Comics Review: "ExtraOrdinary #0" is Not an Ordinary Comic Book Launch

EXTRAORDINARY #0
TITAN COMICS

STORY: V.E. Schwab
ART: Enid Balám
COLORS: Jordi Escuin Llorach
LETTERS: Rob Steen
EDITOR: David Leach
14pp, Color $1.00 U.S. (May 2021)

Rating: Teen

ExtraOrdinary is a new comic book series that expands upon the world of author V.E. Schwab's two novels, Vicious (2013) and Vengeful (2018), also known as the “Villains series.”  Published by Titan Comics, ExtraOrdinary is set in the years between Vicious and Vengeful.  Titan is launching ExtraOrdinary with a specially priced ($1) Issue #0.  ExtraOrdinary is written by Schwab; drawn by Enid Balá; colored by Jordi Escuin Llorach; and lettered by Rob Steen.

ExtraOrdinary #0 welcomes readers to the world of the EO – the “ExtraOrdinary” this way:

Extraordinary, or EO: a person who has survived a near-death experience and returned with superpowers. These powers are the product not only of how the person nearly died, but their final thoughts at the moment of death. Incredibly rare, and potentially dangerous to themselves and others, few people know about the existence of ExtraOrdinaries, and an organization called EON is determined to keep it that way.

ExtraOrdinary #0 introduces Charlotte Tills, a teenage girl who thinks about death a lot.  After she miraculously survives a school bus crash, Charlotte becomes EO-ExtraOrdinary.  Now, what she sees in reflective surfaces frightens her … almost to death.

THE LOWDOWN:  Prior to receiving the review PDF of ExtraOrdinary #0, I had never heard of V.E. Schwab or any of her novels, but after reading ExtraOrdinary #0, I am ready to read the new comic book series from Titan.  If time permits, I also plan on reading both “Villains” novels, as the premises of the novels are quite intriguing.

In fact, from what I can understand of them, the plots and characters of these novels certainly could be the plots and characters of a comic book series.  The 14 pages of comics/graphical storytelling that Schwab presents here are engaging and quickly brings the readers into the world of ExtraOrdinary.  So this is an honest-to-goodness comic book and doesn't come across as a media tie-in of some sort.

The art team of Enid Balám and colorist Jordi Escuin Llorach presents straight-forward storytelling.  The compositions have a passing resemblance to the work of superstar comic book artist, Andy Kubert, but here, the art is less about style and more about conveying a story, which it does rather well.

I hope ExtraOrdinary #0 isn't a fluke.  I'm looking forward to reading this series, and I recommend that readers give at least this #0 issue a try, especially as it only costs a buck.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of V.E. Schwab's “Villains” novels and of YA comics will want to try ExtraOrdinary.

A-

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

Titan has also produced a series trailer for ExtraOrdinary, which you can see at YouTube.

https://titan-comics.com/
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https://www.facebook.com/ComicsTitan
http://www.veschwab.com/
https://twitter.com/veschwab
https://www.facebook.com/people/Victoria-VE-Schwab/100044092343403/


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