Movie audiences can be forgiven for not realizing these Terminator Franchise history is as expansive and stories in comics as much as film. And the franchise fiction is set to be expanded once more when a new Terminator Comic series by Declan Shalvey and Luke Sparrow arrives from Dynamite Comics in October, just in time for the 40th anniversary of the original film.
This will be far from the first Terminator Comic to hit stands, as the earliest Terminator Comics date back to 1988, just years after the first Terminator, and just a few years before the franchise officially exploded its mythology with Terminator 2: Judgment Day. By tracing back The long history of the Terminator comicsOne could argue that the comics are just as responsible for the franchise’s surge in popularity as the sequels.
The Terminator comics in the 1980s
An obsession begins
The first official comic book series after the Terminator Franchise would arrive in 1988, just four years removed from the first movie. Now Comics would produce 17 issues of The Terminator By Fred Schiller, Tony Akins, Jim Brozman and Rich Powers from 1988 to 1990. The series would take a massive time jump to the year 2031, where rebels by the name of “Sarah’s Slammers” would find themselves combating Skynet and their Terminators. It is also worth noting that a month before the release of the first issue, the story would begin and is preceded by a five-page story inside Rust #12.
Although this would be a bit of a spoiler for the kind of comics the franchise would deliver in the 90s, it must be said that The Terminator would be followed in the year 1990 by Terminator: The Burning Earth By writer Ron Fortier and artist Alex Ross, in the future portrait specialist’s comic book debut. The sequel series sees the resistance team up with the legendary John Connor as Skynet completes their latest Terminator model, T-808, aka Aurora.
Terminator comics in the 1990s
The decade of the sequel
with Terminator 2: Judgment Day On the horizon in 1991, the number of comics for the franchise would suddenly begin to ramp up throughout the 1990s.. In addition to these Burning earth Mentioned above, 1990 also saw now release a Terminator Prequel series by future Nightwing story writer, Chuck Dixon. Terminator: All My Futures PastIt’s a two-parter that looks at the events that lead to Kyle Reese going back in time after John learns that Skynet has learned how to travel itself.
after that, The comic book right for the Terminator Franchise would transfer from now on to Dark Horse ComicsWho would produce Terminator Comics until 2019. The 90s era of Dark Horse Terminator Comics would include Terminator: Tempest, Terminator: One Shot, The Terminator: Secondary Objectives, The Terminator: The Enemy Within, The Terminator: Hunters and Killers, The Terminator: EndgameAnd Robocop vs. The TerminatorWhere the crossover establishes Robocop As a Terminator Prequel. And the last four comics mentioned are all from 1992 alone!
At this point Dark Horse would take a six-year break from production Terminator Contentfinally disrupted by, Terminator: Death Valley In 1998 and The Terminator: The Dark Years In 1999. The 90s era of Terminator comics would end (though bleed into the 2000s) with Superman vs. The Terminator: Death to the Future.
The Terminator franchise has sustained longevity through the comics. The comics have successfully helped expand the lore and canon of the overall franchise in various ways, while also managing to introduce new elements exclusive to the comics.
The Forgotten Marvel Terminator Series
An adaptation for the first sequel
Before moving on to the 2000s, the list would be remiss to go on from the 90s and not talk about The 1991 comic book adaptation of the same year Terminator 2: Judgment Day. The creative team of Gregory Wright, Klaus Janson, Christie Scheele and Jim Novak were tasked with taking a movie that was already lauded as being ahead of its time and trying to re-produce it for an entirely new, different medium. It is not an easy task, but the creative team was put to the test and rose to the occasion.
A big reason why this publication is worth mentioning is because of Marvel’s involvement. Marvel’s decision to offer its services and platform for an adaptation of the biggest movie in the world at the time is not something that should or could be taken lightly.. In addition, it also cannot go unnoticed for the modern artistry on display which is perfectly indicative of the era in which it was produced.
Terminator comics of the 2000s and 2010s
More crossovers, more chaos and a conclusive retrospective
Dark Horse Comics would keep the ball rolling with another crossover, this time pitting Aliens vs. Predator vs. the Terminator by Mark Schultz, Mel Rubi, Chris Ivy, Pat Brosseau, and Dave Stewart, which oddly enough fixes Alien vs. Predator in some controversial ways. After that, Dark Horse would provide a double feature in the form of The Terminator: 2029 And The Terminator: 1984, Both comic series written by Zach Whedon and illustrated by Andy MacDonald, and both starring Kyle Reese.
The tail end of the 2000s would see Terminator: Salvation Hit theaters, birth its own tie-ins. First, the year of its release would see IDW Publishing release a movie prequel and adaptation, while 2013 would see Dark Horse release a year-long companion piece to YeshuaCalled The final battle. Dark Horse would wrap up their tenure with Terminator in the late 2010s through 2014s Enemy of my enemyThen sector war from 2018 to 2019. Dynamite Entertainment would also get into the action, with Terminator: Infinity, Terminator Revolution, And Terminator/RoboCop: Kill Man.
The Terminator Franchise has its presence recognized in the comics by a lot of different publishers: Marvel, Dynamite Entertainment, NOW, Dark Horse – The Terminator Franchise has sustained longevity through the comics. The comics have successfully helped expand the lore and canon of the overall franchise in various ways, while also managing to introduce new elements exclusive to the comics. The comics have impacted the Terminator franchise in ways that some moviegoers may not even notice, making it more rewarding to readers.