Status
Available
Call number
Publication
DC Comics (1998), Paperback
Description
Renegade journalist Spider Jerusalem targets three of society's most worshipped and warped pillars: politics, religion, and television. When Spider tries to shed light on the atrocities of these institutions, he finds himself fleeing a group of hit men/kidnappers in possession of his ex-wife's frozen head, a distorted creature alleged to be his son, and a vicious, talking police dog. Also includes the one-shot Transmetropolitan: I Hate It Here.
User reviews
LibraryThing member Terpsichoreus
Transmet (as its loving fans refer to it) was published as a monthly series from 1997 (that's pre-Matrix) to 2002. In 2002, The Speed of Dark won the Nebula and Arthur C. Clarke award. Transmet won no Nebulas, no Clarkes, no Hugos. It was by carefully analyzing these two facts that I confirmed that
Transmet is the best piece of Sci-Fi in recent memory, grasping the dangling wires from the post-cyberpunk machine and jamming them into sockets, willy-nilly, until the whole thing lights up like a god-forsaken, fission-powered Christmas Tree.
The only caveat that I can offer is that the technology levels are sometimes a bit wonky. It isn't Star Trek's transporters compared to their inability to say, overcome aging or fix a spine, but it is still sometimes a bit annoying to the fan of Speculative Fiction.
I recall quite vividly after reading Snowcrash that I wished that more books could feel like that (especially Stephenson's own). Alas; it seems that such an enjoyable masterwork comes only once to a medium. So, read Snowcrash, play Fallout II, watch the Matrix, and for the state of your puny, mortal soul, find yourself a copy of Transmet.
Show More
power does not only corrupt, but stupefy.Transmet is the best piece of Sci-Fi in recent memory, grasping the dangling wires from the post-cyberpunk machine and jamming them into sockets, willy-nilly, until the whole thing lights up like a god-forsaken, fission-powered Christmas Tree.
The only caveat that I can offer is that the technology levels are sometimes a bit wonky. It isn't Star Trek's transporters compared to their inability to say, overcome aging or fix a spine, but it is still sometimes a bit annoying to the fan of Speculative Fiction.
I recall quite vividly after reading Snowcrash that I wished that more books could feel like that (especially Stephenson's own). Alas; it seems that such an enjoyable masterwork comes only once to a medium. So, read Snowcrash, play Fallout II, watch the Matrix, and for the state of your puny, mortal soul, find yourself a copy of Transmet.
Show Less
LibraryThing member BruceCoulson
One of the few actual science-fiction graphic novels. As we follow gonzo journalist Spider Jerusalem on his Iliad through the City, we are shown glimpses of an alien but familiar society. Alien because the the technology, the assumptions are so different; familiar because we can see people wanting
Show More
to do these things, if they could. In some ways, Ellis's story (corrupt government becomes even more corrupt, heroic loner has to bring both to justice) is overshadowed by the fascinating world Spider lives in. Show Less
LibraryThing member MeditationesMartini
It's definitely affecting, and a distinctive vision, and Ellis maintains the right amount of ironic distance from his Hunter Thompson-on-sparkle-dust-and-brain-medicine narrator, Spider Jerusalem (and I can't help but think of Spider Robinson too, which is hilarious because he's so mild-mannered
Show More
but also kind of a journalist/mountain man). In fact, when you consider two obvoius comparisons - Grant Morrison's Invisibles, which kicks things into a higher, more freaky (if not more dystopian) gear, and Marvel's Frontline, which is probably the most prominent other ongoing whose central character is a journalist - then this might seem churlish. There's just a couple of overexuberant teenage moves, like the blowing up the bar at the beginning, that would make sense if Spider was meant to be a bad dude or if we were to take all of this a little more in the spirit of pastiche, but they don't quite work for where Ellis seems to have pitched the comic, and that makes them come across like those sweaty fat sixteen-year-olds that used to wear leather trenchcoats and hang out at the Underground Onramp in the daytime in 1996, playing Quake and pretending they'd hacked the Camarilla, or at least the Pentagon. For a first storyline, it shows promise to be tonnes better (as befits its rep) and I look forward to reading more. Show Less
LibraryThing member Knicke
Ho.Ly.CRAP. I'm so annoyed that I've never read any Warren Ellis until now. This is so deliciously good. Violence aplenty, but hardly senseless. Hilarious, heinous, heartbreaking writing. And over 50% of the credit goes to Darrick Robertson for the art. I'm no student of figure drawing, so I can't
Show More
comment much on the look of the characters, but the city is as much a character as anyone in this first volume and it's there in all its terrible wonderful complex glory. YAY! So glad there is so much more of this series to discover. Show Less
LibraryThing member sdmouton
Sure, it's derivative, misanthropic, pubescent, narcissistic, and offensive, but it's faithful to its source material and enjoyable for being a time capsule. Ellis' vision of the bleak future lying in wait for humanity should seem dated, building as it did on the probabilities evident in the late
Show More
'90s. The author's voice borrows from those of Crumb, Miller, Dick, and of course His Gonzo Majesty Himself, good ol' Hunter S. Transmet shouldn't be read from any other perspective than anthropological, observational, seeing the real tension between possibilities and probabilities evident to the author at the time of its writing and not trying to make too much sense of it or assimilate it. Show Less
LibraryThing member addict
After years of self-imposed exile from a civilization rife with degradation and indecency, cynical journalist Spider Jerusalem is forced to return to a job that he hates and a city that he loathes. Working as an investigative reporter for the newspaper The Word, Spider attacks the injustices of his
Show More
surreal 21st Century surroundings. Combining black humor, life-threatening situations, and moral ambiguity, this book is the first look into the mind of an outlaw journalist and the world he seeks to destroy Show Less
LibraryThing member GiacomoL
Probably one of the main works that defined Warren Ellis to mainstream audiences, "Transmet" was a great series. The first storyarc is arguably the best, sketching the first picture of a scarily-believable near future where even machines are drug-addicts, cameras are everywhere, mass-media lie, the
Show More
mafia is a legitimate business, and (most importantly) there is no justice. Show Less
LibraryThing member Darrol
I am not a competent judge of this sort of thing. The drawings are fun. The story is a little trite. Journalist comes out of hiding and saves the day against a repressive government. Futuristic city: You would think they would have developed better controls. I liked the hairy Spider Jerusalem
Show More
better than the bald. Show Less
LibraryThing member slothman
Spider Jerusalem is a gonzo journalist in the mold of Hunter S. Thompson. Five years ago, he was popular enough to make a decent bundle and moved to the mountains to get away from the City and the fans. And now an old contract is due and he has to get a job again— and return to the chaos of the
Ellis depicts a frenetic, high-tech future that looks all too believable: sex, drugs, rock’n’roll, and society fragmenting into subculture after subculture. Spider’s return to the City sets the stage for exposition of this crazed world, and while Spider is a mad bastard whom I wouldn’t want to go near, he is ultimately redeemed by his love for the Truth.
This volume gives us the scene for Spider’s first column after he returns to the City, indicting the authorities at Civic Center for a crackdown on a particular subculture. Mao’s aphorism was that power comes from the barrel of a gun, but in a highly connected age, the more powerful barrel holds a camera lens.
Show More
City.Ellis depicts a frenetic, high-tech future that looks all too believable: sex, drugs, rock’n’roll, and society fragmenting into subculture after subculture. Spider’s return to the City sets the stage for exposition of this crazed world, and while Spider is a mad bastard whom I wouldn’t want to go near, he is ultimately redeemed by his love for the Truth.
This volume gives us the scene for Spider’s first column after he returns to the City, indicting the authorities at Civic Center for a crackdown on a particular subculture. Mao’s aphorism was that power comes from the barrel of a gun, but in a highly connected age, the more powerful barrel holds a camera lens.
Show Less
LibraryThing member flemmily
Ellis writes a gritty story. Spider is a real tough guy, with a vast and varied armament and a mouth like a sailor. Underneath it all is not quite a heart of gold, but at least a yearning for justice. The world is trashy yet vibrant, where human waste (quite literally) can be transformed into the
Show More
stuff of life. The novel, published by DC, has a classic comic book feel with a major edge. The illustrations seem to explode off the page, and Spider swaggers his way into the reader's affections. Show Less
LibraryThing member JackieP
This first volume, although quite short manages to pack one hell of a punch! Warren Ellis writes well, and this is backed up by some great artwork from Darick Robertson. Very atmospheric, I will definitely be buying more of these.
LibraryThing member Kellswitch
An excellent introduction to the world of Spider Jerusalem if a bit heavy handed on the violence and overall darkness of the world and character, it often came across as trying just a bit to hard to me.
Over all an excellent job in would building and this is a near perfect blend of art, dialog and
Over all an excellent job in would building and this is a near perfect blend of art, dialog and
Show More
story and I love the overall feeling of influence of the cyber punk genre but this is definitely its own world and feels frighteningly believable and while I don't like the character of Spider Jerusalem very much I find myself engaged and fascinated by him. Show Less
LibraryThing member beabatllori
Sooo, cool cyberpunk dystopia or just pretentious? Gotta find out - it looks cool. I think.
LibraryThing member eaterofwords
I read vol. 1 after having devoured the rest of the comic in a weeklong binge (involving much curling into a fetal position over defenseless little paperback volumes). And it's a good thing I don't have the common sense to start at the beginning, because otherwise I might not have picked up the
Other readers might prefer to start at the beginning, unless they have a crippling fear of hair.
Show More
rest of this delicious (err, in a way not connected to the physical senses) series. It's not bad-- it's just a let-down after the rest of the series. Other readers might prefer to start at the beginning, unless they have a crippling fear of hair.
Show Less
LibraryThing member regularguy5mb
If Hunter Thompson lived in a crazy, future dystopia, became such a popular journalist that he gained worldwide acclaim and wrote three books on a five-book contract, then disappeared into the mountains and became a militaristic Alan Moore; even then you'd only be scratching the surface of Spider
Here we have the first story of Spider's return to a society he despises, all because his publisher is calling due on the other two books in his contract. In order to do so, he has to write, and to write he has to be in the city. Upon arriving he finds the city on the verge of a race riot by a bunch of weird hybrids called "Transients." These are humans who have willingly decided to turn themselves into aliens through genetic modification and have suddenly decided they deserve the rights currently being denied them due to their in-between status. Spider lives and writes like he doesn't have a care in the world, and he probably doesn't.
I've read this book probably five times now, should probably pick up the next few in the series soon, huh? HIGHLY recommend.
Show More
Jerusalem.Here we have the first story of Spider's return to a society he despises, all because his publisher is calling due on the other two books in his contract. In order to do so, he has to write, and to write he has to be in the city. Upon arriving he finds the city on the verge of a race riot by a bunch of weird hybrids called "Transients." These are humans who have willingly decided to turn themselves into aliens through genetic modification and have suddenly decided they deserve the rights currently being denied them due to their in-between status. Spider lives and writes like he doesn't have a care in the world, and he probably doesn't.
I've read this book probably five times now, should probably pick up the next few in the series soon, huh? HIGHLY recommend.
Show Less
LibraryThing member poonamsharma
It is quite crazy and profane book. Spider Jerusalem doesn't like people much, he loves to live in mountains. HE is forced to come back to city to earn his living. There begin his crazy travails - run-ins with religious zealots, cults etc.
Can't form my opinion yet, depends on how it shapes up
Can't form my opinion yet, depends on how it shapes up
Show More
later. It is not a pleasure time reading for me. Rather I read it out of curiosity. Show Less
LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
A friend of mine gave the first three in the series to me and I thought they were going to be bathroom and gross out humor (and there is a little of that) and nothing else so I wasn't looking forward to reading it. It turns out I actually really enjoyed this volume. We get to meet Spider, witness
Show More
his return to the city, his hook up with his new assistant and get a handle on the type of work he does. Artwork is gorgeous. Show Less
LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
A friend of mine gave the first three in the series to me and I thought they were going to be bathroom and gross out humor (and there is a little of that) and nothing else so I wasn't looking forward to reading it. It turns out I actually really enjoyed this volume. We get to meet Spider, witness
Show More
his return to the city, his hook up with his new assistant and get a handle on the type of work he does. Artwork is gorgeous. Show Less
LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
A friend of mine gave the first three in the series to me and I thought they were going to be bathroom and gross out humor (and there is a little of that) and nothing else so I wasn't looking forward to reading it. It turns out I actually really enjoyed this volume. We get to meet Spider, witness
Show More
his return to the city, his hook up with his new assistant and get a handle on the type of work he does. Artwork is gorgeous. Show Less
LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
A friend of mine gave the first three in the series to me and I thought they were going to be bathroom and gross out humor (and there is a little of that) and nothing else so I wasn't looking forward to reading it. It turns out I actually really enjoyed this volume. We get to meet Spider, witness
Show More
his return to the city, his hook up with his new assistant and get a handle on the type of work he does. Artwork is gorgeous. Show Less
LibraryThing member eilonwy_anne
My favorite dystopian future...one which still looks likely from some perspectives. Overexposed, desensitized, commercialized; a technicolor nightmare which produces brutality, beauty, absurdity and squalor.
LibraryThing member SebastianMihail
Avoid at all costs! There are plenty of fine comics out there to read, don’t be stuck with this one. It’s just awful, the character, the story, the drawings.
LibraryThing member selfnoise
Hunter S. Thompson channeled through Warren Ellis and inserted into an over-the-top cyberpunk world. Effective and amusing, if not the deepest book on the block.
LibraryThing member bdgamer
So fucking awesome! If awesomeness could be condensed into six books, then this would be it!
Warren Ellis makes some eye-opening observations through Spider Jerusalem. The one that struck me most was this:
There's one hole in every revolution, large or small. And it's one word long -- people. No
He also captures the essence of journalism in a brief but astute conversation:
"The point is, the only real tools we have are our eyes and our heads. It's not the act of seeing with our own eyes alone; it's correctly comprehending what we see."
"Treating life as an autopsy."
"Got it. Laying open the guts of the world and sniffing the entrails, that's what we do." (Issue 4)
I've never been so amazed by a comic series. Transmetropolitan is off to a good start!
Warren Ellis makes some eye-opening observations through Spider Jerusalem. The one that struck me most was this:
There's one hole in every revolution, large or small. And it's one word long -- people. No
Show More
matter how big the idea they all stand under, people are small and weak and cheap and frightened. It's people that kill every revolution. (Issue 3)He also captures the essence of journalism in a brief but astute conversation:
"The point is, the only real tools we have are our eyes and our heads. It's not the act of seeing with our own eyes alone; it's correctly comprehending what we see."
"Treating life as an autopsy."
"Got it. Laying open the guts of the world and sniffing the entrails, that's what we do." (Issue 4)
I've never been so amazed by a comic series. Transmetropolitan is off to a good start!
Show Less
Subjects
Awards
International Horror Guild Award (Winner — 1998)
Language
Physical description
72 p.; 10.3 inches
ISBN
1563894459 / 9781563894459