THE DAKOIT UNDERVALUED PICK: EX-MACHINA #1

From our friend Dakoit over at the The Comic Speculation Blogspot site.
For the last decade or so, comic readers have been captivated by the works of Brian K. Vaughan. The superstar writer, has been the creator of many of the most memorable and adored comics of this generation. His most recent galaxy spanning space opera, Saga, a titillating tale almost Shakespearean in scope, has won the highest critical acclaim and accolades from industry stalwarts and common fans alike.
And yet, it’s truly surprising when his 2002 opus, Y The Last Man was recently dropped from rights to Newline Cinema after years in production limbo.
Furthermore, and lesser known to current fans, BKV’s franchise Ex-Machina was also dropped by Newline back in 2012:
Although both Y-The Last Man and Ex-Machina are comics which now remain in live-action limbo, to me, the later has many qualities that make it much better suited for live action treatment. And thus, making it the spotlight of today’s article:
Ex Machina #1 (Wildstorm/DC), $2.95
Released: July 2004
Bought for: $4.99 NM (September 2014)
When compared to other talented writers such Mark Millar or Robert Kirkman, who have several properties in the live-action pipeline, with some already completed (Kick-Ass I/II, Kingsman: Secret Service, Walking Dead) and others on the horizon (Starlight, Nemesis, Superior, Thief of Thieves, Outcast), Brian K. Vaughan has oddly remained virtually nameless in the live action scene despite his continued success in comics. I suppose this disparity is the nature of business in Hollywood, and sometimes it’s easy to forget how much contingency plays a pivotal role in this success. While some properties get noticed, others just languish in obscurity.
This disparity is also readily apparent when we examine BKV’s comics themselves; while some of his works achieve immense demand in the aftermarket, others remain unnoticed. Such is the case for his meta-human political drama, Ex-Machina. Among Mr. Vaughan’s many comic achievements, Ex-Machina is in my opinion his most skillfully crafted tale, and possibly his most viable in terms of movie or tv treatment. And yet, this book is one that gets the least amount of appreciation in the speculative market when stacked up against his other works. What this means to the budget collector then, is that this comic is one that is attainable right now. You’ll see what I mean when we take a closer look.
Ex-Machina follows the story of Mitchell Hundred, an engineer by trade, but born into a political family. Hundred becomes the Mayor of New York City after the events of 9/11. During his term, Hundred encounters an extra-dimensional device at the Brooklyn Bridge, that scars yet endows him the super human ability to have control over any machine. Whether it be an insignificant wrist watch or continent reaching orbiting satellite, Mitchell Hundred’s unchecked actions can bring global implications and possible catastrophe at the mere snap of his fingers.
Herein lies the ethical and moral dilemma that Mitchell Hundred has to contend to in Ex-Machina. With his god-like powers to achieve draconian control over the people of his own city and quite possibly the world, Mitchell Hundred has a personal struggle to quell the urge to use his powers so that he does not interfere with the normal process of government and politics. With a strong supporting cast (each vying for their own exploitations of Mitchell), and added threat of terrorism and jingoist nations, Ex-Machina would be a very unique take on a world and a superhero which has not been realistically explored in the past, and the concept in my opinion, would be a great fit in a film or a tv series.
If Ex-Machina hasn’t yet convinced you that it’s a comic primed for speculation, then let’s compare current values of BKV’s other properties and see if those are compelling:
Current Ebay Selling Prices (October 5th 2014)
SAGA #1 (Image), $2.99
Released: March 2012
Current Ebay Price (October 5th 2014): $130-180 (NM raw)
Runaways #1 (Marvel), $2.50
Released: July 2003
Current Ebay Price (October 5th 2014): $70-105 (NM raw)
Y-The Last Man #1(Vertigo/DC)
Released: September 2002
Current Ebay Price (October 5th 2014): ~ $250 (NM raw)
and…
Ex Machina #1 (Wildstorm/DC), $2.95
Released: August 2004
Current Ebay Price (October 5th 2014): $5-27 (NM raw)
As the Ebay values indicate, there is a clear disparity between the prices of Ex-Machina and it’s comic counterparts. The premise for potential live action, and now the relative low prices, make this comic very desirable. If we are still not convinced, let’s further compare the print numbers:
Print Numbers
Saga #1: 37,641
Runaways #1 : 25,905
Y-The Last Man: 15,207
and…
Ex-Machina: 2,506
When compared to other of BKV’s comics, Ex-Machina is not only scarce, it is outright rare. Where comics nowadays that see print under 7,000, are considered to be ‘at a low-print run’, then it’s not a stretch to say that this very popular and successful series has been quite neglected by the collecting community especially when considering that this comic has been released more than 10 years ago, and has the easy potential to be incredibly hard to find.
So why should you get Ex-Machina #1?
1. Property has huge potential for live action release
2. Very undervalued compared to other seminal works of BKV
3. Print numbers indicate extreme scarcity
In closing,
Ex-Machina is a wonderfully crafted tale, with the immense possibility for live-action treatment for tv or cimena. Although the property is now officially not in production, this may prove to be a blessing in disguise. Ostensibly, Newline may not have been the best suited production company to usher in the franchises of BKV in the first place. With Ex-Machina now safely back in Brian K. Vaughan’s hands and remaining ‘liquid’, means the property is now open to would-be prospects from competing production companies who would be better equipped to treat the story with the kind of respect it truly deserves. Once that happens I foretell Ex-Machina could become a very hot commodity in the collector market. With Saga, Runaways, and Y-The Last Man projects more high-concept (than a political serial with superhero undertones) and therefore necessitate higher budgets, I feel Ex-Machina would be the BKV property that should get looked at first as testing ground. Until then, spending a mere five to ten dollars for the premiere issue of an excellent series that also happens to be extremely scarce is a good choice indeed. Go ahead and add a high grade copy of this book with your Saga #1’s and Y-The Last Man #1’s…you won’t be disappointed.
Keep Hunting My Pannapictagraphists…
D-