Ex Machina TPB Thought

I just read the first trade of this sophisticated superhero tale by Brian K. Vaughan & Tony Harris. This is a take on a man with superhero powers and backgrounds, who is now trying to change the world as the mayor of NYC.

It is an interesting tale that I enjoyed for the most part, but after the first "issue" I grew annoyed by something in it that I couldn't quite place until the end of the volume.

The book's characters and world are too cynical, which homogenizes them both too much for me. From the very top characters to the lowest one time appearance ones, everyone has an attitude. Which wouldn't be bad if they weren't all the same "cynical, snapping a joke" one which made me feel too apart from everything.

Usually in stories there is a cynical voice there to be the voice of reason and/or there for comic effect. Yet when everyone fills that role it loses its appeal. By the end I wanted to see at least one character who was both sensible, and had a positive outlook towards the world.