Karl Story

Everyone thinks The Watchmen or The Dark Knight Returns are subversive deconstructions of the superhero genre. Frankly, neither holds a candle to John Ridley's masterful approach to setting golden and now silver-age characters in a world that isn't colourblind. Stunning stuff, both for how topical it is in an era of racist pushback but also for how it inevitably calls out how comics are rarely ever "woke" in any meaningful sense.

Summary: In Volume 4, when an anti-war protest is attacked, most people assume that it was the work of terrorists. But as Mayor Hundred struggles to deal with the aftermath of the attack, how far is he willing to compromise the liberty of his citizens to ensure their safety? And what if the attack was not meant to target New Yorkers in general, but the Mayor in particular? And in the second arc, we meet the Great Machine's arch-nemesis, someone who shares similar powers - but who talks to show more animals, not machines.

Review: Volume 4's main storyline was probably most impressive for how accurately it captured the feeling of early 2003, shortly prior to the US's declaration of war on Iraq. (I was living in a major US city at the time, and although the anti-war protests didn't get attacked insofar as I know, I do remember being sent home from work at least once because of an anthrax scare.) The protests and the panic and the reprisals and the tension between personal freedom and the threat of terrorist invasions are all captured remarkably well, as are the frustrations of those in charge who are trying to balance everything as they deal with a city on the edge. The second arc was a little less successful; because of the way this series jumps around in the timeline, it's difficult placing events in context, but when an arc is clearly set before the "present day", it becomes more difficult to regard the bad guy as a serious threat. 4 out of 5 stars.

Recommendation: While this series is not my favorite of Brian K. Vaughan's work, it's making a story that's largely focused on politics interesting, which says quite a bit in its favor. show less

Nobody writes dialogue like Vaughan. Add that to the plot being something totally different (a "superhero" who hung up his cape to become a politician, but once in a while he still does superhero stuff.) and you got some awesomeness going on here. He also gets points for writing about a time in my past (911, the Bush years) that evokes emotional reactions.

The only negative thing I can say about this series is that it really doesn't seem to have an overall story arch, or if it does, it's just show more moving so slowly you forget it's there. show less

Having read and loved Brian K. Vaughn’s Y the Last Man series years ago, I was excited to finally get around to Ex Machina. Hoping for the same attention to character and detailed US cultural atmosphere as the dystopian series, Mitchell Hundred and his alter ego The Great Machine did not disappoint. Combining the worlds of preternatural hero and mundane civil governing may not strike one as a recipe for riveting storytelling, but Vaughn delivers a tale that is more human than super.

His show more strength lies (particularly in the early volumes of the series) in his almost painfully real characters. Reluctant superhero turned mayor of New York City Mitchell Hundred is neither unbelievably altruistic nor abusive of his powers. His love for New York reigns above all else, and there’s a fierce loyalty to his hometown to which many will relate. Oddly for me, he is genuine is such a way as to drain tension from the story. I had no anxiety about where the series was headed, and I even liked the characters I didn’t like- if that makes any sense. I guess I should say that Vaughn outlines motivations of his characters so clearly that even when I’m against the character’s actions, I can’t fault him/her for following that course.

At the same time, the series serves as an interesting snapshot of US political and cultural trends in the early 21st century, exploring everything from taxpayer-funded birth control to political protests to the legalization of marijuana. Most striking perhaps for our nation in 2015 is Hundred officiating a marriage of two men in New York’s city hall. This story arc also showcases Vaughn’s awareness of nuance and his skill in humanizing what some consider more esoteric political battles. In this case, one of the grooms is a firefighter who was a first responder at Ground Zero. Indeed, the terror attacks of September 11th shadow the entire series, and Vaughn makes an honest attempt to explore the reality of New York City in the wake of tragedy.

Unfortunately, the series begins to lose its detail and complexity as it wraps up. Characters and situations grow ever more one-dimensional, and what made the story feel so real in the midst of the incredible disappears under a layer of cynicism and bitterness. I’m not sure what causes this shift, but it transforms a powerful, poignant narrative into something brutal and primitive.

Overall, this series is a must-read for fans of Vaughn, and if you like superheroes, politics, or New York City, you’ll fall in love as well. show less