The Times on Ex Machina's 'city hall superhero'

The New York Times (registration required; try BugMeNot) takes notice of DC/Wildstorm's Ex Machina, by Brian K. Vaughan and Tony Harris -- specifically, its recent gay-marriage storyline:

The gay marriage storyline, which began in November, was developed early last year, shortly before dozens of gay couples started marrying in San Francisco last February but long before Mayor Bloomberg entered the fray last week. New York, Mr. Vaughan said, has brought the issue back into focus on the municipal level. "I just lucked out or I was eerily prescient," he added. (DC Comics has not yet released sales figures for the series.)

While the New York City in Ex Machina closely mirrors the real one, Sept. 11 plays out a bit differently. Mr. Vaughan, who was living in Brooklyn at the time, watched from the roof of his apartment as the towers fell. In Ex Machina, the hero stops the second plane from hitting the World Trade Center. "I wanted to write about 9/11, but it is uncomfortable territory," Mr. Vaughan said. "I knew I had something to say. I figured if I told it well and respectfully, I would be O.K."