Ex Machina series discussion (spoilers)

ProjectX2 said:
This is quite a hard comic to read monthly (well, not really monthly, whenever it decides to come out) so I'm not surprised to see much discussion about it. But #40 looks pretty good. It's about Mitchell Hundred looking for creators to do a graphic novel autobiography about him. BKV and Tony Harris are on the cover. Neat. :)
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I saw that. Looking forward to it. I'm wondering how the current arc wrapped up. Forgot to pick up the new issue. It wasn't delayed further, was it?
 
DIrishB said:
I saw that. Looking forward to it. I'm wondering how the current arc wrapped up. Forgot to pick up the new issue. It wasn't delayed further, was it?
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It came out this week. It was pretty average, a quick wrap up to the arc. The problem with the delays is that I can never remember what happened in the rest of the arc.
 
ProjectX2 said:
It came out this week. It was pretty average, a quick wrap up to the arc. The problem with the delays is that I can never remember what happened in the rest of the arc.
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Exactly. I still DL or actually buy the issues and read them as they come out, then buy the trades and read the arcs in one go. Always reads better in trade.
 
Hey guys, Ex Machina #4 came out this week. I was surprised because this comic never comes out.

It's about Mayor Hundred wanting to use windmills as an alternative power source and a reporter questions him about stuff. Insane guy kills reporter and then claims that Hundred told him to. Hundred talks to him. Turns out that on one of Hundred's fight flights as The Great Machine, he got injured and crashed into this guy's greenhouse. The plants ate the blood and this guy ate the plants. The plants now communicate with him - so does paper. Next, he's going after the comic book people - comics are never recycled. He also says that he's been selling his superpowered fruit and stuff to lots of people. I presume there are now a bunch of people with superpowers and this is going to be what drives the last year of the comic.

Also, Hundred is going to talk to the comic book industry about using different resources for their publishing.

I get really excited when a new issue of Ex Machina comes out. It's mainly because it's my only source for a BKV fix other than the odd Lost episode. The problem is because it takes so long to come out, I forget what happens. And Ex Machina is going to end soon (well, probably not soon, but it's only got like 10 issues left) and I'm going to need to know what happens before it does, I think.
 
ProjectX2 said:
Hey guys, Ex Machina #4 came out this week. I was surprised because this comic never comes out.
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I know its a long time between issues, but surely there are more than four!

Anyway, I assume you're talking about the Ex Machina Special #4. Forgot this was out, thanks for the heads up.

It's about Mayor Hundred wanting to use windmills as an alternative power source and a reporter questions him about stuff. Insane guy kills reporter and then claims that Hundred told him to. Hundred talks to him. Turns out that on one of Hundred's fight flights as The Great Machine, he got injured and crashed into this guy's greenhouse. The plants ate the blood and this guy ate the plants. The plants now communicate with him - so does paper. Next, he's going after the comic book people - comics are never recycled. He also says that he's been selling his superpowered fruit and stuff to lots of people. I presume there are now a bunch of people with superpowers and this is going to be what drives the last year of the comic.

Also, Hundred is going to talk to the comic book industry about using different resources for their publishing.
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Wow...God, when Vaughan does something, not only does he go all out, but its almost always extremely well-thought-out (even when dealing with ludicrous events like those in this issue).

I get really excited when a new issue of Ex Machina comes out. It's mainly because it's my only source for a BKV fix other than the odd Lost episode. The problem is because it takes so long to come out, I forget what happens. And Ex Machina is going to end soon (well, probably not soon, but it's only got like 10 issues left) and I'm going to need to know what happens before it does, I think.
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I'll do what I did right before Y ended...just re-read the trades before the ending, so everything is nice and fresh. Of course, as you said, that will probably be another 3 years from now...
 
No, because this series is delayed so much, Wildstorm have started rereleasing the original issues. :wink:
 
I've been rereading this in TPB and I forgot how much I enjoyed it. Brian K. Vaughan is a fantastic writer and I'm sad that this is his only comic being released at the moment... though he did say something new might be announced before Ex Machina ends. I know he has plans for another OGN and a new ongoing series.
 
Ex Machina is one of my favourite ongoings. It is consistently good and the current arc is really interesting.
 
I just finished the penultimate issue.

This series has veered way away from how it began, as the focus slowly shifted from debates on various issues in politics to a sci-fi story, but Vaughn has more than proven (to me anyway) that there is no one better in the industry at making great, lifelike characters.

So who has any guesses as to how this will all end? We know it goes badly for Our Hero, thanks to the first page of the entire series, but I'm sure the wrap-up will provide a lot of twists that aren't so visibly foreshadowed.
 
So its over now...eh? So...hows it end? I probably won't get to read it till its collected in trade.


Though after reading the entry on Wikipedia for the final couple issues, I wouldn't agree the ending is "tragic", though "unexpected" works. Vice President to John McCain...well, maybe that is tragic.


EDIT: After reading another review which actually shed light on the issue more, now I understand the tragic angle: his pushing away of those closest to him in his bid for power (end of his and Bradbury's friendship, his killing of Kremlin to protect his secrets). Ironic in that his quest for the power of Presidency is a pale comparison to the power ha had as the Great Machine.
 
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Despite losing all momentum due to the ridiculous delays, it was a great and incredibly sad conclusion. Overall, I don't think the series was as strong as Y The Last Man but it was still a really good series and I look forward to reading the whole thing again.

And now the wait for the next BKV work begins.
 
I can't wait to reread this as a whole when its all out in trades (early november, I think). BKV better have announced a new Vertigo or Wildstorm series by then.
 
ProjectX2 said:
Despite losing all momentum due to the ridiculous delays, it was a great and incredibly sad conclusion. Overall, I don't think the series was as strong as Y The Last Man but it was still a really good series and I look forward to reading the whole thing again.

And now the wait for the next BKV work begins.
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Harris' artwork is worth the delays, especially now that its over.

While I personally liked Y the Last Man more, I have to give credit to Vaughan for combining two distinctly separate ideas (superheroes and politics) and making it work. Great stories, great characters, great artwork... Y is a better read overall because I believe its much more relatable and touching, but Ex Machina is just a brilliant idea executed wonderfully.


Dr.Strangefate said:
I can't wait to reread this as a whole when its all out in trades (early november, I think). BKV better have announced a new Vertigo or Wildstorm series by then.
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Just ordered the first 4 trades on Amazon. And I'm eagerly awaiting to see whats next for Vaughan.
 
Now that this is complete I'm reading it in its entirety. I'm about 14 issues in.
 
I just finished this and thought it was pretty good.

Actually it was just pretty good until the next-to-last arc "Ring out The Old", which was GREAT. It turned the story on its head in a great and very entertaining way with the colors of the spectrum and paving the way for the invaders/gods/whatever. I really liked it.

The last arc "Term Limits" was almost as good. I wasn't crazy about the ending -- specifically how he ended up as VP - to McCain! - because it felt like he had failed. But the whole conclusion to the story was just great; the elimination of the 3 people closest to him was tragic. BKV really went out with a bang.

Speaking of BKV, his writing quirk of working in factoids really started to irk me throughout the whole thing. It seemed worse here than normal. It was just constant, one after an other, like I'm reading weird facts printed on a fast food kid's meal bag. He just throws them out there, all the time. It got very tiresome.
 
E said:
I just finished this and thought it was pretty good.

Actually it was just pretty good until the next-to-last arc "Ring out The Old", which was GREAT. It turned the story on its head in a great and very entertaining way with the colors of the spectrum and paving the way for the invaders/gods/whatever. I really liked it.

The last arc "Term Limits" was almost as good. I wasn't crazy about the ending -- specifically how he ended up as VP - to McCain! - because it felt like he had failed. But the whole conclusion to the story was just great; the elimination of the 3 people closest to him was tragic. BKV really went out with a bang.
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I ordered the first couple volumes off Amazon and they arrived today. I'm going to hold off on re-reading it until the final trade comes out in a few months.

Speaking of BKV, his writing quirk of working in factoids really started to irk me throughout the whole thing. It seemed worse here than normal. It was just constant, one after an other, like I'm reading weird facts printed on a fast food kid's meal bag. He just throws them out there, all the time. It got very tiresome.
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Yeah, but this is the perfect title for such factoids. Politicians are all about following precedents, and having characters bring up facts of past historical figures or politicians--or even regular people--in the context of the scene or story actually makes a lot of sense in Ex Machina. In his other works, not so much, as his use of at least one character with a useless wealth of pointless info has gotten pretty tired and over-used. I'm just saying this is the one title it should not only be forgiveable in, but expected.
 
DIrishB said:
Yeah, but this is the perfect title for such factoids.
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I do agree, and I found myself consulting Wikipedia numerous times to check up on events and things referenced in the comic.

But still, it was TOO MUCH. It's relentless and tiring.
 
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