Comic Book Review: Ultimate Extinction #4

The Revolution has really enjoyed the Ultimate Extinction mini-series. Warren Ellis is doing a great job on this title and we are always excited for the next issue.

Creative Team
Writer: Warren Ellis
Art: Brandon Peterson

Art Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10.
Story Rating: 9 Night Girls out of 10
Total Rating: 8.5 Night Girls out of 10

Synopsis: The issue starts with Iron Man pulling off Silver Surfer’s head and saving Captain Marvel from getting chomped by Silver Surfer. We then see Sam Wilson and Misty Knight standing on the Triskellion’s deck when a large explosion destroys the Triskellion’s large satellite dish. We see Heather Douglas (Moon dragon) running from the explosion. Misty puts a couple of bullets into Heather’s arm and leg to stop her.

Reed then contacts Nick Fury to tell him that he has created a way to possibly kill Gah Lak Tus. After Reed hands up the phone with Nick, he and Sue just sit there distraught by what they have just created. Reed stretches his arm out to touch Sue, but she blocks him with a force field and tells him that she doesn’t want to be touched right now.

We skip forward one day and see Jean Grey and Professor X trying to rebuild their Cerebro Amplification but try using Vision instead of a person to try and communicate with Gah Lak Tus due to Gah Lak Tus’ extreme disgust of anything organic.

We skip forward another day. Nick Fury, Sam Wilson, Captain America and Captain Marvel are interrogating Heather Douglas. She says she isn’t a clone. That she is a perfection of her dead mother. She also says she was raised by the Enclave as were her sisters and brothers. Evidently, there are many more of her. They are perfect children trained to meet the perfect emissary from space, Gah Lak Tus. Heather says that the “Silver Man” (Silver Surfer) is teaching mass suicide in response to Gah Lak Tus’ arrival. The silver men are the heralds of Ha Lak Tus. He fired many down to earth while he was outside the range of Earth’s deep space network. The Silver men are softening up the human race for the arrival of Gah Lak Tus. IT takes less energy by Gah Lak Tus to take the world id the Silver Men already have a large percentage of the populace already subjugated. Captain America convinces Nick that they should raid the Manhattan Silver Man once again now that Misty Knight gave them his address.

We cut to Captain America and Captain Marvel leading a strike team against the Silver Man. Captain America zaps the Silver Man with an electrical device to stun him and then smashes him outside the wall of the building. Captain America extends himself like an arrow with his shield on the chest of the Silver Man as they fall from way up high. Captain America grins and says “I’m going to enjoy this.” When they finally hit the ground Cap smashes the Silver Man into the ground with his shield. Then Captain Marvel blasts off the Silver Man’s legs. Cap then re-directs the Silver Man’s electrical blasts back at him with his shield. They then take the Silver Man back to the Triskelion for interrogation.

We then cut to the Vision hooked into the Cerebro amplifier. The Vision requests that they bring her Sam Wilson and Captain Marvel.

We then shift to Reed Richards demanding that his weapon be finished as fast as possible. Reed is torn up inside over what he feels is committing a crime against science and nature.

We then cut to Nick Fury getting the news that Gah Lak Tus will be in Earth orbit today. The Triskellion’s alarm goes off and Nick looks at the monitor’s and sees an army of Heather Douglas clones and her “brothers” raiding the Triskelion. End of issue.

Comments
The Good: Whew! What a great issue! Ultimate Extinction #4 was packed full of action and drama. Warren Ellis has done a fantastic job writing this story. The dialogue is well done. The storyline is very compelling and enthralling. Ellis is weaving a story that captures the reader and pulls them into his world.

Ellis does an excellent job balancing action with drama in this issue. The pacing is also well done with the story starting to ramp up at a higher speed as we rocket toward the conclusion.

Ellis has also done a fantastic job developing all the different characters and giving them their own unique voice true to their character. The scene with Reed Richards and Sue Storm being emotionally traumatized with what they have created was well done. Very powerful. The fight scene with Captain America and the Silver Man was also perfect. Ellis shows how the ultimate version of Captain America isn’t the nice liberal pantywaist Captain America of the regular Marvel Universe. Nope. The ultimate Captain America is a hardcore ass-kicker who relishes pummeling his enemy. I loved him telling Captain Marvel during the fight that he thought the best time to kick a man was when he was down!

Ellis does a great job conveying the character’s emotions to the reader and getting us emotionally involved with the story. Ellis has done a wonderful job handling the Ultimate Universe’s first contact with Gah Lak Tus. The complexities and details with the Silver Men and the clones of heather Douglas all connecting together to bring about the victory of Gah Lak Tus is cool. Even the different approaches to stop Gah Lak Tus are interesting. Vision, Jean Grey, and Professor X trying to use communication to diffuse the situation versus whatever horrible weapon designed to kill that Reed Richards and Sue Storm have created.

The Revolution also likes Brandon Peterson’s art. Peterson’s art has really grown on us. I like his use of different textures that gives this comic a nice “realistic” look. Peterson is also great at drawing Sci-Fi. It is an unusual mixture. Kind of a realistic Sci-Fi. Peterson’s art really does compliment Elli’s story and makes Ultimate Extinction an enjoyable read.

The Bad: I have absolutely no complaints about this issue at all. The Revolution highly recommends Ultimate Extinction.