3. Transmetropolitan
(Vertigo)
Spider Jerusalem, a Hunter S. Thompson-esque writer living in the 23rd century is in self imposed isolation when he finds out something distressing: he still owes his publisher two more books. Now, for contractual reasons, Spider must take on the slimy politics of the future with only his acerbic wit and cunning at his disposal.
The world of Transmetropolitan as created by Warren Ellis and Darick Robertson is filled with sex, drugs, and violence, and that’s just the children’s entertainment. But Transmet isn’t great simply because it’s shocking. The book easily manages to balance the crude (like Spider’s signature Bowel Disruptor gun) with the emotionally powerful (Issue 8 features the tragic story of a women cryogenically frozen coming to terms with the overwhelming world of the future). And the entire series leads up to one of the best finales of all time. Want to know what a film adaptation of this one could be like? Imagine Fear and Loathing in Neo-Vegas. ‘Nuff said.
