A review by ethancf
Ex Machina: The Deluxe Edition, Vol. 5 by Jim Clark, J.D. Mettler, John Paul Leon, Tony Harris, Jared K. Fletcher, Brian K. Vaughan

3.0

With politics largely absent, this volume has a massive tonal shift (especially in the second half). It's disturbing and has plenty of shocking plot developments and horrific art. The story is still solid but this is a very disappointing ending to an otherwise great series: so many things are left unanswered and unresolved to the point where it doesn't just feel dissatisfying, it feels incomplete, like there was supposed to be a sequel/spin-off series or an additional two or three volumes. Still worth reading the rest of the series but don't expect a neat ending, or an ending at all (which fits the tropes of the comic themes this toys with, but that doesn't mean it's *good*). Maybe the worst thing BKV has done - but the strange thing is, I think I'd like this volume more than the rest of the series if it wasn't the ending.