Y The last man

Here Vaughan posits an engrossing question-"What if all the males in the world suddenly died?"-as the vehicle to tell stories of war, love, loss, and strength. The premise also addresses a multitude of societal "hot topics," extremely pertinent in contemporary society. After a plague with an inexplicable origin wipes out the entire male population of Earth, Yorick Brown, an amateur escape artist, finds himself and his pet capuchin to be the only males left in existence. This volume chronicles the first leg of Yorick, his protector Agent 355, and geneticist Dr. Mann's journey to finding a solution to Earth's "gendercide" problem. The series brings up issues such as extreme gender misrepresentation in such industries as agriculture, telecommunications, and utility management, as well as a shockingly low female representation in the military and politics. Yet the women in the novel adapt, assuming and reshaping the roles to fit their own ideals. As in Saga, the Eisner Award-winning ongoing series by Vaughan, Y prides itself on well-defined characters with varying perspectives and a riveting plotline that begs the reader to ponder. In both, the author shows that he can write to entertain and to challenge alike. Verdict A strong read for a strong reader, Y: The Last Man is for graphic novel enthusiasts who want something smart, accessible, and relevant.-Laura Gallardo, St. Louis (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.