Picked up my copy of Battle of the Planets #1 at the comic store this afternoon. There was a big sign over the display saying "One cover issue each per customer." The guy behind the counter promoted it to a bystander as soon as I walked in, and I have heard that the distributor sold out of this issue about an hour after it shipped. That's a good sign. A very good sign.
| Click on the thumbnail to view the cover |
Alex Ross |
J. Scott Campbell |
Michael Turner |
Mark Silvestri |
One issue, four covers by four different artists. I bought the Ross cover because I'm a traditionalist. I don't like seeing our heroes pumped up on steroids or with their outfits altered, and I like how Ross focuses on the characters and their faces.
The story begins slowly with the introduction of the Spectran threat and the discussion of G-Force's performance by the top brass. General Tomak of the United Armed Forces doesn't think much of this "group of teenage lab rats" and believes Security Chief Anderson has lost his grasp of reality. The team is disheartened by this setback--their poor performance on display (two seconds off their best time), and are anxious to get their battle orders as the Spectran destruction begins to accumulate. The story then focuses upon each of the G-Force team and their concerns. Keyop (though his name is not yet mentioned) worries about freezing under pressure, unable to use the team's "dark, secret skills" on people. Tiny walks into the cockpit of the Phoenix and communes with her awhile, breathing in that new-warship smell and awaiting the day they can fly. Mark skims the ocean in his single-seater and contacts Jason, who is in his car and taking out his frustrations at the shooting range. Jason informs him, "I'm gonna have my revenge--with or without this team." Back on base, Anderson wrangles with General Tomak in front of a female President Kane, and explains to her the nature of his research on Spectra and his countermeasures. Shortly after, our heroes get their awaited call to action.
The plot is typical of most introductory stories in comics or anime. Admirably, Keyop does not stutter or burble--the second most annoying thing about the BotP TV series next to 7-Zark-7 (who is also absent--I hope he's not showing up in future issues). I'm a bit concerned over character development, though. The story focuses on the individuals, which is good, but I'm seeing signs that the characters could all too easily fall into stereotype. In my initial enthusiasm with this book, I had ignored some things that jarred me: Jason saying to Tiny, "At least I get off on chicks instead of food." Keyop's porn stash. These strike me as cheap efforts to introduce a little "raciness" into the story, and frankly, it's out of place. Keyop would be far more suited to having copies of National Geographic under the bed. Or a bug collection. Or a penguin. The character has a precious innocence that should be preserved. Even if he is supposed to be a construct built for war (as was hinted in the BotP series), he looks like a ten-year-old kid. And at that age, boys are still ignoring girls. And while fond of fast cars, neither the series Jason nor Condor Joe have a penchant for bedding bimbos. To a longtime G2 fan, this smacks of the character being carelessly tossed into a "vendetta-wielding loose cannon who likes fast cars and loose women" stereotype. Fan-service and stereotyping will kill the Condor faster than bullets ever could.
The art is a delight in its detail. Wilson Tortosa obviously worked hard at nailing down the art and character style and overall feel of the BotP series. It's evident in Mark's slouch as he leans against the wall in Anderson's office; in Keyop's hangdog expression; in Jason's glare. Jason is an easy character to mess up, so Tortosa has scored points with me here. He even contrasts the goofiness of the two Spectran agents waving from an oil rig as Mark flies over with the gruesomeness of what the agents have just done. The whiplash switch from silliness to horror is a Gatchaman trademark. The mechs and buildings look updated without clashing with the rest of the style. The whole book works, and that in itself is remarkable.
And now, the obligatory nitpicks: I see the staff is combining elements of Gatchaman into the BotP universe, and I fear they're going to confuse everyone who used to watch the show. What's Gatchaman? And what's ISO? Isn't Anderson the chief of Galaxy Security? Why is Gatchaman used to define the whole team--isn't it just the leader (in the Gatchaman series, Ken is the only one to use that title and the others are called the Kagaku Ninjatai). Of course, it's been a while since I have followed a comic series, so maybe fans are more accepting of altered and alternate universes. I have to admit I like the new President Kane. She's more commanding and easier on the eyes. She also resembles Gallactor's female General/Zoltar's sister Mala from the TV series. I wonder if that's going to be used in future issues?
I hate how Keyop is calling Princess "Prin." He never did that in the show and it's like nails on a blackboard. Ah well, it could be worse--Mark could be calling her, "Prinny."
Probably the biggest gripe I have is the scene where Mark and Jason are conversing via telephone while Mark is flying and Jason is at the shooting range. A hard, plastic handheld receiver is not the greatest equipment to use aboard a small aerobatic aircraft, and pilots generally need both hands free to work the avionics and fly the airplane. Why not a tiny headset for Mark? And as for Jason, driving, shooting and holding a cell phone to his ear... I've been cut off by cellphone wielding idiots on the highway enough times that the sight of it fizzes my blood. And why are they doing this when they both have perfectly good bracelet communicators? I've been told this oversight carries over into Issue 2, but I hope the staff addresses this detail. Especially in a medium where they've paid so much attention to other details.
The bottom line: I'm impressed and cautiously optimistic. With a little more fleshing-out of the characters, this book could be a real winner. I'm looking forward to Issue 2 in August!
Read other reviews here:
http://www.herorealm.com/Reviews_Main/ReviewsJuly13th.htm
http://www.zentertainment.com/comicreviews.php?op=showcontent&id=401
http://www.silverbulletcomicbooks.com/reviews/102669884373022.htm
