NOW COMICS
THE TERMINATOR (September 1988)
Two James Cameron movies got a Comic Book Series in 1988, Aliens in July through Dark Horse Comics, The Terminator in September through Now Comics. Comic books based on films back in the days were simply interesting. Not necessarily good, but very interesting. These were different times, when few knew any movie by memory, and the same goes for the comic book creators. While nowadays we have Blu Rays, streaming, screenshots and everything available at the palm of our hands, back then the Comic Books weren’t truly based on films as much as they were based on the “Impression” of the films, a vague memory of them. Thus, in the 1980s, the designs of the Terminators for example, didn't match and didn't even try to match the movie design. They were random generic skeletal robots with eyeballs. Cyberdyne was called Technodyne simply because the writers misremembered the name after seeing the movie few years back, and no one else remembered such “details” to correct him. That’s why back in the 1980's, in Aliens comic books the name Weyland Yutani didn't appear for years because it was never mentioned in the films released at the time, and few remembered its logo on Carter Burke’s Card. The first Aliens comic books didn't even replicate the tech and the look of the films, as the artist admitted he didn't have a VCR to freeze frame and just made up future tech and weapons. And at the time, no one really cared for that. 80s Comic books based on the then-recent film were like aftereffect of a stone thrown into water. A movie created ripples and the first comic book issues were all about that single movie the comic books followed, but the further they go the fainter the ripples grow and eventually fade away. Same goes for late 80s Comic books based on The Terminator and Aliens - they started off kind of as a direct continuation and then grew into something else with its own continuity, mythology and characters. Until new sequel appeared.
The other interesting thing about the old comic books was that they were a snapshot of the time, a time capsule, and with the newsstand issues it was like going to a movie theater with and audience - each issue had couple pages of letters from the readers, who either praised or criticized certain aspect of the series or story. That way you felt your'e part of an audience.
At first the series’ drew only from limited source that was the film that directly preceded them. There was no internet, and no extensive source of information on the subject. There were few articles here, there, magazine specials in some cases, but back in the days even magazine articles were very erroneous because they also had limited information
An 80's comic book series based on The Terminator was a great idea especially at the time, and it became a reality in 1988, 4 years after the movie hit theaters. At the time, Arnold Schwarzenegger's latest movie was Red Heat and The Terminator was a VHS hit (awarded Double Platinum certification for VHS sales) and already a low budget cult classic.
A comic book company called NOW acquired a license from Hemdale and the Terminator Universe first graced comic book pages in a special preview in the back of an August 1988 issue #12 of a comic book called "Rust".
The series was targeted for very young audience of 10-12 with very bright, colorful and cartoon-like artwork. It followed the adventures of people fighting with machines in 2031 (notably a group of fighters called Sarah's Slammers), although the future war is nothing like what we've seen in the movie. It's bright, shiny, with grass and blue sky. Gone are tanks, darkness and expressionistic ruins.
Reader of the month
The series is actually heavily based on The Real Ghostbusters animated series, which NOW comics also published (The Real Ghostbusters was a late 80's animated series based on the 1984 Ghostbusters film). The tone is very similar most of the time, the group dynamics are similar, and instead of blasting ghosts the team blasts Terminators, or as they call them throughout the series, Nators. Even some characters resemble Ghostbusters from the cartoon, for example, the character of Doyle and Ghostbusters' Eagon
Basically this is The Terminator retweaked for an 80's Saturday Morning Cartoon, which in itself is surreal, but at the same time this comic series perfectly showcases the colorful and whacky 80's
The Nators never look at all like the endoskeletons (with the exception of two issues), and have very human-like characteristics. They argue and have Bond-villain like monologues. All the Terminators were bodybuilding types with rocker clothes and sunglasses, some even having long blonde hair and wearing 80s hair band t shirts. The series oozes 80's, and sometimes you'd think you're looking at images from Denver the Dinosaur animated series.
The main characters were sometimes switched around and the action was taking place in various places on Earth, from Tropical Jungle to the Oceans, but mostly in Florida. The series also featured 'Nator babies and wolves. The closest to a recurring villain that the series had was DIX-190 (also referred to as Terminator 101), later nicknamed Goliath after receiving an upgrade, an exceptionally sadistic (!) Terminator with personal vendetta (!) against Konrad, a human friendly android created by people on the moon colony. Konrad's best friend happens to be Tim Reese, Kyle Reese's little brother
Skynet appears in one issue as a shape changing hologram, taking the form of Benjamin Franklin and a circus entertainer, and is also a mustache twirling, cartoon villain. Not only is the NOW series an interesting look at how an 80's Saturday Morning cartoon Terminator series would be, but what is also very interesting is that so far it is the only terminator comic series that does not feature the element of time travel or any time travelers. It is purely about the continuing war with Skynet in the future (and for some reason it continues past 2029, the again, it is very apparent right off the bat and in many places throughout the series that the writers and artists had a very vague memory of the film and have not rewatched it in quite some time).
I like this series. Its surreal to see this dark low budget noir film being turned into a late 80s animated series style series for young readers, and that's where lies its appeal. It's also bizarre how sometimes it takes such a left turn momentarily, and out of nowhere throws in some R rated element once in blue moon which feels completely out of place. So anyway, lets take a look at it issue by issue
Issue #1 Untitled. Written by Fred Schiller, Art by Tony Atkins
The first issue was released in September of 1988. It introduces us to the series' own version of the animated Ghostbusters team, Sarah's Slammers - a rogue group of fighters named after the legendary Sarah Connor of course. The first issue, written and drawn by the same team who did the introduction in the Rust comic book, is very chaotic. It introduces both the Sarah's Slammers and the Lunar team that come from the moon colony for supplies, but there are so many names and characters thrown at once that its hard for anything to stick, especially since the very simplistic artwork does not help, as there's very little to sometimes no differentials between how the characters are drawn. It's hard to guess who's who. The artwork's not bad, just too simple, fitting an illustrated book for youngsters with its style. Anyway, due to circumstances, the lunar team gets stranded on Earth and teams up with the Slammers, and their Ace in the sleeve is a human created android Konrad, designed and built by lunar people on the moon. Konrad has super strength and human personality and emotions. Think of Bishop. He looks like an 80's wrestler, very much like The Ultimate Warrior. Gotta love the 80's
The issue also introduces us to the flesh farm, which is both a place were human flesh is grown and at the same time it's a town filled with brainwashed people who live a happy life among terminators, who, in their skeletal forms, fill the positions of police, town baker (!) and even nuns!
As in the preview, the Terminators are of a generic robot design and do not resemble the Terminators at all
Issue #2 Untitled Written by Tony Caputo, Art by Thomas Tenney
This issue sees a temporary change in the writing department, and a more or less permanent change in the artwork department. For the most part, Thomas Tenney became the house artist for The Terminator series. I liked the change, his art was clearer, more 80's and fit this series better. It did have a bit of a fanzine look to it though.
In his debut issue, he actually draws the Terminator endoskeletons the way the actual endoskeletons look, unfortunately, with the exception of one panel in the next issue, that will be the last time the comic endoskeletons are accurate or resemble the movie one in this series. These are the only panels in which Terminators actually look like Terminators, so at the same time, the only panels in which the image of an 800 endoskeleton appeared in the comic books in the 80's:
In this issue, we get introduced to the very young Tim Reese, Kyle Reese's little brother. He's part of a team called Synth Slashers that look like Vietnam War platoon. The Synth Slashers are trying to raid a very small Terminator camp (that also looks like a little Vietnam War makeshift fort) to rob their plasma rifle supplies. Unfortunately for the team, all get killed except for Tim and a little girl. They escape into flying HK (yes) which appears to be on auto pilot. Long story short, they escape and bump into the hidden base of Sarah's Slammers and their new lunar friends. Unfortunately, their explosive meeting attracts nearby Terminator patrol
There is another interesting thing about the issue, and that's the artist's borrowing of panels from John Byrne's Superman #1, released a year earlier, in which Superman meets Metallo for the first time. Well, see for yourself. Terminator #2 on the left, Superman #1 on the right.
Also from next issue on, Terminators will look very, very much like Metallo did
Issue #3 "If I Had A Rocket Launcher" Written by Tony Caputo Art by Thomas Tenney
The story continues as our gang makes escape in a hijacked flying HK which lands in a Terminator supply base, a move resulting in lots of casualties in the group. With multiple casualties and the character number significantly down to a few, the remaining characters begin to take shape and become more prominent and defined. Tenney does fairly good job with the flying HKs (the ground ones do not appear in this series)
The survivors also stumble upon and blow up the Nator town introduced in the first issue. Also, the events of the film are recalled and never referred to again to the end of the series
As far as that one panel in which the Terminator endoskeletons still resemble the one from the film, here it is
This issue sees a temporary change in the writing department, and a more or less permanent change in the artwork department. For the most part, Thomas Tenney became the house artist for The Terminator series. I liked the change, his art was clearer, more 80's and fit this series better. It did have a bit of a fanzine look to it though.
In his debut issue, he actually draws the Terminator endoskeletons the way the actual endoskeletons look, unfortunately, with the exception of one panel in the next issue, that will be the last time the comic endoskeletons are accurate or resemble the movie one in this series. These are the only panels in which Terminators actually look like Terminators, so at the same time, the only panels in which the image of an 800 endoskeleton appeared in the comic books in the 80's:
In this issue, we get introduced to the very young Tim Reese, Kyle Reese's little brother. He's part of a team called Synth Slashers that look like Vietnam War platoon. The Synth Slashers are trying to raid a very small Terminator camp (that also looks like a little Vietnam War makeshift fort) to rob their plasma rifle supplies. Unfortunately for the team, all get killed except for Tim and a little girl. They escape into flying HK (yes) which appears to be on auto pilot. Long story short, they escape and bump into the hidden base of Sarah's Slammers and their new lunar friends. Unfortunately, their explosive meeting attracts nearby Terminator patrol
There is another interesting thing about the issue, and that's the artist's borrowing of panels from John Byrne's Superman #1, released a year earlier, in which Superman meets Metallo for the first time. Well, see for yourself. Terminator #2 on the left, Superman #1 on the right.
Also from next issue on, Terminators will look very, very much like Metallo did
Issue #3 "If I Had A Rocket Launcher" Written by Tony Caputo Art by Thomas Tenney
The story continues as our gang makes escape in a hijacked flying HK which lands in a Terminator supply base, a move resulting in lots of casualties in the group. With multiple casualties and the character number significantly down to a few, the remaining characters begin to take shape and become more prominent and defined. Tenney does fairly good job with the flying HKs (the ground ones do not appear in this series)
The survivors also stumble upon and blow up the Nator town introduced in the first issue. Also, the events of the film are recalled and never referred to again to the end of the series
As far as that one panel in which the Terminator endoskeletons still resemble the one from the film, here it is
By the end of this issue till the end of this series, terminators looked completely different and heavily resembled Superman's Metallo instead. Considering the authors' affection for Superman's villain that was evident in the previous issue, I think it's safe to say Metallo was the mold for Terminator endoskeletons in this series from this issue on. They're basically the same, with those striped metal pecks and all.
Metallo
The bodies were mirror images of Metallo's, and will remain to be till the end of the series. The endoskulls are also heavily based on that of Metallo's, with the striped cheek cables and very pronounced and protruding brow bones. Later in the series they will mirror Metallo completely, with red eyes quickly gone, replaced with eyeballs (like in the first issue)
Issue #4 Amahiri Written by Jack Herman Art by Thomas Tenney
For the next two issues, we take a break from the Slammers and their story and move to a completely different place - South American rain forest. We meet three brothers from a small tribe, who witness a landing of an HK carrying a Terminator with a mission to destroy the rainforest with some kind of giant machine. Skynet figured that since the rainforest produces so much oxygen it should be destroyed. The Terminator assumes the tribe will be a problem and decides to wipe them out which he does, except for the brothers who escape into the jungle. "Interesting" thing is, even thought the Terminator wears only loin cloth and is adorned in African markings, he still wears sunglasses. Gotta love the 80's
This is also the first issue where the letters start coming up from the readers. Most of them praise the first issue but at the same criticize the overly simplistic artwork (which was already taken care of by that point because the original artist was already gone when issue #2 rolled around), and one is even from a concerned parent who wasn't too satisfied with the word "damn" that was featured in the first issue...Reminds you who this comic series was originally made for
Issue #5 The Bee Stings Written by Jack Herman Art by Thomas Tenney
Continuation of the tribe vs Terminator story. The surviving brothers make a trip to an abandoned northern settlement where they find grenades and a shotgun. A shaman helps the youngest take the decision to destroy the Terminator and with the help of the other clan they blow up the ozone layer-destroying machine and the terminator.
Issue #6 Goin Back To Miami Written by Jack Herman, Art by Thomas Tenney
With this issue we're going back to Miami, to a small hut in the middle of a swamp where two terminators guard their prisoner. The first time I've read this issue I had a very hard time figuring out who those two guys were since they did not act like any kind of artificial beings at all. They argued, they yelled at each other etc. All terminators start to be very talkative and full of personalities starting with this issue on.
A squad of soldiers tries to get the prisoner out from the two guarding terminators who look like members of Twisted Sister band, and a single "badass" terminator comes to their aid and obliterates the platoon. This Terminator is DIX-190, the series' recurring villain who gets introduced in this issue and he is spoken of as if some "special forces" tough guy, and seems to be more "badass" than at least the two terminators he's backing up. Funny thing with the model designation is that the creators clearly thought the model designation that is seen on the movie poster, CSM-101, is just some random lettering and numbering to sound technical, while in fact it's not random at all, as it means 'Cyberdyne Systems Model'
For the next two issues, we take a break from the Slammers and their story and move to a completely different place - South American rain forest. We meet three brothers from a small tribe, who witness a landing of an HK carrying a Terminator with a mission to destroy the rainforest with some kind of giant machine. Skynet figured that since the rainforest produces so much oxygen it should be destroyed. The Terminator assumes the tribe will be a problem and decides to wipe them out which he does, except for the brothers who escape into the jungle. "Interesting" thing is, even thought the Terminator wears only loin cloth and is adorned in African markings, he still wears sunglasses. Gotta love the 80's
This is also the first issue where the letters start coming up from the readers. Most of them praise the first issue but at the same criticize the overly simplistic artwork (which was already taken care of by that point because the original artist was already gone when issue #2 rolled around), and one is even from a concerned parent who wasn't too satisfied with the word "damn" that was featured in the first issue...Reminds you who this comic series was originally made for
Issue #5 The Bee Stings Written by Jack Herman Art by Thomas Tenney
Continuation of the tribe vs Terminator story. The surviving brothers make a trip to an abandoned northern settlement where they find grenades and a shotgun. A shaman helps the youngest take the decision to destroy the Terminator and with the help of the other clan they blow up the ozone layer-destroying machine and the terminator.
Issue #6 Goin Back To Miami Written by Jack Herman, Art by Thomas Tenney
With this issue we're going back to Miami, to a small hut in the middle of a swamp where two terminators guard their prisoner. The first time I've read this issue I had a very hard time figuring out who those two guys were since they did not act like any kind of artificial beings at all. They argued, they yelled at each other etc. All terminators start to be very talkative and full of personalities starting with this issue on.
A squad of soldiers tries to get the prisoner out from the two guarding terminators who look like members of Twisted Sister band, and a single "badass" terminator comes to their aid and obliterates the platoon. This Terminator is DIX-190, the series' recurring villain who gets introduced in this issue and he is spoken of as if some "special forces" tough guy, and seems to be more "badass" than at least the two terminators he's backing up. Funny thing with the model designation is that the creators clearly thought the model designation that is seen on the movie poster, CSM-101, is just some random lettering and numbering to sound technical, while in fact it's not random at all, as it means 'Cyberdyne Systems Model'
Anyway, Dix-190 makes it clear that he wants to find Sarah's Slammers to avenge the flesh farm they destroyed. Yep, we're still talking about terminators. Anger, revenge, pride, hate, ego first and foremost, that's all Nators' emotional range. I honestly couldn't decipher at first until it was spelled out that these guys are terminators.
One interesting thing is that this issue is one of those very few where hardcore violence and gore shows up out of nowhere. DIX-190 rips soldier's intestines out, and takes off a skin from another soldier's hand to replace his own damaged flesh
There's also a brief moment in this issue which shows that Tim Reese and Konrad the android form a friendship
Issue #7 Big Bad Wolf Written by Jack Herman, Art by Robin Ator
This issue again takes a break from the Florida story and brings us to some unnamed metropoly, in which a small group of survivors is getting low on food supplies and a team of two people go out to trade for food with other survivors. Unbeknown to any of them, there is a terminator wolf in the city which they take for a real wolf and return with to their base. Hell ensues and few survivors escape the massacre caused by the robo-wolf. For some reason the cybernetic wolf growls before attacking and howls. A guest artist Robin Ator pencils this issue, and its absolutely terrible.
It's interesting to note that one reader in the letter column calls out the publisher for not following the movie or the common logic. He asks why is there a war in 2031 if Reese said they had won, and how come Skynet, having been shown by the comic series itself to have satellites, isn't aware of the moon base and doesn't attack them. The answer is quite snarky, and the explanation is that the series is not a historical text but an entertainment
Issue #8 In the Belly of the Beast Written by Jack Herman, Art by Thomas Tenney
In this issue we're going back to Miami. The entire issue is basically one big action scene. Sarah's Slammer's new base in an old mine shaft is getting discovered by Dix-190 and his two accompanying hair-metal Terminators. Lots of casualties again, and a start of a romance between the resistance fighters, with the issue culminating in a fight between Konrad and Dix-190 in which the two get separated and the resistance fighters escape. Konrad and Tim also get separated from the rest after an explosion in the shaft
Issue #9 Untitled Written by Ron Fortier, Art by Thomas Tenney
This is the first issue with Ron Fortier, a new house writer that will remain till the end of the series. The entire issue is more or less an aftermath of the last one. The Slammers and the rest of the moon team scrambling together after the mine shaft battle, Konrad and Tim finding some lonely woman living in a shack offering them food. The friendship between the two is developed more. And also Dix-190 is shown getting out of the ruins and getting picked up by an HK for a maintenance check. And he is very annoyed that he had to wait so long for it.
Our gang hijacks yet another flying HK and fly north only to encounter a very "special" group of fighters...ranchers on horses. I kid you not
Issue #10 Untitled Written by Ron Fortier, Art by Thomas Tenney
Our gang, upon learning that Skynet found out about their moon base, are trying to stop the battle shuttle that's being built to go to and destroy the lunar colony. The mustached, cowboy ranchers on horses help them out by creating a diversion while our gang shoots down the shuttle, titled "Viking" by the terminators (...) with the flying HK they had hijacked last issue. Other HKs shoot them down forcing them to crash land into the ocean. The romantic subplot between a girl named Essie and the lunar guy named Chi is further developed while Essie reveals that she's pregnant.
Here are some panels showing terminators discussing their destructive mission...yes, those are terminators. "The moon will be ours!"
Issue #11 Factories Written by Ron Fortier, Art by Thomas Tenney
This is a big issue, because for the first time we actually meet Skynet. Hidden in a Colorado mountain in a secret NORAD base, Skynet reprimands Dix-190 for failing his mission. Skynet uses a hologram ball to project itself in front of Dix-190, and changes forms from the devil to Benjamin Franklin to a circus entertainer. After an exchange of snarky comments between the two, Skynet orders Dix-190 to find and deal with Konrad, and gets an upgrade to do so. He is said to be a Terminator 101 (in addition to his DIX-190 designation I guess?), but from now on will be an upgraded Terminator 103 nicknamed Goliath. He gets a built-in power backpack and new targeting system. Skynet is also said to be made by Technodyne. Someone had a vague memory of the name of the company from the movie and remembered the ending "dyne", and that it had something to do with technology, so instead of Cyberdyne someone actually remembered it as Technodyne and went with it.
Meanwhile, Konrad and Tim meet new friends as they discover a secret base and tube babies factory led by survivors and scientists in an old amusement park. Tim makes a new friend who was one of the first test tube baby, Peter.
Issue #12 Night Convoy Written by Ron Fortier, Art by Thomas Tenney
While the previous issue was important because we were shown Skynet for the first time, in this issue we actually get to meet the legendary John Connor.
A group of female fighters stop by the "nursery" lab to transport the babies and Konrad and Tim decide to join them. Midway through, Tim and one of the women go on to check the surroundings in the nearby city ruins and that's where Tim gets caught by the Dix-190 himself, now called Goliath. Goliath lets the woman go to bring Konrad to him if he wants the boy to live. And here we have another surprising gore factor. Goliath actually cuts little Tim's tongue off and gives it to the woman to show as a message.
Konrad comes in and has another fight with Goliath while the female fighters and John Connor arrives with his team just in time to help him. He saves Tim and blast Goliath into pieces.
Connor is shown as a bearded blond man, and his personal sign is a gold Bear. His nickname is also Bear
Also interesting to note is that in the letter column, one fan suggests that maybe the resistance, or rather, rebel fighters as they're called in the series, should try and reprogram a terminator. The response was that terminators can't be reprogrammed because they're directly controlled by Skynet, and they're "computer terminals, rather than reservoirs for data"
Issue #13 Untitled Written by Ron Fortier, Art by Thomas Tenney
This is a fill in issue in which nothing really happens. First it begins with Skynet contemplating the destruction of his cherished Goliath and the need for mass producing the 103's, and then it's structured as if written by Tim Reese recalling events from last issue. It also introduces new characters, members of the personal John Connor team: Miguel, a fierce, patch eyed fighter, Gerry, an all able mechanic and Marissa, the best field medic.
Issue #14 Into the Deep Blue Sea Written by Ron Fortier, Art by Thomas Tenney
This issue picks up where issue #10 left off, and that's the whereabouts of Sarah's Slammers and the lunar gang. They are trapped in a shot down, sinking HK but manage to get out through maintenance hatch. On the way up to the surface they encounter Soviet submarine and are welcomed with open arms
Issue #15 See Cuba and Die Written by Ron Fortier, Art by Thomas Tenney
Continuation of the last issue plus more. Our gang becomes friends with the captain of the Soviet submarine and they all head to Cuba to help against a massive attack from Skynet.
On Cuba we also meet the series' Iron Man - a man in super suit who is a one man army.
We also get to see a new group of fighters in Detroit, where Skynet's Terminator factory is located. Skynet began mass producing new Goliath's 107s
Issue #16 The Battle of Cuba Written by Ron Fortier, Art by Thomas Tenney
This is where we say farewell to our gang. It is the last stand for Cuban and Soviet warriors in which Sarah's Slammers join in to help and almost all surprisingly die. It is quite a surprising and somber ending for the characters that were constant throughout this light series
Issue #17 Escape To Silver Dollar Written by Ron Fortier, Art by Robin Ator
This is an afterthought, fill-in issue that doesn't continue any particular story. It's a standalone story of a group of people who make the escape from Skynet's death camp and are being pursued by a bunch of Nators in jeeps. The story isn't really bad other than a completely, utterly ridiculous depiction of the terminators, both visually (some are just skeletons with human heads like caricatures!) and personality wise. I mean, look at this....
And this concludes the 17 issue The Terminator series by NOW comics, although what was next for NOW was one of the finest Terminator comic books to date and a debut of the legendary Alex Ross. But that's all in part 2
One interesting thing is that this issue is one of those very few where hardcore violence and gore shows up out of nowhere. DIX-190 rips soldier's intestines out, and takes off a skin from another soldier's hand to replace his own damaged flesh
There's also a brief moment in this issue which shows that Tim Reese and Konrad the android form a friendship
Issue #7 Big Bad Wolf Written by Jack Herman, Art by Robin Ator
This issue again takes a break from the Florida story and brings us to some unnamed metropoly, in which a small group of survivors is getting low on food supplies and a team of two people go out to trade for food with other survivors. Unbeknown to any of them, there is a terminator wolf in the city which they take for a real wolf and return with to their base. Hell ensues and few survivors escape the massacre caused by the robo-wolf. For some reason the cybernetic wolf growls before attacking and howls. A guest artist Robin Ator pencils this issue, and its absolutely terrible.
It's interesting to note that one reader in the letter column calls out the publisher for not following the movie or the common logic. He asks why is there a war in 2031 if Reese said they had won, and how come Skynet, having been shown by the comic series itself to have satellites, isn't aware of the moon base and doesn't attack them. The answer is quite snarky, and the explanation is that the series is not a historical text but an entertainment
Issue #8 In the Belly of the Beast Written by Jack Herman, Art by Thomas Tenney
In this issue we're going back to Miami. The entire issue is basically one big action scene. Sarah's Slammer's new base in an old mine shaft is getting discovered by Dix-190 and his two accompanying hair-metal Terminators. Lots of casualties again, and a start of a romance between the resistance fighters, with the issue culminating in a fight between Konrad and Dix-190 in which the two get separated and the resistance fighters escape. Konrad and Tim also get separated from the rest after an explosion in the shaft
Issue #9 Untitled Written by Ron Fortier, Art by Thomas Tenney
This is the first issue with Ron Fortier, a new house writer that will remain till the end of the series. The entire issue is more or less an aftermath of the last one. The Slammers and the rest of the moon team scrambling together after the mine shaft battle, Konrad and Tim finding some lonely woman living in a shack offering them food. The friendship between the two is developed more. And also Dix-190 is shown getting out of the ruins and getting picked up by an HK for a maintenance check. And he is very annoyed that he had to wait so long for it.
Our gang hijacks yet another flying HK and fly north only to encounter a very "special" group of fighters...ranchers on horses. I kid you not
Issue #10 Untitled Written by Ron Fortier, Art by Thomas Tenney
Our gang, upon learning that Skynet found out about their moon base, are trying to stop the battle shuttle that's being built to go to and destroy the lunar colony. The mustached, cowboy ranchers on horses help them out by creating a diversion while our gang shoots down the shuttle, titled "Viking" by the terminators (...) with the flying HK they had hijacked last issue. Other HKs shoot them down forcing them to crash land into the ocean. The romantic subplot between a girl named Essie and the lunar guy named Chi is further developed while Essie reveals that she's pregnant.
Here are some panels showing terminators discussing their destructive mission...yes, those are terminators. "The moon will be ours!"
Issue #11 Factories Written by Ron Fortier, Art by Thomas Tenney
This is a big issue, because for the first time we actually meet Skynet. Hidden in a Colorado mountain in a secret NORAD base, Skynet reprimands Dix-190 for failing his mission. Skynet uses a hologram ball to project itself in front of Dix-190, and changes forms from the devil to Benjamin Franklin to a circus entertainer. After an exchange of snarky comments between the two, Skynet orders Dix-190 to find and deal with Konrad, and gets an upgrade to do so. He is said to be a Terminator 101 (in addition to his DIX-190 designation I guess?), but from now on will be an upgraded Terminator 103 nicknamed Goliath. He gets a built-in power backpack and new targeting system. Skynet is also said to be made by Technodyne. Someone had a vague memory of the name of the company from the movie and remembered the ending "dyne", and that it had something to do with technology, so instead of Cyberdyne someone actually remembered it as Technodyne and went with it.
Meanwhile, Konrad and Tim meet new friends as they discover a secret base and tube babies factory led by survivors and scientists in an old amusement park. Tim makes a new friend who was one of the first test tube baby, Peter.
Issue #12 Night Convoy Written by Ron Fortier, Art by Thomas Tenney
While the previous issue was important because we were shown Skynet for the first time, in this issue we actually get to meet the legendary John Connor.
A group of female fighters stop by the "nursery" lab to transport the babies and Konrad and Tim decide to join them. Midway through, Tim and one of the women go on to check the surroundings in the nearby city ruins and that's where Tim gets caught by the Dix-190 himself, now called Goliath. Goliath lets the woman go to bring Konrad to him if he wants the boy to live. And here we have another surprising gore factor. Goliath actually cuts little Tim's tongue off and gives it to the woman to show as a message.
Konrad comes in and has another fight with Goliath while the female fighters and John Connor arrives with his team just in time to help him. He saves Tim and blast Goliath into pieces.
Connor is shown as a bearded blond man, and his personal sign is a gold Bear. His nickname is also Bear
Also interesting to note is that in the letter column, one fan suggests that maybe the resistance, or rather, rebel fighters as they're called in the series, should try and reprogram a terminator. The response was that terminators can't be reprogrammed because they're directly controlled by Skynet, and they're "computer terminals, rather than reservoirs for data"
Issue #13 Untitled Written by Ron Fortier, Art by Thomas Tenney
This is a fill in issue in which nothing really happens. First it begins with Skynet contemplating the destruction of his cherished Goliath and the need for mass producing the 103's, and then it's structured as if written by Tim Reese recalling events from last issue. It also introduces new characters, members of the personal John Connor team: Miguel, a fierce, patch eyed fighter, Gerry, an all able mechanic and Marissa, the best field medic.
Issue #14 Into the Deep Blue Sea Written by Ron Fortier, Art by Thomas Tenney
This issue picks up where issue #10 left off, and that's the whereabouts of Sarah's Slammers and the lunar gang. They are trapped in a shot down, sinking HK but manage to get out through maintenance hatch. On the way up to the surface they encounter Soviet submarine and are welcomed with open arms
Issue #15 See Cuba and Die Written by Ron Fortier, Art by Thomas Tenney
Continuation of the last issue plus more. Our gang becomes friends with the captain of the Soviet submarine and they all head to Cuba to help against a massive attack from Skynet.
On Cuba we also meet the series' Iron Man - a man in super suit who is a one man army.
We also get to see a new group of fighters in Detroit, where Skynet's Terminator factory is located. Skynet began mass producing new Goliath's 107s
Issue #16 The Battle of Cuba Written by Ron Fortier, Art by Thomas Tenney
This is where we say farewell to our gang. It is the last stand for Cuban and Soviet warriors in which Sarah's Slammers join in to help and almost all surprisingly die. It is quite a surprising and somber ending for the characters that were constant throughout this light series
Issue #17 Escape To Silver Dollar Written by Ron Fortier, Art by Robin Ator
This is an afterthought, fill-in issue that doesn't continue any particular story. It's a standalone story of a group of people who make the escape from Skynet's death camp and are being pursued by a bunch of Nators in jeeps. The story isn't really bad other than a completely, utterly ridiculous depiction of the terminators, both visually (some are just skeletons with human heads like caricatures!) and personality wise. I mean, look at this....
And this concludes the 17 issue The Terminator series by NOW comics, although what was next for NOW was one of the finest Terminator comic books to date and a debut of the legendary Alex Ross. But that's all in part 2
Part II HERE
Go back to http://www.jamescamerononline.com/TerminatorTrilogy.htm
Read about all the other Terminator Comic Books ever published here: