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shadowkatIn spite of frequent downpours, I had a good day. Spent three luxurious hours of complete worry-free relaxation at the spa, getting skin treatments on hands, feet, and face in the bargain. Picked up my Buffy S8 comic, groceries, and managed to get home before the next deluge. In short the powers that be decided to wait until I was safely inside before opening the skies and letting loose with the buckets of water. Made a boat load of cupcakes, lemon and chocolat, with white and chocolat frosting, spelling out my name with little candles, all set up for tomorrow. Because I ate too much of the frosting and am now suffering from sugar shock to eat one tonight. Also read the Buffy comic, watched Project Runway (which was actually very entertaining, more so than last year - the designers are a lot better in my opinion), and finished Janet Evanoich's Hard Eight (which is quite funny but may have the dumbest characters ever written).
Regarding the Buffy S8, issue 12 comic?
Sigh.
First off: I was already spoiled on the Satsu/Buffy sex from my flist, so it was no big shock or anything. But this is their big reveal? Satsu and Buffy having sex? Seriously, is this the big thing they said would sell out the issue? Give me a break. I liked my idea of Riley Finn being revealed as Twilight a lot better. And no, I don't think it's any more or less out of character than what actually happened in the issue.
Methinks these little boys need to stop watching so many daytime soap operas or grow up, possibly both. Although, to be honest, these comics actually remind me a great deal of some of the juvenile female nitch market magna's that I read way back in the 1980s and 1990s. The Japanese, unlike the Americans, actually create comic books for everyone - all nitch markets, including women. While in the US - comics tend to be largely targeted at a young male audience. It's only in the past several years that we've seen that begin to change. Speaking of which - if you want to read a good comic about lesbian relationships - check out "Strangers in Paradise", and if you want to read one about female friends, "Ghost World". There's some great stuff out there and guess, what, they are written by women. In the Japanese comics that target women - the female characters are either saving the day or boinking anything on two legs, male or female, often female. There's a great one - that's in black and white, and takes place on a space-ship - with an adrogonous character that I found rather interesting. When the character reached a certain age - his/her gender would kick in. The character didn't want to be a girl but ended up becoming one. The issue dealt with how women are viewed in Japan in an interesting and somewhat atypical way. Wish I could remember the name of it. This issue of Buffy, I'm sorry to report, isn't as good or insightful as the Japanese Magna that I've read.
But hey at least the artwork has improved. That's saying something, right?
This issue annoyed me and no, not for the reasons you might think. I honestly do not care who Buffy has sex with. Nor do I care if the writer wants to make Buffy gay, regardless of whether or not I think that makes sense. What bugged me was how it was written and plotted - because in this issue - Buffy reminded me a great deal of the character "Parker" in Harsh Light of Day. Ironic that. Wonder if Satsu will handle it with the same maturity that Buffy did? Or Spike did for that matter?
Buffy did not have sex with Satsu because she was in love with Satsu, which would have actually been more interesting. This was not built up in the same manner as Willow and Tara. Or built up in the same careful way that another writer that I like is doing it - Kim Harrison in the Rachel Morgan novels has slowly evolved the relationship between the bisexual Ivy and the heterosexual Rachel - showing Rachel falling for Ivy and struggling with the idea that she could be attracted to a woman and the implications of that.
That's not what is happening here. The characters were not shown falling in love. The most we got is one fight sequence. During which - we saw Satsu tell Buffy that she loved her, bearing her heart and soul. And Buffy basically decided that this meant she should use Satsu for her own physical enjoyment. Because hey, she missed sex and it was all she could think about and she didn't know how to get herself off and well Satsu was certainly willing, so why not let Satsu do it? (This is the only background we've been given, nothing else. And I'm not that shocked by it - it was more or less set up with the whole, true love's kiss deal.) The fact that people seem to think this is funny, I find sad and somewhat depressing. The fact that they think it is kinky. Even more so. I've actually read a review that stated they could see Buffy doing this because she likes *kinky* sex and is *sensual*. Having sex with someone of the same gender is NOT kinky. (A lot of Fanfic writers/readers seem to think writing two people of the same gender having sex is kinky. No. What is kinky is the fact that it turns you on. That you, a woman, get turned on watching or writing about two men having sex. That's kinky. Just as what is kinky is not two women having sex, but the fact that it turns the man on. I state that fully aware that I occassionally get turned on reading male slash fanfic or watching it on television. ) Also you can be gay and not be sensual. Sensuality has zip to do with it. You can also be heterosexual and not be sensual.
What is sad about this - is for Satsu this wasn't kinky. This wasn't weird. She loves Buffy, she made love to someone she is in love with. For Buffy, it was better than, what, sleeping with Mr. Gordo? Maybe I'm weird but I don't find that humorous.
It's not funny to be used. It's not funny that Buffy wanted to hide it and not tell anyone, and hide Satsu, and that everyone walked in on her and Satsu, walked in on what had been for Satsu a tough emotional moment. Imagine if you will - how you would feel if the person you loved, deeply loved, and just had sex with - told you that no, they didn't love you, but the sex was fantastic, and they did not want you to tell a soul - then to have everyone pop in on you and either make fun of it or make it all about the person you slept with, as if you weren't important except for your gender? Buffy has basically done the same thing to Satsu that Parker sort of did to her. So she's become Poop-head Parker. What a hero! What a role model! This is female empowerment! Yay! Hey, if you thought this issue was funny, go re-watch I Was Made to Love You and Harsh Light of Day - they must be a perpetual laugh riot.
As far as Buffy being gay? Still don't buy it. Apparently Buffy didn't do much to pleasure Satsu, Satsu pleasured Buffy. So you can't really go by one sex scene. And..There's actually more evidence in the series of Xander being gay than Buffy. Heck there's more evidence for Spike or Angel for that matter. Even Andrew. Who is still being written as straight, yet a bit sissish, which is nice counter-stereotype. But I don't see it with Buffy. She's been written as uncomfortable with women. Seldom confides in them. And tends to see them as competition. It's why she was always slinking off to talk to Spike or Angel, she couldn't talk to Will. And Faith - she competed with. If she hadn't been competitive with Faith, they probably would have gotten along better. Faith may be bisexual, I can see that. Even their conversation - shows that Buffy isn't gay, she just wanted to get herself off, like some toy. And justified it by thinking that Satsu enjoyed it too. Hmmm, which episode does this remind you of? Oh wait, Harsh Light of Day written by Jane Espenson, in which Parker, Xander, and Spike basically have wonderful sex with women, but let them know that that's all it was, just sex.
Oh well, it's just a comic book. Probably give it away or toss it. Will most likely buy the next one, even though the spoilers to it look really lame. Was never much of a fan of Fray.
I may keep the Angel comics though - they are a lot better written. If you have to choose between these two, trust me, pick the Angel Season 6 comics. Speaking of - does Buffy sleeping with Satsu mean that Angel and Spike will boink or Angel will boink the Grooslauge? Because THAT would be funny.;-)
Regarding the Buffy S8, issue 12 comic?
Sigh.
First off: I was already spoiled on the Satsu/Buffy sex from my flist, so it was no big shock or anything. But this is their big reveal? Satsu and Buffy having sex? Seriously, is this the big thing they said would sell out the issue? Give me a break. I liked my idea of Riley Finn being revealed as Twilight a lot better. And no, I don't think it's any more or less out of character than what actually happened in the issue.
Methinks these little boys need to stop watching so many daytime soap operas or grow up, possibly both. Although, to be honest, these comics actually remind me a great deal of some of the juvenile female nitch market magna's that I read way back in the 1980s and 1990s. The Japanese, unlike the Americans, actually create comic books for everyone - all nitch markets, including women. While in the US - comics tend to be largely targeted at a young male audience. It's only in the past several years that we've seen that begin to change. Speaking of which - if you want to read a good comic about lesbian relationships - check out "Strangers in Paradise", and if you want to read one about female friends, "Ghost World". There's some great stuff out there and guess, what, they are written by women. In the Japanese comics that target women - the female characters are either saving the day or boinking anything on two legs, male or female, often female. There's a great one - that's in black and white, and takes place on a space-ship - with an adrogonous character that I found rather interesting. When the character reached a certain age - his/her gender would kick in. The character didn't want to be a girl but ended up becoming one. The issue dealt with how women are viewed in Japan in an interesting and somewhat atypical way. Wish I could remember the name of it. This issue of Buffy, I'm sorry to report, isn't as good or insightful as the Japanese Magna that I've read.
But hey at least the artwork has improved. That's saying something, right?
This issue annoyed me and no, not for the reasons you might think. I honestly do not care who Buffy has sex with. Nor do I care if the writer wants to make Buffy gay, regardless of whether or not I think that makes sense. What bugged me was how it was written and plotted - because in this issue - Buffy reminded me a great deal of the character "Parker" in Harsh Light of Day. Ironic that. Wonder if Satsu will handle it with the same maturity that Buffy did? Or Spike did for that matter?
Buffy did not have sex with Satsu because she was in love with Satsu, which would have actually been more interesting. This was not built up in the same manner as Willow and Tara. Or built up in the same careful way that another writer that I like is doing it - Kim Harrison in the Rachel Morgan novels has slowly evolved the relationship between the bisexual Ivy and the heterosexual Rachel - showing Rachel falling for Ivy and struggling with the idea that she could be attracted to a woman and the implications of that.
That's not what is happening here. The characters were not shown falling in love. The most we got is one fight sequence. During which - we saw Satsu tell Buffy that she loved her, bearing her heart and soul. And Buffy basically decided that this meant she should use Satsu for her own physical enjoyment. Because hey, she missed sex and it was all she could think about and she didn't know how to get herself off and well Satsu was certainly willing, so why not let Satsu do it? (This is the only background we've been given, nothing else. And I'm not that shocked by it - it was more or less set up with the whole, true love's kiss deal.) The fact that people seem to think this is funny, I find sad and somewhat depressing. The fact that they think it is kinky. Even more so. I've actually read a review that stated they could see Buffy doing this because she likes *kinky* sex and is *sensual*. Having sex with someone of the same gender is NOT kinky. (A lot of Fanfic writers/readers seem to think writing two people of the same gender having sex is kinky. No. What is kinky is the fact that it turns you on. That you, a woman, get turned on watching or writing about two men having sex. That's kinky. Just as what is kinky is not two women having sex, but the fact that it turns the man on. I state that fully aware that I occassionally get turned on reading male slash fanfic or watching it on television. ) Also you can be gay and not be sensual. Sensuality has zip to do with it. You can also be heterosexual and not be sensual.
What is sad about this - is for Satsu this wasn't kinky. This wasn't weird. She loves Buffy, she made love to someone she is in love with. For Buffy, it was better than, what, sleeping with Mr. Gordo? Maybe I'm weird but I don't find that humorous.
It's not funny to be used. It's not funny that Buffy wanted to hide it and not tell anyone, and hide Satsu, and that everyone walked in on her and Satsu, walked in on what had been for Satsu a tough emotional moment. Imagine if you will - how you would feel if the person you loved, deeply loved, and just had sex with - told you that no, they didn't love you, but the sex was fantastic, and they did not want you to tell a soul - then to have everyone pop in on you and either make fun of it or make it all about the person you slept with, as if you weren't important except for your gender? Buffy has basically done the same thing to Satsu that Parker sort of did to her. So she's become Poop-head Parker. What a hero! What a role model! This is female empowerment! Yay! Hey, if you thought this issue was funny, go re-watch I Was Made to Love You and Harsh Light of Day - they must be a perpetual laugh riot.
As far as Buffy being gay? Still don't buy it. Apparently Buffy didn't do much to pleasure Satsu, Satsu pleasured Buffy. So you can't really go by one sex scene. And..There's actually more evidence in the series of Xander being gay than Buffy. Heck there's more evidence for Spike or Angel for that matter. Even Andrew. Who is still being written as straight, yet a bit sissish, which is nice counter-stereotype. But I don't see it with Buffy. She's been written as uncomfortable with women. Seldom confides in them. And tends to see them as competition. It's why she was always slinking off to talk to Spike or Angel, she couldn't talk to Will. And Faith - she competed with. If she hadn't been competitive with Faith, they probably would have gotten along better. Faith may be bisexual, I can see that. Even their conversation - shows that Buffy isn't gay, she just wanted to get herself off, like some toy. And justified it by thinking that Satsu enjoyed it too. Hmmm, which episode does this remind you of? Oh wait, Harsh Light of Day written by Jane Espenson, in which Parker, Xander, and Spike basically have wonderful sex with women, but let them know that that's all it was, just sex.
Oh well, it's just a comic book. Probably give it away or toss it. Will most likely buy the next one, even though the spoilers to it look really lame. Was never much of a fan of Fray.
I may keep the Angel comics though - they are a lot better written. If you have to choose between these two, trust me, pick the Angel Season 6 comics. Speaking of - does Buffy sleeping with Satsu mean that Angel and Spike will boink or Angel will boink the Grooslauge? Because THAT would be funny.;-)
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happy birthday, 'kat!!
Date: 2008-03-10 05:21 am (UTC)Oy. I have stuff to say about Buffy 8.12, but it's getting complicated. And late. I just finished a weekend job, so maybe I can post it in another comment tomorrow. I mostly don't agree w/you, & I know you like that, @>) so I'm sorry I couldn't get it done in time for your b'day.