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From Friday’s The Oklahoman: 

By Matthew Price
Assistant Features Editor

WORD BALLOONS

The alien takeover of earth in the hit 1983 TV miniseries “V” spurred comic books, video games and other ancillary spinoffs. Creator Kenneth Johnson returned to the world of “V” this year with his sequel novel “V: The Second Generation.”

“The Second Generation” is being developed as a possible TV movie or miniseries.

The original miniseries, a story of America under occupation seen by 80 million people, was inspired by Sinclair Lewis’ book, “It Can’t Happen Here.”

“With ‘V,’ it was very interesting, because my initial concept for ‘V’ had nothing to do whatsoever with aliens,” Johnson said. “I had been going through the works of Sinclair Lewis, who wrote ‘Elmer Gantry’ and ‘Main Street’ and a bunch of great novels. A lesser known novel of his is called ‘It Can’t Happen Here.’”

“It Can’t Happen Here” details an America overrun by fascism.

“What an interesting idea, to turn America into a state that was run by a tyranny and operated by fascists,” Johnson said, who was inspired to write a screenplay about a grassroots fascistic movement taking hold in the United States.

Brandon Tartikoff, then the head of NBC, read it, and wasn’t sure Americans would get fascism. He proposed that America would instead be under occupation by the Russians, or Chinese. Johnson said he wasn’t sure it was believable that the Chinese or Russians could sustain an occupation. Then, Johnson said, someone suggested aliens.

“Here I go again,” Johnson said. As the creator of “The Bionic Woman” and the developer of “The Incredible Hulk” for television, he was wary of being pigeonholed in science fiction. However, after considering the idea further, he changed his mind.

“The more I thought about it, the more I realized it was a great opportunity, because not only could I tell the story that I wanted to tell, about how ordinary people are changed or corrupted or become heroic because of extraordinary circumstances, but I could do it in a way where I had all this wonderful visual eye candy that would attract everyone’s attention,” he said.

This allowed Johnson to tell his story, which was “not about aliens or reptilian races or spacecraft, but a story in which the theme was power,” he said. “People who had power and abused it … and ultimately the heroes, who say, ‘This power is being abused and I have to fight against it.’”

Power returns as a theme in “Second Generation,” as does another theme, which Johnson said wasn’t originally intended, but sort of “bubbled up” as he was writing it.

“Virtually all of the principal characters in the Second Generation have at one point or another a crisis of conscience about loyalty,” Johnson said. “And loyalty is a theme that ruminates entirely through the ‘Second Generation.’”

From Friday’s The Oklahoman:

One of the earlier manga-inspired animated series, “The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers” mixed science fiction with Westerns to create an action-packed and innovative 1980s cartoon. One part “Robotech” and one part “High Plains Drifter,” the “Galaxy Rangers” series featured space lawmen fighting for Earth and the rights of Earthmen.

Like the “Seven Samurai,” the four Rangers who star in “Galaxy Rangers” also have a mission — to protect friendly aliens from destruction by the forces of the Queen of the Crown.

The four lead Galaxy Rangers are part of “Series Five,” indicating their special abilities. Zachery Fox (Jerry Orbach) is the leader, with bionic implants including a laser arm.

Science-fiction writers Brian Daley (“Fall of the White Ship Avatar,” “Star Wars: The Han Solo Trilogy”) and Tom DeHaven (“It’s Superman”) provided stories for “Rangers,” with writing that was ahead of its time for American animation.

“Galaxy Rangers” attempted to do a different type of show in an era where toy tie-ins were the end-all of television animation. As such, it ran for just 65 episodes (32 are included on this collection), but has remained popular with dedicated fans.

— Matthew Price

With the double-shot of conventions this weekend, “Trek Expo” and “SoonerCon,” how did local fandom react?  Anybody who visited a convention this weekend, feel free to give me a report here.

I’m recently returned from San Francisco, where I attended video game publisher 1C’s event announcing and demonstrating their games in the works for the next year. Keep an eye on Nerdage this week as I run down the highlights, and in Friday’s Weekend LOOK, I’ll also share a report.

– Matt Price 

From Friday’s The Oklahoman:

In “Battlestar Galactica” season three, most of the surviving humans have settled on a planet called New Caprica, halting their search for Earth. But the Cylons, the mechanical life forms that wiped out most of humanity, have found them.

As the human colonists on New Caprica fall under Cylon occupation, Battlestar Galactica, the military flagship commanded by Adama (Edward James Olmos) retreats from the planet.

The first four episodes are incredibly dark, as the “heroes” of the series must deal with questions of morality as they are held captive by the invading Cylon force. This is brutal stuff, though it works on several levels, and attempts to raise questions by the viewers beyond the fictional narrative.

After the four opening episodes, however, the series treads water as it heads for the finale. There are occasional good episodes, but it’s much more typical television than the previous two seasons. Season Three of “Battlestar Galactica” veers from the overarching story formula of the first two seasons. Bowing to studio pressure, Ron Moore and David Eick slotted more single-episode storylines into season three. The net effect is to slow down the momentum of the series when watching it on DVD.

Things pick up again in the final three episodes, and the final episode will surprise even longtime “Galactica” watchers.

— Matthew Price

More information from Marvel Comics on their upcoming adaptation of “Ender’s Game” to comic-book format.

PRESS RELEASE:

New York, NY- April 21, 2008, Marvel Comics, a division of Marvel Entertainment, Inc., and Orson Scott Card announced at the New York Comic Convention this weekend that the award-winning novel series ENDER’S GAME will be published as a comic book series thru Marvel’s Best-Selling Authors line.  The first limited series installment, ENDER’S GAME, will be adapted by comic book and animation writer Chris Yost, drawn by Pasqual Ferry, and overseen by Card himself.  This highly anticipated project debuts in comic stores in the fall.

“ENDER’S GAME and ENDER’S SHADOW are my most popular novels, and for many years I’ve withheld them from adaptation until the conditions were exactly right,” says Orson Scott Card.  “I’ve worked with Marvel for several years now, beginning with the ULTIMATE IRON MAN series, and I trust them to do superb work.  They understand the stories; they know how to translate them into graphic-novel form; and nobody has higher standards of professionalism.  In short, now is the time, and Marvel is the publisher to bring Ender and Bean to life in the visual media.”

The comic series will mark the first visualization of the best-selling sci-fi epic in which the world’s most gifted children are taken to Battle School to prepare them for the fight of their lives—and to save humanity from its greatest threat!  It is the tale of an unassuming young boy named Ender Wiggin, who will rise up to be the greatest warrior and leader that the human race has ever known.  This saga follows Ender and his friends as they grow to become the last hope and line of defense for all of mankind.

“Given the successful relationship we’ve developed with Orson Scott Card, we’re thrilled to have ENDER’S GAME—which is considered by many to be the finest work of science fiction–come to Marvel,” says David Gabriel, Senior Vice President of Sales and Circulation, Marvel Entertainment, Inc.  “The Best-Selling Authors line, which includes works by Card and Stephen King, has brought more new faces into comics retail shops than any other initiative since the Death of Captain America!”

In addition to ENDER’S GAME, Marvel will concurrently publish the companion series, ENDER’S SHADOW.  These two series comprise a sci-fi saga which has won countless awards and influenced generations since it debuted in 1985, including back-to-back wins for the Hugo and the Nebula award.  Card is the only author to have won both awards in consecutive years.

“The sheer amount of energy, dedication, imagination, poignancy, and skill that Orson Scott Card brings to the craft of storytelling is phenomenal–as we’ve already seen in his penning the ULTIMATE IRON MAN comic series.  Marvel is once again on the crest of an incredible moment in graphic fiction publishing, and fans of compelling fiction are sure to be thrilled,” said Ruwan Jayatilleke, Vice President of Development, Marvel Entertainment, Inc.

Tor Books, Orson Scott Card’s publisher for more than 25 years, is delighted to announce the publication of a new Ender novel, Ender in Exile, for late 2008.  Ender In Exile is a direct sequel to Ender’s Game; it follows Ender Wiggin and his sister Valentine on their journey to Earth’s first colony world.  New York Times bestselling author Orson Scott Card is one of the most exciting science fiction writers to emerge in the last 25 years.  His signature novel, Ender’s Game, and the Ender Series and Shadow Quartet series that followed, have successfully crossed genre lines placing Card at the top of his field.   Ender’s Game alone has sold more than a million copies since its original publication in 1985, and has been translated into nearly twenty languages.  The entire sequence of novels remains in print, winning new readers every year.  In 2007, Tor Books published A War Of Gifts, a short novel set during Ender’s time at the Battle School, and in April 2008 released Keeper Of Dreams, a massive collection of Card’s short fiction.

PRESS RELEASE:

New York City Comic-Con - April 18th, 2008 - It’s about frelling time. Fans have a reason to celebrate as FARSCAPE returns in a brand new comic series thanks to a just-inked licensing agreement between The Jim Henson Company and BOOM! Studios. Widely recognized as one of the greatest sci-fi series in television history, the multi-award-winning FARSCAPE will make its comic book debut later this year.

“FARSCAPE took science fiction television to a new level and ushered in a whole host of shows that wouldn’t have been possible without FARSCAPE’s pioneering. As a long-time ‘Scaper’, I am incredibly excited to mine the dense universe of FARSCAPE for new stories and adventures in comic book form,” said BOOM! Marketing and Sales Director, Chip Mosher. “I watched the show as it came out, I bought the DVDs the day they hit the shelves, and I can’t frelling wait to publish these comics!”

The FARSCAPE comic book series will be taking advantage of the upcoming webisodes to be produced by The Jim Henson Company in association with RHI Entertainment for SCIFI.COM. The webisode series will re-unite FARSCAPE executive producer Brian Henson with creator Rockne S. O’Bannon.

Debuting on the SCI-FI Channel in 1998, FARSCAPE follows the adventures of Astronaut John Crichton as a freak accident during an experimental space mission catapults him across a thousand galaxies to an alien battlefield. Suddenly, he’s trapped among alien creatures wielding deadly technology - a battle that 20th century sci-fi pop culture never prepared him for. Hunted by a merciless military race, Crichton begins his quest for home from a distant galaxy.

A groundbreaking award-winning sci-fi production, FARSCAPE has become a global favorite. Named by TV Guide as one of television’s “Best Cult Shows Ever” and most recently named by EMPIRE Magazine as one of the “50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time,” FARSCAPE is known for the overwhelming fan-based campaign that led to its miniseries production.  The show has continued to find new audiences as it airs in syndication and is available on DVD around the world.

If you’re as excited about the Buck Rogers announcement of new comics from Dynamite as I am, you can bide the time with other Buck-Rogers-related entertainment.  For example,  you can check out full episodes of the TV series free on NBC.com.   Find out more about the comic strip at Toonopedia.  I haven’t found any info about reprints of the comic strip, but if I do, I’ll post it.  Dynamite’s release does indicate that reprints of classic material are included in their license, so maybe we’ll see reprints of the 1970s series and the original comic strip.

– Matt Price

Press release from Dynamite Entertainment:

March 13th, 2008 Runnemede, NJ – For almost 80 years, more than any other, the name Buck Rogers has simply meant “The Future”. And now that future is coming to you from Dynamite Entertainment!

Before caped heroes were leaping tall buildings, Buck was spanning the stars . . . and the centuries.  A man accidentally thrust into an extraordinary future, Buck is science fiction’s first superstar and one of our culture’s most enduring icons.  In its original version, Buck Rogers ran as a comic strip continuously for 38 years in over 400 newspapers.  True to his adventurous reputation, Buck is also known for his star turns in radio, movie serials, and television series. And now, comics and more from Dynamite Entertainment!

Flint Dille, a prominent animation and videogame creator as well as the grandson of Buck’s originator, John Flint Dille, oversees the Buck Rogers franchise. “My family and I have always considered the Buck legacy a sort of ‘sacred trust’,” Dille says, “and we are absolutely confident that this collaboration with Dynamite honors that trust.”

Nick Barrucci, Publisher and President of Dynamite Entertainment, is very enthusiastic to be working on one of his “dream projects since childhood,” and to be working with Flint and his family legacy in that process.  Barrucci proudly confirms that fan favorites, Alex Ross and John Cassaday, will be integral to Dynamite’s Buck launch, with both Alex and John providing character designs, Alex providing a cover to issue #1, and John serving as regular series cover artist starting with issue #1.  “Dynamite’s job right now,” Barrucci says, “is to find the writer and the artist who share my and my team’s respect and affection for Buck Rogers, and who can help bring Buck, once again, into an exciting new future.”

Dynamite’s agreement with the Dille Estate allows for the creation of Buck Rogers comics, collections, including classic material, comics-based fine art prints, posters, action figures, trading cards, statues, and other high-end collectibles. Look for promotional art and announcements at www.dynamiteentertainment.com in the coming weeks and at San Diego ComiCon this summer.

“Torchwood” Season 2 kicks off on BBC America Sunday night, with James Marsters (”Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) appearing as Jack Hart.

Eve Myles, who plays police constable-turned-special Torchwood agent Gwen Cooper,  talked about Marsters, and about Season 2.

MATT: What does James Marsters bring to the show?
EVE MYLES: James Marsters is an absolute complete professional. He’s fantastic.  What (Jack Hart) brings to Torchwood is … he brings danger and fear. He brings a lot of Jack’s past with him.  So it’s very interesting.
And to work with James was wonderful, because he’s a player, a mad player.  And what that means is you don’t have to stick to doing the same thing in every take. You can play with one another.  And what that does is, it makes you listen to the person you’re talking to, or the person who’s talking to you, more.  Because you react in a very natural way to that person, so nothing feels staged.  I adored working opposite James Marsters.  You’re only as good as the person you work opposite, and he makes you feel like a million dollars to work opposite him.
MATT: How is Season 2 different from Season 1?
EVE MYLES: It’s not majorly different. It’s still Torchwood, we’re not going to change the program, or the premise of the program. It’s still Torchwood.  But you’ll have 13 episodes of 13 different stories.  One week it’ll make you cry, the next week you’ll fall off your chair laughing. The other week is very sinister and dark, then you’ll get beautiful love stories. You’ve got fabulous new special effects and wonderful monsters.   You can expect to see the Weevils back in full force.  You’re going to see the characters develop much much more, you’ll find out a lot more about Jack’s past. You’ve got so much to look forward to.

– Matt Price

My biggest worries going into last night’s premiere episode of “Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles,” were:

1. I hope the effects aren’t super cheesy.

2. I hope the story isn’t super sucky.

The special effects were OK — not movie-grade goodness, but not so bad that they took away from the story. And what a story it was. Time-travelling, random Terminator attacks and John Conner thinking about boning a robot are all good things.

There are some lingering questions. I thought it was pretty convenient how easily Sarah Conner accepted the new Terminator into the fold. (Should we call her the T-River Tam or what?) And I thought the Tam-bot changed her prime directive from “protect John Conner” to “do whatever Sarah Conner says” awfully fast.

And what was with Sarah Conner having to be pushed by her son to stop SkyNet?

“We have to save humanity, mom.”

“Well….I don’t know….I’m awfully busy, lately.”

Regardless, this episode gets an “A” from me, though I’ll be interested to see what the new status quo is with tonight’s episode. I’d assume it’s all Terminator and FBI chasing them all the time, but I wonder if they’ll drift at all to a Monster-of-the-Week format, just to change it up?

 – Greg