Writer: Peter Milligan
Artist: Duncan Fegredo
Colourist: Sherilyn van Valkenburgh
Letterer: John Constanza
Collecting ENIGMA #1 - 8
Price: $19.95
Publisher: DC Vertigo
ISBN: 1-56389-192-1

At one time or another, we've all had a super-power fantasy. We've all tied a bath towel around our neck and jumped off a wall, or the roof, wishing we could fly like Superman. It's why superheroes are so endearing. It's why people still read and write superheroes: a way to live out their childhood fantasies through the comic book medium.

And while superheroes will always be the dominating genre in the industry, with their endless repetitive cookie-cutter adventures, thank god there are some writers who understand that superheroes don't always have to be about men-in-tights beating up on other men-in-tights.

In his introduction to Peter Milligan and Duncan Fegredo's ENIGMA, Grant Morrison says, "ENIGMA is about superheroes and the ordinary people who make superheroes and the reasons why they do it". It's also about sex, love, death, religious fanaticism and lizards, and it takes the superpower fantasy to the ultimate extreme. That said, it does have a bit of men-in-tights beating up on other men-in-tights.

Michael Smith had a secret childhood friend, a mysterious man in a mask and a cloak who haunted his dreams. His name was the Enigma and he was the star of his own comic. At 25 years of age, Michael has all but forgotten the Enigma, and his life has fallen in to a hellishly boring and staid routine. For example, on Tuesdays, he wears his blue socks and his grey underwear. He counts his bath towels and makes love to his girlfriend Sandra. Every Tuesday. Like clockwork. Without fail.

When we meet Michael, it's Tuesday, and to the surprise of Sandra, he's not in the mood. He's too busy thinking about the Brain Eater, a serial killer stalking the city, sucking out his victims' brains through their noses. When the Brain Eater (who's really called The Head) claims his tenth victim only a few blocks away from Michael's apartment, the news broadcast mentions a 'masked man' seen at the scene of the crime. Michael later investigates, only to be attacked by The Head, and discovers the Enigma comic he read as a kid has become more real and deadly than he ever thought possible.

ENIGMA is a comic that shares a few things in common with WATCHMEN, not least with the idea of superheroes interacting in a real world setting, and gauging ordinary people's reactions to them. Superheroics improving sex is also a theme Milligan explores. While Nite-Owl's retirement from the superhero business acted as the cause of his impotence in WATCHMEN, the unreal danger surrounding Michael acts as a catalyst for reinvigorating and even redirecting his uninspiring and utterly depressing sex life. This isn't the first time Milligan has written about strangely costumed people having sex (I recommend tracking down one of his other Vertigo miniseries, THE EXTREMIST, with Ted McKeever), and with his recent run on X-STATIX I suspect it won't be his last.

ENIGMA shows Milligan at the top of his form. His characters' react with authenticity, and there's plenty of humour at the expense of the different attitudes and trends comics have displayed over the decades. ENIGMA writer Titus Bird's original creation is in the mould of the first SILVER SURFER comics: characters standing around preaching philosophies rather then fighting it out (complete with existential angst and '70s style art from Fegredo), while the 'new' Enigma is violent and grim, his killings of his 'arch enemies' is dressed with gore.

It's also interesting to review ENIGMA at a time when certain comic companies appear to be using homosexuality as a punch line. Milligan gives us one of the most touching, honest and accurate depictions of two people exploring their sexuality, rediscovering themselves and falling in love. We feel Michael's confusion at the crazy reality his life has become, and we want to go with him to solve the mystery of who the Enigma is, and how he has come to life.

Milligan's writing challenges reader expectations when it comes to ENIGMA being a 'superhero' book. Things that we would except as being the norm in a typical superhero book are turned around. The motives of the characters are brought into question, and even, in a way, justified. Even the use of the omnipotent narrator, standing impartial to the events in the book, changes as the story goes on, and part of the fun of ENIGMA is putting together the clues as to who is telling the story and why.

Fegredo's character designs also play with reader expectations. When we see the Enigma and his cast of villains in the Titus Bird comics from the 70s, their costumes are standard superhero garb; bright colours and capes. When we see the same characters in the reality of Michael Smith's world, their costumes have more flounce: from Enigma's purple cape and lace sleeves, to The Head's grotesquely swollen brain, to The Truth's provocative skin tight corset and g-string. Fegredo plays up the ridiculous costumes superheroes often wear, but makes them real.

ENIGMA showcases some of the finest examples of Fegredo's loose, expressive art style. His gorgeous original covers are also reprinted in this collection, showing off the depth and variety of Fegredo's talent. This leads to possibly the only downside of the book, van Valkenburgh's colouring. Compared to the inside colour, in its dull, earthy hues, Fegredo's covers make more of an impression. His covers run the gamut of styles and colours, showing Fegredo's evolution as an artist (he has commented that ENIGMA was not only a journey of self-discovery for Michael Smith, but for himself in terms of his drawing style). He employs everything from swirls and stars in crayon, to smooth, flat colours, to the eye-catchingly stark straight black and white psychedelic crosshatching of the final cover.

ENIGMA is a book that plays on your expectations, a remnant from the time when Vertigo was new, fresh and had creators with something to say. It's about sex and superheroes and the magic that makes kids believe they can fly. Do what I did. Tie a towel around your neck, and just go with it.

Ben Wooller is a freelance writer and is currently studying for his PhD.

This article is Ideological Freeware. The author grants permission for its reproduction and redistribution by private individuals on condition that the author and source of the article are clearly shown, no charge is made, and the whole article is reproduced intact, including this notice.