Resumo de Ex-machina - Power Down

What would you do if you had some superpower? Something that set you apart from everyone else. Would you use it for personal gain, or find a way to help those who are less fortunate? The Eisner award winning comic book Ex Machina attempts to deal with these questions on a level that makes sense in the real world. When we typically think of comic books we usually think of the cultural archetypes like Superman or Spider Man. Colorful,larger than life and complete with unwavering morals. While those kind of characters have great entertainment value they seem to lack the gray nature of the real world. That is an aspect that is wonderfully captured in Brain K. Vaughn's Ex Machina. It's the story of Mitchell Hundred, an engineer from New York City who finds a mysterious artifact under the Brooklyn bridge, and after being exposed to a burst of energy from the device, gains the ability to hear and speak to machines. Under the tutelage of his childhood friend Kremlin, Mitchell becomes the worlds first real superhero known as "The Great Machine." Unfortunately for Hundred his exploits as a super hero fail to make a dent in crime, and makes him a wanted fugitive. His luck changes on September 11, 2001 when he stops flight United 175 from crashing into the second tower of The world Trade Center. After this incident he has a change of heart and decides to reveal his identity and run for mayor of the city. Hundred comes to realize that he is more beneficial to the city as its Mayor than he ever was as a super hero. Through the previous storylines Mayor Hundred dealt with many contemporary topics as Gay marriage, Marijuana legalization and the war in Iraq. He never takes a stand consistent with either the right or left wing political parties, but instead approaches each issue from a singular and human based viewpoint. In the latest issue of the series we find the Mayor overlooking floor plans for the new tower of the World Trade Center. He calls the designs "rejected Bladerunner back drops", and insist to his Deputy Mayor that the tower should be rebuilt exactly as it were. Despite the fact the Hundred had previously compared the twin towers to giant saltine boxes. He now believes that rebuilding them any other way would liken it more to tombstone rather than a resurrection of a defining skyline. After the meeting, Mayor Hundred pays a visit to his mother only to discover she has been seeing his former mentor Kremlin. Hundred and Kremlin have at this point suffered a falling out because Kremlin is skeptical of politics and believe that only "The Great Machine" can bring safety and security to the city of New York. Mitchell becomes suspicious as his mother begins to inquire about the nature of his powers. His suspicions may be justified as his mother, Kremlin and others within the mayor's office seem to be plotting a way to ruin the Mayor's political career and force him back into the super hero business. If there is a defining characteristic of writer Brian K. Vaughn's work it's the "what - huh" factor. Something that comes as a total surprise and changes the flow of the storyline completely. This comes into play with this particular story when we are carried to the bay of New York where two security guards confront a strange man emerging from the sea. His unusual speech and outfit lead the guards to believe they are being duped by a reality TV show. As they approach he emits an electric shock that immobilizes the guards. The stranger is then horrified to see that one of the twin towers is missing and lets out an anguished cry that sends a blackout across the north eastern United States. Mitchell Hundred is still at his mother's house and is puzzled by the blackout, and even more by the fact that none of the nearby machines are speaking or listening to him anymore. So begins the first installment of the latest story arc "Power Down." For the uninitiated I would suggest at least picking up a copy of "The First Hundred Days" which lays lot of the foundation of the series. Ex Machina is intended to be finite and only covers Mayor Hundred's four years in office. With the current issue being number twenty six and the last issue slated to be number fifty, we are in the dead center of the storyline. This is a great comic for people who don't necessarily like comic books. The politics and mystery could appeal to fans of serialized TV shows like 24 and Lost. It's also a great book for anyone who has ever felt conflicted by politics. Right, left, red and blue often defy the reality of certain issues. Mitchell Hundred always sets out with noble intentions, but the gray nature of real life sometimes casts him as a villain instead. What would you do if you had some superpower?

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