Johnny the Homicidal Maniac #1

By Jhonen Vasquez

A little boy, Squee, neglected by his parents who wish him kidnapped is the main character, and his toy bear, Shmee, his only friend also brings up Squee's suppressed thoughts of being shunned and trying to convince his early conscience it's wrong thinking his parents are evil. He meets Johnny when he enters through his window looking for cut disinfectant. He becomes interested in the boy and decides to return to talk with him after stabbing Shmee repeatedly after having a heated "discussion" with Johnny. In the beginning Johnny acts a bit like Jack Sparrow, with his eccentric and high-strung behavior.

When a survey-man comes to get the neighborhood's thoughts on how to proceed with a protective course of action, Johnny decides to "befriend" him, but unfortunately for him, not in a long term fashion. Then I remember Nail Bunny from a vector design someone came up with before I knew of the comic, now I'm intrigued to learn what sorts of thoughts Nail Bunny was saddled with. Poor Johnny also has a complex over the word "wacky"; guy will fly off the handle if being referenced as such. He has no tolerance for simple-minded loud-mouths; I know too many people in my own life quite similar so it was easier to laugh at some of the violence more than others.

Intriguing start to this series. Engaging and mostly notebook sketch-style, it still has some more clean artistic drawings and it's cutesy in a violent way at times as well, which isn't enough to make me read the rest of the series since I'm much more interested in continuing Squee's story. Watch for updates for more Jhonen Vasquez, because I'm not finished with him yet!