A review by ederwin
Transmetropolitan, Vol. 10: One More Time by Rodney Ramos, Warren Ellis, Darick Robertson

5.0

"It remains to be seen whether illicit sex is actually damaging to a president in this day and age." So asks a reporter in this future dystopia written in 2002. Reporting from the real year 2019, now it has been seen: if he is white, male, and a smooth talker, he'll bounce right back.

But this fantasy, at least, has a happy ending. Right after the president says this, "It always works. I always get away with it. I always come back. You don't get it. You're all here for my amusement, that's all. If the president does it, it's not a crime," he gets punched and arrested by a bad-ass cop. "You're resisting arrest m*****f***er, aren't you? You want to hear about your rights mister president?"

The most corrupt president imaginable is finally brought down when journalists, en masse, stop repeating his lies. But things had to get very dark before they were willing to do that.

Sure there is a lot of juvenile stuff throughout this series. There is also a lot of beautiful detailed art and interesting ideas. And the overall message that we need to speak truth to power is always important.

As one reporter says, after he finally sees the light: "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."