signed 8x10 photo of Amber Benson as Tara Maclay

Who is this? Actress and author Amber Benson
What is this? A signed 8x10 photo of Benson as Tara from the television series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"
Where'd I get it? The unsigned photo was purchased from an eBay seller last month. Benson signed it for me yesterday at a book signing at Midtown Comics in New York.
How much did it cost? The photo was around $8 shipped, but the autograph was free.


Why is this so special? "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" remains one of my favorite television series even though it's been almost 8 years since the series finale aired. Despite the silly premise, the stories were (generally) well-written and the actors made the characters seem very real.

Since Buffy wrapped up, Benson has produced, directed and appeared in several independent films and has guest-starred in other television shows. She's also written several novels and some comic book stories. The Midtown Comics appearance was to promote "Serpent's Storm," the latest Calliope Reaper-Jones novel. The urban fantasy series is about Death's daughter, who would prefer to be a regular girl but finds herself drawn into all sorts of supernatural stuff.

Given the number of autographs she's signed over the years, it's hardly a surprise that Benson's signature is little more than a smiley face and the letter "A". What is a pleasant surprise is that she still takes the time to talk to her fans and personalize the autographs.