DMZ #56 – Review

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

The Story: Wilson faces the destruction Chinatown and is faced with a hard choice.

What’s Good: Wilson has long been a favourite character of mine in Brian Wood’s DMZ, and I doubt that I’m the only one.  The character is a perfect balance of unassuming and intimidating.  Thus, the fact that this is a one-shot centered on Wilson already puts this issue in my good books.

Certainly, this is a strong outing for Wood.  The tone is brooding and heavy, while also fatigued and worn out.  There’s a constant sense of Wilson’s burden, as the story has a crushing, unrelenting sort of weight and pressure to it.  Some might say that this issue is slow-moving or ponderous, or that not enough happens, but I’m inclined to say that that’s the point.  It creates a despairing atmosphere of doom and “heavy lies the crown,” which is far more effective than a running gunfight could ever be.

The plot, centered around Wilson’s precarious position in the war’s current state, is also solid and it’s refreshing to see a one-shot like this be so in line with the series’ current continuity.  The hard choice Wilson is faced with is a great touch by Wood; it painfully defines Wilson’s position in Chinatown, not just for us, but for the character himself.  Essentially, he is forced to choose between the actual responsibilities that his leadership position entails and the pride and ego that not only arises because of that position, but are fundamental parts of it.  It’s a crushing, though elegant, conflict of doing what a leader should do versus being what a leader should be, and the extent to which these two things are the same, yet different.  Suffice it to say, the climax of this all is touching, powerful, and, as is suited for Wilson, both grandiose and resigned.