Johnny the Homicidal Maniac: What's it actually About?

Johnny the Homicidal Maniac Collected Edition: amzn.to/2LOORkF
Jhonen Vasquez created his indie comic Johnny the Homicidal Maniac in the 90s and it became a cult hit with only 7 issues. Does it hold up? And is it about something deeper than violence and black humor? That's what this video aims to figure out.
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[@NDHFilms]

Not sure how you go from JTHM to pitching a show to Nickelodeon, but somehow Jhonen did

[@scallysnix.2975]

NDHFilms It happens... I mean, not anymore... but when things were experimental and cool

[@Eliseo10266]

bigevilworldwide1 Spongebob season 1-3 is a masterpiece you uncultured swine

[@lerquian1970]

There was an offer to move Invader Zim to MTV but Nick said "nah"

[@ectofriend]

Actually, I think Nickelodeon got in touch with him first after one of their higher ups read Squee, which could work as a kids show if you tweaked it a little bit. I believe Jhonen's said they originally wanted him to make a Squee cartoon, but opted to make something original instead, out of fear of losing the character.

[@Prnnce]

@bigevilworldwide1 the irony of calling something IQ draining while having a Deadpool avatar

[@keenanmccarty9925]

I love how you could freely show panels of JTHM, but had to censor profanity... KZbin really knows how to protect them kiddos.

[@RickReasonnz]

Oh, murder is just FINE, but them swears? Tools of the devil, dontcha know!

[@eyeluvviewtwo1814]

reminds me of a story i remember of a horror video game demo being shown at a conference. Iirc there were a bunch of nude corpses in the game and in order to be able to show it to the public at the conference, as well as get a lower rating from ESRB so that their game had a larger potential buying audience, they had to ‘artfully’ cover the nonobits of the corpses with entrails and gore.

[@chaossmith3864]

@@eyeluvviewtwo1814 Sadly I'm not surprised.

[@MasterAlpha1000]

We are talking about the same platform who mark Adult Swim, Happy Tree Friends and Splatter content as for kids, right.

[@absolutelyfookinnobody2843]

Just like tv

[@jackfables3470]

If I remember correctly, Jhonen Vasquez actually wrote that Johnny is his own violence outlet. In one edition of his work, he wrote something along the lines of 'if you're mad at someone, you may retreat into your own mind and think about all the horrible things you would do to him. Does that make you a horrible person, if it remains a thought and you don't act upon it ? Whatever the answer, Johnny is my way to deal with the things and people I hate : I make a violent comic book and I feel better.'

[@apenasmaisumdiogo.7115]

I disagree with this. You're not hurting anyone, but mantaining all your hate and feeding him with frustrations is *not* healthy. It's like you are putting dinamite in your Room and hoping that It doesn't explode some day.

[@jackfables3470]

@@apenasmaisumdiogo.7115 ??? What are you talking about ? How could you possibly know if does or does not feel better after drawing his comic book ? How would you possibly know if he does maintain his hate and frustration after drawing or not ? The man wrote it's his way to deal with the things and people he hates. There is nothing to disagree with : it's a fact. Unless you find evidence that he doesn't draw violent comics to feel better about his life frustrations or evidence that he does remain hateful and frustrated, it remains a fact. Whether we like his method or not changes nothing.

[@MintyBlueNobody]

though it wasnt written by jhonen, the foreword at the beginning of the director's cut mentions something like this too and i think it holds up well. something about how we all have a little monster who likes to think about dark gory stuff, and how this comic is meant to give it something to chew on. don't remember if it was meant to refer to the audience or jhonen or both

[@apenasmaisumdiogo.7115]

@@jackfables3470 No! I was just telling my opinion about this pratique, I wasn't disagreeing with the information. If It works to him, great, and the comics definetely are more than just violence

[@perryborn2777]

@@apenasmaisumdiogo.7115 Maybe that's what the wall was supposed to represent in the story. Maybe Jhonen recognized that his anger was just fermenting the more time he spent dwelling on it, so whenever it finally does come out it's going to be worse than when it began, hence the big ass monster. I hadn't heard of this comic until today, and I wouldn't call myself a fan or follower of Jhonen's work, just an outsider's perspective

[@magicman3163]

I find it funny a real life serial killer made a Invader Zim joke referencing the episode dark harvest but never heard of JTHM.

[@spiteu9272]

details?

[@metasprite5648]

Which serial killer?

[@CrazyKels93]

Spite U Scott Dyleski

[@BurnEdOutOne]

@@CrazyKels93 He only killed one person. That is not a serial killer.

[@CrazyKels93]

BurnEdOutOne Im aware. But he’s the only one that quoted the show. Who’s the serial killer then?

[@razrentals8897]

I love how even though the comic was considered a “goth” comic, It makes fun of the goth culture all of the time. It does a good job of pointing out how by wearing all of the same clothes, listening to all of the same music, and following the goth code, die hard goths are the same as the trendy people they they say they hate. there’s a hilarious Anne Gwish comic in JTHM with a girl who goes to a goth club that does such a great job of showing it.

[@Painocus]

TBH this type of self-deprecating has kinda always been a central part of goth culture.

[@willlozinak5182]

yeaaaa i watched familiar faces back in the day

[@matti.8465]

I remember hearing that Jhonnen redesigned Gaz for the Invader Zim comic book because he found out people saw her as goth. He also insisted that he wasn't cool enough to be goth.

[@Ardis135]

Most Subcultures make fun of themselves

[@mortchen5494]

@@matti.8465 I hate the new design.

[@sevenlexar]

You neglect to mention that with Johnny's 'fan', he actually gives the guy multiple chances to leave - a rare change of character for somebody like Johnny (or perhaps display of newfound self-control). In the end, if I remember right, he kills the guy because he admits to... well, 'violating' women, which obviously offends the hell out of a sex-repulsed guy like Johnny, especially considering the guy says he was modeling his own behavior off of Johnny. Hence the face he's making in that one panel where he's holding the sledgehammer. It's a really fascinating section of the comic, imo.

[@avo478]

Thanks for clarifying this, felt like he didn't really get into this, though I suspect it might have been out of fear of demonitization as well

[@AlottaBoulchit]

Gosh I forgot about that part but as soon as you mentioned it I could recall the scene where he said that. I remember that really pissed me off as a young reader and took much satisfaction out of seeing him get slaughtered. Lol

[@Theunfathomable0]

Funnily enough I went through a phase where I wanted to read things that were horribly violent but I was really upset over sexual violence and they seemed to go hand in hand. I couldn’t find anything until I found JTHM. I remember weirdly enough that I couldn’t much hate Johnny no matter how awful he was because he was so pathetic and hated himself so much it seemed superfluous to.

[@umhello9962]

Garnet I read this in Garnet’s voice-

[@avosmash2121]

This was a beautiful haunting scene. I really feel like murdering psychopathy aside, there are whole layers of symbolism one can read into just this one piece. Think about all the top rising idols, like the biggest musicians, painters, movie makers, actors, pop singer girls, rappers, cartoon creators....and their whole life is devoted to the expression of themselves and their values or just trying to feel free....and they get so popular they grow a massive fan base that becomes toxic and out of control and has completely lost all sense of the message of their work by implementing their own interpretation over it/narrow mindedly often embracing the idea that their own fan takes are "the right way" to express fandom.... Even when that goes completely against the Creator's moral code. And sometimes it goes so toxic that actual innocent people suffer badly to often to such a tragic point the creator becomes bitter and jaded. Be it Rebecca Sugar, Justin Roiland, George Lucas or even that funny sandal wearing bearded guy in the Bible. This comic takes it to a uniquely very dark place, but it really doesn't require that much stretch of the imagination to turn Homicide to any form of The Arts.

[@kimifw58]

Jhonen repeatedly denies being goth. I think he and some of his characters identify as punk. The character Anne Gwish was created to show that goths are pretentious and shallow.

[@matti.8465]

I remember him also insisting he's not cool enough to be goth, so there may be some self depreciating part on it.

[@vallisdaemonumofficial]

A lot of goths don't like to admit that they're goth.

[@robynhoodie]

On the Invader Zim cometary he says "An interviewer once called me the the king of the goths and I told him, ‘I’m not a goth, that’s just pretentious’", in a tongue in cheek way that he does accept the moniker of king.

[@darknessml6145]

Unlike punk; the true chad way of life,right?

[@kimifw58]

@@darknessml6145 Yeah, it's pretty hypocritical. I'm hoping he grew out of that.

[@Kimmie6772]

His art style is highly identifiable. I only needed to look at few examples to know this is the same dude who made invader zim. I'm largely unfamiliar with his work too.

[@thisgoddamusernamestoodamnlong]

same

[@invaderjay]

Everything Can Be Beaten

[@Noelle_Holiday]

I Can't Sleep also has a similar art style to Johnny the Homicidal Maniac.

[@magicman3163]

I love how Jhonen used this to show how pretentious edgy fans,nihilism,and goth’s are it takes major balls to criticize the main consumers of the product.

[@anthonypike24]

Jhonen is a pretentious edgy nihilistic goth. Johnny is clearly a self-insert. When he critiques his audience he critiques himself. (He most damningly critiques people who don't critique themselves.)

[@magicman3163]

Anthony Pike not really as a person he has somewhat grown out of that phase and has become a better person

[@Youtube.Commen-tater]

Ivanperez 128 critique oneself but never change

[@kaledalvarado9266]

Men, can somebody tell me wth is edgy

[@magicman3163]

KZbin Commentater Jhonens humor has changed from edgy to lol so random

[@xerough]

The fact that you’re even covering this has secured me as a permanent fan

[@Uvwaex]

Same

[@MarvelBoi44]

Antisandman

[@butteredtoast1250]

Same here man

[@ClockMonsterLA]

At a Comic-Con panel several years ago, Jhonen confided to the audience that most of his work was an expression of his frustration with Roman Dirge, whom he felt was frittering away his genius talent and not doing what he was put on Earth to do (as Jhonen saw it).

[@derflerp538]

Come to think of it, I do have some Lenore comics in my possession, and I can't help but agree. Lenore is visually appealing in many ways, but has absolutely no real substance or meaning that I was personally able to find. It seems to be pretty much exactly what people think JTHM is.

[@elmoisred616]

I heard a rumor that hbo was considering an adult themed jthm animated series similar to spawn . I wonder how based in truth that is.

[@zednotzee]

A series like The Maxx would be cool. A mix of animation and still imagery, varying styles, and no content restraints. Could be really unique

[@butteredtoast1250]

God I'd love that

[@polysteveshusbandandboyfri644]

If it happens it better not be shitty

[@toptomato]

Poly Steve's wife and girlfriend agreed

[@seanstark4312]

i would honestly love to see that

[@ashrog82]

Had a friend in high school who was a huge JV fan. Made me read all of his work, so someone else would appreciate his literary genius. He did NOT appreciate it when my favorite part was a joke about diarrhea...

[@SedatedGhostwriter]

Someone probably put shit in his pants too.

[@architeuthis3476]

Seriously? "Somebody put shit in my pants" is absolutely the most memorable line in Johnny/Meanwhile/Squee/etc. That's the moment even people who hated the comic laughed the hardest at

[@zednotzee]

@@architeuthis3476 lol, you're so right. I have a ton of JV work in my collection. And the one line I always remember is "OH MY GOD!! SOMEBODY PUT SHIT IN MY PANTS!!" It's like the only joke in his whole body of work that aged well

[@bobmclennan1727]

Your friend may not have appreciated it, but I bet Vasquez would have.

[@BlackAssassin913]

as a die-hard Jhonen fan...you're right in some places wrong in others. His entire career can arguably be summed up in this comic outside of invader zim. He walks the macabre side of life but not in a gothic sense. He's more of a gore aficionado, and not just gore in the most basic sense...gore in the mental sense as well. He follows a sense of mental destruction and nihilism. Making his work in a sense unique. Invader Zim was later discovered to have similar undertones to JtHM as well, especially with the episode "the Dark Harvest" Jhonen's entire career has been built on macab and mentally unsound morality.

[@rankrodent2772]

He had the coolest art style I’ve ever seen

[@cortomaltese5206]

Call me naive and edgy, but I think that when it comes to visual design in comics, jhonen is among the all time greats.

[@rankrodent2772]

@@cortomaltese5206 I’d rather call you correct

[@jordannino1836]

I’m surprised you’re taking about this. It’s one of the most difficult comics to talk about, for good reason.

[@Red_Lanterns_Rage]

naww man it's a good series..... there I talked about it easily..... now WHERE THE FUKK IS THE BACTINE!!! FUKK YOU YOU TOASTER, THAT'S ALL YOU'LL EVER BE IS A TOASTER FUKK I HAVE NO KIWI'S!!!! sorry, the 2 best lines in issue 1 that always make me laugh

[@danielgore2724]

EAT THE FUCKIN' WEENIE!!!

[@nicholasgeere5125]

Legit found this comic in my elementary library. Definitely mature reading material, but it made me think as a kid

[@sacred_land]

Wait you actually found it in your elementary library?

[@nicholasgeere5125]

@@sacred_land Yeah, not sure how that one slipped through but i found a few, i remember squee and johnny the homicidal maniac

[@XCasper1999X]

I think one of the things I've always loved about JTHM is the increase in quality in the art as the book goes on. You really see the art go from jagged and sketchy to crisp and much more detailed by the final issue.

[@1funeral2many9]

its ironic too because i remember reading somewhere that johen rushed with the last issue or two and wasnt happy with how they turned out

[@CrazyGreenFluff]

i was obsessed with jthm as a kid and i still love it as an adult

[@psychedlicsouljam1995]

ME TOO 💀

[@sethleoric2598]

I like Invader Zim but seriously how did Nicky boi hire him?!

[@philatio1744]

A nick exec found out about the spin-off comic "Squee" and was interested in the style.

[@sethleoric2598]

@@philatio1744 ah..

[@Khaliidah]

Seriously, Nicky boi? That sounds weird.

[@sethleoric2598]

@@Khaliidah yeaaah Nicky boy, like the cable lable cartoon table, and the mouse hole

[@nicholasgeere5125]

@Crisbideioz FEEEEET

[@randalldowling1068]

"Oh Hi! You caught me murdering some hobos..." #missedopportunities

[@UltimateCarl]

Well, there's still a chance if he ever talks about Gantz...

[@JoeJoe-lq6bd]

Given what just happened in NYC, probably better not to make that joke.

[@randalldowling1068]

Sorry, I'm not sure what you're referring to.

[@JoeJoe-lq6bd]

Randall Dowling www.cnn.com/2019/10/06/us/homeless-chinatown-nyc-murder/index.html. Not taking a swipe at you. Just noting that Chris is better off not saying something like that.

[@iliveinsideyourhouse3943]

@@UltimateCarl People murdering hobos only happens in the anime though

[@Deamons64]

Tbh, I love the nihilism of Nny, and the world he inhabits. It holds up a very twisted mirror to the inner darkness within us all. Deep down, we all have a Nny in us, and when people treat us like garbage, sometimes, he gets out just a little bit. The actual story of JTHM (to me anyways) shows what happens when we let that darkness within us run our lives. His visit to heaven and hell is also one of my favorite interpretations of each (in fact I’m pretty sure Johnan hit the nail of the head for hell). Nny, is without question, sick. He desperately just needs someone to actually care for him, but due to being controlled by that darkness, when that person actually arrives in his life, he doesn’t have the ability to handle it in a healthy way. Idk, I’m probably rambling a bit, but, your interpretation is an interesting one. I quite like the theory of the meta narrative, and it makes sense the way you lay it out.

[@zackpumpkinhead8882]

I think that's good. It definitely captures the sense of "intrusive thoughts" as a metaphor for holding your life together on the outside and near constant nagging fear and loathing on the inside.

[@p.d.l7023]

This would make a good stop-motion animation film or HBO series.

[@truetape666]

Like the Burton Style

[@madestmadhatter]

I think you confused the word "character" for the word "person", Jhonny is a terrible person, but he's a wonderful character, he's introspective and provides a unique view of a caring person compelled to vile acts and how they might try and rectify that inconsistency in themselves, but as a person, he's still a murderer who blames other people for his short comings.

[@Elligons]

It's "dark" humor. And was my version of therapy during high school. Devi was the one that got away...literally. Fun fact: in 1997 some guy had committed infringement and made a published copied version of JTHM called "Antisocial". The drawings were trace-overs of JTHM. I was sitting with Jhonen when he got his publicist on the phone to take action on it.

[@cortomaltese5206]

You met him? Thats so cool!

[@legatomodi3522]

Short run comics made by a single artists are always so interesting in that no matter how they start they usually always end up saying something very critical about the artist, no matter how much they avoid it.

[@EdenHellCipher]

To me, JtHM (and JV's work at large) is about loneliness. It's about feeling that you can have no safe connections with people in a terrifying, random, and cruel world. The characters JV chooses to focus on are all isolated, whether by choice or not, and struggle with their relationships with other people. It also acknowledges that sometimes we contribute to our own loneliness. It's about the fear that we have towards the world, when we have no one to support us, and the unhealthy behaviors we can develop as a result of the sometimes overwhelming nature of the world and society.

[@zackpumpkinhead8882]

Man, why do the best comments have no replies??? I wish more people talked about this side of Jhonen!

[@SamSepiol1909]

I love how diverse your comic reads are. I enjoy JTHM when I was a teen but thought that revisiting it, it may not aged well but I did revisit it last year and still enjoy it. It's a nihilistic read wrapped with a youthful black comedy.

[@UltimateCarl]

Yeah, CT is great. I first came here for analysis of American superhero comics, but I've been impressed with his coverage of indie works and even foreign comics including manga. Even if you have a favorite genre, it's important to examine the entire breadth of the medium, so that's cool!

[@SamSepiol1909]

@@UltimateCarl true that, mate. CT celebrate the medium.

[@fusionspace175]

The book is hilarious, and I don't think you're meant to identify with Johnny at all. I highly recommend it to anyone who's not bothered by extreme violence. I think of it as a more modern version of American Psycho, and it is also packed with social commentary.

[@kimifw58]

I see it as an exercise in humanizing an irredeemable person. Just because he's the villain doesn't mean he should be two-dimensional. American Psycho probably does the same. I haven't read or seen that yet.

[@EyeLean5280]

I'm usually bothered by most depictions of violence but JTHM is a smart satire and I really love it.

[@jamoR72]

It's difficult not to identify with Johnny in the story

[@sinnsage]

except it came out at the same time as american psycho lol

[@dioshiba6066]

This is probably why I feel like I can relate to the comic so much. Not nessecarily in the sense that I'm a serial killer but by acknowledging the fact that creativity is a destructive force that pretty much impacts the way people think about the world. Creative folk aren't nessecarily the most relatable people in the world. They don't understand why they're liked so god damn much that the thought of anyone else being like them is detestable.

[@ectofriend]

Really good video. JTHM is one of those pieces of art that I definitely think is about something, but changes every time I revisit it. I usually read it as an exaggerated take on the self destructive tendencies that come from nihilism and self-pity. And the idea that; though we acknowledge that we have a problem (Like Johnny does), we can't really blame anyone but ourselves when we don't fix it, or use it as an excuse for doing horrible things. Johnny blames everyone and everything for his problems besides himself, and feels this is justification for his horrible actions. The comic constantly dismisses this idea and implies Johnny is the cause for his own perpetual suffering. That's why I think Nail-bunny was always trying to persuade Johnny to get help, and telling him he could get better, but Johnny never really felt he deserved it. But in doing so, he just makes life worse for himself and everyone else. He acknowledges he has a problem, but rather than take action, he takes pity on himself, only for it all to continue. Johnny creates his own cycle of unhappiness and spreads it to people around him. That's why the ending is Johnny taking SOME action to try and better himself, he's making an effort to better his life finally. Or at least that's how I've always read it. That's what's beautiful about art, everyone can take away what they feel best fits. JTHM can have a deeper meaning, or it can just be about diarrhea jokes and killing people

[@connorlucier1684]

I think you have some really good insights, here!

[@timmer919hep]

"Have you seen this boy? He is very ugly"

[@treyslider6954]

One of the things I really loved about JTHM was the dialog: It does a great job of capturing that feeling of "madness and genius are two sides of the same coin", with insane points argued with almost-reason and excellent vocabulary, juxtaposed with almost-sane points argued unreasonably in Happy Noodle Boy (the comic-within-a-comic). I definitely got the feeling that JTHM and the sub-comics were all exploring the idea of existentialism and nihilism: Johnny, Noodle-boy and Wobbly-headed Bob are all characters who experience nihilism, and are investing huge effort into trying to get those around them to understand them; Nny debates philosophy with his victims before he kills them. Noodle-boy screams his stream-of-consciousness at anyone who will listen, and Bob spends all his time directly trying to "enlighten" his neighbors. Further, all three can be described as considering themselves smarter than, or just in general better than, the average person on the street. But despite Noodle-Boy and Bob's arguments to the contrary, that higher intelligence does not make them happy. As Johnny constantly points out, knowledge is pain. That's not to say that the comic is arguing knowledge is pain, only that it is the viewpoint the characters experience, and it ties back into how Johnny hates hardcore goths for being just a different brand of hipster: they hold themselves higher because of their supposed pain.

[@kimifw58]

He once described his drawing style as "Mexican." Personally, I see some Tim Burton influence.

[@tsbirthdeath]

That's all it is, is a Tim Burton rip off

[@Problempossum11]

@@tsbirthdeath I don't see it as a Tim Burton ripoff at all. Vasquez style is dark and edgy and fits in more with the other dark indie comic styles of the time. The style actually reminds me more of Carlos Maglia's style in his work on the comic Cybersix which was published just a few years earlier and had more of an impact on Latin America. Tim Burton is arguably an Edward Gorey ripoff and both Burton and Gorey have more of a refined style. They also have a much more mature and graceful approach to themes such as violence and death. Burton feels more old school goth whereas Vasquez feels more industrial which is fitting since the goth scene had taken more of an industrial turn in the 90's. It makes sense that the goth scene during this time had a lot of influence on Vasquez work

[@tsbirthdeath]

@@Problempossum11 Sorry, I'm a professional illustrator and I study these artists far mute than I should, and though JV's art is not 100% identical, it is far more than just an influence from TB. Good on pointing out Gorey though

[@angela.luntian]

mexican cartoons/ists have a particular feel in their art. its really iconic in the cartoonist world but hard to describe. A lot of them look to be inspired by looney toons and hard-outlined hannah barberas but theres a core characteristic to mexican artists that im having a hard time putting into words

[@scottbruckner4653]

Mexican Tim Burton.

[@Dustooned]

Can't believe I missed this episode. The most important graphic novel I've ever read and why I have a career in comics. Thank you so much!

[@wh4teley]

I must have reread that series about a thousand times in high school. I still have my Squee and JTHM trades. My favorite of his works remains "I Feel Sick' because Devi's struggle with depression and the absurdity of the world is something I could relate to in my earlier 20s.

[@franciscov.7535]

The comic was so edgy that it cuts my eyes while reading

[@thatsoneinterestingpfpyago2521]

Wolfgang It was intentional with what it did with it’s style, it was making fun of the whole edgy/goth genre, along with being a social commentary and a pretty good comic in general.

[@psychedlicsouljam1995]

I love this comic. I had it in my backpack and I was brought to a hospital. Let's just say when the psych ward found it... they took it away from me until I was released. 😅

[@Atlastheyote222]

Yeah I’m pretty much obsessed with this comic. It’s been a great influence for my own artistic endeavours. The expressive nature and detail in black and white are something I try to capture in my own style. I recommend

[@cortomaltese5206]

Same

[@KnaveMurdok]

I remember being a young goth geek and loving JTHM a lot. In a way that seriously worried my parents and teachers. I read the graphic novel (that I kept hidden underneath my bed) cover to cover several times and really absorbed the messages. A lot of my fellow nerd friends would insist that the comic was "very deep", but seemed to fail at extrapolating what was deep about it other than "society's fucked, man". Over time, we all grew up and out of our goth phases and either moved on to other comics, or other interests all together, but this particular graphic novel stayed on my shelf for years. I revisited it from time to time, and managed to get something new and interesting out of it each time. It's funny how your mind processes stories and symbolism differently at different times in your life. Anyway, thanks for this analysis! i'm glad to know i'm not the only one who spent a lot of time trying to get a message out of this gore-fest of a book. Makes the time feel less wasted, ya know~? :P

[@faidou9954]

I'm no nihilist or goth, but I loved this comic the 1st time I read it.

[@magicman3163]

Faidou The comic shows how pretentious nihilism and goth is

[@faidou9954]

@@magicman3163 interesting thought.

[@ravendraws4094]

Haven't read the comics but watched a comic dub, I f#$&ing loved it!

[@TheMonkePrince]

Lol Johnny then leaves wherever he is and changes his name to Yoshikage Kira and starts to live his like as he normally would.

[@friendlyastronaut6462]

Umm... I don't recall Johnny having an arm feti.... *click* *Explosion* *Happy David Bowie noises*

[@CameronKujo]

Stryker Technically he’d Change it to Kosaku Kawajiri

[@notaperson1487]

Oh my god... a jojo reference, love you

[@UltimateCarl]

JtHM definitely appeals to a teenage mindset, yeah, and you can tell Jhonen himself was still pretty young when he wrote most of it. NNY doing whatever the hell he wants at any time he wants with absolutely no resistance or repercussions, having some mysterious knowledge about the "wall" and insight into something deeper and darker at play than the most obvious, "culling the unnecessary" generally meaning "people who are rude, value different things from me, or I think are less intelligent than me", considering no one worth your time except one friend and a girl you want to get with, getting to empirically prove that religion (and in particular Christianity) is a farce run by assholes... It's all a combination of the ultimate "misunderstood teen" fantasy - ultimate freedom, knowing you have all the answers and know better than anyone else, being certain that you're special and better than 'normal' people, justifying your own problems or shortcomings by insisting that the problem is actually with the WORLD and not you, and that you don't need other people (until you do because you want to shag that cute girl you met, so now you can use that same loneliness for sympathy points instead of cool edgy points)... I say all of that from personal experience, and it's why it definitely appealed to me during middle/high school. There's definitely more substance there than just "zany violence for the sake of zany violence", but looking back at it now all I can see is a reflection of my angsty brooding self made manifest on a comic page and it's frankly a bit embarrassing. I recall the foreword letters from Jhonen at the beginning of the reprints really reinforcing that on a reread. Not to mention there's some dangerous ideas here, like the whole "there's too many people and they're all assholes, so serial killers are heroes for thinning the herd of useless sheep" thing in Hell. Or how NNY is portrayed somewhat sympathetically in what is clearly an abusive relationship with Devi - at least that's how my fellow irritable goth babies back then saw it, viewing their relationship as a twisted sort of ideal the same way some people treat Joker/Harley today. I'm just glad I managed to get over all that shit by the time I graduated, and thankfully it seems like Jhonen largely has these days as well.

[@Sewblon]

Interesting interpretation. But I think that you are off-base in some places: 1. Johnny doesn't want to have sex with Devi. He had a chance, and decided not to. He doesn't like being touched. 2. Johnny isn't in on something that the rest of us are not. He has no idea what purpose the wall of blood served until after he died and went to hell. In the I Feel Sick spin off books, Its revealed, or at least strongly implied, that the Devil was lying to Johnny about what purpose he served. So Johnny never knew what purpose his killings served. 3. Johnny did encounter resistance to some of his desires, Devi beat him into unconsciousness when he tried to kill her. He tried and failed to kill himself at least once, twice if you count the time he died and then came back. 4. This is the most important part. If you read the I Feel Sick spin off books. Its implied that the only reason that Johnny was able to get away with killing people was that the Devil was protecting him while he fed off of Johnny's creativity to birth his children, and Johnny's creativity being stolen was what made him so miserable in the first place. There is definitely an element of wish fulfillment in Johnny's violence. But Johnny is not depicted as better than the rest of humanity. He is a fool. He gets away with his crimes not because of himself. But in spite of himself.

[@themadhattress5008]

Yeah, it's definitely a sort of immature, adolescent comic when you think about it. The characters, the story, and the plot are all engaging enough, but if Vasquez needed to vent, JTHM was probably the best way to do it. By the time he got to work on Invader Zim, he seemed to have gotten most of that angst out of his system. Either that or it was just a downhill battle trying to fight Nickelodeon's censors - which I'd argue he put up a very good fight against, and even managed to push boundaries, no matter how tame Invader Zim was in comparison to JTHM.

[@UltimateCarl]

@@Sewblon I never read any of the spinoffs, so that's cool. Were those written around the same time or later? I'm curious if he actually had those plot-points in mind at the time or just kinda' came up with stuff later as justification. And I know NNY doesn't actually wanna bone Devi, heh, but he definitely had genuine romantic interest in her. I was kinda' just relating it to my own angsty teenage self who most certainly *did* still want to get laid. I guess the rest was me misremembering stuff - I first read the comics when they were new, so that was over 20 years ago, and the last time I looked through it was at least 7 or 8. Thanks for the clarification!

[@UltimateCarl]

@@themadhattress5008 Zim is definitely much more my speed when it comes to dark humor, yeah. It's still bleak and has a radically low opinion of the average human being, but it's done in a much more palatable, playful tone and has many more moments of "yeah, life sucks, but if you stick it out and pay attention then occasionally cool stuff happens too". I think there's definitely an element of self-therapy for Jhonen in JtHM (again, the forewords of the reprints seemed to imply that if I'm remembering correctly).

[@Sewblon]

@@UltimateCarl If wikipedia is to be believed. Jhonen started JTHM in 1995 and started the spin off books in 1997. I haven't the faintest idea if he had those plot-points in mind during JTHM's run or if he came up with them later. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jhonen_Vasquez#Comics

[@HunterLyonIsAPerson]

Nailbunny asked me to like this video.

[@Spthomas47]

I figured it was Angry Noodle-Boy.

[@architeuthis3476]

I always thought Nailbunny and Fillerbunny should have a team-up

[@Saintdraconis]

I am glad your talking about this and not just deminish it to teen edgy gore fantasy as many people seem to like to do, i believe the comic is interesting and has more deep than people like to give it credit for.

[@guyshafor1320]

This guy Johnny who is a homicidal maniac, duh. Also the alienation and isolation you feel when yer a spooky goth kid, but also a big goof. Final verdict: It's whacky.

[@angela.luntian]

I HATE THAT WORD!!! WACKY?!?

[@vallisdaemonumofficial]

@@angela.luntian Zany?

[@ClarenceDass]

Whoa dude. This comic was my jam back in the day. I still have the collected edition along Vasquez's other book Squee. This went perfect with my young angst back in the day lol. And it's just pure satire I think and a commentary on the times. It's actually the first book I ever ordered online, way back in like 2003. Which was big for me in Fiji, because most places didn't deliver to us back then. I loved how raw it was. And I used to laugh so hard at it. It even got me into drawing comics, because it made the medium accessible for me. It made me realize that I didn't have to draw like Kirby or Write something profound like Moore; you just make a comic. There a bit that even makes fun of the Liefeld 90s comic style.

[@elmoisred616]

Johnny the homicidal maniac is so underrated omf. It was literally what brought me into comics as a teen along with spawn and other late 90s grit

[@failedsocialexperiment2382]

I found the comics of ‘team fortress’ and ‘the mask’ a dark horse series (that had got adopted as a film almost 10 years later) introduced me in to enjoying comics here an there when I see something of my interest

[@ischeele7203]

It'd be so funny if Vasquez did a sequel where Johnny doesn't intentionally kill anybody.

[@magnoliamagpie1151]

I remember stumbling onto the comic during a depressive phase in my early teen years. It really spoke to me in a rough time in my life when I became suicidal. It expressed what I couldn't in an abusive situation I was living in. I was obsessed with the idea of death and suicide. I rarely slept because my dreams were filled with nightmares reliving abuse. It ended up being part of the reason I chose not to commit suicide. It gave me a dark sense of humor that helped me move past my trauma. It also showed me that death wasn't as glorious as I had idolized it to be. I hold the comic in high regard and own all the comics.

[@aubrey5577]

Death definitely not glory it's an end to it It's also not pretty considering which way you go out

[@horrorhistory7342]

Yeah I got this comic when I was 13, a depressed, anxiety ridden, neurodivergent, disabled, just coming out of an abusive relationship trans kid. I was in such a bad place and JTHM really helped me. I still love the comics now, eight years later.

[@TheEarnestinberlin]

FINALLY SOMEONE TALKS ABOUT THIS COMIC

[@JogVodka]

I like how goths like this comic even tho the comic makes fun of them

[@elbruces]

Nobody hates goths more than goths.

[@ReaLibro]

Especially since if you look at Nny and Devi's clothes. Closer to what punkers wore at the time it was published. So goths liking it always made me laugh.

[@CinnamonGrrlErin1]

I'm so glad my parents never censored my reading material (although i doubt they even knew comics like this existed). Watching your video now, it occurs to me that JTHM could also be a metaphor for social anxiety, ocd, etc., and I think that's probably why I read it over and over again (it certainly wasn't for the violence)

[@PerkinsVR]

i remember bringing this comic to school a couple times as a kid, and raising red flags all over the place with the faculty.

[@looshkin66]

I love everything Johnen Vasquez has done. J.T.H.M., Filler bunny, squee, I feel sick, the b.a.d.art book and of course Zim. Aaron alexovicth worked on the animation side of zim but has a comic of his own called Serenity Rose....you wont regret it. Also, Roman Dirge and Jamie Smart are different in that special way that made Johnny endearing to me.

[@mistwolf]

Me early in vid: I wonder if he inspired Zim. Shortly: Even better!

[@redlightning6243]

I really love everytime Johnny saves Sqee. It's just adorable!

[@josesagastumesagas1860]

The energy of the channel is so good,Chris always give me good vibes. This channel brights my Sundays.

[@mattl.6272]

Despite spending an ungodly amount of time watching content on KZbin, I never comment on videos. However, I couldn’t help myself this time. I’ve been watching your channel for about a year now and I just wanted to say thank you for all of the great content you produce. You exude positivity and enthusiasm in everything you put out (even when covering dark material like Johnny) and I’ve grown to really appreciate your perspective on different comic runs. Keep up the great work! Shoot, I’ll even throw in a thumbs up for good measure :)

[@Pleasestoptalkingthanks]

Jokes aside, I just realized how influential JV’s work has been on my own style. Many of my characters often have a dualistic/Id approach to their psychology. Its very fascinating how artists appropriate and build off each other’s styles. I guess what I’m trying to say is, Thanks JV. You done good 👌🏻

[@drphdrain]

Fun to see you talking about a book I have such fond memories of. I wasn't a goth or anything (not that I have anything against it, it just wasn't in my pool of interests), but I really enjoyed the dark humor. Nny's method of checking the crispiness of his lettuce. The unexpected, winding path to punchlines. Then there are lines like "SOMEONE PUT SHIT IN MY PANTS!" that have stuck with me since I stumbled on the book in my early 20's. At 36, I still find the book charming in its own way, but I definitely agree that it resonates more with youth.

[@ShinbrigTV]

Yeah, I probably made a mistake reading this comic in my 20's than in my teens. I whole heartily agree that this is very much made for a younger audience.

[@WolfWiz99]

It is my actual irl goal to create a disturbing horror/comedy comic, then use it as a diving board to develop a graphic novel/ animated series using self inserts of my friends, as Jhonen did.

[@isabellap.364]

My belief is that Johnny's delusions are 1) contagious, and 2) progressive in that they become real, even to other people, the more that you indulge in them. It's like a disease. A sickness, as Devi calls it. Squee begins to become delusional just like Nny in his spin-off, with visions of giant bugs in his pillow (directly after watching a documentary on bed bugs, heavily implying it's manifested because of his anxieties) and Devi gains Sickness, a stressful manifestation of her creativity. I think it all has to do with personal stresses in how the sickness manifests. Also interesting how Nny (formerly) and Devi are both artists. Even Squee shows his own creativity, difference from a society full of very same-minded and indistinguishable characters, when he's in class and disagrees with his teacher. I believe it's a one big commentary on creative minds with a supernatural twist. Everyone who Johnny interacts with and doesn't kill get a similar condition to his own.

[@keenanmccarty9925]

I always want the creators to leave a comment on your vids or something responding to your insightful commentary!

[@Biomechanic2010]

I bought this in highschool and read through it a few times. I ultimately shared it, then they shared it, and so on. Like 15 people I didn't even know read my copy before I got it back

[@ThejollyFrenchman]

I like the way JTHM makes fun of self important "dark" comics that claim to be deep, but in reality have little to offer besides shock value.

[@architeuthis3476]

I loved _Johnny_ when I was in highschool, then I tried reading it again about a year ago. The main feature isn't as great as I remember but _Happy Noodle Boy_ and _Squee_ are still good, and some of the _Meanwhile_ strips are hysterically funny.

[@bloodycoffee9293]

Jthm was good, but my favorite was the spinoff I feel Sick. Devi was the best and you can tell it's a bit more refined with a clear criticism of how the media treats artists.

[@RothurThePaladin]

This comic series will always be on my shelf. Be it good or bad.

[@charliebean2450]

I just bought this a few days ago. Amazing artwork from an amazing artist and the stories aren't bad either! I'll be buying "Squee!" and "I Feel Sick" as well!

[@BackAlleyArtist]

I was about ehh...13-16 when i read it and fell in love with the comic. I always loved Invader Zim and Jhonen's older works. (Mostly because i love simplicity and dark humor) I plan on getting a physical copy of the comic instead of reading the same panel online over and over again. As an almost 20 year old i can understand the book being about Jhonen and the media being well...the media. Because as an artist you get stuck trying to please people by their demand instead of just trying to please yourself (dont take that outta context) with creating something for yourself.

[@verbena208]

Thanks Chris, your recommendations have led me to a lot of new favorites in my comic collection.

[@A-1-Sawce]

I went to high school with Jhonen. Kinda strange guy but cool. He'd draw shit in our school paper, really wish I kept some of those lol.

[@Pleasestoptalkingthanks]

JtHM feels like a spoofier, older version of the Joker movie. A lot of social commentary masked behind black comedy and some genuinely disconcerting issues about mental wellness and such. ...Nevermind, blah blah “it dont mean nothing, art stupid and stinky and me no likey thinky”

[@DarrickPatrick]

My daughters are teenagers now. With their maturity levels, I figured they're old enough to check out the first issue of JTHM. I read it to them, and they both enjoyed the dark humor. They especially dug the Jhonen Vasquez artwork. However, Nola surprised both of us by being moved to tears over the single-panel Nailbunny origin. She just thought a little too deep about that one.

[@罪のアリス]

JTHM, to this day, is one of my favorite comics. I've always been a fan of dark humor and this gets me laughing without fail.

[@matadorqueen8982]

God it’s been years since I read this book it was one of my fav comics when I was a teenager And I love the art in it

[@kaylemathewcomendador7614]

That comic sure sounds nuts, just like how Jhonen usually wants Zim to be. Still surprising that he found a way to make a show for Nickelodeon. That was neat info you got out there.

[@EmisoraRadioPatio]

Excellent analysis. I read this comic ages ago but I didn’t perceive the subtext as you did. Thanks for your enlightening take.

[@discoviolenza1984]

I really loved this comic when I was young, now I want to reread it to see how it holds up.

[@erikgilson1687]

I found out about JTHM when I was 15 in 2013, and never watched Invader Zim cause I didn’t know it was the same dude til my early 20s. I feel like they actually fit those stages of my life better finding them that way tbh

[@Sewblon]

When I was a teenager, I bought the trade paperback of this book and literally read it till it fell apart. Now I feel compelled to go see if it holds up as an adult.

[@kimifw58]

Mine fell apart too. I don't think it's put together well. My trade of Squee! did the same.

[@Sewblon]

@@kimifw58 Those cheapskates at SLG need to be put in Johnny's dungeon for the shoddy production of their books.

[@JohnnyTsunami54]

I remember my friends older sister read these… I was like 7 years old and found a comic and began to read. It was insane to read that at that age! I was so infatuated with the artwork. My buddies sister was full on gothic and I found it really cool. Never grew up to be into that stuff but found it interesting some people worship that type of stuff.

[@naturesquad9174]

On the creative process note, I Feel Sick is more explicitly about that

[@RedDragonM1]

I was introduced to this comic by a former co-worker of mine when I was working at Toys R Us. Rose Marie, a goth girl who worked at the store told me about it.

[@kimifw58]

OH, BOY! One of my favorite comic reviewers is finally talking about this!

[@stopgenduh1690]

Your intro brings me more joy than I thought I had

[@themadhattress5008]

I never thought I'd hear you talk about Johnny the Homicidal Maniac! It's probably one of my favourite comics and it's definitely an interesting one. When I first read it, I considered Johnny some sort of analogue for Vasquez himself, but didn't see any point in deep-diving into the subject. Regardless, I love how this comic gives subtle critiques and whatnot towards several aspects of society. One thing that really struck me, though, was how the comic pokes fun at goths and goth subculture, albeit never too frequently. It's either fitting or ironic since those within the subculture have tended to be the biggest consumers of JTHM. Let's just say Vasquez certainly knew his audience! By the by, if you want darker comics/graphic novels to read or review surrounding the goth subculture in some regard or another, I invite you to check out Wet Moon, Serenity Rose, and Writhe and Shine (the latter of which is actually an online comic). All of these do pertain to goth in some way, like I said, but they don't quite mock the community in the way JTHM does. At any rate, this is probably my most favourite video you've done so far. Keep up the good work! Glad I subscribed to your channel when I did!

[@magencrisis1682]

Even if the excessive violence is far from being my cup of tea, I find the narrative about Johnny being a frustrated artist very interesting. I believe it was Kafka who said "a writer who doesn't write is a monster courting insanity"

[@ghoulking7616]

I’ve been on a Comictropes, Godzillamendoza, and AT4W binge. Keep up the good work!

[@AL-ws5yi]

I never got into Invader Zim but you can see the influence of Johnny the Homicidal Maniac in that show.

[@ItsJustMe0585]

Hmm... When I read this as a kid, I kinda saw it like Dexter today. A dark narrative about obsession and the human condition. Johnny is no different than his victims. But now as an adult artist working in AAA game development, your analysis definately resonates differently, and personally. The shallow games our fans want us to create, the publishers that stiffles our creativity for safe dollars, and a desire to escape to let our juices flow and the fear of such a great, but logical risk.

[@hyperionofhyperness1883]

i mean, both are actually valid.

[@GotoMaki4Micah]

im not into comics but i love jthm. it was literally read to me by a cute goth guy when i was over at his house when i was younger. he also showed me the christmas episode of invader zim. they have been some of my very favorite things since.

[@alfredobettini4978]

I read this yesterday and was like “Chris should totally make a video about this”

[@truefanforum3273]

Expect Bettini That was either good timing, a coincidence, or your psychic.

[@Beantoon]

Jhonen and I were both published by SLG in the 90's and I gotta say, without his popularity (and corresponding sales), my book (and others) probably wouldn't have seen the light of day.

[@nomadicvaquero2791]

Ngl I wanna read this comic since I'm interested in it and because of the art work.

[@bmwkmx1]

Nice digging up the oldies. Never knew anyone else read this, however seeing that the creator had moved onto bigger things. Good on you.

[@davismma125]

Loved Johnny while I was in school, along with Dog Welder. Was not sure why but loved drawing them and happy noodle boy.

[@ClockworkWyrm]

Great review and analysis as always, thanks for taking on this book! As an artist I remember feeling and thinking a lot of what you're talking about the first few times I read JTHM. Like Edward Scissorhands for Tim Burton it seemed pretty clear to me that Johnny was a surrogate for Jhonen, ranting and raving for his creator.

[@dabilboblakkins732]

Screams in Gir voice

[@EyeLean5280]

My boyfriend at the time didn't want to show me his copy of JTHM because I'm not crazy about horror and had a lot of strong feelings against exploitation entertainment. But I read it anyway and I really, really loved it. It's filled with cultural satire and is one of the most creative and intelligent comics I've ever seen, right up there with the greats like Lynd Ward and Art Speigelman.