EX MACHINA: EX CATHEDRA


By Brian K. Vaughan, Tony Harris, Jim Clark & JD Mettler (WildStorm)
ISBN13: 978-1-84576-872-0

The seventh collection of high-powered politics (collecting issues #30-34 of the award-winning comics series) finds New York City Mayor Mitchell Hundred having to cope with something far outside his outside his already outré experience. In the final days of his Papacy, Pope John Paul II summons the super-hero-turned-civic-leader to a private audience in the Vatican. With forty percent of the city practicing Catholics, that’s simply an “offer” an independent candidate for re-election cannot refuse…

Since the Mayor is most definitely not a believer and his liberal views on Gay Rights, abortion and a thousand other doctrinal no-no’s have already led to a number of ecclesiastical frowns from all the major religions, our hero is already more than a little unnerved. But when the Vatican’s Chief Astronomer explains how the Church views the alien technology that bonded to the Mayor (giving him his powers to communicate with and command machinery) Mitchell Hundred’s world changes forever…

To further complicate matters a leftover team of Cold-War subversives have hit on a way to turn all that E.T. hardware in the Mayor’s brain into a remote control unit. Without his even knowing it Hundred could become a puppet, a spy or even an assassin at the flick of switch…

Sharp, witty, endlessly inventive and startlingly perspicacious, Ex Machina is still one of the absolute best comic reads on the market today, with characters and insights that always beguile and enthrall. And as the creators are never content to rest on their laurels it only gets better and better. If you’re not a fan yet, start today. If you are tell everyone you know. They’ll thank you for it…

© & TM 2007 Brian K. Vaughn & Tony Harris. All Rights Reserved.

Ex Machina, Volume 6: Power Down

Ex Machina, Volume 6: Power Down

By Brian K. Vaughn, Tony Harris, Jim Clark & JD Mettler (WildStorm)
ISBN13: 978-1-84576-622-1

In this latest collection of superpower politics (collecting issues #26-29 of the regular comic plus ancillary miniseries Ex Machina: Inside the Machine) New York City Mayor Mitchell Hundred has to deal with a strangely familiar being who might just be a “Strange visitor from another World”. Not only does he (it?) arrive knowing far too many of the super-hero-turned civic leader’s darkest secrets, but he (probably not ‘it?’) precipitates a power-cut that blacks out most of Eastern North America – and that includes Canada!

Edgy, savvy, unpredictable and addictive, the ongoing exploits of the ‘Best Politician America Never Had’ are a continuing source of delight for we jaded comic fans and Ex Machina remains the smartest funny-book series being published today. If this can’t make the casual reader of comics into a slavering fan-boy then they deserve to stay dull, uninformed and disenfranchised.

© & ™ 2007 Brian K. Vaughn & Tony Harris. All Rights Reserved.

Ex Machina 5: Smoke Smoke

Ex Machina 5: Smoke Smoke 

By Brian K. Vaughn, Tony Harris, Tom Feister & JD Mettler (WildStorm)
ISBN 1-84576-518-4

The real world is such a big part of his political fantasy series. This volume collects issues #21-25 of the award-wining comic series starring a retired super-hero who became the Mayor of New York City, and unravels a little more of the mystery of Mitchell Hundred’s powers, whilst apparently concentrating on the insoluble problem of drug use.

A liberal independent, Hundred has a bull-by-the-horns, head-on approach and his admission to smoking Marijuana has astounding repercussions. The smooth running of New York is further complicated by a murderous burglar masquerading as a fireman and a hideous self-immolation on the very steps of City Hall. Add the ever-present danger of barely suppressed racial tension and the mix is explosive and enthralling.

This is a gem of a series and has never been anything below superb. How then can I describe the last story in this volume? ‘Standalone’ features a glimpse into the mind and history of the Mayor’s advisor and bodyguard Rick Bradbury, and is without doubt the best thing yet in this amazing saga. Funny, sad, deliciously gratifying, it shows how much this is an ensemble series.

Ex Machina is now one of the best pieces of modern fiction being produced in English today, in any medium.

© & ™ 2007 Brian K. Vaughn & Tony Harris. All Rights Reserved.

Ex Machina 4: March to War

Ex Machina 4: March to War 

By Brian K. Vaughn, Tony Harris, Tom Feister, Chris Sprouse, Karl Story & JD Mettler (WildStorm)
ISBN 1-84576-253-3

This volume of the adventures of retired superhero and New York City Mayor Mitchell Hundred collects issues #17-20 and the Ex Machina Specials #1 and #2. Set in early 2003, this storyline concerns the build-up to the invasion of Iraq and deals with all the disparate views of a troubled people whilst never losing sight of the big picture – making an entertaining story.

As the mobilisation tension builds the Mayor increasingly finds himself fighting good advice, and his principles war with his duties and common sense. He permits a major peace rally through the City streets, but when terrorists attack the demonstrators, the repercussions have personal, as well as professional consequences. And naturally, Joe Public lets the side down as ordinary Americans retaliate the only way they know how, by attacking anybody who doesn’t look or sound like they do.

The delightful conceit that a liberal independent could be elected to such high office never occludes the thoroughly grounded nature of this series. Despite all the fantasy elements involved, this is always a wonderfully ‘real’ tale. The tragic aftermath of the attack, hate-crimes and over-reactions of the security forces all have the painful authenticity and veracity of our world, not a comic book.

The remainder of this volume tells the history of Hundred’s ‘evil counterpart’, a man named Pherson, who had control of animals in the same way that the Mayor can manipulate machines. Of course this more traditional fare is couched in solid political terms as our liberal hero is ambushed in a radio debate on the death penalty.

I can’t say enough good things about this series. So I’ll just shut up and assume you’re already reading it. Don’t let me down.

© 2006 Brian K. Vaughn & Tony Harris. All Rights Reserved.

Ex Machina 3: Fact v. Fiction

Ex Machina 3: Fact v. Fiction 

By Brian K. Vaughn, Tony Harris, Tom Feister & JD Mettler (WildStorm)
ISBN 1-84576-253-3

Retired superhero and current Mayor of New York City Mitchell Hundred never ducks a controversy, but even he is surprised at the reaction when he decides to enforce the laws against fortune telling by shutting down all the city’s psychics and grifters.

A bigger problem and a clever window into our protagonist’s past is Automaton, a semi-copycat vigilante who seems to be carrying on the Mayor’s previous career. Peeking into Hundred’s boyhood as a comic fanboy – no shock there – we see the events that inspired him, and possibly the seeds of his eventual downfall.

A further revelatory complication occurs when he decides to serve on a jury rather than dodge his obligations as a citizen. Naturally, it doesn’t go according to plan, but then nothing does in this wonderful, literate, clever series, featuring some of the most human characters ever seen in a funny-book, beautiful art, stunning dialogue and a dull, empty longing once you get to end of these too, too short volumes.

This is a series you should read, and re-read and tell others to read. I mean it.

© 2006 Brian K. Vaughn & Tony Harris. All Rights Reserved.

Ex Machina: Tag

Ex Machina: Tag

By Brian K. Vaughn, Tony Harris & Tom Feister (WildStorm)
ISBN 1-84576-123-5

The second collection of memoirs starring New York City’s coolest – and most super-powered – Mayor, picks up where the first left off as the chief official continues his quest to really make a difference by tackling every issue at once, head-on, and generally by ignoring any suggestion of traditional politics.

The premise that a do-gooder would go public, eschew using his powers – in this case the ability to communicate with and command all electronics – quit flying around via his trusty jetpack, and even establish a frank and open dialogue with that arch bogie-man, the US government, is a refreshing dose of Realheroik, and the sustained mystery of the precise origin of his powers adds body to an engaging and well realised piece of fiction.

The plot this time concerns the discovery of a serial killer/monster that is lurking in the New York Subway system that seems somehow connected to The Mayor’s exotic past, but the most satisfying moments are when Mitchell Hundred applies his obdurately direct manner to the thorny issues of fund raising, gay marriage and media relations. If only more party hacks read this, maybe we’d all benefit in our daily lives.

Ex Machina is a fine example of that rarest of Hen’s Teeth, an adult comic for people who have actually grown up. You should get politicking and go spread the word.

™ & © 2005 Brian K Vaughan & Tony Harris. All Rights Reserved.

Ex Machina: The First Hundred Days

Ex Machina: The First Hundred Days 

By Brian K Vaughan, Tony Harris & Tom Feister (Wildstorm/DC Comics)
ISBN 1-84576-025-5

It is always a genuine pleasure to see something different done with the tired cliché of the superhero in the “Real World” and this new series from Vaughan and Harris is probably the freshest and most entertaining example I’ve seen in many a year.

Mitchell Hundred is a civil engineer in New York City who accidentally gains the power to talk to electronics and machinery. Like every other right thinking post-baby boomer he decides to become a superhero, which plausibly enough results in a total fiasco. He then does the next most logical thing. Publicly abandoning his role as the Great Machine he runs for Mayor – and wins.

The real bones of this tale lie in the interplay of a capable idealist thrust into that other great machine – politics – and how a life already cursed with mysteries aplenty has to deal with the day to day job of making a difference in the most chaotic and charismatic city on earth.

This collection of the first five issues is charming and thrilling by turns, with plenty of West Wing/Spin City brand humour, an engaging cast of characters and even lots of bang and boom thrills all lavishly captured by the superb art and design skills of Tony Harris (who won so much acclaim with Starman). We have an absolute gem here, something which is actually worth making into a movie.

© 2005 Brian K Vaughan & Tony Harris. All rights reserved.