“Yesterday’s” Comic> Battlestar Galactica (Realm Press) #1

“Frak, I just remembered I left the BBQ grill on!”

Battlestar Galactica #1

Realm Press (December, 1997)

Having escaped the Cylons after another battle, the Fleet is low on fuel. They find a planet where they may find supplies, but the locals have a device that they believe connects them to their God. It also blocks the Vipers investigating the planet and orders the deaths of Apollo, Starbuck, and Sheba!

What they got right: They licensed the actual logo for the comic. Neither Marvel or Maximum did that. (Maximum actually used the same logo as Marvel.) Realm also goes the extra mile to make this look like an episode of the show, with the title page resembling the title card as it appeared at the start of an episode. The “voices” of the characters are also close to the actors, as are the likenesses and ship designs.

What they got wrong: As you should know by now I am not a fan of the painted art style and it pops up again here. While I will easily admit that it makes the ships and landscapes look good (also the special effects) and as painted styles go the characters look good, that lack of ability to have the characters show emotion are on display here. Realm used this style exclusively so if I bring it up again while reviewing this run it’s because I have nothing else to bring up.

Recommendation: As the first issue goes it’s pretty good. Scalf really wants to make this feel like your watching an episode of the show and I like that they’re using a non-Cylon threat (as they existed in the old show) but how well it goes will depend on reading further. I do remember enjoying them when they first came out, but that’s over a decade ago.

(See, that’s how overloaded my collection is.  I haven’t read these issues since they first came out. That’s just wrong.)