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ethancf's reviews
1293 reviews
Ex Machina: The Deluxe Edition, Vol. 2 by Brian K. Vaughan
4.0
The introduction of an "archnemesis" goes a long way in making this feel like there may be a cohesive overarching narrative and not just 'political issue of the week' type storytelling. This volume is an improvement over the first, if only slightly, as the world is better developed and lots of questions from the first volume are answered or further developed. The art is again fantastic, and the moral issues are presented with nuance and from various angles - even if they are a bit dated today. And while the story does take a side, it doesn't preach the politics without first examining them closely. Of course, it helps your enjoyment if you agree, but if you don't there's still plenty to like here.
Ex Machina: The Deluxe Edition, Vol. 3 by Brian K. Vaughan
4.0
Much more scifi/superhero buildup this volume, for better or for worse. It is interesting and engaging, and surprisingly novel, but the series still seems to be directionless which is a problem considering at this point it's more than halfway over. We're building and building and I'm not hopeful that all of this can be satisfyingly completed by the final issue, especially considering how much the story is still relying on flashbacks (still! at this point!).
But really these are minor complaints because the series is still super enjoyable, the politics are well explored if a tad dated, and Hundred is becoming one of Vaughan's best, most developed characters. I love the dynamic between him and most of the secondary characters and that's only gotten better as the series has gone on.
But really these are minor complaints because the series is still super enjoyable, the politics are well explored if a tad dated, and Hundred is becoming one of Vaughan's best, most developed characters. I love the dynamic between him and most of the secondary characters and that's only gotten better as the series has gone on.