The Political Machine: Six Reasons Why I Would Vote for Mitchell Hundred as Mayor

Ex Machina should never have survived 50 issues. 

It's high concept--West Wing political drama meets superheroics--and should never have worked in a comics marketplace more accepting of punches than politics. It was one of the first comics to incorporate 9/11 into its central story line at a time (2004) when such attempts were awkward and embarrassing. And the biggest thing the series had going against it: It didn't star Batman, Wolverine or a licensed nostalgia property.

But what it did have was Brian K. Vaughn, riding high on his success with Runaways and Y the Last Man, wielding his research-factoids-as-dialogue tics with Sorkinian bravado (but a little less fast hallway walkie-talkie). And it had Tony Harris' fluid, hyper-real art that made the everyday actions of the everyday characters populating the book feel balletic and organic. Their collaboration over 50 issues--which was their plan from the beginning--and showed that you could make a smart, engaging comic book that made policy discussions and back-room strategy sessions more thrilling than extra-dimensional invasions. 

In fact, I couldn't begin to really tell you what extra-dimensional source gave Mitchell Hundred--the former superhero known as the Great Machine who makes a successful bid for mayor of New York City after stopping second plane from crashing into the World Trade Center--his technology-controlling powers. But I know the mayor's stance on school vouchers and smoking pot, and quite frankly, that intrigued me more than any alternate world invasion.

That's why, as Ex Machina's last issue hits stands this week, I've put together a list of Mitchell Hundred's political actions that would make me vote for him in a heartbeat if he were running for mayor of my city.