Y: The Last Man (Complete Series) by Brian K. Vaughan

Early on in Luke Reviews’ history, I put up reviews of the first couple books in Y: The Last Man, then stopped. I had read through the first five, but for whatever reason never posted reviews. However, over spring break, I sat down and read all ten volumes, and I knew it was time to take a look at the series as a whole.


Y: The Last Man takes a look at a world where all the men are dead. All the men, that is, except Yorick Brown, escape artist and loser, and his pet monkey, Ampersand (i.e. &). As Yorick sets out to find out what happened, he picks up new members to add to his group, including 355, an agent of the Culper Ring, a secret government group, and Dr. Mann, a scientist tasked with creating male clones to let the human race repopulate the world. Travelling first across the country, then around the world, Yorick is on a quest to find his girlfriend, Beth, but has to help Dr. Mann save humanity first.

The series is absolute brilliance. From its early stages with the fights against the Amazons, to the quest to recapture Ampersand, all the way to the final denouement, every single part of this ten-volume saga is excellent. Yorick, along with 355 and Dr. Mann, become incredibly rich characters who show massive amounts of growth as the series progresses. The writing manages to touch on a number of very serious and sensitive subjects, along with hitting deep emotional cords, yet keeps its witty humor throughout.

This is the series for people who don’t read comics or graphic novels. It is the series for people who do. It is a story that, rare in this genre, has an obvious beginning, middle, and end, and fits the 60 chapters of story together in a very tight weave that makes a truly cohesive whole. If you read only one graphic series, read Y: The Last Man.

10/10

Y: The Last Man, Volume 2: Cycles by Brian K. Vaughan

After far too long a break since the first excursion into Y: The Last Man (see my review of the first volume, Unmanned) I return with volume 2 of this series. I was extremely impressed with the first book, and I had really high hopes for the second one.

After the explosive (literally) conclusion to the first volume, Yorick, Ampersand, Dr. Mann, and Agent 355 head west. The trip is difficult, and in an attempt to save time, the group hops onto a train. Things become difficult, and our heroes land in a small town in Ohio, where things seem a bit too perfect.

Vaughan ratchets the action up further, as more and more pieces of this strange new world come to the fore. The art continues to be excellent as well, as the characters and the situation are depicted accurately, and not too far over the top. The conclusion leaves huge mysteries for the future, and I for one can't wait to get to the next volume. Expect more soon.

9/10

Y: The Last Man, Volume 1: Unmanned by Brian K. Vaughan

As things have gotten a tad crazy lately, here's another graphic novel review (I am a fan of good graphic novels) while I finish up the current novel.

I had taken a break from reading graphic novels of any kind for years, and I was looking for a few to pick up. I ended up selecting the first books in a few series. One of these was Brian K. Vaughan's Y: The Last Man, illustrated by Pia Guerra and Jose Marzan, Jr. The premise of this book is simple: on July 17, 2002, all male mammals die. Well, almost. Yorick Brown, and his pet monkey Ampersand (named after the symbol &) both survive. Beyond that, not a lot of information is given. No one knows the true cause, and there are many conflicting theories.

Yorick, later with the help of Agent 355, seek out top geneticist Dr. Allison Mann. However, a group of extreme feminists, the Daughters of the Amazon, don't make this trip easy. At the same time, we are introduced to Alter Tse'elon, head of the Israeli military, and Yorick's girlfriend Beth, stuck in Australia.

Vaugan could have gone a lot of different ways with this world of women, and many of these ways could have been cheesy, but he really nails it with this one. He takes this topic and addresses it maturely, with female characters both glad there are no more men, and who miss them and mourn them. He doesn't take the immature route and fill the book with dumb, gratuitous all-female sex, but approaches all of the relationships with a great deal of talent and characterization almost unheard of in graphic fiction of this sort.

By treating this topic with such deftness and incredible talent, Vaughan creates a classic depiction of a world in great tragedy, and how the survivors deal with it. Filled with excellent characters and very believable dialogue, this book hits every note. Even non-graphic novel readers will enjoy this one. Pick this up, and look for more reviews of this series to come. You'll regret missing out.

9/10