List of Buffyverse guidebooks
The success of the TV series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel have led to a number of published guidebooks both official and unofficial. Such books are used as sources of information, and opinions on the two TV series.
Official guidebooks[edit]
"Watcher's Guides"[edit]
The Official guides to Buffy the Vampire Slayer offer a comprehensive guide to the show. The episode guides include synopses, lines from the shooting scripts that were deleted, biographies, interviews, music listings, monster listings, special notes, pictures, quotes, and much behind-the-scenes information.
| Author | Christopher Golden, Nancy Holder |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster |
Publication date | October 1, 1998 |
| Pages | 304 |
| Vol. 1 Key Contents | Description |
|---|---|
| "Mythology of Buffy" | Mythology surrounding slayers and vampires. |
| "Sunnydale Guidebook" | Tour of the town. |
| "Character Guide" | Profiles of key characters |
| "Episode Guide" | Buffy Seasons 1 & 2. |
| "Monster Guide" | Profiles on key vampires demon.. |
| "Bloodlust" | Sunnydale Love connections. |
| "Behind the Scenes" | Interviews with many key cast & crew members. |
| "Music" | Info on main songs that appeared in Seasons 1–2. |
| Author | Nancy Holder, Jeff Mariotte, Maryelizabeth Hart |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster |
Publication date | October 31, 2000 |
| Pages | 304 |
| Vol. 2 Key Contents | Description |
|---|---|
| "Buffyverse: Character Guide" | Profiles of key characters. |
| "Buffyverse: The Pain" | Extended commentary on love and loss in Sunnydale. |
| "Episode Guide" | Buffy Seasons 3 & 4. |
| "Cast Profiles" | Profiles of key actors |
| "Creating Buffy" | Set report on "The I in Team" and interviews with cast & crew. |
| "Bands of Buffy" | Interviews with bands who appeared on the show. |
| "Meranandising" | Guide to spinoff products. |
| Author | Paul Ruditis |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster |
Publication date | July 6, 2004 |
| Pages | 368 |
Watcher's Guide Volume III opted to include only an episode guide (Seasons 5–7), and a number of essays:
| Author | Vol. 3 Essays |
|---|---|
| Ginger Buchanan | "The Journey of Jonathan Levinson" |
| Hank Wagner | "The Family Hour" |
| Rob Francis | "Buffy from a British perspective" |
| Maryelizabeth Hart | Slaying the Big Lies: Love conquers all, and other monstrous myths" |
| Allie Costa | "A Part of Something, or Buffy the Vampire Slayer: My First Long-Term Relationship" |
| Scott and Denise Cienin | "I Know You Are, but Who Am I?: Dawn" |
| Charles De Lint | "Why I Like Buffy" |
| James Moore | "Monsters Made to Order" |
| Joss Whedon ("Restless" teleplay), Paul Ruditis (commentary) | "Restless: A Path to Premonitions" |
| Micol Ostow | "Chosen: A Postmodern Postmortem of Buffy as a Contemporary Icon" |
"Casefiles"[edit]
| Author | Nancy Holder, Jeff Mariotte, Maryelizabeth Hart |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster |
Publication date | June 1, 2002 |
| Pages | 416 |
| Author | Paul Ruditis, Diana G. Gallagher |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster, (Simon Spotlight Entertainment) |
Publication date | November 30, 2004 |
| Pages | 304 |
The official companions to Angel. The content of these books follows similar standards set by the "Watcher's Guides", including comprehensive episodes guides, images, quotes and behind the scenes information.
Volume I covers Angel Seasons 1 & 2.
Volume II covers Angel Seasons 3 & 4.
Unofficial guidebooks[edit]
These books were not licensed by 20th Century Fox as official Buffy/Angel merchandise.
Keith Topping[edit]
Keith Topping has written several unofficial guide books to television series such as The X Files, The Avengers, The Sweeney and The Professionals. He has also written guides to both Buffy (Slayer), and Angel (Hollywood Vampire).
The style of the guides analytically studies each episode in categories, drawing attention to things which may otherwise have not been noticed by viewers.
Slayer[edit]
| Author | Keith Topping |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | |
| Publisher | Virgin Publishing |
Publication date | December 1, 2004 |
| Pages | 702 |
The first edition of Slayer was released in the UK in December 1999, and offered a guide to the first three seasons of Buffy. The book has undergone numerous editions, the most recent of which, Complete Slayer includes information on all seven seasons of Buffy.
The categories which Topping uses to analyse each episode include:
| "Slayer" categories | Information |
|---|---|
| "Dreaming (As Blondie Once Said) is Free" | Commentary on dream sequences. |
| "Dudes and Babes" | Commentary on "who's hot and who's not"[1] |
| "Authority Sucks" | Buffy's run ins with authority. |
| "Mom's Apple Pie" | Commentary on aspects of family life and in particular the relationship between Buffy and Joyce. |
| "Denial Thy Name is Joyce" | Details of Buffy's mother's abilities in self-delusion. |
| "It's a Designer Label" | Details of fashion tips, statements and victims. |
| "References" | Brings attention to subtle and unsubtle cultural references. |
| "Geek-Speak" | Notes cultural references from the Trio (Warren Mears, Andrew Wells & Jonathan Levinson) |
| "Bitch!" | Notes moments of female meanness. |
| "Awesome!" | Notes Topping's preferred sequences of action, or comedy. |
| "Valley-Speak" | Notes the speech patterns of Californian teens. |
| "Cigarettes and Alcohol" | Notes teenage naughtiness. |
| "Logic Let Me Introduce You to This Window" | Goofs and errors in continuity. |
| "I Just Love Your Accent" | Commentary on perceptions of Britain and Britishness. |
| "Quote/Unquote" | Topping's preferred dialogue. |
Hollywood Vampire[edit]
| Author | Keith Topping |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | |
| Publisher | Virgin Publishing |
Publication date | February 2004 |
| Pages | 432 |
Hollywood Vampire has gone through several editions, the most comprehensive of which (February 2004), includes Angel seasons 1–4. The 228-page guide to Angel Season 5, Hollywood Vampire: The Apocalypse, also by Topping, was released in May 2005.
The layout of the guide follows that of Slayer using categories for each episode, some of which are different than its predecessor:
| "Hollywood Vampire" categories | Information |
|---|---|
| "Dreaming (As Buffy often proved) is Free" | Commentary on dream sequences. |
| "Dudes and Babes" | Commentary on "who's hot and who's not"[1] |
| "It's a Designer Label" | Details of fashion tips, statements and victims. |
| "References" | Brings attention to subtle and unsubtle cultural references. |
| "West Hollywood" | Notes humorous references to Angel's sexuality. |
| "The Charisma Show" | Notes important Cordelia scenes. |
| "L.A.-Speak" | Notes the speech patterns of wealthy Californians. |
| "There's a Ghost in my House" | Appearances from Phantom Dennis. |
| "Sex, Drugs, and Rock'n Roll" | Mentions of characters walking on the wilder side of life. |
| "Logic Let Me Introduce You to This Window" | Goofs and errors in continuity. |
| "I Just Love Your Accent" | Commentary on perceptions of Britain and Britishness. |
| "Quote/Unquote" | Topping's preferred dialogue. |
Nikki Stafford[edit]
Nikki Stafford has written guides on both Buffy (Bite Me) and Angel (Once Bitten).
Bite Me[edit]
| Author | Nikki Stafford |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | |
| Publisher | ECW Press |
Publication date | September 2002 |
| Pages | 450 |
The most recent edition (September 2002) includes Seasons 1-6. It also gives capsule reviews to Angel (Seasons 1-3). Additionally it includes behind scenes information, and a biography of Sarah Michelle Gellar.
Once Bitten[edit]
| Author | Nikki Stafford |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | |
| Publisher | Ecw Press |
Publication date | October 28, 2004 |
| Pages | 300 |
A guide to Angel seasons 1-5. Features a history of the show, a section profiling the best websites, a look at Buffy and Angel's recognition in academic circles, behind-the-scenes information.
Dusted[edit]
| Author | Lawrence Miles, Pearson Lars, Dickson Christa |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | |
| Publisher | Mad Norwegian Press |
Publication date | November 2003 |
| Pages | 336 |
Lawrence Miles, who usually focuses on fiction, here offers his opinions on seven seasons of Buffy. The guide contains a comprehensive episode guide and a brief guide to the Buffy comics and novels that had been published prior to 2003.
The Girl's Got Bite[edit]
| Author | Kathleen Tracy |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | |
| Publisher | Griffin |
Publication date | May 2003 |
| Pages | 384 |
The second edition (May 2003) of this book covers up to mid-way through the seventh season of Buffy (and therefore is not a guide to the entirety of the series) and features episode guides, cast biographies, Buffy trivia and behind-the-scenes anecdotes.
Footnotes[edit]
External links[edit]
Official guides[edit]
- Nika-summers.com - Review of Watcher's Guides I
- Revolutionsf.com - Review of Watcher's Guides I
- Nika-summers.com - Review of Watcher's Guides II
- The11thhour.com - Review of Watcher's Guides II
Unofficial guides[edit]
- Nika-summers.com - Review of The Girl's Got Bite (2003 edition)
- Nika-summers.com - Review of Monster Book
- Cityofangel.com - Article about Nikki Stanford and her book, Once Bitten
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