REVIEW: ‘Eve of Extinction,’ Trade Paperback

Eve of Extinction, which is published by TKO Studios, is written by Salvatore & Steve Simeone. The art in this trade paperback is done by Nik Virella and Isaac Goodhart. The lettering is done by Ariana Maher and colored by Ruth Redmond. The series opens with a rescue team attempting to make contact with an abandoned ship located in the Gulf of Mexico. Though they manage to find a survivor, they’re immediately attacked by mysterious creatures.

We’re then introduced to our main characters; Elizabeth, Christine, and their daughter Antonia. Though Christine is Antonia’s biological daughter, she lost custody due to her being a drug addict. Antonia has been raised by Elizabeth and her husband Eddie. After spending a day with Christine, Antonia is off her school’s Lock-In dance because of the incoming hurricane. However, things take a dark turn as the rain starts to change men into horrific creatures. With the city being overrun, Christine and Elizabeth venture off to save their daughter while trying to put their differences aside.

The premise of the story immediately gave me the impression that horror would be a major element within the series. Sure enough, the horror starts within the first few pages. Even though the mission was meant to be a simple search and rescue attempt, the ominous storm and the lack of light on the ship already told me what kind of comic this would be. It completely captured my attention and I knew I wouldn’t put it down until I finished reading. Plus, I love when horror elements in comics can actually make me feel some level of fear.

Aside from the opening scene, the true horror comes from the creature designs and the explanation given as to why it’s only affecting men. Without giving too much away, it’s something that’s much more grounded in reality, which makes it that much scarier. I appreciate that the creature designs are authentic and unique. If they all looked the same, it would take a bit of the horror and mystery they bring. As the series progressed, the creatures presented an even greater threat, which made for a much more interesting read. This level of dedication to horror is ultimately what made me read the series in one sitting.

I was intrigued by the way Christine’s character was written. It adds a unique level to the story that I wasn’t expecting. I immediately get the sense that she’s willing to do anything to build a relationship with Antonia. However, her troubled past is put to the side as the series goes on. I would have imagined that Antonia would’ve pressured her to reveal more about her addiction or for this to have been a bigger issue for Elizabeth. This conflict would’ve made for an even more emotional journey that was missing from the series.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading the Eve of Extinction series. It not only has an immense level of horror but the bond created between the three main characters is quite captivating. They’re all put into a difficult situation but seeing them overcome every obstacle put in their way was amazing. The creative team established main characters that I actually want to root for. Getting to the end felt very bittersweet since I actually didn’t want the series to end. Eve of Extinction is definitely one of the best comic book series that I’ve read in 2019 and I highly recommend it.

Eve of Extinction is available in stores now.