In the third volume of the TRANSMETROPOLITAN collection, journalistic desperado Spider Jerusalem begins to crumble under the pressure of sudden and unwanted fame. Having had enough of the warped 21st century Babylon that he lives in, Spider escapes into a world of bitterness and pills. As he stumbles through this haze of depression and drugs, he must find a way to cover the biggest story of the year, the presidential election. Armed with only his demented mind and dark sense of humor, Spider embarks on an adventure of political cynicism, horrific sex, and unwelcome celebrity which culminates in a shocking and ruinous ending.

Reprinted from TRANSMETROPOLITAN #13-18, the third in the popular series of TRANSMETROPOLITAN trade paperbacks, YEAR OF THE BASTARD is rounded out by the short story "Edgy Winter" from VERTIGO: WINTER'S EDGE II and a cover gallery featuring artwork by Jae Lee and Dave Gibbons, plus a new cover by Darick Robertson.