Writer: Greg Pak
Artist: Nigel Raynor (pencils), David Curiel & Captain Moreno (colors)
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
If you are a fan of the Battlestar Galactica TV series as I am, you may have had a few complaints (or at least reservations) about the comic initially. But despite any shortcomings, this comic series is showing itself to be faithful to the basic quality of the TV show. The characterization is mostly there, as well as the adept storytelling—complete with its quick, exciting pacing.
What a relief! When I heard about this comic being released, I was a little trepidatious. I wondered if it was possible to convert the show’s energy and brilliance in storytelling onto paper and stay true to it. So far, while not yet at the same soaring level of quality as the show, Mr. Pak has succeeded in making the comic feel like a little slice of the TV series.
This issue continues with the storyline that began in issue #0, where Starbuck has stumbled upon something startling: people who were believed to be dead, seem to be alive and well again. They all seem to be loved ones of survivors that are aboard the Galactica or other ships in the fleet, and of course everyone’s first thought is that they must be Cylons. But are they? True to his characterization from the show, Bill Adama of course vehemently believes they are Cylons that are manipulating the emotional ties these survivors have to their deceased relatives, and he may be right. But are even Cylons capable of this much detail?
It’s an inventive idea for a storyline, not unlike one we would see on the show, and I’m excited to see it unfold. The concept is great because of the potential character moments, most notably, I think, for Starbuck. She is typically one of the more hardened soldiers, but in this situation, she relents, in spite of her better judgment. She believes what she wants to be true because of her love for Zak, her previously thought dead fiance. She wants this. She wants to see him alive again. And who can blame her? It’s the classic if somewhat clichéd idea of the heart vs. the mind, and granted, it’s got to be much more effective for people like myself who already know the characters. But for new readers, if you find the concept interesting, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Now and then the dialogue is a bit awkward, not feeling quite as natural as I would prefer. But this may have something to do with the transition from TV screen to comic, and overall these moments are rare.
The colors are surprisingly effective, and they really help each panel to stand out. The show’s colors are very muted, and it’s always fairly dark because of the setting (on a ship in space). But comics and TV are two very different mediums, despite their similarities, and some things can’t and shouldn’t be duplicated, including the light and colors. They really work here.
The pencils, unfortunately, aren’t as effective. They do the job because they help tell the story along with the writing. But often the characters look too similar to each other; they aren’t as distinctive as I would like to see. The consistency of the look of each character also varies occasionally from panel to panel. But now and then, I already see improvements in the pencils since issue #0, so I’m hoping they continue to grow.
All in all, this is a very well done comic, and I have to admire the creators’ ability to step in on a model of storytelling like Battlestar Galactica and continue in the spirit of its excellence.
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