The first issue of Declan Shalvey’s new Terminator series was a true breath of fresh air, especially for me since I’d grown burnt out on Terminator stories. The Terminator #2 keeps up this momentum, once again deploying a Terminator in the past – this time, in the waning days of the Vietnam War. American soldier Duggan, instead of preparing to leave with his platoon, is moving deeper into Vietnam territory, unaware that he’s being stalked by a killing machine.
The Terminator #2 once again utilizes a unique setup for its story: humans fighting to stop a Terminator in different time periods. The possibilities of this are endless: what if a Terminator is sent back to World War II, or the Crusades? How would it fit in, or how would its target take it down if they only have medieval weaponry? Shalvey actually has put some thoughts into this, as this story’s Terminator is immediately attacked by Vietnam soldiers…and slowly starts decimating them.
That leads me into the second part of what makes this series compelling: the difference between man and machine. Shalvey splits the story between the Terminator’s first appearance and Duggan’s race through Vietnam. Both of them are seeking something, and one of them is leaving a fiery swath of destruction in its path. That destruction is brought to life by David O’Sullivan, whose artwork differs based on whoever the story is following. When it’s Duggan, the page is crowded by masses of humanity that slowly thin to reveal a beautiful, if bustling city. When it’s the Terminator, there’s only fire and blood as far as the eye can see. The only constant remains the reddish-orange glow of the sun, which colorist Colin Cracker is sure to highlight in the majority of the issue.
Cracker also provides art duties on the second part of “Buried Alive”, but honestly, I feel like the first installment was a bit better. This one only seems to reaffirm what we already know: two Terminators have been sent back to the modern day, with one seeking to kill a target and the other protecting him. If this backup is going to continue I hope it starts moving the story forward.
The Terminator #2 not only establishes how this Terminator story is going to differ from the others, but it also introduces a new concept that could be the kick in the pants the franchise needed. James Cameron, if you’re reading this, you have a roadmap on how to make a great Terminator movie right here.
