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Y: The Last Man (Single Issues) #1
Y: The Last Man #1
Written by Brian K. Vaughan (Lost, EX MACHINA), this is the saga of Yorick Brown – the only human survivor of a planet-wide plague that instantly kills every mammal with a Y chromosome. Accompanied by his pet monkey, Yorick searches for his lost love…and the answer to why he’s the last man on earth.
34 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 4, 2002
21 people are currently reading
1687 people want to read
About the author
Brian K. Vaughan
1,056 books14.1k followersBrian K. Vaughan is the writer and co-creator of comic-book series including SAGA, PAPER GIRLS, Y THE LAST MAN, RUNAWAYS, and most recently, BARRIER, a digital comic with artist Marcos Martin about immigration, available from their pay-what-you-want site www.PanelSyndicate.com
BKV's work has been recognized at the Eisner, Harvey, Hugo, Shuster, Eagle, and British Fantasy Awards. He sometimes writes for film and television in Los Angeles, where he lives with his family and their dogs Hamburger and Milkshake.
BKV's work has been recognized at the Eisner, Harvey, Hugo, Shuster, Eagle, and British Fantasy Awards. He sometimes writes for film and television in Los Angeles, where he lives with his family and their dogs Hamburger and Milkshake.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
January 27, 2024
It has been more than 12 years since I read the first chapter of Vaughan's Y: The Last Man and it remains an excellent start to what would be five years of Yorick and being the last man on Earth.
The first issue has everything you need to know; the author introduces the cast and what they were doing just scant hours before the world changed forever, utilizing multiple storytelling techniques that worked so well for this first chapter that it encourages you to pick up the next. It's a great comic book.
I've finally completed my own copies of the entire story as deluxe hardcovers, a rereading should be in the horizon, preferably before mid-year 2024.
Read as part of Vertigo: First Taste .
The first issue has everything you need to know; the author introduces the cast and what they were doing just scant hours before the world changed forever, utilizing multiple storytelling techniques that worked so well for this first chapter that it encourages you to pick up the next. It's a great comic book.
I've finally completed my own copies of the entire story as deluxe hardcovers, a rereading should be in the horizon, preferably before mid-year 2024.
Read as part of Vertigo: First Taste .
August 29, 2016
I realize that at only 33 pages long and as it is only the first installment in a long series, that this wasn't going to be a very in-depth read. That being said, I felt like absolutely nothing happened until the last few pages. The reader is introduced to many characters and given brief insights to multiple scenes at once, which is a little confusing, but most of these felt bland and nothing really occurred in them. The only relevant fact seemed to be the introduction to a multitude of strong and feisty female characters that will (hopefully) remain with us for the rest of the series.
It was refreshing to see females portrayed in non-stereotypical roles, and as sassy and fierce individuals of varying age and nationality, and I am looking forward to continuing this science-fiction journey with them.
It was refreshing to see females portrayed in non-stereotypical roles, and as sassy and fierce individuals of varying age and nationality, and I am looking forward to continuing this science-fiction journey with them.
January 12, 2021
Comments: We basically glimpsed at twenty-nine minutes of the events happening in the entire world before all the men on planet Earth died. We are introduced to Yorick Brown and Agent 355, the protagonists of this story. We get a glimpse of the eventual supporting cast as well.
Then there's some interesting tidbits at perhaps the cause of the men perising is because of an amulet in the country of Jordan which was being recovered by Agent 355, or a cloned pregnancy from a biochemist professor based in Massachusetts.
This left the reader with a question... why is Yorick and Ampersand the monkey, still alive at the end of the issue, and survived this worldwide gendercide?
Y The Last Man #1
"Unmanned, Part 1 of 5"
September 2002
Writer: Brian K. Vaughan
Illustrator: Pia Guerra
Inker: Jose Marzan, Jr.
Colorist: Pamela Rambo
Letterer: Clem Robins
Editor: Zachary Rau & Heidi MacDonald
Synopsis Complete Spoilers: We start the story in Brooklyn, New York where a woman with blood all over her clothes and limbs report to a shocked police woman, that her son and husband are dead and asked her for help. The police woman with an absent-minded shocked look, told the bloodied woman, that it's all the men. All the men are dead, and she pulled her service revolver and pointed it at her own temple.
Then the story flashes back to twenty-nine minutes before all the men in the world died. On the phone, Yorick, who is practicing escape artistry is talking to his girlfriend Beth, who is currently exploring the Australian outback. They talked about Elvis having a twin brother, Yorick still unable to find a job after getting his English BA degree while eating Ramen noodles to save his daily cash source, and him working lame magic trick gimmicks. Their conversation is interrupted when Yorick's mom rang his phone.
On the steps of The Capitol in Washington D.C., Democrat Representative Brown is accompanied by her assistant while she is talking on the cell phone with her son Yorick. A senator caught up to her asking if she will support their bill on providing foreign aid to an organization that provides abortion in other countries. She shot it down, and the senator threatened that he will not support her in the next election, and for her to count her days in office. As he was going to continue badgering her, his assistant told him the POTUS request an earlier meeting than the one scheduled regarding '355.' And the senator cut his conversation with Congresswoman Brown immediately.
The story resumed with Yorick and Beth's conversation on the phone. This time with Yorick's monkey throwing his own shit at Yorick while he is talking on the phone. Yorick explained to Beth that he got Ampersand, the monkey, from a group in Boston where looking for volunteers to train the monkey. Yorick volunteered.
We then go to Nablus, West Bank which is a city north of Jerusalem, Israel. An American news crew doing news coverage was hit with thrown rocks from a a couple of Palestinians. A female Israeli armed soldier (Colonel Yedida Tse'Elon) was along the road and with assault rifle in hand opened fire on the Palestinians throwing rocks. The Palestinians ran, and they briefly debate at the Palestinians being just young men, almost children, and the Colonel advising they are using rubber bullets. She told the news crew her friends call her Alter, meaning
"The Old One." She told them her story, and she came across as a feminist, and telling them they, the feminists, have not yet begun to fight.
We again join Yorick and Beth's conversation on the phone. Yada yada yada ... blah blah blah ...
Meanwhile at Al Karak, Jordan, an armed and masked American agent is holding Dr. Frozan Hamad. She released her and unmasked and told the doctor that she is there to help her escape. An angered Dr. Hamad told her that she is home, and to tell her bosses that she doesn't need their political asylum. The female American agent told her that the doctor has been in hiding for months, and how long before she won't survive anymore assassination attempts on her life. The doctor shot her down, indicating the murders in Jordan are mostly men killing women relatives for honor killings. It is all political. The agent corrected her, that the assassins are not interested in her politics, they are interested in the amulet currently hanging on the doctor's neck. Then there are two assassins on climbing down the side of the building that reached their window. The doctor says it was a worthless amulet her father gave her, and has been with her family for generations, citing that if it ever left the country, a catastrophe as big as the Trojan War would take place. The female American agent told her they can continue talking as they make their way secretly to the airstrip. And three gunshots are heard suddenly, of which all three bullets slam into the doctor, killing her instantly. The assassins burst through the window, and a gunfight and hand to hand combat ensues between the assailants and the American agent. She killed the assassins, and then checked to see the doctor has no pulse and is deceased. She radioed in to The Culper Ring, advising them to tell the President that she, Agent 355, will experience a slight delay.
Again the story returned to Yorick and Beth's ongoing phone conversation. They talked about good memories of their relationship.
We are then taken to Boston, Massachusetts where a pregnant lady sitting in a wheelchair in a hospital is experience labor pains. She is recognized by one of the hospital doctors on duty who recognized having her as a professor in his biotech class the year before. She is Doctor Mann. She told the doctor she is not due until another six weeks. The man accompanying her is her assistant, and not the father. Dr. Mann told the hospital doctor, that, she, is the father of the child she is carrying. And with a shocked face, the hospital doctor figured out what she meant, that, she is having her own clone and questioning it's legality. Dr. Mann told him to either alert the proper authorities or help save the child's life. The hospital doctor advised they cannot do it there.
In another part of the city, inside an ambulance, a female EMT worker and a fireman, just concluded having sex. Dressing up each, left the ambulance to go back on duty with the EMT worker telling the firefighter to be careful of the fumes. Others see them exit the ambulance and thought Zero, the EMT worker, was a whorebag who has fu...d every male firefighter from the previous year's calendar.
And once again we joined Yorick and Beth on their ongoing conversation. He told her he spent most of his money already. And that he also bought an inexpensive trinket he found from a magic store. He was messing around with the so called magic box, and opened it up which contained a ring, and he asked her to marry him over the phone.
While... simultaneously we see Yorick's mom at The Capitol working, Colonel Alter is in the West Bank accompanied by the news crew regarding a shelling, Agent 355 with a pilot in an airplane cockpit in the sky, and Dr. Mann giving birth assisted by her assistant and the hospital doctor. And all of a sudden all the men are experiencing discomfort. Then followed by death. The death of all men and male animals worldwide. From the Vatican, farms, stock exchanges, street lives, stadium ball games, nuclear power plants, Space Center headquarters, trains, etc.
Agent 355 struggled to keep the plane flying, Congresswoman Brown applied CPR to her assistant, Zero crying while holding her boyfriend in her arms, Dr. Mann crying in the medical bed, Colonel Alter telling her soldier to stand down and not use the gas grenade, and then we are back to the beginning with the police woman who has her service revolver pointed to her temple saying that all the men are dead. And then we get a splash page with Yorick hearing a gunshot outside his window, BANG!
Then there's some interesting tidbits at perhaps the cause of the men perising is because of an amulet in the country of Jordan which was being recovered by Agent 355, or a cloned pregnancy from a biochemist professor based in Massachusetts.
This left the reader with a question... why is Yorick and Ampersand the monkey, still alive at the end of the issue, and survived this worldwide gendercide?
Y The Last Man #1
"Unmanned, Part 1 of 5"
September 2002
Writer: Brian K. Vaughan
Illustrator: Pia Guerra
Inker: Jose Marzan, Jr.
Colorist: Pamela Rambo
Letterer: Clem Robins
Editor: Zachary Rau & Heidi MacDonald
Synopsis Complete Spoilers: We start the story in Brooklyn, New York where a woman with blood all over her clothes and limbs report to a shocked police woman, that her son and husband are dead and asked her for help. The police woman with an absent-minded shocked look, told the bloodied woman, that it's all the men. All the men are dead, and she pulled her service revolver and pointed it at her own temple.
Then the story flashes back to twenty-nine minutes before all the men in the world died. On the phone, Yorick, who is practicing escape artistry is talking to his girlfriend Beth, who is currently exploring the Australian outback. They talked about Elvis having a twin brother, Yorick still unable to find a job after getting his English BA degree while eating Ramen noodles to save his daily cash source, and him working lame magic trick gimmicks. Their conversation is interrupted when Yorick's mom rang his phone.
On the steps of The Capitol in Washington D.C., Democrat Representative Brown is accompanied by her assistant while she is talking on the cell phone with her son Yorick. A senator caught up to her asking if she will support their bill on providing foreign aid to an organization that provides abortion in other countries. She shot it down, and the senator threatened that he will not support her in the next election, and for her to count her days in office. As he was going to continue badgering her, his assistant told him the POTUS request an earlier meeting than the one scheduled regarding '355.' And the senator cut his conversation with Congresswoman Brown immediately.
The story resumed with Yorick and Beth's conversation on the phone. This time with Yorick's monkey throwing his own shit at Yorick while he is talking on the phone. Yorick explained to Beth that he got Ampersand, the monkey, from a group in Boston where looking for volunteers to train the monkey. Yorick volunteered.
We then go to Nablus, West Bank which is a city north of Jerusalem, Israel. An American news crew doing news coverage was hit with thrown rocks from a a couple of Palestinians. A female Israeli armed soldier (Colonel Yedida Tse'Elon) was along the road and with assault rifle in hand opened fire on the Palestinians throwing rocks. The Palestinians ran, and they briefly debate at the Palestinians being just young men, almost children, and the Colonel advising they are using rubber bullets. She told the news crew her friends call her Alter, meaning
"The Old One." She told them her story, and she came across as a feminist, and telling them they, the feminists, have not yet begun to fight.
We again join Yorick and Beth's conversation on the phone. Yada yada yada ... blah blah blah ...
Meanwhile at Al Karak, Jordan, an armed and masked American agent is holding Dr. Frozan Hamad. She released her and unmasked and told the doctor that she is there to help her escape. An angered Dr. Hamad told her that she is home, and to tell her bosses that she doesn't need their political asylum. The female American agent told her that the doctor has been in hiding for months, and how long before she won't survive anymore assassination attempts on her life. The doctor shot her down, indicating the murders in Jordan are mostly men killing women relatives for honor killings. It is all political. The agent corrected her, that the assassins are not interested in her politics, they are interested in the amulet currently hanging on the doctor's neck. Then there are two assassins on climbing down the side of the building that reached their window. The doctor says it was a worthless amulet her father gave her, and has been with her family for generations, citing that if it ever left the country, a catastrophe as big as the Trojan War would take place. The female American agent told her they can continue talking as they make their way secretly to the airstrip. And three gunshots are heard suddenly, of which all three bullets slam into the doctor, killing her instantly. The assassins burst through the window, and a gunfight and hand to hand combat ensues between the assailants and the American agent. She killed the assassins, and then checked to see the doctor has no pulse and is deceased. She radioed in to The Culper Ring, advising them to tell the President that she, Agent 355, will experience a slight delay.
Again the story returned to Yorick and Beth's ongoing phone conversation. They talked about good memories of their relationship.
We are then taken to Boston, Massachusetts where a pregnant lady sitting in a wheelchair in a hospital is experience labor pains. She is recognized by one of the hospital doctors on duty who recognized having her as a professor in his biotech class the year before. She is Doctor Mann. She told the doctor she is not due until another six weeks. The man accompanying her is her assistant, and not the father. Dr. Mann told the hospital doctor, that, she, is the father of the child she is carrying. And with a shocked face, the hospital doctor figured out what she meant, that, she is having her own clone and questioning it's legality. Dr. Mann told him to either alert the proper authorities or help save the child's life. The hospital doctor advised they cannot do it there.
In another part of the city, inside an ambulance, a female EMT worker and a fireman, just concluded having sex. Dressing up each, left the ambulance to go back on duty with the EMT worker telling the firefighter to be careful of the fumes. Others see them exit the ambulance and thought Zero, the EMT worker, was a whorebag who has fu...d every male firefighter from the previous year's calendar.
And once again we joined Yorick and Beth on their ongoing conversation. He told her he spent most of his money already. And that he also bought an inexpensive trinket he found from a magic store. He was messing around with the so called magic box, and opened it up which contained a ring, and he asked her to marry him over the phone.
While... simultaneously we see Yorick's mom at The Capitol working, Colonel Alter is in the West Bank accompanied by the news crew regarding a shelling, Agent 355 with a pilot in an airplane cockpit in the sky, and Dr. Mann giving birth assisted by her assistant and the hospital doctor. And all of a sudden all the men are experiencing discomfort. Then followed by death. The death of all men and male animals worldwide. From the Vatican, farms, stock exchanges, street lives, stadium ball games, nuclear power plants, Space Center headquarters, trains, etc.
Agent 355 struggled to keep the plane flying, Congresswoman Brown applied CPR to her assistant, Zero crying while holding her boyfriend in her arms, Dr. Mann crying in the medical bed, Colonel Alter telling her soldier to stand down and not use the gas grenade, and then we are back to the beginning with the police woman who has her service revolver pointed to her temple saying that all the men are dead. And then we get a splash page with Yorick hearing a gunshot outside his window, BANG!
September 10, 2016
Not alot happened at first but near the end the action picks up and we see how widespread all the deaths reach. Quite interesting.
November 23, 2017
great concept, terrible writing that would have been 'normal' in the early 2000's.
CW// IDF & retarded
CW// IDF & retarded
July 6, 2014
One of the things that is relevant in this title is how the storyline is organized. The storyline is done using a sequence of events occurring in different parts of the world. By creating the story this way we can understand the real global impact of the situation formulated in this title.
Y: The Last Man presents as a premise males around the world dying spontaneously, leaving females as the only gender populating the earth. It caused an impact on me as a reader because massive deaths in males in all species would be catastrophic for the evolution and continuity of the species. It would bring the end.
There are so many reasons for me to recommend this graphic novel series to you. Y: The last man has great art on its cover which depicts the evolutionary element intrinsic in the story by including the monkey and the DNA. Colors complement the cover so well. Art inside is good and enhances the narrative. The author created enough mystery around the main character to make me want to return to the series. Why is he surviving? Is he special? I will stop writing about the goodness of this series because it is time for you to look it up and see for yourselves.
Y: The Last Man presents as a premise males around the world dying spontaneously, leaving females as the only gender populating the earth. It caused an impact on me as a reader because massive deaths in males in all species would be catastrophic for the evolution and continuity of the species. It would bring the end.
There are so many reasons for me to recommend this graphic novel series to you. Y: The last man has great art on its cover which depicts the evolutionary element intrinsic in the story by including the monkey and the DNA. Colors complement the cover so well. Art inside is good and enhances the narrative. The author created enough mystery around the main character to make me want to return to the series. Why is he surviving? Is he special? I will stop writing about the goodness of this series because it is time for you to look it up and see for yourselves.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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March 27, 2019Hmmm. A promising start. I'll keep reading.
February 12, 2020
I already read the first volume ages ago. But enough time has passed and I felt it time to give the series a restart, and this time, I'm gonna finish the whole damn thing.
It's a remarkable concept that would have been created at some point no matter what. It was just sitting there waiting for someone to pick it up. "What if every man on Earth died except one? What would happen?"
I'm glad the person to pick up the concept first was Brian K Vaughn. Maybe it's because I have been reading so much Saga, but I notice the way he writes panels and screens; The action and pacing, while static, flows so smoothly from one narrative thread to the next.
We're blessed to have Saga. But this is still a fun look back on how a good writer took his tools, refined them and became a great one.
Curiously the protagonist used the word "retarded" in this issue, and I have never quite known how to digest that one.
Usually language of this sort is reserved for characters you are supposed to dislike. I know stories don't have to be so binary; and Brian K Vaughn is pretty knowledgeable about this kind of thing. (But he's also simultaneously kind of responsible for making a lot of characters whose ethics can be a smidge ecclectic).
Still trying to figure out if the intent is to make Yorick seem immature or if... given the time period, if it was meant to be relate-able?
I'm over thinking it, I know.
I point it out because it's been more than half a decade and I still dwell on the use of that word from the protagonist. A waste of brain space for sure, and I crave closure.
Anyway, good concept. Fun re-read. Breezy and engaging as all of Vaughn's work is. I am tempted to call him our best comic book writer. Because while people like Gaiman and Moore definitely have the literary chops to become "greats." It is the concise and simple joys in Vaughn's structure that make him so perfect in exemplifying the best of comics as a medium.
It's the Mark Twain thing all over again.
Because even if Gaiman and Moore are heroes of mine, they are undoubtedly the wine of comics. Decadent, gorgeous, of high art.
Vaughn is the water. And everyone needs water.
It's a remarkable concept that would have been created at some point no matter what. It was just sitting there waiting for someone to pick it up. "What if every man on Earth died except one? What would happen?"
I'm glad the person to pick up the concept first was Brian K Vaughn. Maybe it's because I have been reading so much Saga, but I notice the way he writes panels and screens; The action and pacing, while static, flows so smoothly from one narrative thread to the next.
We're blessed to have Saga. But this is still a fun look back on how a good writer took his tools, refined them and became a great one.
Curiously the protagonist used the word "retarded" in this issue, and I have never quite known how to digest that one.
Usually language of this sort is reserved for characters you are supposed to dislike. I know stories don't have to be so binary; and Brian K Vaughn is pretty knowledgeable about this kind of thing. (But he's also simultaneously kind of responsible for making a lot of characters whose ethics can be a smidge ecclectic).
Still trying to figure out if the intent is to make Yorick seem immature or if... given the time period, if it was meant to be relate-able?
I'm over thinking it, I know.
I point it out because it's been more than half a decade and I still dwell on the use of that word from the protagonist. A waste of brain space for sure, and I crave closure.
Anyway, good concept. Fun re-read. Breezy and engaging as all of Vaughn's work is. I am tempted to call him our best comic book writer. Because while people like Gaiman and Moore definitely have the literary chops to become "greats." It is the concise and simple joys in Vaughn's structure that make him so perfect in exemplifying the best of comics as a medium.
It's the Mark Twain thing all over again.
Because even if Gaiman and Moore are heroes of mine, they are undoubtedly the wine of comics. Decadent, gorgeous, of high art.
Vaughn is the water. And everyone needs water.
January 18, 2015
3 Stars
This was my second time reading this introductory edition to the Last Man graphic novel series by Brian K Vaughan. I did enjoy it more this time around and I found myself taking a much slower approach. My new found love for Vaughan's Saga series has set my expectations to a very high level. Doing something that I should never do, in comparing one to the other, The Last Man falls way short.
This has what could be an interesting main story line. The few characters are likable. The graphics and the artistry is nice. But, shame on me, compared to Saga, this isn't even the same genre.
I am going to read 1.2 to determine if this is a series that I should read.
This was my second time reading this introductory edition to the Last Man graphic novel series by Brian K Vaughan. I did enjoy it more this time around and I found myself taking a much slower approach. My new found love for Vaughan's Saga series has set my expectations to a very high level. Doing something that I should never do, in comparing one to the other, The Last Man falls way short.
This has what could be an interesting main story line. The few characters are likable. The graphics and the artistry is nice. But, shame on me, compared to Saga, this isn't even the same genre.
I am going to read 1.2 to determine if this is a series that I should read.
January 16, 2021
A series that takes a closer look at the ramifications of being the last man alive on earth. Interesting concept and fairly engaging characters, the series is smart enough to know when it should end. It is fairly slow to start, so this review is more about the series overall than just the first issue.
December 3, 2013
Looks really interesting. It really caught my attention and I really like Yorick. I can see already where certain things are going (probably) but otherwise this is a pretty unique idea. Can't wait to see how it continues.
September 21, 2013
Interesting idea. Looks cool.
June 20, 2014
Why isn't this a show yet?! This is only the first issue and I am hooked! I'm definitely going to get the whole volume.
July 4, 2015
Interesting and capturing. This story can easy transcend into further discussions of gender, equality, and culture and in some very fascinating ways. Read it!
November 27, 2017
Great concept
May 6, 2020
Fantastic artwork, amazing story line and concept, just loved it - a must read and one of my favourite comic books !
August 21, 2020
a monkey and intrigue! Gonna have to read more in the series.
December 30, 2018
Maybe not my favorite Vaughan story. I didn't like the artwork as much as in saga or paper girls (no offense to the artist. It is still great). Also the font is kind of classical style in a way, which I don't like. Please don't ask me why. The story itself is... Different. Maybe I'll read the next issues...maybe I won't. Let's see.
May 6, 2023
I started this years ago and sadly stopped reading it as life got busy. I have always wanted to read this and am finally committing to doing so. This is a phenomenal opening issue. The last few pages are fantastic.
September 25, 2017
Basic intro.
Feels strange to be reading single issues for the first time, I'm used to volumes.
Feels strange to be reading single issues for the first time, I'm used to volumes.
October 10, 2021
Despite story getting confusing from the artwork having characters look alike, great read. Better than Hulu series
February 1, 2022
Han muerto todos los mamíferos de género masculino en la tierra. Un punto de partida interesante.
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April 16, 2023EVEN THE MALE ANIMALS :(
July 29, 2023
Not sure what I expected - picked this up cheap on a whim. Interesting and well-written, but didn’t grab me enough to seek out the next issue.
January 7, 2024
Now *this* is how to introduce a series. What a premise. I knew about the basic premise but when it happens, it really happens. Amazing!
Read
August 17, 2024it hit me as i read this that i am now for the first time officially older than yorick. wow.
July 18, 2025
Watched the show before it got deleted and decided to check out the comic. But now I’m not sure that I’m interested enough to continue. There’s some stuff that’s weird to read today.
November 21, 2025
hell yes a monkey
August 5, 2016
So far it was really interesting, there was a lot going on so at first it was hard to get into it but by the end I was already looking forward to the rest of the series!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews