As I watched LOST a few weeks ago I noticed a name flash by during the credits. Brian K Vaughn first showed up as a writer on the show in season 3 and has done work on several episodes during season 4. Although most people will not recognize the name, he is well known in the comic book industry. Vaughn recently finished a critically acclaimed series called Y: The Last Man. At the time I spotted his name during LOST I had not read any of the series but I decided to pick up the first trade (trades collect issues of a comic book for easy reading so you don't have to go out and find back issues) on my next run to my LCS (that's "local comic shop" for you hipsters out there).
Y: The Last Man is about Yorik and his monkey Ampersand, the last males of any species on Earth.
Yorick is faced with a world slowly coming unraveled and is thrust in to a quest to save humanity and find his girlfriend while being beset on all side by females with their own agenda. There are vigilante woman trying to capture and sell Yorick to the highest bidder, organized "amazon" women who believe men have been cleansed for good reason, and politicians who have their own motivations for assisting Yorick and his band of travelers. Yorick is a man stuck in one hell of a hen party.
From what I have read so far this is a really excellent book. The book is completely serious but also humorous without making fun of itself or the genre. I am early, very early, in the series but I am already hook and can't wait to plow through all the trades. This is also a series that I hope I can get my wife interested in. It certainly has that air of mystery that surrounds LOST and I can see why they brought Vaughn on as a writer. The really great thing here is that the story is finished. The last issue came out a few months back so the final collected trade should be out soon if it hasn't already hit this stands. I don't have to worry about waiting for the next part of the story like I do with so many other series that I read in both novel and comic book form. I can remember how excruciating the wait for Dark Tower 3 was so having a series complete when I start reading is really quite refreshing.
The comic book industry is in a state of flux today. The trade market is growing with mainstream books stores now stocking a wealth of books, including Y. You should be able to pick up the first book at any local Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Borders, or any other large chain store. I recommend, however, that you seek out your local comic shop and buy the book from the specialty retailer. Supporting the comic shops helps keep the industry running. There is a lot of amazingly wonderful work being put out today but the industry is in danger of disappearing in the near future. I have a longer essay on this subject but it is enough now to say that if you like good writing and good stories you need to go out and buy the product. If not, where are movies like 300 and Iron Man going to come from once no one is writing the stories anymore?
Check out Y: The Last Man and let me know what you think.
Y: The Last Man is about Yorik and his monkey Ampersand, the last males of any species on Earth.Yorick is faced with a world slowly coming unraveled and is thrust in to a quest to save humanity and find his girlfriend while being beset on all side by females with their own agenda. There are vigilante woman trying to capture and sell Yorick to the highest bidder, organized "amazon" women who believe men have been cleansed for good reason, and politicians who have their own motivations for assisting Yorick and his band of travelers. Yorick is a man stuck in one hell of a hen party.
From what I have read so far this is a really excellent book. The book is completely serious but also humorous without making fun of itself or the genre. I am early, very early, in the series but I am already hook and can't wait to plow through all the trades. This is also a series that I hope I can get my wife interested in. It certainly has that air of mystery that surrounds LOST and I can see why they brought Vaughn on as a writer. The really great thing here is that the story is finished. The last issue came out a few months back so the final collected trade should be out soon if it hasn't already hit this stands. I don't have to worry about waiting for the next part of the story like I do with so many other series that I read in both novel and comic book form. I can remember how excruciating the wait for Dark Tower 3 was so having a series complete when I start reading is really quite refreshing.
The comic book industry is in a state of flux today. The trade market is growing with mainstream books stores now stocking a wealth of books, including Y. You should be able to pick up the first book at any local Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Borders, or any other large chain store. I recommend, however, that you seek out your local comic shop and buy the book from the specialty retailer. Supporting the comic shops helps keep the industry running. There is a lot of amazingly wonderful work being put out today but the industry is in danger of disappearing in the near future. I have a longer essay on this subject but it is enough now to say that if you like good writing and good stories you need to go out and buy the product. If not, where are movies like 300 and Iron Man going to come from once no one is writing the stories anymore?
Check out Y: The Last Man and let me know what you think.
The final volume, "Whys and Wherefores," comes out June 18.
"twas cool to meet you and the family at Buck Creek! my little one scrubbed all around the rainbow on her arm but wouldn't wash it off!