“Y The Last Man” #49
By Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra
Vertigo Comics
Alas, poor Yorick! The unfortunately named Yorick Brown is the last man on Earth, with all that it entails: sexual entanglements, post-apocalyptic biker gangs and a monkey named Ampersand who holds the fate of humanity in his poop-stained paws.
As you can imagine, “Y: The Last Man” is not a typical comic book. Absent are the costumed heroes and melodramatic encounters that pervade the pages of blockbusters such as the current “Civil War” or DC Comics’ recent “Infinity Crisis.” Instead, “Y” is filled with richly developed characters and genuine human interaction in the face of fantastical situations; technically, it’s science fiction, but it’s about as real as these things get.
“Y” is the story of Yorick, whose first initial is also the chromosome wiped out in an unpredictable plague that killed every male human and animal on the planet – except for him and his monkey. Yorick and Ampersand quickly fall in with secret agent 355 and geneticist Dr. Allison Mann and make their way across the remains of America – Dr. Mann to research in California and 355 on an unknown mission.
Meanwhile, Yorick still pines for his girlfriend, Beth, who was a world away in Australia when the plague rendered communication impossible. Though he’s indulged in the occasional temptation over the last four years, he’s remained true to Beth, and as “Y” enters its conclusory run, it’s fitting that she’s the first thing to appear in issue 49, the initial part of the “Motherland” story arc.
“Y” has always been one part comedy and cultural references and one part dead serious, and this issue is no different. It opens with a sepia-toned dream that finds Yorick chasing after Beth in a Dick Tracy-like action sequence.
The dialogue drops tantalizing hints as to why they haven’t reconnected: “I’ve been trying to tell you, something ain’t right with me,” Beth tells Yorick just before he wakes up.
The rest of the issue catches us up with the medium-size supporting cast, planting the seeds for a resolution to Dr. Mann’s secret medical problems and a reunion with Yorick’s sister, Hero.
As always, Pia Guerra’s penciling is superb; neither cartoonish nor exaggerated, her clean, simple artwork keeps things focused on the narrative.
Brian K. Vaughan’s writing is similarly fluid, and for the last several years, “Y: The Last Man” has consistently been one of the best titles on the shelves. As it nears its finale (“Y” will end with issue 60), we’ll find out if four years of life-and-death adventures and emotional journeys will pay off for Yorick and his friends in a countdown more suspenseful than “24.” If you’re not already reading, now is the perfect time to start.
E-mail Greenwald at dgreenwald@media.ucla.edu.