Hansen, Mykle. Rampaging Fuckers of Everything on the Crazy Shitting Planet of the Vomit Atmosphere. Erasherhead Press, 2008. 228 pp. $11.95 pb. ISBN 9781933929781.

A handy set of three novels in one book, Mykle Hansen’s Rampaging Fuckers of Everything on the Crazy Shitting Planet of the Vomit Atmosphere will change everything you thought you knew about the subject. Another prolific Bizarro author, Hansen bestows his imposing and insightful themes underneath brilliantly crafted, over-the-top satire. Published by Eraserhead Press, Hansen’s novels include Monster Cocks, Journey to the Center of Agnes Cuddlebottom, and Rampaging Fuckers. These three narratives flow well together, fusing a bond of thematic importance. Hansen cleverly uses satire to examine and expose the foibles of human existence.

To date, Monster Cocks proves to be my favourite novel from Mykle Hansen. Deftly written, this story kept me in hysterics; it is a side-splitting adventure. Hansen weaves a tale of a frantic search for the perfect male enhancement device. Bludgeoned to death with incessant adware, spyware, and pop-ups, Hansen explores the powerful and dangerous influence of the Internet, playing on our deepest insecurities, and exploiting them for profit. We entrust so much to machines; they have the ability to both help us and destroy us. Hansen also demonstrates how far we are truly willing to go to satisfy our fragile egos—the wretchedness of this desperation, needing to belong.

Journey to the Center of Agnes Cuddlebottom is an amusing adventure into the colon of an 80-year-old prostitute. Modern technology has discovered a way to shrink humans down to microscopic size (à la the film Innerspace) for a complex medical procedure/excursion. Unfortunately, it just means there’s another place we have yet to pollute with our own existence. Hansen presents a satirical view of human interest stories and our fascination with them. Being captivated by the trivialities of life, society’s superficiality is exploited by Hansen, as is our need to be convinced that the world is not an evil place. We need to be satiated with happy thoughts. The colon of Agnes Cuddlebottom becomes an almost utopian Garden of Eden. It is unchartered territory, which has yet to be colonized and tarnished by humans. Reading this novel was like watching a habitat being destroyed. Considering the malodorous atmosphere of this new world, Hansen serves up an ironic illustration of the effects humans have on their environment, and how (in this case) it reflects what we truly are.

Rampaging Fuckers tells a story of struggle and survival. From their point-of-view, weak and troubled humans must endure hardships, searching for ways to survive, while being systematically eradicated by “the fat people.” In this narrative, people are literally sized to their economic bracket. The lower class humans are small and weak; they must fight to survive. The rich, upper class are giants, and do not have any obstacles to overcome. Hansen explores the theme of decadence in this socio-economic parable. We have reached the pinnacle of our existence, to the point where we have no more choices. We’ve become too industrious, self-indulgent, and corrupt; we are not thankful for having the freedom to choose.

Overall, Hansen deals with a subject he’s an expert in. Rampaging Fuckers of Everything on the Crazy Shitting Planet of the Vomit Atmosphere is a hilariously biting look at the weakness and frailty of the human species. We are insecure, shallow, superficial, overbearing, destructive, obnoxious, and concerned with frivolous matters. Our existence is a cosmic joke. Thanks for the reminder, Mykle!

—Richard Nicol