It’s all post-apocalypse all the time here at BGB. After finishing Jamestown, I picked up the graphic novel DMZ (vol 1) by Brian Wood and Riccardo Burchielli on the recommendation of the new comic book guy at Criminal Records. As it turns out, he used to ride my bus in the morning, back in the day. Mass transit - bringing people together.

The basic plot is similar to Jamestown - only completely different. The US has become divided into warring factions, The United States and the Free States. Manhattan is a DMZ. It is a grim and intense fight for survival.

The story is told from the point of view of Matthew Roth, a young intern for a Fox News-like channel called Liberty News. He becomes stranded in the DMZ after going in to report on the conditions of the people living there. He’s the outside world’s link to the DMZ, and the DMZ is a crazy place to be. The interesting thing is that no matter how dystopian the pictures are, the DMZ is clearly recognizable as Manhattan. That slim plausibility is what makes the book work.

I thought that the story was compelling, and I may check out subsequent editions. You can check out the first chapter for yourself here.

In related news:  Whether you’re a comix enthusiast of just comix-curious, you may want to check out a seminar this Friday, April 27 from 5-6 PM at the Ponce de Leon Branch of the Atlanta-Fulton County Library.  James from Criminal Records (the guy who used to ride my bus) will present Introduction To Graphic Novels and Comics.  Free and open to the public.  Check it out.