Comics / Comic Reviews / DC Comics

Y: The Last Man - Umanned (Book 1)

By Leroy Douresseaux
January 25, 2004 - 14:26

A plague of unknown origins has destroyed every sperm, fetus, and fully developed mammal with a Y chromosome on Earth, but how could the DC/Vertigo series, Y: THE LAST MAN, be a last man on earth story if there weren't exceptions? The survivors, Yorick Brown and his male pet monkey, Ampersand, must navigate a post-male world full of dangerous women, proving that being the only guy around can be a pain. Y: THE LAST MAN - UNMANNED collects issues 1-5 of the critically acclaimed comic.

Brian K. Vaughn is that writer who can take a high concept and deliver something special. Y is also a good serialized comic story and each chapter is self-contained and satisfying. Someone could read one issue, never buy another one and still feel that he read an excellent comic. But if you stopped reading, you'd miss one of the truly fine comics. As much as I liked 28 DAYS LATER, I wish that it would have been entertaining as Y: The Last Man.

Artist Pia Guerra doesn't draw eye candy, and her art certainly isn't pretty window dressing. She, however, is such a good storyteller, and she makes her art a seamless transition from the script to the point that it's hard to believe that the writer and penciller of Y are separate entities. To me, that's beautiful comic art. She's the best partner on a Vertigo series since Steve Dillon translated Garth Ennis. And after five issues, I'm ready to follow this book like it's the last comic on earth.
[DRECK, DULL, READABLE, VERY GOOD, EXCELLENT]

Leroy Douresseaux is a comic book writer and critic based in Louisiana.

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12