Why is Y: The Last Man Considered to Be Great?

[Wild_Child]

Wow - What a refreshing thread! I never understood the love the book gets.

They story was okay and I certainly don't regret reading it, but it's nothing more than that. The writing is not as good as Ex Machina, Runaways or Pride of Baghdad.

The art is just incredibly drab. There's no character to it and every woman has the same build (I'd probably say they same about the men, but there's only one man). Maybe with a more interesting artist the story would've grabbed me more.

That's what I was complaining about when I read the book months ago.Most of the females have the same body type.

[Omega Key]

It's not that Y is some groundbreaking piece of work.

It's that it's a smart, characterful, well crafted story with an interesting premise and one that makes every issue hit you across the face with some wonderful development or cliffhanger. The quality of Y is understated, it's not blowing anyone out of the water with it's insight, it's just hugely relatable and incredibly human.

It's a perfect book to sell people on comics who don't read comics; it's a long form television show in comic form.

Couldn't have said it better myself. I tried. :(

Y isn't a great masterpiece, but it's a ride I seriously enjoyed while it lasted. The tv series comparison is spot on.

[Libaax]

I thought Y The Last Man was good but overrated into greatness because it was just such neat idea and not many series with the kind of future Yorick lived in. I rate the characters but the series could have been much better storytelling as overall story. I forget pretty fast how it even ended.

I think BKV works like EX Machina and Runaways is better. Y The Last Man just gets hype for being in at the end of an era when there was many quality Vertigo, years after mid 90s greatness of Vertigo. Vertigo name can make sometimes some series better than they are. Like every HBO tv shows is The Wire or Rome or Sopranos just because of the channel acclaim rep.

Im a big fan of BKV and look forward and expect alot from Saga.

[Deviates]

It has a good hook, expertly written characters and an ability to keep you intrigued once hooked. I found it a compulsive read and for me, any book that achieves that is going to break in to my top rated list.

[SediarSago]

I love me some Y, but I do agree that Ex Machina is more of a page turner/thriller. The political aspects of it are engrossing. This is what got me into reading the news and checking out what's going on in congress etc. But Y. The idea is wonderful, the power of women, the will of one man trying to find his true love, the twist on the genre, the characters that are just so likable. It's a character piece at heart and it's very beautiful.

I originally read it for the apocalypse and the twist and stayed for the characters. The explanation didn't sway my love at all. Y is a character masterpiece. It had a few slip ups, ANY series does, but overall, it's a wonderful story. THAT'S why it's a highly praised series. My favorite series of all time (At least until I begin to read Sandman. :P Gonna start with the omnibus.)

[FilipinoZombie]

question: how many printings has the deluxe hc's had?

[Ood Omega]

I loved reading this book but top 5 seems a bit of a stretch. I mean the ending really did move me emotionally, maybe if it affected others in a similar way that may give precedence for having it so high on the list. Spoiler Alert: When Yorick's Capuchin Ampersand dies I was crying uncontrollably. But I felt less affected when Agent 355 is killed after she and Yorick confess their mutual love for each other.

All-in-all I love the ending and think its definitely worth owning. Did it say anywhere how the list was determined?

[Billy Batson]

Did it say anywhere how the list was determined?

Anyone could vote with their top 10 runs. I know I did.

[MartinRedmond]

The tissue covered with flies scene in the link above is so terrible. Why would you use that to sample a series? It's like their preview for Starman.

LOL oh my god

[400yrs]

And there is my problem. As well written as these characters are, I recongize that and see why others like them, but I just don't feel overly attached to them. I think without that attachment, this comic doesn't have that same meaning or impact to me as it would for other readers. I'm personally more interested in discovering the cause that wiped out almost every male on the planet and why the main character is immuned, which is why I'm reading the comic in the first place.

I started reading Y as it came out and then dropped it in the teens because I wasn't getting attached to the characters either. After it was completed, I tried it again. It's more of an adventure story than a character story, but there are some very strong character bits that got me involved and attached. By the end, I was attached to Yorick, 355 and even Ampersand. The last issue is phenomenal as well. Many complained about it, but I thought it was perfect.

It's definitely one of my favorites and something I'll re-read every few years.

Ex Machina, I enjoyed into the 40s, I think. It was always a very liberal book (since it's about a liberal politician), but the pushiness got to be too much for me.

[Wild_Child]

That's what I was complaining about when I read the book months ago.Most of the females have the same body type.

Most of the female have the same body types except for those nerdy chicks that helped Yorick.

[Deep_Sleeper]

I did try two trades and it wasn't clicking with me. Maybe I should give it another try from the begining? Sometimes things don't click with me from the get-go. I also could not get into Ex Machina, either.

I thought BKV's Runaways & Pride of Baghdad were amazing and I am really loving Saga, thus far.

[andthegunslinger]

I also quit just before the end of the second trade. I've heard good stuff but... it just seemed a little meh. I didn't care too much about the characters. I agree with the poster about likening it to how ever HBO show is the Wire or the Sopranos.

[EuphemismForSex]

I find the "character" point silly. There's plenty of (Vertigo) series that have better, more memorable and as flawed characters than Y.

You make it seem like people with the same qualities are the same people...

[Topher]

While I really liked Y (and so did the people I lent the trades too) I wouldn't exactly put it near the top of my best ever list either. Definitely above average, perhaps great and just shy of amazing. I found myself getting attached to the characters and since it's sort of a post apocalyptic setting, that setting always draws me in.