English language
Published June 9, 2006 by WildStorm Productions.
Ex Machina, the Eisner Award-winning series that Entertainment Weekly voted "One of the 10 Best Fiction Books of 2005," tells the story of Mitchell Hundred, who becomes the Great Machine, America?s first superhero, after a strange accident gives him amazing powers. Eventually tiring of risking his life merely to maintain the status quo, Mitchell retires from masked crime-fighting and becomes the mayor of New York City. In this volume, a shocking tragedy strikes an Iraq War protest in downtown Manhattan, and Mayor Hundred must choose between the liberty of his constituents and the security of his city. Plus, a tale from the past finally reveals the origin of his mysterious archenemy, Jack Pherson. Collects Ex Machina issue #17-20 and Ex Machina Special #1-2
there are layers and layers at work here, and boy does it take it's time in approaching different perspectives with care
Can't wait to see where the series goes...hard to believe this came out in the mid 2000's...
I loved the concept of this story where the superhero identity is the dark past and not the other way around. It turns the superhero story on it's head and has a great time doing it. Subverting the magic of the genre so that it serves a story of political intrigue was so well conceived that I can't wait to read more. Fortunately, there are plenty more in the series (as opposed to Saga, which just started). I guess I'm a reluctant but completely confirmed Brian K. Vaughan fan.
