COMICS REVIEW: Y the Last Man 32-48

Hello comic fiends, er friends!
Time for another review of one o' my favorite books...

Y THE LAST MAN - issue numbers 32-48

Here's another title I like to read in large chunks... since Y is an ongoing and epic storyline, with longer arcs ranging from 2 to I don't know 6 issues each, it reads well in long doses. That said, as with most books, if you wait 2 years to catch up, that's too long. It's nice to have 17 or so issues to go through, but I remember virtually nothing from before. Oh sure, I remember Yorick being the last man on Earth, seeking to find the answer to why he survived the plague that killed off mankind, his monkey, his bodyguard 355, and all that stuff, but I forget why Ampersand is missing, or that Yorick had slept with a girl besides his beloved fiance that's half-way around the world... stuff like that. Ah well...

So, having absolutely loved the book up to this point, the richness in the details of this world without men, the motivations of the women who make up the ever growing cast, the situations Yorick and friends get into, the dialogue, the art... basically everything about the book, especially the concept, I can say the love affair continues in these issues as well.

Y the Last Man continues to be one of the best, most complex, and engaging books on the shelf. However, these issues do contain several books where we're simply being treated to backstories for some of the main cast, and while we're better for knowing the events and forces driving these characters, it does feel a little bit padded in retrospect. Maybe that's only because we know the book wraps up sooner than later, and we're anxious to see things unfold and resolve. Perhaps then, it's just another strong suit of the book, that writer Brian K Vaughan has such a strong world, cast, concept at play, he could spin things along much longer, and still tell great stories, but he's smart enough to move things to their climax any way.

I forget what issue number was announced as the final for the series, but I believe it's getting close at hand, and I'm as anxious as ever to see where things lead.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - Y is a mature, down to Earth look at a sensational concept, and is a fun, smart, and tense read. It showcases the range and quality that comic books, or graphic fiction can achieve. Pick up the first trade if you haven't, and get started, you'll be glad you did.

And if you hurry, you can still bid on these bad boys HERE