And They Have a Plan: Dynamite’s Battlestar Galactica Comics, Part IBy Steven G. Saunders  As some of you fans of the TV show Battlestar Galactica (BSG) may know, Dynamite Entertainment has begun producing the outstanding BSG comics. Whether you are a fan of the slightly corny yet endearing old series or the new action-packed, gritty and emotional rollercoaster ride of a series, or both, you should be reading these comics. Unless you don’t normally read comic books; in which case I still recommend these titles as a good place to start reading and appreciating YeOlde Illustrated Narrative.
In Part I we will be covering the three BSG titles that are out in stores right now (Battlestar Galactica, Classic Battlestar Galactica, and Zarek) by way of interviews with their respective writers and a special interview with Joe Rybandt of Dynamite Entertainment. Part II, which should be available later this month, will focus on upcoming titles (Cylon Apocalypse, Pegasus, Season Zero, and maybe the upcoming Adama and Cylon War). I figure the best way to get pertinent information about these comics is from the people who create them, so that’s why you are bring treated to these mini-interview offerings.
I would like to thank everyone again who has been involved with this (it’s taken a bit of time to put together… heh heh), as well as send out a special thanks to the folks from the Battlestar_Blog on LiveJournal.
For more information on the Battlestar comics and Dynamite Entertainment (as well as parent Dynamic Forces) please visit http://www.dynamiteentertainment.com/.
New Battlestar Galactica with writer Greg Pak:
Steven G. Saunders (SGS): Hi, Greg, I think I'll start with the question I'm going to ask all of you guys: Did you watch the old Battlestar Galactica show; and what do you think of the new series and how it compares to it?
Greg Pak (GP): I loved the original series when I was a kid. But I love the new series even more. It's the first television show since the Incredible Hulk that I've actually scheduled my day around watching.
SGS: So, how in the Lords of Kobol did you get involved with this title?
GP: After I wrote X-Men: Phoenix – Endsong, the folks at Dynamite called to see if I might be interested in one of their properties. During the discussion, I learned they had the rights to the comic book tie in for Battlestar Galactica, and I was hooked.
 SGS: Does this comic series differ from the television show; and if it does, how so?
GP: The comic ties right into the continuity of the show -- we're working with the characters and themes we all love from the show. These are untold tales that take place in the middle of the second season, after the return fromKobol and before the arrival of the Pegasus.
SGS: Will fans of the show really like this title, you think?
GP: Many of our positive reviews have come from big fans of the show. At the same time, at least one of our most glowing reviews came from someone who'd never seen the show. That makes me pretty happy -- the hope is to take themythos and characters and themes of the show to surprising new places so fans of the show can enjoy the story while telling a story clearly enough that anyone can pick up the books and enjoy them.
SGS: What about those who don’t watch the show, but may be interesting in reading the BSG comic. Will they need much knowledge of the show to enjoy it?
GP: I've tried to write in such a way that a total newcomer can enjoy the comic -- but the trick for maximum enjoyment is to start with the introductory #0 issue.
SGS: There have been some great issues so far! Now do these storylines count as “canon” or are they considered more of an “aside”? Is what you write dictated by any set rules from the TV series people?
GP: Everything gets vetted by Universal to make sure it's consistent with the show.
SGS: Who have been your favorite characters to write?
GP: I love writing Adama. Somehow his less-is-more terseness appeals to me. I particularly like writing his scenes with Roslin -- there's a quiet but wary understanding between them that lends itself to fun, subtle moments.
SGS: For those unfamiliar with this title, are there new characters in the Battlestar Galactica comic; and if there are, do any have pivotal roles?
GP: Our biggest "new" character is Zak, Adama's dead son and Starbuck's dead lover. Zak was introduced in the television miniseries and has a few big flashback scenes in the first season. But we brought him back in the flesh for the comic book series -- but is it the real Zak, or a twistedCylon trick?
SGS: Are there things with the Cylons that will be explored that haven’t been in the show?
GP: You bet. Issues #4-8 give us some glimpses into the "lives" of the original Cylon Centurions. And Issues #6-12 will explore the psyche of the Sharon Cylon in a major way.
 SGS: Is there anything you’ve done with this book so far that looking back you would change?
GP: Hmmm. I kept forgetting to ask for recap pages in the first few issues. But the fine folks at Dynamite have taken care of it now, so new readers, don't be scared of picking up an issue!
SGS: What should readers look forward to with this title?
GP: Soul shattering life and death decisions. Mind bending explorations of what it is to be human-- and Cylon. Strange alliances, crushing betrayals, terrible fears, thrilling hopes; and constant, unrelenting, unbearable tension. Wheeee!
SGS: Any other things you’re working on you’d like to plug?
GP: I'm writing the Planet Hulk epic for Marvel's Incredible Hulkcomic book right now -- and we're building up to our mind-blowing conclusion over the next few months. The Hulk's been exiled to a savage alien planet where he's gone from slave to gladiator to rebel. Every issue from #102 to #105 will have enormous revelations and repercussions --dontcha dare miss 'em! And then I'm writing World War Hulk, a massive Marvel miniseries in which the Hulk returns to Earth. The first issue of World War Hulk hits stores in May 2007.
SGS: Thanks a fracking bunch for answering these questions! I can’t wait to see what you come up with next, both with new BSG and Planet Hulk, which I’m enjoying greatly right now (and I can’t wait for World War Hulk).
GP: Thank you! For the latest, feel free to visit my website.
Classic Battlestar Galactica with writer Rick Remender:
SGS: Hey Rick, I just asked Greg this same question… Its kind of the question everyone gets from the get-go: Did you watch the old BSG show? And what do you think of the new series and how it compares to it?
Rick Remender (RR): When I wrote the classic comic I had not seen the new series. I only recently on a trip to England watched all three seasons of the new show on myiPod . It's pretty amazingly great. I had recently watched a ton of the old shows to get prepared to write Classic. The two are different creatures. The classic has aliens and all kinds of Twilight Zone high concept shenanigans while the new is a serious human drama with sci-fi as the back drop. Different creatures both pretty damn fun.
SGS: Just how did you become involved with this project, exactly?
RR: The Dynamite crew asked me if I'd be interested in pitching and I was and so I did. They liked my pitch and so did Universal and off we went. It's doing great and many of the fans of the original show are emailing me their thanks for keeping the classicBSG comic series grounded in the same tone as the original show.
SGS: How close is the Classic Battlestar Galactica to the old show? Does it follow the “canon” established back in those halcyon days and are you allowed to come up with new concepts and variations on characters, themes and such?
 RR: I wanted to tell a story within the series. A lost episode if you will. I had considered do a story that took place after the end of the series but it seemed presumptuous of me to assume I'd have the answers to all the unanswered questions from the cancelled series. I kept things as close to the original as I could.
SGS: Where does Classic BSG start off? Is there a point in the old show where new readers can go, “Oh! It starts here,” or do the comics take place after the series?
RR: It takes place between the pilot and the first episode. As Galactica is leaving their home system.
SGS: Is the premise of Classic BSG the same as the old show… I mean, are they trying to find Earth and does it play a large role in the overall story?
RR: Exactly the same characters with the same goals.
SGS: Classic Battlestar Galactica is an ongoing series… Do you think that the old BSG only has so many issues in it, or do you think it could go on indefinitely with all of the material available?
RR: I'm not sure what the continuing format will be after the first story. I know they have one of the writers from Lost doing the next arc. Beyond that I'm not sure.
SGS: I’m sure someone will ask this eventually, and maybe they have, so I’ll throw it at you: Does Galactica 1980 factor in at all?
Okay, I admit that I might be the only one, ever, that has that question in mind; but please humour me…
RR: If I were dealing with cleaning up all the loose ends from the series I would deal with it. It would be quite a job wrapping up the unanswered questions and then tying in the 1980 series. It could be fun if enough people wanted to see it.
SGS: Are you introducing elements in this comic that weren’t present in the old show and are more related to the new show, like “actual names”, realism, political intrigue and so forth?
 RR: Nah, it's just the Classic show. Leave all the new stuff to Greg. I hadn't even seen the new series when I wrote the first arc of ClassicBSG.
SGS: Will there be any focus on the Cylon culture, those mysterious white light things, or other points of interest from the original series?
RR: We see some familiar faces from the Cylon leadership in issue #5. I handled it as show did however and they are a bit vaguer than the new versions; more nefarious and less potentiallylikeable.
SGS: What character or characters do you like and/or identify with the most? Are you an Apollo or Starbuck kinda guy?
RR: Starbuck was my favorite as a kid so I focused on him for my arc.
SGS: What else (BSG or otherwise) are you working on? Anything you’d like to bring any attention to?
RR: Currently I am working on the new Fear Agent launch at Dark Horse as well as my super hero book The End League. I’m finishing a Red Sonja book with Dynamite and I have a few big unannounced books as well. Looking forward to my projects in 2007.
SGS: Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions, Rick! Classic BSG is a title I make sure to read (along with Fear Agent), so keep up the great work.
Read more about Rick and what he’s up to at his website.
Zarek with writer Brandon Jerwa:
SGS: Hello, Brandon... Did you watch the old B—Wait, I know you did! So how do you think it compares to the new BSG?
 Brandon Jerwa (BJ): It’s true - I did tune in every week to check out the “old” Galactica. I even had most of the action figures! Ultimately, it was cool sci-fi on my TV set, but it still paled in comparison to Star Wars in my eyes. My 7-year-old son now watches it on occasion, but I find that he gets bored pretty quick if theCylons don’t show up in a reasonable amount of time, and I have to admit that I feel the same way. I think the original series succeeds on its own merits as a whole, but it’s pretty dated at this point.
I don’t know that you can really make much of a comparison between the 70s version and the new series, to be honest. The original was a flight of fantasy with an accessible human element, but the Ron Moore version is almost the opposite – it’s a story of humanity first, and a sci-fi series second.
SGS: How did the whole Zarek series thing come about? Was this something you pitched Dynamite, or is it something someone else came up with?
BJ: I actually made my initial contact with Dynamite after hearing that they had the Galactica license. Phone calls were made, books were sent and then I was told that Greg Pak was doing their series. Along the way, I was offered Highlander, which I’m still writing.
A couple of months later, I asked if they would be doing any ancillary Galactica-related books, and if so, would they look at a Pegasus pitch from me. They said “send it over”; my editor said it was great, but theyweren’t looking to do it at that time. Oh, well, I thought…maybe someday.
A few days passed and I received an e-mail that, if memory serves, presented a few Galactica mini-series options. I don’t recall what the others were, but I saw Zarek and jumped immediately. I sat down and pitched a four-issue story that had this huge background outline attached to it. This was all concocted in about 48 hours – I was so excited, I just sort of sat down and let it all came out!
SGS: And what is Zarek about; for those readers that are reading about this for the first time?
BJ: This is basically the life story of Tom Zarek, the revolutionary / freedom fighter played by Richard Hatch on the new series. It’s established in the TV show that he wrote a book at some point, so I went with the notion that a lot of the story is told through excerpts from that book.
 The story starts just before the first Cylon War and ends as the prison ship Astral Queen joins the rag-tag fleet led by the Battlestar Galactica. We literally follow Zarek from birth to a time not long before his first appearance in the show.
It’s a story of a man who comes of age in a rough time, and he’s forced to follow the path that he thinks is best. There’s action, a little romance and some family drama, all against a super-cool sci-fi backdrop.
SGS: So, did you get to talk to Richard Hatch about the character Zarek he plays at all, and if so what was the extent of his involvement?
BJ: Here’s a funny story. My manager and I were at the San Diego Comic-Con this last summer and I had decided that we should go up and see Richard Hatch, tell him about the book, etc.
As we’re leaving the main room, we find Aaron Douglas, who plays Chief Tyrol, standing against the wall, texting someone. We introduce ourselves and chat for a few minutes, then tell him that we’re going to see Richard. He decided to join us, and we soon found ourselves with Richard, Aaron, soundtrack composer BearMcCreary and Kevin Grazier, the show’s science consultant.
Richard and I exchanged cards, and we began to talk via e-mail. I sent him the Zarek scripts to read, and I also ended up doing a 2-hour podcast interview with him that I’ll be releasing in the near future. He is an incredibly nice guy and I’d really like to have him write the foreword to the trade paperback, if he’s interested.
SGS: Would you say that this is a title anyone can pick up and get into? Or is it more of a fans-only kind of thing?
BJ: I know it might sound like a lot of continuity to understand, but I want everyone reading this interview to understand me here: THIS BOOK CAN BE READ BY ANYONE. If you’ve never even SEEN the show, you’re not going to have a problem following this.
The hardcore fans aren’t left out, though – there is plenty to see for the continuity watchers. You’ll see the early days of the Cylons, the history of Sagittaron and its relation to the other colonies and even a couple of familiar faces along the way
SGS: Who are some of the new characters you introduce, if any?
BJ: There are more new characters than established ones, actually! Because this story takes place in a prequel setting, there won’t be a lot of the regular characters running around.Zarek ’s parents play a key role; we also have a love interest and some prison-bound characters that have some important pieces along the way.
SGS: Is there any more planned with Tom Zarek after the limited series wraps up?
BJ: I’m not sure if he’s going to show up in Greg’s book or not; that would seem to be the most obvious place for him to show up again, though.
SGS: Are you going to be working on anything else for Dynamite with BSG?
BJ: Mmmmaaayyybeeee….it’s all very top secret. Maybe you should ask Dynamite and see what they say! (Editor’s Update: Indeed he IS working on two new projects— Pegasus and a Season ZeroBSG series).
 SGS: Anything else we should know? Anything at all? And does it have anything to do with bacon? Or pants? Or bacon-pants?
BJ: Bacon continues to dominate my field of interest. Pants, not so much.
Highlander is still moving ahead at full steam and I have four more confirmed projects for 2007 thus far.
Oh! I also make electronic beats and beeps as a member of SD6. Our debut CD “Between Noise and Transmission” is available for order now from 23db Records! We’re sort of a mix between Underworld andDepeche Mode, or at least that’s what the people from our label tell us….
The CD can be pre-ordered here.
Sound samples for every song can be found at http://www.sd6online.com
SGS: Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions, man. Keep up the excellent work you do. Or else you get the hose again.
BJ: NOT THE HOSE! OH, GOD, NOT THE HOSE! AAAAGGGGHHH!
Brandon can also be found at his website.
He also does the excellent weekly Jerwa Report.
General Questions with Joe Rybandt, Director of Marketing for Dynamite Entertainment
SGS: Joe, I would like to ask for the benefit of our readers that you briefly describe what it is you do over at Dynamite. And we need all the details ... Cylon ninjas and everything.
Joe Rybandt (JR): Everything is a group effort here, but I’m at the frontline in terms of marketing and editorial. Once we work out a story or property and the creative elements, I help to keep it moving and then help to get the word out about it.
SGSI’m going to have you field the questions given to me by some of the stalwart members of the Battlestar_Blog on LiveJournal, if that’s okay. They’re pretty general in nature, so I feel you are the best person to answer them. But first, I was wondering, how did Dynamite get theBSG license?
JR: We put our name into the running early on with Universal for both New and Classic and were able to make a deal happen. A deal we juts renewed, by the way, so expect to see both New and ClassicBattlestar from us for a long time.
SGSWas this something that was sought out by you guys, or were you sought out?
JR: We have relationships with many studios and companies, so it’s usually a mix in terms of initial discussions. It all comes down to the deal and the creative execution though, meaning you have to make the business end work first, and then make sure you have the creative components together to execute that commitment.
SGSGrant Gould would like to know: Do you seek out fan response? By that I mean, with BSG having such a huge fanbase, do you guys browse the communities and message boards to see what the fans are saying?
JR: We do our best, absolutely, and I know that the writers actively absorb fan input and report back to us if there’s anything “off” with what we’re doing. Over at our own boards you can see that we have a very vocal “classic” Lone Ranger and Battlestar group engaging us regularly about the choices we’re making…
SGS: Loren asks about how much liberty the creators/power-that-be of the new Battlestar Galactica give the writers of the comic books?
JR: The writers have the liberty to submit their preferred vision and then work with the producers to synch those visions. I can’t think of anything that we’ve submitted that has ever been outright rejected or reworked in such a way as to be unrecognizable from the original.
SGS: Is information revealed in the comic books considered canon or as an alternate storyline existing outside of official BSG continuity?
JR: As the producers provide input and ok everything we do, yes, as far as New Galactica goes. Classic has more leeway, and canon there is more open-ended as far as we’re both concerned. That’s not to say that we’re disregarding the fan preferred canon, but with Classic we want a book that anyone can pick up and enjoy, same with NewBattlestar…
SGS: Annie is wondering if the artists use photo references when the characters are drawn up. Not just when they are created, but overall. Do they have 20 pictures ofAdama, from many different angles stuck to their wall or something?
JR: Actually, due to a variety of reasons, mainly the timeliness of approvals, we stay away from exact character likeness. Our artists go for the “essence” of the character in terms of their appearance, same as the writers, this is a deliberate choice, and again, without getting into boring details, one of the things that helps us maintain as best a release schedule as we can.
SGS: What can we expect in the future with the BSG comics? What’s new in the stars for 2007?
JR: the big news is a new series that will launch out of our 2007 Free Comic Book Day book, written by BrandonJerwa and illustrated by Stephen Segovia. It will pick up on the Galactica as Adama first took her over and take us right up to the mini. We’ll also be continuing our mini-series which gives more definitive origins and backgrounds to the key players, includingAdama, Baltar, and more. Plus, a Pegasus one-shot from Jerwa as well that fills in the gaps on what happened between the attack and her re-appearance.
SGS: Is there any chance that someone in the show (old or new incarnations of BSG) will be working on upcoming Battlestar Galactica comics?
JR: Nothing like this is currently in the planning stages, doesn’t mean it can’t, or won’t happen though…
SGSWhat else is going on with Battlestar Galactica comics-wise that we haven’t covered?
JR: I think we covered what we have cooking for ’07 on the New Galactica front, and with Classic BSG, once we wrap-up Javier’s Cylon Apocalypse, we’ll be heading into another very cool mini from writer Marc Guggenheim, that’s breaking news right here folks! He’ll be revisiting ClassicBattlestar , but from a very different perspective. Just read the first script and it’s cool, cool stuff. Will definitely get the fans talking.
SGS: What else should we be on the look-out for with Dynamite, Joe?
JR: More new series in ’07, the first wave of which you already have heard about, including the Raise the Dead series and launch of Savage Tales. FrankCho recently let slip that he was doing a “Jungle Girl” book with us, so look for more word on that in ’07.
SGS: Anything else you’d like to tell us? Famous last words?
JR: I hope to do this again, so I wouldn’t want to give any “last words” so how about a nice “thank you” to your readers and all the folks out there that pick up any of our books?
What… You’re still here? Don’t you have things to do and comics to read? Hey, now, put the axe down! I kid, I kid.
I’d like to thank you kindly for reading Part I, and I hope you’ve enjoyed it! See you for Part II in the near term…
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