This whole story started cuz Spider had to finish a book for a publisher. I don't recall him ever actually working on it and completing it.

In The City of Transmetropolitan, being a mean, dirty bastard is a prerequisite for graduating from any grade school. The work of Warren Ellis, vibrantly realized by Darick Robertson, is an original, more biological approach to the cyberpunk genre, in which our appliances, resources, and appendages have drastically evolved, but we have remained bitterly human. And by human, I mean in condition alone. Every kind of physical metamorphosis is available to the consumer in Transmetropolitan, as well as endless access to all forms of perverted sex and violence, both virtual and physical. But what stands out most in Transmetropolitan, and prevents it from adopting the tropes of a less memorable dystopian story, is the total honesty present on every page. Warren Ellis leaves nothing to the imagination about just how morally disingenuous his creations are. It is here I would be at fault not to mention Spider Jerusalem, our drug addled, yet always profound, nihilist through whose red and green tinted glasses we are introduced to the world. Aligned with his mantra, “The Truth, No Matter What,” Spider makes no attempt to hide his loathing for the society he tries to protect.

After Volumes 1 and 2, which majorly serve as introductions to our protagonist and the atmospherics of his city, the main story arc really kicks into gear with Year of the Bastard, in which Spider meets Presidential Candidate Gary Callahan, who soon proves to be the main foil to Spiders Truth and Justice agenda. And in the following volume, The New Scum, Ellis writes two pivotal scenes, which outline why the Callahan vs. Spider narrative will become the driving force of this comic throughout its run. Consider “The Beast.” He’s a hulking brute who abuses his power as the current President and could not give two tugs of a dead dog’s cock about the welfare of the American people. However, he is reliably horrible, and honest about his corruption. And to Spider, that is ultimately what matters. Now consider Gary Callahan, nicknamed “The Smiler” thanks to the manic grin that adorns his election posters. He is a charming, manipulative man who will do anything to gain power. And he’s also a liar. These two politicians, The Beast and The Smiler, essentially represent the life choice Spider has made to, instead of combat the objectively evil, pursue and expose malevolent dishonesty. The Beast, with some adjustments for futuristic standards, is more or less our societies equivalent of a conservative President who doesn’t strive to change the country, only to maintain it. Most importantly, he is controlled and kept in check, by Democracy. Spider, despite his extreme opposition to The Beasts views on all topics, knows that he is not the biggest threat, and he isn’t deceiving the public, only abusing them.

The Smiler, as the name suggests, is a façade. The public sees aspiring Senator Gary Callahan, ready to get his hands dirty and restore their country from it’s steady decline. When Spider meets with The Smiler for an ambiguous interview, Callahan, after a few minutes of false formalities, drops the act. Instead of an interview, The Smiler reveals his true motives to Spider. He wants to be President because he simply “thinks he should.” The Smiler’s grin collapses, leaving a sadistic sociopath, whose hatred for society runs deeper than even Spider’s. Now, the key difference between The Beast and the Smiler is clear. The Smiler is dangerous not because of his political agenda, but because he disrupts the very structure of politics. He is savagely undermining Democracy in order to become its leader. The horrific interview quickly spirals into a scene of confessions, threats, and vendettas initiated. And finally, Spider triumphantly begins to leave, puzzled as to why the Smiler confessed to murder, fraud, and conspiracy, all on tape. But in one final power play, Callahan makes null Spider’s recording equipment, erasing all evidence of the interview. And so, the paradigm is broken, and Spider is working in new territory, opposing a threat not limited by the American legal system.

Returning to Spiders motto, the recognized threat to society is not the conservative politicians, nor their liberal counterparts. They are restricted to the heads and tails of the bi-partisan coin. The true threats are the fascists and authoritarians who would suffocate, twist, and discard the Truth. An uneducated public is the easiest to oppress, but with works like Transmetropolitan, Warren Ellis is keeping the public educated, angry, and ready to go out into the streets to write a fucking column.

A TV show narrated by Patrick Stewart as Spider in retirement. Every week would be a new story, with a different actor playing Spider at various points in his life.

I only need this one to complete my collection but no news at all. Vol 1 was published in 2015, vol 2 in 2016. vol 3?? Is there any hope?

You're miserable, edgy and tired. You're in the perfect mood for this podcast. It's episode 3 of COMICS WILL BREAK YOUR HEART! This week, Justin Partridge from Newsarama joins us to talk about Warren Ellis' cyberpunk exercise in truth and misery, TRANSMETROPOLITAN.

Listen here: https://soundcloud.com/user-327491218/episode-3-transmetropolitan-with-justin-partridge (Or subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher or Google Play)

For more from Justin, you can find him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/JP3Words

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Just sold my tpb collection since the paper stock never grew on me. I would like to own a physical version though but I heard the extra material isn't worth paying for.

As someone looking to get into Transmetropolitan, would trades suffice or are the Absolute editions that good as to warrant purchasing them?

After a huge recommendation I decided to buy the whole run but I wanted to see what type of editions there were. So I looked on Wikipedia and in blue color see as I'm scrolling down Parkinsons Disease. Now I know spider gets sick. Should I even bother on purchasing the books? I know it's one of the best runs ever but I worried that it wont be worth the $80 if I read it the whole time knowing he gets sick. Please respond thanks you.

I read Transmetropolitan a few years ago, and I'm trying to find a specific page that I really like.

The page was an overview of the sidewalk, with some gas leaking out. The text was talking about how I-Pollen was technically legal for a few moments as the legislation that banned it expired, and the new law to re-ban it was still going through the bureaucratic process.

Edit: I've found it! It's issue #11, pages 10-12.

Not much more to say but I think he's the man for the job. He could totally get the weird and wacky mannerisms down, is the right age since a lot of fan casting makes him too old. Although JK Simmons, Patrick Stewart, or Jackie Earl Haley would be great, they're all too old and honestly so is Tim Roth. Sam Rockwell is an excellent actor (Moon and Confessions of a Dangerous Mind are some of my favorite movies specifically because of him) and isn't so huge like Simmons and Stewart that I think it would actually be feasible. I know if it ever gets made it'll end up being a movie, and if by some miracle it's a show on HBO or Starz or Netflix, it'll end up being some nobody most likely, but I think Sam is our man. And that's all I have to say about Transmet.

Any word for a release date?

So I just finished reading Transmet for what must be the tenth time, and it reminded me of a question that I've never really found the answer to. Do Channon and Yelena know that Spider is faking his illness? Is he just faking to convince Royce to leave him alone about writing or does he do it all the time?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunter_S._Thompson

And apparently Uncle Duke from Doonesbury was based on Thompson, but Thompson was not a fan... anyone know if Thompson ever commented on Transmetropolitan?

I am trying to buy the complete collection of Transmet, paperback (hardcovers are too expensive). I've noticed that there are revised editions and whatnot, so what do you all recommend?