The Buffyverse and Beyond

“Firefly” holds a special place in the hearts of sci-fi fans. Whatever issues have come up in terms of creator Joss Whedon, the story itself was endlessly compelling. Nine people from different backgrounds travel together on a firefly class spaceship, through an uncertain territory, trying to get to where they’re going (and doing crime along the way). It’s a Western set in space, in a future where people are settling new planets because Earth is no longer viable. Sort of like how people settled in the Old West.

The episode, while still interesting, returned to a pattern of puzzling plot developments

Despite the series name, Buffy the Vampire Slayer comics prove Willow would be a better Slayer than Buffy – at least, as far as Giles is concerned. Boom! Studios’ comics have embraced the “Slayerverse,” Buffy’s version of the multiverse; it’s allowing the comic book publisher to explore countless different timelines, and the latest is one of the most enjoyable to date. It’s a vision of a world where Buffy is no longer the Slayer, but rather where that mantle has been passed on to another.

A decade ago a team of superheroes changed the way the movie industry worked. On April 11, had its premier “Avengers”, a film with which Marvel Studios concluded the first phase of its years-long plan to create the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), now the biggest moneymaker in the film industry.

The Cabin in the Woods is a miracle. A singular story packed with biblical stakes, dense mythology, surprises, excitement, and most importantly, little to no room for any type of follow-up, all in one 95-minute package. Released just 10 years ago today, it almost qualifies as a relic from a forgotten age which is one of the many reasons why The Cabin in the Woods still works so well, despite that unfortunate black mark it now carries.

In a brilliant twist on the genre, The Cabin in the Woods, gradually reveals that the hapless victims of a zombie onslaught are merely pawns in a mechanised ritual. They are sacrifices made to appease ancient Gods. While it is a clever critique of the often-formulaic rules of horror, such as typical character archetypes and dumb decisions, the film also still shows a deep love for the genre. The sheer variety of monster designs and effects that are shown off in the final ten minutes is staggering.

The Nevers‘ Elizabeth Berrington has been cast in season 2 of BBC series, The Pact which is currently filming in Wales. With the exception of…

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. alum, Luke Mitchell has been cast in a recurring role in season 4 of The Vampire Diaries spin off, Legacies. Legacies continues…

A good opening is the key to hooking audiences into any story. The first few frames of a movie, the prologue of a novel, the first episode of a TV series – they all serve the same purpose: to get the audience interested. Firefly, the single-season sci-fi saga whose cancellation fans still mourn today, executed this perfectly (or at least it would have, had the network aired the episodes in the correct order). The show’s pilot episode introduced characters, concepts, factions, settings, allies, enemies and more – all through the ancient writing tenet of “show don’t tell.”

hanks to its enduring popularity, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year with much fanfare. The teen hunter and the cast of eclectic characters sank their fangs into the public imagination and never let go. So what better way to celebrate the beloved franchise than with an anthology collection of stories from the Buffy-verse, bringing some much-needed-feel-good nostalgia to readers and also promising more from BOOM! Studios excellent adaptations of the series.