Blecky Yuckerella, Volume 4: Fuc- -u, -ss -le is a 104-page softcover B&W collection of Johnny Ryan’s Blecky Yuckerella strip. The book was released by Fantagraphics Books on January 26th, 2011.

Those unfamiliar with Blecky, or Johnny Ryan’s unique sense of humour will know what they are in for, when they read the very first page of this collection: We are greeted by an image of a middle age woman with incredibly huge and saggy boobs, who says “‘Fucussle’?! What’s that mean?”, to which a stubbly faced little girl with flies buzzing around her head replies, “No, it’s FUCK YOU ASSHOLE! by Johnny Ryan”. And so Ryan sets the tone for what is to come, and believe me, things only get worse…

Blecky Yuckerella started life as a weekly comic strip which was published in the pages of alternative newspaper the Portland Mercury, before becoming a webcomic that was published at www.johnnyryan.com (though no longer available to view for free). For the last six years, Fantagraphics have been collecting the strips, and publishing them in bi-annual collections. The last ever Blecky strip was posted on Johnny’s website in July 2010, and so this fourth volume collects the final two years of strips that he created. If you are worried about this being the fourth and final volume of a series, set your mind at ease, because the Blecky strips have little to no continuity, and so can be read in any order that you like!

Blecky Yuckeralla takes the form of a series of four-panel gag strips that feature the misadventures of Blecky, the stupidest and ugliest girl in the second grade, and the only one with three-day stubble. In this collection Ryan treats us to dozens of twisted and bizarre strips, showing Blecky and her menagerie of freakish pals encountering such oddities as douching robots, the Christmas barbarian, the world’s most bad-ass Easter basket, the Spamfs, 69-11, sexy murder hunks, ass worship, glory holes, the Pizzazooka, Dizzy the herpes-sniffing dog, Sir Oreo Monocle, and so much more!

Each strip seems to try to outdo the last in the obesity stakes, with panels overflowing with piss, blood, jizz, and other bodily fluids. The strips often depict situations that are twisted, gross, sick, demented, bizarre, absurd, and sometimes just downright wrong! As strange as things get though, you’ll always find yourself laughing at the end of each strip, even when you know that you really shouldn’t find such things funny! Ryan’s twisted sense of humour harks back to the days of underground comix, with the intention to be as shocking and politically incorrect as possible. Many of the jokes in the book would be considered low-brow by some, and they’d probably be right, but they might also overlook the fact that while sick, Ryan’s jokes are always intelligent crafted; that is to say that these jokes don’t just fall into place, and to make a strip this “out-there”, and this gross, you’ve actually got to be pretty damn smart, and have a good understanding of how far you can push things before they break. Amidst the sometimes disgusting gags, Ryan regularly drops some scathing satires that often belie the crass nature of the comic. However, no group is left alone, as Ryan is out to highlight the absurdities inherent in any political stance, so prepare to be offended! The real beauty of Blecky Yuckerella is that Ryan’s sense of humour is so offensive, and so completely unapologetic, that you have to admire his fearlessness. Can you imagine how much hate mail the man receives?

I’ll admit that Blecky Yuckerella isn’t a comic for everyone, and that Johnny Ryan’s sense of humour is definitely an acquired taste. However, if you’ve got a sick sense of humour, like I have, you will laugh your ass off non-stop, as you read this hilarious collection from cover to cover. I loved it so much that I actually contacted Johnny Ryan by email and purchased the original artwork for the very last Blecky strip from him. If that’s not a seal of approval, I don’t know what is!

Buy a coy of Blecky Yuckerella, Volume 4: Fuc- -u, -ss -le from Amazon.com or directly from Fantagraphics.

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