Whose War Is It Anyway?
Written by Brian Wood, drawn by Ricardo Burcheielli, and published by VERTIGO, DMZ issue #63 questions the very foundations that the war being fought in New York City by the U.S. Military and the Free States Armies (FSA) is based upon. When photographer Matty Roth is given the information that could turn the media's take on the war into a whole new direction, he must struggle with whom to trust and what side he'll take -- his country's, or his city's?
I've become a big fan of Brian Wood, and I admit I hadn't read an issue of DMZ until now, but I'd love to read more. For those that don't know, this series is based on a fictional second civil war in America, where the fighting is set in New York City, done amongst the U.S. Forces, the FSA, and various sectioned groups around the city. The whole series has a very Children of Men feel to it while still doing it's own thing as a narrative.
The characters, even though I've only read one issue, seem well developed and fleshed out. The art style has an older feel to it, giving it the quality of old movies like Escape from New York and Mad Max.
This issue does alot to question the way that governments and organizations fight wars, and how the spin in the media is really how a war is fought. The history books are written through the headlines, and the headlines can be rewritten.
I recommend this series to anyone who loves war dramas, realistic science fiction, or enjoys games like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 where the action takes place on American soil. It's interesting to think that something like this could actually happen, and how it would affect our major cities and political groups.