Plot: In the aftermath of the Damnation Crusade, Inquisitor Delius Alastor must investigate the hidden tools of Chaos on Magnum Christi while dealing with his own demons and the suspicion of his fellow members of the Inquisition.

Comments: I find myself impressed with this introductory issue of the new mini-series Exterminatus. Dan Abnett and Ian Edginton have put together a solid character driven piece without being too expository. Abnett and Edginton manage to effectively introduce the mystery that will drive the mini-series forward without giving any character moments the short shrift. They easily give the reader a sense of the scale and majesty of the 40K universe, but they do make the assumption that anyone reading this series will know the basics of the universe. This is a reasonable assumption but it gives a new reader the feeling that they are jumping in halfway through the story.

Lapham’s artwork comes across as suitably weighty. I especially loved the warships as portrayed in the book; there is something inherently cool about a flying cathedral that is launching nukes. Each character has their own distinctive look down to the last scar, but characters seem to lose detail if they move into the background. The story’s coloration evokes a somber mood which matches up well with the narration of Delius Alastor.

Final Word: After reading Exterminatus #1 my curiosity is more than peaked. On the strength of this issue I’m picking up the entire series. Abnett, Edginton, and Lapham have put together a strong foray into the 40K universe that is more than worth reading.

---

What did you think of this book?
Have your say at the Line of Fire Forum!

---