VOLUME 09: “M.I.A.” INTERVIEW

“M.I.A.” includes the landmark issue #50, with special contributions by some of the most revered artists working in the industry today. The half-century special frames Matty’s reflections on his time in the DMZ with several shorts full of sharp language and dangerous revelations, including talk of the FSA buying governors, rolling FBI Field Agents, and knocking down banks and National Guard Armories along the way. These disparate elements tell a story of survival and preserving culture, from people who endure conflict and envision a future beyond current events. Issues 51 through 54 reunite Riccardo Burchielli with Brian Wood and examine Matty’s self-exile for his role in the slaying of a wedding party. He is persona non-grata as the DMZ he knows crumbles around him; Parco is missing, Delgado Security Forces are disbanding, arrest orders are issued for members of The Delgado Nation, and there’s the small matter of a missing tactical nuke. This volume has a somber tone, suggesting that Matty may have done some good early on, but also may have lost himself in the process.

Brian, issue 50 really was an achievement. Not only did the series live a long life, but I think some of the big names reflect the book’s status as a modern classic. There’s Dave Gibbons, Jim Lee, Eduardo Risso, and rising stars like Rebekah Isaacs and Fabio Moon. With a roster like this, how does it come together; how much is editorial driving the project vs. you yourself?

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