1.17.2008

Amazing comic book ends its run


The critically acclaimed comic book Y-The Last Man ends its run with issue 60 on February 8th. It's a sci-fi book about the last man on earth, like the cliche pickup rejection. One day all the men drop dead and only women are left in the world, and one man. It's the farthest thing from a sexual fantasy that you can possible imagine as the creators of this story delve deep into the reality of what would happen if this bizarre situation really occurred. Submarines around the world are scuttled, Israel has the most battle ready army, when the American government begins to rebuild there is a huge power shift as all the republican leaders have died off leaving only Democratic politicians and Republican widows. It's an amazingly well thought out book and I'm actually excited to see it end.

As a fan of comic books, I used to twist on the hook for years while my favorite characters rehashed the same stories over and over until the became unprofitable. I don't really read super hero books like that anymore. I love stories that are finite (if epic) a great example of this being the TV show Lost which has recently made the historic decision to wrap itself up at a predetermined point. It's something I admire British television for, being able to go out on top and not endlessly pursue squeezing every last possible cent out of a creative endeavor. This is what destroyed the Sopranos for me.

Another great thing about Y The Last Man is that is works so well as a comic, I remember being blown away by the striking visual composition on the final page of the first major story arc. This was something that could never be accomplished the same way in a film version or in any other medium. I strongly encourage everyone to check out this book, its a fantastic example of the strength power and potential for storytelling in modern comics. You can read the entire first issue for free with the first link in this post.

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