Via Rate My Ink

Today's recommended comic book reading is The Exterminators by Simon Oliver & Tony Moore.

DC Comics Vertigo Imprint has created many stellar series that have been critical darlings for years, as well as excellent gateways for people new to comic books.  Vertigo's run of eccentric, non-superhero titles have led to great success as trade paperbacks of their successful series are usually the most popular in the store - all while delivering some of the best, most unique storytelling in comic books.  Each of these series have a devoted fanbase and a cult following in comic shops and academia who dissect all the various levels of profundity on display.  Titles like:

• Garth Ennis & Steve Dillon's Preacher
• Neil Gaiman's The Sandman
• Brian K. Vaughan & Pia Guerra's Y the Last Man
• Bill Willingham's Fables
• Warren Ellis's Transmetropolitan
• Brian Wood's DMZ

Amongst many others.  But not every title at Vertigo has caught on in a big way, some of them aren't referenced among indie kids or alternateens.  Simon Oliver & Tony Moore's The Exterminators, an excellently weird odyssey into pests, paranoia and perversion, is one of those titles left behind.  The story concerns ex-con Henry James who goes work for his stepfather at the Bug-Bee-Gone pest control.  There he encounters an oddball staff of exterminators, each an idiosyncratic individual with a weird backstory and an even weirder worldview. 

Along the way, various conspiracies and cabals are uncovered with people of all sorts of nefarious intentions begin to cross paths with the Bug-Bee-Gone boys.  Great scenes of gross out humor and action are interspersed amongst the overarching story of old religions, criminal masterminds and corporate designed roaches.  Oliver creates many unique niches and groups to populate his fictional Los Angeles - including cults, literary themed prostitutes and underground wrestling matches between luchadores and vermin.  These are all glances into surreal worlds that usually only exist on the periphery of our subconscious, but Oliver brings all of them out to shine in a twisted and thoroughly fun ride.

Unfortunately, The Exterminators was cut short in its prime.  Originally planned to run for 60 issues, the series was truncated down to just 30 due to low sales.  Luckily Oliver & Moore were given enough notice so that they could successfully wrap up most of the larger storylines in those final issues.

Due to its excellent cast of characters, as well as its willingness to pursue whatever weird tangent Oliver gets interested in, The Exterminators is perfect for many types of audiences out there currently.  There's elements of horror, comedy, action, noir and many others swirling about in the pages of this book.  And since it was never as big as all the other favored Vertigo series, you get the added bonus of feeling like you're in on a secret that few others know about.

If you're a fan of the extant mythos of Lost, check out Exterminators.  Or if you liked the absurd weirdness  and brooding darkness of Mulholland Drive or Twin Peaks - then Exterminators is for you.  Or if the gritty exploitation-like violence of Tarantino's films gets your pulse racing, then do yourself a favor and pick up the trade paperbacks of this series. 

You won't be disappointed.

Buy The Exterminators here!