What do you think?
Rate this book
The Exterminators #4
The Exterminators, Vol. 4: Crossfire and Collateral
Follow the dysfunctional, disturbing adventures of exterminator Henry James and his freakish cohorts as they take on the cruel chaos of nature in the dirtiest corners of Los Angeles. This is the smart and scary tale of roaches, rats, raccoons and the men who kill them. In this volume, illustrated by Darick Robertson, the artist of TRANSMETROPLITAN, the Bug Bee Gone gang faces a catastrophic threat: an invasion of the giant, killer cockroach known as the Mayan Hisser. Only they can stand between the bugs and the collapse of urban civilization.
Collects 17-23.
Collects 17-23.
168 pages, Paperback
First published May 23, 2008
1 person is currently reading
54 people want to read
About the author
Simon Oliver
207 books26 followersSimon Oliver was hatched in South London in 1969. Since that date he has consistently strived for mediocrity in a number of fields of employment, from cooking at the legendary Hacienda Club of Manchester in the late 1980's, scuba diving instructor in the planet's more tropical climes, to a career as a camera assistant in Hollywood. With such a spotty and heterogeneous employment record is seemed only fitting that the comic book would industry welcome him with open arms in 2005 for his writing debut in THE EXTERMINATORS.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 18 reviews
March 5, 2018
Exterminators the series, but Vol. 4 especially, reminded me alot of the early South Park canon. As much as it revels in its potty humor, there is an undeniable charm that is propelled forth by a sparing yet inversely strong instillation of pop culture references. Just like great hip-hop, a few well placed (modulated) samples can speak to great lengths just from the power of their source(s) alone. A little bit can go a really long way.
Exterminators Vol 4, goes in the other direction. Overboard in every angle possibly, I literally felt like I was drowning in the excessive use of references alone. Toss in the plethora of thematic threads that have been reused, regurgitated, and re-amplified to delirious effect, I had no (and still don't have any) idea where I was nor where I have arrived.
Characters introduced almost ten issues ago, are shoehorned back in. The most tenuous of threads are thrust in and thrust out in the most slipshod of fashions. This careening tango of post-modern nuttiness is twacked out with a heaping helping of creepy crawly critters. Yuck!
The first two issues feature Stretch in an oddly formulated, as much as implemented, interlude set in an exterminator convention. Toss in Native Americans, gambling, and a bizarre-o take on Stephen Hawking you can get the picture. (Star Trek, in playful contradistinction, elegantly utilizes Hawking, Einstein, and Newton to pleasant affect otherwise.) This mini double shot is not so elegantly tied up and I'll let you guess where the bodies were buried.
Two issues later, we (kinda sorta) pick up back at the main plot. Drug trafficking rummages indelicately alongside insipid ruminations upon the American welfare state (or lack thereof). New ancillary characters pop-up and so does a whole new labyrinth of (unwelcome yet not unpredictable at this point) perverted plot twists.
Since the kitchen sink (effectively enough) has been tossed in at this point, why not embed Pacific Islanders and a fictionalized apocalyptic insect species because, well, why not? Since we're beyond the point of intelligibility another stupid reference a la Scarface alongside another plethora of Art of War quotes can't possibly make it any worse. Can it?
Just like I've instructed my students, "do less with more." Exterminators 4, and the series in general, is a painful instruction in the inverse. There is just way too much going on here for us to care about let alone make sense of. A solid, yet equally poignant reference to the original Star Wars trilogy will make my point here.
Each of the initial three in the (original) series, ends with an increasingly complex finale. And its ironically, the simplest (IV's) that is the most effective. There's beauty in its simplicity and it carries the greatest emotional resonance. No teams of stupid Ewoks. No excess of threads (contrast with I's). Just good old human emotion that all of us can relate too.
For reason Simon Oliver thinks he can just shove a myriad of blood coated references in our (collective) faces and overwhelm us with the equivalent of firecrackers for children. Instead of a clear cut of idea where the story was going to go, Exterminators reduces to an endless road. It's not character driven. Nor is it plot driven. Its just like a rolling stone that hasn't picked up moss, but every shred of muck it could pick up.
Two Thumbs down ladies 'n' gents.
Exterminators Vol 4, goes in the other direction. Overboard in every angle possibly, I literally felt like I was drowning in the excessive use of references alone. Toss in the plethora of thematic threads that have been reused, regurgitated, and re-amplified to delirious effect, I had no (and still don't have any) idea where I was nor where I have arrived.
Characters introduced almost ten issues ago, are shoehorned back in. The most tenuous of threads are thrust in and thrust out in the most slipshod of fashions. This careening tango of post-modern nuttiness is twacked out with a heaping helping of creepy crawly critters. Yuck!
The first two issues feature Stretch in an oddly formulated, as much as implemented, interlude set in an exterminator convention. Toss in Native Americans, gambling, and a bizarre-o take on Stephen Hawking you can get the picture. (Star Trek, in playful contradistinction, elegantly utilizes Hawking, Einstein, and Newton to pleasant affect otherwise.) This mini double shot is not so elegantly tied up and I'll let you guess where the bodies were buried.
Two issues later, we (kinda sorta) pick up back at the main plot. Drug trafficking rummages indelicately alongside insipid ruminations upon the American welfare state (or lack thereof). New ancillary characters pop-up and so does a whole new labyrinth of (unwelcome yet not unpredictable at this point) perverted plot twists.
Since the kitchen sink (effectively enough) has been tossed in at this point, why not embed Pacific Islanders and a fictionalized apocalyptic insect species because, well, why not? Since we're beyond the point of intelligibility another stupid reference a la Scarface alongside another plethora of Art of War quotes can't possibly make it any worse. Can it?
Just like I've instructed my students, "do less with more." Exterminators 4, and the series in general, is a painful instruction in the inverse. There is just way too much going on here for us to care about let alone make sense of. A solid, yet equally poignant reference to the original Star Wars trilogy will make my point here.
Each of the initial three in the (original) series, ends with an increasingly complex finale. And its ironically, the simplest (IV's) that is the most effective. There's beauty in its simplicity and it carries the greatest emotional resonance. No teams of stupid Ewoks. No excess of threads (contrast with I's). Just good old human emotion that all of us can relate too.
For reason Simon Oliver thinks he can just shove a myriad of blood coated references in our (collective) faces and overwhelm us with the equivalent of firecrackers for children. Instead of a clear cut of idea where the story was going to go, Exterminators reduces to an endless road. It's not character driven. Nor is it plot driven. Its just like a rolling stone that hasn't picked up moss, but every shred of muck it could pick up.
Two Thumbs down ladies 'n' gents.
August 31, 2010
As the plot gets more complex, the structure and pacing are falling apart. I can see why this series had its run cut short. The plot is getting very convenient and over-the-top, and Oliver doesn't spare on exposition in the form of pseudoscientific explanations and ancient, conspiratorial histories, neither of which I'm sure add much.
So now, apparently, Oliver is picking up Morrison's flaws as well as his merits, and also escalating Ennis' flaws of overly badass protagonists, inhumanly villainous antagonists, and a romance with the grotesque that detracts from the story as often as it adds something to it.
Then we've got the UK boy writing gangbanger characters, which are predictably cliche, and who have some amusingly outdated and silly lingo, not that most of the comic's demographic would notice it. There are some overt and unsophisticated critiques of big-business and environmental change that skew closer to conspiracy than fact, which fits in with Oliver's need for truly unsympathetic, powerful, almost Tolkienian antagonists.
This simplified, dualistic moral view of the structures of power reminds me of Ennis' rather juvenile treatment of religion as the secretive, powerful, relentless big bad of history. It's not subtle, and it isn't realistic. I'd respect Oliver more if he were willing to go into the thing full bore and accept his own overwrought pulp premise, but like so many authors, he seems like he's trying to dance between gritty realism and epic adventure, and as is usually the case, the one undermines the other.
So far the element of rape hasn't turned into a character-building moment for the male protagonist, but really, the rape hasn't been dealt with at all, and I'm not sure which outcome would be more unsettling. it's anathema for a writer not to use a setpiece, and if it doesn't get pulled out soon, then it's just as I'd feared: rape as a dog kick to let us know that genocidal neonazis are bad guys.
Well, I'm coming in on the home stretch, so I hope that Oliver manages to pull this together, otherwise it will keep unraveling into a non-ending of true Morrisonian proportions. Then again, he might actually be aided by the series being cut short, as it will force him to put more story onto fewer pages, which ought to help the current pacing issues.
Tony Moore, the reason I'm reading The Exterminators in the first place, has been entirely replaced by Darick Robertson in this arc. I do like Darick: he did help create Transmetropolitan, one of my favorite comics, but I miss Moore's idiomatic style. I'm glad to have him back for the final run.
My Suggested Reading In Comics
So now, apparently, Oliver is picking up Morrison's flaws as well as his merits, and also escalating Ennis' flaws of overly badass protagonists, inhumanly villainous antagonists, and a romance with the grotesque that detracts from the story as often as it adds something to it.
Then we've got the UK boy writing gangbanger characters, which are predictably cliche, and who have some amusingly outdated and silly lingo, not that most of the comic's demographic would notice it. There are some overt and unsophisticated critiques of big-business and environmental change that skew closer to conspiracy than fact, which fits in with Oliver's need for truly unsympathetic, powerful, almost Tolkienian antagonists.
This simplified, dualistic moral view of the structures of power reminds me of Ennis' rather juvenile treatment of religion as the secretive, powerful, relentless big bad of history. It's not subtle, and it isn't realistic. I'd respect Oliver more if he were willing to go into the thing full bore and accept his own overwrought pulp premise, but like so many authors, he seems like he's trying to dance between gritty realism and epic adventure, and as is usually the case, the one undermines the other.
So far the element of rape hasn't turned into a character-building moment for the male protagonist, but really, the rape hasn't been dealt with at all, and I'm not sure which outcome would be more unsettling. it's anathema for a writer not to use a setpiece, and if it doesn't get pulled out soon, then it's just as I'd feared: rape as a dog kick to let us know that genocidal neonazis are bad guys.
Well, I'm coming in on the home stretch, so I hope that Oliver manages to pull this together, otherwise it will keep unraveling into a non-ending of true Morrisonian proportions. Then again, he might actually be aided by the series being cut short, as it will force him to put more story onto fewer pages, which ought to help the current pacing issues.
Tony Moore, the reason I'm reading The Exterminators in the first place, has been entirely replaced by Darick Robertson in this arc. I do like Darick: he did help create Transmetropolitan, one of my favorite comics, but I miss Moore's idiomatic style. I'm glad to have him back for the final run.
My Suggested Reading In Comics
May 18, 2025
Definitely the weirdest volume so far. A few parts that don't really seem to play a role in the big picture. But they were still enjoyable side stories. And a few things are getting a bit out of control. It's definitely way weirder than I thought it would be. A couple of cheesy parts. But overall I'm still really enjoying the series. It's super tense and the final climax is about to hit. With how the rest of the series has been, I have no idea if there will be a good or bad ending. And honestly, I'm not sure which I would prefer. Great stuff so far. Time for the finale!
April 26, 2024
Somebody saw StarShip Troopers too many times and thought this was a good idea …..I guess.
September 2, 2024
Still crazy, but getting a tad more outrageous with the introduction of the Mayan hisser who are attracted to draxx bug killer which... That would be telling!
October 26, 2024
Ok-ish.
December 27, 2019
Libro 4 de 5, y probablemente el único que llegue a tener, ya que nunca más me crucé con ningún tomo de la serie.
July 3, 2008
I mainly blame myself for this low rating because I read the first three in a 2 month period and now its been half a year since I read the 3rd book.
Don't get me wrong, I'm still hooked. But the art took a significant quality hit this time around and the story wasn't as strong because it was mainly a set up for the next book.
I'll be eagerly anticipating the next book while hoping the art improves.
Don't get me wrong, I'm still hooked. But the art took a significant quality hit this time around and the story wasn't as strong because it was mainly a set up for the next book.
I'll be eagerly anticipating the next book while hoping the art improves.
February 5, 2013
This series is such fun - if long buried and recently released Egyptian roach gods out to revenge all insect life from the ravages humanity has caused - and there is only one thing that could revenge such genocide - complete domination of the earth, starting naturally in Las Vegas. And what stands in the way of this insect takeover of the earth? That's right, it's the reluctant heroes of Bug-B-Gone!!!
It's gonna be a bumpy sleigh ride!!!
It's gonna be a bumpy sleigh ride!!!
April 22, 2011
Still enjoying the series. It is a goofy, mostly disgusting, adventure featuring some great characters and artwork.
That said...personally I found the bugs to be a lot more creepy and disgusting when they were smaller (i.e. "normal" sized). The whole angle with the Mayan Hisser cockroaches almost, repeat almost, took this into cheesy monster-movie territory for me.
That said...personally I found the bugs to be a lot more creepy and disgusting when they were smaller (i.e. "normal" sized). The whole angle with the Mayan Hisser cockroaches almost, repeat almost, took this into cheesy monster-movie territory for me.
April 19, 2012
I was giving the series the benefit of the doubt... up until this volume. Here's where it starts falling apart, mainly because it's trying to be too many things at once, all the while leaving the various plot lines weakly developed and the main storyline only quasi-interesting.
August 13, 2008
Dumb de de dumb dumb.
May 27, 2010
comics,horror
June 7, 2011
3.5/5 stars
July 25, 2011
Aamulla parkkipaikalla oli tuholaistorjunnan auto. Reality check. Melkein suutelin kuljettajaa.
July 31, 2010
A prophecy fulfilled, the war is here. Good story, great disgusting imagery.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 18 reviews