Hey all!
Rules are simple: Post up to THREE (3) questions per member until I submit your questions to Georges. I will post a note to let you know when I send off questions to reopen the floor.
Keep it clean, keep it civil. Simple right? Entries are welcome until I post a closing post.
This is a whole new era so be creative with your questions. Within reason, of course. No questions that are meant to simply further your agenda (especially in shipping!). Everything else is fair game, but be respectful of each other AND the artist who's gracious enough to take your questions. Please also remember that Georges is the artist and not the writer; he may not be the best person to ask editorial or writerly questions.
Anyone who's reading this and not a member, I'm accepting questions at wenxina[AT]slayalive.com. Feel free to send me your questions and I'll add them to the queue with credit to you.
Alright... GO!
** NOTE: We ask that when sharing our Q&As elsewhere that you link to us and not copy and paste our work.
1. Bunny Hearts: Hi Mr. Jeanty, thanks for taking the time to answer questions for us. There's a lot less globetrotting in this season of Buffy and San Francisco is such an interesting and iconic setting. Did you do much research into locations, local fashion trends and general vibe, or geography when this season was gearing up?
Georges: I did. I was doing a show in San Francisco and I stayed an extra day and did the touristy thing and took tons of pictures all over the city. I had a great time looking at all the locations I would be at some point drawing. I do feel that as a result, I have a much more organic feel for the city.
2. Bunny Hearts: Is there a character you particularly enjoy drawing, who just comes easily to you? Any who are harder for you?
Georges: I would have to say Buffy is the easiest at this point. I draw her constantly so I think I've developed a short hand with her. Andrew has come back in the book and I have always had a hard time drawing him. i don't know if it's just the way he looks, but he uses a lot of his mannerisms and he is very animated which ironically makes him harder to draw.
3. Sire: Hi Georges! Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to answer our questions! I was hoping you could let us know if there have been any developments with your involvement in Season 10? I've loved your work on the Buffy comics and feel that it would be wonderful for the continutity of the series to that see work continue.
Georges: As I understand it, there will be a Season 10, but it's not official yet. Because of that, there hasn't been any conversation about who's coming back and who's doing what. I'm sure there will be a conversation in the coming months though.
4. Bamph: Hey Georges. Do you determine yourself when you take a break from the interior art for Buffy or is that more a editorial decision?
Georges: That is determined by editorial. When they are working on fill-ins they try to take into consideration where in the story a break would work, how to utilize any subplots that will be getting their own issue that I might be able to miss. I try not to miss out on the really important stories just for continuity sake.
5. Bamph: Do you have a favorite thing you drew or a favorite moment from the "Guarded" arc?
Georges: I really like the human stuff. The conversation between Buffy and Kennedy was a lot of fun. I took great pains to act out that scene. Most of what was written was in the dialog so I was really into the body language. I liked drawing the compound as a whole because I borrowed heavily from Frank Loyd Wright architecture for the look which is always a favorite of mine!
6. Bamph: I imagine you are nearing the last leg of the season now from your end. Overall from the artistic side how has drawing Season 9 been compared to Season 8 at this point?
Georges: It's been tremendously rewarding. This time around I was more confident of the art and I've been lucky enough to get the inkers that I'm always after. Dexter Vines and Karl Story have always been the guys that are on my short list, so to get the chance to work with both of those guys has been great, and I think the art work is that much better for it.
7. Stoney: Hi Georges, thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions again. Do you ever look at/review the issues undertaken by the guest artists and do you think it alters any of your own work and how you see the characters?
Georges: I love to see other guys come in and put their artistic hand to the Buffyverse. I'm a big fan of art in general and I love to see what other people do. I have to admit that after all this time on Buffy I have become a little protective over the franchise. I don't own Buffy in any way but I am very aware of how she's represented in the fill-in. It's almost like letting someone else take out your girlfriend. You want to know everything that's going on.
8. Stoney: Do you have to work in much time specifically to proof your own work for consistencies, such as flicking back through to check jewellery is the same throughout, cuts are in the right place etc etc?
Georges: Yes! All the time. Since Buffy doesn't have a costume as such, I try and dress her in things that women would wear and when you do that you have to deal with styles, jewelry, accessories. And keeping track of that is often no small affair. I have copies of all the pages I've done so when they're being inked or colored I can always refer to my copied pages. Some times she'll wear the same thing for several issues some times it's only for a few pages. I have to stay on top of continuity. That doesn't mean that stuff doesn't sometimes get by me, it does!
9. Stoney: How often do you get general directions for adding in background hints to the plot and themes during the season or times when you are specifically asked to place something in that we would view differently in hindsight?
Georges: Not often. Buffy is a very character-driven book as opposed to plot-driven. A lot of times the writer will designate what and where things are and any little important items, other than that I usually put in the background that I think fits the scene. I go through a lot of reference.
10. SueB: Thanks Georges for answering the questions. Are there any actors who likeness you can't use for drawing because their permission was never received?
Georges: I haven't come across that yet. I think most actors on a show sign a licence contract in addition to their general contracts. Most actors get a kick back for all of the miscellaneous stuff that might be done with their likeness. It's become very standard in the industry.
11. SueB: In general, when you are drawing new non-human creatures, what kind of input do you get with regard to what the creature looks like in general?
Georges: A lot. Most of the scripts will say we need a monster here and if they have any specific interests, like if they will use their tentacles or a removable eye, they will include that in and you have to design around that.
12. SueB: Do you have a name for the creature in the white room in Issue #13 (in general do you name species)?
Georges: I don't think there was a name for them. They work for that powers that be at Wolfram and Hart but beyond that they were just 'day players'. That's not to say those creatures couldn't come back and be named at that point.
13. Just Willow: Hi Georges, thanks for taking the time to do this again! Obviously, the new character Billy will be appearing in the next arc, and I was wondering if Joss or Scott or anyone had a specific ideas on what he looked like and how you and Karl should draw him?
Georges: I got some of the designs for Billy because I had to draw him in future issue, but I didn't have anything to do with the design of that character. I think that was all Karl Moline's doing.
14. Just Willow: Is it harder or easier to draw characters that are completely made up, like Annaheed and Tumble, rather than the main characters based off of actors?
Georges: It's funny you say that about the 'made up' characters, for Anaheed Joss sent me reference of someone he knew and asked if I could make it look like her. Tumble he suggested an actor he liked as a model. So some times the made up characters have their origins in real people.
15. AndrewCrossett: On the cover for #14, what's the image on Billy's sweatshirt? It looks like a hand holding up two fingers.
Georges: That was something I saw Karl drew in some of his designs of Billy. I don't know if he was using that design in his issue, but I drew it in there because it's what he had done.
16. AndrewCrossett: Have you gotten to draw Buffy's roommates in any upcoming issues? (I have a crush on Anaheed and want to see more of her...)
Georges: Yes! And I think you're going to be very surprised by Anaheed coming up....
17. AndrewCrossett: What aspects of the art and character design in season 9 has Joss given the most direction on or had the most to say about?
Georges: He was really conscious of what the characters wore when we started. I guess he wanted to set the tone for the characters before giving it over to Andrew Chamblis. I always love when Joss gives his 2 cents. I always try to stay as close to his vision as possible.
18 Jashiel: Mr. Jeanty, which character do you really want to draw, but you haven't had a chance to, because they haven't being used in the story?
Georges: You mean which Buffyverse character, right? I loved that I got the chance to draw Faith so often, I wish I could have drawn Felicia Day's character, Vi, a little more. I know Felicia, and I could have called her up to take reference! That would have been awesome! I drew Tara in one panel but I would have liked to do more of her. I've gotten to know Clare Kramer over the years and would have loved to draw her character Glory! She is a flawless beauty!
19. Jashiel: What arc from Buffy, Angel & Faith did you like the most so far and why?
Georges: From which Season? The ones that I drew? I think the Angel & Faith book is going on all thrusters! I think Christos and Rebekah are doing an amazing job. I really look forward to reading that book every month! I guess, though, if we're talking about my stuff I have to say the first arc of Season 8. I really do feel that out of all the story arcs in Season 8 that one felt more like an episode from the show. Or like a 2 hour special. I wish I knew more about the Whedonverse when I was doing that book because I think now I would have made it better, but to be honest, I was relying on other Buffy experts for the accuracy and tech knowledge of the show. Now I would be very savvy about those first 4 issues!
20. SueB: The zompires seem more rabid than stupid. When Xander named them zompires, was that accurate -- do they have any zombie-like features?
Georges: I agree they are more rabid this time around and that's because of the lack of magic. Is it accurate to call them zombie/vampires? Probably not. Unless you're going with the Zach Snyder zombies rather than the George Romero ones. Zombie was inferred because of the more mindless state they're in now. They have no control of the more base mentality. As bad as vampires were in seasons 1 through 8, with the lack of magic, they are sired more feral now.
21. SueB: TINCAN hints were all over the place, including Andrews place. Was that to imply Andrew was in the TINCAN chat rooms?
Georges: Yes! We wanted to leave hints that most geek-centric individuals trawling the internet knew about the site or came upon it. Kinda like when the rumor of a Richard Donner Superman 2 existed, or that there was unseen footage of Blade Runner that Deckard was a replicant. These were my obssesions as a kid that I tried to track down, and this was before the benefit of the internet! I had to do all my sleuthing at comic cons and reading Starlog! But I digress, Tincan was meant to be one of those urban legands that floated through the internet. And if that's the case, can Andrew be far behind...?
22. SueB: Willow has said that magic is affecting the universe, no good music, lack of color in rainbows, no good books. Have you incorporated that in your background detail artwork?
Georges: Not as such. Things that characters have in their possession are still around. I think that statement was meant to be more poetic. Or maybe it IS affecting my work.... hmm, I never thought about that... hurry guys! Please bring back the magic before everyone gets... bored, now with my work!
23. Bamph: Whose idea was it to make the current conduit to the Senior Partners look like a bird of prey? Was that completely your decision or direction from Andrew and/or Scott?
Georges: That was a falcon if I'm not mistaken. It was in the script I got from Andrew. From there I don't know who might have come up with it. Andrew Chambliss, not Wells, confers with Joss, so I don't know. If I had to hazard a guess I would say since the last incarnation was a panther, it would stand to reason a falcon would fit. I was far more interested in the lackeys. I have no idea where they came from but I was told to design them as I saw fit and I think I got the idea from a Doctor Who episode.
24. TimeTravellingBunny: Hi, Georges. I have a question about the scene in issue #12 when Kennedy mentions Spike, and Buffy says "Spike has gone where no vampire has gone before". Since we only see Buffy and Kennedy from a distance in the panel, it's hard to discern what Buffy's facial expression is - if there's some anger and annoyance there, or sadness, or if she's indifferent or OK with it, or trying to appear so. Were you trying to make it ambiguous, or did you decide what feeling exactly she has regarding Spike's departure?
Georges: Yes. To set the stage for his return...
25. Moscow Watcher: Hi, Mr Jeanty! At DragonCon you said that in the last two issues of Buffy Season 9 a character is coming back that hasn’t been seen since Angel, ad she's coming back in a big way. When you said "the last two issues", did you mean the last issues that you worked on, or the last issues of the season? i.e. #16-17 or #24-25?
Georges: Hmm, I'm not sure what I meant to say, but I meant to say it about Illyria and after all this time that it's taken me to respond, all of you reading the book will already know that Illyria has shown up. I believe she'll be around till the end of the series, what state of mind she'll be in remains to be seen....
26. Bamph: Do you have a favorite cover so far you've done this season or one that you thinks really stands out and is unique?
Georges: I like the homage to the Tomb of Dracula Blade the Vampire Slayer cover. It's funny, with this season, I have felt there are covers that are some of the best I've done and the worst, so this has been a season of extremes. I've still got 2 more covers to produce as of this writing and I hope I can end it on a high note, cover-wise. I just finished a cover that shows the Scoobies descending the earth and... maybe I shouldn't say anymore. But that was a good one. I really like the 'Billy the Vampire Slayer' covers more than I thought I would. I've inked more covers this season so I'm really happy about that.
27. Wenxina: We just found out from Scott Allie that the arc following the "Billy the Vampire Slayer" arc will be a four-issue arc called "Welcome to the Team." Will you be drawing the entire arc?
Georges: Yes. I am drawing all the issues until the end of the season with the exception of issue 20. I believe Karl Moline will be doing that issue.
28. Wenxina: Did you base the character design of Billy on anyone in particular? From what we've seen of him on the cover work you've done so far, he has a slightly "ethnic" (read: not white) look which I really appreciated.
Georges: Since I was never going to be drawing those issues I wasn't involved in the design stage. I believe Karl Moline was the designer and yes, I think Billy has some ethnicity to him. He will be around for a while and I do get to draw him, but that's after the fact.
29. Wenxina: You've been largely responsible for moving Buffy and Co.'s fashion sense into the second decade of the 21st century and have done a pretty admirable job with that. Buffy was also known for changing her hair a lot and I was wondering if you were planning on giving her a different haircut sometime this season? She's got lovely hair (damn, Sarah Michelle Gellar and her lovely follicles) and I love it when you switch up her hairstyles a bit.
Georges: It's funny you say that. While there are no plans to change her hairstyle this season, when Buffy gets suited up to for the climax, she will wear it to pay homage to someone from Season 8. Nothing will be said about it but I think anyone who picks apart the comic pages for details, and that just may be you, Wenxian, will be able to notice the perceived homage Buffy does. Where I'd like to be more dramatic, is when we get to the big climax of the season, and as a direct result of her Big Bad battling, I'm going to lobby hard for Buffy to have a major hair do change. I don't know if the Powers That Be will go for it but we'll see. If I have my way, Season 10 will start out with Buffy looking reminiscent of Season 6. And I have already said too much!
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