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UFO will be closer to Supercar
than with Fireball XL5. By this I mean that the comic series will
take up some years after what took place in the episodes which were
presented on television.
But here the similarity clearly ends. For one thing, UFO was a
decidedly darker series than either Supercar or Fireball XL5. It
would take something of a considerable stretch to imagine a UFO
episode similar to, say, "King Kool".
Not only that, but Supercar had numerous strong characters upon which
to build a story. In spite of the excellent performances turned in
by many of its stars and guest stars, few would argue that the large
majority of UFO's success lay in the dramatic turn of Ed Bishop as
Commander Straker. In his work on this series, Bishop managed to
create perhaps the most complex character in Gerry Anderson's stable:
strong, fearless, tortured, troubled . . . a man in control and yet
always teetering on the edge. In terms of bringing subtlety and
nuance and sheer watchability to genre television, Bishop's
performance in UFO would not receive a serious rival until, perhaps,
Andreas Katsulas' work in Babylon 5. It may have not been intended,
but the series very quickly began revolving around the character of
Straker, and Bishop became the show's solid foundation.
With this in mind I feel safe in announcing that the success or
failure of the comic series will depend upon how well the "Straker
dynamic" of the television series is followed. Not only followed,
but built upon, explored and expanded.
In the form of series writer Anthony Taylor (occasionally aided and
abetted by Diane Anunziata), I feel confident that this dynamic will
be as strong as it was on television. Anthony is as much of a fan of
the series as I am (if not more so), and the discussions we've had
regarding this project, as well as the ideas he's shown me, convince
me that the comic could easily turn out to be as exciting as the
series was.
Some fundamentals. As with the Supercar and XL5 series, UFO will
begin with an "issue #0" which will serve as a "bridge" to connect
the television episodes with the comic. The issue #0 story, "Witness
To The Harvest", is being written by Diane Anunziata and will be
similar in execution to a standard episode of UFO. Things to watch
out for will not only include a running battle between a UFO and a
SHADO Mobile on a British highway, but a possible explanation for
the "Mad Cow" epidemic!
Anthony Taylor then pulls out the stops with the aptly-
titled "Cataclysm" mini-series. How much of the plot does Your
Humble Correspondent dare to give away? Not too darn much.
Admittedly I'd prefer you bought the comic. But think of gun battles
on and below the surface of the Moon. Think of alien warships
filling the skies. Secret weapons. The rebirth of a newer and
stronger SHADO and the new lives and roles of its characters . . .
Yes, as with Supercar we'll be seeing the characters of UFO as having
undergone some changes and aged some. Gracefully? Well, consider
the pressure-cooker atmosphere the agents of SHADO had been living
under for some time. Once again I don't want to give too much away,
but let's just say there've been some casualties. Some characters
have been promoted and are handling new responsibilities. Some have
broken from the ranks (some more than others), but circumstances will
soon bring them back together.
As for Straker he will have grown older along with the others, and
his life will have seen some other changes as well. He'll still be
carrying the ghosts of his past on his shoulders, but events will
soon occur that will give him little opportunity to be haunted.
Suffice it to say that SHADO will become a very busy place in the
near future.
Q: What advantage does a comic book have over a television series?
A: Better special effects budget!
By this I mean that the comic will allow fans of the series to see
things they hadn't seen before. Discussions have been taking place
between myself, Anthony, Diane and others concerning the aliens which
have been attacking Earth, and, although they shall remain highly
mysterious, we may be able to look more behind the helmets and see
what's inside. We've been discussing possibly seeing such things as
alien bases and launch sites.
And space is vast . . . and contains other hazards as well!
(Cue dramatic music!)
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