Extremity No. 1 review: The beginning of a fantasy ride

Blood, Family, Violence, Fantasy…Looking for the next Game Of Thrones or Westworld? Look no further with Extremity!

Extremity No.1

Writer & Artist: Daniel Warren Johnson

Cover: Mike Spicer

Are you in need of a new story set apart from a costumed character world? Look no further than Extremity. brought to us by Image Comics imprinted by Skybound. This 12-issue series, completed in 2018, serves as an adrenaline-fueled thrill ride in the vein of Mad Max, Vikings, and Game Of Thrones.

In Extremity No.1, the reader is introduced to several characters, as well as the beginning of the overall dynamic between two warring factions. This story is told from the point of view of Thea, the protagonist of this story, and we learn from three beautifully illustrated splash pages that her family tribe has been attacked by the enemy, known as the Paznina, her home was destroyed, her mother executed, and one of her arms is severed. We come to learn that Thea was a very well-respected artist in her tribe, and the Paznina chose to sever her dominant sketching hand.

The beginning of Extremity No. 1 is a dreary tale, with many panels devoted to Thea’s current situation years after the Paznina attack. Her severed hand is now replaced with a robotic prosthetic, and yet her ability to portray life through her art still evades her. Thea introduces the reader to her brother, Rollo, and her overbearing mountain of a father, Jerome. While the majority of issue No.1 issues are often exposition heavy, Extremity’s No.1 manages to not only inform, but thrill the reader through the panels of gore, gratuitous violence, and revenge. The end of Extremity No.1 forces the reader to process through the weight of the events transpired, and asks the question, “Is revenge worth it in the end?”

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While the story of Extremity is certainly strong, it is the striking art by Daniel Warren Johnson that really drives home the emotional moments throughout this issue. The somber silence from Thea, the ground-rumbling gravitas from her father Jerome’s voice, the thick blood falling from the swords, shovels, and masks of the warriors. This comic is one of the most beautifully illustrated comics ever seen, and it tells another story separate to the words on the page.

This first issue is the perfect example of scanning your local comic book shop, looking for a cover to shock you into a purchase. Colorist Mike Spicer uses color to evoke emotion within the lines of dialogue from the cover to the last panel. For those accustomed to the violence of Mad Max, give Extremity No.1 a chance. For the millions excited for the return of Games Of Thrones and want another familial story of turmoil, betrayal, and loss, pick up Extremity No.1. By the end of this 12-issue story you will be frantically searching to determine if any studio has picked up a script to turn this property into a TV show. Support your local comic book shop and in turn support the ability for Image, Skybound, Aftershock, Dark Horse, and more to provide opportunities for more stories such as this.