First look - X-Terminators #1 pushes the limits with a blood-and-guts revenge story
Carlos Gomez talks about getting into blood and guts for X-Terminators
The X-Men are about to get even more down and dirty than usual with X-Terminators, a team-up between Dazzler, Jubilee, Boom Boom, and Wolverine as they embark on a mission of revenge in a story that will have more than its share of blood and guts.
Alongside writer Leah Williams, artist Carlos Gomez will dive into the seedy underbelly of the Marvel Universe for the five-issue limited series, pushing the limits of Marvel's Parental Advisory Rating.
Before X-Terminators #1 arrives on September 21, Newsarama spoke with Gomez about pushing his style to meet the story, as he dives into gory, violent action for the first time.
And, along the way, we've got some fresh new interior pages from X-Terminators #1.
Newsarama: Carlos, Marvel describes X-Terminators as "grindhouse," "hardcore", "neon-fueled," and "down and dirty". So right off the bat, how does that affect how you approach the art? Did you make any adjustments to what you consider your standard style?
Carlos Gomez: It didn't affect much actually, I'm sticking to my usual style just adding the gore and blood dripping everywhere!
Nrama: What was your first-immediate impression upon reading the script from Leah?
Comic deals, prizes and latest news
Get the best comic news, insights, opinions, analysis and more!
Gomez: I have to admit it surprised me! I was totally unaware at the beginning until I started reading "covered in gore" and "body parts flying around" but I love it! I've never drawn anything dark or gory so I'm enjoying it and I'm doing my best to put Leah's gory ideas on paper.
Nrama: Can you describe something you particularly enjoyed drawing - a specific scene or a sequence?
Gomez: I have to admit I'm enjoying drawing Boom Boom's scenes in the first issue, lots of explosions! Although the car chase is also very fun...
Nrama: In the initial announcement there was some talk about pushing the envelope and making this a PA (Parental Advisory) title. Did you find yourself going there? Anything you had to pull back or edit because it went too far?
Gomez: A few things here and there, but other than that, I just stick to the script's guts and blood and we're good.
Nrama: Who are you enjoying drawing the most?
Gomez: I'm going with Boom Boom, she's just crazy and it's so fun to draw her shooting explosions from her fingertips!
Nrama: Finally, any parting thoughts for readers while they want for X-Terminators in July?
Gomez: If you like the X-females, explosions, blood, action, and fun, July will be a great month for you!
X-Terminators is just one of the many new X-Men comics planned for release in 2022 and beyond.
I've been Newsarama's resident Marvel Comics expert and general comic book historian since 2011. I've also been the on-site reporter at most major comic conventions such as Comic-Con International: San Diego, New York Comic Con, and C2E2. Outside of comic journalism, I am the artist of many weird pictures, and the guitarist of many heavy riffs. (They/Them)