The illustrations are really good and the story is compelling. ( )

"Originally published in single magazine form as Y: THE LAST MAN 6-10"--T.p. verso. ( )

Although I have my reservations about Y: The Last Man, Brian Vaughn's intriguing storyline was strong enough to get me to take the leap from the first volume to the second. While the artwork by Guerra and Marzan is still lackluster, here in the second installment some visual improvements are in evidence, making the overall experience easier on the eye (a genuine problem with the first volume). While the overall plot circumstances are still ridiculous, and the dialog quite frankly goofy at times, there's no denying that Vaughn is a gifted storyteller who can make something readable out of a weak set of ingredients. ( )

Cycles is the second collection of the comic book series Y: The Last Man, covering issues six through ten. I'm really enjoying the series so far, and the collections are put together nicely. So far, each has consisted of a complete story arc (which makes me wonder if they deliberately planned the series around the publication of the trade editions.)

After Dr. Mann's lab is destroyed by Israeli forces in Unmanned, she, Yorick, and the ever present Agent 355 must make their way from the East Coast to her backup lab in California. This is a dangerous and daunting journey for the last man on Earth, and Yorick really wants nothing more than to reunite with his girlfriend Beth in Australia. Their trip is cut short and they end up making an unanticipated stop in Marrisville, Ohio--a virtual utopia in a world that has descended into chaos after all male mammals were believed to have died.

Cycles picks up right where Unmanned leaves us. The plot continues along nicely and remains high quality, even ending with a bit of a cliff-hanger. I think the artwork has actually improved since the first volume with more distinction appearing between background characters and continued consistency in the depiction of the main characters. I am definitely looking forward to the next installment.

(I'm originally from Ohio, and if you were wondering if portions of Cycles were actually based on a real place, the answer is yes. Though, you will have more luck finding information if you search for Marysville rather than Marrisville.)

Experiments in Reading ( )

Great sequel to a great first graphic novel of a ten-book series. As with the first "Y: The Last Man" book, both the art and storyline continue to be very good in "Cycles." The plot is extremely engaging with lots of interesting characters who continue to be developed as the series progresses. Because the story hinges on a number of mysteries being revealed in the course of the series, I won't go into any spoilers here. Suffice to say, if you liked the first book, you won't be disappointed with the sequel. The dialogue is very clever and natural sounding -- no stilted phrasing here. The book's action-packed pacing continues and remains riveting, with no dull moments in the book. Pia Guerra's artwork is extremely good, and I'd almost recommend the book solely on the art, if the storyline itself wasn't also so engaging.

I really get the feeling that there's a much larger story that has yet to be revealed and I can't wait to see how things turn out. "Y: The Last Man" has an extremely thought-provoking plot that really makes you wonder how society/civilization would restructure itself (if it even could) if almost all the males of the species died.

I've just purchased the third graphic novel in the series because I liked this one so much. The second book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger and I can't wait to see how it's resolved -- and obviously, I can't wait to discover what the cause of the whole catastrophe was.

Review copyright 2008 J. Andrew Byers ( )