I am – Hercules!!

December 9, 2003

thedigitalbits.com reported Thursday that this is the release date for both the comprehensive “Firefly” DVD and the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” season-five DVD.

Herc watched all three of the unaired “Firefly” installments over the weekend, and he’s here to tell you there’s not a stinker in the bunch:

* “Trash,” co-written by “Tick” mastermind Ben Edlund and rookie scribe Jose Molina, finds the Serenity crew teaming with the pretty con-artist from “Our Mrs. Reynolds” to steal a valuable antique raygun. If I’m not confusing my episodes, there’s a hilarious conversation toward the end featuring the Tams and Jayne Cobb.

* Fans of the randy Jayne will also very much enjoy “Heart of Gold,” penned by the mysterious Brent Matthews. Inara’s true feelings about Mal are explored as the gang defends a black-market whorehouse (run by one of Inara’s old companion-school pals) against a vengeful rich redneck.

* “The Message,” directed by Tim Minear from a teleplay by Minear and Joss Whedon, kicks off when Mal and Zoe find an old war buddy in their mailbox.

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In other “Buffy”-related DVD news, “Chance,” the dark romantic comedy feature written and directed by Amber Benson (and starring Benson, James “Spike” Marsters, Andy “Lorne” Hallett and David “Mr. Mustard” Fury), is now available! Learn how to obtain your copy here!

As long as we’re plugging stuff, please note that Amber’s impossibly prolific frequent collaborator, Christopher Golden, just saw publication of “The Gathering Dark,” the fourth novel in his “Shadow Saga” series about a heroic ex-vampire. View the cover and read the prologue at www.christophergolden.com. Amber and Christopher will also have a new “Ghosts of Albion” prose novella serialized on the BBC website this month, while his new “Dr. Fate” series for DC Comics is due any minute now, and the new “Buffy” videogame he scripted, “Chaos Bleeds,” is due next month. Whew!

I am – Hercules!!