Why DMZ Should Top Your Pull List

This is one Vertigo title you should definitely be reading!

This past Wednesday, writer Brian Wood saw the release of issue #50 of DMZ published by Vertigo, a title that deals with a apocalyptic, hypothetical political environment. Recently the writer discussed his own personal political sentiments regarding the state of American politics with the folks at WIRED. If you haven't been reading the series, and you don't mind a comic that will make the wheels in your brain turn, then this might be for you. The story is similar to Watchmen in that it takes an extreme political perspective and expands on it. In the case of DMZ, the subject is civil war. So, it is sort of appropriate that Wood would have artist Dave Gibbons contribute to the pencils in this issue, which, completely blew me away. The story is told from the perspective of Matthew Roth, who is something of an amateur journalist for the "Liberty News Network." Being that DMZ deals with a lot of deep political issues, it makes sense that the writer would reflect on the present political environment.
 

“I prefer to assume the worst would never happen here...that there are enough sane people in America that a second Civil War just couldn’t get off the ground.”

“I always say we aren’t close to [a second civil war] at all...Then things like the Tea Party happen, guys strapped with guns show up to hear the president talk, polls come out that say a majority of one political party think Obama is a racist, non-American, terrorist cheerleader who wants gays to come to our schools and teach our kids how to abort babies. Suddenly, it seems less unlikely.”

DMZ is one of the most unique titles out right now and issue #50 deals with heavy material in a clear, concise and intelligent manner. More importantly, though, DMZ seems like a project birthed from Woods' heart; he didn't create it to springboard it into a film. If the series gets picked up and adapted into another type of media, then all the better.

“I don’t write comics to see them turned into films,” he said, “since the odds of yours being one of the very, very few that get turned into movies is so small you might as well just play Lotto. But there’s always something going on: options, meetings and treatments being written for some of my books. I’ve learned with bitter tears not to feel like it something that’s supposed to happen. I think of it as free money.”

If you are looking for something different and deep, then DMZ should be a title that tops your list. I highly recommend the thought provoking and deeply moving series for everything from the incredible storyline to the phenomenal artwork. Not to mention that it was a true pleasure to see pencils from creators Dave Gibbons, Jim Lee, Lee Bermejo and many more in issue #50.