Extermination #3

By Ed Brisson, Pepe Larraz and Marte Gracia

We’re now three issues into Extermination. The first two issues had some deaths and abductions, and we’re not entirely sure who to trust and who to fear. Young Cable and Ahab are collecting, or attempting to collect, the original five X-Men. One may want to save them, one may want to kill them, but as we enter the third installment, we as readers understand that no one is safe in this series.

Ed Brisson has done a pretty decent job on the first two issues of the series, but this is the on that will bring you on board for good. As teams protect the remaining young X-Men, Brisson shows us that not all friends are as they seem. Brisson does a great job of writing young Jean. She takes charge this issue, even though X-Force has been an established team for quite some time. Brisson also shows us a moment where Kitty Pryde really sees what it takes to be a leader. It’s not just softball games and picnics, It’s tough calls and failure too. This is by far the most action packed issue in the series. Brisson writes young Cable as calculating, which is great to see, because he needs to be able to deal with a slew of mutants with powers. With each passing issue, we do start to like young Cable a little bit more. He’s not necessarily the bad guy, but he’s definitely not a hero. Brisson leaves us on a panel that we’ve been waiting to see. This is the most exciting the X-Men have been in a long while.

The pencils this issue are handled by Pepe Larraz with colors by Marte Gracia. Larraz’s art is good in this issue. The action sequences, like when Cannonball blasts a hound out of X-Force’s plane is eye catching. The hounds look menacing too. Larraz not only gives them an evil look, but their faces and expressions really sell that they are no longer friends. Larraz also does a great job when he does close up panels of characters. A close up of Domino is very detailed and the inks are great on it too. For a book that is a lot of action, the fight sequences were handled very well. Larraz frames things almost cinematically. As old man Logan is about to fight, we see his wrist and hand with his claws unleashed as his victim approaches. A cool panel that is framed really well. The colors by Marte Gracia compliment what Larraz lays down on the page. Gracia uses a lot of warm background colors, reds and pinks specifically. These backgrounds add to the mood of a book that is very serious. Gracia also does a great job with the shading. In a panel where Ahab is smiling like a maniac, we see half of his face as the rest is shaded. A great job by the art team all around.

Extermination #3 is an action packed issue that raises the stakes for the rest of the series. Ed Brisson is crafting a clever story that, as a reader, I have no idea what will happen next. The pencils and colors by Larraz and Gracia are excellent and make Brisson’s story pop. Extermination #3 is a must read for any X-Men fan.