TITLE: Ex-Mutants vol. 1, Issue #1
YEAR: Spring 1987
COMPANY: Amazing Comics
Author: David Lawrence
Penciller: Ronald Lim
Inkers: Timothy Dzon with Michael Witherby
Calligrapher: Bob Pinaha
Script Assist/Editor: David Campiti
I recently wrote about Malibu Comics’ first issue of “Ex-Mutants”.
Originally created by writer David Lawrence and artist Ron Lim along with editor David Campiti in 1986, “Ex-Mutants” was first published by Eternity Comics (for issue #1) and then by Amazing Comics (for issues #2-5).
But due to contractual problems, the remainder of the series moved to Pied Piper Comics (issues #6-7 and a one-shot publication) which led to a legal dispute and while the title returned back to Eternity Comics for a different set of issues #6-7. With Lawrence and Lim, no longer involved with the comics, Eternity Comics (which became an imprint of Malibu Comics) would release a 15-issue series titled “Ex-Mutants: Shattered Earth Chronicles” along with an annual and special issue.
While the series would end in 1990, in 1992, Malibu Comics’ Malibu Interactive and Sega would release an “Ex Mutants” video game for the Sega Genesis. To tie into the video game, Malibu Comics would release a reboot of “Ex Mutants” in which the setting would remain the same (war decimating the planet), the characters and storyline would be different.
As I have covered the 1992 Malibu Comics first issue, this time I will talk about Amazing comics’ “Ex-Mutants Special Edition” Issue #1 released back in Spring 1987.
“Ex-Mutants” Special Edition is a remake of the first issue from Eternity Comics with more pages in order to improve the original storyline a bit more. So, you get “Ex-Mutants” issue #1 with new material. So, that’s a major positive compared to the banal reprints that we often see from the major comic companies.
“Ex-Mutants Special Edition” Issue #1 begins with a man named Alex who is busy studying the underground lab blue prints. His beautiful wife is leaving for a six month assignment and as he watches her plane fly out the next morning, nine weeks later, the world ended as two wars and nuclear destruction wreaked havoc on Earth.
Fastforward 30-years from now and humanity has changed due to the radiation and they became mutants.
Emannuel Cugat is the son of Alex (who was featured in the beginning of the story looking at the lab blue prints) and he finds a compact solar battery which he uses on his father’s lab.
And Emannuel is able to bring on the rebirth of the human race by turning five mutants to humans which include Erin, Belushi, Vikki, Angela and Lorelei.
As Emannuel would put these humans through intense training, he plans to unveil the rebirth of the human race by introducing the five ex-mutants. But instead of winning the crowd, the mutants go under attack against Cugat and his ex-mutants.
What caught my attention to the series is Ronald Lim’s wonderful artwork but also how entertaining David Lawrence’s “Ex-Mutants” is with the action and life in a post-apocalyptic planet. Add in the rebirth of these five ex-mutants and with four women and one man, I think you can get the picture of what will happen.
Needless to say, fan service and sexual innuendo are seen in the pages of “Ex-Mutants”.
The biggest difference versus from its 1992 counterpart is how the ex-mutants came to be especially the characters. The Malibu Comics balances out the character list with three men and three women, while this version features one man and four women. And suffice to say, the male, Belushi is quite blunt with his “I just wanted to run, jump and get laid!” when asked by Erin about looking human.
Needless to say, I do enjoy the original much more than the Malibu Comics as far as the first issue is concerned. But because they have the same name and they both take place after the war and mutants turned to human, outside from that, the entire story is quite different.
Overall, an enjoyable, slightly more mature series worth reading.