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psykobilliethekid's review against another edition
5.0
I've waited for a comic book series to engulf for a while now, and this was exactly what I needed. Spider Jerusalem is an amazing character and I loved reading about his antics in every chapter. This was probably the best thing I've read in a very long and it was well worth the read! Perfect for anyone that's a fan of Hunter S. Thompson, Alan Moore's Watchmen, and dark urban sci-fi/fantasy.
gohawks's review against another edition
3.0
This would have been four stars if not for the total padding (of the content and the price) of the final volume with bits of Spider's columns throughout the run of the series added on at the end. It is total fluff added on as little scraps from Jerusalem's brain that add nothing. The guest art is fun to look at, though. This volume had much more action that most of the others that usually had the plot device of "I'm an investigative journalist who has to get this story in ON TIME, damnit!"
andredias's review against another edition
5.0
The tale has come to an end! One more time for the last strike, one last chance to take the president down. Outlaw Spider Jerusalem planted the last seed of controversy in order to take president Callahan down. Troops invade the city and the mass media goes berserk after the new revelation against the president.
People's wrath heats up the streets after the police brutality against a group of students. Consequently, coups grow up between citizens and the system. For that reason, in the middle of all this chaos, an almost crippled fugitive Spider Jerusalem has to face a sociopath president one last time.
Our dear antihero will have a harsh conclusion. Spider is aware of his sickness and its consequences but, will he be the same unorthodox figure? Well, there's a 1% chance of happening it.
The series is not exclusively about Spider Jerusalem but in the end, the whole tale has grown around him. He's definitely the main figure of the story - unorthodox, liberal, and eccentric, a gonzo-journalist type of character that could only bring unusual outcomes in such dystopian society. Jerusalem is perceived, after all, the people's hero and the system's number one enemy. He's careless, but a different kind of carelessness, a paradoxical carelessness of morality towards the American people. His end is unexpected. However, it's his end that highlights all his achievements against the status quo, a martyr type of character.
The series provides a cloudy future reality that may happen, a reality ceased in trivialities, mass media propaganda and basic stimulus. Ellis' perceived society in the series is an excessive example. Although, it's that exaggeration that makes the story truly creative and original. The author managed to portray a superficial society that fastens around propaganda, indoctrination and violence - a scary illustration of a shallow tomorrow.
Overall, Spider Jerusalem (with his negligent attitude) coined a new type of character within comic books, a humorous and sarcastic style that will amuse any reader. Transmetropolitan is more than a sci-fi story embraced in black humour, it's a hint about a depthless near-future environment.
People's wrath heats up the streets after the police brutality against a group of students. Consequently, coups grow up between citizens and the system. For that reason, in the middle of all this chaos, an almost crippled fugitive Spider Jerusalem has to face a sociopath president one last time.
Our dear antihero will have a harsh conclusion. Spider is aware of his sickness and its consequences but, will he be the same unorthodox figure? Well, there's a 1% chance of happening it.
The series is not exclusively about Spider Jerusalem but in the end, the whole tale has grown around him. He's definitely the main figure of the story - unorthodox, liberal, and eccentric, a gonzo-journalist type of character that could only bring unusual outcomes in such dystopian society. Jerusalem is perceived, after all, the people's hero and the system's number one enemy. He's careless, but a different kind of carelessness, a paradoxical carelessness of morality towards the American people. His end is unexpected. However, it's his end that highlights all his achievements against the status quo, a martyr type of character.
The series provides a cloudy future reality that may happen, a reality ceased in trivialities, mass media propaganda and basic stimulus. Ellis' perceived society in the series is an excessive example. Although, it's that exaggeration that makes the story truly creative and original. The author managed to portray a superficial society that fastens around propaganda, indoctrination and violence - a scary illustration of a shallow tomorrow.
Overall, Spider Jerusalem (with his negligent attitude) coined a new type of character within comic books, a humorous and sarcastic style that will amuse any reader. Transmetropolitan is more than a sci-fi story embraced in black humour, it's a hint about a depthless near-future environment.
bothwell's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
otherwyrld's review against another edition
5.0
There's a lot of words I could say about this final volume, but one of the characters said it better.
Wow, just fucking wow. Where's the real life Spider Jerusalem right now, because we really need someone like him to tell the truth, to speak up for those without a voice, to campaign for justice and most of all, to never give up no matter what the cost.
In a country whose revolutionary agenda is defined by free speech, the people's ability to ask informed questions should be enshrined by a president, not vilified.Transmetropolitan issue 58, page 5, published 2002
Wow, just fucking wow. Where's the real life Spider Jerusalem right now, because we really need someone like him to tell the truth, to speak up for those without a voice, to campaign for justice and most of all, to never give up no matter what the cost.
molokov's review against another edition
4.0
2022 Reread: This is a review for the series as a whole, not just this volume.
So... I decided to re-read Transmetropolitan, to see how it holds up in 2022, given that it came out in 1998-2004, and was decidedly political - obviously somewhat based around the 1996 or 2000 US elections. The writer, Warren Ellis, has also come under fire in recent years for sexual misconduct claims - but I am trying to divide art from artist in this review (and I mean writer, the actual artist Darick Robertson, is supremely talented).
So: Does Transmet hold up after all these years? I'm gonna say: yes, it does. It's still as offensive and sexist as it was originally intended to be, but the writing is sharp, the art is incredibly detailed, giving The City a lot of life, and the political satire is still biting - even more so, as you can certainly see the USA moving *more* towards a sadistic President like The Smiler given what happened in the last 5 years. Some of the tech seems dated - are newspapers even relevant today, yet alone in some far distant future? - but there's some very interesting concepts which form the framework for a story about speaking the ugly truth to people in power, and trying to lift up the disenfranchised to protest the corruption and doublespeak of politicians, police, and the corporate media. Comics often champion the idea of the moral, truth-saying, well-researched journalist which does seem to be more and more of a fiction in the real world these days - and one only hopes that this archetype inspires some real-world imitators who will indeed call out the lies of those in power making the lives of the poor and disenfranchised more miserable, just because they can. Of course, hopefully without the use of a bowel disruptor.
2014 Review: And with that, it's over. The climax is satisfying, and the resolution a little disappointing but still realistic. However, I'm still not sure how a sex scandal in the world of Transmet could help to bring a politician down - it seems such a sexually-free world. The /murders/ he was responsible for, sure, that's enough to get the man arrested and impeached...
The supplementary material isn't all that good, to me, but at least it bulked out this final volume.
So... I decided to re-read Transmetropolitan, to see how it holds up in 2022, given that it came out in 1998-2004, and was decidedly political - obviously somewhat based around the 1996 or 2000 US elections. The writer, Warren Ellis, has also come under fire in recent years for sexual misconduct claims - but I am trying to divide art from artist in this review (and I mean writer, the actual artist Darick Robertson, is supremely talented).
So: Does Transmet hold up after all these years? I'm gonna say: yes, it does. It's still as offensive and sexist as it was originally intended to be, but the writing is sharp, the art is incredibly detailed, giving The City a lot of life, and the political satire is still biting - even more so, as you can certainly see the USA moving *more* towards a sadistic President like The Smiler given what happened in the last 5 years. Some of the tech seems dated - are newspapers even relevant today, yet alone in some far distant future? - but there's some very interesting concepts which form the framework for a story about speaking the ugly truth to people in power, and trying to lift up the disenfranchised to protest the corruption and doublespeak of politicians, police, and the corporate media. Comics often champion the idea of the moral, truth-saying, well-researched journalist which does seem to be more and more of a fiction in the real world these days - and one only hopes that this archetype inspires some real-world imitators who will indeed call out the lies of those in power making the lives of the poor and disenfranchised more miserable, just because they can. Of course, hopefully without the use of a bowel disruptor.
2014 Review: And with that, it's over. The climax is satisfying, and the resolution a little disappointing but still realistic. However, I'm still not sure how a sex scandal in the world of Transmet could help to bring a politician down - it seems such a sexually-free world. The /murders/ he was responsible for, sure, that's enough to get the man arrested and impeached...
The supplementary material isn't all that good, to me, but at least it bulked out this final volume.
indeedithappens's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25