| Comic Review | Dana Place |
Ex-Machina Special #1 (of 2)
Writer: Brian K. Vaughn
Penciler: Chris Sprouse
Inker: Carl Story
Colorist: JD Mettler
Plot:
Set in New York after 9/11, a new superhero that has control
over machinery manages to stop one of the planes from
crashing into the world trade and his alter ego is elected
mayor of New York. In this special 2-part story, the new
mayor remembers his first days as “The Great Machine” and
his first run in with a villain that has the ability to
control animals.
Review: This is my first experience with Ex-Machina, but
from this issue I can definitely tell why it is getting all
of the critical acclaim it is. I am going to rush out and
pick this up from the beginning. Why you ask, and why would
a single issue of a superhero comic make me run out and
spend money on back issues? Well, this comic is smart, has
an intelligent message and is most importantly not your
typical superhero comic. Brian K. Vaughn is telling a story
not just of a superhero, but of the complications of life,
that just happens to involve a superhero. It seems to me
from this issue that we are looking at literature in comic
book form that wants to take a look at the complications of
a post 9/11 world. Not from a “superhero comic” angle, but
using pure storytelling, using comics as the medium. Am I
getting too excited about one issue of a comic? I certainly
don’t think so. Check it out and see for yourself. I really
don’t think you will be disappointed. If you are, go back
and read your X-Men. Now there is a comic that needs all of
the support it can get.
Special thanks go out to Jeremy Shorr, owner of
Titan Comics for allowing us to use his advance
preview books for review purposes.
