‘Clueless’ Comes To Comics From Amber Benson, Sarah Kuhn, and Siobhan Keenan

Clueless, the classic 1995 comedy directed by Amy Heckerling, is the latest beloved property to make the move to comics. The new series from Boom Box is co-written by Amber Benson and Sarah Kuhn, with art by Siobhan Keenan, and sees Cher, Dionne, and Tai --- the characters originally played by Alicia Silverstone, Stacey Dash, and Brittany Murphy, respectively ---- navigating their senior year of high school and contemplating what comes next.

In addition to being a writer, Amber Benson is an actress who you may remember from another '90s phenomenon, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, where she played Tara McClay for three seasons. And she has a personal connection to Clueless, because she auditioned to be in it. She told Vanity Fair:

I was 17 when I auditioned for Clueless and, sadly, didn't get a part. But I remember reading the script—tentatively titled As If—and thinking: If they do this right, they are going to kick some serious butt. So I wasn't shocked when Clueless turned out to be a pop-culture phenomenon. All these years later, I am tickled that I finally get to be a part of its continuing legacy, and that I get to collaborate with two people I respect greatly: my co-writer Sarah Kuhn and our editor Shannon Watters.

For her part, Sarah Kuhn is also enthusiastic about the project and her involvement in it:

Clueless is one of my favorite movies of all time—I love [director] Amy Heckerling's whip-smart use of language, her clever take on Austen, and the strong bonds she created between vibrant, awesome female characters,” added Kuhn. “And I love that Cher Horowitz is a heroine who takes on every obstacle she faces with a unique combination of ingenuity, positivity, and the ability to pull off yellow tartan like nobody else. Getting to write these characters is both a total dream come true and an incredible challenge and I hope we’re doing Cher, Dionne, and Tai justice—we’re certainly having a ton of fun.

Here's the official word from Boom Studios:

BOOM! Studios is proud to announce CLUELESSis back, in an all-new comic book follow-up to the hit film inspired by Jane Austen’s novel Emma. Starring Alicia Silverstone, Stacey Dash, Paul Rudd, and Brittany Murphy, the 1995 Paramount Pictures’ film defined a generation. This August, the writing duo of actress, filmmaker, and author Amber Benson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Witches of Echo Park, Death’s Daughter) and author Sarah Kuhn (Heroine Complex, Barbie), along with artist Siobhan Keenan (Adventure Time), reunite your favorite girls from Beverly Hills for a story continuing one of Entertainment Weekly’s “new classics” of film.
It’s senior year at Bronson Alcott High School, and Cher, Dionne, and Tai find themselves in a bit of an existential crisis: Where are they meant to go, and what are they meant to DO after high school? Luckily they have all year—and each other’s help—to figure it out!

Seeing the further adventures of Tai in particular is oddly touching, as Brittany Murphy passed away in 2009. Clueless #1 comes out this summer, and features a cover by Natacha Bustos.