DMZ #57 – Review

by Brian Wood (writer), Cliff Chiang (art), Jeromy Cox (colors), and Jared K. Fletcher (letters)

The Story: Amina recovers an abandoned baby in the streets of the DMZ, forcing her to grapple with motherhood, her history, and an end to her solitude.

What’s Good: Through this issue, Wood makes it painfully clear how different standards of morality and ethics are in the DMZ.  At times, so different are these standards that it’s tempting to write them off entirely and believe that they’re either non-existent or drastically lesser than our accepted social rules and conscience.  Of course, while events may have us lean in that direction, Wood’s excellent work with main character Amina’s narration quickly chastises us for this consideration; it puts a human face to the situations of this issue and the moral and ethical choices that play out.  The narration complicates things a great deal and makes it clear that morality and ethics are in play, they are simply those of people who are fundamentally damaged and thus they are of a more malleable sort, both forgiving and resigned.  It’s complex and very heavy stuff.

The motherhood side of the issue is also reasonably dealt with, if only because the baby provides an anchor to the otherwise ever-changing Amina.  The situation helps to make the character at least somewhat relatable and sympathetic.  It also allows Wood to analyze and showcase her emotions and her humanity.  There’s both a tenderness and a desperation here that has always been the meat of DMZ.

Weekly Comic Book Review’s Top Picks

DS’ Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Batman and Robin #14 – Batman and Robin #14 is psychologically rich and filled with unhinged personalities at the thin edge of functionality. You want whack-job villains trying to do horrible things to possibly innocent people, with flawed heroes trying to save the day? Look no further. Batman and Robin #14 is one of the more sophisticated pure superhero books I’ve read in a while.

Most Anticipated: Brightest Day #10 – I am not yet willing to give up on this series. Despite an overall slowness to the development of the action, we’ve got to remember two things: (a) Johns strives for epic scope and (b) 10 issues only represents 5 months, so it only seems longer than it really has been. Come on, Johns! I’m betting on you and papa needs a new pair of shoes!

Other Top Picks: Other Top Picks: Birds of Prey #5, Tiny Titans #32, Thor: For Asgard #2, Thunderbolts #148

Dean’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Daytripper #10 – Reviewing final issues is different because they end up being a review of the entire series.  Handle the final issue wrong and you can screw up everything that you accomplished in the rest of the series.  Fortunately that didn’t happen with this touching ending to this miniseries about life, home and family.  This was simply a wonderful series that I will really miss.

Most Anticipated: Morning Glories #2 – Nick Spencer had about 7 “hooks” in his first issue of Morning Glories and I really cannot wait to see how this series progresses in issue #2.  I can’t even decide which of the weird mysteries of the Morning Glories Academy I would like to know more about first.

Other Top Picks: Unwritten #17, Bulletproof Coffin #4, Hack/Slash: My First Maniac #4, Marvel Universe vs. The Punisher #4, New Mutants #17

Alex’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Thor #614 – Kieron Gillen’s final issue on Thor is also his best.  Clever, epic, and with a fantastically written Mephisto.  It’s also brimming with almost too much story, as though Gillen could’ve used another issue.  Instead, we get this beast.

Most Anticipated: Morning Glories #2 – Could it be anything else?  Morning Glories #1 felt fun and fresh and posed a bevy of questions, not least of which was one helluva a bizarre cliffhanger.  I can’t wait to see where this series goes and if it can keep up the quality.

Other Picks: The Unwritten #17, DMZ #57, Birds of Prey #5, Brightest Day #10

Joe’s Top Picks

Best of the Past Week – X-Force: Sex and Violence #3 – In yet another of week of underwhelming releases, Kyle and Yost deliver a title that is just pure unadulterated popcorn fun.  Wolverine and Domino claw and shoot everything that moves and their teammates show up to join in the fun.  The fun the creators must have had on this project is infectious and was well worth the purchase.  I’ll miss their names in the credits.

Most Anticipated – X-23 #1 – From one Kyle and Yost creation to another one that owes much to them.  I’m more excited about the character than the creative team on this new series, due to the stellar work K & Y did on her during their previous runs on X-Force and New X-Men.  Despite my reservations, I am still eager for my monthly fix of the Wolverine clone and will be hoping wholeheartedly that she works as a lead character as well as she did a supporting one.

Other Picks: Green Lantern Emerald Warriors #2, Hack/Slash: My First Maniac #4, Morning Glories #2, Amazing Spider-Man #643, Astonishing Spider-Man/Wolverine #3, New Mutants #17, Spider-Man/Fantastic Four #3, Thunderbolts #148, X-Factor #209, CBGB #3, Pale Horse #4