Notice! Spoilers for issues 1-3 of Dynamite's Terminator series ahead.
New from Dynamite Entertainment Terminator The comic book series is finally giving fans the story they've been waiting decades for, as Skynet's killer robots infiltrate the most heated moments in 20th century history, and perhaps beyond, entirely reinventing the scope of the franchise in the process. Although there are many exciting Terminator stories, across multiple mediums, this new incarnation is shaping up to be one of the best.
The Terminator #3 – written by Declan Shalvey, with art by David O'Sullivan – concludes the two-part “Apocalypse, Then” storyline, set during the height of American intervention in the Vietnam conflict. The next issue will feature another time jump, taking readers to 1986 for a Cold War thriller.
Overall, the series has proven to be equally ambitious and exciting, and it's just starting to heat up; given sufficient time to develop the themes that were already introduced in these first editions, Shalvey's Terminator could be among the most memorable stories in the franchise.
Dynamite's Vietnam-Era Terminator Story Is the First True Look at Comics' Potential
The Terminator #3 – Written by Declan Shalvey; Art by David O'Sullivan; Color by Colin Craker; Lyrics by Jeff Eckleberry
The first edition of Dynamite Terminator set the tone for the book and established the idea that the series – at least initially – will consist of shorter, largely self-contained stories set at various points in the past, as Skynet seeks to undermine the flow of human history. itself. Terminator #1 divided its story between the late 1970s and late 2010s, but the period piece portions were minimal and essentially served as setting; The story's ill-fated human protagonists survived a T-800 attack in the '70s and managed to evade detection by Skynet for nearly 40 years before they were finally shut down.
Meanwhile, the second and third issues of the series fully immerse readers in the story's time setting; once again in the 1970s, albeit several years earlier, in the terminal phase of the Vietnam War. Writer Declan Shalvey deftly filters the tropes of the Vietnam film genre through the lens of Terminator franchisecreating a kind of hyperrealism, in which one of the most horrific scenarios of the 20th century takes on a science fiction horror dimension. This makes Dynamite Entertainment Terminator a tense, compulsive read – and signals exactly how Shalvey and his creative team intend to make the most of their premise.
The new Terminator comic is a throwback and the future of the franchise all at once
The Terminator #1-3 – Available now from Dynamite Entertainment; Terminator #4 – Available January 22, 2025
When defining the revived Terminator comic book series in the past, Dynamite created what can nominally be called a prequel to the original film – but it's also a sequel, a parallel sequel, and more. Indeed, given the time-travel nature of the story, Declan Shalvey's story Terminator it transcends the linear structure of most franchises and does so for its own benefit. Likewise, the series can be called a throwback in several ways: Terminator Issue #1 felt like a throwback to James Cameron's first film, while issues #2 through #3 evoked classic war films.
THE [Terminator] the franchise needs to expand its scope beyond the story of Sarah and John Connor, emphasizing that the war between Skynet and humanity involves more than just a few select individuals.
From the synopsis, Terminator #4 will be a spy thriller of sorts, with Terminators injected into the mix, continuing that trend. At the same time, it seems clear that the series represents the future of the franchise, especially in a fundamental way. To avoid some of the pitfalls that have had a negative impact on Terminator stories, the franchise needs to expand its scope beyond the story of Sarah and John Connor, emphasizing that the war between Skynet and humanity involves more than just a few select individuals.
With Declan Shalvey’s “Terminator,” the franchise is finally embracing the full possibilities of the comic book medium
Using the page to the fullest
Since before Terminator 2: Judgment Day even left, Terminator the comics have delivered some of the most dynamic and exciting stories in the franchise. There are some things that can be achieved in a comic book that can't be done on screen, even with the biggest Hollywood budget imaginable, and comics have continually allowed Terminator stories to take some violent changes, including introducing versions of Skynet's killer robots that would be inconceivable in cinematic form. With that said, Terminator comics have often fallen victim to the same mistakes that plagued the movies: being too formulaic.
Declan Shalvey Terminator opens the franchise to entirely new battlefields, redrawing the lines of the series' existential conflict in a way that creates an entirely new paradigm.
Or, if stereotypical isn’t the right word, perhaps “trapped” or “fixated” will do. Terminator the stories are often overly fixated on recreating the beats of Cameron's original films – or else, they adhere too closely to a narrow view of what it means to wage war across time. Declan Shalvey Terminator opens the franchise to entirely new battlefields, redrawing the lines of the series' existential conflict in a way that creates an entirely new paradigm. No place on Earth, nor at any time, is safe from Skynet right now – and Shalvey's Terminator has only begun to scratch the surface of what this means.
All of this means that, as much as the premise of The Terminator The comic series is exciting in its own right, and so far its run has left readers hungry for more, but it also signals a larger shift that should make fans more confident about the franchise's future. The success of the series will emphasize that comics are the most powerful medium for Terminator stories; it will also influence the next generation of stories in other media. In other words, Dynamite's success Terminator could have a legitimate impact on the direction of the franchise for years to come.
On a long enough timeline, Shalvey's Terminator could go some truly unexpected places
The Terminator #3 – Main Cover by Declan Shalvey; Variant covers by David Cousens, Edwin Galmon, Ken Haeser and more
Fans and critics have cited the parallels between Dynamite Terminator and the Predator prequel Preywhich helped revitalize that beloved franchise by taking its familiar elements and remixing them into a bygone setting. This led to the question of whether Declan Shalvey's role Terminator will explore temporal territory beyond the 20th century, something the franchise has rarely, if ever, attempted to do. That would be an even more significant game changer for Terminator moving forward, beyond what would certainly be a campy alternative historical tale.
The synopsis for Terminator #5 reveals that the action goes back to 1961, when Skynet meddles in the space race between the US and the Soviet Union. Furthermore, it's unknown what direction the series will take – both in time and in the trajectory of its overall story – and part of fans' excitement for the book is the endless speculation that its premise fuels. In the end, as always with Terminatorit will be a matter of time.
In other words, the longer this Terminator series is performed for, the most ambitious and unexpected twists Declan Shalvey can present to the franchise's lore. From the start, it's still unclear how these disparate pieces might fit together into a grander, overarching narrative. There have been a few hints so far, but the main focus of the series so far has been getting readers used to its time-hopping premise, along with its tone and style. Soon, though, fans can expect the release of Shalvey Terminator to upgrade to another level of action-packed adventure.