And now... The bi-weekly, sometimes weekly, ocasionaly semi-annual, rarely tri-daily new feature: Eddie P Speaks on Comics

Eddie P speaks on Comics
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Binary code translation vol. Face Smash

Ex Machina

Brian K. Vaughan

This is an interesting take on the superhero concept written by acclaimed author Brian K. Vaughan. (Y: The Last Man, Runaways, Lost Seasons 3-4) The story is about a man who gets superpowers from an accident with a shard of alien machinery that allows him to “speak” to machines. This is an interesting ability that has been touched before with characters in X-Men and even on TV’s Heroes, but Vaughan has mastered the depth of what is really possible with such a power. Actually the story isn’t about the man and his powers, but rather what the man does after he’s given up adventuring and hung up the cape. Mitchell Hundred used hide his identity behind a mystical helmet and wear a winged jet pack he created while asleep. He called himself The Great Machine and would fly around New York City attempting to protect it’s helpless citizens below. This often led to many blunders and failed attempts of heroism. This is, in my opinion, an awesome take on the superhero tale. Many stories flourish in their character’s ability to “save the day”, you hardly read about the guy who fucks up. These moments as The Great Machine are shown in a series of flashbacks. In present time, Mitchell is the Mayor of New York City. Mitchell is neither democrat nor republican. His views span all across left and right boundaries and many of the characters within his office debate both sides of serious issues. A major concept that Vaughan illustrates is the tendency of citizens to rely on their government to save them. Much like how the citizen’s of Gotham or Metropolis rely on their costumed guardians, New York’s citizens look to their Mayor to save the day. This is eerily similar to how US citizens look towards President Elect Obama in this current crisis to save the day. In essence Ex Machina is primarily about Politics, Superheroes and New York City. This is a brainy, wordy story with enough action to keep it fun. I recommend it to people who are politically open-minded and are looking for a superhero story that is less about the cape and cowl heroics and more about the human ones.

E.P.

Ok, here are some short reviews of the last few things I've read, all of which I enjoyed.

The Yiddish Policeman's Union
By Michael Chabon
One of the most enjoyable books I've ever read. Chabon is a master, the man in unrelentingly clever. The protagonist, Meyer Landsman should be remembered with noir P.I. greats like Marlow and Spade. The novel is set in Sitka Alaska, 60 years after Jewish refugees, displaced due to the Holocaust and the fictional destruction of Isreal were sent to live. It is an alternate history detective story in the realm of some classic noir but completely takes its own path. Absolutely loved everything in it from beginning to end.

Anna Karenina
By Leo Tolstoy
This one took me a while. Tolstoy's talent is undeniable when creating huge, sprawling, epic stories involving many main characters, each of which are very layered. The novel is very meticulously crafted from beginning to end and had moments of literary perfection. The way in which he develops characters is something to admire, but I must say a negative to being so thorough are the 100page chunks in which nothing of any real substance transpires. Very glad I read it but its light years away from light or exciting reading.

Me Talk Pretty One Day
By David Sedaris
Definitely one of the funniest books I've ever read. Never before have I had to put a book down numerous times because I was laughing too hard to continue reading. If you havent read David Sedaris or heard any of his essays on NPR or anywhere else, you're missing out

Wanted
By Mark Millar
A twisted, sick assault on conformity. Raw, visceral and nothing like the terribly watered down film of the same name. How that is even called an adaptation is beyond me.

Sandman vol-1 Preludes & Nocturnes vol-2 Doll's House
By Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman's classic series of which I have slept on for a very long time. Granted I am only 2/11ths of the way into this story but I am impressed with what I've read thus far. A very cerebral tale, wildly visual, extremely creative and undeniably trippy.

The Killing Joke
By Alan Moore
Alan Moore is a genius weekly? I will subscribe to that publication. A great little story that delves deeper into the relationship between Batman and The Joker.

The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat
By Oliver Sacks
If you like clinical stories of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders like visual agnosia, Korsakoff's syndrome, Autistic savantism and many more, this is the book for you! I love this guys work, my sister and brother in law bought me another one of his books, Musicophilia and since then I've been hooked. So, a hearty bowl of gracias to them.
Up next, An Anthropologist on Mars

Question freaks.

You know those people, those dolts, those incessantly annoying beings who possess the innate need to ask pointless question, after question, after question in any public forum. It is easy to spot a question freak, they're always on the edge of their seats acting like listening is a physical act. However, it is readily apparent that acting like you're listening 'hard' roughly translates to... I didn't hear a word you just said. These specimens usually will interact, in a way resembling this:

Professor- The paper will be due on Friday, it should be between 5-7 pages in length, double spaced. If you have any questions, email me.
Q.Freak- Professor, would it be ok if we triple space it?
Professor- I would prefer it double spaced.
Q.Freak- I need to take my cat to the vet tonight, I wont be able to email you tonight, can I do it Tomorrow?
Professor- ...yes, its Tuesday; email me tomorrow.
Q.Freak- So we need to hand this paper into you on Friday?
Professor- Yes.
Q.Freak- This friday?
Professor- Yes.
Q.Freak- ok.
Professor- moving on, the answer... 1+1 is...2.
Q.Freak- wait so the answer is 2? How did you get that? its 1 + 1?
Professor- Yes, 1+1= 2
Q.freak- You added them? together?
Professor- YES

Meanwhile...back in my head, there is a dwarf, he is an extreme steroid abuser and he is livid, jumping up and down screaming at the top of his lungs
'SHUT UP, SHUT UP! Holy god, is there a 1 legged hamster on a wheel in your head? Has your cerebral cortex been soaked in battery acid and hit repeatedly with a wrench? Are you actually unable to deduce anything resembling a rational answer in your head to this horrific question, only equaled in its incoherence by its fitful, inept, idiocy. When you are about to ask a question...is there no security block, no alarm that sounds
'BEEP! BEEP!WOAH, hold up, maybe this is not that smartest thing that can fall out of my face at this moment, maybe he/she just answered this, maybe I should wait until he/she is done speaking before I blurt out this nonsense, like a blender operating without a lid.'

I know my better half Lindsay has had horrifying experiences with question freaks, she has expressed them to me in ways vastly less verbose but still as volatile.
If you have had experiences with QF's leave me some words.