Todd, Matt :: Ex Machina By Brian K Vaughan and Tony Harris

Ex Machina By Chris Johnson

Artist: Chris Johnson (All)

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Artwork Details

Title:	Ex Machina By Chris Johnson
Artist:	Chris Johnson (All)
Media Type:	Pen and Ink
Art Type:	Commission
For Sale Status:	NFS
Views:	136
Likes on CAF:	1 2
Comments:	1
Added to Site:	12/28/2023
Comic Art Archive:

Description

Ex Machina
By Chris Johnson
I imagine everyone has a story, or stories, they revisit numerous times over their lives, and each time they do, they connect with on a deeper level. The feeling it gives you just closes all the circuits of your imagination. For me, that story is a comic book called Ex Machina. A cautionary tale of the world’s first superhero who becomes Mayor of New York City. Mitchell Hundred, a well-intentioned costumed do-gooder who over the course of the series, loses his ideals to become a craven, political opportunist. Created by writer Brian K Vaughan and Artist Tony Harris and published through DC Comics’ Wildstorm imprint from 2004-2010. Over its 50 issues and four annuals, BKV and Harris engineer a riveting political tragedy about wielding power, both political and super, and the cost that power takes on your soul–themes that are more relevant today than ever before. BKV, Harris, Inkers Tom Feister and Jim Clark, and colorist JD Mettler masterfully intertwine the past, present, power, politics, and science fiction together in such an inspired manner as to create a rich tapestry of a comic. With clear-cut storytelling that grounds even the most fantastical elements, Ex Machina uses flashbacks of Mitchell’s time as his alter ego, the Great Machine to provides action that is exciting, and sometimes comical. The series shines in its largely political, dialogue driven scenes. BKV’s dialogue is at its sharpest with this series and Harris ‘deft character focused art keeps the story moving and compelling, just as exhilarating as the costumed adventure segments. Harris’ art is unbelievable, it does an excellent job creating clarity for the reader as we move back and forth between the past and the present. His characters feel real and reflective of the real world we live in. Harris is such a gifted artist, storyteller, and costume designer. I love the color palette JD Mettler uses; the tone of the color choice is unique in that it uses a shade of colors not typically used in comics. In its initial pitch, BKV described Ex Machina as The West Wing meets Unbreakable. I would also include Mad Men (a show that did not exist at the time of the comic’s release). Mitchell Hundred reminds me a lot of Don Draper in how close he keeps his cards to his chest, my comparison to AMC’s Mad Men is not really focused on similarity in content, but in the layered and complex characters much like the cast of the Matthew Weiner series. Like a magician who tells us exactly what they are going to do, which BKV really was as a child, we are given the ending in the first two pages. Mitchell says to his audience “it may look like a comic, but it’s really a tragedy.” Over the series we are lulled into a false, hopeful feeling, believing that maybe, just maybe Mitchell Hundred and his partners, best friend Rick Bradbury, and surrogate father “Kremlin,” will succeed and overcome the external and internal threats to New York City and Mitchell’s administration. Ex Machina is the ideal distillation of my interests. Politics, superheroes, and science fiction, with complex, conflicted glorification of our country and heroes, trying to reconcile what they should be and what they are. I have spent a lot of time thinking about why I keep coming back to this comic. I am not entirely sure. It is most certainly not an uplifting story, but its emotional impact is profound.
Chris Johnson is an incredible talent. This is an amazing 11x17 piece that captures so much of what I love about the series and I am grateful for the time and effort he put into creating this wonderful piece.

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	Matt Todd Premium Gallery Owner
Joined:	August 2014
Last Login:	September 2025
Country:	UNITED STATES
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R Berman
Member Since 2018

1 - Posted on 12/29/2023

With this layout, we get to have our cake and eat it too, seeing Hundred both in and out of costume.

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