Johnny Homicidal Maniac Directors Cut

by Jhonen Vásquez

Book Overview

Dark and disturbingly funny, JTHM follows the adventures of Johnny (you can call him Nny), who lives with a pair of styrofoam doughboys that encourage his madness, a wall that constantly needs a fresh coat of blood, and his victims in various states of torture Collecting issues #1-7 of Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, as well as material seen before only in Carpe Noctem Magazine.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0943151163
• ISBN13: 9780943151168
• Release Date: June 2010
• Publisher: SLG Publishing
• Length: 96 Pages
• Weight: 0.82 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.6" x 10.1"
• Age Range: 16 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 11 and higher

Customer Reviews

I love Johnny

I remember this being the first comic book I ever read when I was 11. Didn’t really understand it at the time and was just in it for the gore, but as an adult retreading JTHM I’ve come to respect the author and his opinions on the world. its dark and it’s funny. Jonny says al the things we wish we could say to bullies. I would also suggest checking out Jhonen’s other comic, Squee, a spin-off based on the child Johnny befriends in this book. I love this book and I love Johnny 🖤

Funniest, Wittiest dark satire I have ever read!

Where can you find an intelligent and witty glimpse into the sickened, insane, cold-blooded mind of a habitual killer? Right here with Johnny, The Homicidal Manic.This is clearly a graphical novel for adults only (read the title, parents!), JTHM is a bloody and savage treat to the warped followers of horror and horror satire. If you ever laughed when the Road Runner dropped the Coyote off a cliff and turned him into an accordion, then you should find a chuckle or two in Vasquez's humorous look at homicidal mania.The cartoons are brutally savage and yet excruciatingly funny, but don't worry because they are all done in black and white so the gore is not as intense as it could have been. Interspersed with Vasquez's storyline are tiny text boxes that cement the fact that this is a satire with such thoughtful comments as how the scene was filmed (its a picture), and cautionary remarks like "Parents: Don't get upset - It's a fake brain." and "Stupid People: I would ask you to keep in mind that this should *not* be a source of moral guidance." and "Kids, don't be stupid and try this: this is a trained flying toddler."Hilarious little blurbs like these are also accompanied by Noodle Boy breaks. Happy Noodle Boy is the comic strip that Johnny writes, the second (and worse) cartoon within a cartoon, along the lines of "Itchy & Scratchy" to The Simpsons and "Terrance & Phillip" to South Park. You will indulge your darker half with the intelligent debates between Johnny and his victims, see a gruesome Public Service Announcement, discover that God is a fat baby in a lounge chair and that the devil is a cheerleader. The dialogue is clever, the drawings hilarious, the storyline amusing, and the satire thick and twisted. Everything a horror fan could want in a graphic book.The cells are quite busy, but take your time reading this dripping black jewel; you don't want to miss the extras thrown into each frame. Also take note of those chapters with scrolled or fancy looking borders. Hidden within the borders are messages such as "I like Ramen" and "Are you awake?" and "I am no potato."As a finisher to this tasty meal, a dessert of early sketches is presented, along with character boards for Johnny, Nailbunny, Mr. Eff, Psycho Doughboy, Devi D., Tess R., Anne Gwish, and Squee. (who later gets his very own book!)Completely rounding out our meal, Vasquez also included commentaries on the issues that JTHM was originally released in, and a hysterical interview he wrote by himself...with himself.The wit and barbs just fly across these pages, and though the humor is indeed dark and intended for horror fans, I think you will be surprised at finding it is humor with intelligence behind it. I deeply enjoyed JTHM, I hope you do too.

"It Changes Color When It Dries! I Have to Keep It Wet!"

Johnny is the figure that skulks through the back alleys of society, always deemed as meriting the unfurled fingers of the "in" crowds as laughter rolls from their robust mouths or as they jeer and taunt with groups of their friends in tow. This is because he always seems to be different, existing on the fringes of a society he doesn't mingle into very well, therefore making him the perfect target for the mockery of others. Still, mocking people is not always the best solution when soliciting that quick burst of enjoyment, especially when the individual happens to be a homicidal maniac that, amongst other things, is consumed with keeping a certain wall in his home painted with blood because it can never be allowed to dry - and with good reason. This isn't the only thing reason that he does the things he does, mind you, because he sometimes revels in the simple interactions and subsequent torment of those that he deems worthy of his loathing, grouping everyone from rude diners to door-to-door surveyors in the happy little subclass we like to call the despised.On certain levels, it would appear that Johnny the Homicidal Maniac is nothing more than a montage of slaughter wearing a sheepish disguise, reveling in the primordial stew of emotions forged from suffering and lashing out at the elements that cause this inner turmoil. This, however, is far from the case because it contains many elements that, while not exactly inflating the bruised mentality of portions of a world that possibly merits scarring, work as a finger to point out these transgressions. It also shows another side to the combatant within this maelstrom as he tries to comprehend his place within the deeds that seem to rain blood, making him wonder why he seems possessed by such needs and why he can't get caught doing these things no matter how hard he tries. This leads him into the gates of heaven and into the depths of hell, with one question posed on his lips, "Why?"Joined by a dysfunctional cast of figures that include his ex-pet, now severed head Nail Bunny (you can sort that one out for yourself), Mr. Eff and Psycho-Doughboy (both doughboys that have some very questionable influences about them and some wonderful explicits painted on them), Squee - the little tormented boy that lives next door to Johnny, Devi - the one person to get away from him and to steal his heart in the process, God, and the Devil, you find yourself meshing a variety of thoughts and themes into something quite prolific. In fact, Johnny's search for inner-contentment and understanding of his role in the scheme of things wind down some harrowing roads that pit comedy and the doom of many a person hand in hand with social commentary to question and spit on the sensibilities of the masses. For that reason and because of his frequent tantrums that end in the greatest of fashions, this is merrily Recommended!!!

Your face is scary

This book was a mixture of horrid philosophy and just plain silliness. The plot is pretty easy to follow: Johnny (or Nny, if you're his friend) is, of course, a homicidal maniac. He kills people for no good reason, really. They trip him, call him names, laugh at him, hurt him, love him, they die. He keeps the real jerks in various torture chambers beneath his two-story shack. He kills, though, not only to fulfill some insane, horrible bloodlust, but to feed and maintain a possessed wall demon that lives in his house. If he doesn't do so...bad stuff happens. You can imagine how few friends Nny has. Among them are Todd AKA 'Squee', the traumatized boy nextdoor who later on gets his own series, Mr. Eff and Psycho Dough-boy, two repainted Pilsbury dough-boys with serious personality problems, Nailbunny, a severed rabbit's head who acts as Johnny's conscience, and a chubby Bob's Burger Boy named Reverend Meat (all but Todd are voices in Nny's head). Then there's a girl named Devi...the one who got away.Jhonen Vasquez did a wonderful job on this piece and you can really see how his art got better from issue to issue. His black and white drawings are really attention-grabbing work, and it's full of subliminal messages hidden in borders (especially Happy Noodle Boy), little comments randomly stuck in by Jhonen, and Johnny's infamous magically changing T-shirt. This book is great social commentary, comedy, and just plain weirdness. Buy it. Buy it now...Mmmyep. Have I talked enough? Please...I wanna go home. Thanks.

Fun Fact: It's not a moose...

...But you will still want this book! Johnny the Homicidal Maniac is one of the funniest and most thought provoking forms of dark humor I've had the pleasure of reading. (Oh, just to let you know, Jhonen Vasquez isn't as messed or outcasted as some make him out to be.)The book collects all seven issues of the first, (and probably not the last) series of the JtHM comic books. These aren't quite the Super Man or Simpsons type stuff, but don't get the impression it's limited to the "Spooky People." Heck, it makes fun of them too. No one is safe from Jhonen's wrath. Through the character of Johnny C, (or Nny) we get to see all the people we love to hate get caught, tortured, and killed. And do we cry? Nope! We laugh. Why not? For those who think it's childish and disgusting, for all I know, you're probably right. But that's why this is in the form of a graphic novel, and not a text book. Ees fun! But there is more than violence and laughter. Further on in the book, we find Nny's acknowledgement that he is beyond redemption and isn't happy with himself. It brings us deeper into Nny's character, and wonder if he is the victim of his own choices... Oh, by the way, Nny isn't goth. It's a black n white comic, but he really isn't pale.Johnny and his colorful cast of voices aren't the only ones who get the spotlight. Both Squee and Devi get supporting roles that lead to their own spin off comic books. (Highly recommended as well!) And then there's Happy Noodle Boy. From what I've heard, he was created to tick someone off. Far from a masterpeice, but you'll laugh anyway, won't you? Hee hee. Then there's Anne Gwish, the "trendy goth" hypocrite who likes to pretend she's deep.The only things missing from this collection are the "Meanwhile" series, and Wobbly Headed Bob. They come packed in with the complement series, Squee! So if you like this one, check out Squee too. Now go, and buy this book!

Searching for Closure.

I consider myself to be a moral person. I despise causing others pain. It makes me sick to watch cruelty. Human suffering makes me ache. As a matter of fact, I generally dislike comic books. So, what, you may ask, am I doing giving this particularly violent comic book five stars? Read the book and you will understand. It is at times quite hilarious, at others quite depressing. It has complexities of character and meaning that are rarely (if ever) seen anywhere else in today's pop culture. Johnny is insane. He knows it, the author knows it, and don't worry, the reader knows it too (if not, the author has recommended to such readers that they spend the rest of eternity pondering their own stupidity). He kills out of pure malice for the human race. He kills to savor moments of levity. He kills for reasons that are beyond his understanding. One would think he'd make a nice villain. Yet it is difficult not to pity him. He is the anti-hero of the story. This sad character has been tortured by the demons of society and by the demons of his mind. He is the grimy buildup of society's ills. He is the creation of cruelty. Perhaps in a better world, he could very well have been a bright, intelligent young man, as the author once said. Unfortunately, Johnny lacks the coping skills to have made this possible. Perhaps one of the most disturbing things is that the reader finds his or herself so able to relate to this psychotic killer. I found this book extremely provacative and incredibly enjoyable. Chicken Soup for the Soul, it ain't. One could relate it more easily to The Jungle. I would recommend this to any mature person with an open mind, a sense of humor, and a strong stomach.