Yep, this is 1980’s New York City.
Creative Staff:
Story: Brian Wood
Art: Jeff Stokley
Colors: Triona Farrell
Letterer: Nate Piekos of BLAMBOT
What They Say:
NYPD officer Lucy Castro is being hunted by the T-800, and seeks protection from a local crime boss in order to survive the night. Will it be enough?
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
With the Terminator comics franchise having been pretty moribund for a number of years I was pretty happy to see this series get underway previously. Brian Wood can craft some solid stories to say the least but there’s also that thing where you have to write for the franchise, especially early on in getting new books out. Sector War isn’t going for something big and franchise-altering here but rather just something very simple in the vein of the original movie, just set elsewhere. Jeff Stokley is spot on perfect in bringing this to life with what he’s doing here as it has a raw and rough feeling but also a kind of fluidity to movement that’s great. He’s capturing the look of the time well and Triona Farrell is giving it the kind of earthy tone that it needs.
In true classic fashion, with the setup done we mostly get the chase in this installment and a look at what’s to come. Lucy’s survival has her still not quite realizing what she’s gone up against and it has her trying to figure out who from her past would be this intense – though she at least recognizes that she doesn’t have a clue who he is since he’s pretty distinctive. It’s amusing to watch her leaving a message for her landlord as well as her (now dead) ex about various things going on while trying to recoup from it all. Holing up in some punk club with the band performing isn’t the best place to have a conversation but it’s a nice nod toward the original film in its own way. Lucy’s got the right idea of just trying to lay low and get back to her precinct as she can because it’s only then that she’ll have a better handle on things and some help.
Which, of course, the Terminator isn’t going to allow. Its procured a pretty tagged garbage truck to hunt her down with since those things are like tanks once they get to a certain speed and watching it use the truck to hit the club is a big moment. The chaos from it is solid and seeing a cop moonlighting as security there trying to help out Lucy adds a great little nod. What I like about the action is that it keeps it fairly grounded without anything crazy but plays to the period. New York City in these areas are a crumbling mess with gangs and lots of violence going on. She ends up caught up in the wrong place that will work out right, and at least it’s obvious that the Terminator isn’t human after some gang members end up shooting it along with her for kicks only to have that turn into panic. There’s a chance of a very Raid-like experience coming up with the building she’s heading into where there’s lots of guns and it kind of basically leaves me saying, why haven’t they made that film yet?
In Summary:
Terminator: Sector War isn’t giving me something big in terms of the mythology of the franchise but it is delivering on the core of it. Which is exactly what it needed to do here, get back to the basics and showcase its strengths before exploring more areas within it. This installment takes all the foundations we got before with the Terminator, Lucy, and the setting, and pushes it all forward in a largely action-oriented sense. There’s no real character material to be had here but rather a showcase of Lucy trying to survive while still being a cop and full capable in that regard. I love the setting as it touches on things we got from the original film with its setting and the minimalism in regards to the Terminator keeps it aloof and without personality, just an unstoppable force that keeps going forward. Definitely some good stuff here with the potential for the next issue to really shine as my mind works any number of crazy paths for it.
Grade: B+
Age Rating: 15+
Released By: Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: September 19th, 2018
MSRP: $3.99
