DMZ or The American Nightmare

I mentioned in my first post that I'd base my "lessons" on news about comic book-related projects that might spark people to do some research on the source material. I've quickly realized this is a bit flawed, mainly because comic book-based news isn't the type of hard hitting journalism that crosses everyone's desks these days. So I've decided to dig a bit deeper and use the broader world as inspiration for my posts. That said, there's really just one thing on everyone's mind right now: the absolute shitty state our country is in. I'm not here to point fingers or to rant about my opinions on "recovery bills." No, I'm here to talk about comics and when I think of how bad things have gotten in this country and how much worse it COULD get, I think of one series: DMZ.

DMZ, as a general term, stands for "demilitarized zone," which is essentially neutral ground between two warring nations that acts as a buffer area so that trigger-happy soldiers aren't standing face to face with each other at some imaginary border. A clever idea that really only works in theory...just ask North and South Korea. Anyway, the comic book series takes its name from this phrase because the setting happens to be in a DMZ. And like most DMZs, this one is a barely habitable, completely dangerous pile of rubble that was once called Manhattan.

You see, after countless years of war-mongering, political stagnation, corporate corruption and financial & social breakdowns, the people of the America had enough and slowly but surely decided to fight back against the "power" that failed them: the American government. Incredibly, just as with Iraq or Katrina, the federal and state authorities are completely unprepared and eventually are--state by state--overrun by these militias until they reach the all-powerful east coast. Of course that's where the rich people lives, so that's where the US FINALLY decides to take a stand. After years and years of violence along the coast, a tenuous cease-fire is signed between what's left of the USA and the Free State Armies.

This back-story is obviously only filled in piece by piece and ironically, for some one who's been reading the series for several years now, seems eerily prophetic considering the failings of our once-mighty nation. I'm not saying this is the path we're heading toward, but it sure seems like a bleak option that might be worthwhile being entertained by before the possibility of LIVING it comes around, right?

We follow the character of Matty Roth, a young, naive photographer who is given the golden assignment to accompany a hot-shot reporter into the forbidden DMZ of Manhattan in order to learn what life is like for those who live there. Unfortunately, immediately upon his arrival on the island, the shit hits the fan (or, in this case, the rocket hits the helicopter blades) and he's stranded in the hellhole that is New York City.

The series then takes us on a whirlwind tour of the city, the people and, as mentioned before, the history of this world. It's fascinating on several levels, as we uncover the basic corruption that led to this point, while experiencing--along with Matty--the cut-throat living situation that the inhabitants of the island now have to endure. If you currently live in NYC or are in anyway attached to the city as a concept (and who isn't?), then you'll be amazed to see how the writer and author depict the Big Apple as a rotten piece of fruit that you'd want to avoid at all costs. It's interesting to see how every neighborhood in the city still maintains its old identity along with a new sort of attitude that makes it more dangerous than the next.

You have to give credit to Brian Wood, the writer of the series, for his ability to reconfigure your feelings toward America and New York City by essentially making it a place of nightmares instead of dreams. Brian Wood is what you would call an "indie" writer in the comic world, which essentially just means he's not the type of guy you find on a Superman or Spider-Man comic. From that you can derive that he has lofty ideals for the medium he writes in, hence his desire to deal with some heavy subjects like the ones found in DMZ.

Wood weaves some very intricate plots of political and corporate intrigue that, along with some very graphic depictions of violence in warzones, really hit hard and close to home for some people. If you're looking to read something dark but endlessly interesting and thought-provoking that directly connects to the stuff you read in the news every day, then DMZ is for you. The series goes beyond your traditional "dystopian future" story by tapping into something terrifyingly real and human...so I definitely recommend checking it out.

The first collection, On The Ground, sets up our characters and the city, but it's really the second trade, Body of a Journalist, that REALLY pumps up the shock and awe in the series. Here's a link to both: Volume 1 and Volume 2.
And even better, DC Comics (who publishes the series under its Mature Readers imprint called Vertigo) has the first issue available for you to read online right here: Issue #1.

So "enjoy" DMZ...don't forget, at the least what you're reading is fiction and not actual headlines. Well, at least not yet...