As anyone who spent the summer of 1999 squinting at a blurry, pixilated version of "Earshot" or "Graduation, Part 2" well knows, being a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer can seem a bit of a challenge. From the WB's post-Columbine postponement of two episodes (including the season finale) to the ensuing outcry over said episodes' widespread availability in bootlegged VHS or downloadable RealVideo forms, Buffy's controversial year has brought an ongoing struggle between a devoted internet fan base and a techno-weary executive order into the foreground. Rarely has the line between dedicated fan and corporate network seemed so firmly demarcated as when Buffy producer Joss Whedon sheepishly announced, "I'm having a Grateful Dead moment here, but I'm saying, 'Bootleg the puppy!'" when informed of the Buffy fan base's breach of studio protocol.

After a Canadian airing which resulted in an explosion of ready-made bootlegs, "Graduation Day, Part 2" finally made its way to the US July 13, but by then there were few who hadn't seen it well in advance. Adding to the concern over a widely available Buffy which yielded absolutely no advertising revenue was the sheer outspokenness of the Buffy fan base in condemning the season finale's postponement. Within days of the decision, protest groups like "Stand Up For Buffy" were formed, a full-page ads bemoaning the move appeared in Variety and editorials expressing bewilderment over the notion of a 60-foot serpent inciting school violence were written in publications such as this one (Staked Through The Heart, from Issue 1). Shortly after, the WB aired "Graduation Day, Part 2" and announced the air date for "Earshot", but it was at this time that a different network began to retaliate.

"We received the letter on July 30, 1999," recalls J.T. Tomarazzo, co-creator of Slayme.com, a popular Buffy fan site best-known for its prolific media archive. "We were sent a C & D [Cease and Desist] letter by both e-mail and certified mail. At first, I thought they had contacted us due to the full-length video files. As I read more and more into the letter, however, I began to realize that there was much more than just the full-length video files that were a problem." The problem, essentially, was the site itself, a detailed and elaborate collection of video clips, sound clips, transcripts, screen shots and more designed to accommodate those Buffy fans who may have only began to turn in during a later season. Tomarazzo adds, "I saw their request to remove the video clips, screen shots and fan site links as a joke."

"They" are the Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, and as it turns out, they are far from joking. Slayme.com -- who promptly removed all the full-length episode files as well as an archive of over 300 episode video clips -- is only one of many sites forced to remove or alter content over the past few months. Of course, there were also those who didn't even have that option: "I've never actually received a letter from Fox," informs Christy Z., co-creator of Buffy Unlimited. "Instead they went through my web host [http://www.matrixcubed.net]. They then deleted all my files and canceled my account without prior notice! Needless to say, I was quite surprised and very upset." It wasn't until weeks after the elimination of Buffy Unlimited -- which is now hosted by Slayme.com -- that Christy heard from the corporation: "After a couple of weeks of constant e-mails I finally received a vague reply telling me that my site contained copyrighted material and used up too much bandwidth." No explanation was given as to why her site -- which had been active since February 1999 -- was now suddenly singled out for copyright violation. But then again, this wasn't the first time Fox had breached such an incongruous assault against its own source of revenue.