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01/31/14 @ 11:58 am EST
Five years after Ronald Moore's critically-acclaimed revision of Battlestar Galactica went off the air, Dynamite Entertainment is about to reveal that the Cylons still have a plan with the announcement of an all-new spin-off series, Battlestar Galactica: Six. A new five issue series set before the Syfy series, Six sees writer J.T. Krul and artist Igor Vitornio tell the origin story of the franchise's central Cylon (played by Tricia Helfer on the show), as she is taught to both understand humanity -- and work towards their eventual annihilation.
"I think the psychological aspect of the Cylons as they try to understand what it means to be 'human' rests at the very heart and soul of the show," Krul told THR. "You have the last humans fighting for survival and trying to maintain their humanity in the process -- while at the same time, you have the Cylons hunting after them become more and more human as their exposure continues. The line between human and Cylon gets blurred rather quickly and it made for one hell of a drama. Seriously, Ronald Moore created one of the best television shows of the past two decades. The minute Nick and people at Dynamite started making Battlestar Galactica comics I wanted to be a part of it."
Dynamite has been publishing Battlestar Galactica for eight years, although more recently, the publisher has focused on the original incarnation of the franchise with a series by fan-favorites Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning. Six marks the first reboot-era BSG title for the publisher since 2009's The Final Five mini-series, something Krul hopes to make worth the wait.
The writer promises that Six and her fellow next generation Cylons may surprise fans of the show in this series. "If you think about it, the original designs flee into outer space -- wandering the solar system for years as they work to create this next evolution of Cylon -- one that looks and acts human," he said. "They are trying to create what they think is a human being. The physical characteristics are pretty straight forward, but the psychological aspects -- those are so complex and nuanced. I mean, I think humans in real life have trouble coping with our own existence, so why wouldn't a Cylon have the same issues?"
Although the series goes deep into the BSG mythology, Krul said that the focus is on Six's psychological development. In order to complete her mission, he explained, the Cylon has to comprehend human emotion, but also the human fear of death -- something that the Cylons, with their downloads at the moment of termination, can't entirely comprehend.
"In a weird way, Cylons are almost like humans with a complete and absolute faith in the concept of reincarnation. They know that if something happens to their body, they will wake up again in another one just the same. The body or the shell doesn't really matter. Their existence will be saved, transmitted - their soul will transcend," he said. "If only we could all have that blessing of certainty."
There's more to the series -- and to Six's development -- than simply understanding her creators, however. "She must also come to the proper conclusion regarding the conflict between the Cylons and the human." Krul teased, suggesting that that conclusion may include grappling with the idea that the Cylons "should and must destroy all humanity, both as retribution and as a means of self-defense. In order to reach the next level, the Cylons must kill their own creator gods."
If this sounds like heady stuff, it's something that Krul -- whose comic work includes Green Arrow and Captain Atom for DC, as well as Fathom for Top Cow -- enjoys writing. "I am huge Dystopian fiction fan," he admitted, citing Fahrenheit 451 and Brave New World as influences. "I love these kinds of stories because, while they create rich and engaging worlds, they are still essentially telling stories about the human condition - with the search for love and true human connection almost always at the forefront. It's definitely given me the bug to keep telling stories along this kind of vibe."
Battlestar Galactica: Six launches in April. If you can't wait until then, below are the covers to the first issue, as well as some preview art from series artist Vitornio.
07/30/14 @ 10:34 am EST
Questions for Michael Moreci @ Chaos: The Chosen 1. Michael, how did you happen to get attached to this Chaos! One-shot? MM: I had worked on a different one-shot, for a book called My Little Phony. It must have went well because, after that, Dynamite offered me another gig—this one for The Chosen, famous of the Chaos line. It's a perfect fit and right in my wheelhouse. Monster-chasing is something I can't get enough of. I write Hoax Hunters for Image, which is kind of like The Chosen minus the '90s attitude and plus an astronaut suit filled with crows. 2. Am I correct to assume this spins out of what happened in the Chaos! Miniseries? MM: Absolutely. I'm a fan of the Chaos line, and Tim Seeley (Chaos scribe) is a good friend of mine. So, I had been reading his scripts for the series already and knew where he was going with things. And, truth be told, I absolutely love the work Tim did with this relaunch. His six issues are far better than anyone can ever ask for. 3. The Chosen are a group of monster teens who travel the world with one agenda – hunting other monsters! (laughs) Can you tell me about the individual members of this team? MM: The Chosen are basically this ragtag team of teenage/early 20s misfits who all have some kind of “monster” power. And they use their powers to hunt down other, bad monsters. They're horror X-Men, in a sense. The characters are Vanessa, a necromancer and kind of the leader of the team. She's reinforced by Danny/R.I.P., a ... 07/18/14 @ 11:41 pm EST
Review: Vampirella #1 (Collins)
Writer: Nancy Collins, Pencils: Patrick Berkenkotter, Inks: Dennis Chrisotomo, Colors: Jorge Sutil, Letterer: Rob Steen, Cover: Terry Dodson, Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment Price: $3.99 Release Date: June 4, 2014 Vampirella gets a new start and a new #1 as this veteran character shows she can still star in one hell of a yarn. With horror writer Nancy Collins at the helm, this is a particularly strong issue for everyone’s favorite dark mistress. There has been a kidnapping and Vampirella has been called in by the Vatican itself to investigate. All she has to hear is that Ethan Shroud is someone connected and off we go! I was expecting a bit more of a horror vent in this one, but what Collins spins out instead is a bone-chilling detective novelette, complete with mysteries, victims and red herrings. And while we do get a bit of the mystic here, Vampirella’s strong suit as a dark detective really comes through. And a cliffhanger that makes NOT wanting to read issue #2 impossible! All in all, one of the strongest beginnings for Vampirella in her long, long history. 07/18/14 @ 5:51 pm EST
Writer: Brian Buccellato,
Art: Ronan Cliquet,
Colors: Viviane Souza,
Letterer: Rob Steen,
Cover: Jae Lee,
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Price: $3.99
Release Date: June 4, 2014 Coming up fast on its conclusion (and sadly this book’s final issue), this most excellent and noir chronicling of the adventures of the Black Bat hits its stride with #11. Full of answers to questions posed since issue #1 and nefarious reveals, writer Brian Buccellato begins to put a bow onto one of his most brilliant pieces of pulp writing. Our boy Tony now knows Cameron Tell, not Oliver Snade, is the true mastermind behind pulling the strings, and as he battles for redemption there is a possibility the hero may have to violate one of his most sacred vows. Will the vigilante turn to murder, even as the cops and press had feared? For such a character-driven yarn, #11 is also very action-packed. Artist Ronan Cliquet has already proven his mastery of cinematic tenseness with the fabled “truck issue” of Black Bat, and here too we see that same sense of urgency that carries this tale through to its final page. Anyone who is not utterly shocked by the conclusion of #11 has not been following this series, and if you missed it you really missed it. Simply excellent! 07/16/14 @ 3:17 pm EST
Questions for Joseph Michael Linsner @ Dawn/Vampirella #1 Congratulations are in order on the occasion of Dawn's 25th anniversary, and those are congrats to you as creator. How does it feel to have created a character with such a legacy? Thanks. It feels fantastic -- like a rebirth! I'm at the beginning of another 25 years and can't wait to get started. My epitaph is going to be "Joe Linsner -- The Dawn Guy", which I can deal with if that's my legacy. I'm very proud of the work I've done with Dawn on her 3 graphic novels. I'll be honest though, in 1989 when she first appeared in Cry For Dawn #1, I had no idea I'd still be drawing her 25 years later. To my mind, I believe this is Dawn's first crossover with ANY character. But crossing over with a Dynamite signature character like Vampirella ... was there any added pressure there? I have nothing but the greatest love and admiration for Vampi. She was designed by my favorite artist, Frank Frazetta! So that was an extra kick in the rear to make sure that I give this project my all. I'd be lying if I tried to say that Vampirella wasn't an influence on Dawn. I grew up loving Vampirella. Having the two of them meet for Dawn's 25th is bringing things full circle. Instead of just handling the writing and covers, I now hear ... 06/12/14 @ 3:27 pm EST
Steve Grant Talks Jennifer Blood - From Bleeding Cool Steven Grant is probably best known for his run on The Punisher as well as his recent story-turned-film, 2 Guns. Now he is tackling the Jennifer Blood character created by Garth Ennis. Byron Brewer caught up with the writer to talk about how the new series came about and why he likes working for different companies. BYRON BREWER: Steve, how does it feel to be working with Dynamite Comics for the very first time? And on such a special project! STEVEN GRANT: It’s interesting. I like working with different comics companies, to get an idea of how they’re similar & different & get a view of how different approaches work creatively. Being published by Dynamite was something I felt was worth doing. So far so good. BB: Can you tell us a little bit about how this mini-series came about and how you became a part of it? SG: In the wake of the 2 Guns film last summer, when things momentarily appeared nice and relaxed, I ran into Nick at the San Diego con. We’d loosely chatted about doing something for years, we’ve know each other for decades now. I told him to throw anything at me for a limited series, his choice. He took it under advisement. A couple months later he dropped me an email saying he’d really like me to resurrect Garth’s Jennifer Blood. All he had to do was say Garth Ennis, one of the most consistently interesting comics writers working today. I was pretty relieved, really. I realized after I’d said “anything” that John Carter was potentially on the table. Edgar Rice Burroughs is not my thing. But Jen made ... |
