“I don’t care if you got blown up, you still owe me $40!”
Space: Above And Beyond #3
FINAL ISSUE
Topps Comics (March, 1996)
“Whatever It Takes”
ADAPTATION: Roy Thomas
PENCILER: Yanick Paquette
INKER: Armando Gil
COLORING: Digital Chameleon
COVER ART: Ken Steacy
LETTERER: John Costanza
EDITOR: Len Brown
Now set up as the 58th Squadron, our heroes are briefed on a mission based on plans translated from the enemy vessel. The 58th will take a back-up position while the main fleet heads through a wormhole to protect one of their bases. West tries to get further on the front lines but is turned down. This may be for the best as it turns out to be a trick by the enemy, as Hawkes suggested was possible. With the bulk of the fleet gone their real target is Earth itself. It’s up to the 58th to hold them there, even racing in when the enemy seems to anticipate the remaining fleet’s strategy to do so. They manage to succeed and are rewarded for it, with the former commander of the “Angry Angels” now assigned as their squadron commander. The war isn’t over yet. After all this was only adapting the pilot movie.
What they got right: West names his fighter “Above And Beyond”, which ties it into the title of the show. The team pulls together, which is where you want them when the series proper begins. The strategy by the aliens is actually a good one, and the military (while only being spotted by a lone pilot) not thinking the aliens wanted them to break the code doesn’t make them look like chumps.
What they got wrong: I mean, it’s still difficult at times to know who’s who during the battle, but I’m not sure how you fix that visually. They’re trying to rush a movie-length pilot into three issues so the voices are as distinct as they would be later in the series, but it’s not like everyone gets a custom ship and uniform. They’re marines in space…why does that sound familiar? Anyway, I have no real complaints here critically.
What I think overall: I gave this show enough time to win me over and it didn’t. That’s more a me thing because I thought the effects were rather good for the day, the characters were fine, the tone fits just right, and the actors were decent for the first time playing those roles they would presumably grow into as the season went on. I just personally couldn’t get into the show and the comic doesn’t have any better luck. I have one more issue in my collection and that review’s coming next week, but I would encourage you to check it out for yourself if you can and see what you think. It wasn’t for me but it’s not a bad show.
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