Ex Machina Book Four

Ex Machina: The Deluxe Edition #4

by Brian K. Vaughan, Tony Harris (Illustrations)

Award-winning writer Brian K. Vaughan (PRIDE OF BAGHDAD, Y-THE LAST MAN) deftly combines big city politics and superheroes in this much lauded series.
Now, the entire critically acclaimed series written by Brian K. Vaughan, one of the writers of LOST, is collected into a five volume series. In this fourth volume, Mayor Mitchell Hundred is summoned to Rome for an audience with the Pope. But as Hundred makes his travel plans, he is unaware of the assassin who has him in his sights.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Fiction, Superheroes, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics

272 pages, Paperback

First published November 16, 2010

About the author

Brian 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.

Reviews

[James DeSantis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, just fantastic. This series will go down as one of my favorite. This volume gives some scenes of actual 9/11 plus it also covers a new villian/hero, the big betrayal set up, and some funny situations with Hundred and his best buddy. I can't recommend this series enough.

[Nate]

It doesn’t feel like there are only ten issues to go. This story could really keep going, tracing Mitchell’s political trajectory for years on end. But that first page of issue one promised a certain ending, and that ending is coming soon. Still, the ball has yet to truly drop for Mayor Hundred. There are hints, of course, and I think I can guess what will happen, but at the same time I’m hoping Vaughan will surprise me.

Anyway, this volume contains two major arcs plus three single issue stories. The first one where Mitchell goes to Italy to meet to the Pope is gripping, and has a few major plot developments. The second arc deals with a Great Machine fan of sorts, protesting Mitchell’s hosting of the Republican National Convention in New York. I didn’t like this one as much. It’s uncharacteristically jagged and I don’t think it adds a whole lot, final six pages notwithstanding. As for the single issue stories, I really enjoyed the one about Angotti. It’s a good character study which Vaughan usually excels at. The issue about Wylie feels unfinished for some reason, even if it has a telling flashback. Then there’s the gimmicky meta story featuring Vaughan and Harris. This one is pretty funny and even includes two pages by Garth Ennis and Jim Lee. It’s a love letter to New York, and few writers convey loving New York better than Ennis, so it’s a nice touch.

[Francisco Silva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Este penúltimo tomo cubre dos arcos argumentales y varios números unitarios centrados en personajes secundarios de la misma serie, así como el #40 que incluye una aparición de los autores del cómic ( Brian K Vaughan y Tony Harris). Aparición que ellos mismo se encargan de asociar con lo hecho por Morrison en su Animal Man.

El primer arco gira en torno a una visita al vaticano y el segundo entremezcla las aspiraciones de Hundreed a gobernador como una relación algo ambigua con el partido republicano, mientras en segunda linea sigue avanzando el plan de Kremlin que de seguro marcará el siguiente arco y pondrá fin a la serie.

Encaminamos el final.

[Jenny Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the political side to be a bit more boring in this volume than previous ones, but it's still not terrible and enough happens outside that to make it a good read. Still wondering about a few things... one more volume!

[David Dalton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these deluxe editions. 10 issues collected together. Over the past several years I have read issues 1 to 40. Just one deluxe edition left. Hard to classify this series or why I really like it. Kind of oddball, full of interesting characters, and great art. Well, those are 3 good reasons why I like Ex Machina (HBO please).

[Francine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmmyeahhh this was not my favourite. Mostly I wasn't really into the first arc in this book, about religion (and the literal Pope lmao). This felt more like a checklist "political" topic than that the author really had a lot to say about it. At least I didn't get a lot out of this story.
However, I did like the machine plot in the story (trying not to spoil, iykyk). I thought that was interesting, even if it didn't go anywhere and they never bring up this weakness again in the rest of the volume.

I liked the story about Commisioner Angotti. :)

Then there's a story about New York slaves. It was alright, but ends on a weird note. (Can he still see him or not? I don't get it. For that matter, why can he even see him in the first place?? It makes no sense???)

And then... there's Trouble. Nice to have a female villain this time. Actually, now that I think about it, if this was their first female villain, why would they draw her in an outfit like that LMAO. (I do like her outfit tho, it's kinda cute; I wanna see a cosplay!) And she's a Great Machine groupie, too... alrighty then. Men writing women, smh. I still liked her vibe, though.

Finally, seeing Brian K Vaughan and Tony Harris in their own story was kinda fun. I appreciated BKV's memories of 9/11: he was in New York when it happened. This was kind of a bonus story and it feels like it; it was forgettable, but kinda interesting.

All in all, not my favourite volume. But I still like the series!


Oh, and the book ends with some of the covers we've been missing out on/deprived of in this collection! Finally we get to see them!!

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

In which we enjoy continued distance from the central mystery! I initially thought this would detract a star for meandering, like last volume. But on second thought, these one-shots do serve to flesh out the main characters' backgrounds, adding dimension and pathos, and by proximity, depth to our hero mayor himself.

There's an issue on each of Mitch Hundred's besties, the most affecting one centering on Commissioner Angotti. There's an issue about an obsessive fangirl (in which Hundred finally gets kissed, then KOs the kisser, lol). And lastly, there's an hilarious damn-the-conventions issue featuring Vaughan and Harris as themselves, in which the author and penciller put words and expressions in/on each other's character's mouth/face and somehow make it relevant to the story without breaking the fourth wall. The in-jokes and irony nearly killed me. Touché, guys. Well done.

Looking forward to the final volume wrapping things up, but I must say, I'm somewhat nervous. Even with this being a BKV production, there's not a whole lot of room to motivate a resolution to all the loose ends so far.

[Chr*s Browning]

I was getting kind of fed up with this series already and then BKV and Harris throw themselves into issue 40 and I was really fed up, even if the end gag is a moderately funny one. There’s two reasons behind my antipathy: 1) on the side of the writing, BKV’s political fence sitting, lampshaded by his own admission in his (actual) self-insert character, means the themes feel limp - it would honestly probably be a better book if a right-leaning writer like Ennis had done it, because at least it would have had a perspective - centrism has no perspective just plot events 2) I figured out my issue with Harris’s art and that is that it has no movement - this is probably a feature of him drawing from staged references but none of the scenes that should move do - every gesture is a posed one. I’m not sure how you could pull off this drawn from life realism in an often action-forward book, but the way Harris does it does Not work for me (also I think some of his models were just ugly lol). Anyway, kinda hate it but I’m compelled to get to the end and see how they try to land the plane.

[Chalupa Batman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading this volume as he contemplates running for President. In this vol., he meets up with the Pope who believes One Hundred is the anti-Christ, at the same time there’s a plot to use One Hundred to assassinate the Pope. The other main story is a groupie that is disappointed in One Hundred in giving up being a “vigilante” to run for mayor. She decides to try to embarrass him at the backdrop of the Republican convention. For example, she vandalizes the Empire State Building with “Bush=Osama”. Book also sets up the next collection as the Kremlin has information that will be destructive to One Hundred if it gets released. Also, he gets offered the Ambassadorship role.

Funny end story in which Brian Vaughn meets with him to discuss doing a graphic novel of his memoir.

[Shaun Stanley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ex Machina Deluxe Edition Vol. 4 collects Vertigo Comics issues Ex Machina 30-40 written by Brian K. Vaughan, art by Tony Harris and John Paul Leon, and colors by JD Mettler.

Mayor Hundred gets a surprise invite to meet with the Pope where his future will be forever altered. After returning the New York, an individual from Hundred’s past returns and cause chaos before the Republican National Convention is set to be hosted in the city.

Another great entry in this mid 2000s comic series. Vaughan and Harris have done a fantastic job of crafting a book that perfectly blends superheroes and politics while never being overly preachy. I only have one last volume to read and I am very curious to see how everything wraps up.

[B · Rating 3 out of 5]

The stuff with the Pope was pretty cool, even if they feel like too big a change in scope of the story as we near the end (I think?)

The stuff with the attention-getting vandal-villain felt a little blah. Her zest for life and emotional attachment to stunts did not seem like it was enough to give her the power to do all the things she was doing .

Finally, the meta issue where Vaughan is a character starts off interesting, but ultimately becomes a little too maudlin, preach, and self-conscious.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've heard that the final volume is a bit of a letdown, which is too bad since the series has been highly enjoyable to this point. The overall arc has been a slow burn (Hundred making his way towards running for president while Kremlin attempts to have him ousted from office so that he works as the Great Machine again, but the other stories are so well done that it's hard for me to complain unless they never do pay things off and explain any more about where his powers came from.

[Ign33l · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hundred is up to being The prez but he gets drafted to be the next UN gov secretary of defense. He’s thinkin about it. But there are also many things unkonwn yet like the black phamtom and the guy who travels space and time and he still doesnt know where his power comes. He actually doesnt care, he just uses it and he’s doing his job to save the esrth not caring about where his power comes from.
Lesss see in book 5 wuts going on with this.

[WadeofEarth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good volume in the continuing adventures of a superhero turned politician. In this one he continues to put more and more emphasis on the political side rather than the super hero, and am I reading in something that isn't there by observing that it seems our hero has a much easier time vanquishing villians than he has enacting positive policies?

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This continues to be great. Honestly, I think this would make a better TV series than Y the Last Man but that's just me.

In this volume Hundred meets the Pope where he's accused of being the antichrist and sort of undergoes an exorcism. He also encounters a crazy stalker, and meets...Brian K. Vaughn and Tony Harris?

[Shane · Rating 4 out of 5]

As usual this was a lot of fun and the dialogue was amazing.

I think it was really smart of Vaughan to include all the flashbacks where the main character was actually a "super hero", even though he gets his butt kicked in most of them. Otherwise this would just a be normal fiction with a bit of sci-fi thrown in once in a while.

[Jeff Mayo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite as good as the first three volumes, but still better than most graphic novels. This one tries to disguise some plot points already used, without much in the way of further character development. The author wrote himself into a scene in which he denounces authors who do that. That part was as funny as the series has ever been.

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Brian K. Vaughan's work. He has a great sense of humor and writes fantastic dialogue. The stuff here on religion, 9/11, life in NYC...just beautiful. The stuff on race...eh. A lot of that weird non-apology apology stuff that's par for the course in white liberalism. I appreciate his efforts there, mediocre though they are. At any rate, another great entry in this series I love.

[Jack Kuper · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume contains entertaining stories, but none of them really further the plot. Instead, this volume seems more like Vaughan getting in a little more time with Mayor Hundred before going into the home-stretch.

[Geoffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one has prompted my first criticism of the series. The manifestation of Brian K. Vaughan's White Guilt as Dave Wylie resulted in some extremely condescending and cringe inducing dialog and story points.

Otherwise this would have been another extraordinary issue in the series.

[Bassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again, excellent art. The stories were very original to me, also the background stories were a nice touch, as well as the “Y: the last man” reference. I hope Hundred’s nemesis will play a more prominent role in Book 5, can’t wait to read the end of this story.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ex Machina

Book four of this series is about the same as three, but still an interesting read. The artwork is great, especially the covers we see at the end of the book. Too bad there's only one more book left in the series.

[Erik · Rating 2 out of 5]

The weakest of the series so far. Nothing does much to further the plot or characters and I especially didn't like the tongue in cheek issue where we meet Vaughan and Harris. I've enjoyed this so far but I'm also glad it's almost over.

[iamjacsmusings · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series goes from strength to strength as it hurtles towards its conclusion. I'd vote for Mitchell Hundred and you should vote to read his (mis)adventures in political office and in the skies above NYC too.

[Matt Boeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best graphic novels I've read. It's gonna be bittersweet when it ends.

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really heating up here. Looking forward to seeing how it all comes together.

[Henry Hikawa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very happy.

[Henry Blackwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. Very excited to see how this all ends in the next trade.

[Charlie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This might have just been a not-in-the-mood issue but I felt let down by this volume of the series. Reading it felt like homework.

[Hung · Rating 5 out of 5]

That ending was a surprise.

Kremlin's side plot better pay off well. It's annoying at the moment as it's not going anywhere.