Comic Review: Extermination #2

Extermination #2

Marvel Comics

Writer: Ed Brisson

Artist: Pepe Larraz

Extermination is meant to serve as the final story arc for the original five X-Men, and it began with a pretty good start. Following the death of two characters, Extermination #2 features all of the major players in the ongoing X-Men series trying to figure out what their next play should be.

Ed Brisson’s is somewhat difficult to follow. While the first issue was fast-paced and exciting, this one takes a step back in favor of exposition and dialogue. While this isn’t always a bad thing, it does damage the pacing of the series a bit. Most of the dialogue feels somewhat wasted on insignificant or cliche moments, and it really drags things down. This isn’t to say that there aren’t some great moments in this issue, especially when it comes to character interactions. Jean and Scott share a nice moment or two, while Hank has a few lines of dialogue that made me feel bad for the guy.

Outside of the dialogue, this series could really turn out to be a mess if some questions aren’t answered in the third issue. The plot is getting messy, especially when it comes to continuity and all of the time-travel stuff. Young Cable’s motivations still aren’t entirely clear, and it’s even harder to understand why Ahab is here at the same time. A little mystery isn’t a bad thing, but there is the constant feeling that this series might be going nowhere. Let’s hope my gut feeling is wrong because there is so much potential for this miniseries.

Pepe Larraz’s work here isn’t quite as clean as the first issue, but still enjoyable. The bold lines really work for this series and make everyone and everything look more attractive. The scene outside of the mansion looks especially good thanks to some excellent shading and Marte Gracia’s coloring. There are some minor inconsistencies throughout with faces, especially around the characters’ chins, but this doesn’t significantly remove any enjoyment.

While Extermination isn’t a must-read, it still has its moments. If a few matters are handled well in the next issue, this could be a great miniseries.