5. Ex Machina
I said Brian K. Vaughan would be back again, and here he is with he co-created work with Tony Harris; Ex Machina. Running over 50 issues and including 4 specials, this comic book is strange mix of superhero action running alongside political masterpiece. Whilst it may seem like a bizarre combination to have in a comic book, this piece manages to work the two together into a world that not only makes it believable that a superhero can exist, but also that they can become a force to be reckoned with even out of their costume. Imagine if Clark Kent worked in an episode of The West Wing instead of the Daily Planet and you are starting to get the idea of how this comic works. This comic works so well because of the clash of such different subject matter. When you feel you are getting to far into the world of American mayoral politics, you are given a flashback into a time when the main character, Mitchell Hundred, was off fighting crime as The Great Machine. The excellent supporting cast of characters throughout the comic make it such an interesting read as well providing some great starting points for both script writers and actors to really get their teeth into. Some may not be happy with the subject matter in regards to September 11th 2001, but it just goes to show what one person, when on the right side of the law, can do when they have some power!