 "I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar" | 2008-09-10 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2RY5SIM7BS8LQ |
| Visualize the Helen Ruddy song -- I Am Woman -- for a second. Feel the estrogen? Oh yeah..... Nothing like female empowerment to get you going for a story about women taking over the world. You see, Y: The Last Man REALLY is about the LAST man. In a stunning turn of events, the entire male population has violently died and the world has been taken over by lesbian bikers who decide they only need to deal with one of their "more appealing chest parts" and cut off the other one. Okay, silliness aside, this actually is a good series, and probably what I admire most about it... it has an ending! Volume 1: Unmanned is nowhere near that ending -- you'll need to read 10 volumes first -- but the best stories always have a beginning and end, and as long as you enjoy the tone of the first book, you'll probably be a devoted reader until the final days.br /br /If you enjoy the format of TV shows like 24 that flash how much time is remaining in a story, you'll get a kick out of the intro in this book. Vaughan writes in a cinematic style as he counts down to the opening moment when testosterone ceases to exist. While we have a clue as to what caused it, we're still left in the dark because numerous events occur at the exact moment of male genocide. Who survives this calamity? Why none other than Yorick, a struggling magician who might be more effeminate than most of the women left on the world. Oddly enough, his male pet monkey, a creature he was raising as part of a college science experiment to earn extra cash, also survives making them the only two walking and breathing male mammals... or at least the only two the story has revealed thus far.br /br /So presented with the potential disaster of an entire species dying because it can no longer reproduce, I'm sure you have figured out that Yorick's first plan is to live out every male teenager's fantasy and start breeding like rabbits, right? Nope, given the luxury of living his own harem-lifestyle, Yorick instead decides to track down his girlfriend in Australia who he was in the act of proposing to (over the phone) at the same moment when males around the world suddenly started bleeding profusely and dropping dead. But first, he has to visit with a world famous biologist who was in the process of human asexual reproduction, and see if she has any clues as to why he is the only male left on the planet.br /br /If you enjoy post-apocalyptic tales, this one is no different than any fun-loving zombie epic. The world is busy disposing of millions of corpses, most people drive on easier-to-navigate motorcycles, and Washington D.C. is trying to decide who is really in charge now. Incidentally, Yorick's mother is one of the most powerful politicians in the nation's capitol, and she helps her son set his direction as she and others hunt down the Secretary of Agriculture who is next in line for the Presidency since everyone above her station was a male.br /br /The storyline in Y: The Last Man is an intriguing "What if?" scenario and accompanied by decent artwork that knows how to illustrate a world in which exaggerated superheroes are not the norm, it's a fun read that will leave you eager to follow through in the second book. It seems when writer Brian K. Vaughan is at his best, he can do no wrong, and this series is certainly another example of his creative prowess. At a list price of $12.99 (but lower-priced on Amazon), it's a great deal, and if the theme of this story sounds interesting, I recommend you check out Amazon used seller shops to see if you can find all books bundled into one great deal. In a few months, DC will also start releasing deluxe hardcover editions so if you're a fan of those formats, you might want to wait before starting your journey down one of the more original and captivating tales published in Vertigo's short history.br / |
| |
 "Hooked!" | 2008-09-09 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1B39ZQ9NUK5S7 |
| I was hooked after reading this first volume! I loved the cliffhanger at the end. Vaughan has several of those throughout the series. I couldn't resist running out an buying Vol. 2 that same day. Finally, after repeated trips to the store I ordered 6-10 from Amazon. Thankfully, they have fast shipping so I didn't have to wait long!br /br /I particularly liked how the events leading up to the plague were portrayed, right down to the page where there are four panels that depict things that are happening simultaneously in different parts of the world seconds before the plague hit. Excellent timing - so well done.br /br / |
| |
| "Reads best as a SERIES" | 2008-08-02 |
| - Reviewed By d8812804 |
I read this one Trade Paperback without much prior knowledge of who BKV or Pia Guerra was. But I did hear some good reviews on this Trade series so I tried it out. The first read wasn't that compelling. The second of the series made it a bit better. By the time I read the first five of the Series, I was somewhat hooked.
The main character, Yorick, is a bit spoiled and somewhat of a whiner. He runs off and does what he wants regardless of those who warns him or the consequence of his actions. The first three volumes of the series has him running off to see the phallic memorial and he gets into a fight. Yorick is not a person you'll identity with or sympathize with. He's reckless and selfish.
But after a while, it's the mystery and the compelling supporting characters that sucks you in. 355 and the Dr are strong female characters and deserve much more than babysitting Yorick. Needless to say, their adventures drives the series toward the end.
Y: The Last Man is an innovating story. I enjoy the art and the story and the writing and the characterization. Yorick grows on you. The story makes greater sense as more is revealed. But don't give up on just reading Volume one. It does get better and it does make a good saga. Recommended, but go easy on Yorick. |
| |
| "Not Your Dad's comic" | 2008-06-25 |
| - Reviewed By User: A37HS806498OI2 |
| This is not a super hero comic. You MUST know that going it. Yes, there are many heroic elements going into this, but this isn't your Dad's comic. It isn't filled with guys in tights. This is serious tuff, handles with care under two creators who have weaved a classic story that captivates from cover to cover. The writing is superb, with sharp wit at every turn, and the premise is one of the best I've seen in this medium. Once you read this voulme(and you will do so from cover to cover immediately, as you won't be able to put it down), you will buy them all. It's THAT good |
| |
| "Y! The Last Man, volume one? Keep them comin'..." | 2008-05-04 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1OQV7QRKYCSNV |
| Y! The Last Man is a completely refreshing series that leaves you grabbing for the next volume. Y! leaves you questioning what you would do in such absurd scenarios and pondering the mortality of man while maintaining a fast-paced, action packed, story line filled with wit. It is a comic that leaves you guessing and dying for more. |
| |
| "No Greater Wrath....." | 2008-05-02 |
| - Reviewed By skymac2 |
Plague? Black Magic? Terrorism? Act of God? Could / would something simultaneously kill every mammal possessing a Y chromosome? Even unborn mammals in the womb? Well, according to Y: The Last Man, on July 17, 2002, that's exactly what happened...with the exception of one male human being and one male Capuchin monkey.
Volumes 1 through 5 of Y: The Last Man chronicle the life of Yorick Brown and his pet monkey Ampersand as they are thrust into a female-only society. And society is in chaos. The realization that the planet is doomed without a reproducing, intelligent species is not lost on its inhabitants. Some accept their fate; some fight to find a way to reverse the annihilation; and some even denounce any fight to survive as opposition to God's will.
Hence, to some, Yorick Brown is the ultimate opposition to God's will....A sole human male survivor. So when Yorick teams up with a government agent and a genetic scientist on a journey across the country to get to a laboratory to find out 'what makes him different', or to try to discover if there's a genetic 'solution' to this disaster, you can bet the band of travelers run into some hostile forces.
The stories in Volumes 1 through 5 (of 10 so far) are very well told, exciting, twist-filled and keep you pressing on for Volume after Volume. Y: The Last Man, Volume 10: Whys and Wherefores comes out June 24th, 2008.
Rumor has it (according to [...], 1/29/2008, A chat with ... 'Y: The Last Man' director D.J. Caruso by Whitney Matheson) that a movie adaptation will come out in three films...the first of which could be released as early as 2009 (with Shia LaBeouf as Yorick).
The storyline is not without some controversy....Well, I see no controversy, but I'm sure that certain narrow minded groups might view the nature of a population unable to civilly function without men a bit 'controversial'. Hopefully, Hollywood will maintain the integrity of the series and not dumb down the fabulous tale that the authors created.
|
| |
| "Best comic ever! EVER!" | 2008-04-19 |
| - Reviewed By User: AHDSPZREV9771 |
This is the comic for everyone-for those who like action, for those who like thriler, for mystery types, for romantic types, and the best about it is that it doesn`t loose it`s credibility for being that wide in genres.
I`m mostly impressed with inteligent script, perfectly built characters that got into situations you don`t need to rise eyebrow thinking "wait, how`s that?". I mean, if anything like this ever happens for real, this is exactly what would happen to Yorrick, 355 and Dr. Mann.
Art is excelent and perfect companion of story like this.
|
| |
| "Great book" | 2008-03-31 |
| - Reviewed By cjamico |
| This is an amazing graphic novel. The doomsday scenario of all the world's men dieing is great idea. The artwork is fantastic and the story cannot be beat. Do yourself a favor and at least buy Volume 1. Great buy, well worth checking it out. |
| |
| "Never heard the hype" | 2008-03-29 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3DMXHPWPG1YYV |
| I never actually heard the hype, but as a new reader of "graphic novels" it was suggested to me. Certain aspects of the initial premise are hard to swallow as they are too wrought in stereotypes (Amazons, Israeli women, for example). However, what I find fascinating is that the story does challenge me a bit in its portrayal of gender and, especially, women. The main character, although a man, is actually the "woman" of this book in aspects of his helplessness and need for protection/saving. He becomes objectified due to his gender. Some of the nuances of the story intrigue me enough to want to buy the next Volume. I recommend reading this, it may not be for everyone and may offend some people, but provoking thought is what good stories do. |
| |
| "A man and his helper monkey" | 2008-03-18 |
| - Reviewed By grrldotcom |
| Ever wonder what would happen if all the males (animals included) dropped dead without warning all at one -- except for one guy and his helper monkey? This is that story. Compelling, funny, scary and surprising, this is the series everyone should read as a primer on how to make a fantastic comic series. Brian K. Vaughan is a literary genius. |
| |
Expedited Available
