Review: Battlestar Galactica Classic #1

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Review: Battlestar Galactica Classic #1
By Philip Schweier
December 20, 2018 - 13:36

Dynamite Entertainment
Writer(s): John Jackson Miller
Artist(s): Daniel HDR
Colourist(s): Natalia Marques
Letterer(s): Taylor Esposito
Cover Artist(s): Kelly Jones, Michelle Madsen; Marco Rudy, Sean Chen, Cris Peter; Daniel HDR, Natalia Marques; Walt Simonson, Mohan

The original Battlestar Galactica premiered when I was 13 years old, an age where a lot of kids’ cultural tastes are being formed. I embraced the franchise from the start, reading the comics, watching the reruns, reading the novels. I’m listening to the soundtrack as I write this.

And I must say, as a long time fan, John Jackson Miller and the folks at Dynamite get it. If this ongoing series is anything like Glen Larson’s original TV show, fans like myself can enjoy a “second season” of sorts (Galactica 1980 notwithstanding). Miller captures the voices and the characters while overlaying a moral complexity to his narrative.

Miller has also expanded on the Galactica universe, adding alien races. The Okaati have also been at war for generations, pursued across the stars by the aggressive Comitat. When an alliance is proposed, trust does not come so easily. Adama faces an ethical dilemma of genuine need vs. his obligation to safeguard his people – people who also have a need.

Clearly, artist Daniel HDR has reviewed the original Battlestar for reference. Costumes, sets and hardware are accurately represented, just as they were on the original television series. It’s more than I can say for Marvel’s illustrations at the time. They seemed intent on making an entirely different comic only loosely based on the TV show. Dynamite’s series actually makes me more than a little nostalgic for those Sunday nights back in ’78.

Rating: 10/10