Fanlore:Featured Article Archives/2024: Week 19

The Barbverse by Barb Cummings, is a sprawling alternate universe series branching from Buffy the Vampire Slayer canon after 'The Gift', in which Buffy's resurrection comes about differently. There are three novels (one incomplete), eight novellas and a wealth of shorter material spanning half a century, written over 20 years and totalling over 1,000,000 words. The series brings in almost the entire cast of BtVS and AtS, plus original characters, with the main pairing being Buffy/Spike. The writing has been described as plotty, detailed and inventive.

Stultiloquentia describes the Barbverse as one of the best-known sagas in the fandom, and a B/S classic. The series is widely recommended, with some fans preferring its plot lines to the official seasons 6 & 7. The Barbverse has also been called the ultimate “redemptionista” fic, as a story that suggests Spike can become a good man without a soul. Despite this, the series still found favour with many fans who were not typically fans of Spike or the Spuffy pairing.

Many stories from the series have won awards, including Halo Awards, Spark and Burn Awards, Spuffy Awards and Vampire Kisses Awards. The fic Necessary Evils was Winner for Best Saga at Love's Last Glimpse Awards in 2004.

The author originally posted their works on their personal website and the Spuffy archive Elysian Fields. Barb later crossposted and continued the series at Ao3. While technically incomplete, the author has repeatedly stated that she plans to finish the series.