Battlestar Galactica #1 Advanced Review

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Battlestar Galactica #1 Advanced Review
By Andy Frisk
May 13, 2013 - 18:17

Dynamite Entertainment
Writer(s): Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning
Penciller(s): Cezar Razek
Colourist(s): Vinicious Townsend
Letterer(s): Simon Bowland
Cover Artist(s): Alex Ross

Caprica has fallen. Adama, The Battlestar Galactica, and the remains of humanity huddled amongst the remaining ships of the colonial fleet, are searching for a new home: a legendary land called Earth. When the Cylons attack unexpectedly though, Adama is forced to approve the use of forbidden technological weapons. They are weapons that have a horrifically unstable nature though...as Apollo and Starbuck find out.

I honestly thought that there was no way that I could even bring myself to read an ongoing comic book based on the old Battlestar Galactica (1978) franchise. Battlestar Galactica (2004) is quite simply the greatest science fiction television ever made with the finest of acting, special effects, and themes. Only Star Trek TNG can hold a candle to it. The old Galactica series...well, it was interesting for its time.

Enter Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (Guardians of The Galaxy, Nova). If anyone can do the old franchise justice and somehow make it relevant (or at least update it enough to make it readable) it would be these two. The opening chapter of their first story arc is stronger than expected, even if almost half of it is a recap of the events of the first episode of the original TV pilot. I can handle that, as it is necessary to get new readers up to speed. It is where Abnett and Lanning take the rest of the issue that makes it interesting. They introduce thematic tension concerning the use of an outlawed WMD (tipping their hat to the thematic tensions of the new Battlestar franchise) while setting the next few issues up to engage in some good ole' fashioned space opera themes quite nicely (paying homage to the original series).

Artist Cezar Razek captures the look and feel of the original series quite nicely. The original Viper fighters, the Battlestar Galactica warship itself, and the original Cylon Basestars and Raiders all look accurate and sufficiently detailed. Razek's wide open and spacious panels convey the powerful feeling of loneliness and singularity that the remnants of the human race must feel being all alone out it the great vastness of space while facing down their desperate mission and its obstacles.

While I still prefer Katee Sackhoff's Starbuck to Dirk Benedict's any day of the week, Abnet and Lanning's Battlestar Galactica looks like it will be a worthy entry into the space epic's long and storied history.

Rating: 8.5/10

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