Johnny the Homicidal Maniac: Director's Cut

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Johnny the Homicidal Maniac: Director's Cut (Johnny the Homicidal Maniac )

4.3 of 5 stars 4.30 · rating details · 4,528 ratings · 237 reviews

Mayhem and violence rule in this collection of issues one through seven of Jhonen Vasquez's Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, as well as material seen before only in Carpe Noctem magazine. 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 need...more

Paperback, 168 pages

Published July 15th 1997 by Slave Labor Graphics (first published June 1997)

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May 17, 2008 Bryce Wilson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics

One of my favorite critics recently noted that “The Stuff that gets under your skin at seventeen never really leaves you.” That’s true, but it’s also true that sometimes under the skin is where it should stay.

It’s hard to describe the effect this book had on me when I thumbed through the well read copy that got passed back and forth along with the joints, around the theater group where I made a brief sojourn on in my long quest to fit in at highschool.

The novel starts out with a cuddly cartoon...more One of my favorite critics recently noted that “The Stuff that gets under your skin at seventeen never really leaves you.” That’s true, but it’s also true that sometimes under the skin is where it should stay.

It’s hard to describe the effect this book had on me when I thumbed through the well read copy that got passed back and forth along with the joints, around the theater group where I made a brief sojourn on in my long quest to fit in at highschool.

The novel starts out with a cuddly cartoon critter recommending the book to you as his children are tortured, which is then followed by a neglected child being terrorized by our obstinate hero ending with a schizophrenic rant as he stabs the boys teddy bear to death, at this point the comic is interrupted by a screaming stick figure who declares himself “Testicles God Of The Rash Covered Scrotum” and is popular with the insane homeless, before moving on to the wall “THAT WON’T STOP DRINKING BLOOD!!!” after which we get to the first Mass Murder, talking rabbit head, and sentient Pilsbury Doughboy who urges Johnny to kill himself with the phrase “Your body is an anchor that keeps you from flying over the stars.” At this point you’re around page 10.

This wasn’t a book it was a freaking Vaudeville review from hell. Humor so black that it actually made well lit rooms go dim, nihilism at it’s punk rock finest, A view of humanity that made John Water’s grotesqueries look angelic, a book that took no side hating all the subcultures as much as the mainstream but never making itself out to be some perfect entity either. IT flipped the whole earth, other worlds, and the after life (Heaven is a bunch of folding chairs and a taco bell, Hell a slightly dingier version of the San Fernando Valley) a very angry bird. Coupled with a uniquely simple and beautiful art style, like Ralph Steadman made horrifically clear and a sense of metaphysical absurdity to rival Achewood, all timed with a Chuck Jones like sense of the gag.

To an alienated suburban kid experiencing rebellion and weed for the first time, as well as having grown the teenage ego necessary to truly believe to the core of your being that the world is the one that’s got it all wrong, not you, this book was like a bomb going off in my head. It was like what hearing The Sex Pistols back in 1977 must have been like, dark, funny, free and more then a little truly scary. I’d never read anything so gleefully amoral, and the effect was as liberating as it was terrifying.

So you can of course understand the glee with which I picked this thing up on the 50% off table.

Of course the thing could never hold up. Nor could it ever recapture the rush of the forbidden I felt reading it for the first time. But it still holds it’s own. There are parts that are giddy perfection. If I ever grow too sour to appreciate the site of a Nun using her psychic powers to make everyone in heaven’s head explode, I know it will be time to end it all. While the book does feel a bit adolescent and mannered and our buddy Jhonen isn’t exactly afraid to hit something directly on the nose using the heel of his hand, it still does feel surprisingly subversive. Which is nice in a cultural landscape that throws that word around like it’s fucking confetti (“Look they made a funny about The President’s accent that’s raw”) It’s refreshing to see something that’s truly warped, that truly does not give a fuck. No one’s going to be co opting Johnny The Homicidal Maniac anytime soon. He’s going to remain safely under my skin.

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Oct 08, 2008 Aron Fischer rated it 4 of 5 stars

4 Stars
Ridiculous and disgusting, yet strangely hilarious, Jhonen Vasquez starts his series without much more than a bunch of explicit violence-driven gags. But a little earlier than midway, his tendency to inject Sandman-like philosophical rants into his lovable homicidal protaganist gives the book a much needed second dimension, and by the time a supernatural element sneaks it's way into the story, the reader may find themselves hooked. This zany orgy of blood and guts has an existential core...more

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Mar 20, 2009 Jessica B rated it 4 of 5 stars

This comic book is not for the faint of heart. It chronicles the experiences of Nny(short for Johnny) C., a man who kills people who even slightly irk him. It can be someone who trips him for no reason, or has a tie that he doesn't like. However, the story is way deeper than just ruthless killing. There are supernatural influences behind Nny's killing sprees, making it impossible for him to be caught, even when brutally killing someone in public. Nny says he must kill in order to paint a certain...more

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Jul 07, 2012 Jade (Nail) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favourites, good-action, the-madness-is-spreading, emotional, too-short

I came across this strangely charming comic through knowledge of Jhonen's newer works (from my icon, if you're familiar with it, you'll probably of guessed that certain works to be the cult-hit cartoon, Invader ZIM). I was not certain about this comic, while not squeamish or put off by hefty amounts of gore (Bloody Mess perk on Fallout 3), a comic solely about a homicidal maniac didn't strike me as particularly thorough material. However, I managed to find a scan of the first part online and eve...more I came across this strangely charming comic through knowledge of Jhonen's newer works (from my icon, if you're familiar with it, you'll probably of guessed that certain works to be the cult-hit cartoon, Invader ZIM). I was not certain about this comic, while not squeamish or put off by hefty amounts of gore (Bloody Mess perk on Fallout 3), a comic solely about a homicidal maniac didn't strike me as particularly thorough material. However, I managed to find a scan of the first part online and eventually quite liked some of the characters, even the titular 'protagonist' Johnny and also fell in love with the humour and messages hidden in the pages.
I intended to buy the hardback director's cut online, but after that not happening for two weeks, I popped into my local comic store and just so happened to see the paperback, and almost had a heart attack. I bought it, and never regretted it.

The story does exist, and is exceptionally dark and really adds dimension to Johnny, we even sympathize with him even though we've seen him do some God-awful things to people - because he's funny, mainly. This comic is literally laced with sarcasm, so I'm not sure what an American would think of this other than take it way too personally.
At times the writing can be obtuse and full of itself. Vasquez himself openly admits it is, which is why he's not fond of it too much.

The artwork is sassy and unique -the only other black and white American comic I can think of is Sin City- with strong character. It takes a bit of getting used to, but it improves massively in the later chapters. The art really helps the reader understand the characters, especially Johnny since the vibe of the artwork compliments the levels of insanity he faces with a suffers from during the length of the story (and beyond!).

A typically Jhonen Vasquez work, the ending is somewhat bitter sweet, yet very satisfying, and the plot speeds up quickly during part 3 and soon everything is happening in a closer time period instead of previous parts which could have been taking days or even weeks after the previous chapters.

I'd definitely recommend the Director's Cut for authour notes; Jhonen gives his fans a plethora of sarcastic remarks and some brilliant little jokes hidden in the panels that really just add to the experience and had me laughing out loud at times (somebody put shit in my pants!).

The reason I've given this 4/5 stars is because the plot and characters are well thought out, although some minor characters are very flat and just irritating -although that's actually the point- and the art starts off being slightly awkward and clunky. The philosophical implications are very deeply thought out, but don't take this comic as the source of your daily moral, as some parts of the philosophy can be quite messed up.
The main reason this didn't get 5/5 stars was its regularly pompous writing, and those funny Happy Noodle Boy intervals, while hilarious on their own, didn't add to the atmosphere and were sometimes laborious to read. (less)

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Aug 12, 2011 Brian Stewart rated it 5 of 5 stars

The best graphic novel I have read, it is not for the faint of heart. Although this book contains explicit language and violence, it has a much deeper theme. It is dark and darkly humorous, but Jhonen weaves debates of good and evil into the more than gruesome illustrations. What exactly is selfishness? God exists, but what is his role in the world? What if anything does the Devil have to offer us in the way of self discovery and lessons of over-indulgence? Jhonen, whose other works also include...more

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May 14, 2011 Dennis Mcfarland rated it 4 of 5 stars

I actually became aware of this book by a girl in one of our old youth groups. She was a huge fan of the series, and recommended them to me. I went online and found the compilation and ordered it. This is not a novel, it is more like a graphically illustrated comic book, BUT the writing is solid.

Vasquez has a profound statement at the beginning about the "monster" locked inside of all of us. (The reason why we "rubber-neck" at car accident scenes and sometimes fantasize about hurting people tha...more

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Jan 05, 2010 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: comic, disturbed-protagonist, fantasy-magical-realism, graphic, horror, meta, soapbox, ya

Dear Die-ary, I stared, motionless, before the mirror. As always, I stayed until I'm convinced that there is no glass, nothing, separating me from the room I see on the other side. I imagine that everything is different over there. Better. There are people, in that world, who I would like. But, like always, my hand hits the glass. I know that if I'd only waited just one more second... Shit. I'm gonna go kill a party clown.

Johnny—call him Nny—has problems. Nobody gets his humor, Mr. Eff and Mr. Z...more

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Oct 21, 2010 Chao Freak added it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. "Johnny the Homicidal Maniac" was a wonderful read. It's about a character named Jhonny, or Nny for short. As the name suggests, he's a killer. The story is just about what happens in his daily life. Where he goes and what kind of people his interacts with. Even though the story's horribly gruesome, it's poetic in it's own way. The author shows his views on the world we live in and how gruesome it's become.
The story started out pretty real. Nothing that wasn't impossible in real life. Eventual...more "Johnny the Homicidal Maniac" was a wonderful read. It's about a character named Jhonny, or Nny for short. As the name suggests, he's a killer. The story is just about what happens in his daily life. Where he goes and what kind of people his interacts with. Even though the story's horribly gruesome, it's poetic in it's own way. The author shows his views on the world we live in and how gruesome it's become.
The story started out pretty real. Nothing that wasn't impossible in real life. Eventually it started getting a bit weird and even paranormal. The basic story starts of with another character, Squee, a little kid. He heard some noises in his house and went to both his parents to feel better. His mother ignored him and his father just told him how Squee ruined his life.He found Nny in his bathroom looking for some disinfectant. Nny was friendly to Squee but after he left, it took Squee a bit of time to get to sleep.
After there's a passage or two about Nny killing some person, he also occasionally talks to a few inanimate objects that mess with his mind. There are two Pillsbury Doughboys that encourage him to kill people and kill himself. A dead bunny nailed to a wall encourages Johnny to get help and stop. After they argue with one another, a newt in a jar stops the madness by saying something like that a funny commercial is on TV. The rest of the story goes about Nny walking around places or getting some snacks at the 24/7, and then killing someone for making fun of him or bugging him.
Nny goes out with a girl, Devi at one point. After the go to his house and almost kiss, Nny freaks out and runs into another room where the Doughboys encourage Nny to kill her to immortalize the moment because love never lasts forever. Before Nny gets to her, she beats him up and runs away becoming a recluse.
After some more killings, Nny hooks up a contraption to shoot him whenever he either answers the phone or tries to turn the machine up. Even though he thinks he turned the machine off even though it didn't shoot him after arguing with the Doughboys some more, he actually turns it on and the phone rings. He answers it and gets shot.
Now Nny's in heaven. He meets God, who's depicted as a fat baby-like person. Even though he's not suppose to be there, he tours heaven. It's just a whole bunch of people sitting on chairs doing nothing. Even though they all have some form of super powers, the have no desire to use them or do anything. Nny also has these powers while he's there and blows up some guys head. All damage was reversed, but eventually heaven breaks out in a battle of "Head Explody".
After Nny's kicked out of Heaven, he's sent to Hell, where he meets the devil. After some more sensible conversation than he had with God, he's sent to tour, even though he's not suppose to be there either. It's practically the same as the world while he was alive. After getting sick of it, Satan pops up disguised as a cheer leader because his actually form didn't seem very freaky to Nny.
Nny's sent back and tells Squee goodby before he goes on a bit of a vacation. The book ends with Nny sitting on a hill overlooking the city with a final die-ary entry to poetic for me to understand.
So while the story was gory and somewhat nightmare inducing to some, it was beautiful and carried a good message about ourselves. It's one of my favorite books and I've re-read it countless times. I'm excited to read the authors other book "SQUEE!" which is, in fact about Squee, looking on his life and his adventures. I've also read half of his other smaller book, "I feel Sick" which is on Devi's point of view, so I need to read that soon too. All of them portray the human race the same and give off the same basic message. If the readers not too squeamish, I'd suggest JTHM.

OHAY Not really a serious part of this review or anything 'cuz I'm not worrying about how I'm writing it, but I just found that the author made a twitter for Nny. So it's sort of like the story continues. Or at least how his everyday life plays out. It's way fun to read~(less)

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Jul 22, 2012 Jorge Rios rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels-comics, comics-graphic-novels

What can I say about JTHM? I'll start by clearing a few points. A lot of people will pick this up because of Invader Zim, and I'm pretty sure they'll expect something similar... But alas, it's no Zim. Not that it's bad but Nny certainly requires a more mature audience, the humor still as twisted. I could go on about the plot but I'd rather focus on what you are getting. You get all 7 issues of the JTHM run, sprinkled with a few Meanwhiles, PSA, Happy Noodle Boy (who is like Gir, but more popular...more

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Aug 23, 2009 Steph rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone who can handle the twistedness,

Recommended to Steph by: teh interwebs

Shelves: favourites, graphic-novels-etc

Blood, twisted humor and a look down on society. I absolutely love this book! Johnny C. (or Nny) kills people, not only the ones who deserve it, but people who call him wacky and randoms he meets on the street. He lives in a house filled with torture rooms and a wall with a need for blood, with 2 psychotic doughboys and a floating rabbit head for company. The closest thing he has to a friend is his neighbor, a small boy named Squee, and he writes a comic called Happy Noodle Boy. It's bloody and...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Killthepopular rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels

I am consistently unimpressed with Graphic novels as a body of work, as well as with the people who read them and think they are actually remotely good. This was such a crap, indulgent, lazily written book. It's basically the fevered musings of a very immature, pretentious, petty man with a short attention span who is only interested in expressing how much he hates the outside world because all people ever do is pick on each other for the way they look. What an immensely stupid world-view. It se...more

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May 25, 2011 Alysha DeShaé rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, graphic-novel, horror

My full review is here on my personal website. I'll post a few excerpts here, though:

5.0 out of 5.0 stars

The very worst thing about this book is that it had to end. And maybe the language

The very best thing about this book is the release that comes with really getting into the story. Since it's against most laws to exterminate the stupid people, the jerks, and the losers, reading about someone who successfully removes those people from society without ever getting caught (even if he kills on a c...more

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Sep 18, 2011 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: antihero, graphic-novel, young-adult, horror, fantasy, fiction

There's a red box that lives underneath my desk which holds some of my excruciating high school poetry, a hunk of skateboard that used to belong to the guy to whom I lost my virginity, and a boxcutter named Nny. I figure that's about the most fitting tribute I can give to this incredibly homicidal but fantastic book.

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Jan 02, 2009 Aaron rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, manga-comic

Vasquez is probably more well known for his baby Invader Zim than for this earlier comic series, compiled here. I read this in 2003 so it's not that fresh in my memory, but I remember clearly that it was very dark, violent, psychotic, and full of morbid humor.

JTHM doesn't fit well into society and despises all the typical evils that surround him. As a homicidal maniac he carries out his disturbed, fiendish passions in the dark of night and without apology.

The book is lavishly illustrated, wort...more

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Jan 17, 2013 Steve rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read the first 4 issues of the JTHM comic books when I was a teenager, so decided I'd pick up the complete set to revisit and finish the series.

Just as I had remembered, it was disturbing, dark and all a little bit wrong. Illustrations are brilliantly detailed, and in places the stories are quite funny (grotesque violence if funny right?).

I especially liked some of the public service announcements. Here's a gem: "Kids. Drug's won't help things. They'll only turn you into a hideous little fre...more

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Mar 04, 2009 Charlie George rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels, paranormal-romance, smut

Ultraviolent and hilarious. How could that be? Well, you know in Monty Python's Holy Grail, the black knight who believes he always triumphs, even after King Arthur lops off all four of his limbs? ("What are you gonna do, bleed on me?" "I'll bite ya legs off!") JTHM is funny like that. Over-the-top violent funny, not-to-be-taken-seriously funny, for 7 long, dense comics.

And here's the amazing part: it never gets old! There is truth in advertising, Nny remains an actively homicidal maniac throug...more

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May 02, 2011 Jesus Salazar added it

johnny the homicidal maniac is a kind of comic that you will like and dislike at the same time.it is a real awesome and grotesque comic in the whole world.if you were the kind of person that didnt like horrible and grotesque things you wouldnt like this comic. i describe this comic a brutal,awesome,bloody,gorry,and wonderful comic to read.Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, or "Nny" for short, is a disturbed individual who kills innocent and not-so-innocent people. Johnny is never caught, never pursued...more johnny the homicidal maniac is a kind of comic that you will like and dislike at the same time.it is a real awesome and grotesque comic in the whole world.if you were the kind of person that didnt like horrible and grotesque things you wouldnt like this comic. i describe this comic a brutal,awesome,bloody,gorry,and wonderful comic to read.Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, or "Nny" for short, is a disturbed individual who kills innocent and not-so-innocent people. Johnny is never caught, never pursued, never implicated for his crimes, even when he commits them in broad daylight. Nny's closest "friends" are two pieces of styrofoam; later in the series, he befriends a talking Bob's Burger Boy, who is really a projection of his un- or subconscious mind. He hates the word "wacky."

if he heres the word wacky he litteraly turns wacky. he will go so wacky he will go on a rampage and will go and kill anybody thats gets in his way. every day he will go and try to fall asleep but he wouldnt be able to. he will always talk to bobs burger boy bobs burger boy will tell him that he was a screw up and that he should kill himself rite there and then because he didnt have anything to live for;and that nobody loved him or liked him. johnny always beleived bobs burger boy because evrytime johnny thinks about it he always comes up with agreeing with bobs burger boy.

johnny was a very crazy and creative boy yes he was kind of young but he was alright for his age. johnny was always busy when he was killing he wasnt able to do anything else. ans when he wasnt killing he was writing his book "happy noodle boy". happy noodle boy was about a little crazy boy that will go around yelling and doing shinanigans with things and bothering people. he will sometimes kill people just for fun especially when he was bored. he wouldnt care what anybody said or thoght about him. johnny would do the killing and the writing the whole day and every day. johnny was a good murderer and a good torturer,if he didnt kill the people he will torture them if he wanted to. nobody will ever try to catch johnny because they were scared and because they know that they will never catch him. if you want to find out more you should read it, i would reccommend this book to the people that like the kinds of books that have killing and are gorry and bloody and cruel all at the same time. i really liked this book and you guys should really read it too, its acyually a really good and funny book when you start reading i dont htink you would want to put it down. johnny the homicidal maniac is a comic that you will like and dislike at the same time.(less)

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Jun 12, 2009 Devowasright rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphicnovelcomics

i wasn't sure how much i'd like this now, as a calmer, older not-so-goth geek. and the initial reaction to the violence was actually disgust, but of course i kept reading, and the desensitization kicked in. i love the utter insanity of this book- including the art. i think the art is the perfect counterpart to what is happening. though not as misanthropic as i once was, i still can -totally- relate to wanting to annihilate the overly stupid, the obnoxiously useless, and the assholes that do noth...more

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Apr 01, 2012 Kristopher Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

A brilliant, extremely violent graphic novel that tells the story of a madman (and cartoonist) named Johnny (friends call him Nny), driven by forces he doesn't understand to keep a wall in his basement covered in fresh blood, lest the demon behind it should break free. Johnny has an affinity for his sweet little neighbor kid Squee, an unlucky little guy whose parents ignore him and leave him at the mercy of the well-meaning but always-terrifying visits from Johnny. The art and the lettering conv...more

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Feb 04, 2010 Jessiqa rated it 5 of 5 stars

The first time I read Johnny, I read my friend's single issues--all of them in a row. I followed that up with some Lenore comics and Squee. Yeah. That night was the one and only time I behaved violently in a dream. I remember being really pissed off because there was this horde of barbarians (a la the Capital One commercials) coming up a hill towards me and all I had available to me in the kitchenette at the top of the hill was a meat cleaver and a serrated knife; I wanted a sword. Anyway, I too...more

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Feb 17, 2009 Greg rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, available_to-share

Okay, this book isn't a shining example of literary genius.
So what? I read this graphic novel (often enough) for another reason...
The vicarious and blatant general contempt for other people.

This is exquisite satire indeed, mixed with a generous helping of insanity.

It is the raw emotion and shocking violence presented in a visual format reminiscent of countless bored high-schoolers' notebooks that give this novel its genuine appeal. This book is to Invader Zim, as "Beavis and Butthead" is to Mike...more

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May 21, 2008 Kelcie rated it 2 of 5 stars

I read this cover to cover at work on a particularly long shift. It's pretty charming, but it gets a little old. A little heavy on the Hot Topic-type philosophy.

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May 22, 2012 Douglas Fletcher rated it 5 of 5 stars

I found this book to be disturbingly hilarious.It appeals to the "inner monsters" that we all keep inside.

Underneath all the violence and insanity, there is a philosophical lining that gives a lot of dimensional to the characters. The character of Nny (short for Johnny) is as much victim as villain. He struggles with a plight he doesn't quite understand, and a wall in his house that need to be kept fresh with blood.

The novel questions what Heaven and Hell really are, and what really makes us e...more

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Mar 17, 2008 Faith-Anne rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: people with a sick sense of humor

Shelves: my-favorites, comic-collections-and-graphic-novel

I love JtHM. Is he for the faint of heart? No. This book is for people with strong stomaches & sick senses of humor.

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Feb 08, 2012 Zeo rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics-and-meta, humor

As bizarro gothy hyperviolence comics go this is a classic. It's also very good. My copy got plenty of use when I was variously mentally scattered and awful, so my personal bias, it is present in buckets. It's dark, it's gross, and then Johnny puts down the gun and flips on some cartoons. Navel-gazing here of the sort that only makes sense or has value when you are, or have been, really fucked up in the head. Which is part of why when I recommend Vasquez I usually point out something like Invade...more

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Oct 21, 2010 Hushpiper rated it 4 of 5 stars

I first read this book when I was a young teenager, bored, anxious, angry, and depressed out of my mind. Now, a young college kid, I like to re-read it and compose essays in my head analyzing the connections between it and the work of Franz Kafka. I'm sure Vasquez would tell me I'm reading too much into it.

Another reader noted above that Johnny reads more emo to the modern eye than anything else, and that's a fair point. This comic, sadly, hasn't aged well. But for those of us who were introduce...more

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Oct 06, 2010 Ashleigh rated it 5 of 5 stars

Could possibly be one of the greatest comics I have ever read in my life.
JV has a beautiful way of writing, full of comedy and irony. The character's are quite deep and usually have a lot to say on the horrors of the world.
Johnny the Homicidal Maniac is the little part of all of us we keep contained. Does and says things we wish we could but don't.
And who can discount his sidekicks (Nailbunny, the doughboys) and Happy Noodle Boy!
<3

It's been 6 years since I was first introduced to JtHM and I s...more

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Feb 28, 2011 Weina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorite, horror

So gory and really kind of agrees with my beliefs (at least part of it). It's also extremely funny like most comicbooks. It's also really analytical and does kind of force you to think about the monstrosity that is inside all humans, that desire to kill, bully, and just be mean. It makes you wonder for what purpose we exist. There're also interesting symbolism: namely the "777" on the door that the main character lives in. It is also an interesting comicbook because it is in the perspective of a...more

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Jul 29, 2009 Tooticky rated it 3 of 5 stars

Has an interesting raw and unprofessional quality to it. It just oozes that kind of feeling that if Vasquez were to read it now, he'd probably hate it.

Half of the book's "I SURE FUCKING HATE JOCKS, NOBODY UNDERSTANDS ME!" and then the other half, the doughboys, the sense of humor, all that, is actually pretty good. Even the shitty redundant wangst bits are good in that they perfectly capture the feeling of wangst. It makes me think, "why yes, if I were a whiny depressed teenager, I would write...more

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Oct 23, 2011 Lyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

What are people smoking?!?! Kim lent this one to me, and again, it took forever for me to read, but not because I was discracted by a book with pictures, but because it is SO incredibly…. bloody and depressing! It wasn't bad; it was just so trippy that I don't even know what I think, except that I do think that it was really, really well-written and there was a LOT of attention to detail in the drawings (right down to the guy's T-shirt in each frame). Overall, I guess I did like it.... I just do...more

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Books by Jhonen Vasquez

Squee's Wonderful Big Giant Book of Unspeakable Horrors

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Quotes from Johnny the Homicidal M...

“Sometimes...you can cry until there's nothing wet in you. You can scream and curse to where your throat rebels and ruptures. You can pray, all you want, to whatever god you think will listen. And, still it makes no difference. It goes on, with no sign as to when it might release you. And you know that if it ever did relent...it would not be because it cared.” — 121 people liked it

“My delusionary hell does not agree with yours.” — 64 people liked it

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/96908.Johnny_the_Homicidal_Maniac?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347488137l/96908.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/96908.Johnny_the_Homicidal_Maniac?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Johnny the Homicidal Maniac: Director's Cut by Jhonen Vasquez[/url]

Johnny the Homicidal Maniac: Director's Cut (Johnny the Homicidal Maniac )

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