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Y: Last Man Standing ... should I continue

post #1 of 31
7/19/09 at 5:00am
Thread Starter 
I enjoyed Volume 1, but actually not for the plot, I just found the characters and the writing interesting. I was rather surprised to see that there are nine more volumes!

So, considering that I'm basically in it just for the characters and the dialogue, am I going to end up happy? Is the plot going to pick up? (I've found it to be quite funny, but am I supposed to be taking it seriously?)
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post #2 of 31
7/19/09 at 5:20am
It's more of a road story. I read it month to month so I don't know how it flows in volumes but it's a must-read series that always feels fresh although there are times when it had a little trouble juggling all the characters and their motivations. But again, that may work better in a collected edition rather than trying to remember where every character is when you only read an issue for fifteen minutes once a month.

But stay with it. You won't be disappointed.
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post #3 of 31
7/19/09 at 6:40am
I have a hard time saying this about one of my favourite series of all time, but if you're only in it for the dialogue, it doesn't improve much. The story does go a couple of interesting places though. Maybe check out the second volume. If you're not into it by then you'll probly never be.
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post #4 of 31
7/19/09 at 9:51am
Y was/is essentially the comic equivalent to LOST. Why things are happening and the other sci-fi elements take a back seat to the characters, and a lot of the criticism of the book as it was shipping monthly centered around what people perceived as a meandering plot that didn't focus on the larger questions, but it was mainly because BKV found the characters more interesting. I know plenty of people who don't like it though, it's not for everyone, and like Humanoid said if you're in it for cracking dialogue and 2001-esque sci-f it's probably not the book you're looking for. It's an adventure story, if anything.
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post #5 of 31
7/19/09 at 11:06am
A lot of it is actually about social and political commentary. The political commentary is one of the few things that annoyed me about the book. The artwork is fairly mundane too. Other than that it's pretty addictive and well worth it. I couldn't read it month to month though, far too frustrating.

Ex Machina I'm reading now and its pretty awesome. Although the characters are extremely similar to the ones in Y the Last Man. They have the exact same voice, and speak in the same manner. He loves having his characters impart literary and historical references. In anycase, so far I'm enyoying Ex Machina much more than Y. The artwork is a quantum leap head of Y the Last Mans.
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post #6 of 31
7/19/09 at 1:30pm
I read about the first four books worth and didn't find it terribly engaging. Plenty of people seem to have enjoyed it, so what do I know. On the whole I much prefer Ex-Machina among Brian K Vaughn's books.
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post #7 of 31
7/19/09 at 1:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nabster View Post
A lot of it is actually about social and political commentary. The political commentary is one of the few things that annoyed me about the book. The artwork is fairly mundane too. Other than that it's pretty addictive and well worth it. I couldn't read it month to month though, far too frustrating.
I don't think anybody's reading Y: The Last Man for its social and political commentary.
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post #8 of 31
7/19/09 at 2:09pm
I found the constant self-aware quippery of the dialogue tiresome after a time, but the series' greatest strength was some truly great cliffhangers. This will be lost in trade form, so if you do persevere it may be wise to ration yourself.
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post #9 of 31
7/19/09 at 5:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric Cordo View Post
I don't think anybody's reading Y: The Last Man for its social and political commentary.
Well the whole female being repressed angle is played pretty hard and it's almost probably at least half of what Y the Last Man is. And then theres a lot of pro Israel commentary. Even in Ex Machina there's a lot of female empowerment and gay rights issues played out. Most of it is fine, but some of it I flat out disagree with and it almost pisses me off.
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post #10 of 31
7/19/09 at 6:29pm
Volume five is my favorite, if only because it feels like sort of a great big season finale type of things, with many characters and plot lines converging in this big epic showdown, and the great next step of the journey for these characters is revealed.

It has fun with the premise, and its a great take on a sort-of-post-apocalyptic tale/road movie, but if that sort of thing isn't your bag, well...I don't know what to tell ya.

You will cry in the last volume, however. The last issue even more so.
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post #11 of 31
7/19/09 at 6:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Syd View Post
You will cry in the last volume, however. The last issue even more so.
This is true. It has a hell of a final issue.
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post #12 of 31
7/19/09 at 6:46pm
It ends well and is consistently funny along the way - there's nothing to worry about in continuing. However, if you're looking for tight plotting or non-bullshit science, you'll be disappointed in that regard.
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post #13 of 31
7/19/09 at 7:01pm
Yea it's certainly not hard sci fi in any regards. I can imagine the reveal of why all the men died would piss of a lot of people, but it didn't bother me. I'm fine with those kind of liberties, but I Imagine they'll have to come up with something more explanatory for the movie. I do really love the way it ends though. The art flow and direction is my main disappointment with the series.

I've just read the first ten issues of Ex Machina, someone from work is an absolute comic nut so I just borrow from his library( he even has Mircleman!!). And it's great. The art is supreme too.
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post #14 of 31
7/19/09 at 7:26pm
The last volume is devastating and brilliant. I love the whole thing, but it really hits a rough patch about 2/3 of the way through the series. I actually stopped reading it at that point, I had been doing the monthly thing. I decided to tough it out and finish it as the series was winding down. I'm glad I did. The last six issues, especially the very last one, have stuck with me ever since I read it. Most of the series blends together in my memory into a mess of reversals and kidnappings and road stuff, but the ending, man. Wow.
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post #15 of 31
7/19/09 at 7:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sean Bateman View Post
The last volume is devastating and brilliant. I love the whole thing, but it really hits a rough patch about 2/3 of the way through the series. I actually stopped reading it at that point, I had been doing the monthly thing. I decided to tough it out and finish it as the series was winding down. I'm glad I did. The last six issues, especially the very last one, have stuck with me ever since I read it. Most of the series blends together in my memory into a mess of reversals and kidnappings and road stuff, but the ending, man. Wow.
Yup.
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post #16 of 31
7/19/09 at 8:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Humanoid View Post
I have a hard time saying this about one of my favourite series of all time, but if you're only in it for the dialogue, it doesn't improve much. The story does go a couple of interesting places though. Maybe check out the second volume. If you're not into it by then you'll probly never be.
Yeah, I never really liked the dialogue, but the characters are good, and the story is second to few, AND the ending is cry worthy.

For the record: I like it quite a bit better than Lost.
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post #17 of 31
7/19/09 at 8:31pm
Thread Starter 
So ... I should skip to the last volume?
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post #18 of 31
7/19/09 at 8:38pm
"Hey man this Fellowship movie is boring should I watch the rest?"

"Oh, I cried at Return of the King!!"

"I'll skip to that one!"
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post #19 of 31
7/19/09 at 8:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Overlord View Post
So ... I should skip to the last volume?
Why would you do that? Surely part of the impact of the ending is having been with the characters through all their adventures and disasters.

I'm only through the fourth collection but I'm loving it. The bit with the axe in book two made me cheer. I definitely see it as a "it's not the destination, it's the journey" type of a series.
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post #20 of 31
7/19/09 at 9:17pm
It was a good cry, Overlord, a good cry.
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post #21 of 31
7/20/09 at 12:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Overlord View Post
So ... I should skip to the last volume?
No. You'll be totally lost and there won't be any emotional impact.
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post #22 of 31
7/20/09 at 1:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Luca S. View Post
"Hey man this Fellowship movie is boring should I watch the rest?"

"Oh, I cried at Return of the King!!"

"I'll skip to that one!"
haha.


I love this series. I've already gone through it a few times. Great stuff. That last issue, whooboy.
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post #23 of 31
7/20/09 at 3:04am
Thread Starter 
Intertron sarcasm, FTL.
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post #24 of 31
7/20/09 at 12:44pm
I'm not a big comic guy, and I started reading the trades of this just because it seemed so universally loved here. I ended up going through all of them and enjoying the hell out of it. Yes, it misses in some spots but it hits a lot more than it misses.
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post #25 of 31
7/20/09 at 2:16pm
Thread Starter 
Conclusion: I've picked up the next two volumes, and will truck along. Hopefully Yorick becomes a bit more ... less worthless ...
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post #26 of 31
7/24/09 at 12:23pm
Reading Ex Machine I remember why I had problems with Y the Last Man. They are both far too preachy, too hawkish, too pro-war and too politically slanted. Plus the man's extremely racist, very Islamophobic and very anti Arab. I am neither Arab nor a Muslim, but this is utter bullshit. Saying Palestinians oppress Israelis, and not the other way around is almost as preposterous as saying Jews oppressed Nazis. I can’t read this shit anymore.
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post #27 of 31
7/24/09 at 12:37pm
just read it, Yorick's a bit douchey but by the end you've invested so much into his quest that it keeps you in it. Some volumes are hit and miss but the arc keeps on rolling and ultimately it's worth it. I don't know about any racist subtext, it's been a while since i revisited the whole series.
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post #28 of 31
7/24/09 at 1:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nabster View Post
Reading Ex Machine I remember why I had problems with Y the Last Man. They are both far too preachy, too hawkish, too pro-war and too politically slanted. Plus the man's extremely racist, very Islamophobic and very anti Arab. I am neither Arab nor a Muslim, but this is utter bullshit. Saying Palestinians oppress Israelis, and not the other way around is almost as preposterous as saying Jews oppressed Nazis. I can’t read this shit anymore.
I've read both comics and I'm not sure what you are talking about here.
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post #29 of 31
7/24/09 at 1:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hundred View Post
I've read both comics and I'm not sure what you are talking about here.
I think he thinks the Israeli militants are heroes or something. And possibly the only characters. Or he's confusing it with 'Fables'
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post #30 of 31
7/24/09 at 2:29pm
I quit after volume 2.
The art is bland. The writing pedestrian. Really nothing remarkable at all about this. I never understood why it was so popular.
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post #31 of 31
7/24/09 at 2:45pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by BobClark View Post
I quit after volume 2.
The art is bland. The writing pedestrian. Really nothing remarkable at all about this. I never understood why it was so popular.
Halfway through volume 2. On the verge of quitting.

MORE UPDATES ON OVERLORD'S PROGRESS THROUGH Y WILL BE COMING SHORTLY!
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