I am at a complete loss as to why the issue of gay marriage is such a hot-button topic in America and Canada at the moment. I can't imagine why it became a major election issue last month in the U.S. There was a time when homophobia revolved around the notion of sex, promiscuity and even "recruitment" of straight people to the gay lifestyle (and sadly, those perceptions persist). Now, homophobia has expanded to include the notion of a formalized, monogamous and committed relationship. It's completely contradictory. I don't understand why some people feel the notion of straight marriage is threatened in any way by gay marriage, or why some have limited the concept of marriage to a religious sacramental definition, instead of the civil entity it really is, as far as government is concerned.
Vaughan tackles the issue head-on here, but he approaches it from a balanced perspective, weighing different political ramifications as well as personal ones. Once again, this title demonstrates it's at its strongest when the political content takes centre stage.
Before he became mayor of New York City, Mitchell Hundred and his NSA contact find themselves under siege by German agents who want to know the superhuman-turned-candidate's secrets. Obviously, that situation resolved itself, leading Hundred to the mayor's office and a touchy issue: gay marriage. Hundred is all for flaunting state law and marrying his deputy mayor's firefighter brother, but his advisers warn about the political and personal consequences that could arise. Meanwhile, that secret symbol the Germans were so interested in a couple of years back turns up as graphitti around New York, and some New Yorkers do not react well to it. At all.
Harris's realistic figures and detailed backgrounds are key to the success of this book. The fantastic elements are great, but it's the real-world qualities of the plot, premise and players that are the most important aspects of the book. Harris reinforces the realism of the script incredibly well. Mettler's colors, on the other hand, reinforce the other side of the coin. He bathes in eerie greens and glowing yellows. He maintains a flow of energy throughout the story. The most impressive visual in the book is how Harris conveys the animation of the alien glyphs in the subway. It's a thoroughly creepy sequence.
There's something about the classic injury-to-the-eye motif that makes my skin crawl; it's an incredibly effective visual when it comes to horror and human suffering. Fortunately, it's not overused these days, so the one that pops up in this issue has a real impact. I felt the same sort of chill as I did when I read the "24 Hours" issue of Neil Gaiman's Sandman, in which one of the characters pulls a similar stunt to the one we see here.
My favorite moment in this issue comes when the liberal-minded Mitch Hundred, who's ready to go ahead with gay marriage in New York, seeks out a woman to accompany him on a date. As open-minded as he is, Hundred is still worried that people might think he's gay. That fear and insecurity makes for a balanced story, and it makes the main character incredibly human. His behavior's not commendable, but it is believable. 10/10
