This is what happens when I wander into the depths of the graphic novel section of the library, intending only to find the second volume of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. I hadn’t previously heard much about Warren Ellis and Darick Robertson’s Transmetropolitan, but for some reason the cover and a brief flick through the pages caught my attention and I decided to take a few volumes home with me. Starting with Transmetropolitan Volume One: Back on the Street which collects together issues one to six of the series. Ladies and gentlemen, I believe that this serendipitous encounter has culminated in a dirty, cynical, angry, misanthropic love affair.
Due to an unfulfilled book contract Gonzo journalist and provocateur Spider Jerusalem is forced to quit five years of self-imposed exile and return to The City, writing a weekly column called “I Hate It Here.” The City is an exaggerated version of our own world, a possible future taken over by advanced technology, a heavily mediated and claustrophobic battleground for advertising space. Among the consumer nightmare there is one voice of reason Spider Jerusalem, and man is he pissed.
“Your first deadline is tomorrow. I want to see eight thousand words. Printable words. I still remember that essay you wrote when the Beast got elected. I do not want to see the word “FUCK” typed eight thousand times again.”
The first three issues cover a story arc about an attempted transpecies revolution. Fred Christ has barricaded off an area of the City, Angels 8, for transients – humans in the process of adapting to alien genes – in order to gain their rights and to have a recognized space. Though Jerusalem recognizes Fred Christ as the false prophet he is, while reporting on the events that quickly escalate into a riot he fights higher levels of corruption with his words. His journalistic style is ferociously powerful, sharp teeth-baring invective that seeks only to reveal the truth. Even after encountering a taste of City police brutality, Spider vows to continue fighting his good fight.
“Right. As I was saying. Journalism is just a gun. It’s only got one bullet in it, but if you aim right, that’s all you need. Aim it right, and you can blow a kneecap off the world.”
And this fight for truth is at the heart of Spider’s quest. We’re set up to admire and empathize with him, an outspoken rebel demanding truth in a society that is dedicated to lies. It is a form of wish-fulfillment through fiction, as Spider invariably gets his way, sometimes through brute force, sometimes thanks to his sharp wit, but he always gets what he wants and is able to voice his concerns. He is so obviously styled on Hunter S. Thompson, his authorial voice, his manic mannerisms, that it is impossible not to note the comparison. Spider bounces around the page, pushing against the boundaries of the panels. Even an episode of Spider watching television manages to be energetic and full of movement. This is testament to the artwork which rewards close attention for further insight into the society through these small details.
The second half of Back on the Street consist of one issue narratives but after the involving story arc of the Angels 8 riot the shift is a little jarring. However, these short stories expand our understanding of the political, social, cultural world of the City – introducing Spider’s new assistant Channon Yarrow and his working relationship with her, the politicians that rule and just how much Spider despises them (two words about his weaponry of choice?: Bowel Disruptor.), television and the pervasiveness of advertising and the vapidity of the mainstream media channels, and the religious fanaticism that rules the City. These short stories also critique our own society, simply by replacing recognizable aspects with exaggerated versions. Throughout this volume, Spider is a constantly aggravated curmudgeon who refuses to lie back and take the guff of the authorities of The City. It may make him countless enemies in the City, but readers inclined to misanthropy will find a lot to admire in Spider’s attitude.
I have the feeling that over the next couple of weeks this blog is going to become Start Transmetropolitan Here. You have been warned. I told you it was love.
