Indie Comic review: Billy Demon Slayer season 2

In many ways Hayden Fryer's 'Billy Demon slayer' is the embodiment of the Australian indie comics scene. It’s bold, edgy, tongue-in-cheek, unapologetically Australian and most importantly was born from a love of the comic medium. And it really does show. Billy's been alive and kicking for 10 years now, at this point I would like to point out that's longer than most marriages, and his chainsaw wielding figure is a constant at Sydney pop culture conventions. Also he has chainsaw hands.

Set in the Sydney suburb of Walksville, the Billy Demon Slayer serious chronicles the supernatural  adventures of teenage Anti-Christ William Damon who spends most of his time fighting the minions of hell. After the first 5 issue story arc, as collected in Billy Demon Slayer season 1, ended with billy killing Satan, god and even leaving heaven in flames you could be forgiven for assumming Fryer hadn't left himself anywhere to move story-wise. You would be wrong though.

Season 2 sees Billy unknowingly caught up in the grab for power taking place in hell, now known to its demonic denizens as underworld, after the timely demise of the devil in the first story arc. The book opens on the surprisingly serious 'Blades of Marduk' prelude and then this seriousness is completely shattered when issue #1 opens to a naked Billy accidently being summoned by a group of cultists while he was taking a shower.

Indeed this story is full of the haphazard humour that was so great about the first story arc. Oddly enough even with the presence of nibbles the demonic hamster, season 2  features a more serious and darker tone then than its predecessor. Everything has a surprising amount of emotional weight to it and the story is much less tongue in cheek.

It’s somewhat of a new direction for the comic, but it works well and adds a longevity to the universe and character that were previously absent. Parallel to the writing, Fryer’s art has also evolved to become darker, more serious and just more fine-tuned in general. In many ways his art is reminiscent of Manga, featuring lots of shading and use of greys. His art is bold and has a distinctive semi realistic/semi comedic style to it.

To call Billy season 2 energetic would be an understatement. It's faced paced, all action and in just 7 issues Fryer manages to deliver an epic multi-faceted storyline that Marvel would spread over 20! He really knows how to keep the reader interested.

Overall I found Billy to be funny, original and not afraid to take risks when it comes to story direction, most of which pay off.

Billy Season 2, as well as all the other comics by Hayden Fryer and the lovely folks at Siberian productions can be purchased at: http://www.billydemonslayer.com/