COMICS YOU SHOULD BE READING: Y: THE LAST MAN
As with the last one of these articles, I am bringing you another great Vertigo series. However, unlike before, this is a series that has been completed, Brian K. Vaughn’s “Y: The Last Man”.
These articles are broken down in a “Who, what, when, where, why, how” manner, where I answer each question according to the series.
Continue reading to see my breakdown of this series!
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WHO?
Written by Brian K Vaughn with art by Pia Guerra and Goran Sudzuka, inked by Jose Marzan Jr.
WHAT?
The story starts out in July of 2002, where we meet our “hero”, Yorick Brown, and his monkey, Ampersand. The world around them is normal, as in it’s the world that we lived in at the time, until something unexpected and awful happens. A sudden plague hits the entire earth, and it wipes out every living mammal with a Y chromosome. Every one except for Yorick and Ampersand.
The two are soon joined by Agent 355, who will protect Yorick as he travels across the globe to be reunited with his girlfriend, Beth. Along the way they gain new members of their crew, such as Dr. Allison Mann, who is set on figuring out why Yorick lived, and they meet plenty of interesting characters along the way to their final destination.
WHEN?
The series started in July of 2002 and ended in January of 2008. Time in the series passes almost in real time according to publication, having the series end over five years after the plague originally hit.
WHERE?
The entire series is available in ten trade paperback volumes which can be found anywhere books are sold. Currently Vertigo is republishing the series in five Deluxe Hardcover volumes, which collect two of the TPB’s each.
WHY?
Along with Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon’s Preacher, and Neil Gaiman’s Sandman, Y: The Last Man is celebrated as one of Vertigo’s highest quality series, and after having read the entire series I wouldn’t argue with it at all.
Upon initially breaking into the first volume I was really pleased not only by the quality writing and artwork, but by the fact that Vaughn had really accounted for every aspect of life that would be affected by this sort of plague hitting. Within the first volume he had already addressed how politics would be handled, and along the way he also let also see how entertainment would have been affected, how sexuality would be affected (more than just woman on woman relationships increasing in number), what kinds of gangs would form, and so many more aspects of this world that would be created from such tragedy. Something like that really helps to make us feel what it would really be like to live in that world, so Vaughn really did a great job of suspending the readers disbelief.
On top of all of that, which I think may be the most important aspect, the series is also highly enjoyable. It’s smart, it’s funny, and it’s a suspenseful story that has me eager to keep reading until I reach the end. Seriously, I was going to the bookstore every chance I had to pick up the next volume before I even finished the one I was currently on, because I wanted to make sure I would have it available, and not be without my good reads for any amount of time.
On another note, if you are a fan of Shakespeare you might find this to be a good series as well as there are plenty of references to his works throughout (aside from Yorick and his sister, Hero’s names), and Yorick’s being an English Major in the story really adds to that. I should also say, on that note, that as a fan of grammar and literature I really love Yoricks sense of humor.
GO RATING - You’ve probably heard some comic fan tell you how great this series is, and tell you to go and pick it up, and I am here to tell you to listen to them. It really is as good as they all say, and you really should pick it up. I’m giving this series high marks with a 4.5/5.
[I should make it noted that none of the books I review in this series will reach below a 4/5. If they weren’t at least that good, I wouldn’t be saying you should be reading them!]
HOW?
Ten TPB volumes:
1. Unmanned - $12.99
2. Cycles - $12.99
3. One Small Step - $12.99
4. Safeword - $12.99
5. Ring of Truth - $14.99
6. Girl on Girl - $12.99
7. Paper Dolls - $14.99
8. Kimono Dragons - $14.99
9. Motherland - $14.99
10. Whys and Wherefores - $14.99
Or five Deluxe HC volumes at $30 each.
