The contemporary and chaotic outsider

Another nickname for the contemporary comic era’s is “Dark Age of comic Books”, due to an influx of serious content in the 1980s-1990s - and “Transmetropolian: Back on the street” is a perfect example of that. “Transmetopolian” sets in a futuristic city that is filled with people and chaos. In this ep, it is a story that deals with cult manipulation, racism, body modification, police brutality and journalism; a handful of heavy subjects. 

But-Warren Ellis and Darick Robertson did this in one of the most satirically entertaining ways possible, through the perspective of an eccentric reporter: Spider Jerusalem. 

Spider plays the role of an anarchic, active outsider. His nonchalant, give no Fs attitude towards the city is satisfying to read because frankly-the city in Transmetropolian is not nice place for action. It’s crowded with people and filled with issues. Despite the diversity, most characters in the comic think mostly for themselves. Although he is still a jerk, dragging people who he works with, like the newspaper company, he is the voice of truth in the comic. When the readers discover that Fred, the mutated Cult leader, was just using the “transients” barricade for publicity and sex scheme we start to see Spider in a different light. Spider is not a coddling man, but speaks what he see in the most blunt ways-and even warn the people of their shortcomings. He confronts Fred but does not force him to change his ways. Basically, Spider never gets involve, he only tells it as it is and report. That is why it is so easy to communicate social issues in Transmetropolian, because the readers has to to think about what spider sees and says rather getting to see how Spider solves problems. The hook of this comic is seeing the flaws of society through the eye of an outsider. 

Additionally, because spider never gets involve but knows the shortcomings of a crisis, he became an embodiment of our apathy towards the news. He had seen too many and does not get emotional when the crisis happens. When the police start killing and beating the transients, he was just reporting the news while the girl beside him cried. 

The interesting thing about Spider is not about how he drives the story, but what he has to say about the things he see. Spider is not a nice man, but he is an honest one-an honest one with weird sunglasses and a shiny bald head. He acts like a talk show host with the city as his guest, and is extremely persistence when it comes to asking for spoilers. And like how many people enjoy the talk show, I also enjoy watching Spider report on the messed up city of Transmetropolian.