Sometimes, a list appears that just begs for AfterEllen.com readers' comments. And most of the time, your suggestions result in a list vastly superior to the original. I fully expect that to be the case with this week's effort from IF Magazine: “The Top Ten Things We'd Like to See in 'Buffy' and 'Angel' Comics.”

The list proposes situations and returning characters that would make for good reading. Here are some of the highlights:

Bring back Tara and Joyce

As the article puts it, “If bad guys can come back, why not good guys?” True enough. While I doubt that anyone here would disagree that killing Tara was a bad move, do we really want her to come back now?

To my surprise, I have mixed feelings about it. Love, love, love Tara. But Willow has grown and changed a lot, and I don't think I want Tara to return to Willow unless they can live happily ever after. One thing is certain: I wouldn't want anyone but Joss to write that story line. … continue reading

When the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 comic turned out to be so true to the television series — and so much fun — many Joss Whedon fans dared to hope that more of his canceled shows would continue in graphic form. Angel fans got their wish in November (with mixed reviews) and now comes confirmation that a new Serenity comic will be published in March 2008.

Serenity: Better Days is a three-issue series set between the end of Firefly and the 2005 Serenity feature film — the same setting as Serenity: Those Left Behind, which was published in 2005. … continue reading

[Warning: Spoilers galore!]

Since March of this year, many Buffy fanatics have been Glory-ing (I couldn't resist) in the season 8 comic book resurrection of Buffy and the Scoobies — both proper and fringe. The last three comics have been devoted to our favorite uber bad girl hero, Faith. And now, three-fourths of the way through the four-issue Faith story arc nihilistically titled "No Future For You," we've got ourselves one heck of a cliffhanger.

Even if Faith's head is not precisely poised on the chopping block, Lady Genevieve Savidge (aka Gigi) is wielding a mean-ass ax and feeling more than a little betrayed. How, oh how, will Faith extricate herself from this pickle? We'll find out when the current Faith story line wraps up in issue No. 9, due out Dec. 5 (with the best. comic. cover. ever.). Until then, let's discuss how she got to this point in the first place, shall we?

Issue No. 6 opened with Faith stationed at the hellmouth in Cleveland — and no, that isn't redundant. Cleveland is actually quite a lovely city, despite how much I hate, loathe and despise their football team. I'm an evolved woman. I can compartmentalize pretty much everything.

Anyway, Faith is tasked with the unenviable nasty cleanup jobs, like staking kiddie vampires, and is entertaining the recriminating voice in her head. Her existence is entirely in the shadows, solitary and stark, mirrored perfectly in how depressingly decrepit her apartment is. No finely appointed Scottish castle teeming with activity for our girl Faith. Her slayer stipend must be paltry. … continue reading

It's a bird. It's a plane. It's superhero stamps from the U.S. Postal Service. That's right, ladies: Run, don't walk, to the nearest post office and snatch up those brightly colored goodies depicting Elektra and Spider Woman. Wait, Spider Woman? Who the heck is Spider Woman? She's one of two female comic book characters depicted among the ten new superhero stamps just issued. The new release includes Marvel heroes such as Spider-Man, the Hulk and Captain America.

This is this second set of superhero stamps to be released by the USPS. The first came last July and included ten heroes from the stable of DC Comics. Again, the powers that be found two female heroes they deemed worthy of inclusion. Both Wonder Woman and Super Girl made the grade. … continue reading