Comics - Y The Last Man

Well, if you came from a comics blog, or you are a regular comics reader, you have probably heard of Y: The Last Man. If not, you are in for a treat.

I first heard about Y: The Last Man on Amazon.com. I first started reading (modern) comics about four years ago. I started by buying the first trade of Ultimate X-Men. I didn't know much about it, except that it was kind of a reboot of X-Men, which I needed since I missed the first 30 years of continuity not counting the old TV show and the movies. Well, after I purchased this Amazon immediately recommended Y: The Last Man. I think this was because Brian K Vaughan, the creator of Y was also a writer for 21 issues of Ultimate X-Men.

Anyway, long story short, the description looked weird and a little creepy. Also, I was raised thinking that comics were about superheroes, not just any old thing. (Silly me, how much I have learned in the last four years). So, I didn't buy it. Then, about 7 months ago, I noticed a lot of praise from some comics bloggers, so I decided to check it out.

I bought the first trade (a collection of the first five issues). This book was the first story line in the series, and it is amazing. The big picture description of the story: Yorick Brown is the last human male, all other males, of all species, die off. He is on a journey to find his girlfriend in Australia. As you can imagine, society falls apart without men. I don't mean this in a sexist way, think about it: the majority of truck drivers, pilots, farmers, etc are men.

The world Vaughan creates is amazing. There are bands of Amazons who eventually try to hunt down Yorick and kill him. There are many women who believe that God wanted all men destroyed, and think it is a blessing. There are also those who mourn the loss of men and their families and want to try to reverse this.

I have only finished the second trade, but I look forward to many many more. Now, this series wrapped up earlier this year, so I know there is a conclusion and I can't wait to read the rest. There were a total of 60 issues and there will be 10 trades. The last one will be released in June.

This is a great series, so check it out. For those who might need a little extra nudge, Vaughan has also written for Lost. That's right, he has written three episodes including the most recent episode "Meet Kevin Johnson," about the return of Michael to the show. He really is a great writer, and you should check out Y: The Last Man.