This is the final issue in the first story arc of Y: The Last Man, which had perhaps the most impressive debut of any new book in 2002. It's more of a pause than a completed story, as the core cast seems to have formed and the possible directions of the story are laid out quite clearly in the final page of this issue. Along the way, we're also starting to see the shape of the villains, who are terrifying in their fanaticism, and there's still a sense that Vaughan and company have barely scratched the surface of all the potential in the concept, meaning there should be plenty more entertaining Y in the years to come.
The Amazons have been introduced over the course of this first arc, first in rumors and then a brief appearance and in the last two issues in a more overt way. The leader of the Amazons is a terrifying individual, charismatic and intelligent with a philosophy that has no problem eliminating those who are different, and that makes for a dangerous combination. Her influence over the people in her group and ability to intimidate and charm reminds me of Hitler or David Koresh or other charismatic political or cult leaders, and the scene wherein Hero is forced into a fairly nasty decision is chilling. It's all-too-easy to imagine oneself in that kind of no-win situation in a world like the one depicted in Y.
Equally interesting, though, is the conclusion of Yorick's brief quest to find Dr. Mann. The notion of survivor's syndrome explained by Agent 355 is another interesting wrinkle in the exploration of the after-effects of the plague, and I thought it also made a nice complication in getting Mann to use her research. Not quite as good a complication as the one introduced by Colonel Alter, of course, which leads to a fairly disheartening moment for the already demoralized heroes of the piece. Vaughan wisely leavens all this murder, arson and gloom with some humor, notably in the form of Ampersand and Mann's reaction to him.
This first arc has been largely exposition and characterization, with only the lightest touch on the plot structure that will define the book. The last page seems to indicate that a more focused and longer quest will drive the next arc, and I'm curious to see what the rest of this post-apocalyptic world looks like. With Pia Guerra and Jose Marzan Jr. providing the art chores, I'm quite sure it will be just as realistically depicted as the locales we have seen so far.
Ever since the first issue came out, Y: The Last Man has risen to the top of my reading pile each week. There's so much potential in the concept, and so much talent in the execution, that each issue is a joy to read, and though the cliffhanger in this issue isn't as much of a knockout as those in the first four, it certainly points the way toward more adventure and entertainment in the future.
