Fray
by Joss Whedon
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Book Summary Information
Author: Joss WhedonBrand: Books
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2003-12-08
ISBN: 1569717516
Number of pages: 216
Publisher: Dark Horse
Book Reviews of Fray
Book Review: "This is Not a Good Day for My Face..."
Summary: 5 Stars
It is two hundred years into the future. There is no more magic, no more demons, no more slayers. In the poverty-stricken underbelly of Haddyn there still linger some vampires (known as "lurks"), but in a world where genetic mutation is the norm, they are simply seen as feral drug-addicts. It is a very different world from the one we remember from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", and as Joss Whedon puts it in his introduction, this is his standard vision for the future: "the rich get richer, the poor get poorer, and there are flying cars."
This is the world that Melaka Fray lives in, a young girl with some rather remarkable physical abilities. Not that she really cares; it's just that her uncanny strength and agility make her job as a top-class thief a whole lot easier. But of course, (as it did for Buffy) fate has other plans and soon she is approached by the colossal demon Urkonn who introduces himself as her new Watcher. Demons - the not-so-good kind - have found a way back into the world, and as a result the Slayer line (which has lay dormant for generations) has been activated once more in Fray.
But Urkonn has found a surprising obstacle in the teaching and training of Melaka. Here is a girl who cannot conceive a reason as to why anyone would want to hunt down and kill vampires - she doesn't even know what a vampire is! There are further complications; unlike the other Slayers of centuries past, Melaka has not inherited the instinctual knowledge of her heritage. She has no psychic dreams, no innate sense of good and evil, no deep awareness of the line of girls that have gone before her. Urkonn cannot figure out why; till we discover that Melaka had a twin brother. Perhaps the abilities of the Slayer has somehow been...split.
In any case, it means there is a drastic disadvantage in the situation of the newly-found Slayer. And with a new cult of vampires growing (one which has a personal vendetta to settle with Melaka) who plan on once again releasing demons into our dimension, time is running out for Melaka to assume her position as The Chosen One.
This is a fantastic comic book...oops, graphic novel. Even if you have never watched a single episode of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", you are guaranteed to enjoy this action-packed story. It's got everything; great characterisation, an engaging plot, plenty of twists and turns and stunningly beautiful artwork. It's also surprisingly poignant, sometimes tragic and darn funny to boot - but what else would you expect from Joss Whedon? For everyone else who *is* familiar with "Buffy", we are treated to a brand new take on the Slayer mythology as well as an expansion of the Buffyverse. Some familiar concepts pop up, such as the First Slayer, the history of the Watchers and the scythe, and we are given the creation of Melaka Fray. With all the strength, vulnerability, wit and loyalty of our favourite blonde from Sunnydale, she is also a new character in her own right. Much more hardened than Buffy, she is less reluctant to embrace her role as a Slayer - once she can get her head around the subject. With the absence of a `normal life' to strive for, Melaka is more blasé about her newfound fate, and certainly less resentful of it. With a slightly lesser sense of morality than Buffy (can you imagine Buffy choosing thievery as a way to make her living?) Melaka is still intensely loveable and backed up by a steady stream of co-stars. From the stoic and straight-faced Urkonn, to her beautiful sister police-sergeant Erin, to her radiation-mutated boss Gunther (I'll let you discover him on your own) they're all unforgettable.
Karl Moline and Andy Owens' work on capturing the atmosphere and movement of this new world is perfect. Everything looks gritty and realistic, and yet still appealing in its colour and the skill with which its been created. Of course, Melaka herself is the centrepiece of the novel, and her every gesture, every facial expression, every posture is spot-on. Much of the comedy is situated in the placement and timing of the panels, and though a few details escaped my notice the first time around (such as the fact that Loo's parents were prepared to use their last two bullets to commit suicide) it is a testimony to the depth of the artwork that you can find something new every time you look through it.
Of course now that that "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" series is complete, there are a few...not continuity flaws exactly, but interesting gaps in the story that have yet to be filled. For example, our knowledge on the contemporary world and its Slayer is related to us by Urkonn, who is sketchy on the details. He tells us that: "A Slayer, possibly with some mystical allies, faced an apocalyptic army of demons. They were gone. All demons, all magicks, banished from this earthly dimension." She was the last to be called until Melaka, and he doesn't know what happened to her (but the panel depicting this events indicates that she was sucked into another dimension along with the demons). So, was this Buffy? And if it was, what happened to all the other Slayers that Willow's spell activated? Is this the same demon army that was unleashed in the season finale of "Angel"? Sadly those answers are saved for another day. But I can't wait to find out.
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