Unless you’ve been living under a rock this past week, you might have noticed that CraveOnline Comics has had an onslaught of awesome coverage celebrating the completion of Brian K, Vaughan and Tony Harris’ Ex Machina. We’ve brought you the review of Ex Machina #50, A Hard Goodbye: Ex Machina, Wednesday Retrospective: Ex Machina, and Superhero Diaries: Mitchell Hundred. But what would a great week of coverage be without the almighty top 10 list?
Believe me, narrowing the best Ex Machina moments down to 10 was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Even as I write this, scattered about my writing desk is my Ex Machina collection, issues flipped open to various pages. It’s taken me forever to compile this list, because I keep getting sidetracked with re-reading issues. But here we go; the top 10 best moments of WIldStorm’s new classic.
Beware: if you haven’t read the series, or issue #50 yet, *THERE ARE SPOILERS AHEAD*.
10. Mitchell Curses on the Air (Ex Machina Special #2)
I love this moment because it showcases how much of a badass Mitchell Hundred can be. Though he does have his share of “typical” politician moments throughout the series, this is one that showcases his alternative style of thinking. When he gets ambushed by a local radio host into discussing his thoughts on capital punishment, Hundred promptly ends the interview with a “motherf*cker”, causing the DJ and his producer to freak out.
Mitchell simply leaves the room telling him, “now you know hot it feels to be sabotaged”. It’s a powerful moment for Hundred, but in someways also showcases his cowardice and inexperience as a politician. Still, I can’t say I don’t support the decision. Plus, this two-issue special was drawn by Chris Sprouse, and that’s just awesome.
9. The Great Machine Plays Santa (Ex Machina #30)
Many issues of Ex Machina start with a blunder or misadventure of The Great Machine, but issue #30 is the one that stands out most in my mind. Mitchell attempts to live the typical superhero lifestyle and deliver gifts to orphanage kids on Christmas, but instead crashes and burns, setting the roof of the orphanage on fire, all the while wearing a Santa Claus beard with the children watching out the window.
It’s one of the series’ more poignant funny moments; as serious and tragic the series turned out to be, it has its fair share of genuine humor, and this is one of the best. It’s also another clever device by Vaughan to portray Mitchell’s utter lack of experience in the role of a hero.
8. The Great Machine Meets, and Tries to Murder, The Pope (Ex Machina #33)
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“Ex Cathedra” is one of the more bizarre story arcs of the series, but pivotal in that it is where the reader becomes aware of Mitchell’s intentions to run for President (in this very same issue, actually). When Mitch comes face-to-face with His Holiness, he proceeds to attempt to murder him, but not before fighting the mind control and tearing parts of his own face off. The Pope being The Pope, he uses his divine power to instill an vision inside of Mitchell, consisting of a bizarre sort of angelic landscape in which Tony Harris renders a beautiful two-page splash showcasing a mind-numbing melding of New York City’s skyline with the assumed face of God.
It’s pretty heavy.
7. Woman Sets Herself On Fire (Ex Machina #21)
Much of this moment’s impact comes from pure shock value, but it’s not until you find out the motives behind it that it all becomes clear. When a weeping mother sets herself aflame on the steps of City Hall in front of Bradbury and Mayor Hundred and the issue ends, it sparked (excuse the pun) a whole new level of intrigue for the book.
It’s a bit unfair to mention only this moment of “Smoke, Smoke” specifically, as it’s the realization that Mitchell inadvertently caused this woman’s misery and motive for suicide that’s so intense. However, this terrifying splash page reassured the reader that BKV’s tackling of marijuana legalization wasn’t going to be the same old story.
6. Kremlin Plots to Ruin Mitchell’s Career (Ex Machina #24)
Following the death of her sister Journal (a moment in itself that I struggled with removing from this list), January Moore is seen conspiring from the inside against Mitchell and his administration. In issue #24, we get to see who’s behind the deceit, and the result is both devastating and captivating, and part of the drama of the series for many issues to come.
Kremlin wanting to destroy Mitchell’s career in public service in order to resume duties as The Great Machine adds a whole new dimension to their relationship, but is also a brilliant move in the character arc of Kremlin. Krem’s always been anti-government and the biggest supporter of a citizen standing up to protect the people, stemming back to his days in Russia. In a master stroke, BKV kills two birds with one stone in making a sensible (but never obvious) choice for the character and upping the conspiracy ante.
5. Mayor Hundred Presides Over a Gay Marriage Ceremony (Ex Machina #10)
Remember when I mentioned getting sidetracked? The entire “Tag” story arc was one of those distractions. Considering the outcome of Bradbury and Mitchell’s relationship in issue #50, I was curious to look back at the gay marriage arc and see if BKV hinted at either of these character’s sexuality. And it turns out, yes, he does. Re-reading this arc so soon after issue #50 was a great idea, and I highly recommend it.
But the clincher comes in issue #10 when the Mayor marries Deputy Mayor Dave Wylie’s brother and his boyfriend, knowing full well that the marriage will get nullified within the week. It’s one more act of defiance, much like Mitchell’s on-air cursing, that showcases his forward-thinking notions and (initial) human decency.
4. BKV & Tony Harris Interview for Hundred’s Biography... And Don’t Get the Job (Ex Machina #40)
Man, I loved this issue. Featuring Brian K. Vaughan and Tony Harris themselves at City Hall interviewing for the job of producing a graphic novel telling Mitchell’s story, it’s full of self-referential and self-deprecating dialog about the creators themselves. BKV’s writing of himself is hilarious, and the moments that he shares with Hundred are both honest and shockingly meta, despite what comic-BKV says about Grant Morrison’s work within the issue.
The kicker comes when despite the heart-to-heart BKV has with Hundred, the job goes to Garth Ennis and Jim Lee, who kindly provide a brief two page story for the end of issue #40, in a total departure of style for the series. While the debate could rage for hours about what Vaughan is trying to say about his relationship with his characters, we’ll just leave it as a clever and inspired moment of self-awareness.
3. ...Issue #50
Yes, all of it. I know that it just came out, but issue #50 is one of the most potent comic books I’ve ever read. My review of Ex Machina #50 already says everything I loved, but in a spoiler-free context. Since I’m letting loose here, let me indulge you. Every character’s wrap-up, just like Kremlin’s choice to take down Hundred’s career, is the logical one. Bradbury confessing his love to Mitch, Mitch murdering Kremlin to save his political career -- it’s all perfect.
The greatest part of issue #50 may be the way BKV reveals who/what Mitchell is talking to in the opening scenes of both this and issue #1. Then, when it’s revealed that Mitchell is Vice President for the Republican McCain after everything he’s just done, our hearts sink and our respect for him begins to crumble, as we fade to black. Similar to his ending of Y: The Last Man, Vaughan lets the feelings linger, leaving the reader to reflect upon not just the last issue, but the entire series.
2. Tower 2 Still Stands (Ex Machina #1)
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This is the “cliffhanger” moment that sold us on the series to begin with. Only a few years after 9/11 and WildStorm was brave enough to publish a comic that not only tackled one of the world’s most sensitive subjects in a fictional context, but altered it. Even in 2010, it stands as one of the most daring moments in not only the series, but all of comics in the last decade.
1. Bradbury’s Standalone (Ex Machina #25)
Issue #25 of Ex Machina is, hands down, the best installment of the series. Titled “Standalone”, the issue is centered on Bradbury, who is held up at gunpoint in a bid to get an assassination attempt on Mayor Hundred. We’re then taken on a trip through Bradbury’s life, from his father leaving him as a child to the incident under the Brooklyn Bridge with then-ordinary-engineer Mitchell Hundred, with even more hints towards the denial of his sexuality. In addition, we get to see why Bradbury is so devoted to Mitch. In one great moment, Bradbury asks Mitchell why he wants to “be part of that machine when it’s broken so bad?” to which Hundred simply replies by holding up a wrench, and the pair of them smile.
This issue single-handedly represents everything that fans love about the series, and in the process made Bradbury my favorite character. It also helps that BKV ended the issue with a badass reference to Superman: The Movie as Bradbury knocks out his would-be assassin, quoting the sci-fi genre he hates so much.
