Have you ever wanted to read something filled with absurdity, dark comedy, and extreme imagery? Well then, “Johnny the Homicidal Maniac” is a comic series just for you.

Created by Jhonen Vasquez, the comic series stars  Johnny C., or Nny for short, a psycho who loses control often. Some people might know Vasquez for his other comics, but mostly for his creation of “Invader Zim”, a Nickelodeon show that starred an alien infiltrating our world in order to destroy us from within.

It aired in 2001 and nearly two decades later, Netflix made an original film as well called “Enter the Florpus.” Vasquez was actually picked up by a Nick producer because of JTHM’s dark humor and its edginess.

Nny makes his first appearance in the first issue, released in August 1995, and sadly, the series ended in January 1997.

We first meet Johnny C. in issue one when Johnny is seen frantically looking for Bactine. 

He needs to clean his wounds from a previous attack and meets one of our side characters, Squee, Johnny’s young neighbor, who is terrified of everything. Squee also carries his teddy bear named Shmee, who acts as Squee’s friend.

Other characters we meet in this issue are Nny’s two styrofoam cutouts shaped as the Pills Berry Dough Boy, Psycho Dough Boy, and Mr. Eff. Both are psychotic manifestations of Johnny’s voices, which encourage his actions and taunt him, then later gain a consensus for themselves.

We also meet Nailbunny, a bunny Nny bought and only fed once, then…ends up with a nail. He acts as a voice of reason to help him or stop him from doing anything frantic. The comic cuts into other stories not related to Johnny, like his cartoon character, Happy Noodle Boy, a stick figure that frantically yells gibberish and nonsensical phrases. Another character we meet is Wobbly-Headed Bob, a rodent-like creature that talks down to people and provides nihilistic views.

The book follows this absurd crew of characters as Johnny attempts to understand himself.

The comic series has gained a cult following for it’s dark comedy and it’s amazing art style.

Personally, I love JTHM for its characters because the way they’re written is done so well. You can relate to some of the characters by having problems that readers could relate to, like isolation; the struggle with inner emotions and dark thoughts; intense anxiety; existential dread; and much more.

These same themes are touched upon again in the much more kid friendly “Invader Zim,” which Vasquez would later create.

Some of Nny’s problems that he goes through throughout the story, I know I could relate to a lot. I also love Vasquez’s art style because it stands out from others, and that’s what I love most about all artists: having an art style that screams you, and people can tell that you made it.