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Ex Machina #10
Ex Machina, Vol. 10: Term Limits
The shocking last storyline leading up to the issue #50 series finale! Mayor Hundred must navigate the most challenging hot-button issue of his career, while a powerful new archenemy reveals a terrifying plan that's been in the works since the very first issue of EX MACHINA!
Will Mitchell Hundred's new archenemy, a dogged reporter with powers far beyond those of the Great Machine, finally bring down the mayor's administration? Will the tragedies that Mayor Hundred warned about in the very first issue finally come to pass? Collects Ex Machina issue #45-50
Will Mitchell Hundred's new archenemy, a dogged reporter with powers far beyond those of the Great Machine, finally bring down the mayor's administration? Will the tragedies that Mayor Hundred warned about in the very first issue finally come to pass? Collects Ex Machina issue #45-50
168 pages, Paperback
First published November 23, 2010
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470 people want to read
About the author
Brian K. Vaughan
1,059 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 186 reviews
December 30, 2014
Spoiler warning.
I really enjoyed this entire series. Well written. The story moves along well. Good tension. Good pacing. Characters change and grow.
Right up until the final issue. The main character does a bunch of things that seem to go against the way he's behaved for the last 10 books. I'm left with a pointed feeling of WTF?
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for some delicious ambiguity at the end of a complex series. I'm fine with an open ending, and a character that undergoes growth and change....
But this was just abrupt and confusing, it seemed to undercut the rest of the story, rather than compliment it.
I've read it a couple times now and I'm still unsure what it's supposed to mean.
It was an odd, disappointing end to an otherwise enjoyable story.
I really enjoyed this entire series. Well written. The story moves along well. Good tension. Good pacing. Characters change and grow.
Right up until the final issue. The main character does a bunch of things that seem to go against the way he's behaved for the last 10 books. I'm left with a pointed feeling of WTF?
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for some delicious ambiguity at the end of a complex series. I'm fine with an open ending, and a character that undergoes growth and change....
But this was just abrupt and confusing, it seemed to undercut the rest of the story, rather than compliment it.
I've read it a couple times now and I'm still unsure what it's supposed to mean.
It was an odd, disappointing end to an otherwise enjoyable story.
February 21, 2011
This volume brought my overall review of the series from four stars down to three. It still had the Ex Machina hallmarks: Whedonesque humor amid the solemnity, intelligent politics, great dialogue, great art. Sadly, it took a turn I objected to and will attempt to hide for spoilers.
November 29, 2010
Wow. I didn’t see that coming.
Brian K. Vaughan wrote a powerful ending to his comic series Y: The Last Man, and he came up with an ending that was just as devastating in it’s own way for Ex Machina.
Vaughan fused superhero comics and politics with a hardcore sci-fi plot for this series. Mitchell Hundred was a New York civil engineer who was injured by the explosion of a mysterious device that left him with the ability to talk to machines. After a brief and mostly unsuccessful attempt to be the world‘s only superhero , Hundred became a celebrity for saving many lives on 9/11, and he then used that publicity to become mayor of New York.
As mayor, Hundred struggled with impossible political problems while his past as a crime fighter and the mysterious origin of his powers kept coming back to haunt him. In 2005, Hundred is near the end of his first term, but he has his sights set on a higher office and won’t run for re-election as mayor. However, he’s dealing with a dangerous new foe as well as a potential scandal that could ruin his political career, and it’s looking like the biggest threat of all may be tied to the source of his powers. Even if Hundred can survive these crises, can he keep his principles intact as he gets deeper into politics or will he turn into just another ambitious elected official?
Much like Y: The Last Man, this was an incredibly good storyline filled with vivid characters and a story arc that was packed with drama, humor and tragedy. While I still give slight edge to Y as the better series, this one is right up there with the best of comics to me. Whatever Vaughan decides to write next, I’ll be reading it.
Brian K. Vaughan wrote a powerful ending to his comic series Y: The Last Man, and he came up with an ending that was just as devastating in it’s own way for Ex Machina.
Vaughan fused superhero comics and politics with a hardcore sci-fi plot for this series. Mitchell Hundred was a New York civil engineer who was injured by the explosion of a mysterious device that left him with the ability to talk to machines. After a brief and mostly unsuccessful attempt to be the world‘s only superhero , Hundred became a celebrity for saving many lives on 9/11, and he then used that publicity to become mayor of New York.
As mayor, Hundred struggled with impossible political problems while his past as a crime fighter and the mysterious origin of his powers kept coming back to haunt him. In 2005, Hundred is near the end of his first term, but he has his sights set on a higher office and won’t run for re-election as mayor. However, he’s dealing with a dangerous new foe as well as a potential scandal that could ruin his political career, and it’s looking like the biggest threat of all may be tied to the source of his powers. Even if Hundred can survive these crises, can he keep his principles intact as he gets deeper into politics or will he turn into just another ambitious elected official?
Much like Y: The Last Man, this was an incredibly good storyline filled with vivid characters and a story arc that was packed with drama, humor and tragedy. While I still give slight edge to Y as the better series, this one is right up there with the best of comics to me. Whatever Vaughan decides to write next, I’ll be reading it.
September 19, 2011
Mitchell Hundred, aka the Great Machine, is coming to the end of his final term as Mayor of New York City and a former reporter turned evil supervillain thanks to an accident similar to Hundred's which turned him into the Great Machine, is threatening to turn the city into a death zone with her powers. It's up to Hundred to stop the villain, restore the city to peace, and set things up for his successor so that New York continues to have a mayor and a hero with a eye to civic duty.
Brian Vaughan is probably one of the best living comics writers working today. Not only did he create a fantastic series with Pia Guerra in "Y: The Last Man" but he followed it up with an equally original and brilliant series in "Ex Machina". This final part is no less than the best work Vaughan has done so far.
For those expecting a pat final chapter where everything gets wrapped up neatly? Wow, they are in for a shock. I can honestly say the final part is so utterly shocking that it made me reevaluate not just the series as a whole but the character of Hundred entirely. Vaughan does this through a short "years after" approach to where the main story arc ended in 2005. We see what Hundred does in 2006, 2007, and ends in 2008. It's very ballsy to end a long running series the way Vaughan does but fits in with the way he's written it so far - never predictable, always thought provoking, and original.
Ex Machina has been a fantastic series and I'm sad to see it end. Then again I'm excited to see what new series Brian Vaughan will start writing next. But for those fans wondering if the final chapter to this excellent comic book is a let down? It isn't, it's a tremendous read. Check it out.
Brian Vaughan is probably one of the best living comics writers working today. Not only did he create a fantastic series with Pia Guerra in "Y: The Last Man" but he followed it up with an equally original and brilliant series in "Ex Machina". This final part is no less than the best work Vaughan has done so far.
For those expecting a pat final chapter where everything gets wrapped up neatly? Wow, they are in for a shock. I can honestly say the final part is so utterly shocking that it made me reevaluate not just the series as a whole but the character of Hundred entirely. Vaughan does this through a short "years after" approach to where the main story arc ended in 2005. We see what Hundred does in 2006, 2007, and ends in 2008. It's very ballsy to end a long running series the way Vaughan does but fits in with the way he's written it so far - never predictable, always thought provoking, and original.
Ex Machina has been a fantastic series and I'm sad to see it end. Then again I'm excited to see what new series Brian Vaughan will start writing next. But for those fans wondering if the final chapter to this excellent comic book is a let down? It isn't, it's a tremendous read. Check it out.
August 19, 2014
10 trades in 6 days was a bit of a slog but the nuts ending totally made the journey worthwhile. Also call me insensitive but I didn’t think all the 9/11 references aged very well. Lastly he is supposed to be a Civil Engineer but pretty much every one of his references to his past work refers to Structural Engineering projects (come on BKV let’s get our facts straight).
November 30, 2010
[minor spoilers]
'Ex Machina' is one of the few comic book series where I have dutifully collected each and every issue, and I have to say the ending was a major disappointment. It felt jarring, out of tone with the overall story, and frankly, fucking lame. I know the author was going for a rope-a-dope 'bad' ending, and I'm fine with those, but this one was weak. Another disappointing angle is that apparently artist Tony Harris couldn't keep up (suddenly), so there are random panels by another artist, another jarring effect. Overall this is a weak ending for such a strong title, and if anything it seems Brian K. Vaughan had a lot of other stuff on his plate and this book fell by the wayside.
'Ex Machina' is one of the few comic book series where I have dutifully collected each and every issue, and I have to say the ending was a major disappointment. It felt jarring, out of tone with the overall story, and frankly, fucking lame. I know the author was going for a rope-a-dope 'bad' ending, and I'm fine with those, but this one was weak. Another disappointing angle is that apparently artist Tony Harris couldn't keep up (suddenly), so there are random panels by another artist, another jarring effect. Overall this is a weak ending for such a strong title, and if anything it seems Brian K. Vaughan had a lot of other stuff on his plate and this book fell by the wayside.
August 29, 2016
4.5 stars
Probably the same rating for the series as a whole. Very well wrapped up in this volume. There was just enough of a twist to keep it all interesting.
Probably the same rating for the series as a whole. Very well wrapped up in this volume. There was just enough of a twist to keep it all interesting.
January 11, 2011
One day I’m going to write an essay about how and why science fictional concepts in movies and comics (and most novels) only too rarely achieve the status of “ideas.”
But first I’ll say that, despite its many flaws (stiff postures and expressions, some wonky dialogue, and an irksome and illogical ending), I enjoyed reading EX MACHINA from start to near-finish.
The main trouble I have with this series--and this is true of most “serious” SF comics, even those by Grant Morrison and Alan Moore--is it promises too much and delivers too little.
To be brief, I had anticipated that, at climax, the intrusion of the alternate earth(s) would come to mean something more substantial both to Mitchell Hundred emotionally and to me intellectually. Concepts (thoughts that move the plot) never become ideas (thoughts that move your mind into a new relationship with reality, fictional and actual).
Was I expecting too much from Brian K. Vaughan? I don’t think so. Because the necessary setup and development pieces were all in place--and I could sense where he might have taken those conceptual threads.
For instance, Mitchell’s father issues might have come screaming into the foreground, or a distorted-mirror reality might have better reflected the effects of his growing megalomania (this was only hinted at). And Vaughan might even have made a solid stab at speculating about what makes us human and not machines.
Unfortunately, Vaughan didn’t follow through, and the muddled and rushed ending proves that he hadn’t thought through the implications of--and the ideas nested within--his many concepts from the start.
Good comics, but alas, not great comics.
But first I’ll say that, despite its many flaws (stiff postures and expressions, some wonky dialogue, and an irksome and illogical ending), I enjoyed reading EX MACHINA from start to near-finish.
The main trouble I have with this series--and this is true of most “serious” SF comics, even those by Grant Morrison and Alan Moore--is it promises too much and delivers too little.
To be brief, I had anticipated that, at climax, the intrusion of the alternate earth(s) would come to mean something more substantial both to Mitchell Hundred emotionally and to me intellectually. Concepts (thoughts that move the plot) never become ideas (thoughts that move your mind into a new relationship with reality, fictional and actual).
Was I expecting too much from Brian K. Vaughan? I don’t think so. Because the necessary setup and development pieces were all in place--and I could sense where he might have taken those conceptual threads.
For instance, Mitchell’s father issues might have come screaming into the foreground, or a distorted-mirror reality might have better reflected the effects of his growing megalomania (this was only hinted at). And Vaughan might even have made a solid stab at speculating about what makes us human and not machines.
Unfortunately, Vaughan didn’t follow through, and the muddled and rushed ending proves that he hadn’t thought through the implications of--and the ideas nested within--his many concepts from the start.
Good comics, but alas, not great comics.
July 25, 2015
Vol. 10 of 10
Finally! I am done with this series. In general I liked the series as a whole but I had my issues with it.
The series was too political for my taste, but I am not so much judging it on that basis since that is what this novel is basically about. It just did not excite me to read each volume as much.
I did not care for the format which was pretty much an "episode of the week" mixed in with some story on Mitch Hundred as The Great Machine superhero. Every volumen was "What hot issue are we going to tackle in this time?"
The story was a bit all over the place for me. It jumped around in time, jumped around Mitch being a superhero, a mayor, a child, and jumped around a lot of the background story of certain characters and the whole 9/11 situation without ever concluding any of it in a way that felt satisfactory.
The artwork was not exactly my favorite. The faces of main characters were not consistent throughout the whole series and most of the women had the same face and were only distinguishable by their hairstyle or body shape.
What I did like was that Mitch was truly one of the Good Guys. He wanted to make positive changes for the city of New York and had a naiveness about him that I liked.
I am rating this last book as a whole of the series but I will say that I hated the ending of the book. I felt a little cheated out by what happened to certain characters that seemed to come out of left field without any clue or explanation as to why (mainly Bradbury and Kremlin). I won't give anythig away, but I wasn't too happy about the way this concluded. However, as a complete series, it wasn't bad, maybe just not the type of story for me.
Finally! I am done with this series. In general I liked the series as a whole but I had my issues with it.
The series was too political for my taste, but I am not so much judging it on that basis since that is what this novel is basically about. It just did not excite me to read each volume as much.
I did not care for the format which was pretty much an "episode of the week" mixed in with some story on Mitch Hundred as The Great Machine superhero. Every volumen was "What hot issue are we going to tackle in this time?"
The story was a bit all over the place for me. It jumped around in time, jumped around Mitch being a superhero, a mayor, a child, and jumped around a lot of the background story of certain characters and the whole 9/11 situation without ever concluding any of it in a way that felt satisfactory.
The artwork was not exactly my favorite. The faces of main characters were not consistent throughout the whole series and most of the women had the same face and were only distinguishable by their hairstyle or body shape.
What I did like was that Mitch was truly one of the Good Guys. He wanted to make positive changes for the city of New York and had a naiveness about him that I liked.
I am rating this last book as a whole of the series but I will say that I hated the ending of the book. I felt a little cheated out by what happened to certain characters that seemed to come out of left field without any clue or explanation as to why (mainly Bradbury and Kremlin). I won't give anythig away, but I wasn't too happy about the way this concluded. However, as a complete series, it wasn't bad, maybe just not the type of story for me.
February 16, 2016
If you haven't read this last volume, don't read this review. Finished all ten volumes (only one of them reread), in like two weeks, and I think my overall average and maybe my view of the whole series is something like a 4, though these last two volumes were terrific, and the ending, well, I agree with most reviewers whose reviews of this volume I read or skimmed, and think this was a surprising ending, even disturbing, but not implausible. He tells us what he thinks about typical happy comic book endings, and we have sort of been used to darker finishes and unhappy endings since the mid eighties (Watchmen, Dark Knight, etc), and we have seen evidence of 100's political ambitions. I get why some readers were in a rage, and thinking it was inconsistent with the character of ALL of the major characters in the end, but I was not surprised or disappointed in the turns it takes…. Great story, well told, beautifully drawn, a great team effort. I may feel not quite as satisfying as Y: The Last Man, but it still showcases an amazing talent (or talents, to be fair). He knows how to write, this Vaughn, for sure. On a par with Joss Whedon.
August 24, 2017
Well he made up his mind 😅😂😂 final issue was probably the best in the series. It was Pretty early in the series i figured the book is about controversial political views and not about resolving or ending stories. In Some ways the "final Villain" felt anticlimatic. It was more about kremlin living in the past and not lettting things go. And not realising Mitchel had actually changed as a person. It is in many ways a controversial book and can only be apreciated by Reading every book till the end. But I could see people having given up early on But that is a shame. The full story makes sense and in many ways is relatable to current times.
June 19, 2018
Well it's been a while since I've done a review here. So my skills my be a bit rusty.
I'll start by saying I'm a huge BKV fan. First with Y: The Last Man, which is one of my all time favourite series, and then Saga. Which I was surprised to find grew on me a lot as I read it more. So after seeing all the raved reviews for Ex Machina I thought this would be a shoe in for me, unfortunately it just didn't grab me. I kept thinking it would kick off eventually as I started, then when I hit the half way mark I thought it would all be tied into the end. When I hit #40 I was beginning to doubt it would have a satisfying conclusion in the way I'm use to with BKV's work.
Then I read the final issue...and I'm left with the sinking feeling of loss. What in the actual fuck happened? Was the previous #49 issues a hoax? Were they all an alternate universe? Why in the hell would Mitch act that way? How is this a satisfying ending? Or was that the point? To leave the reader feeling cheated, like they invested all this time in then hero to realise that he was actually the bad guy all along?
As I read through this series over the past week I thought there would be ideas that were sprinkled throughout to be unveiled more as the story developed. Mitch in Iraq, the coloured boxes, mitches sexuality, his mother and fathers situation, mirror universes and even who the big bad was and what the hell they wanted. But it all just ended up being super vague and not explored. Which left a sour taste in my mouth.
This series overall was an entertaining read with some great moments. BKV does dialogue well, in a way that feels natural and easy to digest. But for me this one didn't quite hit the mark. Im just left with the overwhelming feeling that this could have been so much more than it was. Now I'm not sure whether this title was cancelled, or whether BKV intended to end the series this way, but either way I just thought it was a disservice to the characters and the stories that had been built up over the entire run. Sadly I don't think I'll be reading this one again.
I'll start by saying I'm a huge BKV fan. First with Y: The Last Man, which is one of my all time favourite series, and then Saga. Which I was surprised to find grew on me a lot as I read it more. So after seeing all the raved reviews for Ex Machina I thought this would be a shoe in for me, unfortunately it just didn't grab me. I kept thinking it would kick off eventually as I started, then when I hit the half way mark I thought it would all be tied into the end. When I hit #40 I was beginning to doubt it would have a satisfying conclusion in the way I'm use to with BKV's work.
Then I read the final issue...and I'm left with the sinking feeling of loss. What in the actual fuck happened? Was the previous #49 issues a hoax? Were they all an alternate universe? Why in the hell would Mitch act that way? How is this a satisfying ending? Or was that the point? To leave the reader feeling cheated, like they invested all this time in then hero to realise that he was actually the bad guy all along?
As I read through this series over the past week I thought there would be ideas that were sprinkled throughout to be unveiled more as the story developed. Mitch in Iraq, the coloured boxes, mitches sexuality, his mother and fathers situation, mirror universes and even who the big bad was and what the hell they wanted. But it all just ended up being super vague and not explored. Which left a sour taste in my mouth.
This series overall was an entertaining read with some great moments. BKV does dialogue well, in a way that feels natural and easy to digest. But for me this one didn't quite hit the mark. Im just left with the overwhelming feeling that this could have been so much more than it was. Now I'm not sure whether this title was cancelled, or whether BKV intended to end the series this way, but either way I just thought it was a disservice to the characters and the stories that had been built up over the entire run. Sadly I don't think I'll be reading this one again.
May 29, 2022
Well that was disappointing, a dip in quality into a somewhat rote dystopian revelation rather than the craziness promises by The Stars Are Down. Plus the Bradbury twist seems about as well thought through as Serena Southerlyn’s flounce in Law and Order. Vaughan obviously got a lot better after this because it’s quite dispiriting to see how cliched the ending is compared to the peaks he’ll be reaching in only a few more years
May 19, 2017
Well, that hurt
May 19, 2017
I was not ready for this to be over...I don't feel quite satisfied with the way it ended. Too much left open. But an enjoyable read nonetheless.
Read
June 7, 2017Well, it's over, and I'm not really sure what the point was. Hey, at least I'm done! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Interesting concept, but it really lost my attention toward the end. This final volume felt a little underwhelming.
Interesting concept, but it really lost my attention toward the end. This final volume felt a little underwhelming.
October 2, 2024
Coming into this trade, I thought it was a little strange that it was ending already. It really felt like it could have easily gone another 50 issues. But it works. It’s unexpected and unconventional, but it totally works.
Great ending to a great series.
Great ending to a great series.
August 28, 2013
In the previous volume (Ex Machina, Vol. 9: Ring Out the Old), Bradbury struck Suzanne with the White Box, which breaks and leaves fragments inside her head. Suzanne thereby acquired the ability of the White Box, which is essentially Mind Control. Mitchell found out his intended purpose and is aware there is a new - albeit unknown to him - player on the field. What will he do? The stage is set for the last story arc of the series, and let me tell you: it's quite a ride!
"Pro-Life"
With the help of her newly-acquired mind control abilities, Suzanne Padilla gains entry to January Moore's appartment and takes her hostage. She is looking for "the opener", one of Mitchell's ray guns that can open a direct passage between this reality and the alternate reality from which the invaders will come.
Nothing is heard from either of them for some days and Kremlin assumes the worst and that Mitchell is responsible. He visits Martha (Mitchell's mother) to warn her about her son. She doesn't believe that Mitchell's done anything like what Kremlin is implying, and she says that anyway, she's got some home protection: one of Mitchell's ray guns (coincidentally, it is "the opener" - but we all saw that coming).
Kremlin contacts Suzanne by telephone and tells her about the "nullifier", a contraption that Mitchell invented, which temporarily makes him unable to use his powers. He tells her where he is (at Martha's appartment) and she goes to meet him there. By this point she's really a frightful villain. She crushes Martha's head like an over-ripe watermelon and takes possession of "the opener".
Next, Suzanne goes to a public radio station and uses it to broadcast a simple command to all who are listening: "Raise Hell".
Meanwhile, Kremlin calls Mitchell and lets him know his mother's dead, and that Suzanne killed her. In spite of several warnings from Commissioner Angotti regarding vigilantism, Mitchell decides to suit up one more time and goes to face off against Suzanne at Coney Island.
After Mitchell dealing with Suzanne and the portal to the invaders' world, Commissioner Angotti shows up and places him under arrest.
"Finale"
To prevent spoiling any aspect of this final issue, I will not summarise it. It picks up where the previous issues ended, and moves pretty quickly: the story jumps forward in time every few pages, and we see what's become of Mitchell and some of the other characters. There's a lot of cleverness to how Vaughan wraps up this series, and where he takes the different characters, most times to their logical conclusion. It ends with one the most shocking and heart-breaking moments I've ever read.
All in all, this was a very satisfying series. It is different from most things out there; it is intelligent and thought-provoking.
Thank you Brian K Vaughan & Tony Harris!
"Pro-Life"
With the help of her newly-acquired mind control abilities, Suzanne Padilla gains entry to January Moore's appartment and takes her hostage. She is looking for "the opener", one of Mitchell's ray guns that can open a direct passage between this reality and the alternate reality from which the invaders will come.
Nothing is heard from either of them for some days and Kremlin assumes the worst and that Mitchell is responsible. He visits Martha (Mitchell's mother) to warn her about her son. She doesn't believe that Mitchell's done anything like what Kremlin is implying, and she says that anyway, she's got some home protection: one of Mitchell's ray guns (coincidentally, it is "the opener" - but we all saw that coming).
Kremlin contacts Suzanne by telephone and tells her about the "nullifier", a contraption that Mitchell invented, which temporarily makes him unable to use his powers. He tells her where he is (at Martha's appartment) and she goes to meet him there. By this point she's really a frightful villain. She crushes Martha's head like an over-ripe watermelon and takes possession of "the opener".
Next, Suzanne goes to a public radio station and uses it to broadcast a simple command to all who are listening: "Raise Hell".
Meanwhile, Kremlin calls Mitchell and lets him know his mother's dead, and that Suzanne killed her. In spite of several warnings from Commissioner Angotti regarding vigilantism, Mitchell decides to suit up one more time and goes to face off against Suzanne at Coney Island.
After Mitchell dealing with Suzanne and the portal to the invaders' world, Commissioner Angotti shows up and places him under arrest.
"Finale"
To prevent spoiling any aspect of this final issue, I will not summarise it. It picks up where the previous issues ended, and moves pretty quickly: the story jumps forward in time every few pages, and we see what's become of Mitchell and some of the other characters. There's a lot of cleverness to how Vaughan wraps up this series, and where he takes the different characters, most times to their logical conclusion. It ends with one the most shocking and heart-breaking moments I've ever read.
All in all, this was a very satisfying series. It is different from most things out there; it is intelligent and thought-provoking.
Thank you Brian K Vaughan & Tony Harris!
March 10, 2013
Ex Machina is not what you think. It's so much more and so much more distressing. I finished the ending last night and was still pondering what was actually going on. I find the transitions between scenes sometimes distract from whatever conclusion we reached in the previous scene.
And the ending. It's grim. It's just not grim if you don't think about it too hard. That is, when finished it last night my thought was "well gee, for all the people that died along the way, that wasn't too bad."
No. It's much worse. You just have to pick up on the subtext of all the previous scenes. (Or not subtext. I guess you just have to pay attention)
Ex Machina is like that. What's actually going on in the background is hinted at throughout the series but never revealed till the last 2 volumes. I'm not certain, but a side of me feels like once we get to the "real" plot all the political commentary seems irrelevant. It's possible I'm just missing something.
There's a lot of brilliant and entertaining moments. The journey is quite enjoyable. I especially liked the meta comic part where the writer (Brian K. Vaughan) and Illustrator (don't remember) interview to do the Mayor's story as a comic series. The writer that Mayor Hundred ends up going with is at once a joke about comic style, fan homage from Brian K. Vaughan (I think), and indicative of how Mayor Hundred actually sees himself.
That sort of stuff makes everything that happens so much more compelling. But it's almost never in your face. You have to think about it a bit.
And the ending. It's grim. It's just not grim if you don't think about it too hard. That is, when finished it last night my thought was "well gee, for all the people that died along the way, that wasn't too bad."
No. It's much worse. You just have to pick up on the subtext of all the previous scenes. (Or not subtext. I guess you just have to pay attention)
Ex Machina is like that. What's actually going on in the background is hinted at throughout the series but never revealed till the last 2 volumes. I'm not certain, but a side of me feels like once we get to the "real" plot all the political commentary seems irrelevant. It's possible I'm just missing something.
There's a lot of brilliant and entertaining moments. The journey is quite enjoyable. I especially liked the meta comic part where the writer (Brian K. Vaughan) and Illustrator (don't remember) interview to do the Mayor's story as a comic series. The writer that Mayor Hundred ends up going with is at once a joke about comic style, fan homage from Brian K. Vaughan (I think), and indicative of how Mayor Hundred actually sees himself.
That sort of stuff makes everything that happens so much more compelling. But it's almost never in your face. You have to think about it a bit.
December 20, 2014
So far I've only read two Brian K Vaughan series to completion, Y the Last Man and Ex Machina. Both left me disappointed at the conclusion.
SEMI-SPOLIER
Vaughn explains exactly what this ending will be (and what Y the Last Man's ending was) in Hundred's monologue at the beginning of the last chapter: "Happy endings are bullshit. There are only happy pauses. If you follow any story to its conclusion, you always get the same thing. Regret. Pain. Loss. That's why I like superhero books. Month after month, they just keep going. So no matter what terrible things happen, you know there'll always be another chance for wrongs to get righted. It's like, without a last act, those stories never get to become tragedies. I guess that's why they call 'em comics."
Mr. Vaughan doesn't write comics. He writes truths, makes you care about a world he's created and then...wait, I think I can sum it up like this. It's like in Ghostbusters where Egon is doing the study with the little kid and the puppy...then he says "Let's see what happens when we take away the puppy." Vaughan doesn't just take our puppy away, he takes it out back and shoots it. But damn if I don't love his stories and keep coming back for more.
SEMI-SPOLIER
Vaughn explains exactly what this ending will be (and what Y the Last Man's ending was) in Hundred's monologue at the beginning of the last chapter: "Happy endings are bullshit. There are only happy pauses. If you follow any story to its conclusion, you always get the same thing. Regret. Pain. Loss. That's why I like superhero books. Month after month, they just keep going. So no matter what terrible things happen, you know there'll always be another chance for wrongs to get righted. It's like, without a last act, those stories never get to become tragedies. I guess that's why they call 'em comics."
Mr. Vaughan doesn't write comics. He writes truths, makes you care about a world he's created and then...wait, I think I can sum it up like this. It's like in Ghostbusters where Egon is doing the study with the little kid and the puppy...then he says "Let's see what happens when we take away the puppy." Vaughan doesn't just take our puppy away, he takes it out back and shoots it. But damn if I don't love his stories and keep coming back for more.
March 4, 2013
Gah! I cannot believe the ending. ARGH! Clearly, I was hoping for a slightly better (read: happier. Not that I was expecting unicorns and rainbows) end. One GR reviewer says "...ending with an image of John McCain like the final shot of any horror movie where the camera pans down to reveal they didn't destroy all the eggs! It's almost exactly that cheesy." I have to agree. Also, the ending is bitter. Just because Ex Machina didn't end the way I hoped, doesn't mean it wasn't compelling.
July 8, 2014
Now that was a wow of an ending. The story arc with the Big Bad gets wrapped up cleanly enough. There's a lot of talk of alternate universes, but no definitive explanations. I don't necessarily mind this, as that always seemed like an awkward plot device anyway.
But then the story continues, as Hundred steps down from being mayor and heads to Washington. But what happens to him? Not story-wise, but as a person? All I'll say is that I did not see the resolutions with his two closest friends--Bradbury and Kremlin--coming at all. Great job by Vaughan ending the series with both a period and a question mark.
So where does Ex Machina rate? Behind Y: The Last Man and Saga (so far), but still worth reading for Vaughan's writing and the questions it raises.
But then the story continues, as Hundred steps down from being mayor and heads to Washington. But what happens to him? Not story-wise, but as a person? All I'll say is that I did not see the resolutions with his two closest friends--Bradbury and Kremlin--coming at all. Great job by Vaughan ending the series with both a period and a question mark.
So where does Ex Machina rate? Behind Y: The Last Man and Saga (so far), but still worth reading for Vaughan's writing and the questions it raises.
March 16, 2017
Ultimately, I think was more into the idea of a graphic novel about a mayor who was a superhero than a superhero who is a mayor, if that makes sense.
Hundred's story is concluded, but I felt it was rushed and I really didn't care for Bradbury and Kremlin's fates. The alternate timeline could've been more interesting had it been given room to breathe. The invasion plot is wrapped up in a pretty typical fashion...nothing groundbreaking there.
Overall I think Ex Machina is a half-great series with moments that shine. But the "big" story has horrible pacing problems in the back half that really detail the momentum preceding it.
Hundred's story is concluded, but I felt it was rushed and I really didn't care for Bradbury and Kremlin's fates. The alternate timeline could've been more interesting had it been given room to breathe. The invasion plot is wrapped up in a pretty typical fashion...nothing groundbreaking there.
Overall I think Ex Machina is a half-great series with moments that shine. But the "big" story has horrible pacing problems in the back half that really detail the momentum preceding it.
January 2, 2011
The last half of the Ex Machina series feels to me like it lost its way. And unfortunately it doesn't really grow from where it began--if anything, it seems to shrink into deconstructionist cliche the farther along it goes. But it's all wrapped up in an exciting package, the plot stays interesting and the dialogue is snappy, you may not notice that the characters are starting to lose their souls, becoming puppets for a theme. I still rated the entire series highly because the ride was fun and often thought-provoking, but ultimately I felt like something was missing.
June 23, 2011
Well, that's 10 volumes of my life I'll never get back.
Seriously, between this and the end to Y The Last Man? Which is the same goddam dramallama ending copypasted with rubber cement and the blood of kittens? How about Pride of Baghdad, could you throw in a coda with the charred kitten corpses being eaten by rats?
Don't ever make creator-owned comics in my direction again, Vaughan, I don't want to know you. You are disinvited from the special secret magic comic treehouse, you are banned from this channel for trolling. You embarrass me that comic writing still gets away with this.
Seriously, between this and the end to Y The Last Man? Which is the same goddam dramallama ending copypasted with rubber cement and the blood of kittens? How about Pride of Baghdad, could you throw in a coda with the charred kitten corpses being eaten by rats?
Don't ever make creator-owned comics in my direction again, Vaughan, I don't want to know you. You are disinvited from the special secret magic comic treehouse, you are banned from this channel for trolling. You embarrass me that comic writing still gets away with this.
March 6, 2015
This series started off with so much potential and I loved the first few volumes. However it devolved in the last few volumes and comes to a disappointing end. Characters act out of character (change is fine so long as you can point to reasons and examples of their changing, change out of the blue however is not fine) I also wish that there were more explanations for where Hundred's powers come from and what it all means.
I should have stopped in the last volume when the writer and artist make an appearance in a very bad meta-issue.
I should have stopped in the last volume when the writer and artist make an appearance in a very bad meta-issue.
July 17, 2013
This gets a slightly lower rating from me as I feel the ending wasn't as good as lets say the one in Y the last man from the same author.
Still I have to say this was an impressive comic and the quality stayed fairly constant through the whole run.
I would highly recommend this, especially to people that want to read comics with more substance and less super heroes fist fights...
Still I have to say this was an impressive comic and the quality stayed fairly constant through the whole run.
I would highly recommend this, especially to people that want to read comics with more substance and less super heroes fist fights...
March 15, 2014
All ends as well as could be expected. This was a very good series. Politics and superheros, it turns out, mesh better than one would think. Vaughan writes fun dialogue and interesting characters. Harris' art strikes just the right note of realism to make everything concrete and believable. This one's a keeper!
May 4, 2011
Well, I guess that was a good ending. Not the slam-bang one I was hoping for, but it fits with the rest of the series.
December 21, 2015
If I was harboring any doubts that a nonlinear narrative is the way to go, this series totally and completely eliminated them.
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