Kevin Sutton
Dec 12, 2007, 08:00 pm
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/dc/vertigo/exter_cv24.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/dc/vertigo/exter_cv24sm.gif" hspace=10 align=left alt="The Exterminators #24"></a> Reviewer: Kevin Sutton, kevinsutton@cheerful.com
Story Title: Buffet of Darkness
No one ever suspects the Butterfly...
Script: Simon Oliver
Pencils: Tony Moore
Inks: John Lucas
Colors: Brian Buccellato
Letters: Pat Brosseau
Cover Artist: Philip Bond
Assistant Editor: Mark Doyle
Editor: Jonathan Vankin
Published by: Vertigo/DC Comics (http://www.dccomics.com/vertigo)
Suggested for Mature Readers
The plot in this book can at times come off as a little preachy without necessarily saying anything, and in a similar vein this issue concludes with a simple thought that is as far reaching as it is vague. Still, it does play into the general concept brought up in narration a few times earlier in the series, where it has been suggested that humans act in their own interest to our collective detriment. The book's dim view of debauchery and keen interest in collectivism suggests a very utilitarian bent. Not exactly something you'd expect an adult rated quirky series. Perhaps this philosophical bent it was makes Apocalypse Now an effective companion to a story in The Exterminators.
This issue features a very well paced story which is memorable, well developed, and short. It's a hard task indeed, and this compares well to other short stories that have appeared in this comic, even though Oliver has developed a good reputation with me for highly efficient story telling. Some stories are just not equal to others regardless of the writer I suppose. This particular story does a great job of encapsulating all the features that holds readers to this comic, and makes for a great position to jump aboard.
Moore's art returns this week, and it's a good change from Robertson's sketchy work in the previous issues. As the art deteriorated in the prior story, it just underlined that the plot had become somewhat shallow a hurried. With this issue's defined and colorful artwork, the richness of this short is highlighted better. There are little elements worth focusing on, like the advertised cure or childhood; but Moore also defines the weirdness in this story with a cartoonish detail that somewhat eluded Robertson's work both in the gross weirdness, and in the weird characters. it's just more exuberant.
The exterminators themselves are somewhat passive in this issue, as the focus is mostly on the plot. That's unfortunate, but they have often been mere witnesses to crazy events, and they wouldn't be accepted as near-everymen on the frontlines if they weren't occasionally beleaguered or confused by their strange acquaintances as opposed to superheroes who dominate the narrative.
Highlights of this issue include the typically disgusting nature of the threat, and the oppressive nature of the bug menace.
Whereas in the previous issue, the exterminators were holed up in a warehouse, now they are trapped on a boat and time is a factor. It's interesting that this menace is about as threatening as the more aggressive critters seen in previous stories, possibly because they seem more benign and alien by not showing any concern towards their prey and enemies. Stretch corralling a bunch of kids to help them with their dirty work was a great moment, for a variety of reasons. Using kids on the front lines because of their agreeability, (or vulnerability) is amusing because it seems so inappropriate, while mimicking a common storytelling device of good guys rounding up children to help them with some more innocuous task. It's also funny in a more obvious way because of the cynical DS (?) playing kid who performs a remarkable 360 turn thanks to Stretch, which culminates in a mid-life crisis like revelation.
This review would be remiss without mentioning what lies at the heart of this story... a heart of darkness. The idea of an Apocalypse-Brando character dwelling naked within the bowels of a cruise ship called Clown of the Ocean --railing against 'grocery clerks' who task him with captaining this evil family pleasure cruise. It's not a deep satire, as Oliver isn't satirizing the film or a war; he's simply drawing a comparison between some themes of The Exterminators and the character's philosophies in that film. It certainly works, but it might be clearer if the Captain were less concerned about the decadence of his heart of darkness and talked a little more about the bugs... although he wouldn't know much about bugs since he's a captain... so it's better this way. At least, this character was a surprising and welcome twist, making this issue a particularly memorable one.
RATING:
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BUY this issue at X-WORLD and SAVE! (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopexd.asp?id=25456)
Story Title: Buffet of Darkness
No one ever suspects the Butterfly...
Script: Simon Oliver
Pencils: Tony Moore
Inks: John Lucas
Colors: Brian Buccellato
Letters: Pat Brosseau
Cover Artist: Philip Bond
Assistant Editor: Mark Doyle
Editor: Jonathan Vankin
Published by: Vertigo/DC Comics (http://www.dccomics.com/vertigo)
Suggested for Mature Readers
The plot in this book can at times come off as a little preachy without necessarily saying anything, and in a similar vein this issue concludes with a simple thought that is as far reaching as it is vague. Still, it does play into the general concept brought up in narration a few times earlier in the series, where it has been suggested that humans act in their own interest to our collective detriment. The book's dim view of debauchery and keen interest in collectivism suggests a very utilitarian bent. Not exactly something you'd expect an adult rated quirky series. Perhaps this philosophical bent it was makes Apocalypse Now an effective companion to a story in The Exterminators.
This issue features a very well paced story which is memorable, well developed, and short. It's a hard task indeed, and this compares well to other short stories that have appeared in this comic, even though Oliver has developed a good reputation with me for highly efficient story telling. Some stories are just not equal to others regardless of the writer I suppose. This particular story does a great job of encapsulating all the features that holds readers to this comic, and makes for a great position to jump aboard.
Moore's art returns this week, and it's a good change from Robertson's sketchy work in the previous issues. As the art deteriorated in the prior story, it just underlined that the plot had become somewhat shallow a hurried. With this issue's defined and colorful artwork, the richness of this short is highlighted better. There are little elements worth focusing on, like the advertised cure or childhood; but Moore also defines the weirdness in this story with a cartoonish detail that somewhat eluded Robertson's work both in the gross weirdness, and in the weird characters. it's just more exuberant.
The exterminators themselves are somewhat passive in this issue, as the focus is mostly on the plot. That's unfortunate, but they have often been mere witnesses to crazy events, and they wouldn't be accepted as near-everymen on the frontlines if they weren't occasionally beleaguered or confused by their strange acquaintances as opposed to superheroes who dominate the narrative.
Highlights of this issue include the typically disgusting nature of the threat, and the oppressive nature of the bug menace.
Whereas in the previous issue, the exterminators were holed up in a warehouse, now they are trapped on a boat and time is a factor. It's interesting that this menace is about as threatening as the more aggressive critters seen in previous stories, possibly because they seem more benign and alien by not showing any concern towards their prey and enemies. Stretch corralling a bunch of kids to help them with their dirty work was a great moment, for a variety of reasons. Using kids on the front lines because of their agreeability, (or vulnerability) is amusing because it seems so inappropriate, while mimicking a common storytelling device of good guys rounding up children to help them with some more innocuous task. It's also funny in a more obvious way because of the cynical DS (?) playing kid who performs a remarkable 360 turn thanks to Stretch, which culminates in a mid-life crisis like revelation.
This review would be remiss without mentioning what lies at the heart of this story... a heart of darkness. The idea of an Apocalypse-Brando character dwelling naked within the bowels of a cruise ship called Clown of the Ocean --railing against 'grocery clerks' who task him with captaining this evil family pleasure cruise. It's not a deep satire, as Oliver isn't satirizing the film or a war; he's simply drawing a comparison between some themes of The Exterminators and the character's philosophies in that film. It certainly works, but it might be clearer if the Captain were less concerned about the decadence of his heart of darkness and talked a little more about the bugs... although he wouldn't know much about bugs since he's a captain... so it's better this way. At least, this character was a surprising and welcome twist, making this issue a particularly memorable one.
RATING:
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BUY this issue at X-WORLD and SAVE! (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopexd.asp?id=25456)