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The plot thickens and the fun continues

Customer Rating:

The first book in Brian K. Vaughan's Y: THE LAST MAN set up the premise: all the males in the world of every species have died except for loser named Yorick Brown and his pet monkey Ampersand. In the chaos that follows American society is oppressed by totalitarian Amazons, who are marked ideologically by an intense detestation of all things male (in later books they will even try to tear down structures they imagine are male) and by their ill-informed attempt to mimic Amazons by cutting off one breast (actually, there is no good evidence that the mythical Amazons removed a breast so as to be better archers, and I've been told by women who are actually good with a bow that there is no physiological reason to need to do so). In this book Yorick, Ampersand, the mysterious Agent 355, and Dr. Mann begin their continent wide journey to Mann's San Francisco genetics lab, where she hopes to find a cure for the plague that has killed all males. Along they way they are pursued by the Israeli military, stay awhile in a small town filled with escaped prison inmates, and encounter a group of Amazons, including Yorick's sister Hero. If you push the book very hard, all kinds of problems arise. I choose not to push the book very hard. But let me indication the ways someone so inclined might push. First, Vaughan depicts an entire society that has collapsed almost completely. The implication is that society is not merely male-dominated, but male-driven. One fantasy I have whenever I go on vacation is that when I return, my office will have collapsed into chaos. Instead, when I return, things are pretty much like I left them. I believe much the same thing would be true were all men to suddenly vanish. Yes, there would be interruptions, but none total and complete. Second, no one seems to sense the need for either Yorick or Ampersand to play any kind of active role in replenishing their species. This is just silly. If I were placed in such a role, I would feel it incumbent to help any way I could (and I truly do not mean that in any kind of salacious way). That Yorick would feel it possible to maintain a relationship exclusively with his girlfriend Beth is incredible. Third, are the Amazons in any way believable? Can we possibly believe that mass groups of women would delight in the disappearance of all males? I could go on, but I tend to read Y: THE LAST MAN like I watch HEROES: I avoid any tough questions. This is why for me Y: THE LAST MAN fails to stand up to the very best long graphic sequences, like Neil Gaiman's SANDMAN or why HEROES fails to measure up to BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER or BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: neither can stand up to the hard questions. Still, taken with your critical eye blinded, this is enormous fun.

Something Interesting About Sequels

Customer Rating:

Usually, when a movie comes out with a sequel, the original is always better. However, it seems to be the opposite with novels (both graphic and prose). I always find myself liking the second volume in a book series better than the first, and that trend continues with "Cycles," the second arc of "Y: The Last Man." Since the whole "men are wiped out" thing was covered last issue, things flow a lot more smoothly in this issue. It allows more time for plot and character interaction, the latter of which I am finding to be the best part of this series. The core characters are established as Yorick, Agent 355, and Dr. Mann (who I have yet to 'figure out' as a character) and the villains (the Amazons) are also developed as well. The plot of this arc revolves around a community of women who have actually benefited from the death of men. It was interesting to see Yorick and, later, the Amazons interact with these women, who have a very shady backstory. Another thing I noticed about this trade paperback was how fast paced the issues are. So much happens and so many seeds are planted for the future of the series that it is, to use a cliche, almost impossible to put down. The series hasn't exactly 'clicked' for me the way Runaways did, but--knowing Brian K. Vaughan--I'm sure it will. 8/10

Y Just Gets Better With Each Volume	Customer Rating:
I didn't Y: The Last Man would get much better than the first volume. I was wrong. Volume 2 had an incredibly exciting story with a lot of humor in it. Brian K. Vaughn is a really good writer, and this is demonstrated in Y: the Last Man. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

Graphic SF Reader

Customer Rating:

Yorick has gained some companions. Agent 355 is working for the mysterious Culper Ring, some sort of ultra-secret spook organisation. It is not quite clear who is pulling her strings, or the strings of her agency. There ia also a scientist who specialises in biology and genetics, and she hopes that Yorick and Ampersand can help her make a cure. They all have to survive an ex-prison town, a crazed Amazon cult, and Yorick's sister, first.

the worst 'writer'/poseur in comics today...	Customer Rating:
read an interview with vaughan and you think 'he must be amazingly gifted as an actor, because he couldn't possibly be that stupid and poseur-riffic.' but he is...