REVIEW: ‘The Terminator: Sector War’ #1
The Terminator: Sector War is a new four-part series from Dark Horse. The comic book, featuring a script by Brian Wood and art by Jeff Stokely, is a thrilling, atmospheric alternative to the main Terminator storyline in the movies. Issue #1 will be released Aug. 15, and readers take note, Dark Horse has a winner on its hands.
Mild spoilers abound.
The new story is actually an old one, circa 1984, which works with Terminator canon and also represents the coolest decade of the 20th century. So, why not?
The main character is not given too much background in the first issue. Her name is Lucy Castro, and an opening paragraph states that she is an officer with the New York Police Department working the same time Sarah Conner has her struggles in Los Angeles. A Terminator (T800) has been dispatched to kill Lucy, presumably because her and her baby will one day be resistance fighters against the war-lording machines.
The cat-and-mouse game between Lucy and the Terminator — who arrives naked and instantly needs clothes, similar to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s portrayal in the movie version — is great fun, featuring stylized violence, plenty of blasts and one helpful convenience store cashier. The real draw, though, is not the action or the main plot, but Stokely’s atmospheric rendering of 1980s New York City.
Times Square is grungy and filled with garbage. The local police department is filled with cases and new arrests. Lucy’s superior complains about her overtime, and even though she wants to go home and rest up after her shift, she needs to deal with an abusive boyfriend. This Big Apple is far from the Disney-fied city of 2018. It’s gritty and raw, violent and rough around the edges. The landscape makes for a superb setting.
There are many unanswered questions in this first installment, including the significance of the comic’s title and whether Lucy’s tale will eventually connect with Sarah’s. The next three issues should be thrilling, providing some answers and offering up a slew of new considerations in this action-packed franchise.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
The Terminator: Sector War #1, written by Brian Wood and featuring art by Jeff Stokely, will be released Aug. 15 from Dark Horse. Cover art: Robert Sammelin. Issue #1 variant cover art: Grzegorz Domaradzki. Click here for more information.
