TVTropes Now available in the app store!
Open

Follow TV Tropes

Following

Johnny the Homicidal Maniac

Go To

Technokinetic Samwise Gamzee Since: Feb, 2011
Samwise Gamzee
#1: Feb 27th 2011 at 6:03:46 PM

Basically, I have come to beleive that nobody here reads JTHM and I am deeply offended by that!

I dream on derse, bitches.
rbx5 Rbx5 Since: Jan, 2001
Rbx5
#2: Feb 27th 2011 at 6:43:46 PM

Well, it's got a page with a fair amount of substance last I checked, so I wouldn't say that. Besides, I've read it :) And thought it was shit, but still :P

I'll turn your neocortex into a flowerpot!
LizardBite Shameless Self-Promoter from Two Galaxies Over Since: Jan, 2001
#3: Feb 27th 2011 at 6:55:54 PM

My favorite moment from this comic will always be "I DID NOT DRINK HER BLOOD!" Followed closely by "Hey! I'm BLISSING over here!" *BOOM!*

Tongpu Since: Jan, 2001
#4: Feb 27th 2011 at 7:12:43 PM

I've read it. But I don't think I really 'got' it. I picked it up back in the 90s, knowing nothing about it beyond the title, because I like serial killers and Villain Protagonists. It was okay, but not something I've felt a desire to reread. I'm not a fan of the art style, or black and white comics in general. Or angsty, self-hating villains. Or the trope Even Evil Has Standards.

Tyoria Since: Jul, 2009
#5: Feb 28th 2011 at 5:26:48 AM

I've read it, but I'm not sure I have anything meaningful to say about it? Random observation: one of the rants Psycho-Doughboy gives Nny to induce him to suicide is familiar to me in a somewhat eerie way as a voice I've had in my own head when I've been at my lowest. Just not, you know, as a literal disembodied voice. For that matter, the whole scene where he holds off on killing himself because the funny commercial comes on and distracts him is kind of true to life too. You can be suicidally depressed and lurch from mindless pleasure to mindless pleasure like that. It's not a romantic or sympathetic look at it, but it's there.

I've noticed a lot of people claim all Nny's victims were assholes except for Edgar Vargas, which perplexes me. It's not borne out by the comic itself at all. He targets assholes specifically, but he doesn't care about collateral damage, and he'll kill anyone if he's in a mood.

Technokinetic Samwise Gamzee Since: Feb, 2011
Samwise Gamzee
#6: Feb 28th 2011 at 11:58:03 AM

Yeah, I mostly started reading JTHM when I was getting really into Jhonen Vasquez's work. I, in my opinion think he is one of the best Producers ever! For instance, He also made Squee's Big Book of Unspeakable Horrors.

I dream on derse, bitches.
punchy Since: Jun, 2016 Relationship Status: Browsing the selection
#7: Feb 28th 2011 at 8:15:57 PM

It starts off as a pretty shitty revenge fantasy, but gets better around the time Devi shows up.

VampireBuddha Calendar enthusiast from Ireland (Wise, aged troper) Relationship Status: Complex: I'm real, they are imaginary
Calendar enthusiast
#8: Mar 1st 2011 at 8:49:38 AM

I've read it twice - the first time when my friend lent me his copy, and again several years later when I got it for myself.

The first time I read it, I thought "This is awesome!" The second time, the biggest thing I noticed was that Vasquez is a lousy speller; he kept mixing up there and their, and misusing apostrophes.

Squee is better.

Ukrainian Red Cross
Schitzo HIGH IMPACT SEXUAL VIOLENCE from Akumajou Dracula Since: May, 2009 Relationship Status: LA Woman, you're my woman
HIGH IMPACT SEXUAL VIOLENCE
#9: Mar 2nd 2011 at 2:19:28 PM

Yeah, I love this comic to death. Though Nny's wangst can and will get grating.

ALL CREATURE WILL DIE AND ALL THE THINGS WILL BE BROKEN. THAT'S THE LAW OF SAMURAI.
chocoboxxx Since: Dec, 1969
#10: Mar 2nd 2011 at 2:36:55 PM

Why are you pretending this is some obscure underground comic? Nobody reads it except for everybody who shops at Hot Topic and is as wangsty as the main character. In fact ask any of the Invader Zim tartlets about Vasquez and JTHM will be the first thing they mention.

I kinda liked it, but it never really completely clicked for me, I guess I'm not the right subculture and age group.

punchy Since: Jun, 2016 Relationship Status: Browsing the selection
#11: Mar 2nd 2011 at 4:56:16 PM

[up][up] & [up]

I always thought Nny's wangst was intentional, to show how shallow and self-absorbed he really is. He thinks he's this deep, suffering soul, but the reality is he's just too conceited to care about anyone else.

That's what I always got from Devi calling him out and the "Oh no! He's slipped into whiny teen mode!"

Technokinetic Samwise Gamzee Since: Feb, 2011
Samwise Gamzee
#12: Mar 4th 2011 at 7:22:24 PM

[up][up]Actually, nowadays most people don't know about Invader Zim. And the ones that do Barely even know who Jhonen Vasquez is! And the ones that do know who he is only know him from Invader Zim. I only know one person who knows about JTHM besides me and some guy in the movies who said, "JTHM... great book." and thats it. Not to be mean but they also don't sell the comics at Hot Topic, well, at least not where I'm from, and some people wear Gir T-shirts and don't even know what Invader Zim is! So technically its not an "underground comic" its just that barely anyone knows what it is. Like I bet most people here don't know that Jhonen Vasquez directed the music video for Shut me up.

I dream on derse, bitches.
mmysqueeant I'm A Dirty Cowboy from Essairrrrcks Since: Oct, 2010
I'm A Dirty Cowboy
#13: Mar 5th 2011 at 1:12:53 PM

Why are you pretending this is some obscure underground comic?

I think the comic is pretty mainstream. That was a whole sentence in you got.

Nobody reads it except for everybody who shops at Hot Topic and is as wangsty as the main character.

I find the comic funny. I've never been (tempted to go near) to Hot Topic. Or a store that is remotely like Hot Topic. The comic pokes fun at this exact archetype.

In fact ask any of the Invader Zim tartlets about Vasquez and JTHM will be the first thing they mention.

I've seen some Invader Zim episodes recently, they're quite good kids' cartoons and kids' T.V. could do with more stuff like that.

I kinda liked it, but it never really completely clicked for me, I guess I'm not the right subculture and age group.

-eyes move to Pokemon avatar- Yeah, I bet.

Zeromaeus Since: May, 2010
#14: Mar 7th 2011 at 10:10:12 PM

A good read the first time through. I like what I Feel Sick did afterward. You know, with a character with the same 'condition' as Nny, but with a completely different mindset.

caroklim honest narcissist from in bed Since: May, 2011
honest narcissist
#15: May 6th 2011 at 5:20:05 PM

One of my favorite comics. I picked it up when I was 13, and I discovered a love for Gorn, Villian Protagonists and comic books in general. My favorite bits were the Noodleboy pages. Also Nailbunny and Squee, because I'm sick like that.

I like my coffee black just like my metal.
Wackd Since: May, 2009
#16: Jun 2nd 2011 at 10:39:05 AM

I love this comic, partially because the character interplay is entertaining, partially because the philisophical concepts it explores mocks are done well, partially because it semi-deconstructs itself halfway through, but mostly because I've read it five times and I still find new Jhonen captions and hidden messages.

Squee is also great; a lot more lighthearted and straightforwardly entertaining while still disturbing and still playing Humans Are Bastards for every last drop of comedy. But I consider Jhonen's best comic to be I Feel Sick. There's just something about it...

Maybe you'd be less disappointed if you stopped expecting things to be Carmen Sandiego movies.
Ukonkivi Over 10,000 dead.:< Since: Aug, 2009
Over 10,000 dead.:<
#17: Jun 2nd 2011 at 7:44:07 PM

I read it quite a while back. And I mean to go back and read it again.

This comic is significant amounts of pure unarguable awesome.

Genkidama for Japan, even if you don't have money, you can help![1]
Canondorf Since: Sep, 2009
#18: Jun 3rd 2011 at 3:56:20 AM

The entire series was so sarcastic it was hilarious. Basically, if you thought any of the character were anything but unlikable losers, this comic is making fun of you.

Bur from Flyover Country (Living Relic) Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
#20: Jun 3rd 2011 at 6:51:22 AM

Squee was better.

I think I last read this something like... ten years ago. It's still under my bed somewhere.

Tyoria Since: Jul, 2009
#21: Jun 3rd 2011 at 4:40:12 PM

if you thought any of the character were anything but unlikable losers, this comic is making fun of you.

Does unlikable preclude pitiable? You're supposed to laugh at characters rather than glorify them — I don't know that it means you're suppose to hate and despise them.

Zeromaeus Since: May, 2010
#22: Jun 3rd 2011 at 9:26:21 PM

I didn't hate Johnny. I didn't respect him either. I knew he was a villain. A sad and depraved, but interesting creep that killed people because... reasons.

Canondorf Since: Sep, 2009
#23: Jun 4th 2011 at 6:52:12 PM

Well, excluding Squee of course. He was designed to be an audience surrogate with a twist.

Wackd Since: May, 2009
#24: Jun 4th 2011 at 8:54:20 PM

With a twist? I don't think you have to be an eight-year-old to find some of what Johnny does pants-shittingly terrifying. (THERE ARE RATS IN MY ANUS!)

Unless the twist is that he is just as screwed up as Johnny due to Shmee, but that doesn't come up much in Johnny itself.

edited 4th Jun '11 8:54:55 PM by Wackd

Maybe you'd be less disappointed if you stopped expecting things to be Carmen Sandiego movies.
Schitzo HIGH IMPACT SEXUAL VIOLENCE from Akumajou Dracula Since: May, 2009 Relationship Status: LA Woman, you're my woman
HIGH IMPACT SEXUAL VIOLENCE
#25: Jun 5th 2011 at 6:44:30 AM

I couldn't make head to toe of Nny's moral conduct through various times in the series, So for the most part, I never sympathized with him, or saw that he had a point. I saw him as rather hypocritical, or at least he failed to make his point when he killed Jimmy.

But I still think that as far as Jhonen Vazquez characters go, Nny's up there with Zim.

edited 5th Jun '11 6:48:16 AM by Schitzo

ALL CREATURE WILL DIE AND ALL THE THINGS WILL BE BROKEN. THAT'S THE LAW OF SAMURAI.

Total posts: 47
Top