‘Apocalypse’ is hilarious

By Jake Meltzer
April 29, 2008

Courtesy of Dark Horse Comics

(Click graphic to enlarge)

(Click graphic to enlarge)

What if Kim Jong-il really had nuclear weapons? Not only that, but what would happen if he actually used them on a major American city? Writer-illustrator Peter Bagge answers these questions and more in his hilarious, yet horrifying, graphic novel “Apocalypse Nerd.”

Perry, a software engineer, and his drug-dealing buddy Gordo are heading out of Seattle and into the Cascade Mountains for a few days of camping when they discover that their beloved Emerald City has been laid to waste by a nuclear warhead. From this point forward Perry and Gordo have to do whatever it takes to survive in the wilderness and hope that they can one day return home.

This story is a perfect example of Murphy’s Law. Bagge puts his characters in situations in which the only possible outcome is a terrible one, even if at the time their decisions seem highly rational. Yet despite this morbidity of circumstance, the story is also extremely hilarious because of how surreal the situation is. This is why Americans are so afraid of nuclear weapons and the possible destruction of civilization. Instead of moving forward in evolution, humanity would be thrust back to the caveman days where “survival by any means necessary” was the name of the game. When put in this desperate situation, even someone like Perry, who is as close to the vest as one can get, has to resort to murder to stay alive.

But murder is just one of many things Perry and Gordo encounter on their road to survival. There’s theft, betrayal, kidnapping, abandonment, public bowel movement, masturbation, sex and just about every other act of debauchery known to man. In short, while it looks like the storyboard for a Cartoon Network show, “Nerd” is definitely rated NC-17. Bagge pulls absolutely no punches in revealing the darker side of man.

Despite all of this vile material, one can’t help but wonder what he or she would do in a similar situation. Your beloved home has been destroyed, all you have is what’s in your car and you only have one person you know and trust (well, in the case of Perry and Gordo, just know). Staying alive would be priority number one. In his introductory comments, the author acknowledges, “everyone has imagined what it would be like to be The Last Human On Earth.” While Bagge’s take might be absurd, it isn’t out the realm of reality, and it makes this book pretty terrifying.

It’s hard to imagine the apocalypse being hilarious, but the adventures of Perry and Gordo sure are. It is a classic example of “schadenfruede,” which is German for “taking pleasure in someone else’s pain.” What happens in their quest for survival is absolutely disgusting and deplorable, but it is also painfully funny. The humor in this story is darker than the night sky, which might be a turn-off for some readers. But for those with open minds and a high tolerance for violence, “Apocalypse Nerd” is an immensely entertaining and hauntingly realistic look at the end of civilization.

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