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DMZ (DC Comics)
Encyclopedia
DMZ is an American comic book
series written by Brian Wood, with artwork by Wood and Riccardo Burchielli
(the Italian
artist's first comic book in the United States
). The series is set in the near future, where a second civil war has turned the island of Manhattan into a demilitarized zone, caught between forces of the United States of America and secessionist "Free States". DMZ is published by DC Comics
under their Vertigo imprint
.
The first trade paperback
, entitled On the Ground, reprints the first five issues of the series; so far ten trade paperbacks have been released.
The series is set in New York City
, sometime in the near future and in the midst of a civil war
that has turned the island of Manhattan into a demilitarized zone
.
The conflict concerns two primary forces: the federal government of the United States of America and the "Free States" armies. In issue #8, it is explained that the Free States are less a geographical entity than "an idea", and that the movement began with an uprising of secessionist groups that formed a separate government in Montana
before spreading across the country. The Free Armies and the U.S. military first met in combat at Allentown, Pennsylvania
where the Free Armies won, after which the Free Armies descended on New York. The planned evacuation of Manhattan went disastrously wrong, but despite that the US Army was finally able to halt the advance of the Free States forces. There was even a sense among troops that the US forces were ready to start reclaiming territory from and pushing back the Free States army, until the calamity of Day 204, when a squad of US soldiers mistakenly gunned down nearly 200 peace protesters. With the US robbed of all momentum and public support for an advance, the two sides settled into an uneasy stalemate, where Manhattan
is the location of the DMZ between the two warring parties, with the FSA occupying territory including New Jersey
and inland
, and the United States holding Brooklyn, Long Island, and other parts unknown. The US Government still holds at least part of New York State, and presumably other territories further northeast. In an interview, Brian Wood described the back-history as the citizens of Middle America having risen up against the pre-emptive war policies of the US government, causing a Second American Civil War
. He expanded on this in a more recent interview:
Manhattan is mainly empty, with only 400,000 people still on the island (compared with 1.5 million in the 2000 census), populated only by the poor who were not evacuated, sniper
s and holdout
s. Wood has described the setting as: "Think equal parts Escape from New York
, Fallujah, and New Orleans right after Katrina
".
The protagonist
is Matthew (Matty) Roth, a naïve photo journalism intern
from Long Island
, who enters the DMZ with a news-crew. He becomes trapped when the rest of the news crew and the soldiers escorting them are killed in a firefight
with "insurgent
s". Matty becomes the only journalist on the ground in the DMZ and he begins to report on the daily struggle of life for the everyday citizens of Manhattan.
A lot of information about the New York of DMZ can be found in issue #12, which was a Time Out-style guide to the DMZ.
Central Park
: The park is mostly deforested, the trees having been cut down for firewood. A rogue special forces
unit known only as The Ghosts patrols and protects what is left. This unit is based out of the Central Park Zoo
, which they also run, taking care of the animals that are left. Central Park and The Ghosts were featured in issue #4.
Chinatown
: Asians were the largest ethnic group who were overlooked by the evacuations; Chinatown is still heavily occupied, but behind closed doors.
Ground Zero
: In issue #12, Matty mentions that Ground Zero is "one of the craziest places in the city"; Wood describes it as "this place that no one goes, like a sacred site". The site is surrounded by a high wall and controlled by the U.S. military, possibly for its political significance for propaganda.
Old Meat-Packing District
: This section of the city is controlled by the Independent Artists’ Collective Protectorate
. It is also the section of the city where Matty starts his reporting.
Stuyvesant Town
: This is one of the better areas of Manhattan to live in. Stuyvesant Town is a closed and secure community that has regular electricity supply — although only for one hour a day. Matty manages to get an apartment in this area. Stuyvesant Town was featured in issue #5.
The Free States of America : Originally a largely disorganized movement of right wing and anti-federal militias, the FSA has come to seize control of large areas of territory from the US government. The FSA arose out of anger and disillusion following the US government's continual engagement in foreign wars. Before the US had the chance to respond militarily to the threat in its own borders the FSA had amassed enough support and materials to fight the returning and exhausted US military at Allentown, Pennsylvania to a stand still. The FSA is revealed to be fighting a asymmetric war employing conventional tactics as well as unconventional ones. The FSA has used money, intimidation and violence to compel state and local government officials to align with their cause. FSA influence is extensive and not fully known, for example a FSA commander which Matty Roth met with claimed that the governing authorities of the neutral city of Chicago
to actually be FSA affiliated, capable of flipping at anytime and initiating a new front in the war. Perceived and portrayed as an army of rednecks and backwoods hicks (a label the FSA doesn't seem to mind at times) the FSA is a sophisticated and dangerous force even claiming to have large conventional forces poised to take the DMZ and end the war. The FSA operates on the western side of the Lincoln Tunnel
launching its own operations into the DMZ. Later in the series the FSA commander and some of his troops assist the newly formed Delgado nation in acquiring a nuclear weapon, in order to put more pressure on the US Government (it is later revealed by the FSA commander that the FSA were the true backers behind the formation of Delgado Nation). The strategy eventually ends up working against the FSA though as the US simply uses the event as a pretext to finally go on the offensive into the DMZ. During the offensive the FSA commander is captured (and subsequently executed) while the main conventional army of the FSA is defeated on Manhattan. With one of its leaders dead and the bulk of its army defeated, the FSA movement is finally all but crushed after a decade of civil war.
Trustwell Inc. : A private military contractor who operates extensively throughout the DMZ under contract from the US government. Ruthless and amoral, Trustwell has been shown to kill civilians, fund terrorism, torture and manipulate events to ensure that its role (and profits) in the DMZ only expands. Following Parco Delgado's election, Trustwell has withdrawn much of its official presence but hundreds of its agents remain within the DMZ, stranded and desperate.
DMZ militias : Largely formed out of the need for DMZ residents to defend their neighborhoods, the militias protect certain areas while fighting with one another for territory. Militias are always hostile to incursions from the US or FSA military and will attack anything or any person they deem a threat.
Wilson's Triads : A dominant criminal organization operating out of and zealously guarding Chinatown
, mostly apolitical and generally stays out of conflicts. However, the Triads do exert significant influence on the events within the DMZ such as providing Parco Delgado with a portion of gold left behind before the conflict so he could finance his acquisition of a nuclear weapon
.
Delgado Nation : Supporters of Parco Delgado. Part political party, part militia group which Matty Roth became extensively involved with. After the election of Parco Delgado to "governor of the DMZ" they extended their control to large areas of Manhattan. Delgado's government "evicted" US, FSA and Trustwell forces from the DMZ on his fist day, but has maintained ties with FSA officials. The government raised the ire of the US after acquiring a nuclear weapon, which caused the US to deploy forces throughout the DMZ to search for it. The US detonated their own nuclear device to destroy the Delgado's weapon which had been hidden at the Indian Point Nuclear facility, the detonation of which was blamed on the Delgado Nation and used as a pretext by the US to attack the group. The Nation has been left in disarray following US strikes and the disappearance of Parco Delgado.
Central Park Ghosts : Small group of ex-US and FSA soldiers led by Soames who protect what little is left of Central Park
. The group has had an important role in DMZ affairs supplying Parco Delgado with a nuclear weapon. Following the nuclear detonation, most of the group and Central Park was destroyed by US reprisals.
Fur Hat Militia : A distinctive militia group whose members wear a fur hat and gas mask in the DMZ to conceal their identities, the group main objective seems to cause as much destruction and mayhem to the settlements in the DMZ. Not much is yet known about the group; it is revealed that in "No Future" story arc that most, if not all, of them were once members of the police and fire departments. They operate out of the damaged, but still standing, Empire State Building.
Zee Hernandez : Prior to the War, Zee was a medical student working at the local hospitals in downtown Manhattan. In the days leading up the US Army's confrontation with the Free Armies, Zee tended to the victims of the various bombings that occurred around New York City. When the US government evacuated Manhattan, Zee remained behind to help tend to the hundreds of thousands left behind in the conflict. Zee, like all of the residents of Manhattan, adapted to the new harsh reality of life in the DMZ. Hard, street-wise and highly suspicious of people outside of the DMZ, Zee does her best to aid the people of Manhattan, including responding to the various bombings and US/Free Army incursions into the city while making regular visits to the local clinics set up around the city. Zee was initially distrusting of Matty, believing him to merely be a tourist in the DMZ. However, as Matty's role as a reporter grows in the DMZ the initial distrust gives way to a strong friendship and relationship. However, that relationship is nearly destroyed as a consequence of Matty's actions as a member of Parco Delgado's government.
Wilson : A Chinese immigrant, Wilson runs Chinatown and is a confidant to Matty. Wilson frequently checks Matty's new gear for surveillance bugs, in exchange for the goods Matty doesn't want. He is a former enforcer who gained notoriety at the start of the war.
Parco Delgado : A native of Manhattan Parco is the charismatic populist governor of the DMZ. Described as having qualities of Hugo Chavez
and other populist leaders, Parco emerged as a candidate in opposition to the handpicked candidates of the US and FSA. Parco's refusal to be a pawn for US or FSA interests may have been a cause of his attempted assassination. Parco has been criticized as merely a gangster making a grab at legitimate power but he remains very popular in the DMZ. Matty became heavily involved with Parco in both his campaign and government. Matty fearing and resenting that his role in Delgado's government was being marginalized, demanded after securing a nuclear weapon for Parco a greater role in his government. The seizure of a nuclear weapon made Parco and his movement a US target. After the detonation of the weapon and the growing US incursions, Parco has disappeared, his location unknown to everyone.
The FSA Commander : A calm and brilliant tactician who commands the FSA forces in the Jersey area. Throughout the series he is seen leading and carrying out schemes and operations into the DMZ in order to discredit and hamper the US government’s war effort. The Commander uses or manipulates Matty during some of these schemes, mostly as a mediator to bring the demands of the FSA to the attention of the US Government. In the “Free States Rising” story arch it is revealed he was once a gun runner who joined the FSA to clear his record. He then quickly raised through the FSA ranks and gained a strong sense of loyalty to the movement after he personally planned and executed the capture of The Holland Tunnel during the early stages of the war.
Issue 23: Decade Later: A graffiti and street artist who planned a grand work involving the MTA
. Decade Later first appeared in issue 12, though his graffiti and other artworks can be seen throughout the series' earlier issues.
Issue 24: Amina: A girl first introduced in Issue 13, who then disappeared in Issue 16 after Matty saved her life from a TrustWell plot. Things haven't been any easier since being "freed" by Matty.
Issue 25: Wilson: A middle-aged gangster becomes a triad headman and protects his neighborhood in the DMZ.
Issue 26: Kelly: Another of Matty's love interests, Kelly first appeared in issue 10 as a reporter from Independent World News. She assisted Matty while covering the war herself.
Issue 27: Random Fire: A local DJ who finds the war at his club.
Issue 28: Soames: The leader of the "Ghosts" in Central Park, Soames first appeared in issue 4. He is a former Free States soldier who chooses the freedom of the DMZ over either side in the war.
, entitled On the Ground, reprints the first five issues of the series; so far ten trade paperbacks have been released. When asked about the length of the series, Wood stated, "I haven't locked it in 100%, but I'd be happy to see DMZ run 60 issues." Wood has recently stated that the series will end with issue #72 and will be collected in 12 volumes.
American comic book
An American comic book is a small magazine originating in the United States and containing a narrative in the form of comics. Since 1975 the dimensions have standardized at 6 5/8" x 10 ¼" , down from 6 ¾" x 10 ¼" in the Silver Age, although larger formats appeared in the past...
series written by Brian Wood, with artwork by Wood and Riccardo Burchielli
Riccardo Burchielli
Riccardo Burchielli is an Italian artist who draws the Vertigo-comic DMZ. This series is his first in the United States....
(the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
artist's first comic book in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
). The series is set in the near future, where a second civil war has turned the island of Manhattan into a demilitarized zone, caught between forces of the United States of America and secessionist "Free States". DMZ is published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
under their Vertigo imprint
Imprint
In the publishing industry, an imprint can mean several different things:* As a piece of bibliographic information about a book, it refers to the name and address of the book's publisher and its date of publication as given at the foot or on the verso of its title page.* It can mean a trade name...
.
The first trade paperback
Trade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
, entitled On the Ground, reprints the first five issues of the series; so far ten trade paperbacks have been released.
Setting
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, sometime in the near future and in the midst of a civil war
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
that has turned the island of Manhattan into a demilitarized zone
Demilitarized zone
In military terms, a demilitarized zone is an area, usually the frontier or boundary between two or more military powers , where military activity is not permitted, usually by peace treaty, armistice, or other bilateral or multilateral agreement...
.
The conflict concerns two primary forces: the federal government of the United States of America and the "Free States" armies. In issue #8, it is explained that the Free States are less a geographical entity than "an idea", and that the movement began with an uprising of secessionist groups that formed a separate government in Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
before spreading across the country. The Free Armies and the U.S. military first met in combat at Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
where the Free Armies won, after which the Free Armies descended on New York. The planned evacuation of Manhattan went disastrously wrong, but despite that the US Army was finally able to halt the advance of the Free States forces. There was even a sense among troops that the US forces were ready to start reclaiming territory from and pushing back the Free States army, until the calamity of Day 204, when a squad of US soldiers mistakenly gunned down nearly 200 peace protesters. With the US robbed of all momentum and public support for an advance, the two sides settled into an uneasy stalemate, where Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
is the location of the DMZ between the two warring parties, with the FSA occupying territory including New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and inland
Inland
Inland is an area of land away from the coast or shore line. It usually refers to the interior part of a country or region.Inland may refer to:* Inland Fräkne Hundred, a hundred of Bohuslän in Sweden...
, and the United States holding Brooklyn, Long Island, and other parts unknown. The US Government still holds at least part of New York State, and presumably other territories further northeast. In an interview, Brian Wood described the back-history as the citizens of Middle America having risen up against the pre-emptive war policies of the US government, causing a Second American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. He expanded on this in a more recent interview:
Manhattan is mainly empty, with only 400,000 people still on the island (compared with 1.5 million in the 2000 census), populated only by the poor who were not evacuated, sniper
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
s and holdout
Holdout
In gambling jargon, a holdout is any of numerous accessories used by cheats to help them "hold-out" a card during a game. Some holdout devices are extremely simple and require moderate or advanced manipulative skill to be used properly...
s. Wood has described the setting as: "Think equal parts Escape from New York
Escape from New York
Escape from New York is a 1981 American science fiction action film directed and scored by John Carpenter. He co-wrote the screenplay with Nick Castle. The film is set in the near future in a crime-ridden United States that has converted Manhattan Island in New York City into a maximum security...
, Fallujah, and New Orleans right after Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
".
The protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
is Matthew (Matty) Roth, a naïve photo journalism intern
Intern
Internship is a system of onthejob training for white-collar jobs, similar to an apprenticeship. Interns are usually college or university students, but they can also be high school students or post graduate adults seeking skills for a new career. They may also be as young as middle school or in...
from Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, who enters the DMZ with a news-crew. He becomes trapped when the rest of the news crew and the soldiers escorting them are killed in a firefight
Battle
Generally, a battle is a conceptual component in the hierarchy of combat in warfare between two or more armed forces, or combatants. In a battle, each combatant will seek to defeat the others, with defeat determined by the conditions of a military campaign...
with "insurgent
Insurgency
An insurgency is an armed rebellion against a constituted authority when those taking part in the rebellion are not recognized as belligerents...
s". Matty becomes the only journalist on the ground in the DMZ and he begins to report on the daily struggle of life for the everyday citizens of Manhattan.
A lot of information about the New York of DMZ can be found in issue #12, which was a Time Out-style guide to the DMZ.
Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
: The park is mostly deforested, the trees having been cut down for firewood. A rogue special forces
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
unit known only as The Ghosts patrols and protects what is left. This unit is based out of the Central Park Zoo
Central Park Zoo
The Central Park Zoo is a small zoo located in Central Park in New York City. It is part of an integrated system of four zoos and the New York Aquarium managed by the Wildlife Conservation Society , and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums .The zoo began in the 1860s as a...
, which they also run, taking care of the animals that are left. Central Park and The Ghosts were featured in issue #4.
Chinatown
Chinatown, Manhattan
Manhattan's Chinatown , home to one of the highest concentrations of Chinese people in the Western hemisphere, is located in the borough of Manhattan in New York City...
: Asians were the largest ethnic group who were overlooked by the evacuations; Chinatown is still heavily occupied, but behind closed doors.
Ground Zero
World Trade Center site
The World Trade Center site , also known as "Ground Zero" after the September 11 attacks, sits on in Lower Manhattan in New York City...
: In issue #12, Matty mentions that Ground Zero is "one of the craziest places in the city"; Wood describes it as "this place that no one goes, like a sacred site". The site is surrounded by a high wall and controlled by the U.S. military, possibly for its political significance for propaganda.
Old Meat-Packing District
Meatpacking District, Manhattan
The Meatpacking District is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan which runs roughly from West 14th Street south to Gansevoort Street, and from the Hudson River east to Hudson Street, although recently it is sometimes considered to have extended north to West 16th Street and east...
: This section of the city is controlled by the Independent Artists’ Collective Protectorate
Protectorate
In history, the term protectorate has two different meanings. In its earliest inception, which has been adopted by modern international law, it is an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity...
. It is also the section of the city where Matty starts his reporting.
Stuyvesant Town
Stuyvesant Town
Stuyvesant Town—Peter Cooper Village is a large private residential development on the East Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City, and one of the most iconic and successful post-World War II private housing communities...
: This is one of the better areas of Manhattan to live in. Stuyvesant Town is a closed and secure community that has regular electricity supply — although only for one hour a day. Matty manages to get an apartment in this area. Stuyvesant Town was featured in issue #5.
Factions
United States of America : The officially recognized US government has largely lost control of or is contending much of the territory of the United States. From the comics it appears one of the few places the US has complete control is Long Island where it launches its many offensives into the DMZ. Though pushed to the brink by the war, The US still possesses a technologically sophisticated and extensive military force capable of meting out serious destruction both against its enemies, and the civilians caught in the cross fire. The US has demonstrated that it faces issues of deep corruption, and will do anything or kill anyone in its efforts to end the war and secure the DMZ. After the rise of Delgado Nation in the DMZ and their subsequent acquirement of a nuclear warhead, the United States Military detonates a nuclear device of their own in order to frame the newly formed nation and thus give the US a legitimate reason to move into Manhattan and end the war. After a sustained shock and awe bombing campaign on the DMZ, the US Military finally moves in, fighting their way through both DMZ militias and FSA troops. The US eventually gains control of Manhattan and through both Matty's efforts and the interrogation of the FSA Commander, Parco Delgado is captured. While the US gains the upper hand in the conflict, Matty discovers the cover-up used to justify the US offensive and uses evidence of it to blackmail the US Government into pardoning the life of Parco Delgado in exchange for Matty's own silence on his knowledge of the nuclear detonation (a deal in which Matty directly negotiates with the US President himself). With the truth of the cover-up sealed, the United States is finally able to both secure the DMZ and defeat the FSA Army, thus finally ending America's Second Civil War.The Free States of America : Originally a largely disorganized movement of right wing and anti-federal militias, the FSA has come to seize control of large areas of territory from the US government. The FSA arose out of anger and disillusion following the US government's continual engagement in foreign wars. Before the US had the chance to respond militarily to the threat in its own borders the FSA had amassed enough support and materials to fight the returning and exhausted US military at Allentown, Pennsylvania to a stand still. The FSA is revealed to be fighting a asymmetric war employing conventional tactics as well as unconventional ones. The FSA has used money, intimidation and violence to compel state and local government officials to align with their cause. FSA influence is extensive and not fully known, for example a FSA commander which Matty Roth met with claimed that the governing authorities of the neutral city of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
to actually be FSA affiliated, capable of flipping at anytime and initiating a new front in the war. Perceived and portrayed as an army of rednecks and backwoods hicks (a label the FSA doesn't seem to mind at times) the FSA is a sophisticated and dangerous force even claiming to have large conventional forces poised to take the DMZ and end the war. The FSA operates on the western side of the Lincoln Tunnel
Lincoln Tunnel
The Lincoln Tunnel is a long tunnel under the Hudson River, connecting Weehawken, New Jersey and the borough of Manhattan in New York City.-History:...
launching its own operations into the DMZ. Later in the series the FSA commander and some of his troops assist the newly formed Delgado nation in acquiring a nuclear weapon, in order to put more pressure on the US Government (it is later revealed by the FSA commander that the FSA were the true backers behind the formation of Delgado Nation). The strategy eventually ends up working against the FSA though as the US simply uses the event as a pretext to finally go on the offensive into the DMZ. During the offensive the FSA commander is captured (and subsequently executed) while the main conventional army of the FSA is defeated on Manhattan. With one of its leaders dead and the bulk of its army defeated, the FSA movement is finally all but crushed after a decade of civil war.
Trustwell Inc. : A private military contractor who operates extensively throughout the DMZ under contract from the US government. Ruthless and amoral, Trustwell has been shown to kill civilians, fund terrorism, torture and manipulate events to ensure that its role (and profits) in the DMZ only expands. Following Parco Delgado's election, Trustwell has withdrawn much of its official presence but hundreds of its agents remain within the DMZ, stranded and desperate.
DMZ militias : Largely formed out of the need for DMZ residents to defend their neighborhoods, the militias protect certain areas while fighting with one another for territory. Militias are always hostile to incursions from the US or FSA military and will attack anything or any person they deem a threat.
Wilson's Triads : A dominant criminal organization operating out of and zealously guarding Chinatown
Chinatown, Manhattan
Manhattan's Chinatown , home to one of the highest concentrations of Chinese people in the Western hemisphere, is located in the borough of Manhattan in New York City...
, mostly apolitical and generally stays out of conflicts. However, the Triads do exert significant influence on the events within the DMZ such as providing Parco Delgado with a portion of gold left behind before the conflict so he could finance his acquisition of a nuclear weapon
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
.
Delgado Nation : Supporters of Parco Delgado. Part political party, part militia group which Matty Roth became extensively involved with. After the election of Parco Delgado to "governor of the DMZ" they extended their control to large areas of Manhattan. Delgado's government "evicted" US, FSA and Trustwell forces from the DMZ on his fist day, but has maintained ties with FSA officials. The government raised the ire of the US after acquiring a nuclear weapon, which caused the US to deploy forces throughout the DMZ to search for it. The US detonated their own nuclear device to destroy the Delgado's weapon which had been hidden at the Indian Point Nuclear facility, the detonation of which was blamed on the Delgado Nation and used as a pretext by the US to attack the group. The Nation has been left in disarray following US strikes and the disappearance of Parco Delgado.
Central Park Ghosts : Small group of ex-US and FSA soldiers led by Soames who protect what little is left of Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
. The group has had an important role in DMZ affairs supplying Parco Delgado with a nuclear weapon. Following the nuclear detonation, most of the group and Central Park was destroyed by US reprisals.
Fur Hat Militia : A distinctive militia group whose members wear a fur hat and gas mask in the DMZ to conceal their identities, the group main objective seems to cause as much destruction and mayhem to the settlements in the DMZ. Not much is yet known about the group; it is revealed that in "No Future" story arc that most, if not all, of them were once members of the police and fire departments. They operate out of the damaged, but still standing, Empire State Building.
Characters
Matthew (Matty) Roth : Matthew Roth begins in DMZ as a photography intern for the fictional Liberty News Network, a part of Viktor Ferguson's crew entering the DMZ for the first time to report on the conditions of the war-torn United States. While landing in Manhattan, Matty is left stranded in the DMZ when the crew are attacked by local militia. In the chaos and confusion, Matty meets Zee who treats his wounds and acts as his reluctant guardian and guide in the DMZ. Being the only source of news coming out of the DMZ, Matty unintentionally becomes a national and international celebrity — an advantage and a curse. Matty's reporting elevates his position in the DMZ and he becomes extensively involved with the government of Parco Delgado. His involvement with the government and his actions with them ultimately has dire consequences for himself and the DMZ.Zee Hernandez : Prior to the War, Zee was a medical student working at the local hospitals in downtown Manhattan. In the days leading up the US Army's confrontation with the Free Armies, Zee tended to the victims of the various bombings that occurred around New York City. When the US government evacuated Manhattan, Zee remained behind to help tend to the hundreds of thousands left behind in the conflict. Zee, like all of the residents of Manhattan, adapted to the new harsh reality of life in the DMZ. Hard, street-wise and highly suspicious of people outside of the DMZ, Zee does her best to aid the people of Manhattan, including responding to the various bombings and US/Free Army incursions into the city while making regular visits to the local clinics set up around the city. Zee was initially distrusting of Matty, believing him to merely be a tourist in the DMZ. However, as Matty's role as a reporter grows in the DMZ the initial distrust gives way to a strong friendship and relationship. However, that relationship is nearly destroyed as a consequence of Matty's actions as a member of Parco Delgado's government.
Wilson : A Chinese immigrant, Wilson runs Chinatown and is a confidant to Matty. Wilson frequently checks Matty's new gear for surveillance bugs, in exchange for the goods Matty doesn't want. He is a former enforcer who gained notoriety at the start of the war.
Parco Delgado : A native of Manhattan Parco is the charismatic populist governor of the DMZ. Described as having qualities of Hugo Chavez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
and other populist leaders, Parco emerged as a candidate in opposition to the handpicked candidates of the US and FSA. Parco's refusal to be a pawn for US or FSA interests may have been a cause of his attempted assassination. Parco has been criticized as merely a gangster making a grab at legitimate power but he remains very popular in the DMZ. Matty became heavily involved with Parco in both his campaign and government. Matty fearing and resenting that his role in Delgado's government was being marginalized, demanded after securing a nuclear weapon for Parco a greater role in his government. The seizure of a nuclear weapon made Parco and his movement a US target. After the detonation of the weapon and the growing US incursions, Parco has disappeared, his location unknown to everyone.
The FSA Commander : A calm and brilliant tactician who commands the FSA forces in the Jersey area. Throughout the series he is seen leading and carrying out schemes and operations into the DMZ in order to discredit and hamper the US government’s war effort. The Commander uses or manipulates Matty during some of these schemes, mostly as a mediator to bring the demands of the FSA to the attention of the US Government. In the “Free States Rising” story arch it is revealed he was once a gun runner who joined the FSA to clear his record. He then quickly raised through the FSA ranks and gained a strong sense of loyalty to the movement after he personally planned and executed the capture of The Holland Tunnel during the early stages of the war.
Plot
Through the series' first 22 issues, DMZ followed Matty Roth through various crises in his first year and a half around the DMZ and the surrounding areas, such as military bases of the Free Armies and of the United States. In issue 23, however, Brian Wood started several tangents from the main storyline and devoted single issues to the stories of several other characters from the DMZ. The story returned to primarily following Matty Roth in issue 29.Issue 23: Decade Later: A graffiti and street artist who planned a grand work involving the MTA
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York)
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York is a public benefit corporation responsible for public transportation in the U.S...
. Decade Later first appeared in issue 12, though his graffiti and other artworks can be seen throughout the series' earlier issues.
Issue 24: Amina: A girl first introduced in Issue 13, who then disappeared in Issue 16 after Matty saved her life from a TrustWell plot. Things haven't been any easier since being "freed" by Matty.
Issue 25: Wilson: A middle-aged gangster becomes a triad headman and protects his neighborhood in the DMZ.
Issue 26: Kelly: Another of Matty's love interests, Kelly first appeared in issue 10 as a reporter from Independent World News. She assisted Matty while covering the war herself.
Issue 27: Random Fire: A local DJ who finds the war at his club.
Issue 28: Soames: The leader of the "Ghosts" in Central Park, Soames first appeared in issue 4. He is a former Free States soldier who chooses the freedom of the DMZ over either side in the war.
Collected editions
DMZ was first published November 9, 2005. The first trade paperbackTrade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
, entitled On the Ground, reprints the first five issues of the series; so far ten trade paperbacks have been released. When asked about the length of the series, Wood stated, "I haven't locked it in 100%, but I'd be happy to see DMZ run 60 issues." Wood has recently stated that the series will end with issue #72 and will be collected in 12 volumes.
| № | Title | ISBN | Release date | Collected material |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DMZ Vol. 1: On The Ground | ISBN 1-4012-10627 | June 7, 2006 | DMZ #1–5 |
| 2 | DMZ Vol. 2: Body of a Journalist | ISBN 1-4012-12476 | February 7, 2007 | DMZ #6-12 |
| 3 | DMZ Vol. 3: Public Works | ISBN 1-4012-14762 | September 5, 2007 | DMZ #13-17 |
| 4 | DMZ Vol. 4: Friendly Fire | ISBN 1-4012-16625 | March 12, 2008 | DMZ #18-22 |
| 5 | DMZ Vol. 5: The Hidden War | ISBN 1-4012-18334 | July 2, 2008 | DMZ #23-28 |
| 6 | DMZ Vol. 6: Blood in the Game | ISBN 1-4012-21300 | February 11, 2009 | DMZ #29-34 |
| 7 | DMZ Vol. 7: War Powers | ISBN 1-4012-2430X | September 8, 2009 | DMZ #35-41 |
| 8 | DMZ Vol. 8: Hearts and Minds | ISBN 1-4012-27260 | June 2, 2010 | DMZ #42-49 |
| 9 | DMZ Vol. 9: M.I.A. | ISBN 1-4012-29964 | February 16, 2011 | DMZ #50-54 |
| 10 | DMZ Vol. 10: Collective Punishment | ISBN 1-4012-31500 | May 4, 2011 | DMZ #55-59 |
| 11 | DMZ Vol. 11: Free States Rising | ISBN 1-4012-33899 | April 3, 2012 | DMZ #60-66 |
| 12 | DMZ Vol. 12: The Five Nations Of New York | N/A | N/A | DMZ #67-72 |
External links
- DMZ page, IGNIGNIGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
- DMZ cover art, ComicArtCommunity.com
- Vertigo Comics