EXTREMITY #1-3 Review: Extremely Awesome!
Extremity is a fascinating story about a tribe of people called the Roto, who are at war. It is set within a whole new fantasy world, wonderfully crafted by creator, writer and artist Daniel Warren Johnson. I'm always impressed when a creator takes complete charge of a book like this. It is no simple task and so far, he is to be commended on his great work.
The series has a mixture of both futuristic tech and classic tools/weaponry. It seems to be a mix of Mad Max and How To Train Your Dragon- which are very cool things to be inspired by! This combination seems as though it shouldn't work, however, the art and the direction of the story make it work.
The book starts with an act of war and a personal tragedy. After that, it doesn't get much brighter. The retaliation is bloody and it is brutal!
Extremity is a very emotional series; the war is very personal for Thea. She used to be so peaceful, she loved to draw and her people would marvel at her talent but since the incident, her abilities were horribly snatched away from her when her hand was cut off. Ever since, she has trained and prepared for battle. When given the chance, she will not hold back. However, is vengeance really what she needs? Will she really be satiated by killing the opposing tribe?
Issue two gives us a further look at the inciting incident, the initial invasion of Thea's town. It is a reminder at what these people have faced. It is a day they all have ingrained in their minds- whether they want to recall it or not.
The scope of the book is widened with the second issue as this world is explained in a bit more detail to the reader. We also gain a further understanding of the politics between tribes. Enough is revealed to keep our minds racing and yet enough mystery is left to keep us wanting more.
In these first few issues Johnson has created an interesting family dynamic with Thea, her brother and father. It is clear that things have never been the same since the mother was killed. There is a lot of tension between the men in the family, things don't seem to have occurred as one might expect from this sort of family. I am very interested to see how he unpacks this story in the issues to come.
Issue Three has another epic battle and we get to know a new character called Shilo. The artwork continues to be stunning and we get to see more creatures and more transport ships. The designs are all very neat and its pretty clear that Johnson put a lot of thought and effort into their creation. It really pays off!
We have another important confrontation in the issue. However, by this stage, the doubts in Thea's mind are becoming ever more present. The visual story telling is very impressive. We are brought back and forth between Thea's current situation and what is essentially her origin story. By highlighting this change in character the situation is made even more tragic. She never wanted any of this, she was meant to be an artist.
In conclusion, if I haven't made it clear already, I am loving this book. Daniel Warren Johnson is a revelation and I am going to have to back and check out Space Mullet, his previous comic! I highly recommend picking up or downloading these first few issues, if given the opportunity, I think this could run for a long time and Johnson could do some incredible things with the book. I'm giving these first three issues A's all around and I can't wait to see what's next!
