Retro Review: 'Transmetropolitan' is the ultimate cyberpunk dystopia no matter which decade you read it in
A long time from now, right here on Earth, a man decides to go on a lone crusade against the government, the police, and whatever's left of human society, seeking only to find the truth and a boatload of drugs. That's the crux of Warren Ellis and Darick Robertson's 'Transmetropolitan' and that man is the star of the series, Spider Jerusalem.
The world of 'Transmetropolitan' is situated in a future that's so distant, nobody remembers the year anymore. It's a world where technology has reached unprecedented heights and humanity has reached unimaginable lows, from eating genetically engineered human flesh to using machines to recreate Hitler's bodily fluids for use as drugs.
In other words, it's the ultimate cyberpunk dystopia and Spider Jerusalem, the aggressive, drug-addled crusader for truth, is the ultimate spirit of this future age. And yet, there's something about this story that transcends time and space, something so fundamental it's universal.
Maybe it's the rebelliousness and anarchy, the desire to look the world's most corrupt and powerful people in the eye and land a well-placed punch on their faces. Maybe it's the art or the themes of identity, freedom, and authenticity to the point of self-destruction.
Then again, maybe it's just Spider Jerusalem and his odd charisma that has us returning to this book time and again. First published between 1997 and 2002, 'Transmetropolitan' is a classic of the graphic novel medium and a story that has inspired and enraged many a reader (and led to quite a few people shaving their heads so they could cosplay as Spider Jerusalem).
With the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic halting distribution of comics, there won't be any new books to read this New Comic Book Day. But never fear, because comic creators and fans around the world are coming together to turn this day into New To You Comic Book Day using the hashtag #NTYCBD on social media to get and give suggestions for previously released comics you can order from your local comic book store.
So this is our suggestion to you for New To You Comic Book Day: try and see if you can get issues of 'Transmetropolitan' (most stores still stock all of them) delivered to you from your local comic book store. Give them a read and let Spider Jerusalem show you the truth. Or, to be specific, yell it in your ears with a megaphone.
Do you have any books you think we ought to read and review? Let us know in the comments or tweet us at @meawwofficial with the hashtags #NTYCBD and #RetroReviews.
