Issue One begins with a den of demons plotting to intercept Melaka Fray. She is the first Slayer to be called in two centuries, something they suspect will change her nice, quiet life forever, and they want to get to her before the Watchers' Council can take charge of her. Urkonn will deal with her. And the demon we presume to be Urkonn is a great, hulking wall with curling horns and a winning scowl. Oh, and did I mention this den is littered with scores of dessicated corpses? Yeah, it's a cozy little summer home.
Melaka's "nice quiet life", however, involves plummeting off a skyscraper, stolen jewelry in hand, ray gun blazing. And I pause a moment to catch my breath as I fall hopelessly in love with the artwork in this book. Mel tells us... "Bad day. Started bad, stayed that way... but Ruebrin's boys showing up and tossing me off the roof, that was... well, actually, that was kind of fun." Then she fills us in on her survival plan, which involves bouncing off every flying car between her and the ground to make the fall more gradual, then landing on her feet. An amazing and gusty plan, executed flawlessly, except for the part where she lands on her face. Ow. While she tries to shake it off, the aforementioned guys reach her on the street, having employed the far more sensible "take the elevator" method. She makes quick work of a steroid-pumped brute who seemed to think the concrete facial didn't offer her quite enough pounding. Then she wheels to face the other guy...
She doesn't actually kill the guy, but she makes a pretty strong argument for laying off her and her boss Gunther. She also refers to the district where she lives as Haddyn, presumably the fair city of Manhattan. In 200 years, with flying cars, ray guns, and genetically enhanced thugs. One more display of her Slayer-to-be strength, and she's off to bring Gunther the necklace she grabbed.
Gunther apparently likes to make an entrance. He's also apparently a "radie" - one of a great number of people who have been mutated, either directly or through heredity, by increased solar radiation. To be specific, Gunther's a big fish-guy living in a tank under the floor who's a little too eager to overpay Mel for the grab. But as she leaves his place, Melaka doesn't have much time to ponder Gunther's sudden generosity, as the lurks have chosen this moment to make their stunning debut. Lurks, of course, being vampires. And not ruggedly handsome Angel or Spike vampires, but grey-skinned, feral dudes with pointed ears and a general disdain for unripped clothing. Mel knows they're bad news, but as the trio closes in on her, she finds herself unable to move. Can't fight, can't run. Frozen.
Fortunately for Melaka, the lights of an approaching police car force their retreat. Unfortunately for Melaka, the cops are there to see her. An officer tries to question her about the earlier theft, but their conversation quickly turns more personal. They've clearly got a history, and the officer, a woman named Erin, insists she's there to try to keep Mel out of trouble. Mel says she can take care of herself, but Erin makes a very pointed comment... "Last I checked, you weren't very good at taking care of anyone." There's a brief flashback of a younger Mel running with a boy in glasses before Mel storms away, cold and angry to the tune of "You bitch."
But as she makes her way home to the slummish district of Versi, she's greeted warmly by an adorable young girl named Loo. Loo is presumably another "radie". She's missing her left forearm, and her right eye is milky white. Her appearance is a little startling, but her enthusiasm and obvious affection for Mel instantly make her just about the cutest kid ever. Actually, that enthusiasm seems to be a medical condition itself, as Loo tells Melaka about her day...
Loo: Mel! We were playing toxo and I caught the bottle three times and Julie said I had a big butt and there was a man came but I said I never heard of you and I had ham for lunch and the man said you got chosen and he had a bald head and Leon pulled my hair... Did you bring me a treat? Mommy said you got drunk last night and had a fight with three men but I was asleep in my bed already then.
Man: Excuse me...
Mel: Folks couldn't afford your meds, huh? Try to focus, Loo, a man came and...
Man: Miss Fray?
Loo: I caught the bottle the most of anyone and that man is there...
Man: Melaka Fray?
Loo: ...but I didn't know who you were is what I told him...
In front of a wall of posters warning the public to "Avoid Lurks", this soggy man tells Melaka that she is chosen, he is unworthy to come before her, and she will save them. Mel, confused but unruffled by the appearance of a funny-smelling, wet, crazy guy, feels maybe he doesn't know what he's talking about, but he's insistent. Seems he's all soggy because he's drenched in gasoline. Odd, that. Odder still when he decides the best way to convince Melaka that he knows what he's talking about is to freaking light himself on fire! Worried his pyrotechnic display is about to burn down the neighborhood, Mel tackles the man off a nearby dock and into the river below. He floats face-down in the water. Most likely dead, what with all the burning himself alive and such. At this point, Melaka decides she's had about all she can take for one day and heads for home, glad that her awful day is finally over. But as she walks into her apartment and clicks on a light, we see the hulking wall of Urkonn looming behind her...
Thoughts:
Issue One has the series off and running with a fast pace and an exciting, intriguing story. There are some mysteries to be solved here. Why has it been so long since there was a Slayer? And as Mel herself asks, "Guy lights himself on fire. What's that all about?" Not to mention, what's up with scary-ass demon guy in Mel's apartment?! Joss has thrown us a lot of information, but his scripting and the great artwork make sure it's not too much to absorb. Melaka is instantly likeable - sassy and daring, in some ways like a kinder-hearted Faith. She's clearly brave and amazingly strong, but her fear of lurks, her painful flashback, and the animosity between her and Erin, make it clear she's got some definite trauma to deal with.
At this point, I've written about 4 things I wanted to say next, but they all sounded like such cliche uber-praise. Problem is, I honestly mean that stuff I was gonna say about "genius", "inspired", "can't wait for next month's issue!" and so forth. Suffice to say, I'm blown away. Fray is incredible.