20th Century Men #4 (of 6)

ComicBook.com

This is by far the most clearly structured installment of 20th Century Men to date. It is built almost entirely around presenting The Suicide Cowboys attack in Afgahnistan using the simultaneous deployment of present images and excerpts from multiple historical sources to depict and contextualize the combat – there's only a brief parallel flashback and a few denouement moments outside of this bulk. And it is a truly impressive accomplishment as the very nature of The Suicide Cowboys as a commentary on American military aggression is a potent thing; their varied depictions throughout the issue do this gonzo imagining justice. The simultaneous captions ensure this parade of impressively depicted ultraviolence does not escape meaning and pathos. Although it is primarily a battle between American and Soviet soldiers, the impact upon Afghan peoples is never lost as their voice is present throughout. This genuinely stunning commentary upon the madness of the American military machine would be a coup, but it is paired with some of the most significant steps forward in the series' overarching narrative, too. 20th Century Men is quickly becoming one of the 21st century's very best comic book series.