Major Spoilers
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Twitch Discord RSS
    Major Spoilers
    • Home
    • Reviews
      • Random Access Memory
      • Retro Review
      • So You Want to Read Comics
    • Podcasts
      • Critical Hit
        • Critical Hit House Rules
        • Critical Hit World Building
      • Dueling Review
      • Finally Friday
      • Geek History Lesson
      • The Legion Clubhouse
      • Major Spoilers Podcast
        • MSP TPB for 2019
        • On the Next Major Spoilers Podcast – 2013
        • On the Next Major Spoilers Podcast – 2012
        • On the Next Major Spoilers Podcast – 2011
      • Munchkin Land
      • Top Five
      • Wayne’s Comics
      • Zach on Film
    • Features
      • Casual 60
      • Comic Casting Couch
      • Comics Portal
      • Did You Hear?
      • Editorials
      • Features
      • Gamer’s Corner
      • Hero Histories
      • Let’s Get Nerdy
      • Major Spoilers Adventures
      • Random Access Memory
      • So You Want to Read Comics
    • Movies
      • Did You Hear
      • Movies
      • Television
    • Comic Previews
    • Patreon
      • Patreon
      • Store
    Major Spoilers
    Dynamite Entertainment

    Review: Galactica 1980 #1

    Marlowe LewisBy Marlowe LewisSeptember 14, 20092 Comments5 Mins Read

    1980_01_PICON.jpg

    Is there life on Earth and does that mythical place even exist at all? Well both those extremely important questions are answered after Troy and Dillon discover the Voyager probe floating in space and take it to Dr Zee for analysis. The path to the promised land is now clear and although Adama is considering a completely different path, the rest of the governing council decide that the not inconsiderable risk is worth taking. However nobody bothered to inform NORAD that the Galactica was on its way and the Presidents response is both swift and deadly.

    1980_01_Cover.jpgHow could anyone not appreciate Galactica 1980?  It had Cylon warriors being totally disabled by an early microwave oven (which is why you should always carry a microwave around with you, just in case you run into a Cylon when you are out shopping at your local comic book store). It had time travel that turned your clothes white (now there is something that Procter & Gamble research labs should take note of). It had a young colonial child use advanced technology to throw a baseball so hard it went straight through a wooden partition (I could think of several major league clubs that could use a pitcher like that). Apparently, however, some people didn’t like the new show at all. They thought that this revamp, set on planet Earth, was an inferior copy of the original series that they had religiously followed. They seemed to think that the new plot lines had become increasingly nonsensical and they decided to watch something else instead. The network noticed the ensuing ratings plunge and pulled the plug on the whole effort.

    But just suppose the revamp had worked! Lets conjecture that instead of descending into a spiral of increasing farce and confusion, the writers had decided to make their show a bit more pragmatic and grounded in the real life events of what was going on during those times. That show may have been a success. That show may have found an audience. Well that’s the premise that Marc Guggenheim has decided to work from in this new version of the Galactica 1980 concept. So how competently does he pull it off?

    Well if I tell you that in this comic we see some things that were definitely not in the original broadcast series. We witness Commander Adama put a gun to his head and contemplate suicide. We observe Captain Troy descending into alcoholism. We see the American armed organize an attack against the fleet which brings the Galactica crashing down in front of the White House. All of these new elements combine to make the reader feel more grounded in the reality of the early eighties. There is a genuine sense of the overwhelming paranoia that was prevalent in those days. The Russians were the main enemy then and it makes sense that when the Battlestar is descending down into Washington airspace that President Carter would believe that his nation was under a possible Soviet attack and respond accordingly.

    Guggenheim is well versed in both writing for comics and television and his competence really shines through here. Not only is his new premise interesting but the dialogue is also extremely believable. During the scenes in the council chamber I could picture in my mind eye, Lorne Greene, delivering the line about how he didn’t travel millions of miles through space to conquer other humans. It was totally authentic and totally in tune with the strengths of the actor who had journeyed from the Ponderosa to the Pleiades. And the whole comic reads like that. It takes the subject matter that every science fiction fan is familiar with and treats it seriously and so forces from the reader a new respect from something that up until how had been regarded as a television laughingstock. That’s really not an easy thing to do but Mr Guggenheim does it very adroitly.

    Cezar Razek is the artist on this comic. His style in here is very basic indeed , almost spartan in places, but it works well. He succinctly captures the slightly washed out color essence of the T.V programmes of those days and I particularly liked his depiction of the young John Denver look-alike, Dr Zee. This art will not be to everyone’s taste but not every title needs the hyper detailed drawings of say Geof Darrow. There is room in the comic firmament  for differing page treatments and Razak’s does the job. I also have to note that I liked the cover by Lucio Parrillo, which is itself a re-imagining of the box art of the Galactica 1980 DVD set.

    Because of perceived prejudice in the subject matter some fans of the re-imagined Galactica show may not even pick this comic up which would be a shame because there is a lot of things going in here that they would absolutely love. David Eick and Ronald D. Moore proved that you can clone a television show and set it upon a new invigorating path. Marc Guggenheim shows us in this book that you can take the original body and after some radical surgery bring it back to life again. This is a very good beginning and this comic deserves to find an audience, which means it gets four stars from me.

    4stars.jpg

    Comic Book Store Conjecture different path farce floating in space galactica guggenheim league clubs Life On Earth microwave oven norad Planet Earth Plot Lines Plunge procter amp gamble research labs time travel voyager probe wooden partition
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous ArticleOn the Next Major Spoilers Podcast: Batman – The Cult
    Next Article New Comic Releases for September 16, 2009
    Marlowe Lewis

    Marlowe Lewis is old. I mean really, really old. So old in fact, that the first ever sequential art that he ever saw was when his lifelong friend in their small clan began painting bison on the cave walls. This was a true turning point in his life. Firstly, he was immediately and irrevocably hooked on the visual arts, and secondly he discovered another use for dried bison dung. Marlowe Lewis is British. This is not an apology.

    Related Posts

    COMICS PORTAL: Where Is All The Cool Merchandise?

    Read More

    Runaways #1 Review

    Read More

    Wayne’s Comics Podcast #697: Interview with Tyler Chin-Tanner

    Read More

    2 Comments

    1. ykw on September 15, 2009 3:48 pm

      “The Russians were the main enemy then and it makes sense that when the Battlestar is descending down into Washington airspace that President Carter would believe that his nation was under a possible Soviet attack and respond accordingly.”

      a) Launch an attack on the mystery invader

      b) Surrender forthwith

      c) Refuse to send athletes to the Caprican Olympics

      Reply
    2. IGPNicki on October 1, 2009 12:49 am

      Great review. I just got to look at it today, and thought it looks great. Even so, i have to find myself a little skeptical about the direction they’re taking as far as say, Adama contemplating putting a gun to his head. Bill Adama would’ve done that in a heartbeat, but Lorne Green? I don’t buy it, sounds like they’re trying to appeal to teh BSG fans in that respect. Still, I think I will definitely have to read it cos I’m pretty damn curious about where they go with go with the story.

      Reply

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    AMAZON AFFILIATE

    Support this site by making a purchase through our Amazon affiliate links

    Reviews
    6.0
    June 16, 2025

    Runaways #1 Review

    8.0
    June 15, 2025

    The Death of the Silver Surfer #1 Review

    4.7
    June 15, 2025

    Retro Review: Master Comics #11 (February 1941)

    9.0
    June 13, 2025

    Marvel United: A Pride Special Review

    6.3
    June 10, 2025

    X-Men #17 Review

    Patreon Support
    Major Spoilers Store
    Recent Comments
    • ZackaryTobias on COMICS PORTAL: Where Is All The Cool Merchandise?
    • Nathan on Wayne’s Comics Podcast #696: Interview with Creators from Concrete Arcanum
    • Austin Cowboy on FIRST LOOK: Conan the Barbarian #21
    • Frank on COMICS PORTAL: Batman Meets… Deadpool!?
    • ZackaryTobias on COMICS PORTAL: Batman Meets… Deadpool!?
    Subscribe to the Major Spoilers E-Mail List
    Sponsor

    ComiXology Home Page

    Follow Us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • Twitch
    Major Spoilers Patreon
    • About
      • Major Spoilers Terms of Use
      • Major Spoilers Frequently Asked Questions
      • Major Spoilers Privacy Policy Statement
      • Major Spoilers Podcast Gear
    • Contact
    • Cookie Policy (EU)
    Major Spoilers is copyright 2006-2025 by Major Spoilers Entertainment, LLC

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    SAVE & ACCEPT