7/10: Media of the Month!!!!!

Meet Johnny the Homicidal Maniac. I'm featuring Jhonen Vasquez's graphic novel: JTHM for my Media of the Month!

Why? Because I just love Nny and his lovable masochistic and misanthropic antics. For those of you who don't know, Vasquez is the same guy who did Invader Zim.

So...why should you read this comic? Well for one, it's gory enough for even the most seasoned horrorphile.

It's witty and funny as hell and has a varied cast of warped characters. There's an obese, pre-pubescent god, a cheerleading satan, a haunted wall that must be painted in blood, a severed bunny's head stuffed with nails, two demonically possessed styrofoam doughboys, and a host of other weird characters along those lines.

And it's a staple for every goth/loner kid out there who has ever looked for something that combines morbid humor and philosophical existentialism. Vasquez has a way of making fun of the gothic subculture while exalting its flaws and characteristics. Being a goth myself (or rather, a grown-up goth) I can attest to how true he paints the "gothic image." Nny hates people but often acts just as disgusting as the people he kills. This is the crux of the plot, really. Johnny slowly but surely goes insane as the story goes on.

I was tickled that he also made a jab at "psychic vampires" and the "poser goth" crowd, hahaha! You know, the goths who pride themselves on being "nonconformists" but all end up wearing the same black clothes and listening to the same awful music? (Gawd, I HATED those kids in high school!) But I think non-goths/emos/punks can find enjoyment in this comic too. It's for the misanthrope in everybody.

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Nny is cute...even though he kills people. He's fun to read and think about. The comic is open-ended, so you'll be thinking about the characters long after you put the book down. In my opinion, that's the best way to end a story! :D The comic is hard to find--so you might have to go online to buy it. But it's worth it! For those of you who love black humor, THIS is the graphic novel for you! Also, the artwork is pretty sick. I do a little drawing myself (mostly manga) so I can appreciate this unique style. His lines are so angular and defined...I found myself looking at his lines for a few minutes before getting to the actual comic, lol! I just love the way he draws faces and eyes! So fun!

Next time you're in the bookstore, give Johnny the Homicidal Maniac a peek. And stay tuned for next month's theme!