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Ex Machina #4
Ex Machina, Vol. 4: March to War
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
144 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2006
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858 people want to read
About the author
Brian K. Vaughan
1,058 books14.1k followersBrian K. Vaughan is the writer and co-creator of comic-book series including SAGA, PAPER GIRLS, Y THE LAST MAN, RUNAWAYS, and most recently, BARRIER, a digital comic with artist Marcos Martin about immigration, available from their pay-what-you-want site www.PanelSyndicate.com
BKV's work has been recognized at the Eisner, Harvey, Hugo, Shuster, Eagle, and British Fantasy Awards. He sometimes writes for film and television in Los Angeles, where he lives with his family and their dogs Hamburger and Milkshake.
BKV's work has been recognized at the Eisner, Harvey, Hugo, Shuster, Eagle, and British Fantasy Awards. He sometimes writes for film and television in Los Angeles, where he lives with his family and their dogs Hamburger and Milkshake.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
September 3, 2017
Deeply intense, violent, and political. Fantastic writing and artwork continues.
August 22, 2017
The terrorism part was very interesting and all Still very familiar today.
May 2, 2021
I've already learned how Vaughan finds his speed in his comics with further editions. it was the same like in the last man.
This time he touches on important topics such as racism, fear of the Arabs, animal protection, etc. I like it and already exciting for other parts of the story. it is no longer personal story of Great Machine, but also real political events.
This time he touches on important topics such as racism, fear of the Arabs, animal protection, etc. I like it and already exciting for other parts of the story. it is no longer personal story of Great Machine, but also real political events.
June 26, 2017
I've had some trouble getting through the middle portion of Vaughan's series. Took me a couple of weeks to get through book 3, and I fear I'll have similar reticence with this volume.
And I think I've figured it out. It has to do with Vaughan's penchant for lecturing. He's full of factoids and historical references, and I dunno if he's a nerd about history & New York and politics - or if he's just doing lots of research and feels obliged to spunk it out onto the page.
Either way, these exposition dumps aren't exactly smooth dialogue. I mean, do people regularly lecture each other when they're talking? It feels like a cross between an Aaron Sorkin West Wing episode and an Isaac Asimov "science fiction" novel. Less of the frenetic pacing of Sorkin, but also less of Asimov's page-long tangents on some unrelated trivia (or rather, the focal trivia around which the thin plot was built to facilitate the lesson).
OTOH, the treatment of Hundred's "good ol days" is spot-on, like a page outta Lee-and-Ditko era Spider-Man:
And hilarious little vignette of the creators showing up to interview for a job to do a comic on the main character:
Plus a great little punchline at the end.
And I think I've figured it out. It has to do with Vaughan's penchant for lecturing. He's full of factoids and historical references, and I dunno if he's a nerd about history & New York and politics - or if he's just doing lots of research and feels obliged to spunk it out onto the page.
Either way, these exposition dumps aren't exactly smooth dialogue. I mean, do people regularly lecture each other when they're talking? It feels like a cross between an Aaron Sorkin West Wing episode and an Isaac Asimov "science fiction" novel. Less of the frenetic pacing of Sorkin, but also less of Asimov's page-long tangents on some unrelated trivia (or rather, the focal trivia around which the thin plot was built to facilitate the lesson).
OTOH, the treatment of Hundred's "good ol days" is spot-on, like a page outta Lee-and-Ditko era Spider-Man:
And hilarious little vignette of the creators showing up to interview for a job to do a comic on the main character:
Plus a great little punchline at the end.
May 31, 2022
Ok, ok, it really is clever. The world that’s almost like the real one, but with a superpowered mayor of NYC. The politics can draw you in whether you like them or not. Though not so much, not as much as other wilder worlds Vaughan had imagined in his other comics.
This time it gets all too personal. Not only Mitch gets to find out some secrets from his own past, but also one of his employees, the young Journal, gets all too involved in a war protest. Because young people can get like that about protests. Can the intrepid mayor machine maintain his balance grasp on power? Of course, he can. It’s kind of his thing. That and his much-hinted at sexuality.
Anyway, a quick read. Entertaining enough. Remains the least fun Vaughan. For this reader, anyway.
This time it gets all too personal. Not only Mitch gets to find out some secrets from his own past, but also one of his employees, the young Journal, gets all too involved in a war protest. Because young people can get like that about protests. Can the intrepid mayor machine maintain his balance grasp on power? Of course, he can. It’s kind of his thing. That and his much-hinted at sexuality.
Anyway, a quick read. Entertaining enough. Remains the least fun Vaughan. For this reader, anyway.
March 21, 2016
This volume takes on the politics of terrorism, going to war with Iraq, privacy vs protection, and the death penalty.
The highlight of the plot was meeting Hundred's archenemy, a man with powers that aren't opposite but rather the other side of the same coin.
This comic excels when it looks at the common superhero tropes and examines the ethics and politics surrounding them. Most superheroes are strictly non-lethal, what does that say about our ethics and is it realistic? Think of all the people that would have been saved if Batman just killed the Joker once and for all...
The highlight of the plot was meeting Hundred's archenemy, a man with powers that aren't opposite but rather the other side of the same coin.
This comic excels when it looks at the common superhero tropes and examines the ethics and politics surrounding them. Most superheroes are strictly non-lethal, what does that say about our ethics and is it realistic? Think of all the people that would have been saved if Batman just killed the Joker once and for all...
August 22, 2011
My Vaughan-a-thon continues with this volume of Ex Machina. Volume 4, "March to War," is actually two separate storylines, neither of which feels complete, but both of which I presume will have a stronger pay-off later in the series.
The first of the two stories deals more directly with the titular "March to War." In Ex Machina's timeline, we've now reached the impending invasion of Iraq, and this story deals with how Mayor Hundred wrestles with his own feelings about the war, the cities reaction to a planned anti-war rally and (spoilers, here) how he deals with a second terrorist attack that occurs during the protest. The end of this story is sudden and unresolved leading me to believe there is "more to come." But, instead, halfway through the volume we switch gears to an apparently separate storyline.
In this second story, we are introduced to Hundred's arch-nemesis from his superhero days. It's a welcome change of pace from the real world politics that are this titles usual bread and butter, and not only gives us some insight into Hundred's background and powers, but also -presumably- builds to other events down the road.
Despite the split up storytelling, and the too-brief nature of both stories, this is still a quick and compelling read.
The first of the two stories deals more directly with the titular "March to War." In Ex Machina's timeline, we've now reached the impending invasion of Iraq, and this story deals with how Mayor Hundred wrestles with his own feelings about the war, the cities reaction to a planned anti-war rally and (spoilers, here) how he deals with a second terrorist attack that occurs during the protest. The end of this story is sudden and unresolved leading me to believe there is "more to come." But, instead, halfway through the volume we switch gears to an apparently separate storyline.
In this second story, we are introduced to Hundred's arch-nemesis from his superhero days. It's a welcome change of pace from the real world politics that are this titles usual bread and butter, and not only gives us some insight into Hundred's background and powers, but also -presumably- builds to other events down the road.
Despite the split up storytelling, and the too-brief nature of both stories, this is still a quick and compelling read.
January 11, 2020
All this build up for the reveal of The Great Machine's arch-nemesis Pherson, but the guy is actually the lamest character in the series.
December 12, 2021
A march to protest America's invasion in Iraq is apparently attacked by a terrorist and a major character dies.
The portions of this book involving the march are still 4 stars for me although the death should have hit me harder. The two volumes about a guy who can speak to animals were not as good - three stars for that part. I find I like these stories more when they're focusing on Mayor Hundred and political issues rather than the Great Machine and fighting bad guys.
The portions of this book involving the march are still 4 stars for me although the death should have hit me harder. The two volumes about a guy who can speak to animals were not as good - three stars for that part. I find I like these stories more when they're focusing on Mayor Hundred and political issues rather than the Great Machine and fighting bad guys.
July 13, 2024
I think this series may be the best piece of fiction I can think of that reckons with the post 9/11 era of American politics and culture. Though I haven’t seen it, this reminds me of the way people talk about The West Wing. I’m really shocked that this wasn’t made into an hbo show.
September 19, 2015
I'm still enjoying this though some of the faults are becoming more obvious. The initial 'terrorist' attack was interesting though somewhat predictable as was killing off a reasonably big character (one I quite liked too). The arch-nemesis storyline was pretty funny though I don't think it was intended that way and there's a sense of Vaughan not quite committing to some of the tropes here.
The art is distracting me a little. A bonus feature in the first volume highlighted how real models are used and I'm not sure if this is still the case (there are a lot more artists in this collection) but some of the postures seem very forced and weird and there's poor consistency. Commissioner Angotti in particular is lumped with weird face syndrome.
Plus, I don't usually have any issue with nudity but the 4 page telephone conversation with Journal with her posing in a see-through top seems entirely gratuitous, especially given what happens to her later and the serious nature of her character.
Anyway, it's still engaging but the shine maybe has worn off a little.
The art is distracting me a little. A bonus feature in the first volume highlighted how real models are used and I'm not sure if this is still the case (there are a lot more artists in this collection) but some of the postures seem very forced and weird and there's poor consistency. Commissioner Angotti in particular is lumped with weird face syndrome.
Plus, I don't usually have any issue with nudity but the 4 page telephone conversation with Journal with her posing in a see-through top seems entirely gratuitous, especially given what happens to her later and the serious nature of her character.
Anyway, it's still engaging but the shine maybe has worn off a little.
July 15, 2015
Vol. 4 of 10
This volume bored me a little.
Recap to remind me of what this issue was about. ****Possible spoilers ahead****:
--Journal, one of Mayor Hundred's office staff decides to resign in order to protest the war in Iraq. Something goes terribly wrong during this protest.
--We meet Mitch's archnemesis, Jack Pherson. Somehow Mitch has passed on his powers to him through a recording of Mitch's voice that Jack Pherson's parrot has learned to imitate. But instead of being able to control machines like Mitch, Jack is now able to control animals.
I wasn't thrilled by this archnemesis. He also seemed like an afterthought, like an archnemesis needed to be added to the story just because all comic book superhéroes have at least one.
I"m hoping this will start to pick up because so far I have failed to be wowed.
This volume bored me a little.
Recap to remind me of what this issue was about. ****Possible spoilers ahead****:
--Journal, one of Mayor Hundred's office staff decides to resign in order to protest the war in Iraq. Something goes terribly wrong during this protest.
--We meet Mitch's archnemesis, Jack Pherson. Somehow Mitch has passed on his powers to him through a recording of Mitch's voice that Jack Pherson's parrot has learned to imitate. But instead of being able to control machines like Mitch, Jack is now able to control animals.
I wasn't thrilled by this archnemesis. He also seemed like an afterthought, like an archnemesis needed to be added to the story just because all comic book superhéroes have at least one.
I"m hoping this will start to pick up because so far I have failed to be wowed.
December 27, 2011
Sigue siendo una serie excelente. Los diálogos tienen toda la onda del mundo. El dibujo pinta muy profesional y expresivo (aunque duro a la vez) y además hay de bonus unas historias dibujadas por el segundo papá de Tom Stong, que es muy expresivo y atrapante. Pero Vaughan, por más que lo banque, sigue siendo yanqui, y parece que tiene miedo de afirmar que las guerras yanquis son maniobras comerciales sin mucha ideología detrás y que es más difícil justificarlas que discutir de fútbol civilizadamente con un barrabrava. Aun así, se las arregla para ser, dentro de todo, antibelicismo y anti Bush, así que se le perdona. Y el capítulo extra con el villano que maneja a los animales como Mitchel maneja a las máquinas también pinta muy interesante. Veremos por dónde se resuelve eso...
June 11, 2009
This was probably my least-favorite volume of the series so far. `The use of 9/11 has been one of the things that's most seriously bothered me about this series since the beginning, so the increased focus on that made me distinctly uncomfortable, and I'm really not sure the terrorism plot was well done at all. I liked the specials at the end, about Jack Pherson, Mitchell Hundred's nemesis, but I didn't feel like they were quite fleshed out enough to make me really care. Still, I enjoyed bits and pieces of this, mostly in the character interactions, and while I'm still pretty sure I wouldn't vote for Mitchell Hundred, I do find him compelling. I'll definitely keep reading.
February 4, 2011
Two stories here: March to War, which looks at a second terrorist attack on NYC and the aftermath of it, and Life or Death, which focuses exclusively on Mitchell's superhero days, and his arch-nemesis from that time, Jack Pherson. Both stories were fairly interesting, but March to War felt unfinished (seriously, Journal dies and that's it? the story ends right there?) and Pherson seemed like he would have been a good character to keep around as a recurring foil for Mitchell. As a result, the story feels like a bit of a waste.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2016
Another highly enjoyable edition of Brian k. Vaughan's "Ex Machina" and for this go round we get treated to a mysterious and rather interesting antagonist in a prolonged flashback scene and much more of the same that made the previous volumes such great mixes of entertainment and social and political commentary without a need to preach its themes.
February 27, 2019
I tried to give it another chance, but I just couldn't. Maybe it's the negativity around 9/11 and the Bush era and knowing what happened with the war. Maybe it was just all the lecturing or a reminder of the terrible political climate we're currently in. And then once the nemesis was introduced I really just skim read to the end. I think this will be last try with this series.
April 13, 2023
Vaughan and Harris, and, in the last two-part story here, Chris Sprouse, just keep rocking the political superhero saga here.
Recommended.
Recommended.
September 11, 2017
Aaaand this is where they lost me. Brian K. Vaughan seems out of his depth trying to deal with big political issues, the art is uncharacteristically sloppy, and I'm a little stymied trying to figure out how invested I'm supposed to be in Hundred's pre-mayoral superhero shenanigans. I can't tell if the characters' eyes have always been out of focus and I just glazed over them because of the tight writing, or if the politics have always been so painful to engage with (I mean, they were a little painful, but) but I let them slide because the sleek plot and intrigue made them feel less like a gouge to the face. Mostly, I think the previous volumes were better, and now it feels like all of the wheels have fallen off the hype train all at once.
There is still interesting stuff going on, and I happen to know that there's a copy of volume 5 sitting in the used trades bin at my comic shop. I figure I'll get around to it sooner or later, but in the meantime I've got a stack of stuff to read at home, and more Ex Machina has been bumped with command to the back of the queue.
There is still interesting stuff going on, and I happen to know that there's a copy of volume 5 sitting in the used trades bin at my comic shop. I figure I'll get around to it sooner or later, but in the meantime I've got a stack of stuff to read at home, and more Ex Machina has been bumped with command to the back of the queue.
August 25, 2021
This is a stellar read. Reading it I was again surprised by how smooth this book is. As I mentioned in my review of the last issue it’s lack of flashiness leaves me tempted to underrate it but when I really look at it I realize just how good this book is.
Herein it goes well beyond its superhero hook. The “March to War” story in particular is downright bold political commentary. Commentary is not something new to Mr. Vaughn but there is something about the real world setting that grounds his voice here in a way that makes it really resonate. The discussion between the deputy mayor and the former West Pointer (you’ll know it when you read it) is as compelling a perspective on a serious real world issue as anything you’d read in a philosophy text book. It really made me think. It’s not the only moment like that it’s just my favourite.
All that plus there is the funny. And yes the superhero is not left in the dust as The Machine gets a nemesis. Compelling stuff all round and equally important, a riveting read.
Herein it goes well beyond its superhero hook. The “March to War” story in particular is downright bold political commentary. Commentary is not something new to Mr. Vaughn but there is something about the real world setting that grounds his voice here in a way that makes it really resonate. The discussion between the deputy mayor and the former West Pointer (you’ll know it when you read it) is as compelling a perspective on a serious real world issue as anything you’d read in a philosophy text book. It really made me think. It’s not the only moment like that it’s just my favourite.
All that plus there is the funny. And yes the superhero is not left in the dust as The Machine gets a nemesis. Compelling stuff all round and equally important, a riveting read.
January 17, 2018
Eh. I still just can't get into this series. I have volume 5 still checked out, and unless something radical happens, I won't be continuing. It's just not that interesting. The story seems to be a never-ending compilation of one-offs with little overarching plot lines. They're hinted here and there, but they're not exactly hard to figure out. In this volume we finally figure out Mayor Hundred's "arch-enemy", who is summarily . I think I'm just disappointed because the series has such high praise. I'm just finding it very boring.
July 16, 2019
Mystified at the criticisms of the art (yes, they are clearly still using models), and the politics. If Vaughan is wrong because he doesn't take a harder stand, well then so be it--an artist is supposed to convey, what they see as truth. Truth for Brian Vaughn is that these issues are as hopelessly complex as the sea of people that comprise them...but he seldom fails to bring up things that make me think, "good point." Meanwhile, some think he's "anti-Bush." Hilarious.
Folks, this is a good story and the art is excellent---far better than most. Read all five of these.
Folks, this is a good story and the art is excellent---far better than most. Read all five of these.
October 28, 2021
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 moving so slowly you forget it's there.
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 moving so slowly you forget it's there.
May 28, 2022
A fascinating attempt to deal with the Iraq War within the realms of a superhero(ish) comic. It doesn’t fully work, but it’s nicely ambivalent and confident enough to throw a fairly major character under the bus to make a point. The special story feels a bit… undercooked and hurried which is a shame, because it’s potentially a fascinating story but one that seems too rushed to fully work
August 8, 2022
In post 9-11 New York City an anti-war protest is disrupted by ricin gas killing and injuring those attending, including Mayor Hundred's new Special Advisor on Youth, Journal, who ends up on life support in the hospital. We also see the origins of The Great Machine's enemy, Jack Pherson, who can communicate with animals the way that The Great Machine can communicate with electronics.
April 4, 2023
Neither of the stories featured in this volume, either present or past, reads especially compelling nor satisfying come their conclusion, despite the attempt to (cynically?) shoehorn in some unnecessary personal stakes.
Hopefully it's just a blip and a dip as it's been an ex cellent series up until this point.
Hopefully it's just a blip and a dip as it's been an ex cellent series up until this point.
July 11, 2018
This will most likely be the last volume of Ex Machina I will be reading, it's just not my cup of tea.
The story didn't catch my interest, and the art was good, but not enough to make me read the next volume, it just felt like an obligation.
The story didn't catch my interest, and the art was good, but not enough to make me read the next volume, it just felt like an obligation.
April 3, 2019
A little outdated in terms of progressive political ideas, but still relevant in grappling with real-world problems from the middle. Stories are interesting and the long arc has kept me reading through all the volumes I can find oncomixology.
June 10, 2024
This one is slightly better than volume 3 but still struggling for overall direction. It is fun but meandering. This series continues to be steeped in early 2000s culture including some offensive language that has aged very poorly even if it were authentic at the time.
March 24, 2018
The arch nemesis is a little lame but it could be cool later on...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews