an optimist or it's the sentimental strain in Gage's writing. He may pull a gotcha but I'm envisioning a forced separation (someone getting sucked into another dimension) than a break-up. Which has lots of possibilities for plots and drama and angst. More so than a break up which actually isn't interesting story-wise.

[double_dutchess]

Sorry to hear your Lady Frankenstein experience was less than pleasant.

I suppose the nose line is Levens' trademark. I don't mind it so much on the other characters, but I hate it on Spike because it really doesn't fit him. I also dislike the exceedingly heavy brows she gives him, so I reduced them a bit in this image. I didn't do anything about Buffy's nostrils though.

I'm generally an optimist too, but in this case I'm surpressing that particular trait to avoid disappointment! But I really hope you're right and I'm wrong.

[boiiko.livejournal.com]

Okay, that is (unbelievably) sweet.
Thank you for this!

[double_dutchess]

Thanks! It really isn't very Spuffy-like, now is it. But I'm enjoying it while it lasts (which surely can't be very long).

[feliciacraft.livejournal.com]

Oh, how sweet! Look at these love birds. They so belong together!

Happy Valentine's Day to you, too!

[double_dutchess]

It's exceedingly fluffy and sweet and I'm not ashamed of it :-) Who would have thought we'd ever get to see the two of them like this?

I hope you had a great Valentine's Day!

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

Does levin give him heavy brows? I hadn't noticed tbh.

Did you see the spuffy valentine piece Levin herself did? Very cute

I read online that someone wanted to know what Spuffy did on Valentine's Day and Gage assured them that they had "hot sex" - but it wouldn't show up on the page. I actually respect that. We see the two of them lounging in the bedroom or talking about making love enough times to fill in the blanks. I really do like the Spuffy relationship this season. They are both very relatable to me, and it's not all hearts and flowers. But as far as I can see it works.

[double_dutchess]

Does levin give him heavy brows? I hadn't noticed tbh.

I think she does, but of course it's all subjective. And yes, I saw her Spuffy valentine. I loved it.

I like the comics Spuffy relationship too. I'd say it's portrayed pretty realistically.

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

I saw her Spuffy valentine

That was utterly adorable - Spuffy hearts and flowers, who would'a thunk?

Yeah, to me it feels like a pretty realistic relationship on a lot of levels (and I say this as someone who has been in a relationship for something like 17 years). I've had my frustrations but overall I'm satisfied with that aspect of it.

I would love to see Buffy thinking about what she wants to do and wants for herself outside of Spike - what does she want to do for work? What makes her happy as a person? We've seen that Dylan's visit got Spike thinking about his poetry again; it's possible he might want to start exploring other facets of himself. I'd like to see that for Buffy as well.

She's committed herself to slaying full time but that doesn't pay the bills. So I'd say Gage is typical of a lot of American writers who entirely ignore or sidestep financial issues as much as possible. All of that could be explored within the context of their relationship though.

This being the buffyverse, I intend to enjoy it while it lasts.

[double_dutchess]

Season 9 did explore some of those things (Buffy having different jobs, financial stuff) so maybe that's why Gage is not focusing on that now.

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

True, but by that logic we could say "Joss already explored the idea of a slayer being in a relationship with a vampire" ergo, Buffy should not have been paired with another vamp after S2. Or for that matter "we explored the idea of Buffy working outside the home in S6" ergo no more need to do it in S9. In fact, the Buffyverse repeats certain themes (sometimes ad nauseum), but things like work and career would fit very well with Gage's supposed overall hook of "maturity".

And certain things are ongoing in life, and "what are you going to do with your life?" and "how are you going to support yourself?" are huge ongoing issues in adulthood. Especially nowadays when few people are likely to just find a job and settle in for 30 years until retirement. Nowadays, cobbling together part time jobs and going from job to job is becoming the norm, not the exception in North America. And for someone like Buffy who literally has no income, no college education, her life would likely be a series of rotating jobs unless she started something like a self-defense studio, etc and became an entrepreneur, which she shows no sign of.

norwie2010 once said to me that Joss doesn't understand the working class but I'd say that's true of a lot of people "in the industry". Or they'd rather not be bothered dealing with such realities.

Very little popular media made in the USA deals with that well or thoughtfully. I think back to the few standouts in that regard - the series Rosanne for instance.

Likewise, I thought it would be interesting that Dylan brought up the subject of Spike's poetry and his embarrassed admission that he hasn't written. I wish Gage hadn't just dropped it. (I can actually see Spike becoming a blogger, believe it or not. Think about it a sec...) I actually identify with both Spike and Buffy (and Xander) at this point quite a lot and I'm in my 40's.

Which is to say I'm not disagreeing with YOU, but if that is Gage's logic, it's silly.

[double_dutchess]

You make good points. Of course I was just speculating; I have no idea about Gage's reasoning or where he is going with Buffy in the comic. It's true that he has started Spike thinking about what he wants for himself, so I suppose it's possible that Gage will set Buffy on a similar path. (And that may be what will break them up, because of Buffy and Spike concluding that their wants and needs are not compatible after all...)

[thenewbuzwuzz.livejournal.com]

Aahhh! *melts*

[double_dutchess]

Glad you like it! Sweet and romantic is what I was going for :-)