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Transmetropolitan (Collected Editions) #4
Transmetropolitan, Vol. 4: The New Scum
Investigative reporter Spider Jerusalem attacks the injustices of the 23rd Century surroundings while working for the newspaper The Word in this critically-acclaimed graphic novel series written by comics superstar Warren Ellis, the co-creator of PLANETARY and THE AUTHORITY.
144 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2000
53 people are currently reading
2088 people want to read
About the author
Warren Ellis
1,972 books5,771 followersWarren Ellis is the award-winning writer of graphic novels like TRANSMETROPOLITAN, FELL, MINISTRY OF SPACE and PLANETARY, and the author of the NYT-bestselling GUN MACHINE and the “underground classic” novel CROOKED LITTLE VEIN, as well as the digital short-story single DEAD PIG COLLECTOR. His newest book is the novella NORMAL, from FSG Originals, listed as one of Amazon’s Best 100 Books Of 2016.
The movie RED is based on his graphic novel of the same name, its sequel having been released in summer 2013. IRON MAN 3 is based on his Marvel Comics graphic novel IRON MAN: EXTREMIS. He is currently developing his graphic novel sequence with Jason Howard, TREES, for television, in concert with HardySonBaker and NBCU, and continues to work as a screenwriter and producer in film and television, represented by Angela Cheng Caplan and Cheng Caplan Company. He is the creator, writer and co-producer of the Netflix series CASTLEVANIA, recently renewed for its third season, and of the recently-announced Netflix series HEAVEN’S FOREST.
He’s written extensively for VICE, WIRED UK and Reuters on technological and cultural matters, and given keynote speeches and lectures at events like dConstruct, ThingsCon, Improving Reality, SxSW, How The Light Gets In, Haunted Machines and Cognitive Cities.
Warren Ellis has recently developed and curated the revival of the Wildstorm creative library for DC Entertainment with the series THE WILD STORM, and is currently working on the serialising of new graphic novel works TREES: THREE FATES and INJECTION at Image Comics, and the serialised graphic novel THE BATMAN’S GRAVE for DC Comics, while working as a Consulting Producer on another television series.
A documentary about his work, CAPTURED GHOSTS, was released in 2012.
Recognitions include the NUIG Literary and Debating Society’s President’s Medal for service to freedom of speech, the EAGLE AWARDS Roll Of Honour for lifetime achievement in the field of comics & graphic novels, the Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire 2010, the Sidewise Award for Alternate History and the International Horror Guild Award for illustrated narrative. He is a Patron of Humanists UK. He holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Essex.
Warren Ellis lives outside London, on the south-east coast of England, in case he needs to make a quick getaway.
The movie RED is based on his graphic novel of the same name, its sequel having been released in summer 2013. IRON MAN 3 is based on his Marvel Comics graphic novel IRON MAN: EXTREMIS. He is currently developing his graphic novel sequence with Jason Howard, TREES, for television, in concert with HardySonBaker and NBCU, and continues to work as a screenwriter and producer in film and television, represented by Angela Cheng Caplan and Cheng Caplan Company. He is the creator, writer and co-producer of the Netflix series CASTLEVANIA, recently renewed for its third season, and of the recently-announced Netflix series HEAVEN’S FOREST.
He’s written extensively for VICE, WIRED UK and Reuters on technological and cultural matters, and given keynote speeches and lectures at events like dConstruct, ThingsCon, Improving Reality, SxSW, How The Light Gets In, Haunted Machines and Cognitive Cities.
Warren Ellis has recently developed and curated the revival of the Wildstorm creative library for DC Entertainment with the series THE WILD STORM, and is currently working on the serialising of new graphic novel works TREES: THREE FATES and INJECTION at Image Comics, and the serialised graphic novel THE BATMAN’S GRAVE for DC Comics, while working as a Consulting Producer on another television series.
A documentary about his work, CAPTURED GHOSTS, was released in 2012.
Recognitions include the NUIG Literary and Debating Society’s President’s Medal for service to freedom of speech, the EAGLE AWARDS Roll Of Honour for lifetime achievement in the field of comics & graphic novels, the Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire 2010, the Sidewise Award for Alternate History and the International Horror Guild Award for illustrated narrative. He is a Patron of Humanists UK. He holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Essex.
Warren Ellis lives outside London, on the south-east coast of England, in case he needs to make a quick getaway.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 234 reviews
August 22, 2017
3.5 Stars
Every hero, even a curse-spewing junkie hero, needs a villain. A Joker to Jerusalem's Batman.
Seriously, he looks like a Joker too. But the thing is, he might just be the next President of America!
(I wouldn't have believed stuff like this a couple of years back. How times have changed!)
Scums of the city.
Before this volume, I had settled on the notion that Spider is a total dick. Seriously, the previous volumes portray him as a Junkie who cares nothing about humanity, but the absurdities of humanity.
But this volume paints him in a different light. Can a death change a person this much? Because it's not like subtle changes or random acts of niceties. He was a genuine saint in this volume.
The highlights of the issue are the two spectacular interviews with the presidential candidates. I had genuine goosebumps when Spider was interviewing Cary Callahan face-to-face. The build-up, the dialogues and the art all came together at this point to deliver one helluva scene in this volume.
I also loved Yelena and Channon's chemistry and exchanges. They were fun to watch!
But..... in my opinion, other than those two interviews, there wasn't anything note-worthy in this volume. Warren Ellis has considerably slowed down the pace which I believe is great for the story as a whole. But as a single volume, this one is weaker than its predecessors.
Also, There is a lot of ranting in this one!
I am going to have you, Jerusalem, I am going to destroy you. Just when you least expect it.
Every hero, even a curse-spewing junkie hero, needs a villain. A Joker to Jerusalem's Batman.
Seriously, he looks like a Joker too. But the thing is, he might just be the next President of America!
(I wouldn't have believed stuff like this a couple of years back. How times have changed!)
Scums of the city.
Before this volume, I had settled on the notion that Spider is a total dick. Seriously, the previous volumes portray him as a Junkie who cares nothing about humanity, but the absurdities of humanity.
But this volume paints him in a different light. Can a death change a person this much? Because it's not like subtle changes or random acts of niceties. He was a genuine saint in this volume.
The highlights of the issue are the two spectacular interviews with the presidential candidates. I had genuine goosebumps when Spider was interviewing Cary Callahan face-to-face. The build-up, the dialogues and the art all came together at this point to deliver one helluva scene in this volume.
I also loved Yelena and Channon's chemistry and exchanges. They were fun to watch!
But..... in my opinion, other than those two interviews, there wasn't anything note-worthy in this volume. Warren Ellis has considerably slowed down the pace which I believe is great for the story as a whole. But as a single volume, this one is weaker than its predecessors.
Also, There is a lot of ranting in this one!
July 11, 2021
Truthfully, this whole election business would most definitely have struck a different chord to me back in the late nineties when it was written, than today. Much has changed in these past two decades. All of a sudden Smiler doesn't seem as cartoonishly evil anymore: I almost feel like we could easily get shit like that another decade or two in. I hope not.
Also, Spider is good to children. More clear signals about how he actually cares, deep down. I think it's also why he's so angry all the time: if he didn't care, he'd just fall into the same apathy The Beast lives in.
Also, Spider is good to children. More clear signals about how he actually cares, deep down. I think it's also why he's so angry all the time: if he didn't care, he'd just fall into the same apathy The Beast lives in.
June 28, 2020
Yup, this is going on the "Please make this fiction again" shelf too:
"You represent and encourage the worst in people. You're not interested in anything other than having the presidency, but you're also not interested in actually being president."
Written 20 years ago. I hate the fact that Warren Ellis' most sordid speculation is so close to current affairs. A great if disturbing and depressing comic.
"You represent and encourage the worst in people. You're not interested in anything other than having the presidency, but you're also not interested in actually being president."
Written 20 years ago. I hate the fact that Warren Ellis' most sordid speculation is so close to current affairs. A great if disturbing and depressing comic.
January 6, 2015
Kind of felt like a step down from previous volumes. This one seemed to have sacrificed some of the mad, furious energy that fueled Ellis through other volumes. Possibly because things needed to be done here, so Ellis restrained himself to see that they were done. And so they were. We get a more complete view of each presidential candidate. One is actually compelling and seems like a real person, the other is a cardboard cutout villain. Guess which gets elected president? I'm guessing that much of the remainder of the series will be dealing with him, which gives the book the overarching story that I guess Ellis was going for. Me, I was happy with the more scattershot portraits of a future city.
Minor complaints, on the whole. Ellis is still a good writer, he still has something to say, and he still has plenty of imagination to keep his future city populated and interesting.
Minor complaints, on the whole. Ellis is still a good writer, he still has something to say, and he still has plenty of imagination to keep his future city populated and interesting.
September 18, 2017
Spider Jerusalem is f*cked-up big-time now. The election results have been announced and the country has a new president. The New Scum has decided and Spider Jerusalem is so angry who the country has voted for.
The death of his friend Vita Severn has finally paid off. It is a sad truth that even Jerusalem cannot expose (since he doesn't have the facts) but was absolutely sure that it was the same group where Severn belongs who ordered it. There is so much drama in politics.
Haha, aside from that, it is good to see some funny dynamics between Channon and Yelena (the filthy assistants), especially without their presence of their boss Spider.
This volume felt like a mid-season finale. Now that there's a new status quo, I expect that things will be way more crazy and rowdy in the next volumes.
The death of his friend Vita Severn has finally paid off. It is a sad truth that even Jerusalem cannot expose (since he doesn't have the facts) but was absolutely sure that it was the same group where Severn belongs who ordered it. There is so much drama in politics.
Haha, aside from that, it is good to see some funny dynamics between Channon and Yelena (the filthy assistants), especially without their presence of their boss Spider.
This volume felt like a mid-season finale. Now that there's a new status quo, I expect that things will be way more crazy and rowdy in the next volumes.
November 11, 2014
So in the wake of a shocking assassination/murder, Spider finds himself coveted by both the Beast and the Smiler (the 2 men running for POTUSA). The New Scum refers to the part of the City where the very lower classes manage to scrape by their existences. Spider doesn't think too highly of the men who subjugate these people, but he also expects more from them in terms of their civic responsibilities.
Warren Ellis has always been an impressive writer (save maybe for Avengers: Endless Wartime - which is a dirty stinker) but here, you just see the pure vitriol, spite, anger, scorn, rage, and disappointment that fuels his writing. (Or at least I feel like that's what's being poured into Spider, who is some sort of pseudo-Ellis here).
I cannot help but look at the date (1999) and think about the US elections at the time (Bush/Gore) and see parallels.
However, the most important moment in the whole volume for me is when Spider acts like a compassionate human being towards a sad lost little girl (and later, her mother). From what most of us have seen of Spider, this is so out of character, it seems shocking...and yet...would he really be so angry about the state of the world if he didn't have that caring for humanity? Would he have been so angry at the people in the wake of the election? I think this is a great way Ellis shows us underneath, that the high hopes being crushed are what fuels the rage of Spider.
A strong volume for sure, but not for the faint of heart...the only light stuff comes from Spider's assistants discussing their carnal knowledge of the boss...
Get this review and more at:
Warren Ellis has always been an impressive writer (save maybe for Avengers: Endless Wartime - which is a dirty stinker) but here, you just see the pure vitriol, spite, anger, scorn, rage, and disappointment that fuels his writing. (Or at least I feel like that's what's being poured into Spider, who is some sort of pseudo-Ellis here).
I cannot help but look at the date (1999) and think about the US elections at the time (Bush/Gore) and see parallels.
However, the most important moment in the whole volume for me is when Spider acts like a compassionate human being towards a sad lost little girl (and later, her mother). From what most of us have seen of Spider, this is so out of character, it seems shocking...and yet...would he really be so angry about the state of the world if he didn't have that caring for humanity? Would he have been so angry at the people in the wake of the election? I think this is a great way Ellis shows us underneath, that the high hopes being crushed are what fuels the rage of Spider.
A strong volume for sure, but not for the faint of heart...the only light stuff comes from Spider's assistants discussing their carnal knowledge of the boss...
Get this review and more at:
June 15, 2019
For me, this is the best volume of this story so far. Incredibly detailed run-down filthy high-tech Sci-Fi scenery. Interesting characters. Sharp, caustic satire.
Spider Jerusalem is again reporting on a presidential election between "The Beast" and "The Smiler". He exposes them both to the public in all their awfulness and the public mostly shrug it off in apathy. Spider hates them for it. But if all you have is 2 bad choices, why should you care?
The interview with "The Beast" takes place in what might as well be Grump tower, so it is easy to compare him to a certain real-world Grump. But the art in that section makes me see him more as Cerebus as Prime Minister brooding in his hotel room in High Society. For both Cerebus and "The Beast", nothing can make them happy. They want power and money, but don't know what to do with it and get no pleasure from it.
Spider Jerusalem is again reporting on a presidential election between "The Beast" and "The Smiler". He exposes them both to the public in all their awfulness and the public mostly shrug it off in apathy. Spider hates them for it. But if all you have is 2 bad choices, why should you care?
The interview with "The Beast" takes place in what might as well be Grump tower, so it is easy to compare him to a certain real-world Grump. But the art in that section makes me see him more as Cerebus as Prime Minister brooding in his hotel room in High Society. For both Cerebus and "The Beast", nothing can make them happy. They want power and money, but don't know what to do with it and get no pleasure from it.
June 27, 2021
The new scum...well Warren, this title didn't age well for what's happening to you, huh buddy?
All bullshit aside because I'm reviewing the actual story/art here, not the (scumbag behavior of the writer) and there's a lot of good here.
Spider is now dealing with the aftermath of the death of someone he actually liked. With that, he goes for the two trying to become president. Gets a nice look into both of their views. Guess what? They're both scumbags. Similar to most of our presidents. However, the biggest takeaway is Spider is pushed into a corner, which one is worse? On top of that, we get some really funny moments with the two ladies.
Overall, this is still really fun to read. The art is fantastic. The situations are interesting. Spider is NEVER dull. I really am enjoying myself. The series is somewhat tainted by recent acts of Ellis but I can't deny I'm enjoying this read a lot.
A 4 out of 5.
All bullshit aside because I'm reviewing the actual story/art here, not the (scumbag behavior of the writer) and there's a lot of good here.
Spider is now dealing with the aftermath of the death of someone he actually liked. With that, he goes for the two trying to become president. Gets a nice look into both of their views. Guess what? They're both scumbags. Similar to most of our presidents. However, the biggest takeaway is Spider is pushed into a corner, which one is worse? On top of that, we get some really funny moments with the two ladies.
Overall, this is still really fun to read. The art is fantastic. The situations are interesting. Spider is NEVER dull. I really am enjoying myself. The series is somewhat tainted by recent acts of Ellis but I can't deny I'm enjoying this read a lot.
A 4 out of 5.
January 20, 2015
Weakest part so far.It's still very good but not as good as previous entries.
March 19, 2019
People even presented with the truth still vote wrong.
November 18, 2018
This one wasn't quite as good as the previous volume, but it definitely looks like the shit is about to hit the fan for Spider in the near future. But let's talk about the real breakout stars of this volume:
Seriously they were just killing me the whole time
Although Spider did have a few good moments too
And as always the 'future' looks waaay too much like the present
Seriously they were just killing me the whole time
Although Spider did have a few good moments too
And as always the 'future' looks waaay too much like the present
February 13, 2016
So far, my least favorite volume of Spider Jerusalem's stories. It wasn't bad at all, but it was more or less the ending of what volume 3 started. Half of the storylines were interesting and offered closure, but the other half were just about Spider wandering in the cities and looking for stories. They were almost wordless and over before they started. Not that I have anything against visual storytelling, but Spider Jerusalem is about more than that. He cannot afford to be uninspired and I can't wait to have him face off against the president.
TRANSMETROPOLITAN is teaching us about our present by making us look into the future. The New Scum was good, but its gaze is wandering a little too much.
TRANSMETROPOLITAN is teaching us about our present by making us look into the future. The New Scum was good, but its gaze is wandering a little too much.
March 3, 2025
The story is getting more in shape in this volume, with the animosity between Spider and Callahan giving a center for Spider's hate and rage against everything wrong with society, which is a lot!
Apparently after reading this far into the story, books one and two were the opening, the introduction to understand Spider and the times he lives in, and book three begins the major event, with Spider getting involved with the elections, and making an enemy out of Callahan.
The volume was on a lighter pace than before, with the main focus on the interviews with the Beast and Callahan.
MiM
Apparently after reading this far into the story, books one and two were the opening, the introduction to understand Spider and the times he lives in, and book three begins the major event, with Spider getting involved with the elections, and making an enemy out of Callahan.
The volume was on a lighter pace than before, with the main focus on the interviews with the Beast and Callahan.
MiM
February 27, 2012
Following a shocking political assassination, the election between the Beast and the Smiler ramps up and Spider Jerusalem finds himself courted by both candidates for interviews. Meanwhile Channon finds out Yelena’s dirty secret and election day looms.
This book has Warren Ellis writing more about the world of the City with Spider, amidst the campaign madness, showing the reader the poverty stricken and the disenfranchised that live within the richest country in the world. It’s a bold move that has no comedic value but it’s applicable to circumstances in the real world and adds depth to Spider’s character as well as the increasingly familiar-seeming City. You even get to see Spider… be nice. Weird.
The best parts come from Spider’s interviews with the incumbent President, the Beast, who comes across as an apathetic and unlikable man who is nonetheless resigned to doing any good for his country, and the Smiler, who comes across as the Joker minus the facepaint. He shows his true colours here and makes it clear that Spider is on his hit-list when he gets into office.
Also included are a couple of Christmas themed one shots which has Spider pontificating on this most gaudy of holidays and referring to Channon and Yelena as his “filthy assistants” for the first time.
“The New Scum” is a solid book from start to finish, Warren Ellis continues to write Spider with a perfect pitch and extra nuance, while Darick Robertson’s art is his usual high standard. An excellent read for an excellent series, readers of the series won’t be disappointed, and definitely worth a look for any comics fan unfamiliar with Spider Jerusalem.
This book has Warren Ellis writing more about the world of the City with Spider, amidst the campaign madness, showing the reader the poverty stricken and the disenfranchised that live within the richest country in the world. It’s a bold move that has no comedic value but it’s applicable to circumstances in the real world and adds depth to Spider’s character as well as the increasingly familiar-seeming City. You even get to see Spider… be nice. Weird.
The best parts come from Spider’s interviews with the incumbent President, the Beast, who comes across as an apathetic and unlikable man who is nonetheless resigned to doing any good for his country, and the Smiler, who comes across as the Joker minus the facepaint. He shows his true colours here and makes it clear that Spider is on his hit-list when he gets into office.
Also included are a couple of Christmas themed one shots which has Spider pontificating on this most gaudy of holidays and referring to Channon and Yelena as his “filthy assistants” for the first time.
“The New Scum” is a solid book from start to finish, Warren Ellis continues to write Spider with a perfect pitch and extra nuance, while Darick Robertson’s art is his usual high standard. An excellent read for an excellent series, readers of the series won’t be disappointed, and definitely worth a look for any comics fan unfamiliar with Spider Jerusalem.
June 2, 2016
Spider was hating society before it was cool
The only spider that I loved in my life!
The only spider that I loved in my life!
October 21, 2019
Výsledky voleb jsou tady.
A tentokrát je to Spider, kdo dostal pořádnou kopačku do koulí. Jsou problémy, které ani obrovské množství drog nevyřeší. I když kdoví, ještě pořád je tu pěkných pár booků na pokusy.
Mohlo by se vám (ne)líbit viz první book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
A tentokrát je to Spider, kdo dostal pořádnou kopačku do koulí. Jsou problémy, které ani obrovské množství drog nevyřeší. I když kdoví, ještě pořád je tu pěkných pár booků na pokusy.
Mohlo by se vám (ne)líbit viz první book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
September 7, 2017
Que la lectura de una historia consiga revolverte algo por dentro significa que ha conseguido su objetivo.
Esta vez baja algo el nivel preparando el terreno para historias futuras pero sigue siendo demoledor cada diálogo.
Esta vez baja algo el nivel preparando el terreno para historias futuras pero sigue siendo demoledor cada diálogo.
February 27, 2012
Following a shocking political assassination, the election between the Beast and the Smiler ramps up and Spider Jerusalem finds himself courted by both candidates for interviews. Meanwhile Channon finds out Yelena’s dirty secret and election day looms.
This book has Warren Ellis writing more about the world of the City with Spider, amidst the campaign madness, showing the reader the poverty stricken and the disenfranchised that live within the richest country in the world. It’s a bold move that has no comedic value but it’s applicable to circumstances in the real world and adds depth to Spider’s character as well as the increasingly familiar-seeming City. You even get to see Spider… be nice. Weird.
The best parts come from Spider’s interviews with the incumbent President, the Beast, who comes across as an apathetic and unlikable man who is nonetheless resigned to doing any good for his country, and the Smiler, who comes across as the Joker minus the facepaint. He shows his true colours here and makes it clear that Spider is on his hit-list when he gets into office.
Also included are a couple of Christmas themed one shots which has Spider pontificating on this most gaudy of holidays and referring to Channon and Yelena as his “filthy assistants” for the first time.
“The New Scum” is a solid book from start to finish, Warren Ellis continues to write Spider with a perfect pitch and extra nuance, while Darick Robertson’s art is his usual high standard. An excellent read for an excellent series, readers of the series won’t be disappointed, and definitely worth a look for any comics fan unfamiliar with Spider Jerusalem.
This book has Warren Ellis writing more about the world of the City with Spider, amidst the campaign madness, showing the reader the poverty stricken and the disenfranchised that live within the richest country in the world. It’s a bold move that has no comedic value but it’s applicable to circumstances in the real world and adds depth to Spider’s character as well as the increasingly familiar-seeming City. You even get to see Spider… be nice. Weird.
The best parts come from Spider’s interviews with the incumbent President, the Beast, who comes across as an apathetic and unlikable man who is nonetheless resigned to doing any good for his country, and the Smiler, who comes across as the Joker minus the facepaint. He shows his true colours here and makes it clear that Spider is on his hit-list when he gets into office.
Also included are a couple of Christmas themed one shots which has Spider pontificating on this most gaudy of holidays and referring to Channon and Yelena as his “filthy assistants” for the first time.
“The New Scum” is a solid book from start to finish, Warren Ellis continues to write Spider with a perfect pitch and extra nuance, while Darick Robertson’s art is his usual high standard. An excellent read for an excellent series, readers of the series won’t be disappointed, and definitely worth a look for any comics fan unfamiliar with Spider Jerusalem.
September 24, 2018
Volume 4 of the continuing journey of Spider Jerusalem finds our intrepid hero embroiled in interviewing the serving President of the United States, and his rival, Callahan, also known as The Smiler. This is a tense interview in both cases, but Spider can't help but support the serving President, also call The Beast, as the better of two evils. What transpires between Callahan and Spider is made even more interesting when he actually admits to having his personal assistant, and friend to Spider, Vita Severev, killed. This sympathy act garnered The Smiler even more votes and resulted in him winning the Presidency. He makes sure to set up Spider so that none of his capture or recording technology worked during the interview in which he also threatened to destroy Spider after he is made President. The gloom here is palpable by the end of the book, and the foreshadow for the next volume is heavy and thick.
This just keeps getting better and better for the reader. Add into this book some Christmas satire and a snowball flinging story as add-ons at the end of the volume, and you have just read a wonderful addition to the line. My Homeys got this for me for my birthday, and Volume 5, which I will delve into within the next couple days. Can't wait for it!
Danny
This just keeps getting better and better for the reader. Add into this book some Christmas satire and a snowball flinging story as add-ons at the end of the volume, and you have just read a wonderful addition to the line. My Homeys got this for me for my birthday, and Volume 5, which I will delve into within the next couple days. Can't wait for it!
Danny
December 9, 2015
Oh man. That was the best volume so far. So much anger, grit and pain, wrapped in such bitter and yet fun narrative. Each issue gave me shivers, especially the fourth one, or issue #22. The ending was very strong, too! Loved this whole volume. The two winter tales that are included in a newer version of the trade are also very good and kind of help to ease the anger built up from the main arc.
December 5, 2019
"I have to write some stories. While I still can." -Spider Jerusalem
The election for the new President of the United States is under way and Spider has lots to say on the matter!
The election for the new President of the United States is under way and Spider has lots to say on the matter!
December 23, 2024
Now with the vol. 4 the story is in full frame and we have multi issues story arcs that started in the last volume covering the election and this continues the story from there and continues to be awesome and I am glad to have gotten a chance to read the story once again and let's Keep on Reading.
I have always loved comics, and I have I can. I love comics to bits, may the comics never leave my side. I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and hope always to love them. Even though I grew up reading local Indian comics like Raj Comics, Diamond Comics, or even Manoj Comics, now's the time to catch up on international and classic comics and Graphic novels. I am on my quest to read as many comics as I just want to Keep on Reading.
I have always loved comics, and I have I can. I love comics to bits, may the comics never leave my side. I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and hope always to love them. Even though I grew up reading local Indian comics like Raj Comics, Diamond Comics, or even Manoj Comics, now's the time to catch up on international and classic comics and Graphic novels. I am on my quest to read as many comics as I just want to Keep on Reading.
March 16, 2019
So much to relate to in our current US political system. Each time I see Callahan's face I want to rip out the page and punch the crap out of it. At the beginning of the series when I started way long ago, I liked to enjoy Spider's gruff take, it was funny, it was an escape, it was fictional... Now, it seems like reality and I feel like I'm Spider myself in several ways. "I hate you all" is plastered on the back of the book so when I read about childish walls, our reputation in the world destroyed, people mass shooting each other, not being able to afford healthcare and encountering people who literally only know how to say "NO" no matter WHAT you're doing, I get it. I feel it. I'm with you Spider. Absolutely cannot wait to get #5.
March 1, 2017
(originally reviewed at
thelibraryladies.com
)
The more I revisit “Transmetropolitan”, the more I see and deeply feel parallels to our current legal situation, and in turn the more I mourn the lack of a Spider Jerusalem to jump in and start speaking ten kinds of truth. This re-read is both cathartic and upsetting, but the good news is that at least I’m finding myself laughing hysterically at many points of these comics. Because Spider, Yelena, and Channon are all so perfect and filled with snark.
We pick up where Volume 3 left off. Spider (and the world, really) is mourning the assassination of Vita Severn. She’s become a martyr and a symbol for the Callahan campaign. Spider, however, isn’t convinced that Callahan (aka The Smiler) is actually in mourning for Vita. In fact, he has a pretty good hunch that murdering Vita was a political move on the Callahan’s part. And with the election coming up, Spider wants to get the truth out in the only way he knows how. The problem is, there’s no way to win. Because the choices are The Beast, or The Smiler. And either way, Spider, and the country, is screwed….
And along with that we get a Christmas story and a story about the joys of Winter!
Ellis continues his masterful and deft political satire that continues to feel just as relevant today as it felt back when it was first written. While this collection does have a few off shoots and off story vignettes (more on that in a bit), the meat of it is about The Campaign, and Spider’s not so slow realization that there is no good solution. You either get stuck with The Beast, who has driven the country into the ground with oppressive and totalitarian policies, or you end up with The Smiler… Who has managed to prove himself far, far deadlier and menacing than his opponent behind closed doors. There are two moments in this book where Spider confronts both candidates. We get a swift reminder that The Beast is still basically the worst (and he even kind of looks like a certain presidential advisor), but at the same time you see the portrait of a man who is less beastly, and more pathetic and complacent. It was a truly unsettling moment for me as a reader, because it shows that what’s coming is going to somehow be WORSE than the worst. It was a very interesting and kind of pathos ridden final confrontation between Spider and President Beast.
And then there’s The Smiler. It is here that we get full confirmation that he is a full blown psychopath who just kind of wants to watch the world burn. So while The Beast may look like that certain Presidential Advisor, The Smiler shares ethos with him. And it is in this volume that we see Spider, wily, truth pursuing and clever Spider, is bested. Spider had an enemy in The Beast, for sure. But The Smiler is full on intent of annihilating him and wiping him from the Earth. “The New Scum” kind of feels like an “Empire Strikes Back” moment, where almost all hope has been lost and the Empire has won (even more so than Vol. 3, which ended with Vita being assassinated on live TV, and THAT was pretty dismal). Finishing that arc before the next left me feeling drained and in need of chocolate cake.
But along with these painful and ‘oh no it’s far too true to life’ moments, there were small moments of pure hope and joy in this collection. In one of our offshoot stories, Spider finds himself meeting up with Mary, his friend who was frozen from the 20th Century and woke up in a scary and completely different future. As she talks about how different it all is, there are still the little joys that make her happy, even if the world is overwhelming and sometimes scares the crap out of her (and then Spider gives her a camera, as she was a photographer in her old life, and that just made my heart sing). In this same story Spider meets a little girl whose Mom had to pawn her favorite doll…. So Spider buys it back for her. Because he recognizes that “… all we’ve actually got is each other. You decide what that means.” And the other story that really affected me is Spider’s rumination on Winter. Winter means change. Winter means a rebirth is coming. Winter means that we can always look forward to the next one, and maybe next Winter will be better. It was a poignant and stunning one off that, true, feels a little harder to swallow these days. I don’t feel like I’m better off this Winter than I was last Winter. But the point is that Ellis knows that even when there’s all this garbage and terribleness, you can always depend on a couple things: the small joys and kindnesses that you will encounter, and that hope for change and rebirth is always there. In these moments, I was able to feel at least a little calmer.
Thanks for the hope, Spider. And thanks for staying inspirational when it comes to truth and journalism.
The more I revisit “Transmetropolitan”, the more I see and deeply feel parallels to our current legal situation, and in turn the more I mourn the lack of a Spider Jerusalem to jump in and start speaking ten kinds of truth. This re-read is both cathartic and upsetting, but the good news is that at least I’m finding myself laughing hysterically at many points of these comics. Because Spider, Yelena, and Channon are all so perfect and filled with snark.
We pick up where Volume 3 left off. Spider (and the world, really) is mourning the assassination of Vita Severn. She’s become a martyr and a symbol for the Callahan campaign. Spider, however, isn’t convinced that Callahan (aka The Smiler) is actually in mourning for Vita. In fact, he has a pretty good hunch that murdering Vita was a political move on the Callahan’s part. And with the election coming up, Spider wants to get the truth out in the only way he knows how. The problem is, there’s no way to win. Because the choices are The Beast, or The Smiler. And either way, Spider, and the country, is screwed….
And along with that we get a Christmas story and a story about the joys of Winter!
Ellis continues his masterful and deft political satire that continues to feel just as relevant today as it felt back when it was first written. While this collection does have a few off shoots and off story vignettes (more on that in a bit), the meat of it is about The Campaign, and Spider’s not so slow realization that there is no good solution. You either get stuck with The Beast, who has driven the country into the ground with oppressive and totalitarian policies, or you end up with The Smiler… Who has managed to prove himself far, far deadlier and menacing than his opponent behind closed doors. There are two moments in this book where Spider confronts both candidates. We get a swift reminder that The Beast is still basically the worst (and he even kind of looks like a certain presidential advisor), but at the same time you see the portrait of a man who is less beastly, and more pathetic and complacent. It was a truly unsettling moment for me as a reader, because it shows that what’s coming is going to somehow be WORSE than the worst. It was a very interesting and kind of pathos ridden final confrontation between Spider and President Beast.
And then there’s The Smiler. It is here that we get full confirmation that he is a full blown psychopath who just kind of wants to watch the world burn. So while The Beast may look like that certain Presidential Advisor, The Smiler shares ethos with him. And it is in this volume that we see Spider, wily, truth pursuing and clever Spider, is bested. Spider had an enemy in The Beast, for sure. But The Smiler is full on intent of annihilating him and wiping him from the Earth. “The New Scum” kind of feels like an “Empire Strikes Back” moment, where almost all hope has been lost and the Empire has won (even more so than Vol. 3, which ended with Vita being assassinated on live TV, and THAT was pretty dismal). Finishing that arc before the next left me feeling drained and in need of chocolate cake.
But along with these painful and ‘oh no it’s far too true to life’ moments, there were small moments of pure hope and joy in this collection. In one of our offshoot stories, Spider finds himself meeting up with Mary, his friend who was frozen from the 20th Century and woke up in a scary and completely different future. As she talks about how different it all is, there are still the little joys that make her happy, even if the world is overwhelming and sometimes scares the crap out of her (and then Spider gives her a camera, as she was a photographer in her old life, and that just made my heart sing). In this same story Spider meets a little girl whose Mom had to pawn her favorite doll…. So Spider buys it back for her. Because he recognizes that “… all we’ve actually got is each other. You decide what that means.” And the other story that really affected me is Spider’s rumination on Winter. Winter means change. Winter means a rebirth is coming. Winter means that we can always look forward to the next one, and maybe next Winter will be better. It was a poignant and stunning one off that, true, feels a little harder to swallow these days. I don’t feel like I’m better off this Winter than I was last Winter. But the point is that Ellis knows that even when there’s all this garbage and terribleness, you can always depend on a couple things: the small joys and kindnesses that you will encounter, and that hope for change and rebirth is always there. In these moments, I was able to feel at least a little calmer.
Thanks for the hope, Spider. And thanks for staying inspirational when it comes to truth and journalism.
March 30, 2009
Warren Ellis, Transmetropolitan: The New Scum (Vertigo, 2000)
After all the praise I've lavished on Transmetropolitan in my reviews of the first three volumes, I guess it was inevitable that everything would come crashing down. I have to admit, though, I'm making things sound a lot worse than they are; I guess the first three volumes had me expecting new miracles with every episode. Having given us the overarching story arc in book three, Ellis gets down to business in The New Scum, the fourth book in the series, and having gotten down to business, a lot of the humor gets leached out of this volume. That said, the first half of the book is an absolutely brilliant take on the play Frost/Nixon, recently turned into a movie nominated for a sick number of Academy Awards, so it's about as topical as they come these days. (Ellis is pretty subtle about it for a while there, but he kicks us in the head towards the end of that sequence.) Things then go back to normal, which for Transmetropolitan means they're absolutely over the edge. This is also the second volume in which Ellis includes an extra story at the end of the book, and both here and in Year of the Bastard, I've liked the extra stories the best of anything in the book; here, Spider expounds on why winter is the best season. (If only it didn't have all the snow.) Slips a bit, quality-wise, but the series is still very much worth reading if you haven't discovered it yet. *** ½
After all the praise I've lavished on Transmetropolitan in my reviews of the first three volumes, I guess it was inevitable that everything would come crashing down. I have to admit, though, I'm making things sound a lot worse than they are; I guess the first three volumes had me expecting new miracles with every episode. Having given us the overarching story arc in book three, Ellis gets down to business in The New Scum, the fourth book in the series, and having gotten down to business, a lot of the humor gets leached out of this volume. That said, the first half of the book is an absolutely brilliant take on the play Frost/Nixon, recently turned into a movie nominated for a sick number of Academy Awards, so it's about as topical as they come these days. (Ellis is pretty subtle about it for a while there, but he kicks us in the head towards the end of that sequence.) Things then go back to normal, which for Transmetropolitan means they're absolutely over the edge. This is also the second volume in which Ellis includes an extra story at the end of the book, and both here and in Year of the Bastard, I've liked the extra stories the best of anything in the book; here, Spider expounds on why winter is the best season. (If only it didn't have all the snow.) Slips a bit, quality-wise, but the series is still very much worth reading if you haven't discovered it yet. *** ½
June 8, 2016
While I missed the fact that there were not as many snapshots of life in Spider's city, I did enjoy that (probably because of that) there was less anger and rage and swearing from Spider - and most everyone else in the book. Though not as much of Spider's world was seen, there was a lot more plot done. Even more characterization of Spider and his assistants, which was also welcome. We get some peeks into why Spider reacts to society the way that he does. Oh and we learn who the next president is going to be.... any one else think "Did they really manage to elect the lesser of two evils like Spider tried to get happen, or did the few voting public fail themselves yet again?"
December 27, 2009
What can I say about the Transmetropolitan series that hasn't been said before? Nothing, that's what.
It's brilliant, dirty, raw and funny and Spider is the perfect character to carry it - by turns both violent and sympathetic, pitiful and intimidating. He's angry, inescapably human and he's my hero.
It's brilliant, dirty, raw and funny and Spider is the perfect character to carry it - by turns both violent and sympathetic, pitiful and intimidating. He's angry, inescapably human and he's my hero.
October 9, 2014
As always, supreme! Spider Jerusalem goes full frontal in his assault on the Smiler and the Beast, all to no avail. Their confrontations are the highlights in this volume, frank, funny, and fucked-up. But, hey, it's a presidential election. Transmet continues its tradition of unabashed, probably not hyperbolic bashing of pretty much everything you know and love.
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