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Johnny The Homicidal Maniac : Director's Cut

Johnny The Homicidal Maniac : Director's Cut

List Price: $19.95
Your Price: $16.96
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Ever gotten chills for a murderer?
Review: Well I sure have! A friend of mine showed this collecter's edition JTHM to me in High School, and I absolutley fell in love with the whole series. There has never been a better comic book - in fact, I hate comics with a fiery passion. But Nny, and his little hoard of followers (Squee, Devi, Wobbly Headed Bob, Happy Noodle Boy, amoung others), defy this hate. Even if you don't like comics, even if you find the title of this series questionable - GET OVER IT! This comic is the ONE worth getting!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: "Director's Cut" seems to mean they cut lots out...
Review: Johnny is good. Few can deny that. But in this collection they've cut out all but a few of the great Wobbly Headed Bob, Noodle Boy, and all the other funky non-storyline strips that were about 60% of the fun. I think there are like a total of 5 non-Johnny strips in the whole book. And that [stinks].

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Unique with good dark humor, but I wasn't digging Johnny.
Review: Ever seen one of those things where everything about it seems just right, but there's that one thing that bugs you about it? This was kinda the case here, when I picked up this at the store and read 3 other issues.

If you haven't heard of this indy comic (which should come to no surprise, considering the content), here's it in a nutshell: Johnny ("Nny" for short), an intelligent but quite off-the-deep-end teenager (he knows he's insane, and we do too) who just happens to be the creator of an even more messed-up comic (within this comic) called "Happy Noodle Boy", is tired of the idiots, morons, and jerks running throughout society, so his solution? Hack them up. Hence the title of "Johnny the Homicidal Maniac".

He never uses firearms or such to do the job, things like rusty razors or knives or the like. He suffers, you see, because of all the ignorance and sickness in the world, and he is also depressed because of the sins on his hands. But such is the burden he carries. To him, his emotions are distractions getting in the way of what he must do. If only he were like an insect, free of emotions, animal-like, doing what he wishes! His madness also leads to a neat little concept where he uses the blood of his victims to keep a wall in his house very moist and wet, for as Johnny puts it, there's a monster behind the wall trying to get out. And if you think HE's messed up, wait until you get into the other characters, such as his square-pupiled next door neighbor Todd (known to us as Squee). There's also his 4 imaginary friends who tell him 4 different things (Wobbily Headed Bob, Mr. Eff, Nailbunny, Reverend Meat), Devi (Nny's on/off love interest), Krik (the resident jerk who looks at Nny through "Idiot-o-Vision), Anne Gwish, and so on. Believe me when I say it's like a KoRn album put to print.

I didn't like it that much, personally. I mean, I don't see anything wrong with an idea like JTHM. There's nothing wrong with social critique in comics. In fact, Jhonen Vasquez's art is top-notch, with a unique style that illustrates the expressions perfectly. The messages are very clear. The ideas are weird and innovative. So why wasn't I enjoying it?

I suppose it's because I don't like the comic's lead. Yeah, he's a cutely-little drawn character, but quite frankly, he's also kind of a self-righteous little snot who carries himself like a cross between some sort of persecuted martyr and an abused little puppy-dog. Maybe something happened to him at some point in his life, I dunno. To me, he seems more like the sort of character who would fit in a short story, not an on-going comic. We sympathize with how he's treated and what he goes through, but he's not particulary charming or endearing unless you either a) are searching for some closure yourself, or b) you find his manic insanity funny. Not only could one tale contain his story, but when you think about it, it wouldn't be too hard to play the calm, collected Bugs Bunny to Nny's out-of-control Daffy Duck.

He's also one of the strongest contributing factors to the attitude that the comic gives off. It doesn't tell you to "come a little closer into my twisted world". It tells you, "Here I am, I'm different from you, and if you don't like me, too bad, because you're a blind idiot contributing to society's downfall." That's a turn off right there. The thing is, anyone can stand atop a soapbox and rant passionately. But can you BELIEVE in the people you are getting fired up? Can you have faith that they will feel you? I wasn't feeling a direct connection between the comic and the reader.

JTHM is strange, profound, and melancholy, but not exhilirating or exciting, not stirring like the great comics can be. I ADORE Jhonen's artwork, the strangeness and originality is a delight, and the ideas are very good ones. There's nothing wrong with the violence or profanity. The problem lies with an anti-hero who's a little too "anti" and not enough "hero". I give this 3 out of 5 stars, because everything about it seems pretty cool, and quite funny (I liked the "policeman who punches heads" bit) but Johnny didn't seem to "like" me very much. So why would I like him?

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Jhonen, that cynical fool...
Review: I love this whole Johnny, Squee!, I Feel Sick, Invader Zim thing that Jhonen is doing. I'm an art student hoping to break into comics and animation and one of my main inspirations is this man right here. I've also have had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Schrab many times. You should check out his comic as well: Scud - The Disposable Assassin. JTHM and other Jhonen things...the best of the best, in my opinion.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Twisted, disturbing, and absolutely wonderful.
Review: Jhonen Vasquez certainly leaves his mark on the comic book culture with his unique drawings and deliciously witty style of writing. ( I use the term 'comic book' as loosely as possible; aside from the fact that it's a story told mostly through black and white sketches, I'd classify it as fine literature. ) It's a great read for anyone who enjoys blatant sarcasm and a totally unpredictable barrage of plot twists, not to mention the little extras Jhonen adds along the way. There's never a dull moment, because it all meshes together fantastically.. the tale, AND the people essential to it. The character development's really great, in my opinion, and at times, you're sure to find yourself identifying with some of them. Of course, it might be violently bloody, but it delivers gore and spins a heart-wrenching yarn as well. Highly, highly recommended if you're an art fan -- with a strong stomach.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Sick, sick humor
Review: Jhonny the homicidal maniac is a hilarious outlook of the extreme. Not to be taken literally, this book provides a new perspective to our own aggressive behaviors. Its sick, violent humor (definetly not for children) is portrayed fully with its main character Jonny, or 'nny' for short. This psychotic character with extremely violent tendencies speaks nothing but truth, combined with the abuse of society. Vasquez brings to light all the pain and hurt of society, combined with the contradiction of the human emotion. I recommend this book to anyone that has a sick sense of humor and is willing to look at the dark side of the human pshyche.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Dear Die-ary...
Review: "They make so much noise. I try to wait untill I'm out of the room before I start laughing... But every once in awhile they say things that sound like words. They make me think about what I'm doing. The noises make me uncomfortable" -Johnny

The difference between Johnny and your average high dollar Hollywood shot 'em up isn't the body count. What separates Johnny is his motivation. Pop culture has a tendency to either oversimplify it's villains, or else, when pressed, blame their dispossession on an unhappy childhood. Johnny's motivations run deeper. Clearly Johnny is insane but he acts with purpose. Jhonen Vasquez's comedy lies not in Johnny's gratuitous violence but in the reasoning behind his violence.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I meant to give this 6 stars, but they only allow a measly 5
Review: I've often wondered why they never officially made Jhonen Vasquez a diety. Surely the brilliant gothic satire that is Johnny the Homicidal Maniac is proof of his godliness! He reminds me of a modern Edward Gorey, only much more abrasive. Anyway, JTHM is an unbelievably funny/disturbing series of disembowlment, subliminal humour, and angst-ridden soliloquies. I couldn't adequately describe how Nny's brutal murder of nearly everyone he comes in contact with manages to be...deep. I've never seen such meaningful murder.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A time not wasted
Review: When Johnny was recomended to me by my friend I thought "hm, interesting" That night I researched this "Nny" and found it to be the most hilarious thing I ever read. I imediatly had to go out and but the book. From the randomicitiy (I'm learning from the Pres. leave me alone) of Happy Noodle Boy to the deep thoughts of nail bunny this book brings out the humor in an otherwise cruel world. I have been totally converted to a Nny follower and so has everyone I've shared Nny with. All my friends fight over my book and I rarely have it to myself. When you buy this book, you are buying a piece of mind. I myself have gone on to buying "squee" but it has not arived yet. I have not been so excited to get a book. JTHM Directors Cut is the best book ouit there and it should be in every home. Jhonen Vasquez is a GOD to my friends and I. We love him, we want him..... You should too. For he has powers only Pinto beans could dream of.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I'm Gasping for Air
Review: JTHM is truly a work of art, a pure and honest rendition of our society seen by someone who lives on the fringes of it. Jhonen (not Joanan or Jonin, you monkeys!) Vasquez is an amazing artist, and his brand of humor is so far unparalled in the world of comics. His panels are filled with intricate detail, expressive characters and hidden jokes that make these stories entertaining even after reading them for the nth time. Now, of course, don't get me wrong. JTHM is incredibly sick, taking us on a wild sugary ride from the depths of nny's own personal ... to the depths of everyone else's and back again. Johnny (nny) is a sick, lost human experiment who loves nothing more than to brutally torture and murder his poor, stupid victims. Sure, they had it coming to them, but Nny goes over the edge. However, it is these moments that everyone loves the most, the splattering of inky blood the most uncontrollably hilarious. Other reveiwers may caution you that this book is only for the very twisted, but tis not. Tis for everyone. JTHM has an almost supernatural way of bringing people together. one day i brought it to school, and the people's response was amazing. There were about twenty people over the lunch period jostling for a space to read the book. People can feel themsleves in Johnny's shoes and laugh when he crushes those who thought themselves high and mighty. My well worn, crumpled and torn copy attests to this fact. People love Johnny, and so will you. ...


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