100 Graphic’s to read before you die – #1 Transmetropolitan
Before I commence with the review of this book I need to tell you a story, which should indicate, without question, my opinion of this book.
When I took over the Grinning Demon, a lot of customers were surprised to learn that I hadn’t read Transmetropolitan. Although I had touched base on a handful of more mature, non-superhero titles (Preacher, V for VeVendetta, From Hell, Black Orchid), the majority of my reading was firmly entrnched in the spandex genre. I was consistently nagged at for having omitted Transmet from my reading history so four months after starting at the shop I took home four volumes of Warren Ellis’ futuristic tale. I started reading at around 7.30, shortly after putting the kids to bed, and was engrossed. Thus, upon completion, I put my trainers on and jogged down to the shop to pick up the remaining volumes, which I also devoured over the course of one evening. This, to date, is the only book that has left me clamouring for more in quite such an obsessive fashion. I genuinely NEEDED to finish the story, and thank God, we had all the volumes in stock at the time.
Transmetropolitan Volume 1 – Back on the Street
In this volume we are introduced to the books main protagonist, Spider Jerusalem, a journalist who returns to the city after a self imposed exile. To him, the city is both a blessing and a curse as it is the only place in which he can write, whereas at the same time it the one place he MUST write. Obsessed by delivering the truth regardless of whose toes he steps on, Spider returns to the fore almost immediately with his live reporting of the real events occuring at the riot of Angel Town.
In Spider, Warren Ellis has created one of the greatest anti-heroes in comic history. The character spews dialogue at a rate of knots, gatling gun fashion like a rabid version of Bill Hicks, on acid. He is the focal point of pretty much everything that occurs in the books and despite his unpleasant demeanour (his ex-wife refused to come out of cryogenics till he was dead) you can’t help loving him. Scarily my wife said that if she had to pick a comic character to be, she’d be Spider…..gulp!
The various plotlines mirror events in modern society despite the story being set in a dystopian future. Always thought provoking, one may not always agree with Spider’s viewpoint, but one does have to respect it. Ellis also has you running through a gamut of emotions as this rollercoaster ride of a black comedy unfolds. There are some great, slapstick visuals thrown in for good measure as well.
Match this up with the sublime artwork of Darick Robertson who can do no wrong in my eyes. The man has an amazing ability with regards to facial expressions, probably only matched by Macguire, whilst at the same time his attention to detail in the majority of panels is incredible. Darick creates a vision akin to Scotts take on the city in Blade Runner, only far, far, FAR more bizarre. His great pencils are backed up by some superb work by the colourist (Nathan Eyring) who helps this futuristic vision come to life with some fantastically vibrant intepretations of the panels created.
With regards marks out of ten, its a shame I can’t give more than 10. I love this book and everyone who reads comics should be MADE to read it. It won’t be to everyones liking but it’s definitely a marmite kind of thing, if you do like it, you’ll LOVE it.
With each of the reviews we’ll be getting a regular from the shop to add their views, as a counterbalance to my gushing fanboy comments. Here’s James Carters’ take on Transmetropolitan
Journalist Spider Jerusalem is easily one of the most memorable characters ever to be inflicted on comics, and when I say inflicted I just mean that there is no other way to imagine how he interacts with the world he inhabits – he smokes copiously, abuses every drug he can get his hands on, has more ink on him than a rabid octopus, and seems to hate just about everything and everyone. But you find yourself loving him for the very fact that he is honest about it – he hates everyone equally and for good reasons, and will not back down when it comes to the Truth. He is a storm of righteous fury and lunacy, using his weekly column to immerse the reader in the City, a future metropolis both intimidating and familiar. It’s pretty much our own world writ large, concentrated and then pumped full of steroids, with Ellis using it to address real issues, from racial intolerance to political corruption.
Though I hate giving in to stereotyping, it’s just so damn hard these days not to think of journalists as fear-mongering, gossip-stirring wage slaves, given their agendas by their owners. Spider reminds you that there may actually be people out there who want to tell you the truth, and with a few choice lines on a type-writer illustrates how powerful raw journalism can be. Spider is the reader’s avatar in Transmetropolitan – whereas with most comics you can sit back and watch the story unfold, Ellis pulls you in through Spider. There is barely a page that does not feature him, and his introduction in this first volume serves to take you with him as he goes from a mountain retreat back to the sprawling city, taking the same fumbling steps into the new world together. Unfortunately this may also be Transmetropolitan’s biggest flaw – there is no let up from Spider, and if you find him a bit much it may be hard to let yourself enjoy it.
But even then, Darick Robertson’s art just has so much going on it can be hard not to find something to love in these pages, and it’s so easy to go back again and again to find new nuggets and easter eggs in the panels. On every front, this book is a kinetic extravaganza that will make you question what you’re being fed by the media, and wish there could be more writers like Spider.
Further Reading
Volume 2 – Lust for Life
Volume 3 – Year of the Bastard
Volume 4 – The New Scum
Volume 5 – Lonely City
Volume 6 – Gouge Away
Volume 7 – Spiders Thrash
Volume 8 – Dirge
Volume 9 – The Cure
Volume 10 – One More Time
