Melaka Fray is a tough chick living a life of crime in the huge cities of the future, stealing to survive and enjoying the occasional bar fight for variety. Sure, her police sister gets on her back, and yeah, she wishes she weren't haunted by the death of her twin brother a few years earlier, but for the most part Mel lives in the moment, kicking ass and taking names while pulling off a fantastic blue-and-pink hairstyle. This all changes the day Urkonn, a huge, demonic, "sarcastic goat-thing" steps in and informs Melaka that she is the latest in the line of the Slayers, and that it is her destiny to combat the vampire scourge. Her response? "What's a vampire?"
Slowly, though, pushed on by a will to avenge her brother's murder, Mel begins to take up the mantle she is meant to. It's not enough to pick off the hunters in the alleys, however. A war is coming, one that will test Mel's emotional fortitude even more than her physical strength as she is brought up against an enemy she never expected to have to face.
I have decided that Joss Whedon is God and that nothing he does is wrong. This may sound fanatical, but I'm basing that supposition on the fact that, to date, I have found nothing that he is done that was wrong. Fray is one of the better not-wrong things in his portfolio. If you loved Buffy the Vampire Slayer, you will probably enjoy this book. If you enjoy science fiction more than fantasy, you will be pleasantly surprised to find flying cars, ray guns, and sprawling, futuristic urban decay alongside the vampires and creepities. If you just want a kickass heroine who doesn't take any crap, well, you already know that Joss Whedon supplies those without the ridiculous man-contrived accoutrements such as double-D breasts and skimpy, oft-torn clothing (God bless him). Also, there's a giant snake. You just can't go wrong with that.
If you have already read Fray, heads up: Mel makes a second appearance in Time of Your Life, the fourth volume of the Season 8 comic series of Buffy. I haven't read it yet, but (see above) Joss Whedon is never wrong, and I have every confidence that it will be fantastic. ( )

Joss Whedon's first series of comic books goes back to the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer but in the far future to follow Melaka Fray who's the last Slayer though she doens't know it. The dark city she lives in is called Haddyn and divided between those who are rich and live above and those below. Her journey to come into her own and help save her city is fraught with complications as she learns what happened to her twin brother and fights with her cop sister, Erin. The violence is hard but well done so that mature reader who's comfortable with vampires will find this an enjoyable read. Melaka Fray is also the kind of heroine that comic books need more of who's strong and herself without needing anyone else and will fight for what she needs. A graphic novel that's worth recommending. ( )

http://books.moonsoar.com/archives/20... ( )

Fray is set hundreds of years in the future, after the last magic (and demons) have left this world. Melaka Fray survives in the lowers of Manhattan as a grabber or petty thief where the only monsters are the result of solar-induced mutation or greed. Although the lurks who inhabit the dark corners are not considered a threat because they are disorganized and cowardly, Fray is haunted by the memories of one lurk who killed her brother. When first a lunatic and then a demon claim Fray is "Chosen" and has a great destiny to hunt vampires, she ignores them until reality slaps her in the face. The story is accessible to those who have never watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer and includes a retelling of how and why Slayers were made.

Adds an interesting layer and story to the Buffy universe. What if the Slayer had a fraternal twin and the Slayer magical powers got split? ( )

Summary: Melaka Fray is just a girl. Born and raised in the slums of a future Manhattan, she works as a minor thief in a city where mutants and monsters raise no more comment than the flying cars. Burdened by the secrets of her past, and with no thought of her future, Melaka is unaware that she is part of a long line of Slayers, and that it is her job - and her destiny - to fight against vampires (now so common that they're called "lurks", and mostly ignored by the authorities) and to protect humanity from a terrible demonic apocalypse.

Review: Who misses Sunnydale? Fray pulls off a seemingly impossible feat - it walks the fine tightrope of managing to be both familiar and novel, to give us something new without disrupting established continuity, and to be recognizable to fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer while still being accessible to newcomers to the the Whedon-verse. If you haven't watched BtVS, a) get on that, but b) Fray is still understandable - she's a petit, sassy, edgy girl with a dark past who kicks some serious monster butt. If you have watched BtVS, well, Fray's a petit, sassy, edgy girl with a dark past and a long history who kicks some serious monster butt. (Personally, I think she's more like Faith than like Buffy - that'd be the tough-girl/bad-past side coming out - but regardless, she's still a Slayer, with all of the attendant issues of separateness and loneliness and loss that we watched our girls struggle with for seven seasons.)

As a story, Fray reads like the story arc of a season of Buffy, condensed down and minus the more one-off episodes. It's recognizeably a Joss Whedon story, complete with plenty of snarky humor, witty dialogue, a unique (and catchy) argot in the speech patterns of the characters, and plenty of action. Joss, as usual, also doesn't pull any punches in the drama department - even apart from all of the demons and monsters, life for his characters is not particularly pleasant. By the end, things aren't exactly resolved - like in Buffy, averting one apocalypse is no guarantee that another one isn't right around the corner - so it was a little unsatisfying... but unsatisfying in the way that means that we're left wanting more of Fray's world, and its tiny, butt-kicking heroine. 4 out of 5 stars.

Recommendation: For Buffy fans, it's practically required reading, and it would serve as a good introduction to graphic novels for those who haven't encountered them before. For other folks, it's a fun story featuring a very different kind of superhero, and because it's a one-off, it can be picked up and enjoyed without having extensive background knowledge, and without committing to a series. ( )

High adventure graphic novel that follows Melaka Fray, the newest vampire slayer, as she learns who she is and takes on the lurks (vampires) of the underworld. Wonderful artwork, fast paced story, a ton of fun and easy to read, Fray's only downfall is it's somewhat predictable storyline. ( )

graphic novel ( )

Set in a future world where magic and demons have been banished from the human dimension, Fray chronicles the emergence of the next Slayer as demons begin to cross over again. First let me say that I will read/watch pretty much anything that Joss Whedon puts his name to, I think he is one of the most creative and talented artists of the 21st century. Fray is a departure from the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, yet retains some interesting similarities. Fray is no middle class girl from a good home, she is a thief and a fighter. In many ways Fray could not be more different from Buffy yet she faces the same challenges and betrayals of all the slayers before her: slay, protect, survive. ( )

Soooooo awesome! Fray is a thief, lives in a *really* bad neighborhood (and world, really), and is a slayer but doesn't know it. Oh, and she totally kicks butt. This is many years after Buffy, and though vampires are still around, no one knows them by that name anymore - they're simply "lurks" who hide out in the slums, and so are left alone. Fray is tough and scrappy, but messed up, and she's a very convincing reluctant hero. Excellent for those who miss Buffy, adore vampires, or simply want an action-packed horror comic. It won't disappoint. ( )

Kearsten says: Soooooo awesome! Fray is a thief, lives in a *really* bad neighborhood (and world, really), and is a slayer but doesn't know it. Oh, and she totally kicks butt. This is many years after Buffy, and though vampires are still around, no one knows them by that name anymore - they're simply "lurks" who hide out in the slums, and so are left alone. Fray is tough and scrappy, but messed up, and she's a very convincing reluctant hero. Excellent for those who miss Buffy, adore vampires, or simply want an action-packed horror comic. It won't disappoint. ( )

A graphic novel set in the future of the Buffy/Angel universe. It concerns the adventures of a young woman named Melaka Fray, who, as it turns out, is the first Slayer to be called in several centuries.

The book's production values are high, both physically (good quality paper and colors) and art-wise. Both the storyline and art are very good. There are a couple of surprisingly graphic bits where some really dark things happening. Those caught me by surprise, though they shouldn't have. Joss Whedon has never been one to pull punches. In his work, bad things really do happen to good people. Some of the future-speak gets a little thick (especially at the beginning when the reader isn't yet conversant in it), and that makes following the dialogue a little tougher than it had to be. That factor also makes it a little harder for Joss to come up with that witty banter we've come to expect. I won't spoiler the plot, except to say that Fray is a tough chick (I might describe her as having Buffy's moral inner core with Faith's streetwise background) who quickly uses her newfound Slayer abilities to take on the future Big Bad. Good stuff.

I recommend the book to any fan of Buffy who isn't allergic to comic books. It's worth your time and money to pick this one up. It won't change your life, but it's a fun way to pass an afternoon. Also, if you are reading the ongoing Buffy Dark Horse comic series, and haven't yet read this, you should. At some point, you're going to hit a cross-over story arc involving Buffy meeting Fray in the future and it won't make a heck of a lot of sense unless you've already read this one.

Review copyright 2008 J. Andrew Byers ( )

A graphic novel of a future slayer. She's tough, gorgeous, complex and far more interesting than Buffy ever was. A future world where there are enough mutants that no-one cares if you have fangs what with the scales and fins. Fray has the strength but not the dreams of a 'destiny' and is leery of 'lurks' after they killed her brother. Tres cool.

Buffy 2.0

Graphic novel. This is a very well done work. The premise is that the door was closed in the 21st century but now demons are trickling back in, and a Slayer is called. But she has a twin brother who becomes a vampire...and things are complicated.

pretty cool concept. ( )

A graphic novel about vampire slayers by Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, this novel has the same wry humor, but takes place several hundred years in the future. The slayer has cool futuristic slayer tools. Lots of demons and monsters; a few vampires; tons of blood, gore, and butt-kicking. ( )

I've only started reading graphic novels in the last year or so, so I don't have much to compare this to, but I really loved this story. Even if you've never heard of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, this story would be accessable and enjoyable.

Fray follows Melaka Fray as she is called to her duty as the Slayer. There has been no Slayer for a few hundred years, but a new threat arises, and Mel must become the woman she was born to be.

I especially liked this story because there were questions left to ponder at the end. There was a lot of mythology that was hinted at but not explored, and I think there is definitely room for more Melaka Fray out there.

Being set in the future, Fray feels a lot like Buffy meets Blade Runner. ( )

Too bad they didn't do a spin off series for this. Joss Whedon envisioned the Slayer as an going heroine - it didn't end with Buffy. This story is sset well into the future when the knowledge of the Slayer's very existence has been lost. But, a new slayer has arisen, and her name is Fray. Excellent! ( )

This is a decent story, but nothing that exciting. Melaka Fray is a cross between Dark Angel, Faith and Tank Girl, if you want a comparison.

In the future, there are plenty of mutants, so vampires go less remarked on than they would if they wandered around in the current day.

She has no Watcher, except for a demon that turns up to tell her a few things. Apparently being born with a twin brother has done a few odd things.

Her sister is a cop, which also gives her grief, and the vampires are growing in nmumbers and organising.

http://graphicsf.blogspot.com/2007/04... ( )

This was terrific. Great pictures, good story, very fun read. ( )

Vampire slayer tales from a dystopian future. Enjoyable, but not essential. ( )

Melaka Fray is an extremely strong, agile and skilled cat burglar or "grabber". Little does she know that she is the chosen one to fight vampires.

Graphic novels, like movies, can fall into the trap of beautiful looks and puny plot. However, Joss Whedon did a great job combining the art, story and character.

When dealing with imaginary places you have to create your universe and stay absolutely loyal to that vision. You cannot change the physics midway. Thus I appreciate how Whedon approached this chore: Whedon wrote in his forward: “My visions of the future are always pretty much the standard issue: The rich get richer, the poor get poorer and there are flying cars.” This simplicity allowed him to focus on a wonderfully convoluted plot and characters with illustration that work. ( )

This book is well-written and engaging. Also, the artwork is just plain gorgeous. ( )

The slayer legend continues--some 200 years into the future a young girl doesn't know what a vampire or a slayer is but slowly begins to see she has a destiny (must i say it yet again?--Joss Whedon is a genius--just not my favorite medium) ( )