Fray

Once again, Joss Whedon is a genius. Previous slayer knowledge isn't needed to enjoy Fray but Buffy fans will certainly love it. I only wish Joss had written more issues in this world. ( )

Girls & Monsters & Flying Cars

In a world long without magicks and demons, what’s a Slayer to do?

If you’re 19-year-old Melaka Fray, you put your superhuman strength, dexterity, and resilience to use as a professional thief. Or “grabber,” in future slang. That it just so happens to frustrate your estranged big sister, who was recently promoted to sergeant in “the laws,” to no end? Icing on the cake!

Set in New York City hundreds of years in the future, Fray introduces us to a world (mostly) free of vampires. Locked away in another dimension by an unnamed 21st century Slayer, they’ve gradually and inexplicably been resurfacing in Mel’s neighborhood. Seemingly harmless and commonly mistaken for drug addicts or human mutants (which all too common given the regrettable state of the environment), few have paid these “lurkers” any mind. That is, until they begin to plot to open a gate to hell – and the next Slayer is called. Unfortunately, all the Watchers have since been bored into madness, and Mel’s hapless Watcher sets himself on fire at their first meeting. Standing in as Mel’s trainer and mentor is Urkonn, a goat-like demon with a mean punch and a shady agenda.

Though firmly rooted in the Buffyverse, Fray easily stands on its own. (One need not have prior experience with Buffy or Angel to enjoy Fray – though it’s highly recommended!) While the story is familiar – girl meets vampire, girl kills vampire – here it gets a futuristic makeover. Witty like a certain blonde we all know and love, Mel is nonetheless her own Slayer: brash, short-tempered, sticky-fingered, always willing to throw a punch for a friend or fellow “freak.” Juxtaposed with a dreary, dilapidated city landscape, Mel practically jumps off the page in her vivid blues, purples, and greens. The artwork contained within these pages is simply stunning.

I also appreciate Joss’s care in creating Mel. His main rule: “No cheesecake. No giant silicone hooters, no standing with her butt out in that bizarrely uncomfortable soft-core pose so many artists favor. None of those outfits that casually – and constantly - reveal portions of a thong.” While Mel’s pants sometimes seem to ride a little low, I think Joss and his team mostly succeeded. Mel is lithe and sexy (I covet her biceps!), without being reduced to some cartoonish male fantasy.

Mel’s supporting cast of characters is almost as memorable as the Slayer: Urkonn makes for an imposing Watcher (the biggest “guard dog” ever); boss Gunther is ssssimply captivating; Erin, Mel’s sister, is one BAMF; Harth’s story provides an interesting twist to the Slayer mythology; and Loo. Oh, Loo.

The story ends on a vaguely unfinished note, with paths left open to multiple future storylines. Sequel please?

My only complaint is the casual use of the word rape, i.e., to describe something that most definitely does not constitute rape: “[War is] decency raped to death.” While war is inarguably brutal and destructive, one cannot “rape” an abstract, intangible idea or concept like decency. Decency can be corrupted, twisted, or misused, but “raped”? Let’s save that verb for the sexual violation of live animal bodies, mkay? ( )

I picked this up as a total impulse purchase at the comic store – I liked the cover, it looked interesting based on the blurb on the back, I’d never read it or heard of it. So I was not really conscious of this being a Thing I Should Read. But apparently it is, at least for anyone who is a fan of Joss Whedon. (Which I am not, really – I like some of the things he’s done but not everything.)

I never finished watching Buffy – I LOVED the show while they were in high school, but I think it kind of fell apart when they all went to college. And by the time it got to the last season of the show I was not living somewhere with access to cable tv.

This is a far future story about another Slayer, who is personally awesome, as all Slayers are. I like it, and her, a lot. I really like her sister and family. I love her demon helper. I kind of love Fray’s hair. If I didn’t have to have a job, etc. I would want to try that. I really liked the urban fantasy setting – although – how did she never fall, with so much leaping around? And what happened to her Watcher? Are there no more Watchers? They all went crazy?

I was not enamored with the vampires/lurks. The main guy was too much like Spike, I thought. All the other ones were kind of sketched in. I did like that they were evil and not the lovable cuddly versions of vampires that seem more common now.

I did like the variety of other species/demons included. The water breathing crime boss especially. (Who reminded me of an evil version of Abe Sapien.) ( )

In the midst of reading Buffy Season Eight, I learned that Fray was going to make an appearance, so I figured I'd acquaint myself with her story before she dropped in. This graphic novel immediately draws you in, but doesn't take you anywhere too deep. You learn who she is, a hard ass street kid who gets by how she can. Just as you get to know her, the conflict begins and before you know it the ride is over. The character is in interesting, the story is engaging, and the art is phenomenal. Moline's drawings and the phenomenal colors really make this world come alive. Whedon really has something here, but it's really only enough to whet the appetite. A sequel could really be mind blowing. Even if Fray seems rushed, it's still holds up better than parts of Season Eight. ( )

Hundred of years after Buffy has unleashed the power of all the slayers, somehow magic has removed itself from the world. There has not been a slayer for a very long time, the Watcher's Council has gone a little crazy, and even the term vampire is not to be found in the language; now they're known as lurks.
Melaka Fray is a young woman in a HUGE city who makes her money thieving for a mutant client when she's approached by a large demon and told she is the slayer. She has no idea what this means, no prophetic dreams, no greater sense of purpose, but she certainly has the physical abilities of one. The lurks are slowly gaining in numbers and seeking a takeover, directed by an unknown leader. She needs to figure out what this destiny means, fight the lurks (armed with the legendary scythe), and evade her cop sister and haunting memories.
We've gotten yet another spin on what a Slayer can and cannot be. I'm in the midst of reading Season 8 as well, and I wonder how that storyline may progress to lead to this kind of future. ( )