DMZ #57

Written by Brian Wood
Art by Cliff Chiang

Since the series began, I've liked the one-off issues featuring various supporting characters better than the main storyline, and this issue is the perfect example of why.

As with the other issues of 'Collective Punishment', Wood uses this comic to give us a wide view of life in New York under a bombing campaign by American forces ("The Liberation of Manhattan" their propaganda calls it) by examining what happens during it to one particular person.

The star of the book this month is Amina, the former terrorist who Matty rescued (and also manipulated).  She's living in an apartment that was given to her by the Delgado Nation, and is just enjoying being on her own.  On the eve of the bombings, she sees a young baby that has been abandoned on the street.  She takes her in, and finds herself opening up to people again.  Aside from the bombing, this is a quiet, introspective issue, and is the type that Wood does best.  Amina's only companion before this has been the mysterious pirate radio broadcaster we keep hearing from, who helps to provide exposition and continuity in the comic.  I would really like to know more about her one day.

The art on this issue is by Cliff Chiang, who I think has never worked on this title before.  As always, his work is incredible, although it doesn't seem instantly recognizable as his.  It seems he's channeling the aesthetic that regular artist Riccardo Burchielli has established for the title, and yet is still making it his own.  Great issue.