Ex Machina is an American creator-owned comic book series, created by Brian K. Vaughan and Tony Harris and published by DC Comics under the Wildstorm imprint. Ex Machina launched in 2004 as part of DC Comics' Wildstorm imprint. The series ended in August 2010 with issue fifty.
The series details the life of Mitchell Hundred (also known as the Great Machine), the world's first and only superhero, who, in the wake of his actions on 9/11, is elected mayor of New York City. The story is set during Hundred's term in office, and interwoven with flashbacks to his past as the Great Machine. Through this, the series explores both the political situations in which Hundred finds himself as well as the mysteries surrounding his superpowers.
Development
According to Vaughan, "Ex Machina was about trying to make sense of the world after watching from the roof of my apartment in Brooklyn as these buildings fell, and trying to make sense of politics and this concept of heroism and whether that's a real thing or just something we impose on people. That was all born right out of that day". Vaughan has also said that the comic was "born out of my anger with what passes for our current political leadership (on both sides of the aisle)".On the Ledge: Vertigo Comics letters section, September 06 Although the series explores real-world contemporary politics, Vaughan stated that he prefers not to discuss political themes overtly. The title of the comic comes from the Latin phrase deus ex machina, and is also a reference to Hundred's superhero persona, the Great Machine, which in the first issue, Mitchell explains that he chose the name "Great Machine" based on a quote about society by Thomas Jefferson.
Characters Mitchell Hundred: Before becoming a superhero and mayor, Hundred was a civil engineer. His colleagues say that he knows more about the Brooklyn Bridge than anyone else alive. He was raised by a highly political single mother; this, and his being a keen reader of DC Comics, inspired his life choices. As the result of an explosion from an extradimensional device at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge, Hundred is permanently scarred (he has markings on the left side of his face and body reminiscent of a circuit board or electrodes); and develops the ability to communicate with and command mechanical devices. This includes anything from guns, to cellphones, to cars (but not a device as simple as a bow-and-arrow). However, they will not necessarily obey him, and may even lie to him. As the Great Machine, Mitchell Hundred utilized many devices he designed after his accident. He wears a rocket backpack that allows him to fly, and uses ray guns and taser gloves as weapons. He has entrusted Kremlin and Rick Bradbury with possession of "jammers" which disrupt his powers. He built them based on dreams (along with some of his crime-fighting weapons), and expects them to be used as a contingency measure in case he ever goes mad with power. Hundred is visually based on a real-life friend of Tony Harris. IGN named him 48th of the Top 100 Comic Book Heroes.Deux Ex Part 2 Of 3: Tony Harris talks "Ex Machina", Comic Book Resources, May 19, 2004 Rick Bradbury: Mitchell's best friend, retired U.S. Marine Captain (he claims to have fought in "one and a half wars"); and head of security. As a lieutenant on the Harbor Patrol he witnesses the incident that gives Mitchell his amazing abilities and goes on to assist his career as a crime fighter and politician. Ivan "Kremlin" Tereshkov: A mechanic on Coney Island and family friend. He acts as mentor for Mitchell, inspiring him to don the Great Machine costume. The Russian immigrant is not pleased that Mitchell gave up his superhero career to pursue a profession he does not think highly of. Though disillusioned by the Soviet Union, he still believes in the dream of communism. Kremlin believes that it was Mitchell's cosmic purpose to become the Great Machine, and he is covertly working to ensure that Hundred is not re-elected. Commissioner Angotti: As police commissioner of New York City, Amy Angotti often finds herself dealing with bizarre cases linked to Mitchell Hundred and his powers. Dave Wylie: Mitchell Hundred's deputy mayor and good friend is a lowly councilman who got talked into running with that "nut". Thinking he was only going to help the Republican party spoil the democratic candidate he was treated to a surprise landslide victory and now finds himself the recipient of complaints by many critics of the administration. Journal Moore: A former City Hall intern, she was promoted to "Special Advisor on Youth Affairs" by Hundred and is now seen frequently assisting him in many of his duties. She is hospitalized after a ricin gas attack during an anti-war demonstration and succumbs to her injuries. Candice Watts: Mayor Hundred's fourth Chief of Staff after the former three resigned after only two weeks of Hundred in office. Jack Pherson: Mitchell Hundred's nemesis as the Great Machine, first appears in the Ex Machina Special. Pherson is a sound technician who tries to figure out the secret of the Great Machine's power so that he can make money from it. He captures a sound bite of Hundred in action, and studies it carefully to determine the source of the power of the Great Machine's "voice". After Pherson hears his pet African Grey parrot repeat the recorded phrase (duplicating frequency and timbre in a manner Pherson's audio gear cannot), he gains the ability to hear and talk to animals. He learns a means for disrupting Hundred's powers and utilizes it in pursuit of his cause of extremist animal rights. He goes on to draw out Hundred, but Hundred turns his powers against him, resulting in his death by mauling by a pack of dogs, followed by an explosion which brings part of a building down on him. Despite this, Kremlin asserts that Pherson is still alive. Pherson's parrot, which has been seen in the present time of the book, also appears to have both an increased intellect and some of the same powers. Trip: An employee of the governor of New York. At his employer's behest, he tries to blackmail Hundred into subordinating himself to the governor; knowing that the blackmail was false, Hundred confiscates it and threatens to stop Trip's pacemaker if he ever tries something similar again. Jackson Georges: An NSA cryptologist who works with Hundred to try and better understand his powers. Prolonged exposure to the fragment that gave Hundred his power, as well as the shock of the September 11 attacks, makes Georges lose his mind. Connie Georges: Jackson's wife. Driven insane by exposure to the fragment, she stabs herself with it and gains Hundred-esque powers. She goes on a killing/mutilating spree in the subway before Hundred kills her in Gracie Mansion. Leto: Owns the comic book store that Hundred went to as a kid. After seeing Hundred's success, he decides that he could be a superhero too. He dons insectoid-like full body armor and a government surplus jetpack and begins prowling the streets as "Automaton", leading people to speculate that he is a robot built by Hundred. He is shot by Kremlin after violently reacting to Bradbury and Kremlin's discovery of his secret; over a year later, he is seen to have become homeless. January Moore: Journal Moore's sister. After her sister's death, she becomes an intern for Hundred's office at the invitation of Wylie. Along with Kremlin, January is actively working to subvert Hundred's administration and ensure that his re-election will fail. Trouble (Monica): A tour guide who becomes a masked adventurer after interacting with Great Machine, and becoming infatuated with him. Her actions prove increasingly troublesome to Mitchell and his administration.
Synopsis Ex Machina focuses on story of civil engineer Mitchell Hundred, alternating between the past and the present. The plot is centered on Hundred's current life as the mayor of New York City, with flashbacks to his prior life as "The Great Machine", the world's first and only super hero. Hundred has the ability to communicate directly with machines, which he used to prevent the fall of the second tower in the 9/11 attacks.
Early life and "The Great Machine" Mitchell Hundred was born in 1968 to Thomas and Martha. Early in his childhood, his mother killed his father in self-defence. Thirty years later, Hundred was caught in an explosion from an unknown device at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge. After the accident, he discovers that he is able to control and communicate with machinery in the hospital. After being released from the hospital, he is robbed in a convenience store, which leads him to experiment with the use of his powers. In the year 2000, Hundred decides to become the world's first superhero "The Great Machine", after talking to his friend Ivan "Kremlin" Tereshkov.
In March 2001, the Great Machine learns that his home-made ray gun has the power to open an inter-dimensional portal. That same time, the Great Machine meets a man named Jack Pherson, who has the ability to control and communicate with animals. Pherson learns that Hundred is the Great Machine, and plans a multi-pronged attack against him. This culminates in one final battle where Pherson is presumed dead after a building collapses on him. Around this time, Monica first sees the Great Machine during his efforts to fight crime, and starts to become infatuated with him from a distance. That summer, Hundred decides to run for mayor after talking to David Wylie, and announces his candidacy on July 4 by unmasking and effectively retiring as The Great Machine. Mitchell gives up his helmet and jetpack to the NSA, after meeting with one of their cryptologists, Jackson Georges.
On September 11, 2001, the Great Machine stops United Flight 175 before it crashes into the south tower of the World Trade Center. This helps him secure the election and become Mayor of New York City, after spending election day under surveillance in a sensory deprivation tank to ensure he cannot manipulate the election with his powers.
Mayoralty of New York City Mitchell Hundred is inaugurated as Mayor of New York City on January 9, 2002, and the comic book series begins with his first days in office. Hundred survives an assassination attempt, where he discovers that a bow-and-arrow is outside of his control with his powers. This parallels the rise of Connie Georges, who develops psychosis due to exposure to the fragment of circuit board that gave Mitchell Hundred his powers. Connie stabs herself with the fragment and cuts her left arm off, then murders and mutilates her husband, daughter, and family dog. She gains Hundred-esque powers and moves to the Manhattan sewers, wearing a hazard protection suit and spray-painting glyphs that resemble the one found on the fragment. She eventually confronts Hundred by infiltrating Gracie Mansion, implying that Hundred is a Christ-figure who should spread his 'gospel'. Hundred is forced to kill her in self defense. Later that year, a comic book store owner named Leto is inspired to become a super hero, called "Automaton". He is thwarted the next day by Kremlin, who destroys Leto's armor. Around this time, Hundred learns the truth about his father's death from his mother Martha.