Battlemouth

Recently I have come to taking the advice based on the general collective mind of the internet’s subculture. I’ve been recommended some truly fine jewels of the likes of movies, shows and comics. Possibly one of the least talked about but probably my favorite has been the comic strip Transmetropolitan.

The story follows Spider Jerusalem, gonzo journalist, who writes a column for the newsfeed called The Word. It’s set some amount of time in the distant future where you can have anything you want made by a home appliance and cigarettes have had all their poisons removed. Both Spider and The Word are based in the City, a sprawling metropolis of indeterminate location and vast political influence. Because of its political power, the City is constantly under the influence of vying politicians, especially during the presidential election. Most newsfeeds carry the typical news, leaving some bits out and instead focusing on what the people want to hear. Spider Jerusalem instead writes what most people don’t want to hear, the unbiased and absolute truth. His quest for the truth eventually leads to all sorts of conflicts leading up to an epic showdown in the penultimate issue.

Transmetropolitan is one comic I believe everyone should read. It’s gritty, it’s offensive but it has the distinct ability to make you think. Something I haven’t experienced in a whole lot of things recently. To be honest, it’s hard to put into words how amazing I thought this comic was. I’ve rewritten nearly every sentence here at least twice. It is the most amazing and epic comic I have ever read.