Licensed titles can be tricky things for comics. You need to write within the established universe and stories, but yet keep the material fresh and interesting. I think “The Terminator 1984”, the most recent 3-issue miniseries in that popular world from Dark Horse Comics, has done a wonderful job doing just that.
Most of the action takes place just after the events in the original movie, but the first issue showed some events from the movie as well. The last issue was released this past week, and I think it was a great ending.
Writer Zach Whedon gave us a look at one of the most important events in the Terminator universe, but one that had not been shown or even discussed on film – the birth of John Connor. This could have been a disaster, but Whedon wrote a powerful story about these central characters.
Between the first and second movie, there was of course a major change in Sarah, much of which is simply implied in the dialogue. This series shows how and why some of the changes occurred. For real fans of these movies, reading a story about John’s birth and the surrounding events is like seeing a part of history come to life.
I am sad to see this miniseries end. Whedon has a wonderful grasp of the story and the world in which it is set. Perhaps in the future Whedon and Dark Horse will give us the next chapter in the new life of the Connor family.
