DMZ #65 – Review

by Brian Wood (writing), Riccardo Burchielli (art), Jeromy Cox (colors), and Jared K. Fletcher (letters)

The Story:  Matt faces possibly the biggest decision of his life.

The Review:  If you’re a long-time reader of Brian Wood’s DMZ, this is the sort of issue that you read it for, the sort of issue that looks at hard, gritty reality, above and beyond all lofty idealism or abstract ideals.

With this issue ultimately hinging on a massive decision on Matty’s part, that being what to do with Parco’s evidence of the US’s charade, Wood is wise to anchor the book around Matty entirely.  He narrates throughout, and not only in the standard way we’re used to.  Wood opens with his usual newscast narration, but in a surprising twist on that, it turns out that the newscast is Matty’s.  That’s really, really cool stuff that showcases the new role that Matty finds himself in.  It also helps emphasize how heavily not just this issue, but the events within and the history that will result, revolve around him, that he’s the one shaping public perception and knowledge.

As I said though, strong, laser-like focus aside, this issue is all about that choice, and it’s expertly done.  Wood puts forth the fact that the pursuit and elevation of capital t “Truth, or similar abstract ideals, often conflict and don’t jive with what’s best.  Bold journalistic integrity clashes with pragmatism and the definition and nature of “the greater good” is challenged and reshaped by Wood.

Most interesting is Wood’s decision to use Zee as the vehicle to deliver this message.  Zee’s often been the beacon of integrity and, at times, idealism throughout this series, so for her to come down on exposing the truth in favour of ending the war as quickly as possible, and pointing out that the two aren’t one and the same, speaks volumes.  It’s a nice twist by Wood.

DMZ #62 – Review

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

The Story: We get back to the present day, as Matty Roth finds himself as the eyes and ears at the vanguard of the US invasion of the DMZ.

The Review: I cannot begin to express how relieved and overjoyed I am that Brian Wood has returned the focus to Matty Roth and the main, present-day narrative of DMZ.  Usually, I really like Wood’s in-between short arcs, but I found that the last couple of issues just didn’t grab me and reading this issue, I know why.

The past couple of months lacked a compelling protagonist and the solid character work that Wood excels at.  With Matty back at the helm, all of that’s changed and DMZ has gone back to being the emotionally gripping read that it usually is.  It’s grim, gritty, and desperate, but now that Matty’s back, it also feels intimate and personal in a way that we readers actually feel attached to.  Roth’s narration returns as well, always bluntly honest in message and emotion with hints of self-loathing and cynicism.

The tension this month, heading into this new arc, is certainly palpable and Wood’s doing his best to showcase the bizarre new/old position Matty finds himself in.  It gives the series a good taste of familiarity while also feeling fresh, if not darker.  There’s something uncompromisingly bleak about Wood’s series right now that makes for a unique read.

DMZ #55 – Review

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

The Story: Forced into close contact with his targets, an undercover commando comes to learn the truth about not just the residents of New York, but also himself.

What’s Good: The first in a series of one-shots, I really enjoyed the concept behind our protagonist.  It makes sense that the US, or the Free States for that matter, would have agents in deep cover in the DMZ; it’s a really cool theme that I’m surprised hasn’t been investigated before.

The writing itself is really well-done, focused on emotional and ideological conflict, juxtaposition, and incomprehension.  The narration provided the protagonist seems sharp, cynical, and contrary to what we’re used to seeing and thinking about the DMZ, and yet, seeing through his eyes, it does make sense why he would see the DMZ and its inhabitants in the manner that he does.  While I can’t say that we ever fully agree with or support his opinions, they certainly do follow a consistent form of logic.  Furthermore, despite his disdain for the DMZ and the war, there’s also a sense of fatigue and war-weariness behind all the cynicism that suggests a commonality that the protagonist shares with the very people he so distrusts.

Wood’s portrayal of Zee and the bunkered down community of the DMZ is also outstanding as ever, yet another testament to the vitality of the living, breathing world of the DMZ.  There’s a sense of togetherness, goodness, and trust that really is touching.  The ease with which one war-wounded character comes to lean on the protagonist, opening up to him wholly was really well-done and a perfect example of the sort of fellowship and inter-reliance fostered by desperation and hard-times.

The high-point of the issue is how this affects, or rather pulls in, the protagonist.  Wood does a fantastic job of showing the commando’s pre-conceptions shattered and, naturally, how this leads to unfavorable and traumatic self-reflection. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of this issue is how much Wood made me care about two characters whom I’ve never seen before and who we never even know the names of.  I suppose that’s appropriate, given that this issue is very much about understanding, not only of the DMZ, but also of oneself, and just how interrelated both these arenas can be for Wood’s characters.

Andrea Mutti works very much in the spirit of regular series artist Riccardo Burchielli.  As a result, everything feels business as usual for DMZ.  However, I do have to say that his work on the protagonist’s flashbacks were really stylish and emotionally evocative.

DMZ #54 – Review

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

The Story: Matty Roth reaches the US checkpoint, only to get assigned a new job and, perhaps, a second chance.

What’s Good: This issue features the sort of grand, sweeping gesture that manages to successfully represent an author working towards a well thought out conclusion to a long-running series.  Even though we’ve got another 12 issues or so to go, it’s clear that Wood setting up the status quo that will roll DMZ to its ending, which looks to be one that is fully organic and natural.

Wood essentially has Roth do something of a full circle, but it’s one of those beautiful rotations where, while the position may be similar, the participants most certainly are not.  Matty ends up in a place that’s quite close to where he was at when the series began but the bumbling, frantic Matty has been replaced by the grizzled, self-loathing, existentially befuddled Matty that we have now.  The result is a clash that is sure to bear fruit as already, the full circle rotation that Wood executes is elegant and sweeping.  Matty trims his beard away to resemble his old self, but really, this is a perfect representation by Wood:  the only things that are regressing to the past are the superficial and the circumstantial.

Much of this is executed via a gripping conversation between Matty and his father.  This is certainly something I appreciated, given how sparse Wood’s work can be at times.  It’s good to see him really hit the keyboard and show us some tight, dense dialogue.  It’s a further insight into Matty’s psyche, but I also appreciated how Wood better realizes Matty’s father, and later, his mother.  While I can’t call them good guys, they are no longer clear-cut sleazebags.  Much like his son, Matty’s father is a man trapped in crushing circumstances and we get inklings that, still, both parents care for their son, in whatever strange way.

On art, Burchielli’s work is at its usual standards.  Dense, desolate cities are there, but give way to great facial expressions, bang-on despite their gritty, cartoonist’s touch.

DMZ #53 – Review

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

The Story: While the situation in the DMZ worsens, Matty tries to survive his encounter with some unhappy Delgado relations.

What’s Good: As you might expect, MIA has proven to be a real downer of an arc.  Not that there’s anything wrong with that of course.

For instance, look no farther than the issue’s ending, which is a perfect fusion of a smaller, personal tragedy with a larger, more overarching catastrophe.  In a massive bombing, New York City loses a landmark in a catastrophe that also causes Matty to lose one of the landmarks of his time in the DMZ and his life in general.  NYC loses an icon and Matty loses a friend.  It’s a perfect blend of the public and the private.

That’s a theme that goes through much of this issue.  All of the DMZ is united in destruction.  As Matty dives for cover, so too does the faceless host of Radio Free DMZ on the other side of town.  This is a theme that Wood has continually returned to, and it’s always a good one.  It’s also well used by the unifying, desperate voice of the radio transmissions.

Perhaps more powerful than anything else, however, is Matty’s new-found role.  Well, perhaps “newly realized” is more apt.  Matty realizes that he is not a power player or an active participant; he’s a historian.  It’s an empowering moment of self-recognition and a great direction for Matty, and the comic in general.  Best of all is how Wood makes it clear that this is exactly what Matty’s role has been all along.  Though he didn’t realize it, he’d been fulfilling this function through it all, even between his loftier ambitions.

On art, this is some of Burchielli’s best work in a while.  He puts out a ton of emotion.  His explosions are awe inspiring in scale and unity.  Meanwhile, his illustrations of Matty are really well done, particularly when he juxtaposes Matty across the comic’s run, comparing his various physical profiles.  While Wood’s script emphasizes his perpetual role as record-keeper, it’s Burchielli’s art that really makes this realization hit home, drawing together and fusing the various Matty Roths of the past with that of the present.