History ComicBook / JohnnyTheHomicidalManiac

* BringMyBrownPants: A convenience store clerk who Johnny decides to rope into a murder-suicide attempt soils himself in fear when Johnny threatens him with a gun. [[KickTheDog Johnny mocks him for it]], ||blows his brains out, fails to blow his own brains out, then leaves.||

* DyingAlone: Johnny attempts a murder-suicide to avert this trope. [[ContractualImmortality It doesn't work]].
** Well, the ''suicide'' doesn't. The murder part works just fine.
* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The series lacks the futuristic CyberPunk elements that would come to typify the Jhonenverse, with the small exception of some of the more inventive devices in Nny's (implied to be supernaturally created) TortureCellar. This may be the result of the universe that got "reinstalled" after Issue 6 being slightly different from the previous one.

Recently, there has been [[http://spinoff.comicbookresources.com/2013/03/03/eccc-vasquez-mahfood-bring-their-comics-to-life-with-titmouse/ talk of maybe a movie]]. Diablo only knows what will happen if it goes through, but at least it would be animated.

Beginning as a segment in the art journal magazine ''Carpe Noctem'', it later spawned a reasonably successful seven-book series, giving Vasquez a modicum of fame in the underground comic world. All seven books would later be compiled and reprinted as ''[=JtHM=]: The Director's Cut''. There were also a number of spin-offs, including ''ComicBook/{{Squee}}'', a four-book series which later was also collected and reprinted with filler from all eleven books in a separate section; ''ComicBook/IFeelSick'', which starred Johnny's ex-girlfriend and almost-victim Devi; and ''Fillerbunny'', a [[StylisticSuck deliberately half-assed]] trio of books spun off from some ''Squee'' filler.

Six years before ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'', artist Creator/JhonenVasquez unleashed his unique brand of BlackComedy and over-the-top nihilism in his very first comic series, ''Johny, The Homicidal Maniac''.

A series of comic books by Creator/JhonenVasquez, [[HeAlsoDid the guy who did]] ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim''. Johnny (Nny for short) is a serial killer with various psychological disorders who does bizarre and often nasty things to bizarre and often nasty people. He often has long, serious, intellectual monologues about the state of society, only to end them with non-sequiturs like "Tuesday is UFO day." When not doing that, Nny likes to draw a comic strip about a deranged, foul-mouthed stick figure named "Happy Noodle Boy." His only friends (if you can call them that) are Todd "Squee" Casil, the meek kid next door whom he unintentionally scares shitless, and Nailbunny, a dead rabbit nailed to the wall who is actually Nny's voice of ''reason''.

It started as a series of comics in the magazine ''Carpe Noctem'', and later spawned a seven-book series, later compiled and reprinted as ''[=JtHM=]: The Director's Cut''. Related spin-offs included ''ComicBook/{{Squee}}'', a four-book series which later was also collected and reprinted with filler from all eleven books in a separate section; ''ComicBook/IFeelSick'', which starred Johnny's ex-girlfriend and almost-victim Devi; and ''Fillerbunny'', a [[StylisticSuck deliberately half-assed]] trio of books spun off from some ''Squee'' filler.

* {{Adorkable}}: Johnny. No, [[NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer seriously]]. When he's happily dating Devi, you wouldn't even recognize him.

'''Nny:''' ''w[ielding pipe]'' Todd? I liked 'Squee' better.

* AllJustADream: After [[spoiler: Johnny's suicide and trip to Hell]], Johnny contemplates whether or not it was all just a dream. After all, the [[spoiler:universe ending with his death and being rebuilt with his resurrection]]? Moving Doughboys? A couple of escaped victims roaming his increasingly-labyrinthine house until they encounter and beat the snot from him? Said victims appearing free, without memory, and unharmed after he wakes up? Sure, he knows he's insane, but he knows he's not insane enough to believe ''that''. (Now all he has to wonder about is how Devi heard a Doughboy screaming loudly over the phone...)

* AnyoneCanDie: Naturally, given the title of the comic, it's inevitable that quite a few people would end up killed even when their deaths are not easy to anticipate. [[spoiler: Even the [[InvincibleVillain supposedly invincible]] [[LunaticLoophole homicidal maniac]]]].

-->'''Victim 1:''' Oh dear God!
-->'''Victim 2:''' My eyes!! I can't see my eyes!
-->'''Victim 3:''' Aaagh!
-->'''Victim 4:''' Noooo!
-->'''Victim 5:''' Eeek!
-->'''Victim 6:''' Somebodeee! ''Pull this churrito out of my ass!''

-->'''[[https://twitter.com/johnny_c Johnny]]''': "A man can only take so much, and being tied up and made to wear your gutted infant as a hat goes way past that. [[CrossesTheLineTwice Still, he looked ADORABLE]]."

--> "Parents, don't get upset - it's a fake brain. A gelatin mixture was poured into a brain shaped mold. We then filled it with the blood of a homeless man. No one will miss him."

%%* BiggerBad: [[spoiler: the Moose]]

-->'''Squee:''' Todd.
-->[[spoiler:'''Pedophile:''']] Why'd you tell me your name? I didn't want to know your name!
-->''([[spoiler:Pedophile]] gets his head caved in with a pipe.)''
-->'''Nny:''' (''wielding pipe'') Todd? I liked 'Squee' better.

-->"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. [[spoiler:--(Written on the wall in blood before everything went black)]]"
%%* CosmicHorrorStory

--> '''Squee:''' No, you're wrong, Shmee. They aren't bad people. They love me. They don't really mean it when they tell me to get kidnapped.

%%* DadaComics: Happy Noodle Boy.
%%* DeathIsCheap: If you happen to be [[spoiler: a Flusher. Yes, [[LunaticLoophole Johnny]], this means [[KarmaHoudini you]].]]

-->'''{{Satan}}''': God, I love that word -- '''doom!'''

-->'''Nny''': Yes, yes, I'm the one that's been killing all those people. But I'm also the creative force behind [[DadaComic Happy Noodle Boy]], so forgive me and shut up.

%%* ExpressiveShirt: Just about every panel.

%%* FunnyBackgroundEvent: Many.

%%* TheHeartless: [[spoiler:The Moose.]]
* TheHedonist: Reverend Meat wants Johnny to give into emotion and his own body's wants. Johnny, [[spoiler: seeking freedom from everything, including his own body]], is less than receptive.

* HopeSpot: Occasional; [[OneSceneWonder Edgar Vargas]] (Nny kills him anyway), [[AlmostKiss The Date]] (until Nny tries to [[MomentKiller kill Devi]]), Nny's ShutUpHannibal moment to [[spoiler: The Doughboys (he finally dies by accident)]], Nny coming back from [[spoiler: Hell, in control ([[StatusQuoIsGod and still crazy]])]], and [[Creator/JhonenVasquez so on]].

%%* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy
* IdentityAmnesia: The more Nny questions the [[SanitySlippage situation]] and MotiveDecay, the more he mentions remembering [[MysteriousPast barely any of his past]] [[spoiler: to the point of wondering how he came to be in the house in the first place]]. It turns out to have been caused by [[spoiler:the Doughboys and Wall Monster holding MoreThanMindControl over him, but even with them gone, his memories don't return]].
* ImportantHaircut: Nny either sleep-shaved himself during a stupid dream, or it burned off when he [[spoiler: went to Hell]]. Either way, he's left with two Hair Antennae and the meager trade-off of [[spoiler:freedom and semi-sanity]].

-->'''Nny''': I'll show you wacky! ''I'll show you wackeeeeee!''

%%* KickChick: Devi.

%%* LonersAreFreaks: Johnny, Devi, and Squee.

%%* LoonyFan: Jimmy.

%%* {{Manipulative Bastard}}s: [[spoiler: The Doughboys.]]
%%* MindScrew: Plenty, though given that it's a Vasquez work, it's not entirely unexpected.

* MoreThanMindControl: The Doughboys seem to have this over Johnny, through the wall-monster. Helped by the fact that the duo ''used'' to be part of him and have been slowly invoking IdentityAmnesia. [[spoiler: It takes Johnny a good helping of VillainousValour to fight back.]]

* MysteriousPast: Nny. As in, [[IdentityAmnesia even Nny doesn't know it]]. [[spoiler: Which makes it easier for the [[ManipulativeBastard Doughboys]] to do their [[MoreThanMindControl thing]].]]

* ShootTheShaggyDog: Don't worry. [[spoiler: [[DeathIsCheap We get Johnny back.]]]]

** In the bookstore, there is a stack of several books by Creator/HPLovecraft. [[spoiler: This foreshadows the appearance of an EldritchAbomination.]]
** [[spoiler: One of the EldritchAbomination's heads looks like [[ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}} Snoopy]].]]

-->'''Nny:''' No, mine is a penetration beyond the veil of the flesh.
-->'''Tess:''' ''[[Film/TheFly1986 The Fly]]''?
-->'''Nny:''' What?
-->'''Tess:''' You're quoting ''The Fly''?
-->'''Nny:''' Sure, why not?

** Nny himself to [[spoiler: the Doughboys]], once he gets an idea of [[ManipulativeBastard what they've been up to]].
-->'''Nny''': I want out of this. Nailbunny stopped talking yesterday - I know you know why. You've stolen too much of me... I'm through with being used.

%%* SomeoneHasToDoIt: The whole business with waste-locks and flushers.
* SomethingCompletelyDifferent: Halfway into the series, There are strips excusively starring ''Anne Gwish''. Although it is heavily implied to take place in the same universe as ''JTHM'', it's irrelevant to the main plot.

* {{Squee}}: Todd makes this sound when he's scared, leading Johnny (being [[AxCrazy Johnny]]) to actually think that his name was 'Squee'. Johnny also has a Squee moment when [[spoiler: after he's informed in Heaven that, while there, he can blow up a person's head by thinking about it.]]

* StatusQuoIsGod: No matter what, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Johnny will be a homicidal maniac]]. He can have a LoveInterest, a MoralityPet, or a HeelRealization, and still be a homicidal maniac. He can [[spoiler: [[UpToEleven die, visit Hell, and come back with control of his own mind]]]] and still be a homicidal maniac. ([[PlayingWithTropes Albeit]] [[spoiler: less of one, but he still ''shot'' a "Kick Me" sign into some guy's back.]])

* SympatheticMurderer: Though by rights he shouldn't be, especially starting out. ([[spoiler: Then we learn about [[ManipulativeBastard The Doughboys]], [[PoisonousCaptive The Moose]], their collective MoreThanMindControl]]... but he's still killed countless people, ForTheEvulz at least as often as a response to {{Asshole Victim}}s, and this doesn't exactly stop.) Vasquez himself has been rather {{Squick}}ed by [[FanDumb fan]] [[UnpopularPopularCharacter responses]].

-->'''Nny''': '''YOU STINK!''' Focusing on the mundane! Money! Fashion! ''Cream cheese!'' YOU'RE IN HELL AND YOU'RE TOO STUPID TO KNOW IT!

* TranquilFury: Nny's major reaction to [[FanDumb "Mmy."]] Justified by how [[EvenEvilHasStandards horrified]] he was, along with the [[spoiler: somewhat return of his sanity]], but it was as terrifying a sight as an awesome one.

-->Johnny: ''[[LampshadeHanging I’m the villain in this]]'' ''[[PrecisionFStrike fucking]]'' ''[[LampshadeHanging story!!]]''

* WhamEpisode: The one where [[spoiler: Johnny actually]] [[AnyoneCanDie dies]].

-->'''Guide:''' No! No! Stop! STOP! You'll ruin everything!
-->'''[[spoiler:Johnny:]]''' My God! Are you kidding!? I've always dreamed of having super powers! This is just too much to resist! '''''[[NoIndoorVoice I have head-explody!]]'''''

* AFormYouAreComfortableWith: Inverted. The devil assumes the form [[HotAsHell of a cheerleader]] because it's one of the things Johnny despises.

-->Johnny: ''I’m the villain in this fucking story!!''
%%* VillainousValour: Johnny [[EvilVersusEvil against]] the Doughboys.

* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil: Nny tortures people for the fun of it, and because he feels he has to. Finds the suffering of the ones he is killing something pleasuring and incredible... yet, he is highly disgusted with the idea of raping his victims before killing them. However, this seems to be less because Nny is morally opposed to it and more because he finds the idea [[HatesBeingTouched repulsive]]. He even says that this standard doesn't grant him any absolution.

* PoliceAreUseless: Of course, competence from ''anyone'' in a Jhonen Vasquez work might be expecting too much. The police are no different.

* {{Pollyanna}}: Squee, on his better days, comes off as unrealistically optimistic in spite of the troubles he goes through.

* RantInducingSlight: Johnny has a major HairTriggerTemper; ''anything'', up to and including using the word 'wacky' in his presence, can set him off.

* MundaneAfterlife: Heaven is... people sitting in chairs. Hell is... living with all the people who go to Hell and living with the reason you went to Hell in the first place. There are actually good reasons behind this. In Heaven, the people there are truly happy, entirely contented, and thus lack the desires of living people, who spend their lives looking for happiness. Hell's pretty self-explanatory. Even Nny says that are least in life there are some nice people mixed in with all the jackasses.

* HairAntennae: Apparently hair loss is a side effect of [[spoiler:being rejected from Hell and returned to life]].

* BigBrotherMentor: Johnny tries to help Squee more than the his parents, anyway. Then again, [[ComicBook/{{Squee}} so does the Antichrist]].

* AbusiveParents: While Squee's mother simply doesn't care about him one bit, his father actively despises him and blames him for ruining his life. Apparently, they also tell him to get kidnapped.

** [[spoiler: One of the EldritchAbomination's heads looks like [[{{Peanuts}} Snoopy]].]]

->''"Dear Diary. Today I stuffed some dolls full of dead rats I put in the blender. I'm beginning to wonder if, maybe, there really '''is''' something wrong with me."''