Think about Whedon

Reading Joss Whedon, edited by Rhonda V. Wilcox, Tanya R. Cochran, Cynthea Masson and David Lavery (Syracuse University Press, $29.95).

No doubt having academic conferences and anthologies of scholarly work devoted to his work both appalls and tickles Joss Whedon, the science fiction/comic book geek with a feminist and literary streak a mile wide.

This collection of essays from Syracuse University Press hits the mark, with thoughtful essays for smart people who like smart stories told well—which basically means “Joss Whedon fans.”

Divided into sections based on his mass-market work (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly/Serenity and Dollhouse); a “Beyond the Box” section for comic books, movies and the Dr. Horrible web-based work; and a final section devoted to over-arching themes across series, the book is organized to allow for quick dipping into the waters of scholarship between viewing marathons.

While the scholars have picked up on the recurring theme that family is what you choose, not what you’re born into, they’ve added some other thematic constants—for example, linking the way that Whedon regularly works with a “company” of actors to the work habits of Shakespeare, and the way that stopping apocalypses (apocalypti?) works as a disaster survival mechanism but requires trust.

Normally, these sorts of scholarly approaches to cultural icons aren’t intended for fans. In this case, though, Whedon seems to attract the sort of literary—and literate—fans who will thoroughly enjoy this collection.

Reviewed on Lit/Rant: www.litrant.tumblr.com ( )

This is the first time I have read peer-reviewed published work on films and filmmaking and it was fun. I live outside the USA and know nothing about Buffy and Angel. I came to the book because of Firefly.

This is a long book with many essays and I did not read them all (some of the Buffy and Angel pieces require a deep knowledge of the shows and I have never seen a single minute). The ones I read presented interesting ideas in an academic style that I am used to. Some of the writers need to learn to simplify a bit (obscurantism in academic writing is frowned upon) but there is lots of food for thought if you are interested in these shows and in Joss Whedon.

I received Reading Joss Whedon by Rhonda V. Wilcox, Tanya R. Cochran, Cynthea Masson and David Lavery (Syracuse University Press) through NetGalley.com. ( )

This was a well-done collection that included distinct sections on his major shows - Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Angel, Dollhouse, and Firefly - and his work in both comic books, webseries (Dr Horrible - hilarious, for anyone who hasn't seen it), and his most recent films, Cabin in the Woods and The Avengers. I really enjoy a lot of Whedon's work, so I thought I would be a good audience for this book, which I received an ARC of from Net Galley. I really loved the essays on Buffy - there was an especially great piece from an academic in the field of disaster studies and her piece looked at the portrayal of disaster victim behavior in Buffy and Angel and how fictional media portrayals of post-disaster behavior influence real-life responses, drawing in examples from Hurricane Katrina and the Haiti earthquake. That was fascinating and revealed to me a whole new field of study I hadn't been aware even existed. I also liked the essays about feminism and Dollhouse, since that show seemed so at odds with Whedon's self-avowed feminism. But for the most part, I simply wasn't the right audience for this book. It was much more "lit-crit" than I had expected and I realized I just wasn't interested in such an extensive exploration of Whedon's work. I do think that anyone interested in popular culture, media studies, or feminist theory would get a lot out of it. But a very serious interest in Whedon's work is definitely required. ( )

A Myrt's Review

Reading Joss Whedon by Rhonda V. Wilcox and et al.

An Academic View of the Works of Joss Whedon

This is not for the casual fan of Joss Whedon's work looking for a collection of behind the scenes anecdotes. This is a compilation of essays analyzing the works of Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly and director of The Avengers to name a very few of his projects. The essays focus on, among other things, the themes, character development, styles, moods, ethos involved in Whedon's works. The essays are presented in a detailed scholarly manner and offer a comprehensive view of Whedon's work, even negative perspectives are presented, particularly in the case of the series Dollhouse. The Fox Network debacle over Firefly is also covered. As a fan of Whedon's work I found these essays offered a fascinating view and I plan to go back and rewatch several series with an new awareness. This is an absorbing analysis of the works of a true creative genius.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. ( )