2024 marks the 40th anniversary of the Terminator franchise and Dynamite Entertainment has been celebrating in a huge, bombastic way fitting a fictional world of stories with so much staying power. Earlier this year, Dynamite launched a wildly-successful BackerKit campaign to bring oversized print copies of Dark Horse’s Terminator comics and Now Comics’ Burning Earth series. And next month, the publisher is keeping the post-apocalyptic party going.
The Terminator, a new comic tale in the series first built by director James Cameron all those decades ago, debuts from Dynamite Entertainment this October. Written by Declan Shalvey, with art by Luke Sparrow and colored by Colin Craker, The Terminator ventures into new territory, with the murderous metal monstrosities setting their sights on resistance fighters that extend beyond the Conner family. This is a novel tactic on the Terminators’ part and speaks to their evolution and single-mindedness in accomplishing their mission of obliterating all human life on Earth.
Mr. Shalvey talked to me recently about where we find the war between humanity and the Terminators at the beginning of the series, the new tactics that the Terminators are using to win that war, working with the creative team, and bringing the franchise back to its pulpy roots.
Of the plethora of comic books that Declan Shalvey either is currently writing or has in development, this is one of the titles I’ve been waiting on most. Judging from this interview and the preliminary preview art Dynamite has released, The Terminator doesn’t look to disappoint.
THE TERMINATOR #1 cover courtesy of Dynamite
FreakSugar: Before we get into The Terminator book itself, what is your personal history with the Terminator franchise?
Declan Shalvey: I am a child of the 80s and 90s, you can’t be that and not have The Terminator loom large. T2 was my first exposure to the franchise, and I remember playing around with some of the toys. Good times.
FreakSugar: From the description of the book, it sounds like we’re going to get a glimpse into the lives of several resistant fighters and their pasts. Can you tell us anything about those stories? Will they have a broader connective tissue?
DS: On the face of it, these are completely unconnected stories and not even featuring resistance fighters. We meet new targets for the Terminator in each issue, seeing if they can survive the 22 pages, that’s the format of the series. There is connective tissue, but you’ll need to keep reading in order to discover that.
THE TERMINATOR #1 cover courtesy of Dynamite
FS: This book will move beyond just a focus on the Conners. Can you tell us anything about who else we can expect to meet?
DS: I’ll only reveal that we will meet an elderly couple in Issue One that managed to escape the destruction of Judgement Day and the War with The Machines. They can only escape danger for so long though, as a mysterious figure walks out from the water by their lakeshore oasis.
FS: Luke Sparrow’s preview art is stunning. What has the collaboration process been like with Luke and the creative team?
DS: I’m glad you think so, I think Luke is an exceptional talent. We seem to share certain sensibilities where he’s channeling a certain mood and sophistication to his pages. I’m so delighted with his work on the book. Colin Craker is adding a whole other level of maturity to the art with a wonderfully stylized palette. This book is absolutely stunning and should be picked up for the quality of the art alone.
THE TERMINATOR #1 cover courtesy of Dynamite
FS: When you became writer of the book, did you have a particular mission statement? Were there things you absolutely wanted to make sure you included?
DS: I wanted to make a licensed book that felt like a creator-owned book. Something where you picked up the book and was surprised with how good it looked. I know that’s not a writing answer per se, but as a maker of comics, I’m always striving for that. From a writing point of view, I wanted to take a left turn and do something a little more unexpected with the franchise, and bring it back to it’s pulpy, B-movie roots. And also, sometimes, I wanted the Terminator to WIN.
FS: This is also a time travel story. What fun and narrative choices do these types of stories give you?
DS: Much like my work on Time Before Time, the time travel elements take a backseat. Much like the original film, it’s not about paradoxes or expansive lore, but focused on the human drama, on palpitating fear. That’s what I’m focusing on.
THE TERMINATOR #1 cover courtesy of Dynamite
FS: The Terminator franchise has had over 40 years of staying power. What do you attribute to the ongoing interest in that world?
DS: Aside from the iconic visuals (and they ARE iconic) I think the original film tapped into a lot of the cultural fears of the time, along with questions about human nature that are just as relevant and piercing as they were 40 years ago.
FS: What are you reading right now?
DS: I am particularly swamped at the moment so very behind in my reading, but am trying to catch up When the Blood Has Dried, The Rocketeer, Void Rivals, Petrol Head, Transformers, Precious Metal, and all the new X-Men books.
THE TERMINATOR #1 cover courtesy of Dynamite
FS: Are there any other projects you’d like to discuss that you have coming down the pike?
DS: Yes, an anthology one shot of my Old Dog series is out on Sept 25th, with some amazing creators. We’re introducing a new character called APEX in ThunderCats this month as well as a new MOON KNIGHT in the pages of Phases of the Moon Knight #2, both designed by myself. Last but not least, I’m writing and drawing my own Mystique miniseries for Marvel Comics, out in October.
THE TERMINATOR #1 cover courtesy of Dynamite
FS: If you had one final pitch for the book, what would it be?
DS: A monster from the future is coming to kill you and everyone you love. There’s nowhere to go. What are YOU going to do…?
The Terminator #1 goes on sale Wednesday, October 9, 2024, from Dynamite.
And be sure to check out our interview with Mr. Shalvey about next month’s Mystique miniseries debut from Marvel Comics.
From the official issue description:
The plans to kill Sarah Connor and her son John have failed, but the genocidal Skynet isn’t out of options yet. There are still a few more avenues into the past that will allow it to destroy the human resistance that is poised to smash its processors into silicon shrapnel – it just needs to expand its theater of operations.
Opening a new front in the war, Terminators are dispatched across the globe and throughout time to target current resistance fighters, their ancestors, and anyone else unlucky enough to be in the strike zones. And while none of these secondary assignments are as straightforward as the missions of the first T-800 and T-1000, time is literally on the machines’ side. When all of history becomes a war zone, nowhere – and nowhen – is safe!
Acclaimed creator DECLAN SHALVEY (ThunderCats, Old Dog) returns to the present for another blockbuster Dynamite series, joining rising star artist LUKE SPARROW (Star Trek) for all-new tales of Skynet and its nigh-unstoppable mechanical assassins – all supported by algorithmically perfect covers from SHALVEY, EDWIN GALMON, SWAY, and DAVID COUSENS!