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Y: The Last Man #1-10
Y: The Last Man Omnibus
Brian K. Vaughn's classic 60-issue post-apocalyptic series is now available in this new omnibus.
In 2002, when all living mammals with a Y chromosome suddenly simultaneously die, Yorick Brown and his pet male monkey Ampersand must figure out why they were the only two males to survive. And while this makes Yorick the most important person in the world, he trecks 10,000 miles around the world for 3 years in search of the most important person in the world to him. But as he learns the factual truths behind his lost fiance, he also finds out the shocking facts behind his own survival.
Collects Y: The Last Man #1-60
In 2002, when all living mammals with a Y chromosome suddenly simultaneously die, Yorick Brown and his pet male monkey Ampersand must figure out why they were the only two males to survive. And while this makes Yorick the most important person in the world, he trecks 10,000 miles around the world for 3 years in search of the most important person in the world to him. But as he learns the factual truths behind his lost fiance, he also finds out the shocking facts behind his own survival.
Collects Y: The Last Man #1-60
1424 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 2008
53 people are currently reading
758 people want to read
About the author
Brian K. Vaughan
1,026听books13.9k听followersBrian K. Vaughan is the writer and co-creator of comic-book series including SAGA, PAPER GIRLS, Y THE LAST MAN, RUNAWAYS, and most recently, BARRIER, a digital comic with artist Marcos Martin about immigration, available from their pay-what-you-want site
BKV's work has been recognized at the Eisner, Harvey, Hugo, Shuster, Eagle, and British Fantasy Awards. He sometimes writes for film and television in Los Angeles, where he lives with his family and their dogs Hamburger and Milkshake.
BKV's work has been recognized at the Eisner, Harvey, Hugo, Shuster, Eagle, and British Fantasy Awards. He sometimes writes for film and television in Los Angeles, where he lives with his family and their dogs Hamburger and Milkshake.
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March 4, 2024
De mult膬 vreme voiam s膬 citesc 鈥瀁: The Last Man鈥� dar nu l-am g膬sit nic膬ieri de cump膬rat 卯n format omnibus, a葯a c膬 am cedat 葯i l-am citit pe net.
脦n mare, mi-a pl膬cut.
Povestea (sau mai exact, premisa: ce s-ar 卯nt芒mpla cu lumea dup膬 moartea subit膬 葯i simultan膬 a tututor masculilor, mai pu葲in a unui t芒n膬r cu nume shakespearian 葯i a maimu葲ei lui capucin) e interesant膬 葯i pentru o bun膬 bucat膬 din volumul narativ chiar te 葲ine 卯n priz膬. Ac葲iunea se mi葯c膬 bine, chiar 葯i segmentele de info-dump sunt tolerabile, pentru c膬 e葯ti curios s膬 afli ce 葯i cum. Scriitura lui Vaughan e destul de bun膬, e alert膬, se mi葯c膬 excelent printre numeroase referin葲e din film, muzic膬, literatur膬, istorie etc, 葯i mi s-a p膬rut c膬 a surprins destul de OK 葯i stilul femeilor de a se exprima. Cel pu葲in 卯n englez膬.
Fiecare num膬r se termin膬 cu un cliffhanger 葯i a葯a am ajuns s膬 citesc 1500 de pagini 卯n 3 zile.
Grafica e OK pentru o serie limitat膬, bine structurat膬 卯n jurul acelor cliffhangere de care ziceam mai sus. Nu-i ceva spectaculos, la nivelul lui Bermejo, Lee sau, doamne-fere葯te, Alex Ross, dar peste media vremurilor.
Problemele pe care le-am avut eu cu aceast膬 poveste sunt urm膬toarele:
1. Ideea de baz膬 a pove葯tii e una foarte bun膬 pentru un 卯nceput, dar pe m膬sur膬 ce citeam mi-am dat seama c膬 o s膬 le fie extrem de greu s膬 卯ncheie povestea 卯n mod satisf膬c膬tor, dac膬 merg pe o variant膬 realist膬. 葮i am avut dreptate: de葯i explica葲iile pentru moarte masculilor sunt numeroase (葯i fiecare personaj care vine cu una are preten葲ia c膬 a lui e cea corect膬), niciuna nu e satisf膬c膬toare. Nici pe departe. Unele sunt mistice, altele 卯ncearc膬 s膬 o dea pe 葯tiin葲膬, dar toate sunt gr膬bite 葯i par c膬 vin de nic膬ieri. Niciuna nu e o revela葲ie 卯n adev膬ratul sens al cuv芒ntului, ceva care s膬 te fac膬 s膬 zici 鈥瀉haa, deci de aia... 葯i de aia... ah, OK, are sens!鈥� 脦n fine, ideea e c膬 finalul e dezam膬gitor din aproape toate punctele de vedere.
2. E mult prea lung膬. Dup膬 prima mie de pagini, am sim葲it c膬 au cam r膬mas f膬r膬 energie, 葯i au 卯nceput s膬 se concentreze pe tot felul de personaje 葯i fire narative secundare. N-ar fi fost o problem膬 dac膬 m膬car ar fi f膬cut ceva interesant cu ele, dar 卯n final majoritatea se f芒s芒ie 葯i spiraleaz膬 卯n tot felul de conversa葲ii neinteresante despre motiva葲ii-fantom膬 ce par a func葲iona doar retroactiv, 葯i pe m膬sur膬 ce d膬deam paginile a devenit foarte greu s膬-mi mai pese. A葯 fi scurtat totul cu vreo 500 de pagini.
3. Revenind la grafic膬, 卯葲i dai seama urgent c膬 asta e o carte desenat膬 de b膬rba葲i pentru c膬 absolut toate femeile arat膬 de parc膬 tocmai au cobor芒t de la un show Victoria's Secret, 葯i (cu mici excep葲ii) sunt 葯i 卯mbr膬cate corespunz膬tor. F膬r膬 b膬rba葲i, multe se dedau la lesbianism (nu 葯tiu dac膬 a葯a s-ar 卯nt芒mpla 葯i 卯n via葲a real膬, dar uneori mi s-a p膬rut exagerat prin povestea asta).
4. Tot legat de structur膬, o ultim膬 chichi葲膬: prea multe deus ex machine 葯i mult prea multe coinciden葲e. Cred c膬 nu trece un capitol (din 60) f膬r膬 s膬 vezi cum protagoni葯tii sun salva葲i dintr-o situa葲ie de moarte de cineva care fix atunci se 卯nt芒mpla s膬 treac膬 pe acolo. Iar c芒t prive葯te coinciden葲ele... well, nici nu are rost s膬 m膬 apuc s膬 le enum膬r.
A, 葯i 卯nc膬 o chestie: cronologia seriei mi s-a p膬rut pur 葯i simplu de neacceptat. Ni se zice clar c膬 toat膬 povestea a durat 5 ani. Problema e c膬, 1. le ia mai bine de 2 ani s膬 fac膬 o c膬l膬torie pe jos din NY 卯n LA (ceea ce google maps zice c膬 n-ar trebui s膬 dureze mai mult de 7 luni, 卯n cele mai rele condi葲ii, iar ei se mega-gr膬beau, 葯i la un moment dat c膬l膬toresc 葯i cu un tren marfar ni葯te sute de kilometri), 葯i 2. Pe parcursul pove葯tii, cel t芒rziu la finalul celui de-al doilea an ni葯te femei dau na葯tere unor copii, dar la final, copii 膬ia sunt 卯nc膬 mititei-卯nf膬葯e葲ei, 卯n scutece de bumb膬cel, nu vorbesc, nu umbl膬, 卯nc膬 stau la 葲芒葲膬 - ceea ce evident e imposibil, pentru c膬 ar avea deja minim 3 ani, iar copiii de 3 ani... well, fac orice altceva dec芒t s膬 stea locului.
Toate astea (cu excep葲ia lungimii) nu-s neap膬rat chestii rele, dar a fi vrut s膬 le v膬d organizate mai bine. Pentru un cititor atent, 卯ncep s膬 devine sup膬r膬toare dup膬 o vreme, dar majoritatea probabil nu le-ar observa.
脦n mare, mi-a pl膬cut.
Povestea (sau mai exact, premisa: ce s-ar 卯nt芒mpla cu lumea dup膬 moartea subit膬 葯i simultan膬 a tututor masculilor, mai pu葲in a unui t芒n膬r cu nume shakespearian 葯i a maimu葲ei lui capucin) e interesant膬 葯i pentru o bun膬 bucat膬 din volumul narativ chiar te 葲ine 卯n priz膬. Ac葲iunea se mi葯c膬 bine, chiar 葯i segmentele de info-dump sunt tolerabile, pentru c膬 e葯ti curios s膬 afli ce 葯i cum. Scriitura lui Vaughan e destul de bun膬, e alert膬, se mi葯c膬 excelent printre numeroase referin葲e din film, muzic膬, literatur膬, istorie etc, 葯i mi s-a p膬rut c膬 a surprins destul de OK 葯i stilul femeilor de a se exprima. Cel pu葲in 卯n englez膬.
Fiecare num膬r se termin膬 cu un cliffhanger 葯i a葯a am ajuns s膬 citesc 1500 de pagini 卯n 3 zile.
Grafica e OK pentru o serie limitat膬, bine structurat膬 卯n jurul acelor cliffhangere de care ziceam mai sus. Nu-i ceva spectaculos, la nivelul lui Bermejo, Lee sau, doamne-fere葯te, Alex Ross, dar peste media vremurilor.
Problemele pe care le-am avut eu cu aceast膬 poveste sunt urm膬toarele:
1. Ideea de baz膬 a pove葯tii e una foarte bun膬 pentru un 卯nceput, dar pe m膬sur膬 ce citeam mi-am dat seama c膬 o s膬 le fie extrem de greu s膬 卯ncheie povestea 卯n mod satisf膬c膬tor, dac膬 merg pe o variant膬 realist膬. 葮i am avut dreptate: de葯i explica葲iile pentru moarte masculilor sunt numeroase (葯i fiecare personaj care vine cu una are preten葲ia c膬 a lui e cea corect膬), niciuna nu e satisf膬c膬toare. Nici pe departe. Unele sunt mistice, altele 卯ncearc膬 s膬 o dea pe 葯tiin葲膬, dar toate sunt gr膬bite 葯i par c膬 vin de nic膬ieri. Niciuna nu e o revela葲ie 卯n adev膬ratul sens al cuv芒ntului, ceva care s膬 te fac膬 s膬 zici 鈥瀉haa, deci de aia... 葯i de aia... ah, OK, are sens!鈥� 脦n fine, ideea e c膬 finalul e dezam膬gitor din aproape toate punctele de vedere.
2. E mult prea lung膬. Dup膬 prima mie de pagini, am sim葲it c膬 au cam r膬mas f膬r膬 energie, 葯i au 卯nceput s膬 se concentreze pe tot felul de personaje 葯i fire narative secundare. N-ar fi fost o problem膬 dac膬 m膬car ar fi f膬cut ceva interesant cu ele, dar 卯n final majoritatea se f芒s芒ie 葯i spiraleaz膬 卯n tot felul de conversa葲ii neinteresante despre motiva葲ii-fantom膬 ce par a func葲iona doar retroactiv, 葯i pe m膬sur膬 ce d膬deam paginile a devenit foarte greu s膬-mi mai pese. A葯 fi scurtat totul cu vreo 500 de pagini.
3. Revenind la grafic膬, 卯葲i dai seama urgent c膬 asta e o carte desenat膬 de b膬rba葲i pentru c膬 absolut toate femeile arat膬 de parc膬 tocmai au cobor芒t de la un show Victoria's Secret, 葯i (cu mici excep葲ii) sunt 葯i 卯mbr膬cate corespunz膬tor. F膬r膬 b膬rba葲i, multe se dedau la lesbianism (nu 葯tiu dac膬 a葯a s-ar 卯nt芒mpla 葯i 卯n via葲a real膬, dar uneori mi s-a p膬rut exagerat prin povestea asta).
4. Tot legat de structur膬, o ultim膬 chichi葲膬: prea multe deus ex machine 葯i mult prea multe coinciden葲e. Cred c膬 nu trece un capitol (din 60) f膬r膬 s膬 vezi cum protagoni葯tii sun salva葲i dintr-o situa葲ie de moarte de cineva care fix atunci se 卯nt芒mpla s膬 treac膬 pe acolo. Iar c芒t prive葯te coinciden葲ele... well, nici nu are rost s膬 m膬 apuc s膬 le enum膬r.
A, 葯i 卯nc膬 o chestie: cronologia seriei mi s-a p膬rut pur 葯i simplu de neacceptat. Ni se zice clar c膬 toat膬 povestea a durat 5 ani. Problema e c膬, 1. le ia mai bine de 2 ani s膬 fac膬 o c膬l膬torie pe jos din NY 卯n LA (ceea ce google maps zice c膬 n-ar trebui s膬 dureze mai mult de 7 luni, 卯n cele mai rele condi葲ii, iar ei se mega-gr膬beau, 葯i la un moment dat c膬l膬toresc 葯i cu un tren marfar ni葯te sute de kilometri), 葯i 2. Pe parcursul pove葯tii, cel t芒rziu la finalul celui de-al doilea an ni葯te femei dau na葯tere unor copii, dar la final, copii 膬ia sunt 卯nc膬 mititei-卯nf膬葯e葲ei, 卯n scutece de bumb膬cel, nu vorbesc, nu umbl膬, 卯nc膬 stau la 葲芒葲膬 - ceea ce evident e imposibil, pentru c膬 ar avea deja minim 3 ani, iar copiii de 3 ani... well, fac orice altceva dec芒t s膬 stea locului.
Toate astea (cu excep葲ia lungimii) nu-s neap膬rat chestii rele, dar a fi vrut s膬 le v膬d organizate mai bine. Pentru un cititor atent, 卯ncep s膬 devine sup膬r膬toare dup膬 o vreme, dar majoritatea probabil nu le-ar observa.
December 8, 2016
It's been 2 years since I read Brian K. Vaughn's mind-blowing comic series "Y: The Last Man" and I am still processing the effect it had on me. The premise is genius. An unexpected and violent plague, in one moment, wipes out every living male creature on the planet. Every man, that is, except one -- aspiring magician Yorick Brown. Oh! And his capuchin monkey, Ampersand. Yorick has no earthly idea why he and his monkey are the only male survivors of this plague (referred to by many characters as The Gendercide), but he sets out to find answers -- and his faraway fiancee -- with the help of some of the fiercest female survivors he can find. For a series that revolves around the journey of a man, it's surprising just how unabashedly feminist this series is. You're thrown headfirst into an unstable, Wild West-type world that is now run totally by women, and the women we meet are not stereotypical damsels in distress -- they are strong, bloodthirsty, capable, brilliant, and above all, survivors. Yorick navigates a society in ruins, all the while depending on women to save him -- a refreshing reversal of gender roles, to say the very least. "Y: The Last Man" is political throughout its run, but there's also no shortage of emotional sucker punches. The stunning standout book of the series, "Safeword," digs deep into the psychology of Yorick and the shocking events of his past, changing the reader's perception of him forever. And the wrenching final book, "Whys and Wherefores," delivers such an awe-inspiring ending that upon reading it, I had to leave the public place I was in and run out to my car, just so I would have a private place to weep. In short, "Y: The Last Man" forever changed the way I look at comics. What else is there to say?
July 15, 2018
Y llegamos al final que suenen las golondrinas.
Quer铆a respuestas pero no quer铆a decirle a dios a Yorick.
Rese帽a pendiente...
Me quedo un poco preocupada, si Brian K. Vaughan le dio este tipo de final a Y: The last men, no me quiero ni imaginar el final que le dar谩 a SAGA.
Quer铆a respuestas pero no quer铆a decirle a dios a Yorick.
Rese帽a pendiente...
Me quedo un poco preocupada, si Brian K. Vaughan le dio este tipo de final a Y: The last men, no me quiero ni imaginar el final que le dar谩 a SAGA.
April 19, 2021
This is the spoiler free review of Y, to see the spoiler full review visit here:
Y: The Last Man is an acclaimed 60 issue graphic novel series by Brian K Vaughn. This series came highly recommended to me by several trusted sources. I'm sorry to say that I am the outlier with a dissenting opinion.
Y: The Last Man is about a genetic sex based apocalypse in which every living creature with a Y chromosome spontaneously dies. The only two left are a man named Yorick and his monkey Ampersand. It is unknown why these two are the last ones left or what caused the wide spread death to begin with.
The series follows Yorick as he attempts to reunite with his girlfriend Beth. Other characters such as a secret agent and a scientist are more interested in using him to figure out what happened and how to restore humanity. Yorick's priorities are off throughout the entire series.
Yorick is a loser. He's an out of work escape artist with no prospects whose only personality setting is sarcastic. And yet, his is the story we follow. We have here an entire planet filled with competent women. Women who survive and thrive during and after a cataclysmic event and we still have to follow some dumbass white male instead.
I went into Y: The Last Man expecting Yorick's story to be worth telling. It's not. I expected the series to have at least a couple of profound things to say. It doesn't. I at least expected some controversy or discussion worthy plot points! Nope. The most controversy I could find in this completely toothless tome is some outdated not politically correct language. Yawn.
I don't understand the fascination with this ultimately pointless book. It has nothing to say and even the basic story is dull. The timeline jumps forward so dramatically it feels like all of the meat of the story is in between issues, nowhere present on the page.
I was really expecting greater things from Brian K Vaughn. I'm glad he's upped his game since this book. I would actually love to see the premise of Y: The Last Man written from the female perspective. Written also by a woman. Someone who understands the female motivations a bit more than Vaughn seems to.
Before I close my argument on this overrated series I must mention the most baffling scene within the 60 issues. There is a scene in which a former secret agent holds an intervention for Yorick. She does this by donning her sluttiest dominatrix outfit, breasts completely out and exposed, and performs some sort of sexual torture on him.
Look, if that's not nonsense male fantasy for a misguided audience I don't know what is. It makes zero sense and seems to only appeal to straight males completely out of touch with how women actually behave. And that basically sums up the whole series.
Y: The Last Man is an acclaimed 60 issue graphic novel series by Brian K Vaughn. This series came highly recommended to me by several trusted sources. I'm sorry to say that I am the outlier with a dissenting opinion.
Y: The Last Man is about a genetic sex based apocalypse in which every living creature with a Y chromosome spontaneously dies. The only two left are a man named Yorick and his monkey Ampersand. It is unknown why these two are the last ones left or what caused the wide spread death to begin with.
The series follows Yorick as he attempts to reunite with his girlfriend Beth. Other characters such as a secret agent and a scientist are more interested in using him to figure out what happened and how to restore humanity. Yorick's priorities are off throughout the entire series.
Yorick is a loser. He's an out of work escape artist with no prospects whose only personality setting is sarcastic. And yet, his is the story we follow. We have here an entire planet filled with competent women. Women who survive and thrive during and after a cataclysmic event and we still have to follow some dumbass white male instead.
I went into Y: The Last Man expecting Yorick's story to be worth telling. It's not. I expected the series to have at least a couple of profound things to say. It doesn't. I at least expected some controversy or discussion worthy plot points! Nope. The most controversy I could find in this completely toothless tome is some outdated not politically correct language. Yawn.
I don't understand the fascination with this ultimately pointless book. It has nothing to say and even the basic story is dull. The timeline jumps forward so dramatically it feels like all of the meat of the story is in between issues, nowhere present on the page.
I was really expecting greater things from Brian K Vaughn. I'm glad he's upped his game since this book. I would actually love to see the premise of Y: The Last Man written from the female perspective. Written also by a woman. Someone who understands the female motivations a bit more than Vaughn seems to.
Before I close my argument on this overrated series I must mention the most baffling scene within the 60 issues. There is a scene in which a former secret agent holds an intervention for Yorick. She does this by donning her sluttiest dominatrix outfit, breasts completely out and exposed, and performs some sort of sexual torture on him.
Look, if that's not nonsense male fantasy for a misguided audience I don't know what is. It makes zero sense and seems to only appeal to straight males completely out of touch with how women actually behave. And that basically sums up the whole series.
September 20, 2015
Modern pop culture is replete with variations of the apocalypse as a storytelling trope, as the main characters navigate their way through a morass of brain-loving zombies, natural disasters, radioactive kaiju monsters, and robot Nazis. In that respect, the backdrop of Y: The Last Man isn鈥檛 really revolutionary. An inexplicable outbreak results in the simultaneous death of every mammal on the planet with a Y chromosome, except twenty-something amateur escape artist Yorick Brown and his pet monkey (also male) Ampersand. But it is the treatment of this theme that sets Y: The Last Man apart from almost every other graphic novel in the genre. This is an epic 60 issue country-spanning caper generously laced with rib tickles and tear jerks that expertly satirizes multiple political and ideological standpoints, and tells a pretty darn good story while at it.
The main man Yorick is accompanied by a Culper Ring secret agent simply known as Agent 355 and world-renowned geneticist Alisson Mann as they traverse the length and breadth of the world trying to find out what caused the plague (and why Yorick and his furry friend survived). The thing Brian Vaughan (the writer) does perfectly here is to humanize every character, however fantastical the underlying situation may be. Our traveling troupe meets ultra-feminist guerrilla warriors 鈥� dubbed the Daughters of the Amazon 鈥� who take the plague as a sign from nature that men are no longer necessary and proceed to burn sperm banks and search for any Y-chromosomed remnants to kill off, grief-stricken and gun-toting widows in Arizona who see the plague as a coup attempt from the Central Government, hard-nosed members of the Israeli armed forces who wish to abduct Yorick in order to have a strategic advantage in this new world order, truck-driving body collectors who want to sell Yorick on the open market in exchange for food, sword-wielding Japanese ninjas with a mission, and so many more. Through these interactions, Vaughan perfectly encapsulates the gamut of reactions that survivors of such a plague might have: joy at the fall of patriarchy, despair at the loss of fathers and husbands and brothers, and resolution to make the best of what鈥檚 left.
The pacing of each issue is excellent as multiple storylines weave and dovetail in equal parts action and poignancy. An issue will have two to three pages with Yorick and friends exchanging knife-sharp witticisms and trivializing the situation they are in, and the next few pages building up to a genuinely nerve-tingling or throat-choking denouement. The growth of the main characters is also handled well, with Yorick, Agent 355, and Allisson all having layers peeled off them to expose insecurity, vulnerability, regret, and humanity.
The artwork is gritty when required, chillingly capturing the blood-and-bones aftermath of the plague and the dark places the survivors have had to descend to. Minor facial expressions and body language are flawlessly depicted, with entire conversations sometimes happening through the conduit of raised eyebrows and shrugged shoulders. One point of complaint is that the minor characters sometimes look similar to one another, but this pales in comparison to the rich panorama of artistic ability on show.
To summarize, Y: The Last Man is a graphic novel that has to be read, by newbies and seasoned veterans alike. It鈥檚 funny, thoughtful, entertaining, and offers a fresh and gripping take on an oft-repeated premise. And any reader with a heart is sure to have his/her pants charmed off by Ampersand the monkey. I bet my chromosomes on it.
The main man Yorick is accompanied by a Culper Ring secret agent simply known as Agent 355 and world-renowned geneticist Alisson Mann as they traverse the length and breadth of the world trying to find out what caused the plague (and why Yorick and his furry friend survived). The thing Brian Vaughan (the writer) does perfectly here is to humanize every character, however fantastical the underlying situation may be. Our traveling troupe meets ultra-feminist guerrilla warriors 鈥� dubbed the Daughters of the Amazon 鈥� who take the plague as a sign from nature that men are no longer necessary and proceed to burn sperm banks and search for any Y-chromosomed remnants to kill off, grief-stricken and gun-toting widows in Arizona who see the plague as a coup attempt from the Central Government, hard-nosed members of the Israeli armed forces who wish to abduct Yorick in order to have a strategic advantage in this new world order, truck-driving body collectors who want to sell Yorick on the open market in exchange for food, sword-wielding Japanese ninjas with a mission, and so many more. Through these interactions, Vaughan perfectly encapsulates the gamut of reactions that survivors of such a plague might have: joy at the fall of patriarchy, despair at the loss of fathers and husbands and brothers, and resolution to make the best of what鈥檚 left.
The pacing of each issue is excellent as multiple storylines weave and dovetail in equal parts action and poignancy. An issue will have two to three pages with Yorick and friends exchanging knife-sharp witticisms and trivializing the situation they are in, and the next few pages building up to a genuinely nerve-tingling or throat-choking denouement. The growth of the main characters is also handled well, with Yorick, Agent 355, and Allisson all having layers peeled off them to expose insecurity, vulnerability, regret, and humanity.
The artwork is gritty when required, chillingly capturing the blood-and-bones aftermath of the plague and the dark places the survivors have had to descend to. Minor facial expressions and body language are flawlessly depicted, with entire conversations sometimes happening through the conduit of raised eyebrows and shrugged shoulders. One point of complaint is that the minor characters sometimes look similar to one another, but this pales in comparison to the rich panorama of artistic ability on show.
To summarize, Y: The Last Man is a graphic novel that has to be read, by newbies and seasoned veterans alike. It鈥檚 funny, thoughtful, entertaining, and offers a fresh and gripping take on an oft-repeated premise. And any reader with a heart is sure to have his/her pants charmed off by Ampersand the monkey. I bet my chromosomes on it.
April 8, 2020
What an incredible journey this has been. Highly recommended!
September 18, 2016
A well-illustrated subpar story with an interesting premise but lacking execution. It's very varied and presented well, but the plot takes many incoherent turns.
Man, this one really didn't tick any of the boxes for me. It set the precedent on not being coherent from the very start and it remained largely absurd throughout. Small glimpses of unfulfilled potential. I'm not sure if I'm being too hard on this, but I really didn't enjoy this. I know it cannot be the format as I've enjoyed other graphic novels and manga series. Oh well. It's still a somewhat memorable read, not that any details will stick besides the over-arching premise.
Man, this one really didn't tick any of the boxes for me. It set the precedent on not being coherent from the very start and it remained largely absurd throughout. Small glimpses of unfulfilled potential. I'm not sure if I'm being too hard on this, but I really didn't enjoy this. I know it cannot be the format as I've enjoyed other graphic novels and manga series. Oh well. It's still a somewhat memorable read, not that any details will stick besides the over-arching premise.
September 26, 2024
3.5 really. The episodic nature of the comic really does the pacing a disservice since every issue ends on a cliffhanger so reading it altogether feels really awkward. However it has a fun story and imo, a great great ending and if you know me, I love a good cyclical ending that ties up everything.
September 24, 2023
Very suddenly and violently all living creatures with a Y chromosome (except plants and some insects, but that's not too important) die...except for NYC escape artist Yorick and his pet monkey Ampersand. This sounds like a goofy and potentially cool set up for an adventure story. And it is. But it also raised some interesting questions, for me at least. Will the race to clone babies succeed before humankind dies out in one generation? What will humans do for food and other goods when literally no other animals exist on earth? What will happen to the global ecosystem? What does a world run by women suffering the collective trauma of watching every male creature, from their sons to their favorite pet dogs, die from bloody seizures right in front of their eyes look like? What caused this plague?
Yorick doesn't give a crap about any of that. He just wants to find his girlfriend Beth.
In spending nearly 1500 pages with these characters, I was invested. Even though the reason for the plague proved to be unsatisfying, by the time I reached the end of this tome, I kind of didn't care. I was rooting for all of our protagonists and finding myself with a well and truly broken heart several times.
A note: This series was written in the early aughts. As such, it is filled with language that is NOT okay. It wasn't okay then, either, but it is true that many of us used to speak like that. Because of that, parts of the dialogue were jarring and uncomfortable. Also, many MANY of the characters and the way they speak to each other are so very sexist. Women do not speak to each other that way. I rolled my eyes more than once. There is plenty of gratuitous sex and nudity. (Don't get me started on the dominatrix/hypnotist/therapist.) Pop culture has changed a LOT since then.
Even so, I did really enjoy this comic. It will be a long time before it leaves me.
Yorick doesn't give a crap about any of that. He just wants to find his girlfriend Beth.
In spending nearly 1500 pages with these characters, I was invested. Even though the reason for the plague proved to be unsatisfying, by the time I reached the end of this tome, I kind of didn't care. I was rooting for all of our protagonists and finding myself with a well and truly broken heart several times.
A note: This series was written in the early aughts. As such, it is filled with language that is NOT okay. It wasn't okay then, either, but it is true that many of us used to speak like that. Because of that, parts of the dialogue were jarring and uncomfortable. Also, many MANY of the characters and the way they speak to each other are so very sexist. Women do not speak to each other that way. I rolled my eyes more than once. There is plenty of gratuitous sex and nudity. (Don't get me started on the dominatrix/hypnotist/therapist.) Pop culture has changed a LOT since then.
Even so, I did really enjoy this comic. It will be a long time before it leaves me.
July 21, 2021
I FINALLY finished this series. Really great writing and characters. The premise is handled really well and the story is always moving from one interesting arc to another. The story of the last man on earth is truly a classic from BKV.
March 6, 2023
To byla komiksov谩 j铆zda! V铆c ne啪 1400 str谩nek a po艡谩d to dr啪elo (a啪 na m铆rn媒 pozastaven铆 ob膷as) tempo, tak啪e jsem hltala od za膷谩tku do konce.
Premisa fakt jednoduch谩 - zemi postihne cosi, co zahub铆 v拧echny mu啪e a samce, z暖stanou pouze z谩stupkyn臎 opa膷n茅ho pohlav铆 - a jeden tot谩ln铆 normcore kluk, jeho啪 jedinou 啪ivotn铆 z谩libou je p艡edv谩d臎t kouzelnick媒 triky a le啪et v posteli.
Super zamy拧len铆, jak bude vypadat spole膷nost bez mu啪暖. Co v拧echno nebude fungovat? A bude n臎co fungovat l铆p, jak si v啪dycky 艡铆k谩me? Jak si povedou 啪eny v 膷ele st谩t暖? A zmiz铆 ze sv臎ta v谩lky? Brian Vaughan k tomu p艡istupuje naprosto realisticky, 啪谩dn媒 p艡铆krasy, 啪eny jsou prim谩rn臎 lidi - a to u啪 je jen krok ke zv铆艡at暖m.
Kresba nebyla nijak dramticky origin谩ln铆, n臎kter茅 blond媒na (a 啪e jich v jednu chv铆li je) jsou pom臎rn臎 zam臎niteln茅, ale na takovou bichli mi to ani nevadilo, 啪e jsem ne贸chala nad ka啪d媒m stripem. Dialogy ub铆haly, postavy m臎ly svoje linky a v媒voj. L铆bily se mi epizodky, kter茅 se vracely do d臎tstv铆 nebo jen d艡铆v臎j拧铆ch 膷as暖 jednotliv媒ch protagonist暖. Pom谩halo to zase trochu v铆c pochopit jejich chov谩n铆 a p艡imknout k nim.
Postupn臎 s koncem knihy jde trochu v铆c do tuh茅ho a vy 膷ek谩te na rozuzlen铆 - no, 啪ivot je t臎啪kej, tak se ned谩 煤pln臎 膷ekat n臎co jednoduch媒ho a jasn媒ho, nic nen铆 膷ernob铆l媒. Docela to ve mn臎 dozn铆v谩, str谩vila jsem s Yorickem a jeho partou n臎kolik ve膷er暖 a odpoledn铆. A klidn臎 do toho n臎kdy nasko膷铆m znovu.
Premisa fakt jednoduch谩 - zemi postihne cosi, co zahub铆 v拧echny mu啪e a samce, z暖stanou pouze z谩stupkyn臎 opa膷n茅ho pohlav铆 - a jeden tot谩ln铆 normcore kluk, jeho啪 jedinou 啪ivotn铆 z谩libou je p艡edv谩d臎t kouzelnick媒 triky a le啪et v posteli.
Super zamy拧len铆, jak bude vypadat spole膷nost bez mu啪暖. Co v拧echno nebude fungovat? A bude n臎co fungovat l铆p, jak si v啪dycky 艡铆k谩me? Jak si povedou 啪eny v 膷ele st谩t暖? A zmiz铆 ze sv臎ta v谩lky? Brian Vaughan k tomu p艡istupuje naprosto realisticky, 啪谩dn媒 p艡铆krasy, 啪eny jsou prim谩rn臎 lidi - a to u啪 je jen krok ke zv铆艡at暖m.
Kresba nebyla nijak dramticky origin谩ln铆, n臎kter茅 blond媒na (a 啪e jich v jednu chv铆li je) jsou pom臎rn臎 zam臎niteln茅, ale na takovou bichli mi to ani nevadilo, 啪e jsem ne贸chala nad ka啪d媒m stripem. Dialogy ub铆haly, postavy m臎ly svoje linky a v媒voj. L铆bily se mi epizodky, kter茅 se vracely do d臎tstv铆 nebo jen d艡铆v臎j拧铆ch 膷as暖 jednotliv媒ch protagonist暖. Pom谩halo to zase trochu v铆c pochopit jejich chov谩n铆 a p艡imknout k nim.
Postupn臎 s koncem knihy jde trochu v铆c do tuh茅ho a vy 膷ek谩te na rozuzlen铆 - no, 啪ivot je t臎啪kej, tak se ned谩 煤pln臎 膷ekat n臎co jednoduch媒ho a jasn媒ho, nic nen铆 膷ernob铆l媒. Docela to ve mn臎 dozn铆v谩, str谩vila jsem s Yorickem a jeho partou n臎kolik ve膷er暖 a odpoledn铆. A klidn臎 do toho n臎kdy nasko膷铆m znovu.
December 15, 2024
this was a great story, for it being written in the early 00s it is extremely relevant to sociopolitical topics of today, interesting allusions to the nature-vs-nurture debate, plenty of queer representation, and that a world without men is just as nuanced and complex as it is with men in it, it鈥檚 impossible to unpack everything that this comic touches on, only disappointed by the rushed ending and inconsistencies in character arcs at the end, left feeling a bit confused, ending fell flat for me, but there鈥檚 still so much to get out of it!
November 29, 2020
Ahhh鈥�. Brian K Vaughn. Another book that I am rather conflicted on. The concept is massively interesting and allows for an almost endless array of possibilities and storylines to explore. I would certainly love the chance to pen 60 issues of content with this premise to work with. Whilst nothing in this story was poorly executed or bland, neither did it ever fully live up to the potential the book had just screaming to come out. Whilst one could be forgiven for not expecting a book such as this to be rooted in realism and consistency, but the nature of the world continually fluctuates to suit the purpose of the individual story arc, which for me at least, continually dragged me out of the story. When access to food needs to be a motivating factor, it is scarce and people fight over it, but as soon as it is on longer needed to drive the narrative, food is plentiful and never a concern. The systems of government the women continue with fluctuate wildly, with countries being portrayed as near dystopian wastelands and veritable utopia's, all as the story dictates. At one point near the start of the arc, the main character needed to contact his mother (or vice versa), who just happens to inherit the US presidency (ugh). And the story just neglects that one could pick up a phone and do so at anytime. Phones come and go from the story as needed, too. These plot conveniences continue throughout the story and really got on my nerves at times.
The best characters are ones that come and go from individual issues and arcs, with the main characters that follow the majority of the books length being, in my opinion, not particularly engaging or intriguing. The lesbian scientist, the over powered secret agent, the detestable IDF officer all feature prominently and either outright annoyed me or inspired little in the way of attachment. Yorick's sister was interesting in her first incarnation, but then becomes uninspired and bland. Yorick's girlfriend is barely in the story at all and i would have liked some more of her. Yorick, the last man himself, is most times little more than a foil for the women surrounding him. Yes, he needed to be an every man, and he is written as such. But he is frequently made to look incompetent or inferior to almost all of the women around him, which is not only unrealistic, but again, gets on my nerves. The story at its heart, is one of humanity, and is at its best when it focuses on the realistic and human interactions and emotions experienced by those struggling to put their lives back together after an unimaginable tragedy. Yet the story almost exclusively ignores these basic aspects of humanity, instead focusing mostly on finding a cure and saving the world. I'm not saying that couldn't be a theme, but there were literally a thousand interesting stories that could have been told along the way. Ones that would have further grounded the book in realism and emotion, and given grater weight to the overall aim of the protagonists. Instead, we get set piece after set piece and one adventure after another, with the unspoken tales of those passed along the way falling through the cracks and going unfortunately untold. This is the books greatest flaw. I really didn't care about them finding a cure because I hadn't been made to care enough about those they were trying to save.
The art work, which is almost exclusively done by Pia Geurra, is mostly very solid, although nothing out of this world. It did its job, and did it well throughout the run. The colours complimented the art well.
In the end, I was looking forward to it being over. not because it was awful, but I was left underwhelmed with the massive potential gone begging throughout, and didn't need tale of Yorick being stupid and being saved by one of the women in his life again. the final issue did succeed in bringing about an emotional reaction (as I had been led to believe it would) though this was more of me projecting those feelings onto myself, rather than empathising with the characters themselves, as well as an epic tale reaching its conclusion, which can be sad in its self. Maybe I'm being harsh and that is a strength in its own right. However the characters main characters meant little to me, so I feel justified in my critique. It's certainly worth a look, and lots of people love it, though for me, i'll always remember it more for what it could have been, over what it actually was.
The best characters are ones that come and go from individual issues and arcs, with the main characters that follow the majority of the books length being, in my opinion, not particularly engaging or intriguing. The lesbian scientist, the over powered secret agent, the detestable IDF officer all feature prominently and either outright annoyed me or inspired little in the way of attachment. Yorick's sister was interesting in her first incarnation, but then becomes uninspired and bland. Yorick's girlfriend is barely in the story at all and i would have liked some more of her. Yorick, the last man himself, is most times little more than a foil for the women surrounding him. Yes, he needed to be an every man, and he is written as such. But he is frequently made to look incompetent or inferior to almost all of the women around him, which is not only unrealistic, but again, gets on my nerves. The story at its heart, is one of humanity, and is at its best when it focuses on the realistic and human interactions and emotions experienced by those struggling to put their lives back together after an unimaginable tragedy. Yet the story almost exclusively ignores these basic aspects of humanity, instead focusing mostly on finding a cure and saving the world. I'm not saying that couldn't be a theme, but there were literally a thousand interesting stories that could have been told along the way. Ones that would have further grounded the book in realism and emotion, and given grater weight to the overall aim of the protagonists. Instead, we get set piece after set piece and one adventure after another, with the unspoken tales of those passed along the way falling through the cracks and going unfortunately untold. This is the books greatest flaw. I really didn't care about them finding a cure because I hadn't been made to care enough about those they were trying to save.
The art work, which is almost exclusively done by Pia Geurra, is mostly very solid, although nothing out of this world. It did its job, and did it well throughout the run. The colours complimented the art well.
In the end, I was looking forward to it being over. not because it was awful, but I was left underwhelmed with the massive potential gone begging throughout, and didn't need tale of Yorick being stupid and being saved by one of the women in his life again. the final issue did succeed in bringing about an emotional reaction (as I had been led to believe it would) though this was more of me projecting those feelings onto myself, rather than empathising with the characters themselves, as well as an epic tale reaching its conclusion, which can be sad in its self. Maybe I'm being harsh and that is a strength in its own right. However the characters main characters meant little to me, so I feel justified in my critique. It's certainly worth a look, and lots of people love it, though for me, i'll always remember it more for what it could have been, over what it actually was.
March 3, 2020
"Y the last man omnibus"
Something kills all the living mammals with the y chromosome. For some unknown reason Yorick and his pet monkey Ampersand are not effected by whatever killed all the other males in the world. That makes Yorick the last man alive and Ampersand the last male monkey alive. Yorick, agent 355, doctor Alison Mann and of course Ampersand go on an adventure to repopulate the planet. To do that they need to find what killed all the males, what kept Yorick and Ampersand alive and clone Yorick. But, although Yorick also wants to repopulate the planet, his main goal is to reunite with his girlfriend, who during the "plague" that killed all the males, was on Australia. During the five years they spent together, Yorick, agent 355 and doctor Alison Mann get really close with each other, but most importantly they grow. At the end of their journey non of them is the same as he/she was before.
"Y the last man" is perfectly written.There are some really good plot twists, the action is amazing, the romances are amazing, the plot is amazing, the characters are full rounded and relatable and everything feels natural. The artwork is also really good. At first I didn't like it that much, but it grows on you and by the time I finished the series I really loved the artwork.
Personally I believe that Brian K. Vaughan's strongest element is his character work and his ability to write amazingly an entire world.
10/10
Something kills all the living mammals with the y chromosome. For some unknown reason Yorick and his pet monkey Ampersand are not effected by whatever killed all the other males in the world. That makes Yorick the last man alive and Ampersand the last male monkey alive. Yorick, agent 355, doctor Alison Mann and of course Ampersand go on an adventure to repopulate the planet. To do that they need to find what killed all the males, what kept Yorick and Ampersand alive and clone Yorick. But, although Yorick also wants to repopulate the planet, his main goal is to reunite with his girlfriend, who during the "plague" that killed all the males, was on Australia. During the five years they spent together, Yorick, agent 355 and doctor Alison Mann get really close with each other, but most importantly they grow. At the end of their journey non of them is the same as he/she was before.
"Y the last man" is perfectly written.There are some really good plot twists, the action is amazing, the romances are amazing, the plot is amazing, the characters are full rounded and relatable and everything feels natural. The artwork is also really good. At first I didn't like it that much, but it grows on you and by the time I finished the series I really loved the artwork.
Personally I believe that Brian K. Vaughan's strongest element is his character work and his ability to write amazingly an entire world.
10/10
September 15, 2021
Well, that was a waste of time.
Only giving it three stars because it started well and because of 355. I'll miss 355.
If you want some extremely complicated and ultimately pointless suicide plans, this book is for you. Learn a thing or two. You'll have to read the whole book to get it though. All 1440 pages of it. 馃榿
Only giving it three stars because it started well and because of 355. I'll miss 355.
If you want some extremely complicated and ultimately pointless suicide plans, this book is for you. Learn a thing or two. You'll have to read the whole book to get it though. All 1440 pages of it. 馃榿
September 24, 2016
I enjoyed this graphic-novel's unique take on a post-apocalyptic world and how it examined society's different reactions. My raring is for the series as whole; some volumes shined more than others. I highly recommend this for anyone looking for something "a little different".
March 8, 2025
Re-read. Still get glassy eyed at the last issue... 馃檮
August 16, 2021
4.5 Stars.
Y the last man was a journey that felt well paced and perfectly planned. From beginning to end the story always had something bigger to reveal while also keeping things hidden even till the end of the book. Brian writes a grand idea with great characters trying to figure out how to live in this world and also save it. Yorick is a hero who knows he's just not that. Although the story would have you think its about then last man and how he'll save humanity, he's actually very under qualified and needs all the help he can get. Every main character is written very likable and we really get to see our main group grow. The ending really pulled at the heartstrings but it was an ending that felt fresh and not too clich茅. Pia's artwork I think felt simple at first but after a few issues in, it really grew on me and I can't think of another artist that would've fit this story so perfectly. So much so that the fill in artist had a similar style to Pia. However Pia's artwork grew better in my mind as the story went on. All around its a great tale and I can't wait for the Tv show. Brian writes the story with a TV show feeling so I'm hoping they do this awesome book justice.
Y the last man was a journey that felt well paced and perfectly planned. From beginning to end the story always had something bigger to reveal while also keeping things hidden even till the end of the book. Brian writes a grand idea with great characters trying to figure out how to live in this world and also save it. Yorick is a hero who knows he's just not that. Although the story would have you think its about then last man and how he'll save humanity, he's actually very under qualified and needs all the help he can get. Every main character is written very likable and we really get to see our main group grow. The ending really pulled at the heartstrings but it was an ending that felt fresh and not too clich茅. Pia's artwork I think felt simple at first but after a few issues in, it really grew on me and I can't think of another artist that would've fit this story so perfectly. So much so that the fill in artist had a similar style to Pia. However Pia's artwork grew better in my mind as the story went on. All around its a great tale and I can't wait for the Tv show. Brian writes the story with a TV show feeling so I'm hoping they do this awesome book justice.
December 13, 2020
*The format I read the series in was actually the 5 gorgeous deluxe hardcovers*
This is a wild, fun, and occasionally devastating story. I can now see why people have been eager to adapt it for so long. I was unsure of the main character at first, but he grows and matures and fails and succeeds and becomes more and more interesting throughout. And the art is the true star here, capturing both the action and the emotions beautifully.
While I did really like this, there are story devices used here (romantic chemistry, world building, weaving recurring characters in and out of the story) that Vaughan sometimes struggles with and is much much better at using in Saga.
But even so, by the wistful epilogue issue I was deep in my feelings and thought the landing was successful.
This is a wild, fun, and occasionally devastating story. I can now see why people have been eager to adapt it for so long. I was unsure of the main character at first, but he grows and matures and fails and succeeds and becomes more and more interesting throughout. And the art is the true star here, capturing both the action and the emotions beautifully.
While I did really like this, there are story devices used here (romantic chemistry, world building, weaving recurring characters in and out of the story) that Vaughan sometimes struggles with and is much much better at using in Saga.
But even so, by the wistful epilogue issue I was deep in my feelings and thought the landing was successful.
December 19, 2024
Without a doubt one of the best graphic novels ever written, up there in the hall of fame. It never lets up for a moment, a perfect combination of humor, romance, action, sci-fi, and so much more. It鈥檚 gripping and moving, and will without a doubt go down as one of my all time favorites. Cannot wait to reread this.
February 25, 2021
Incredible read - Vaughan has surely become my favourite comic writer!
August 3, 2021
Fun!! And a super great ending. Brian K. Vaughan knows how to do characters.
4.5 stars!
4.5 stars!
December 25, 2022
This is good, and worth reading, but I recommend getting the five-volume or ten-volume version. This is massive. 11.125"x7.313"x2.75", and 8.8 pounds.
August 27, 2024
Entretenido y con buen desarrollo de personajes. Bastante m谩s interesante que el precepto inicial sugiere.
Read
August 17, 2024the list of gripes with this comic are unending. but story wise it鈥檚 bkv at his most entertaining
goodbye goodbye you were bigger than the whole sky. never again (probably)
[rr]
goodbye goodbye you were bigger than the whole sky. never again (probably)
[rr]
February 15, 2023
One of the best stories I鈥檝e read. I think anyone who nitpicks issues with this book such as, the purpose of the plague, Yorick鈥檚 annoyance or how this was essentially a book written about an all female world by a man, are simply missing the entire point of this story.
This was a beautifully written novel about love and the misplacement of it. A love story that made me tear like no other love story before. Thank you Brian K. Vaughn and Pia Guerra鈥檚 beautiful and engaging artwork.
I鈥檓 glad I read this for the first time 21 years after it鈥檚 release. I鈥檓 also sad that it ended. I prolonged this as much as I could but unfortunately, could not hold out on the remaining 300 pages鈥�
Bravo.
This was a beautifully written novel about love and the misplacement of it. A love story that made me tear like no other love story before. Thank you Brian K. Vaughn and Pia Guerra鈥檚 beautiful and engaging artwork.
I鈥檓 glad I read this for the first time 21 years after it鈥檚 release. I鈥檓 also sad that it ended. I prolonged this as much as I could but unfortunately, could not hold out on the remaining 300 pages鈥�
Bravo.
January 3, 2020
There is something about Y: The Last Man that I find intriguing when I was read it as a comic form in 2002. I did not finished reading its run and more than a decade later, I am thankful for an omnibus version. In six days, I finally finished reading it and what a journey this is. There are parts I truly enjoy and there are parts that I do not and overall, its enjoyable.
What I like about Y: The Last Man: This is probably bias but any plot that deals with end of a society, post-apocalyptic or futuristic dystopian stories (depending how it is outline) to me is already a good story. Take for instance - all the Y-chromosones died suddenly. In other words - all the men died in this world without warning... except for Yorick Brown, a jobless 21ish man who wants to marry his girlfriend (who is in Australia on an anthropology trip) and his monkey in training (its a male too), who survive. Yorick has no idea what happen and all he ever wanted was to get to Australia to see if his girlfriend is okay. Simple, intriguing and yet kind of a smart way of outlining it. Among it all, is how it plays out - the people he met are interesting (an Asian doctor who thought she is the cause of killing all the men, an agent with a number who might be the cause of killing all the men as well, an Israeli soldier on wanting to kidnap Yorick, a ninja on a secret mission, and a whole lot of cast of women who wants something from Yorick) and you have a story there. The best part of it was the flow of the story, the drama, the art that matches the tone and the ending.
What I don't like about Y: The Last Man: Some times, Yorick can be annoyingly annoying. There are times I truly do not like how he was written. He whines, he complains and he is so naively... unrealistic. Of course, to be right written as a young man and jobless could be why the way he is is the way he is. Then, Agent 355, his bodyguard, seems out of character at times. The consistency doesn't match too well from the beginning and end. Its not written as it should be and even though, its meant to be that way, it doesn't feel fulfilling as a character. The other are the side stories that stops the flow, where the lead characters not involve slows down the pace. Its not related and yet, I don't see how much it does contribute to the theme itself. It feels like an excuse to have fillers and yet, for a good reason, I do not see its needed.
To match it up, this is a hefty omnibus. 1440 pages in total, with a binding that will be difficult to read in a comfortable manner. This omnibus needs to be put on a table, and turn each page without breaking the spine. Still, with a beautiful dust jacket cover by J.G.Jones, it does look good on my shelve. Overall - It's a satisfying read from beginning till the end, with some complains. I felt I am on a journey of what adulthood is like and this is written about what's it like to walk into a world where reality can be difficult to live in and yet this is all true. Y: The Last Man omnibus is a heavy collection that deserves its attention and it got mine and I am keeping it as a collection.
February 2, 2021
So after 60 issues, do we get the answers we are looking for? No.
Instead, we are given a narrative that a subjective and personal conclusion should be more valued than what the authors think or what the authors want to push to the audience. This is hardly how fiction works in most cases. It is like saying, here is a murder mystery and here are 10 suspects, but instead of we giving you a proper answer, we will spin a yarn for a long while and then won't give you anything substantial at the end.
This feels like cheating in a way, and an easy escape to that one has to put up since one can not convincingly conclude the tale. I daresay, something similar is stalling the Song of Ice and Fire too. The lack of a clear path to the conclusion.
If you take away the lack of conclusion, there is still a fantastic concept. All the males are dead, which brings humanity at its end in a few years. How does the world handle this catastrophe? An ideal narrative would have been of various protagonists across the globe in different walks of life, coming to terms with this global event. I recently read Max Brook's World War Z. It is absolutely unrelated to Y: The Last Man, but it also tackles a worldwide event and takes an approach of multiple narrators. I wasn't looking for a copy here, but just an idea of how an event of global proportions could have been handled well.
The narrative instead keeps running like a soap opera and shows one man's extraordinary journey around the globe in search of the corniest and cheesiest causes of all time. There are many elements that come up. Daughters or Amazon burning sperm banks, Israeli military having their own agenda. A mysterious Culper ring and their counterparts. These stand on their own as normal fiction elements. How the global disaster has impacted the world does not really come across. Or that might be the thought of the authors, that even if men are wiped out from the face of the earth, nothing lot will change. There are lip-service instances of how certain occupations were male-dominated, but nothing stuck for me.
This is a well-acclaimed series, so my opinions are somewhat outliers, but I expected better from the last man on planet earth. He let us all down.
Instead, we are given a narrative that a subjective and personal conclusion should be more valued than what the authors think or what the authors want to push to the audience. This is hardly how fiction works in most cases. It is like saying, here is a murder mystery and here are 10 suspects, but instead of we giving you a proper answer, we will spin a yarn for a long while and then won't give you anything substantial at the end.
This feels like cheating in a way, and an easy escape to that one has to put up since one can not convincingly conclude the tale. I daresay, something similar is stalling the Song of Ice and Fire too. The lack of a clear path to the conclusion.
If you take away the lack of conclusion, there is still a fantastic concept. All the males are dead, which brings humanity at its end in a few years. How does the world handle this catastrophe? An ideal narrative would have been of various protagonists across the globe in different walks of life, coming to terms with this global event. I recently read Max Brook's World War Z. It is absolutely unrelated to Y: The Last Man, but it also tackles a worldwide event and takes an approach of multiple narrators. I wasn't looking for a copy here, but just an idea of how an event of global proportions could have been handled well.
The narrative instead keeps running like a soap opera and shows one man's extraordinary journey around the globe in search of the corniest and cheesiest causes of all time. There are many elements that come up. Daughters or Amazon burning sperm banks, Israeli military having their own agenda. A mysterious Culper ring and their counterparts. These stand on their own as normal fiction elements. How the global disaster has impacted the world does not really come across. Or that might be the thought of the authors, that even if men are wiped out from the face of the earth, nothing lot will change. There are lip-service instances of how certain occupations were male-dominated, but nothing stuck for me.
This is a well-acclaimed series, so my opinions are somewhat outliers, but I expected better from the last man on planet earth. He let us all down.
February 20, 2024
Had good fun but the ending is a complete disaster.
January 15, 2020
Y haven鈥檛 I read this sooner?
For those that know comics (and many who don鈥檛) this is one of the, if not THE, quintessential independent comic books. It鈥檚 heralded by many but I never bothered with it until a recent recommendation.
That was a mistake.
This book isn鈥檛 perfect. While the cliffhangers are often amazingly placed, the resolution sometimes feels like a cheap cop out. Similarly, some of the plot threads feel like they ultimately amount to shaggy dog stories. While Pia Guerra and Goran Sudzuka form a seamless art team, with a simple style evoking Steve Dillon mixed with Greg Capullo, their art occasionally feels static and simple.
But despite all this I can鈥檛 help but give it five stars. When those flaws are present it鈥檚 still mildly enjoyable. But in the greatest moments this book becomes so much more. A funny, emotional ride that mixes suspense, comedy, heart and sneaky commentary carried by both an amazing writer and artist. It all builds to a supremely compelling ending that is agonising and uplifting in equal measure. While the journey getting there may be slightly bumpy along the way, it鈥檚 all worth it.
For those that know comics (and many who don鈥檛) this is one of the, if not THE, quintessential independent comic books. It鈥檚 heralded by many but I never bothered with it until a recent recommendation.
That was a mistake.
This book isn鈥檛 perfect. While the cliffhangers are often amazingly placed, the resolution sometimes feels like a cheap cop out. Similarly, some of the plot threads feel like they ultimately amount to shaggy dog stories. While Pia Guerra and Goran Sudzuka form a seamless art team, with a simple style evoking Steve Dillon mixed with Greg Capullo, their art occasionally feels static and simple.
But despite all this I can鈥檛 help but give it five stars. When those flaws are present it鈥檚 still mildly enjoyable. But in the greatest moments this book becomes so much more. A funny, emotional ride that mixes suspense, comedy, heart and sneaky commentary carried by both an amazing writer and artist. It all builds to a supremely compelling ending that is agonising and uplifting in equal measure. While the journey getting there may be slightly bumpy along the way, it鈥檚 all worth it.
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