Comic Review

Brian Wood

DMZ, issue three

If you've looked over at my book list this month, you'll note it is full of comic books. I've been really grooving this whole new addiction as these comics' serialized form allows for some degree of literary ADD on my part; there isn't much punishment for reading multiple books at a time. Also the pictures. I love the pictures.

On a side note, I will not be using the term "graphic novel", especially when discussing serialized comic books. The reason for this is that my friend and connoisseur of comics M___! told me not to. I don't remember what the reasoning was, but I do think "graphic novel" does sound somewhat ridiculous.

On to DMZ. In an interview, writer/creator Brian Wood says this:

Midwestern militia groups revolt against their local governments in protest of rampant U.S. adventurism overseas and, in the absence of the National Guard, are able to gain far more ground than they thought possible. Small insurgent groups pop up in towns and cities across the country, and a sizable force, the Free States Army, pushes toward Manhattan. The city proves too big for them to take, and also for the U.S. Army to defend. The war stalls there, a stalemate, neither side being able to shift things.

This is the backdrop for DMZ. The plot revolves around a young, dumb, photojournalist, aptly named "Matty". He was just supposed to be an intern, following around a real journalist in war-torn Manhattan. Instead, he ends up the only journalistic outlet in the entire city.

Wood writes incredibly relevant stuff. Right now, in Iraq, in Darfur, in Kenya, once stable and proud cultures are being ripped apart by war and strife. Wood picks the most American city in the America and places it in the center of chaos--chaos, by the by, we often have a hand in creating. Beyond that, there is the examination of what it means to be a reporter. Matty is it. He's the only reporter in the city. His character gets to be a stand-in for every journalist ever, and so Wood really plays with the ideas of journalistic ethics, objectivity, etc.

Finally, and this is near and dear to my heart. Matty is a dumb rich kid who got this job because of family connections. But war is the great equalizer, and it's interesting to see how Wood deals with privilege, race, and class in a war-torn America.

More to come, ideally. Let me know what you all think