The Exterminators (comics)

Infobox comic book title
title= The Exterminators
comic_color =


caption =
schedule = Monthly
format = Ongoing series (canceled at issue #30)
ongoing = Y
publisher = Vertigo
date = March 2006 – August 2008
issues = 30
past_current_color = background:#5be85b
main_char_team = Henry James
Laura
Stretch
Page Christie
Kevin
Nils Peterson
Dr. Saloth Sar
writers = Simon Oliver
artists = Tony Moore "(interior art)"
Philip Bond "(covers)"
pencillers = Tony Moore
inkers = Ande Parks
Sean Parsons
Tony Moore
colorists = Brian Buccellato
creative_team_month =
creative_team_year =
creators = Simon Oliver
Tony Moore
subcat= Vertigo
sort= Exterminators, The
TPB = Bug Brothers
ISBN = 1-4012-1064-3
TPB1 = Insurgency
ISBN1 = 1-4012-1221-2
TPB2 = Lies of our Fathers
ISBN2 = 1-4012-1475-4
TPB3 = Crossfire and Collateral
ISBN3 = 1-4012-1685-6

"The Exterminators" is an American monthly comic book series, published under the Vertigo imprint by DC Comics. The comic was created by writer Simon Oliver and artist Tony Moore and follows the employees of the Bug-Bee-Gone extermination company.Citation | last = Irvine | first = Alex | author-link = Alexander C. Irvine | contribution = The Exterminators | editor-last = Dougall | editor-first = Alastair | title = The Vertigo Encyclopedia | pages = 67-70 | publisher = Dorling Kindersley | place = New York | year = 2008 | ISBN = 0-7566-4122-5 | oclc = 213309015] The book is notable for its graphic and darkly humorous take on the extermination business. The first issue was released on January 4, 2006. At the 2007 San Diego Comic Con it was announced that the series had been cancelled and would finish at issue 30.Fact|date=June 2008 The series had initially been envisioned as a 50-issue series.Fact|date=June 2008

History

The Exterminators initial incarnation was a TV pitch and pilot outline [http://www.scrypticstudios.com/columns/making_good/first_books_-_simon_olivers_the_exterminators.html First Books - Simon Oliver's The Exterminators] ] as writer Simon Oliver was working in the film industry at the time. After consideration Oliver realized the story wasn't really network material. Oliver then decided to pitch it to a comic book publisher. Luckily a film producer friend of Oliver had became good friends with Karen Berger of Vertigo Comics after they had discussed "100 Bullets". Through this friend the pitch of "The Exterminators" reached an interested publisher quickly. After some reworking with editor Jon Vankin the project was greenlit and the first issue was released January 2006. [http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?t=37193 Comixfan Forums - Simon Oliver Exterminator for hire] ]

A short preview of the comic before its initial release appeared in an issue of "".

tory

Characters

The main character of "The Exterminators" is Henry James. Fresh out of jail, he starts working for his stepfather Nils Peterson's extermination company Bug-Bee-Gone. Henry lives in an apartment with his girlfriend Laura, a high level employee of Ocran Industries, manufacturers of chemical products. One of these products is Draxx, a new poisonous gel for exterminating cockroaches. Draxx has some serious side effects which have been discovered by Dr. Saloth Sar, the in house scientist of Bug-Bee-Gone.

Plot

The Box

The box in question is of unknown origins, though it carries a distinct Egyptian motif. Henry James found it in AJ's truck just before AJ died, and the subsequent flashback sequence indicates that the box was found during AJ's stint in the Marine Corps, in the Gulf War. The box appears to be made of stone, and has an elaborately carved scarab on one side. On another are four keyholes and a swastika. It is entirely possible that the box is Egyptian, as it may have been carried by Roman soldiers into Iraq, and then rediscovered sometime before AJ's military service.

The box's significance is elaborated on in issue 25.

Adaptations

TV

Showtime and Sara Colleton (executive producer for "Dexter") have optioned the series for a television drama, bringing the history full circle, as the story was originally pitched as a television series. [ [http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3i2a7c68761043a4056c9916708f2fe9ee Showtime buggy over 'Exterminators'] , "Hollywood Reporter", July 9, 2008]

Collected editions

Notes

External links

* [http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=9828 Who You Gonna Call? Simon Oliver and the Exterminators] , Comic Book Resources