At first glance, this new series is a post-apocalyptic adventure a la Mad Max, but a closer look reveals a story about modern truths and relevance. Baghdad comes to the Big Apple, as Wood immerses the "beacon of freedom" in a civil war. Wood doesn't just transplant Iraq and an American context, but extrapolates from a culture of corruption and political division that's prevalent in the United States today. This is an intense tale that's one-part war genre and one part political and sociological thriller. Those who enjoyed Wood's work on Channel Zero will no only be thrilled to find a similar visual style, but more of Wood's insightful commentary on society, media and government.
It's been five years since a group of rogue northern states in America decided to secede from the rest of the country, plunging the nation into a new civil war. The anniversary prompts an award-winnign documentarian to venture to Manhattan, which has been transformed into a demilitarized zone in which neither America nor the Free States reigns. It is a no man's land in which anarchy rules. The egotistical documentary filmmaker brings with him an intern, Matt Roth, who's responsible for the equipment, but he soon finds himself responsible for nothing more than simply staying alive when the expedition into the DMZ goes south.
Riccardo Burchielli's art puts me in mind of the styles of such industry artists as Sonny (Malinky Robot, My Faith in Frankie) Liew, Tan Eng (Doom Patrol, Batman: Journey Into Knight) and even the sleek linework of Jose Luis (The Return of Donna Troy) Garcia Lopez. He captures the stark nature of the DMZ perfectly, and the character designs of its inhabitants aren't so extreme so as to break the realistic tone that's achieved. Clearly, his style suits Wood's dark, hip sensibilities, and his angular style enhances the tension in the story. The muted colors reinforce the nasty atmosphere, and they allow the bright flashes of blood red and deadly white to really pop and shock the reader in explosive moments.
Matty Roth is a well-realized character. He's in over his head, just doing his best to fit into a world where he doesn't belong. In some ways, he's like a non-farcical Fry from Futurama. It's easy to identify with the character early on, but what makes him really stand out is the idealistic streak that emerges at the issue's end. One can't help but cheer for him.
The complexity of the backdrop that serves as the real focal character of the book is what really draws one into the book, and what's fascinating is the plausibility of it. America went to war with itself in the 1800s because of a sharp regional division, and it's easy to imagine an escalation of division between the red and blue states in the U.S. today. To be honest, in the face of scandals and poor governing with which America is faced right now, I'm honestly surprised there's not more extreme dissent going on in the superpower today.
I'm betting Brian Wood is surprised as well. 10/10
