18 November, 2003
Fray: Future Slayer, Joss Whedon (writing), Karl Moline, Andy Owens (art), (216 pp, PB, 2003)
For those who have been living under a rock for the past few years, Joss Whedon is the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which I watched obsessively for all 7 years of its run. Fray is a graphic novel set in the Buffyverse--or a close alternate reality--some 200 years in the future. Melaka Fray is a 19-year-old theif who finds out that she's the Slayer, and that she has to fight against a Big Bad who wants to destroy the world (or maybe just Melaka's little corner of it).
Overall, it's pretty good. I'll probably buy the bound version when it comes out (I just read this as single issues). Fray's an engaging smart-ass character. Parts of the plot felt kind of rushed, I think this could have easily been a 10-chapter series, rather than just eight. For example, I never really understood why the main villain wants to create Hell on Earth--yeah, he's an evil vampire and all, but so what? He's a fairly interesting character, Whedon could have done worse than exploring his motivations a bit more thoroughly. The story is complete in and of itself, but it does leave room for a sequel, so maybe he'll do so in the future.