Review – Terminator Salvation: The Final Battle #1 (of 12) (Dark Horse)

Publisher: Dark Horse
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Artist: Pete Woods
Release Date: 4th December 2013

Dun-dun dun dun-dun, dun-dun dun dun-dun, dun-dun dun dun-dun, dun-dun dun dun-dun… and that’s about all of an introduction you need to this since it plays like a the comic book equivalent of a cover band of a cover band… of a cover band.

You ALL know the story, It’s usually the same exact one just told a little bit different each time. A man vs. Cyborg Killer assassins from the future, This is no different only this time when the book opens there are 3 Cyborg killer assassins. I picked this up as I was feeling a little 80’s action movie itch that needed scratched sadly this wasn’t it picking up in the wake of Terminator 3 and Salvation which is fairly obvious from the title I guess but made me think … Who asked for this?

I’m trying not to be too negative since I haven’t really even delved into the actual story or even the writing but for what it worth the ride isn’t going to be much smoother. Some of the dialogue in this is really clunky and I mean clunkier than a Hunter Killer. At times JMS is straight up lifting already worn out Terminator beats like; Terminator’s arrive, Terminator’s cause havok and Terminators say something humorous about needing clothes [pause for laughter] I found that really disconcerting for someone of the profile of JMS … Where is his script writing chops?, Can’t the soldier speak about there inner turmoil rather than info dumping all over the place, As though we needed to be reminded this time that yes Terminator is a thing and it’s to do with wars and robots in the future apparently.

In all fairness the story wasn’t particularly offensive it just sets out to bridge the gaps leading into Salvation with large parts of the plot centering around Dr. Serena Kogan who was Helen Bonham Carter’s terminally ill Cyberdyne scientist character in case that doesn’t ring a bell. That could be developed into something interesting in later issues especially what deal with the robotic devil did she make?

The artwork by by Pete Woods was fairly exciting but could do with a bit more grit and brought down a bit in tone, There is a perfect example where we see the inside of a Terminator facility and well it looks like how you imagine Braniac’s mind would look like. That isn’t very Terminator in my estimation. There should be more of a dystopian/industrial slant than science fiction since this does build upon the retrofitted world of Salvation. Said facility also has some random factory Terminators which again are pretty uninspired and heavily in the mold of Braniac or Matrix sentinel’s it’s like they all buy them from the dystopian future catalog.

Not a great read by any stretch of the imagination, But if you are a fan and looking for something by way of a little continuity bridging this would appeal to you but I couldn’t get excited as it just brought nothing new to the table at all really other than incorporating the Kogan character who was rather ancillary in Salvation to begin with.