How Many Issues Are In Transmetropolitan, Vol. 1: Back On The Street?

Back on the Street' is the first collected volume of Warren Ellis's wild cyberpunk satire 'Transmetropolitan,' and it bundles the initial arc that throws Spider Jerusalem headfirst into the dystopian chaos of The City. This volume contains the first five issues of the original comic run—specifically issues #1 through #5. It's a perfect starting point, crammed with enough acidic wit, grotesque futurism, and sheer rage against corruption to hook anyone. The way Ellis blends dark humor with social commentary feels even more relevant now than when it debuted. Spider’s rants about media, politics, and human stupidity hit like a sledgehammer, and Darick Robertson’s art is gloriously messy, packed with background gags and visual noise that rewards rereads.

What I love about this volume is how it doesn’t ease you in—it kicks the door down. By the end of issue #5, you’re either all-in on Spider’s crusade or running for the hills. The pacing is frenetic, bouncing between filthy jokes and genuine heartbreak (that 'Nobody Loves Me' protest arc still stings). If you’re new to the series, this is where you meet key players like Spider’s long-suffering assistants and the Smiler, whose politician grin hides pure rot. It’s a dense read, too—not just in page count but in ideas. Every panel feels like Ellis is screaming into a megaphone about the future we’re barreling toward, and honestly? He wasn’t wrong.

'Transmetropolitan' Vol. 1 collects the first five issues, and man, what a ride. Spider Jerusalem’s introduction is iconic—that scene where he stumbles out of hiding, sunglasses and all, ready to torch the world with his typewriter? Chef’s kiss. The art’s chaotic in the best way, crammed with neon and grime, and Ellis’s writing is like if Hunter S. Thompson snorted future drugs. You’ll blast through it in one sitting, then immediately hunt down Vol. 2.