World Famous Comics: Ex Machina, Vol. 3: Fact v. Fiction
Ex Machina, Vol. 3: Fact v. Fiction
By: Brian K. Vaughan Publisher: Wildstorm Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Wildstorm Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 144 Publication Date: April 05, 2006 Release Date: April 05, 2006
Product Description: EX MACHINA tells the story of civil engineer Mitchell Hundred, who becomes America's first living, breathing super-hero after a strange accident gives him amazing powers. Eventually Mitchell tires of risking his life merely to maintain the status quo and runs for mayor of New York City, winning by a landslide.This new collection features three unique storylines of the Eisner Award-winning series which Playboy calls "a two-fisted blend of super-hero action and political debate!"
Does Not Disappoint The third volume of Ex Machini is consistent with the first three. The hostage situation was extremely intriguing, but the whole thing about Hundred and his mother was a little boring to me. I am, however, a big fan of Ex Machina, and Brian K. Vaughn, and will definately continue reading each volume.
More development in a good comic Despite its slight super-hero flavor, Ex Machina sustains a fairly believable story line - NYC's new mayor, an ex-engineer, in way over his head and trying to apply rational logic to political machinery. His super-thing isn't what keeps the reader interested, it's his very human doggedness and determination to do what he thinks is right in problems with no right answers.
This time, that includes the everyday drama of jury duty (with a wild turn of plot), family revelations, and flashbacks to the kind of scene that no one could ever forget. The artwork excels, not in an out-there and edgy way, but as a vehicle for carrying the story across a jagged and varied terrain. Color sets moods well, but the dynamic and varied figures and faces really make it work.
Ex Machina doesn't blaze new trails in visual storytelling or exotic conjecture. Instead, it delivers credible characters and recognizable-enough situations - an enjoyable moment away from my otherwise busy world.
-- wiredweird
Graphic SF Reader Mayor Hundred is getting pretty stressed about doing this whole running a huge city thing. First, the weather has turned very bad, which an extremely bad storm leaving the city snowbound. To cap that off another killer is running around bumping off snowplough drivers, of all people.
It is tempting to break out the superpowers when something like this happens.
The Likable Unlikely Premise In the twenty plus years I've collected comics the writing has improved by leaps and bounds. The likes of Alan Moore, Frank Miller, and Neil Gaiman have not only pushed the envelope, they've blown it apart. Brian K. Vaughn is one of those taking advantage of the more sophisticated bounds available. He gets the unlikely premise out of the way up front. Once you accept that premise (which is easy as pie for a comics reader), Vaughn gives us real life problems to deal with. He shows us shades of gray, that not all problems can be solved easily or satisfactorily. Be sure to start with Vol. 1, but then you'll definitely want Vol. 2 and this one and so on...
Trial and Error The third Ex Machina graphic novel unfortunately trots out the tired old story of an imposter of the Great Machine running around New York. Fortunately that isn't all this volume has. The story of Mitchell serving Jury Duty is an excellent plot that helps make up for some of the obviousness of the imposter story. The volume also includes a two part story where we meet Mitchell's mother and learn about the death of his father which sheds some new light on the background of our protagonist. Not the best of this series by a long shot but still worth reading.
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
