Y: The Last Man Review (Vertigo Comics)

“Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio, a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy.”

Yorick Brown, the protagonist of Y: The Last Man, did not have the misfortune of being a friend of Hamlet’s, but his life was pretty rough anyways. Around the age of 22, he became the last living male on the planet. An unexplained catastrophe caused all male mammals to die, except Yorick and his Capuchin monkey, Ampersand. As one would expect when half the world’s population suddenly dies, what followed wasn’t the apocalypse, but not too far behind. Not because of women’s reliance on man, but simply because billions are suddenly dead.

Welcome to the world of Y: The Last Man.

The story follows Yorick, Agent 355, a super secret agent tasked to keep Yorick alive, Dr. Allison Mann, a scientist they meet in Boston who is determined to find out why only Yorick survived, and of course, Ampersand. After Dr. Mann’s lab in Boston is blown up, they head west to her backup lab in San Francisco. Needless to say, the journey does not go smoothly. We’re talking Road Warrior level troubles, whether it’s the Amazons (fanatical female warriors), angry Israelis, Yorick’s clumsiness, or Ampersand throwing his poo. It’s not a pleasant journey, but it is interesting and entertaining, and it WILL keep you hooked.

Yorick is a great protagonist. Generally good-natured and humorous, he starts out with an immense case of survivor’s guilt and is somewhat suicidal (although he won’t admit it). A little single-minded, his main goal is to find his girlfriend in Australia, much to Dr. Mann and 355′s dismay. Throughout the story he learns to cope with his predicament and matures. It’s a good coming of age story. Agent 355 is an enigma. Mysterious and deadly, she knows way more than she tells, but is also fiercely devoted to keeping Yorick safe, whether he likes it or not. Dr. Mann may be my favorite character in the story. As brilliant of a scientist as she is, she’s even more bitter and sarcastic, a good foil to Yorick’s devil-may-care attitude and 355′s seriousness.

Agent 355, Yorick, Ampersand, Dr. Mann

The whole world is very reminiscent of Children of Men, same sense of despair and the very real possibility the human race may die out if someone doesn’t find a way to make more people. It’s dark, not particularly happy, but very epic and thought provoking. It’s also a rather good character study, watching these different characters react and deal with circumstances no one prepares for.

I grew to really love this series. It starts off a little slow, but once it gets going, it doesn’t stop, not even at the end. The last few books I had to read in a single sitting, and the final Epilogue hit me on a very emotional level. It’s one of those stories that is long enough you really grow attached to the characters, and genuinely feel invested in their plight and success. You see them develop, change and grow. Yorick may have the misfortune being the last man alive, but all things considered, he does alright.

Y: The Last Man takes place over 60 issues that have been collected into 10 paperbacks, or 5 hardcovers. Each paperback generally retails around $12, making it a bit cheaper than most trades. I do highly recommend the series, especially if you like post-apocalyptic (or near-apocalyptic) stories. Check it out, and be sure to be nice to Ampersand.