Zack Whedon

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http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/2010-09-15-terminator1984-ST_N.htm

Earlier this year, Dark Horse Comics released Terminator: 2029, a three-part series written by comics and screenwriting veteran Zack Whedon. This month, Whedon returns with a follow-up series to 2029.

Terminator: 1984 picks up where 2029 left off and, especially interesting for fans of the original Terminator movie, offers an alternative perspective on the events that occurred in the film. For Whedon, getting an opportunity to add to the Terminator legacy was something he was excited to do.

"I’m a huge fan of the original movies," he says. "It was important for me to honor those films without doing a blatant re-telling of those stories. I wanted these series to be able to stand on their own, while adding something new and valuable to that original premise."

In 2029, readers are introduced to several new characters, including Ben and Paige, who are friends of Kyle Reese. For fans of the original movie, Reese was the human soldier, played by actor Michael Biehn, sent back in time to protect Sarah Connor from Schwarzenegger’s groundbreaking Terminator. The 2029 series fills in many of the blanks for what occurred in the future that resulted in Reese traveling back in time to 1984 to save Sarah Connor.

Likewise, the new 1984 series adds new scenes and details that would have occurred during the events of the original James Cameron movie. Whedon was a tad nervous about playing within the landscape of the original film. "It’s a little bit nerve racking because there are so many fans of the first film. I’m a fan. I like to think that if it makes me happy, it’ll make other fans happy, as well."

The writer considers what the series originator might think of the new stories. "I love Terminator and it’s my hope that if (James) Cameron ever had an opportunity to read this new series, he’d really enjoy it."

Even though Whedon was a fan of the two original movies, he still had to do some extensive research before writing the 2029 and 1984 series. "I watched all of the Sarah Connor Chronicles on DVD when I was about to start writing my first Terminator series." The canceled Fox television series has a cult following and received many positive reviews during its run.

"It’s such a great show," Whedon adds. "It’s the reason that I wanted to develop new characters within these new series. Those writers did such a great job of exploring the back-story of John and Sarah Connor that I had to come up with something new, some characters that I could develop on my own."

Feedback to the 2029 series has been positive, says Whedon. "When I talk to fans, they’ve repeatedly said that these are the types of Terminator stories that they’ve been wanting to read."

Speaking of fans, Whedon isn’t surprised at the increasing visibility and popularity of sci-fi in television and movies these days. "I think fans who grew up in that fanboy culture are now coming of age. I mean, look at Comic-Con. It keeps growing, keeps expanding its boundaries. I think it’s cool that the fanboys are spreading out and taking over!"