|
|
Post by sabongero on Apr 20, 2018 20:11:24 GMT -5
 Y The Last Man #6
"Cycles, Part 1 of 5"February 2003 Writer: Brian K. Vaughan Illustrator: Pia Guerra Inker: Jose Marzan, Jr. Colorist: Pamela Rambo & Digital Chameleon Letterer: Clem Robins Editor: Steve Bunche Synopsis: At a Boston, Massachusetts cross-country train station, a disguised Yorick is trying to get passage for a train. But the lady in charge of passenger loading is telling him, unless he has food or medical supplies to trade, then Yorick cannot board the train. There are hundred and perhaps thousands of women in this particular station lined up to see if they can even board. The woman told Yorick that when the plague hit, there weren't any female commercial pilots flying airplanes, and when all the commercial airlines (over five thousand in the sky at the time) fell out of the sky, the crashed cars bottling up the highways, the old diesel trains are the only way to travel long distance. Yorick asked, how about if he traded a motorcycle which was maneuverable in the highways to avoid the crashed cars, and it is a very rare commodity. The unbelieving woman couldn't believe it and accepted. She told Yorick she'll leave the cargo door open to one of the box cars at the rear of the train, but he better hurry up as the train will be leaving in five minutes. At the rear, Yorick signaled for Agent 355 and Dr. Mann, and he helped them get inside the box car. Inside, were caged pigs. Agent 355 couldn't believe they were travelling cross country to California on board with pigs. Dr. Mann and Yorick argued a little that he had to go with them to California to her back-up laboratory to find out why he and Ampersand survived, instead of him going to Australia to be with Beth. Later on when the train was on its way, Agent 355 was tinkering with her Mossberg (pump-action shotgun) in case they were followed, and told Dr. Mann not to worry she can handle any trouble heading their way, not that she was Asian and know martial arts, but because she looked pretty ripped. Dr. Mann agreed, as she used to be into pilates. Further conversations among the three provided information about them, particularly Dr. Mann. We found out that she's American, but her father is a Japanese research scientist and mother is Chinese surgeon who met in a Taiwan conference and fell in love and married, and spent the rest of their lives screaming at each other. Dr. Mann hated her dad so she changed her last name to "Mann" to spite her father, and was glad he died in this male holocaust. She's also 31 years old and tenured at Harvard. Yorick told her that his father tenured when he was forty years old at a little all-women's college teaching Shakespeare. The conversation turned to Hero, whom Yorick said they never found in Boston, but knowing Hero she must be volunteering to help somewhere. At Boston's Fenway Park, we join Hero punching out one of the Amazons for looking at her the wrong way. The Amazon leader Victoria called her over chastising her, why she's lashing out at the other women. Hero told her she's till upset at murdering that woman in the previous issue. Victoria reassured her, that Hero set the woman free, as the woman as still clinging to the old world. Hero told her all she thins about is pasta and cutting off her fingers. Victoria reached into her pocket for protein bars and gave them to Hero to supplement for rations, but would appreciate it if Hero kept it a secret from their sister Amazons. A distraught and tired looking Hero thanked Victoria and kept repeating that she loved Victoria so much. Meanwhile, back at the cargo box car in the train ride across America, we rejoin Dr. Mann, Yorick, and Agent 355 who has been riding for about seven hours, and is passing by Pennsylvania or Ohio that evening. Agent 355 and Yorick advised they have been keeping a low profile so they stuck to empty campsites. Yorick shared she stayed at the Four Seasons hotel one time, on the way to Washington D.C. and it was inhabited by all these homeless women who weren't distraught about the events. Agent 355 said there are more Culper agents and they are trying to restore basic services across the land, and that once she's finished babysitting the amateur magician Yorick, that she'll go back to finishing her original mission. Yorick showed 355 the amulet Ampersand picked from her bag and was playing with, Agent 355 grabbed it from him and told him it's called the Amulet of Helene, and that it was classified. Just then, two vagrants came on board threatening the trio. They weren't Amazons, they were FTRA (Freight Train Riders of America), and they pulled a knife and asked for their things. 355 drew her gun and motioned Yorick to stay back as she took care of business. Unfortunately for her, Dr. Mann held her arm that was holding the gun to prevent her using it. Yorick went to attack the two FTRA women, and one of them monkey-flipped him and Ampersand off the train to the outside. Agent 355 flew into action and knocked out the two women. She told Dr. Mann they have to jump off the train to find Yorick. Dr. Mann disapproved, so 355 pushed her off the train and followed suit. Back in Boston, one of the Amazons brought a Russian lady to their leader Victoria, citing the lady knew where the men were located. The lady, whose name is Natalya, looked at Victoria and pointed up to the sky. Space. Victoria asked if the "men" were Green and from Planet Mars. Obviously she didn't believe her. Victoria ordered one of the women to give Natalya some of her rations, and get Natalya going her way as she must be delirious. As two Amazons escorted Natlaya away, she kept yelling that she traveled all the way from Moscow and that the Soyuz is coming to Kansas. Another Amazon approached Victoria with news that they spoke to a woman who said she saw a motorcycle riding person headed for the railyard, and was wearing a gas mask and was carrying a monkey. Hero was next to them and overheard this, and couldn't believe that it might be her brother. The following morning, in Marrisville, Ohio, a woman carrying two empty pails was walking towards the river. She saw Ampresand the monkey perched on top of one of the rocks and she guessed the monkey was have come from the zoo. Then she was surprised to see a few feet from Ampersand was the unconscious body of Yorick. She was shocked that she dropped the two pails and staring at Yorick, she thanked Jesus. Comments: We further see that the women in this world are in dire straits. At least in terms of long distance travel. Brian K. Vaughan has definitely did a lot of well thought out research while writing this book. I didn't know that there wasn't even one female commercial airline pilot flying a single plane around at the time of the gendercide. And almost all modes of transportation have been set back at least many decades after this cataclysm. Hunger can make people do stupid things. Long lasting hunger, can make a person commit murder. Take the case of Hero in this issue. She cannot think straight, and all that is in her mind is food, and hallucinating of cutting of her fingers. She'll believe anything and love the Amazon leader for giving her a couple of protein bars. Being fed when you are hungry can lead to your brainwashing in something like this. It's interesting that Natalya was talking about the Soyuz. At least it showed that any man outside the planet, was saved, and the gendercide only happened on the planet. At least at the end of the issue, you still have women who are praying for a man to be sent to her, and when that prayer is answered, shock will definitely hit her system. Gotta continue loving the way Pia Guerra is illustrating the various emotional faces of these women. You can somewhat feel what they're faces portray. From the guile of Victoria, to the hunger of hero, and to a shock prayer answered for the lady at the end in Ohio upon stumbling to an unconscious Yorick. |
|
|
|
Post by sabongero on Apr 21, 2018 22:52:43 GMT -5
 Y The Last Man #7
"Cycles, Part 2 of 5"March 2003 Writer: Brian K. Vaughan Illustrator: Pia Guerra Inker: Jose Marzan, Jr. Colorist: Pamela Rambo & Zylonol Letterer: Clem Robins Editor: Steve Bunche Synopsis: In the grasslands of Marrisville, Ohio, Dr. Mann woke up from jumping from the fast moving train, and was surprised her glasses weren't broken. She went over to where Agent 355 landed to see if she's okay, but Agent 355's face is covered with blood as her head apparently landed on a rock instead of a softer surface on the ground. Elsewhere in Marrisville, Yorick woke up in bed at Sonia's house. She's the woman who found him and Ampersand in the previous issue. After a brief conversation, Yorick jumped out of bed to get out of there only to find out he was naked as Sonia washed his dirty clothes. He came back to bed, and they continued their chit-chat, then he realized he didn't know what happened to Agent 355 and Dr. Mann after he got thrown out of the moving train. Meanwhile, Dr. Mann managed to stop Agent 355's bleeding, but she suffered some severe head trauma and needs to be taken to a medical facility. She tried to hand Dr. Mann her gun for self-protection, but the doctor refused to take it. Agent 355 told her to leave her there and to go find Yorick. Back in Boston, Massachusetts, the motorcycle riding Daughters of the Amazon, were chasing another woman riding a motorcyle. Victoria ordered Hero, who was riding at her backseat, to end this chase. And Hero let loose an arrow which hit the thigh of the woman they were chasing, who then crashed. Victoria questioned how the woman came in possession of their motorcycle. The woman answered it was traded for passage to California in the railways. Hero wanted Victoria to ask if the person had a monkey, which Victoria told her to stop asking about the monkey. Victoria ordered the rest of the Amazons to fan out and ask as many women as they can to find out where the man was headed, not wanting to have a false lead. Back in Sonia's home. Yorick dressed up and fully clothed. He picked up Ampersand and is about to leave her home to continue his mission, but Sonia tried to stop him as he hasn't met anyone yet. Yorick said that's a good idea, that no one knew about him. Sonia disagreed as the town was made up of sixty-seven gossiping women, and when Yorick opened the door, as Sonia couldn't keep him a secret, those women were outside waiting to meet him. They approached him asking if there were other males, which Yorick said no, and he noticed the street lights are powered by electricity and not gas lamps. The women got their grid control station back, and have grown their own fresh food. Old woman Lydia, the women's leader walked up to Yorick, telling him that he's surprised women were able to take care of themselves without the men. She pointed out, back in World War 2 the men were gone, and the women of the town were made self-sufficient. The women were the workforce of the town. The women were much younger than Lydia, so Yorick asked how all the women had experience living without men, and Sonia said Lydia will explain after supper. Dr. Mann arrived and yelled out Yorick's name. The women were apprehensive, but Yorick told them the doctor is with him. She told Yorick 355 was hurt badly. He told them it's okay, 355 is a government agent, and some of the women shot each other menacing looks. Sonia told Yorick they used a makeshift stretcher to bring him to town, and Yorick asked Dr. Mann where 355 was located. Back in Boston, inside a camp, Hero who had bow and arrow at hand, came to interrogate the two FTRA women who threw Yorick out of the train in the previous issue. Hero told them that they were spreading rumors around camp that they saw a man. One of the FTRA women told just shooed her away saying the Amazons they encountered can't use a bow and arrow. Hero took the arrow she was holding and slammed it into the hand of the smart alecky woman, nailing her hand to the table. Then she drew her gun and aimed at the other one's face, ready to pull the trigger. Afraid of dying, the other woman explained they encountered him in a freight train, and had an ape with him. Hero asked if they heard his name, and the woman answered with something sounding like Yorick's name and asked if Hero knew him. She did since he was born. Back in Marrisville, Ohio, at Lydia's porch, the women were talking about the concern that Yorick and his friends were bringing to town. One suggested killing him, which another said not to. Lydia told them that Yorick is harmless. One of the women mentioned if the outsiders found out what they did, then they are all screwed. The one called Tess reassured all that when Sonia gets back into town with Agent 355 and Dr. Mann, the only thing they can do now is to make sure the outsiders never learn the truth. Comments: It is interesting to note, that the attitudes of most of the women group in the aftermath of the gendercide in these first several issues is very negative. And at the same time, it is more negative outcomes than positives in the wake of the disappearance of the patriarchy. Until this issue. We find a small town that is self-sufficient and the workforce have been women for quite some time. But they harbor a dangerous secret. What could that be? Hero finally found out that her brother is alive. In this new age of literal women power, will she be loyal to her insane group of anti-males, or will she rekindle her relationship with her brother, and disown her new "family" of Amazons? |
|
|
|
Post by sabongero on Apr 23, 2018 18:57:42 GMT -5
 Y The Last Man #8
"Cycles, Part 3 of 5"April 2003 Writer: Brian K. Vaughan Illustrator: Pia Guerra Inker: Jose Marzan, Jr. Colorist: Pamela Rambo & Zylonol Letterer: Clem Robins Editor: Steve Bunche Synopsis: Back in Boston, Massachusetts, Hero told Victoria that the surviving male is her brother. He was seen in Washington, D.C. where their mother lived, and then in Boston, because he was looking for her, and then jumped off somewhere in Ohio, which was where he was born. Victoria told Hero then Ohio is where Yorick will die. Hero tried to talk her out of it, and Victoria slugged her knocking Hero to the ground. Apparently, Hero is still under some brainwashing as Victoria spoke to her and recited a saying among the Daughters of the Amazon, and asked what they must do to her brother? Hero answered that they must kill him. At a medical facility in Marrisville, Ohio, Dr. Mann stabilized the condition of a still unconscious Agent 355. Lydia told Sonia to get some firewood for the visitors as she felt a cold front coming, and Yorick asked to help Sonia out. Tess asked to have a word with Sonia, and outside she made sure that Sonia didn't tell the outsiders anything about them, especially their secret. She didn't trust the government agent, that they may be after them. Sonia reassured them she said nothing. Out in the forest, Sonia and Yorick with their axes in hand chit-chatted while waling. She disclosed Tess and the other woman were lesbian partners, but that it wouldn't take all the men dying for her to eat vagina. Yorick was taken aback that she spoke right to the point. As they chopped wood continuing their chit-chat, Sonia just told Yorick if they can just get back to work. Back at the medical facility, Agent 355 was semi-conscious and Dr. Mann tried talking to her, but Agent 355 was not coherent, saying that she's sorry about the things she's done in Egypt, Panama, and Jordan and she wanted Yorick, surprising Dr. Mann. Back with Yorick and Sonia, as Yorick was chopping wood, Sonia asked him to teach her how to escape Marrisville. The town turns each month into a whirlpool of bitchiness when all the women's periods are in synch. Before he could answer, she said that she was joking. They talked about his girlfriend, and then they got to talking other things until they talked about him guessing her panties are black, which she responded she wasn't wearing any, and he asked her to prove it. And the next thing is that they are making out. She suddenly stopped and walked away from him saying she can't do this. She told Yorick she's not a good person. She told him she's a junkie and a crankhead. She's clean now, but if there's a chance she could score crystal meth there, she would be hooked on it again. She cooked meth for personal use for her and her boyfriend, then her boyfriend got caught dealing while she didn't know, and he turned on her citing she was the ringleader so he could get a lesser sentence which he did, and she got convicted for a ten year sentence. Yorick still didn't get it. She disclosed the town's secret. Every woman in Marrisville is an escaped convict. When the men died, the warden let the women prisoners loose instead of letting them die of starvation inside their jail cells. And then the women prison guards left town. The other prison inmates and her have been taking good care of themselves for the last several months and the community just fell into place. And they just want to get on with their lives. Back at the medical facility, Yorick burst in yelling out that the women in town are all criminals. The truth came out. Tess was sentenced for armed robbery, her lesbian partner for medical fraud. The old woman, Lydia, for murdering her husband. Yorick thinks they owe a debt to society and doesn't believe they should live in a paradise setting like Marrisville, Ohio. And then somebody told Yorick to shut up. At the door was Hero with a bow and arrow pointed directly at Yorick. He's coming with her or she and the other Daughters of the Amazon will kill all the female in this town. Comments: I had a feeling the whole Marrisville town was too good to be true, being self-sufficient and all that. Looks like the dark secret is out. Women convicted prisoners and escaped convicts. They are self-sufficient indeed and have a higher survival instinct than your average woman. Agent 355's subconscious showed she has a thing for Yorick and at the same time is very sorry for things she has done in the past. If it is lingering in her subconsciousness, then they must be some very bad deeds indeed. And Hero... she's somewhat brainwashed by Victoria and the Daughters of the Amazon for her to act that insanely. But then again, going hungry for months, can do that to you once you find shelter, who fed you. You'll believe almost anything akin to brainwashing just to be full and not go hungry anymore. Too bad for Yorick. |
|
|
|
Post by sabongero on Apr 25, 2018 13:43:32 GMT -5
 Y The Last Man #9
"Cycles, Part 4 of 5"May 2003 Writer: Brian K. Vaughan Illustrator: Pia Guerra Inker: Jose Marzan, Jr. Colorist: Pamela Rambo & Digital Chameleon Letterer: Clem Robins Editor: Steve Bunche Synopsis: Yorick couldn't believe Hero found him, and then she decked him in the face with the bow she was hold, knocking him down and bloodying his mouth. Sonia helped Yorick up, and he told everyone that he's okay and that Hero was just joking around, which Dr. Mann thought it just got funnier when she looked out the window with a lawn full of Daughters of the Amazon surrounding the medical clinic. Hero pulled another arrow pointing it at the women and Yorick ordering them to give her Yorick. Outside, Victoria was telling yelling towards the Marrisville women inside the clinic how impressive they were and that they passed a women's penitentiary and that they're all undoubtedly convicts. But they built up the town unlike the way doting wives or blushing brides could. She wanted their complete emancipation from their oppressors and to release the last remaining oppressor to to them. Hero asked them what will be their decision? Sonia stepped in front of Yorick protecting him, citing just because Victoria mentioned statistics, that she doesn't know them, and for Hero to better have enough arrows to hit all of them. And the other women in the room agreed. Hero walked out to Victoria. Yorick can't believe the women convicts of Marrisville is saving him from being killed by the Daughters of the Amazon. They tried to sneak him out but could not find a way to do so. They told him he's a sanctimonious brat, but he didn't deserve to be executed. They have no weapons, unlike the Amazons who have guns. Agent 355 had a gun, but Dr. Mann left it at the grounds outside because she didn't want anyone to get hurt. Yorick gave Dr. Mann Ampersand to continue to California, while he went outside to surrender himself to the Amazons. He didn't want the Marrisville women to get killed. Sonia told Yorick don't be stupid. But Yorick told her, for being criminals, they are alright, and apologized for kissing her twice. But Sonia said he only kissed her at the forest when they were chopping trees, and he went up to her and kissed her a second time. Outside, Victoria was giving Hero a lecture and was going to torch to hospice/clinic when Yorick emerged outside to surrender himself while mouthing off to Victoria. This infuriated Hero to mouth off to him to show Victoria respect and forced Yorick down to his knees and smacked his face to shut him up. Victoria approached Yorick with gun in hand, and talked to him. Yorick told her that Amazons don't know how to shut up and kill a guy. She put the gun on Yorick's forehead at point blank range and was about to pull the trigger, but nothing happened. Then the following splash page showed why. There was an axe stuck and hanging on Victoria's temple. It was thrown by Sonia and nailed Victoria right on the head. Hero shot an arrow at her direction while Yorick tried to prevent it, but the arrow pierced Sonia's heart. One of the convict women, Tess picked up Victoria's hand gun and pointed it at the Amazons, while Sonia died in Yorick's arms. Yorick got up and walked to Tess and asked for the gun, which she handed to him. Then he walked up to his sister, Hero, and pointed it at her head to shoot her. Hero pleaded with her brother to do it, and kill her. Comments: And this issue is basically why people deserve a second chance in life. The women convicts could have turned over Yorick to the insane Amazons, but did not, even though he acted like a posterior end of a donkey, because even an internal rump like Yorick did not deserve to be executed. A dystopian society such as this world turned out to be, doesn't bode well for family reunions where one of the family members has gone extremely hungry for months, and then was brainwashed into believing in a certain outlook in life. It can lead to an obvious confrontation, that can turn very deadly in a short period of time. |
|
|
|
Post by sabongero on Apr 27, 2018 19:24:09 GMT -5
 Y The Last Man #10
"Cycles, Part 5 of 5"June 2003 Writer: Brian K. Vaughan Illustrator: Pia Guerra Inker: Jose Marzan, Jr. Colorist: Pamela Rambo & Zylonol Letterer: Clem Robins Editor: Steve Bunche Synopsis: Hero was instructing her brother how to pull the gun trigger. Dr. Mann was pleading with Yorick to put the gun away and not shoot Hero, because she's his sister. But an angered Yorick claimed sibling or not, Hero crossed The Rubicon. And this somewhat snapped Hero out of her daze. Crossing The Rubicon. He didn't know what it meant. According to her, their father liked Yorick as the favorite child because he thought the son was smart. But Hero knew otherwise, that Yorick wasn't that smart. This brief explanation snapped Yorick from his anger and put the gun down and walker away telling Hero, she was dad's favorite and not him. He gave the gun back to Tess and asked if the women convicts would throw Hero in the local slammer. They told him no. They vowed no woman would be incarcerated in their town after what they've been through. They want to because Hero killed one of their own. Yorick just walked away. And Dr. Mann confronted Hero why they, the Amazons, burned her laboratory in Boston, which Hero denied. Dr. Mann asked, if the didn't do it, then who burned down her laboratory in Boston? Meanwhile that evening at the Massachusetts Air National Guard Base, there is a firefight between the base's U.S. Military Police and an Israeli armed forces team under Colonel Alter, who stole a U.S. military helicopter to escape. The M.P.'s couldn't believe they are engaged in a firefight with the Hebrew speaking enemy, because they are supposed to be their allies. Inside the helicopter, Colonel Alter was talking on the radio with her informant from the White House, who told her Yorick Brown's current location... Marrisville, Ohio. Alone in the woods of Marrisville, Ohio, Yorick sat in front of the a makeshift fire. Agent 355 apparently strong enough to walk (with a cane) arrived in his location and told him what is The Rubicon and explained its significance. Yorick, surprised to see her, went up to her. 355 apologized to Yorick for not being there for him in all his troubles at Marrisville. He said to forget about it. She updated him with the women convicts reaching a compromise to detain the Amazons until they are ready to be released to join society again. Yorick was okay with it, because he was talking to Sonia, and now she's gone, all because of the Amazons and his sister. Agent 355 told Yorick she caught a glimpse of Hero before they put her away. Hero's eyes were dead, clearly she wasn't the same person Yorick know months ago. And they talked about why he didn't shoot her, because of their mom, and better for them to rot in prison. In prison, the incarcerated Amazons were talking while Hero was trying to regurgitate something she swallowed. She explained to one of the Amazons, she learned a trick from her amateur magician brother. And she threw up a key she swallowed earlier. And there is a cargo train that stopped in Marrisville, Ohio. The trio of Dr. Mann, Yorick, and Agent 355 are boarding to leave for California. The women of Carrisville, traded a lot of produce to get them on board this train. And 355 explained they have to get out of town before more curious hordes of women come looking for Yorick. One of the women convicts saw them off, which Yorick told her to convey to the rest of the women how sorry he was of what transpired in their town. Later, aboard the moving train Dr. Mann and Yorick were looking at the stars, and Yorick told her that when he looked at the stars that he thinks Beth is looking at it as well. 220 miles above Earth inside one of the space stations, the woman astronaut is telling the rest of her crew that certain parts are malfunctioning. Then in a splash page, two male astronauts told her that their choice is made up for them all. They're going back to Earth. Comments: The final splash page is great. I was skeptical about Natalya in the previous issues. But this confirms it. Yorick is not the last man on Earth. There are two men in orbit inside a space station that are now heading back down to the planet. What will happen to them? Yorick lost a family member, and who is the mysterious woman that is providing information to Colonel Alter regarding Yorick's whereabouts. Victoria's dead, and what will happen to the Daughters of the Amazons now that they are leaderless. There's a lot to take in and happening and you can't help but just continue reading this fantastic dystopian story. |
|
|
|
Post by sabongero on May 2, 2018 6:14:40 GMT -5
 Y The Last Man #11"One Small Step, Chapter 1 of 5" July 2003 Writer: Brian K. Vaughan Illustrator: Pia Guerra Inker: Jose Marzan, Jr. Colorist: Pamela Rambo & Zylonol Letterer: Clem Robins Editor: Steve Bunche Synopsis: At the edge of a cliff in Marquand, Missouri, Agent 355 found a half pack of cigarette from a car earlier, and she and Yorick smoked cigarettes and shared thoughts while he brooded. He inhaled and started coughing, just as Dr. Mann arrived, eliciting a verbal lecture from her about his health. She told Yorick to take Ampersand before he defecates in her medical bag again, so Yorick took his monkey and walked off. Dr. Mann asked Agent 355 if there is something going on between she and Yorick, and she denied it. It's just that Dr. Mann remembered 355 said something while she was under the anesthesia in Marrisville, Ohio. Yorick approached the train and a woman asked him what is his new grown beard made of. He told her spirit gum and horsehair. She told him next time use his own hair clippings so that it looks more natural. It turned out she's a working girl who's going to work on the customers in this train ride. They said their goodbyes, warning to be careful of the Amazons. In the train ride, Dr. Mann and Agent 355 are playing cards while Yorick is bored in the train cabin. Dr. Mann told him not to think it will be all party time in San Francisco, as she will be performing hundreds of tests on him, provided that her female clone embryo is still intact for comparison. Suddenly there was a thud from above. Agent 355 went to check it out and advising Dr. Mann to inject Yorick with a sedative if he tried to follow her. Agent 355 went to the roof of the train, and found a woman who snuck on board, and she had a rifle with her. She's trying to get back to Man, and 355 took her baton-stick and knocked the rifle from the woman's hand, but the Russian woman was adept at hand-to-hand combat and got the better of Agent 355 who was knocked to the side of the moving train and barely hanging on the side and almost falling off. Yorick saw 355's feet on the window and sprung to help outside, leaving Dr. Mann. Above, the Russian lade held out her hand and helped Agent 355 back on top of the train. Agent 355 saw that she was wearing a Russian Gold Star, which is reserved for heroes of the Russian Federation. Yorick, made it to the top and checked on Agent 355. The Russian woman was shocked to see him. Yorick recognized her as the woman that was thrown off the train in Marrisville. She went to Kansas not for Yorick, and Agent 355 who is fluent in Russian told her to speak in Russian for easy communication. She said she was sent by what is left of her government to retrieve their country's only living male, which is a cosmonaut on board the international space station. This surprised Agent 355. They just lost contact with him a few weeks ago, so they are sure he is alive along with astronauts both male and female. They waited for NASA to send a rescue shuttle but apparently NASA doesn't have the resources to do so. She told 355 that the space station is coming down there. Up in the space station, the female astronaut is concerned about what killed the men in the planet might kill the two men in the space station upon landing. And she's concerned about the re-entry that they might not survive. The cosmonaut arrived in their chamber and told them that the station is good for six months, and they've been up there for nine months, thus having degradation in their propellants, which they'll find out once they enter the atmosphere. If they burst into flames then they'll know for certain. In Marquand, Missouri two hours later, former Colonel and current Lt. General Alter is on a radio with her contact in Washington D.C. who gave her the coordinates of Yorick's location and has an entire brigade of Israeli Defense Forces scouring the area. But no sign of him. It's as if she was sent on a wild goose chase, and the contact told Alter that's exactly what she did. For months she's received no useful information from her. This time Alter demanded to know who she is, or she will take her troops back to Tel Aviv. And she revealed herself to Alter to be Yorick's mother. Comments: The weather has gotten colder, as you can tell by the clothing worn by all the characters in this issue. But it isn't winter yet, as there's leaves in the surrounding trees the train passed. At least the setting changed and passage of time is shown as the story progressed. The new look suited Yorick. It's just natural he would end up growing facial hair, but a full set of beard. I suppose other females "grew" beards by gluing it to their face. Still... that could prove to be dangerous for Yorick, if seen by a sharp woman. We are left with two suspenseful cliffhangers. Will the two males and one female in the space station land safely back on Earth, or will they burn up and die in the atmosphere during re-entry. After all, the station is safe to be manned for six months, and it has been nine months already. And the other is Lt. General Alter is closing in on Yorick, and why is Yorick's mother in contact with Alter all this time, providing her information on Yorick's possible coordinates? |
|
|
|
Post by sabongero on May 7, 2018 6:39:40 GMT -5
 Y The Last Man #12"One Small Step, Chapter 2 of 5" August 2003 Writer: Brian K. Vaughan Illustrator: Pia Guerra Inker: Jose Marzan, Jr. Colorist: Pamela Rambo & Zylonol Letterer: Clem Robins Editor: Steve Bunche Executive Editor: Karen Berger Synopsis: Yorick's mom introduced herself to Alter, and since her U.S. military is still in disarray, she's counting on Alter, who was highly thought of by her deceased male good friend in the Israel military hierarchy, to retrieve her son, Yorick, from the Culper Ring, whom she now doesn't trust after uncovering information on them being thugs and assassins. They are able to track Yorick because of the tracking device they planted inside Yorick's monkey, but triangulating it takes a few hours to get a lock using whatever radio towers are available. In Aldenbrook, Kansas, about ten hours later, Yorick is with Dr. Mann, Agent 355, and Natalya, taking a detour and walking instead of continuing to ride the train, because they are going to save and give medical attention to the males on board The Soyuz which will be landing nearby, instead of the usual landing place in the Kazakh Steppes because it is making poison and bringing death from a nuclear power plant which so far has killed one million women, which is worse than the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. The reactor was supposed to be offline but male officials were apparently operating it in secret for profit. Dr. Mann was concerned to learn of this information, but Agent 355 reassured her that her colleagues in the Culper Ring has been decommissioning power plants for months across the country. Meanwhile at the International Space Station, Cosmonaut Vladimir attacked Astronaut Commander Joe saying that he saw him do something to his space suit. And Joe fought back and the two kept at it for a while until Dr. Ciba Weber threatend both with a diazepamin injector with enough valium to put a T-Rex in a coma. She was willing to land the Soyuz by herself alone. The two men suddenly regained normal reasoning, with Joe saying it must be the oxygen deprivation making them psychotic. They know it will be over in a few hours. Either they live or die landing the Soyuz back on Earth. Back in Kansas, Agent 355 was fixing up a pickup truck they came across and was wiring it. Dr. Mann asked how do they know that whatever killed all the men will not also kill the two astronauts that's landing later? Natalya told her that they don't but they'll bring the two men immediately to the American "Hot Suite." KGB is dead but Russian intelligence is not, that's why they know about it. "Hot Suite" is a group of level four bio-safety rooms impervious to any infectious agents from the outside world, supposedly. And there's one massive facility nearby that's supposed to be available for high-ranking government officials to retreat to just in case of biological attacks in major cities. High above Kansas somewhere, Alter, is with a group of soldiers, and one of them smarted off, and Alter taking her aside, told her the next time she has that tone with her in front of her soldiers, she will kill her. Sadie apologized to Lt. General Alter. Sadie asked her if she has grown bored of the peace in Israel and this is why she is working as an errand girl for some American politician. Alter told her she is doing what's best for Israel by seeing to it that the only functioning sperm factory doesn't fall into the hands of the enemy of Israel. Sadie wants Alter to clarify what she meant, and Alter responded that it concerns the Arab and Persian terrorists. But Sadie told her when all the males died there hasn't been a single bombing, and Alter said she'd intend to keep it that way. And she has no intention of returning Yorick to his simpleton mother. Sadie asked her intentions toward Yorick. Alter did not answer her question and ordered to land the helicopter and they will go the rest of the way in foot as it is important to maintain the element of surprise. Back in Kansas, in the back of the now moving pickup truck on the road, Natalya and Yorick engaged in a conversation. Yorick kept going on and on that the guys up in the space station are the heroes and not a simple guy like him. Natalaya started undressing her top, citing that the USA is so darned hot, and that she missed Russia. She also told Yorick her English is crap and she hasn't been understanding what he's been talking about for quite a while now. She continued in Russian about what happened in Russia with all the men littering Red Square when they died and so on. Yorick told her to stop unbuttoning her shirt and don't mutter to herself in Russian as he found her accent disturbingly sexy, and the pickup truck hit the break and Yorick hit his face on the back windshield. Agent 355 apologized to Yorick about that but they have arrived to their destination... a fenced off barn. They all walked towards the barn. Two women in hazmat suits emerged from the barn and yelled male and ordered Yorick to be sprayed by a decontamination spray which they did, eliciting Agent 355 and Natalya to pickup their rifles and aim at the hazmat suit wearing women. Dr. Mann told them to take it easy as they were just decontamination Yorick. The women wanted to get Yorick to a staging area immediately, but Dr. Mann assured them Yorick's immune. Yorick wiped his face and told the women to relax as they are about to get out of town visitors. As Yorick said that, he didn't know he was in the rifle scopes of Lt. General Alter who is about to snipe him and kill him. Comments: It is ironic that Yorick's mother relied on their country's allies and to someone who was highly respected by a deceased friend of hers in that military because their own military is in disarray, and she doesn't trust the Culper Ring to whom she entrusted her son's safety. Little does she know that "Ally" she has been talking to and giving intelligence information is out to personally kill her son. We can see the problems in outer space if a space station hasn't received proper resupplying that it can cause havoc for the crew. After all it is not self-sufficient to create an unlimited supply of its own oxygen, and other necessary materials for keeping it safe. |
|
|
|
Post by sabongero on May 17, 2018 11:27:13 GMT -5
Y The Last Man #13
"One Small Step, Chapter 3 of 5"September 2003 Writer: Brian K. Vaughan Illustrator: Pia Guerra Inker: Jose Marzan, Jr. Colorist: Pamela Rambo & Zylonol Letterer: Clem Robins Editor: Will Dennis & Zachary Rau Executive Editor: Karen Berger Synopsis: The astronauts undocked from the space station, and the spacecraft Soyuz prepared for descent down to Earth, while all three astronauts prayed. Meanwhile, in Oldenbrook, Kansas, in the government Hot Suite, Dr. Mann, Agent 355, and Yorick Brown found out that all the staff left months ago with the exception of twin geneticists, Heather & Heidi Hartle, who were happy to meet their idol, Dr. Mann. With Yorick on her rifle's scopes, Sadie "prevented" Alter from "killing" Yorick. Alter reassured her soldier, Sadie, that she isn't mad, and that the scopes are stronger than their binoculars, and she has no intent to kill Yorick. Her plan is to bring back Yorick to Israel. They kept discussing it, and Sadie is against kidnapping Yorick as it will incite the Americans to go to war against them to retrieve the last man on Earth. Alter reminded her what happened a few months ago in their country. When the I.D.F. sedated of all the external threats, the internal conflict simmering among Jewish people for years finally came to a boil. Without an evil to fight against, the citizens of each country will turn against each other like rich white against black. To protect the peace, they need to invent a war, a very old, and very reliable plan according to Alter. Inside the Hot Suite, Yorick and Natalya finished showering and were talking. Agent 355 and Dr. Mann finished a tour of the facility in the lower levels with the twins. Dr. Mann said the space men can survive down there for years until they make sure the plague is finished or she comes up with a vaccine. Natalya disagreed and said it wasn't acceptable as per the United Nations charter. Yorick was surprised at her english when she told them about the charter, and she said she had lots of time to memorize in English. Agent 355 reassured Natalya they weren't going to hold the cosmonaut as hostage, just for observation. Then an explosion occurred outside. Thinking it was the spacecraft landing, Agent 355 and Natalya rushed to go outside to investigate while the rest of the people stayed inside the facility. There was black smoke rising to the sky in the field beyond, and Natalya was confused because the placement of the smoke is three kilometers from the actual landing. When they finally go to the the origin of the smoke, it was a tractor that was blown up. And they realized it was a diversion and scrambled to get back to The Barn. In the Hot Suite below, Alter and her soldiers break down the secure door and with guns drawn, they took Yorick. Outside, Agent 355 and Natalya approached The Barn and hearing a helicopter, prepared for confrontation. They encountered two Israeli soldiers posted as guards, of which one of them shot Natalya on the soldier. Meanwhile Alter and three other soldiers escorted a blindfolded Yorick to the helicopter and took off. Seeing the flying helicopter in the foreground, Agent 355 shot dead the Israeli soldier that wounded Natalya and prepared to kill the other one when her rifle jammed. She ran to assault the remaining enemy amidst gunfire and tackled her to the ground. They jostled for the gun, and the Israeli soldier was shot dead. Agent 355 went over to Natalya who was applying pressure point to her bleeding shoulder, and noticed one of the dead women had a radio. She demanded they turn the chopper around and return Yorick. Alter told her why should she return the last man on Earth to a monster like Agent 355 who murdered her two soldiers. Agent 355 offered her two in in exchange for Yorick. Comments: It's interesting reading this series as it reads like a social commentary. Alter's conversation with Sadie when they were preparing to kidnap Yorick regarding how citizens of a country will turn on itself after an external threat is removed, because the internal conflict that's been simmering for years will come to a boil, reminded me of something. The author Junot Diaz was talking about racism in America. He mentioned if you take away all the white Americans and lighter skinned people who are not black and send them all to the moon. Racism will still be rampant, because then all the lighter skinned blacks will discriminate against the darker skinned black. I've seen this in effect in NYC when you overhear conversations among black people talking about other black people. You hear the lighter skinned blacks call the darker skinned black, "Mookie Wilson black" describing a retired NY Mets black player who is darker skinned black. Also, you can attest it on the comedy show, Dave Chappelle Show that addressed this when they had a character played as Rick James who called Eddie Murphy and his brother Charlie Murphy as "Brothers Darkness" because they are much darker skinned than him. The series makes you think, and it is good that way. Now... will the astronauts survive the landing? |
|
|
|
Post by sabongero on Jun 18, 2018 0:58:50 GMT -5
 Y The Last Man #14
"One Small Step, Chapter 4 of 5"October 2003 Writer: Brian K. Vaughan Illustrator: Pia Guerra Inker: Jose Marzan, Jr. Colorist: Pamela Rambo & Zylonol Letterer: Clem Robins Editor: Will Dennis & Zachary Rau Executive Editor: Karen Berger Synopsis: The three astronauts are entering their final descent to Earth as systems continued to fail. The two men joke with each other to get their minds off from being nervous that they might not survive the re-entry. Agent 355 is in radio contact with IDF General Alter. She's willing to trade the two male astronauts that they will recover from the landing point later that day, in exchange for Yorick, because she's in love with him. Alter agreed, but if they failed to show with the astronauts, she's never see her "boyfriend" alive again. And Alter ordered the pilot to set down the helicopter. On their way back to the compound, Natalya told off Agent 355 that they will never return Yorick, and after taking the cosmonaut, the IDF will kill them. Agent 355 told her to relax, she's not going to exchange the astronauts for Yorick and she's not in love with Yorick. At the compound entrance they were met by the twins and Dr. Mann, as they have Natalya's shoulder to tend to, and set up the IDF later that day. At a field somewhere, Yorick is telling Alter and her crew that Agent 355 is lying and they should just go. Alter kept hearing Yorick spew off and the more she believed what Agent 355 said earlier, but her subordinates disagree with her. She ordered a crew of her soldiers to go back to the barn and shadow the Americans, and stay radio silent as Agent 355 has one of their radios. Yorick could not escape from the IDF handcuffs, and Alter ordered her subordinate to cuff Yorick to one of the helicopter chairs and to knock him unconscious if he continued to mouth off. Waiting at the designated landing zone of the astronauts, Dr. Mann and Agent 355 are unaware that they are being surveilled by the team Alter sent to shadow them, and await her orders. Back at the helicopter, Alter ordered her subordinate, Sadie to come outside the helicopter after cuffing Yorick to the pilot's chair. They are looking up and see what Agent 355 and Dr. Mann are seeing... the spacecraft with the parachute opened and about to land. Alter went to the weapons box and unloaded a SAM rocket launcher and loaded it and then aimed up at the landing spacecraft. Her subordinate, Sadie could not believe what she was seeing, and she pointed her rifle at her commanding officer ordering her not to shoot the spacecraft and to put the SAM rocket launcher down. Alter told her this is treason. And put the rocket launcher down while she grabbed her pistol and hit Sadie across the face thus knocking her out. She took the rocket launcher and aimed up. As she was about the launch and destroy the spacecraft, Yorick freed himself and grabbed her throat, this the aim was off the the missile fired barely missed the spacecraft. Witnessing the spacecraft almost destroyed by the SAM missile, Dr. Mann and Agent 355 were surprised and with the radio on, they heard Alter order her crew to kill them. Yorick kicked Alter in the face knocking her unconscious. Agent 355 took Dr. Mann down to get a brief cover beneath the grass as IDF forces made their way to kill them. The four IDF soldier got hit one at a time from long range fire. It was Natalya perched on a tree and sniping at them. Agent 355 ordered them to surrender or die from sniper fire. They did as they threw their weapons down. Agent 355 received a radio call from Yorick who is free. Agent 355 rushed to where the landing craft landed, but it was descending too fast, and she spacecraft crash landed on the grassy field too hard. Comments: This story is coming across not only as a dystopian story, but as a thriller. You have allied forces going against each other because of a mass genocide that killed off the entire sex of a species on Earth with the exception of the last man, Yorick. Then you have two teams making a deal, only to set up the other on a double cross. Which team will be the victor? Then there's the added suspense, will the astronauts land safely, and not crash land and die. The ending really is a suspenseful cliffhanger as the reader is left asking if the astronauts survived that crash landing on the grassy field. The look on Yorick's face as he listened on the radio was brilliantly illustrated by Pia Guerra showing that Yorick may very well indeed by the last man on Earth, and in space. |
|
|
|
Post by sabongero on Jun 19, 2020 18:30:51 GMT -5
 Y The Last Man #15"One Small Step, Chapter 5 of 5" November 2003 Writer: Brian K. Vaughan Illustrator: Pia Guerra Inker: Jose Marzan, Jr. Colorist: Pamela Rambo & Zylonol Letterer: Clem Robins Editor: Will Dennis & Zachary Rau Executive Editor: Karen Berger Synopsis: Dr. Mann and Agent 355 were able to pull one astronaut to safety before a gas leak blew up the Soyuz space capsule, but the other two astronauts perished. Back with Yorick, Alter's associate Sadie freed Yorick from his handcuffs and turned over herself to Yorick's hands. Ampersand and Yorick were reunited, and Agent 355 and Yorick had a quiet moment that signaled a budding romance between the two. The sole surviving astronaut was the woman and she was in the early stages of pregnancy. Yorick and Agent 355 proceeded to make their way to California leaving the safehouse with Natalya protecting the women of the facility. Sadie along with a bound Alter and the other Israeli women flew out on a helicopter relaying a message to the White House that they were done. Yorick's mom received the message and Hero appeared to her mom by surprise at the end. Comments: The bleak dystopian story showed some light with the pregnancy of the female astronaut. The protagonist and his pet were reunited and they will follow the yellow brick road to California. Romance is in the horizon as well as Agent 355 and Yorick foreshadowed a budding romance between the two. While Hero made a cliffhanger appearance at the end. Pia Guerra continued her fantastic artwork making all the women distinct and not just a generic face with different hairstyles. |
|
