Fray

POSTED BY: Zicsoft
UPDATED: Wednesday, June 19, 2002 05:28
VIEWED: 12776
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ZICSOFT

Friday, June 14, 2002 11:50 PM

Anybody besides me read Fray?

http://www.darkhorse.com/news/features/pg_feview/z_buffy/sku_00018/ite
m_00018c/X_0/

I'm not big on comics, but I think a serious Buffy fan has to read these. Makes you appreciate Whedon's writing a bit more. We all know he's good at dialog, but when we hear it on TV, we tend to give more credit to the actors. You read the lines he writes for characters you've never met before, and you understand his ear for voices.

NOVAGRASS

Saturday, June 15, 2002 12:14 AM

I read Fray.

I love Fray.

I'm a... fairly well versed comic book guy (borderline comic book geek.) Unfortunately, there's a lot lacking in modern comic storytelling... with atrocities like Ultimate Spider-Man ruling the market. The only *good* modern comics were released pre-2000 (i.e. Sin City, Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, etc).

Fray is one of the few lights in modern comics. It continues to have fresh stories, compelling characters, interesting story development, and fantastic dialogue... all of which are very rare in the current state of comics, let alone a combination of any of the afformentioned points.

From a Buffy fan standpoint, I can say that a lot of great foreshadowing is given for the future of Buffy... some of which could end very sadly. A true necessity for any Buffy fan.

Overall, I recommend this to anyone who likes good storytelling. You'll find something to like if you don't like comics... and you'll find something to love even if you aren'y a Buffy fan. It's really a great series.

--Dylan Palmer, aka NoVaGrAsS--

... I guess it's a Joss thing...

HAKEN

Saturday, June 15, 2002 12:18 AM

I really want to read it, but I can't get any of the earlier issues, and they're supposedly on their second printing. I guess I'll just have to wait till the series conclude next month and get the trade paperback when they release it.

I did, however, get to read JMS's Amazing Spiderman recently. It's awesome.

ZICSOFT

Saturday, June 15, 2002 6:57 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Haken:
I really want to read it, but I can't get any of the earlier issues, and they're supposedly on their second printing.

Yeah. Dark House seems to cater to collectors rather than readers. Which makes sense, I guess, since who else is going to pay three bucks for something you can read in 10 minutes? But it means short print runs. I bought the second printing of 1 through 3, am really anxious to read the rest. But they've sold out the first run of #4, haven't done a second, and now they've sold out the second run of #1 -- all before they've even gotten round to printing #7 and #8 at all!

You can usually get out-of-print DHs on Ebay for a resonable price. But it's a pain -- you have to do a lot of searching, and a lot of the sellers are a pain to deal with.

NOFETSUR

Sunday, June 16, 2002 1:50 PM

I initially had my doubts about Fray (as far as the writing's concerned - the artwork has not only been consistently good from the start but also improving issue by issue), but #5 changed everything for me.

Dark Horse should have a paperback collection out by the end of the year. I have to say their promotion of this book has been terrible. They barely explained it to retailers (who are the ones who buy the book from them - #1 sold out in all stores very quickly because retailers under-ordered), and the best publicity it got was Joss Whedon going onto the internet begging people to buy it. If Joss is reading this: have Xander read an issue in the background of a Buffy! That should raise awareness of the book (at the very least, by getting mentions in the numerous episode guides...).

As for Ultimate Spider-Man, what are you talking about? Sure, it's revisionist, but it's actually very well written and it's getting a lot of newcomers into reading comics. Just because you disagree with its principle doesn't make it poor quality.

HAKEN

Sunday, June 16, 2002 3:28 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Nofetsur:
As for Ultimate Spider-Man, what are you talking about? Sure, it's revisionist, but it's actually very well written and it's getting a lot of newcomers into reading comics. Just because you disagree with its principle doesn't make it poor quality.

Huh? I don't think anyone here said that Ultimate Spiderman was poor quality.

If you were referring to what I said about the "Amazing Spiderman" written by B5 creator, J. Michael Straczynski, I said it was awesome and a highly recommended read.

NOVAGRASS

Sunday, June 16, 2002 5:14 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Haken:
Quote:
Originally posted by Nofetsur:
As for Ultimate Spider-Man, what are you talking about? Sure, it's revisionist, but it's actually very well written and it's getting a lot of newcomers into reading comics. Just because you disagree with its principle doesn't make it poor quality.

Huh? I don't think anyone here said that Ultimate Spiderman was poor quality.

If you were referring to what I said about the "Amazing Spiderman" written by B5 creator, J. Michael Straczynski, I said it was awesome and a highly recommended read.

It was me... I don't like Ultimate Spider-Man.

Not because it's revisionist... the fact that it is revisionist is really the only good thing about the book, IMO. (well, that and the drawings are *great*)

First, I think it's pretty poorly written. To me, Brian Michael Bendis is probably the most overrated writer in comics today. His style is jumbled and doesn't flow well, his characters are under-drawn and far from compelling. I tried out Alias, after reading USM to see if it was just the forum in which he's writing that turned me off, but I found very little to like in that book as well.

Second, I believe that the book is a blatant attempt to gain new readers by pandering to the lowest common denomenator. Sure, a lot of intelligent people may enjoy the book, but I feel that the writing style has been developed to appeal mostly to pre-teen readers, namely, the pop-MTV generation.

Third, my opinion is that Bendis completely missed the character of Peter Parker. I understand that this is a revisionist story, but Marvel claims that they are simply taking the same characters and putting them in modern day situations. In order to do this, you must develop the same character... and Bendis failed miserably in this regard. He has ignored the charms of the characters, the beauty their relationships.

The way I see it, the Spider-Man movie was a far superior interpretation of the characters. When I see Spider-man, I want to be filled with childhood awe. Ultimate Spider-Man does not give me this feeling, instead, it feels like a trite attempt to gain faltering revenue for a faltering comic company.

I enjoyed MJS's Amazing Spider-Man... I think he hit the characters spot-on. The only other thing I find interesting over at Marvel these days is Morrison's New X-Men.

--Dylan Palmer, aka NoVaGrAsS--

"Nice guys can only get so mad." Fillion on Mal

HAKEN

Sunday, June 16, 2002 5:51 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Novagrass:
The only other thing I find interesting over at Marvel these days is Morrison's New X-Men.

What do you think of Ultimate X-Men? I'm reading that (and a few others) right now and that's pretty good.

NOVAGRASS

Sunday, June 16, 2002 6:55 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Haken:
Quote:
Originally posted by Novagrass:
The only other thing I find interesting over at Marvel these days is Morrison's New X-Men.

What do you think of Ultimate X-Men? I'm reading that (and a few others) right now and that's pretty good.

The problem I've always had with X-Men is the fact that there are just too many of them... and you can't get emotionally attached to any of them, IMO.

Ultimate X-Men elimnates this problem, and brings a fresh angle to the characters. I like how it is more character-based than the traditional X-Men comics (Morrison does this better in New X-Men, IMO). I think the UXM writers have some interesting ideas, and are overall better than Brian Michael Bendis (an opinion).

--Dylan Palmer, aka NoVaGrAsS--

"Nice guys can only get so mad." Fillion on Mal

JONWES

Sunday, June 16, 2002 8:05 PM

Yeah, I'd have to say Ultimate X-men v.s. New X-men, I'd go with New X-men. It basically performs the same function as Ultimate X-men without getting rid of the backstory, and without the silly attempt to be all "hip."

I can't say I much like the X characters as presented in Ultimate X. New X-men, however has me enthralled.

And if you all want superior X action, hell superior comic writing period - check out one of the best written comic books out - X-Force. I only read a select few comics with any regularity anymore and it's Captain Marvel, Supergirl (both by Peter David), X-Force and New X-men.

Jon

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