Have you ever wanted to read something filled with absurdity, dark comedy, and extreme imagery? Well then, “Johnny the Homicidal Maniac” is a comic series just for you.
Created by Jhonen Vasquez, the comic series stars Johnny C., or Nny for short, a psycho who loses control often. Some people might know Vasquez for his other comics, but mostly for his creation of “Invader Zim”, a Nickelodeon show that starred an alien infiltrating our world in order to destroy us from within.
It aired in 2001 and nearly two decades later, Netflix made an original film as well called “Enter the Florpus.” Vasquez was actually picked up by a Nick producer because of JTHM’s dark humor and its edginess.
Poster for Vasquez’ film, “Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus”. (Via Netflix)
Nny makes his first appearance in the first issue, released in August 1995, and sadly, the series ended in January 1997.
Story:
We first meet Johnny C. in issue one when Johnny is seen frantically looking for Bactine to clean his wounds from a previous attack and meets one of our side characters, Squee, Johnny’s young neighbor, who is terrified of everything. Also carrying his teddy bear named Shmee, who acts as Squee’s friend. Other characters we meet in this issue are Nny’s two styrofoam cutouts shaped as the Pills Berry Dough Boy, Psycho Dough Boy, and Mr. Eff. Both are psychotic manifestations of Johnny’s voices, which encourage his killing sprees and taunt him, then later gain a consensus for themselves. We also meet Nailbunny, a bunny Nny bought and only fed once, then nailed to the wall. He acts as a voice of reason to help him or stop him from doing anything frantic. The comic cuts into other stories not related to Johnny, like his cartoon character, Happy Noodle Boy, a stick figure that frantically yells gibberish and nonsensical phrases. Another character we meet is Wobbly-Headed Bob, a rodent-like creature that talks down to people and rants about how life holds no meaning. In the second issue of JTHM, we are introduced to our other side character, Devi. Devi is an artist and was Nny’s love interest. Johnny has a psychotic breakdown before he and Devi kiss, and then makes an attempt to kill her after being manipulated by the Doughboys. We get to know about her and a lot more about her story in her own miniseries, “I Feel Sick”. In issue three, Nny kidnaps two people who were bothering him in the movie theater, Tess and Dillion. We get to see what happens to them in the fourth and fifth issues. At the end of issue four, Nny creates an elaborate machine attached to a landline phone. If he were to pick up the phone, the machine would go off and would shoot and kill him. After the fight with the two Doughboys, the phone rings, and Johnny picks it up. Unfortunately, the machine goes off and kills him. Issue five, we get to see what happens to Tess and Dillon. Back in Issue One, we’re told that something behind Nny’s wall lives in there and drinks the blood that is painted on. But now that Nny’s dead, there’s no one to paint the wall, and the creature behind the wall comes out. Unfortunately, Dillion doesn’t get out on time and is killed, but Tess was fortunate to get away. We meet Kirk, another one of Johnny’s victims, and they both make an attempt to leave but ultimately fail. Issue six, we get to see Johnny’s journey in the afterlife, and we see that he lands himself in hell. At the end of the comic, he is sent back to Earth by Satan. In the last issue, issue seven, we see how he’s holding up after being sent back to the living. We also get to see that Devi was the one to make the phone ring and ultimately kill Nny. In the end, he tells his neighbor Squee that he must watch out for himself, and he must leave.
Review:
The comic series has gained a cult following for its dark comedy and its amazing art style. Personally, I love JTHM for its characters because the way they’re written is done so well. You can relate to some of the characters by having problems that readers could relate to, like isolation, the struggle with inner emotions and dark thoughts, intense anxiety, existential dread, and much more. Some of Nny’s problems that he goes through throughout the story, I know I could relate to a lot. I also love Vasquez’s art style because it stands out from others, and that’s what I love most about all artists: having an art style that screams you, and people can tell that you made it.
Conclusion:
Overall, Johnny the Homicidal Maniac has to be one of my favorite comic series of all time. Its unique characters and story really gives the series life. Also, its distinct art created by Jhonen Vasquez is phenomenal. If you ever decide to read JTHM, I highly recommend checking out the “I Feel Sick” miniseries and “Squee”. Another author who is similar to Vasquez with its dark humor and absurdity is “Lenore” by Roman Dirge which is another great comic series you should check out if you want more of something like JTHM. Jhonen Vasquez’s works hold a very special place in my heart, and overall, I give Johnny the Homicidal Maniac a 10 out of 10.