Description
Emma Frost's erratic behavior has the X-Men spinning in a non-stop downward spiral. Will an unlikely union be the final straw? After secretly lying in wait for months, the new Hellfire Club makes its move! Plus: The X-Man destined to destroy the Breakworld stands revealed!.
Language
Original language
English
Publication
Marvel Comics (2007), Paperback, 152 pages
ISBN
0785117598 / 9780785117599
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Fray by Joss Whedon
User reviews
LibraryThing member MeriJenBen
After having revealed that Emma Frost has been communicating with members of a reformed and reinvigorated Hellfire Club, which includes Xavier's "twin" Cassandra Nova, the scantily clad vilainess finally makes her move against the team. Emma psychologically destroys Cyclops, cutting him off from
As much as I love Whedon and Cassaday, this book did not work for me as well as the first two. Me thinks it delves too much into the back story of the X-Men for a casual fan like myself. It was nice to see Kitty Pride finally kick some butt, and the interplay between Logan and Henry was priceless. Whedon excels at creating small moments, and does a wonderful job with Emma, and her conflicted nature. The Breakworld subplot moves at a snail's pace and really doesn't add much to the story. The artwork remains stellar, clean and uncomplicated, but, particularly for the uninitiated, this book is somewhat disappointing.
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his powers. Cassandra Nova turns Logan into the prissy Victorian he was meant to be, and turns Beast feral. The object of their attack is a steel clad box in the basement of the X-Mansion, contents unknown. Meanwhile, S.W.O.R.D id's the X-man most likely responsible for destroying the Breakworld, and begins to move against him. As much as I love Whedon and Cassaday, this book did not work for me as well as the first two. Me thinks it delves too much into the back story of the X-Men for a casual fan like myself. It was nice to see Kitty Pride finally kick some butt, and the interplay between Logan and Henry was priceless. Whedon excels at creating small moments, and does a wonderful job with Emma, and her conflicted nature. The Breakworld subplot moves at a snail's pace and really doesn't add much to the story. The artwork remains stellar, clean and uncomplicated, but, particularly for the uninitiated, this book is somewhat disappointing.
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LibraryThing member mattypsaidso
I don't tend to get antsy when reading comics, but this one was pretty gripping! Couldn't wait to finish it... read it very very fast. Emma Frost is a goddess, too.
LibraryThing member jbushnell
Another solid volume of Whedon / Cassady's "Astonishing X-Men" run. The heavy reliance on psychic sequences / fake-outs in this one requires a second read to clarify exactly what's happening, but it's still good fun, by and large.
LibraryThing member Alixtii
After the action of Dangerous--a trade where a lot happens without necessarily meaning all that much--Torn represents a retreating of the X-Men back into themselves, taking place pretty much all at the school itself. But plenty happens when revelation after revelation shakes our heroes' world, and
My favorite among these revelations is our finding out the real reason why Emma chose Kitty Pryde to be on the team: it's wonderfully in character for both of them, takes what we know about these two and twists in an unexpected way, and is emotionally poignant, even heartbreaking.
While providing a set-up for the next volume, Unstoppable, this trade still manages to focus on the characters: their strengths, their weaknesses, their hopes, their dreams, and their fears. While much of the focus is on Emma and Kitty (Whedon's penchant for strong female characters serves us well once again), all of the Astonishing team have to face a part of themselves they don't like in order to pull themselves back together as individuals and as a team at the end--and whether they truly succeed is, I think, debatable.
The success of Whedon and Cassaday, on the other hand, is neary undeniable. In Torn, they really manage to mine the depth and complexity of these wonderful characters we love (or, in some cases, perhaps love to hate) so much.
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the X-Men have to deal with both the practical and emotional fallout. My favorite among these revelations is our finding out the real reason why Emma chose Kitty Pryde to be on the team: it's wonderfully in character for both of them, takes what we know about these two and twists in an unexpected way, and is emotionally poignant, even heartbreaking.
While providing a set-up for the next volume, Unstoppable, this trade still manages to focus on the characters: their strengths, their weaknesses, their hopes, their dreams, and their fears. While much of the focus is on Emma and Kitty (Whedon's penchant for strong female characters serves us well once again), all of the Astonishing team have to face a part of themselves they don't like in order to pull themselves back together as individuals and as a team at the end--and whether they truly succeed is, I think, debatable.
The success of Whedon and Cassaday, on the other hand, is neary undeniable. In Torn, they really manage to mine the depth and complexity of these wonderful characters we love (or, in some cases, perhaps love to hate) so much.
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LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
It's not a great change for me to read stuff like this out of sequence, I remember growing up with the same issue when I was younger. This is the third book in the sequence, issues 13-18 and I hope to catch up with the rest of the story later. This is a story centering around Emma Frost and an
Quite an interesting look at the characters and relationships within the group. Some of them really do need help! Kitty Pryde is a great character and several scenes pivot around her and her abiliities.
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invasion of the X-Men's campus by the Hellfire Club, it's an interesting look at how people can be broken!Quite an interesting look at the characters and relationships within the group. Some of them really do need help! Kitty Pryde is a great character and several scenes pivot around her and her abiliities.
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LibraryThing member Disquiet
This is definitely the volume where Whedon and Cassaday are on firm ground with the characters, Whedon in particular. Cassaday's art is still better in memory than on the page here, especially the depictions of Colossus and Kitty Pryde. There are moments of visual beauty, and others that are just
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messy and seem quickly done. The Beast, though, throughout is tremendous, and Wolverine is more humorous than ever — it's to Whedon's credit that the least social of the group's members becomes its most comic character in this story, but it's really Cassaday who had to pull it off. Whedon commits some of his best banter here, though in the end the story depends so much on previous occurrences in the X-Men saga (not from Whedon's two prior books, but from the recent and distant past), that it can be a bit of a jumble even for a longtime reader. Show Less
LibraryThing member MerryMeerkat
I found this volume to be really confusing. I guess its because I don't know a lot of history of the Xmen. But the art was great and the story, from what I can follow, is good.
LibraryThing member greeniezona
So, the X-Men are under attack from the inside again, only this time it's by psychics. This leads to some excessive silliness (Wolverine regressed to some childlike state, the Beast regressed to a mere beast), some interesting character studies on how people are defined and driven by their guilt
And finally, a cause for empathy for Emma Frost, who I've long hated. This, plus "Armor" starting to come into her self and Scott having a chance to be a badass even without his powers, distracts and starts to make up for the pain of Kitty's storyline.
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and insecurities, and my very favorite X-Man, Kitty Pryde, plunged into a truly awful nightmare in order to manipulate her into using her powers on the intruders' behalf.And finally, a cause for empathy for Emma Frost, who I've long hated. This, plus "Armor" starting to come into her self and Scott having a chance to be a badass even without his powers, distracts and starts to make up for the pain of Kitty's storyline.
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LibraryThing member nicolewbrown
In the previous books, S.W.O.R.D. (Sentient Worlds Observation and Response Department) has been butting heads with S.H.I.E.L.D. S.W.O.R.D. has Ord, the alien who came to earth to kill the mutants because it was foretold that one of them--an X-Men--would be the end of their world. Right now he is
Kitty Pryde is having a hard time dealing with things and is having nightmares about losing people, even though she now has Peter back. Emma and Scott's relationship is rocky and Emma goes in and manipulates him using her powers into believing that his powers no longer work, so they don't. She lets in the rest of the Hellfire Club members and they all go to work on the others. There is something in the mansion that they want and with Charles gone they see a chance to get it.
This book is all about manipulation of the mind. Whedon does an excellent job of doing some manipulating of his own. It's also fun to see what happens to Wolverine. The dreamscapes are rather vividly drawn. It will be interesting to see where this comic will go on the concluding one titled Unstoppable.
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locked up tight and Agent Brand of S.W.O.R.D. is trying to find a peaceful solution to the situation. Brand has an inside man in the X-Men headquarters. Meanwhile, Emma Frost has been talking with a mysterious group that turns out to be the Hellfire Club.Kitty Pryde is having a hard time dealing with things and is having nightmares about losing people, even though she now has Peter back. Emma and Scott's relationship is rocky and Emma goes in and manipulates him using her powers into believing that his powers no longer work, so they don't. She lets in the rest of the Hellfire Club members and they all go to work on the others. There is something in the mansion that they want and with Charles gone they see a chance to get it.
This book is all about manipulation of the mind. Whedon does an excellent job of doing some manipulating of his own. It's also fun to see what happens to Wolverine. The dreamscapes are rather vividly drawn. It will be interesting to see where this comic will go on the concluding one titled Unstoppable.
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LibraryThing member kmajort
The x-men brought to their base fears - I laughed out loud over Logan & Hank!
Favorite though, is what brings them back into their minds:
Some pretty awesome evil in this volume.
Favorite though, is what brings them back into their minds:
Some pretty awesome evil in this volume.
LibraryThing member ragwaine
Does it say something about me that I thought Kitty Pride accidentally phasing through the bed and floor because she lost control during an orgasm was the best part of this graphic novel? Of course it wasn't as graphic as all that, but I'm hoping most adults picked up on what was actually
Other than that this story got REALLY dark and a little confusing, but my lack of Emma Frost knowledge may have contributed to that. In the end I'd have to say I would love to see Whedon write more comics (not sure if he has because I haven't checked yet).
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happening. Other than that this story got REALLY dark and a little confusing, but my lack of Emma Frost knowledge may have contributed to that. In the end I'd have to say I would love to see Whedon write more comics (not sure if he has because I haven't checked yet).
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LibraryThing member quinton.baran
An interesting psychological journey for all the characters. Hard to say exactly what the team is facing. The art work is really good in some places, in others merely good.