Extremity is a beautifully brutal comic book series from Image that is created, written, and illustrated by the great Daniel Warren Johnson. Revenge is a dish best served violent and like nothing you’ve seen before. The newest installment puts major pressure on our hero and her family.
***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***
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After demolishing a handful of enemy hordes the last few issues, our heroes find themselves a worthy foe. They suffer some major casualties and retreat.
Extremity #6 sees Thea make a game-time decision that costs a lot of lives in order to save her brother. Abba reacts in a less-than-fatherly way, which makes for a powerful moment of drama. He beats Thea and abandons both his children.
Hobbie comes away as MVP of this issue and is the center of probably the most compelling scene in the series thus far. He sacrifices himself to allow the kids to flee, but not without sharing a piece of Thea’s art that he’ll be taking with him to the afterlife. Rollo and his sister are shot down during their escape, setting the table for the next arc.
This series has been a home-run so far with every chapter. However, this issue stands out as particularly dominant. Every scene is a heavy investment for readers and these characters.
Extremity is a doom metal album come to life. Loaded up with gruesome carnage and swift action sequences, it’s an extremely satisfying experience. DWJ is delivering a massive effort that’s well crafted and executed flawlessly. Mike Spicer’s color work is also worth noting, his pallet choices play a huge part in these panels sticking in a readers mind after they close the book.
Giant splash pages that act as a “Where’s Waldo” for detailed murder illustrations. Thea and her skiff bike are as iconic as characters get right out of the gate. If there is ever a Thea action figure, I want to be the first to add her to my collection.
The same can be said about all the supporting characters and their various weaponry. DWJ has a firm grasp on iconography. Extremity is tapping into a aesthetic vein that few can find this early on in a series.
The comic combines minor elements from all corners of sci-fi history and scatters them throughout each environment and landscape. This helps make readers feel at home while taking them to this brand new world of discovery. He’s achieving this without borrowing too much or leaning heavily on any comic book tropes.
With six issues in the bank now, the direction this title is headed in looks as promising as a comic book could possibly be. Daniel Warren Johnson is doing something special here and it more than deserves the attention of all comic book readers.
