The Exiles was one of 12 titles that debuted in the summer of 1993 as Malibu Comics' new line of super-hero comics, the Ultraverse. Superhumans in the Ultraverse were known as "Ultras", and were a relatively new phenomena on that Earth, with the first public Ultras debuting about 18 months before the Ultraverse began publishing. The Exiles title was something of a publishing stunt, lasting only four issues before 90% of the team were killed in action by one of their own as a lead-in to the Break-Thru crossover event. Malibu Comics really sold the idea by issuing fake solicitations for Exiles #5 and #6, to hide the shock ending of #4 and the series' cancellation.
The Exiles were assembled by Doctor Rachel Deming, a scientist who uncovered a lethal pathogen known as the Theta Virus which was circulating throughout America, often striking young people and almost universally fatal. Deming created a recombinant messenger-RNA process which could save the lives of Theta infectees and, in 99% of cases, gave them Ultra powers. Deming and her Exiles were on a mission to save as many Theta infectees as they could before evil industrialist Malcolm Kort recruited them for his own schemes. The majority of the Exiles were killed when their latest recruit, a selfish high schooler named Amber Hunt, refused to wait on Doctor Deming and triggered the equipment for the recombinant process on herself without assistance. The resulting explosion was boosted by the mysterious Entity on the Moon, creating a massive Jumpstart Effect that destroyed the Exiles' island headquarters, killing Trax, Heather, Mustang, and Deadeye, sending Catapult into a coma, and crippling Doctor Deming. Meanwhile, Tinsel and Ghoul were killed when Kort's headquarters exploded in a separate incident.
After Malibu Comics was brought out and "soft" rebooted by Marvel, an All New Exiles title was started starring Amber Hunt, Marvel refugees Juggernaut, Siena Blaze and Reaper, and other Ultraverse characters.
