Dark Horse Comics 2018
Written by Brian Wood
Illustrated by Jeff Stokely
Coloured by Triona Farrell
Lettered by Nate Piekos of Blambot
The year is 1984. There is a Terminator on the loose in Los Angeles with its targets set on Sarah Conner. Simultaneously, on the other side of the country, a second Terminator arrives to kill NYPD Officer Lucy Castro, a rookie cop assigned to one of the worst sections of the city. Just as Lucy’s shift ends, the killing begins.
Well I was never that big a fan of The Terminator or any of the off-shoots from the film franchise so when I saw this and took a peek at it, just because, well hot diggity I wasn’t expecting to like it this much. I mean okay we all know how the original film went and this one take place at the same time in history as that one but it’s got a whole different mission with the same goal. Kill Lucy so her progeny doesn’t grow up to become a key member of the resistance. So in a four issue mini-series we’re going to see how Lucy fares going up against a Terminator and god help anyone who gets in their way.
Well the opening here is what you’d expect but that doesn’t mean it’s any less effective. As the Terminator arrives sans clothes he pretty much robs someone for theirs. Which I found rather humorous because only in New York City will a naked man taking the clothes off another man’s back and no one bats an eyelash. I have to give it up to Brian for this because not only does he nail the opening but he makes us laugh while doing it.
I like the way that this book is structured. Brian has a style that’s easy going as it wanders through these pages. The transitions from one scene to another are nice extremely well so we don’t really feel like something is wrong or choppy. So when we get to meet Castro she’s getting off her shift in the South Bronx when things start going crazy. While we are really only getting a precursory look at her what we do get to see is fascinating. She’s Latina and lives with a no good white boy and while this encounter gives us that glimpse into her psyche it doesn’t prepare us for what’s to come.
The interiors here are fun. I wasn’t sure I was going to like them they are the usual style I gravitate towards but there is something about them that I find inherently charming. This is Dark Horse so naturally seeing the Terminator in his full glory wasn’t going to happen but that back and those shoulders we see are pretty darn tight. The utilisation of page layouts and how we see angles and perspective in the panels shows off a solid eye for storytelling. I do wish we’d have gotten more backgrounds but that’s the nature of the beast as it were. Though I will admit that the scratchy style of the inking really makes me happy. Triona’s colours here are just as great and she brings a seasoned eye to the colours.
So for fans of the Terminator franchise you are going to love this no questions asked. For those like myself this is a familiar story that has it’s own unique angle and is easily accessible. In other words it’s just plain fun and you don’t have to really know what the whole kit and kaboodle is like to sit back, relax and enjoy this. It is well written, with strong characterisation with solid story/plot advancement perfect for a four issue run.