Ex Machina #12 Review

Archive

Reviewer: Tim Stevens
Story Title: Fact v. Fiction Chapter 1

Written by: Brian K. Vaughan
Pencilled by: Tony Harris
Inked by: Tom Feister
Colored by: JD Mettler
Lettered by: Jared K. Fletcher
Editor: Ben Abernathy
Publisher: Wildstorm Comics

The Great Machine likes comics!

Sorry, I just had to get that off my chest. It might not have had much to do with the story (yet anyway) but it entertaining and I liked how it led to the introduction of another of the Mayor’s friends, this one a Clark Kent looking fella who doubles as his lawyer and comic book hookup. It also was a smart exposition free way of reminding us of the fallout between Kremlin and Hundred that came at the end of the first arc and has yet to be resolved.

The bulk of this issue, however, is focused on Hundred’s accepting of his civic duty and showing up for a possible jury duty assignment. It might seem a bit off, but as Hundred points out, Giuliani did do the same when he was in office. While the Mayor tries to use this opportunity as a PR maneuver to get past any gay marriage fallout from the last arc, something sinister seems to be afoot at the courthouse.

Hizzoner misses it, perhaps because he is distracted by the fact that Felix Valby, a man that shot him with a flare gun three years ago, is set to be released from prison. Despite that act which could be construed as attempted murder or, in the least, battery, Valby only went to jail for making terrorist threats. The reason why is a nice nod to how unhelpful secret identities can prove when dealing with the criminal justice system in our country.

Finally, somewhere in the city, a robot (?) is punishing criminals and claiming that he was created by the Great Machine.

As always, Vaughan and Co. are incredibly adept at weaving together these various plotlines without making the issue seem rushed or confusingly stuffed. The plotting “problems” I had last month are nowhere to be found here. Transitions make sense and never lost me at any point along the way.

The art team is incredible. Period, end of sentence. Every part of it, from penciling to inking to coloring to lettering (and yes, in this book, lettering is part of the art) comes to play. Whether you like this book’s merging of the mundane (city politics, getting comics as a politician) and the incredible (robots, the Great Machine), there is no denying that it is a beautiful looking work. There isn’t a single member of the art that shouldn’t take a well deserved bow.