• About Me

Sci-Fi Jubilee

~ Sci-Fi News & Reviews

Sci-Fi Jubilee

Category Archives: Dark Horse Comics

Dark Horse Comics

Transformers Vs Terminator #1 Review

25 Wednesday Mar 2020

Posted by Paul Bowler in All, Dark Horse Comics, IDW Publishing

≈ 20 Comments

Tags

Alex Milne, Dark Horse Comics, David Mariotte, IDW Publishing, John Barber, Megatron, Optimus Prime, Sarah Conner, Starscream, T-800, Terminator, Tom Waltz, Transformers, Transformers Vs Terminator, Transformers Vs Terminator #1, Transformers Vs Terminator #1 review

Transformers Vs Terminator #1

Review by Paul Bowle

Skynet Vs Cyberton in Transformers Vs Terminator #1, an epic new crossover from IDW Publishing and Dark Horse Comics, where a lone Terminator is sent to 1984 to save Earth from a terrifying future!

This new mini-comic book series sees the Terminator going head to head with the Decepticons, to escape annihilation in the future, and potentially team up with Sarah Conner and the Autobots in the first part of Enemy of my Enemy. The creative writing talents of David Mariotte, Tom Waltz and John Barber have ingeniously spliced established legacies with a time-twisting storyline that effectively turns both franchises on their heads.

From the ravaged future of Los Angeles 2029, its clear Skynet and the Autobots have fallen before the might of the Decepticons. Fortunately Skynet (now the final remnants of the resistance), has managed to locate the last vat grown epidermal T-800 and sent him back in time to 1984. It doesn’t take long for the T-800’s path to cross Sara Conner’s, where the young waitress quickly becomes embroiled in his mission to reach Mount ST. Hilary, and alter future events by terminating the Cybertronians that have crash landed there.

The narrative and pacing were sound enough to make this first issue of Transformers Vs Terminator engaging enough. Some might baulk at the characterisation and depiction of Sarah Conner in this issue though. Her role and purpose may have been deemed irrelevant by Skynet, but there are still glimmers of the powerful warrior she was originally destined to become, and I have a feeling we will still see Sarah Conner become a force to be reckoned with as this mini-series progresses. The T-800 here is a bit of an oddity, he’s coldly logical one moment, and grinning with glee the next. Lots of familiar Easter eggs from the Terminator franchise pepper the narrative too. However, I found the scenes in the future far more engrossing than the somewhat pedestrian plotting as events unfolded in the present, and the issue felt a little disjointed in that respect as a result.

Alex Milne’s artwork is very good, along with the colors by David Garcia Cruz, and there’s some impressively staged sequences that positively leap out at you. Lots of familiar Autobot characters now litter the war torn battlefield of the future, and Skynets last stand in their stronghold against the advancing Decepticons is also brilliantly realised. I would have loved to seen more of the giant T-8000 in action here against the Decepticons, so it was a shame we only got a fleeting glimpse of it lumbering into battle. The Terminators have a mix of the Genisys / Dark Fate design of the T-800 Endoskeleton about them, which also looks really good. Some of the scenes set in 1984 do look a little rough around the edges in places, although I think that’s more to the choices of panel layout here, the rendition of the waitress Sarah Conner is spot on though, and the contrast between the future versions of the Decepticons and the more classic Transformers seen in this issue are also especially striking.

IDW Publishing and Dark Horse Comics uniting to bring their unique takes on the Transformers and Terminator franchises together is a clear no-brainer, in fact it makes you wonder why its taken so long for them to get around to it. I’ve always been a big fan of Dark Horse’s Terminator comics and IDW’s Transformers, so it’s great to finally see them team-up like this. The creative team has a long association with Transformers comics, but they’ve also cleverly incorporated the Terminator saga to weave a story where the T-800 travels back in time to wipe out the Cybertornians before they can jeopardise the future, whilst skilfully splicing the mythos of both properties in the process. Although Transformers Vs Terminator #1 wasn’t quite the mind-blowing start that I’d hoped for with the mini-series, the intriguing premise has me hooked, and if – like me – you are a fan of either franchise you’ll still find plenty to enjoy here as this epic clash between Skynet and Cybertron gets underway!

Publisher: IDW

Story By: David Mariotte, Tom Waltz, John Barber

Written by: David Mariotte and John Barber

Art: Alex Milne, Colors: David Garcia Cruz

Letters & Design: Jake M. Wood, Cover A: Gavin Fullerton

Follow @paul_bowler

About The Author

Hi, I’m Paul Bowler, blogger and reviewer of films, TV shows, and comic books. I’m a Sci-Fi geek, a big fan of Doctor Who, Star Trek, movies, Sci-Fi, Horror, Comic Books, and all things PS4.You can follow me on Twitter @paul_bowler,or at my website, Sci-Fi Jubilee, and on YouTube and Facebook

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Reddit
  • WhatsApp
  • More
  • Tumblr
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Skype

Like this:

Like Loading...

Aliens Defiance #1 Review

16 Monday May 2016

Posted by Paul Bowler in All, Dark Horse Comics

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Alien, Aliens, Aliens Defiance, Aliens Defiance #1, Aliens Defiance #1 review, Brian Wood, Colonial Marines, Dan Jackson, Dark Horse Comics, Tristan Jones, Weyland-Yutani, Xenomorph, Zula Hendricks

Aliens Defiance #1

Review by Paul Bowler

A new Xenomorph threat rises in Aliens Defiance #1, when Colonial Marine Zula Hendricks, accompanied by a squad of Weyland-Yutani synthetic security drones, embark on a mission to salvage a derelict space hauler – the Europa. With the discovery of a lethal Alien infestation on board, Private First Class Zula Hendricks becomes caught up in a voyage across space to destroy the Xenomorphs and save humanity.

Brian Woods brings his distinct storytelling style to the Aliens franchise, in Aliens Defiance #1, with art by Tristan Jones and colors by Dan Jackson, this brand new Dark Horse comic book series piles on the mystery and acid blood splattering action to bring a very unique kind of bug-hunt to the Aliens mythology.

Aliens Defiance #1 Cover

Our introduction to Zula Hendricks is skilfully handled, her recover from a serious spinal injury is told via a series of flashbacks to events on Tranquility Base on the Moon, while her mission in the present day to recover flight data from the Europa for Weyland-Yutani builds the tension perfectly as Private Hendricks and the corporate security drones begin to explore the derelict vessel. Brian Woods engineers the tension and suspense perfectly, the characterization of Hendricks and her synthetic companion is gradually established and cleverly drives the narrative, but it is when the Xenomorphs start to emerge from the darkness and the synthetic screams begin ringing out across the ship that the thrills and chills really kick into overdrive.

The artwork by Tristan Jones melds the tone of the original Alien film with the bombastic action of its sequel Aliens, and the results are quite startling. There are few moment where the characters proportions and expressions do seem a little bit off, but on the whole this is a very impressive looking issue. There are some nice throwbacks to the past as well, particularly those early scenes on the bridge of the Europa, there’s a chance meeting on Tranquility Base, and the closing moments in the iconic computer room and the messages on the screen are sure to bring some pangs of nostalgia. Tristan Jones makes the Aliens look incredible and as scary as hell, and the superb colors by Dan Jackson in these scenes also gloriously enhance the action.

Initially, this first issue of Aliens Defiance does feel a little predictable. Familiar Alien tropes are rolled out to tick all the right boxes in all the right places for us, but it’s when the story suddenly goes off on a completely different tangent at the midway point that it will really surprise you. From there it will have you hooked every step of the way as its intriguing premise unfolds. Even though artificial life forms going bad in the Aliens franchise is nothing new, we’ve never seen anything done quite like this before, and that’s what makes Aliens Defiance feel all the more exciting and different.

Aliens Defiance #1 provides a good start to this new Dark Horse series, with its exciting storyline by Brian Woods and impressive artwork by Tristan Jones, there’s plenty of potential here for a really fresh and different take on the Aliens franchise.

Publisher: Dark Horse / Writer: Brian Wood

Art: Tristan Jones / Colors: Dan Jackson

Lettering: Nate Piekos of Blambot / Cover: Massimo Carnevale

Follow @paul_bowler

 

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Reddit
  • WhatsApp
  • More
  • Tumblr
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Skype

Like this:

Like Loading...

Search Sci-Fi Jubilee

Follow @paul_bowler
Follow Sci-Fi Jubilee on WordPress.com

Enter your email address to follow SciFi Jubilee and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Sci-Fi Jubilee RSS Links

RSS Feed RSS - Posts

Recent Posts

  • Been In Hospital For An Operation: The Sequel!
  • BLACK ADAM #6 REVIEW
  • BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER FILM REVIEW
  • KING SPAWN #16 REVIEW
  • THE POWER OF THE DOCTOR REVIEW
  • DOCTOR WHO THE POWER OF THE DOCTOR TRAILER
  • VANISH #1 REVIEW
  • SPAWN #333 REVIEW

Top Posts & Pages

  • American Vampire The Long Road To Hell : Review
    American Vampire The Long Road To Hell : Review
  • All New X-Men #17 Review
    All New X-Men #17 Review
  • Doctor Who Hell Bent Review
    Doctor Who Hell Bent Review
  • New Guardians of the Galaxy VOL.2 Trailer!
    New Guardians of the Galaxy VOL.2 Trailer!
  • Transformers Lost Light #8 Review
    Transformers Lost Light #8 Review
  • King Spawn #1 Review
    King Spawn #1 Review
  • Doctor Who Eve of the Daleks Review
    Doctor Who Eve of the Daleks Review
  • New Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Trailer
    New Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Trailer
  • Blade Runner Origins #2 Review
    Blade Runner Origins #2 Review

Calendar

February 2023
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728  
« Dec    

Categories

  • All
  • Avengers vs X-Men
  • BOOM! Studios
  • Dark Horse Comics
  • DC Comics
  • Doctor Who
  • Dr Who (Classic Series)
  • Dynamite Entertainment
  • Film Reviews
  • IDW Publishing
  • IF? Commix
  • Image Comics
  • Marvel Comics
  • Movie Articles
  • Paul Bowler YouTube Channel
  • Playstation 3
  • The Walking Dead
  • Titan Comics
  • Trailers & Posters
  • Vertigo

Gravatar Profile

Paul Bowler

Paul Bowler

Writer / Blogger / Sci Fi geek, fan of Doctor Who, The Walking Dead, Movies, Comic Books, and all things Playstation 4.

Personal Links

  • Sci-Fi Jubilee
  • Twitter @paul_bowler
  • Sci-Fi Jubilee Facebook
  • Paul Bowler YouTube

View Full Profile →

Follow Me On Twitter

Twitter @paul_bowler

Archives

  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012

Blogroll

  • @paulbowler@mastodon.world
  • Flodo's Page
  • Learn WordPress.com
  • Sci-Fi Jubilee
  • TARDIS Tweets
  • The Consulting Detective
  • The Gotham Rogue
  • The Knights Blog
  • Theme Showcase
  • WordPress Planet
  • WordPress.com News

Sci-Fi Jubilee

13th Doctor All New X-Men Andrez Bergen Avengers Batman Batmobile Brian Michael Bendis Bruce Wayne Charlie Adlard Chris Chibnall Clara Oswald comics Cybermen Cyclops Daleks Danny Miki DC Comics Doctor Strange Doctor Who Dr Who Dr Who Season 7 Earth 2 FCO Plascencia Frank Martin Gotham Gotham City Greg Capullo Hawkgirl Horror IDW Publishing IF? Commix Image Comics Iron Man James Tynion IV Jean Grey Jenna-Louise Coleman Jenna Coleman Jim Gordon Jodie Whittaker Marvel Marvel Comics Matt Lucas Matt Smith Michonne Mike Deodato Nardole NCBD Negan Nicola Scott Paul Bowler YouTube Peter Capaldi Peter Parker PS4 Rick Grimes Robert Kirkman Sci-Fi Jubilee Scott Snyder Spider-Man Star Wars Steven Moffat Stuart Immonen Superman TARDIS The Doctor The Flash The Joker The New 52 The Saviors The Walking Dead Tony Stark Trevor Scott Walkers Wolverine X-Men Zombies

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • Sci-Fi Jubilee
    • Join 1,374 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Sci-Fi Jubilee
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d bloggers like this: