Cyclops. Iceman. Angel. Beast. Marvel Girl. The original team of teen mutants brought together by Professor Charles Xavier many years ago have been shunted through time to find a world they barely recognize but were determined to help. Now, finding themselves targeted for death, the future of mutantkind lies squarely in the hands of its past.

The first issue of Extermination was a gut punch with the death of both Bloodstorm and Cable and Ahab on the hunt. There was the rather interesting twist of a younger Cable up to something as well, as the issue delivered the beginning of what feels like a chess match, pieces maneuvered on a table.

Writer Ed Brisson doesn’t reveal much more in Extermination #2 as the action continues and the X-Men attempt to figure out what’s going on and what to do next. They’re confused, scared, desperate, and angry, and all of that comes off as a bit chaotic. Brisson is delivering mood and atmosphere plenty in this issue, much like the first. The energy leaps off the page to a point it’s hard to not experience a little of that emotion yourself.

The second issue also reveals a little without spoiling the whole. We still don’t know what Ahab wants other than killing the younger X-Men. We don’t know what Cable wants other than kidnapping the younger X-Men. We just go wit the flow and that low information enhances the emotions of the comics. We’re told exactly how much we should and need to know. That mystery is one of the strongest aspects of this and the first issue.

The art by Pepe Larraz with colors by Marte Garcia and lettering from Joe Sabino is fantastic. There’s a lot of characters here and while the detail might lack in some scenes where they’re all there, when the action gets rolling there’s a certain chaos about it that enhances Brisson’s story. There’s emotion too as the younger X-Men deal with the fact they’re being hunted and a friend of theirs is missing. The balance between action and quieter moments look great and there’s some really cool panel layouts as the action gets rolling.

The issue gives the reader just what they need to know and leaves with a reveal that had our jaws dropping in both the opening and the end. There’s so much to unpack in the final moments and thankfully we have to wait just a few weeks to read the next chapter. After some false starts as far as events, Extermination feels like a positive throwback to some of the action packed events of the past.

Story: Ed Brisson Art: Pepe Larraz Cover: Mark Brooks
Color: Marte Garcia Letterer: VC’s Joe Sabino
Story: 8.25 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.15 Recommendation: Buy

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Cyclops. Iceman. Angel. Beast. Marvel Girl. The original team of teen mutants brought together by Professor Charles Xavier many years ago have been shunted through time to find a world they barely recognize but were determined to help. Now, finding themselves targeted for death, the future of mutantkind lies squarely in the hands of its past.

The original X-Men have been in the “present” for quite some time leaving open so many questions, one major one being will they ever return to their past? If so, will they forget their current adventures? And, what impact on the future their adventures may have?

Extermination seems to be bringing all of these things together as some event in the future is caused by the original X-Men’s existence in the present. Written by Ed Brisson, the first issue hearkens to some classic X-Men stories as Ahab, with some hounds, as well as a mysterious character are on the hunt for the original X-Men. Why? We’re not sure other than something major in the future is due to them. The first issue is the quiet and the storm with lots of action and drama as folks scramble to attempt to figure out what’s going on. It’s chaos in a good way as the panic bleeds off of the page.

Some of that feeling of panic is in part due to the art of Pepe Larraz, with color from Marte Garcia and lettering by Joe Sabino, whose style is fantastic. The characters look great and there’s so much detail in every panel. Larraz balances the action and the emotional panic quite well delivering art that amplifies the emotion of the page.

And then there’s the “death.” Yes, a major character is killed in the first issue with a reveal as to who did it. The implications and the trippy aspect of it all is quite interesting and leaves you wondering even more as to what’s going on and who’s on what side.

The first issue feels like the start of something great, an event that begins in a way that immediately makes you think it’ll be an action packed epic story that’ll go down as a classic and launch the X-Men into the future (or the past).

Story: Ed Brisson Art: Pepe Larraz Cover Art: Mark Brooks
Color: Marte Garcia Lettering: VC’s Joe Sabino
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review