FarScape #1

This was a series I missed when it first hit the small screen.

Friends would chastise me, saying, "This is a show that's made for you, Chuck! You'll love it!"

Finally, I got Tivo and put FarScape on my "record" list - and I started playing catch-up.

I won't say it's my absolute favorite science fiction show, but my friends were right - I enjoyed it a lot, and stayed with it until I had seen every episode, including the mini-series that wrapped up the storylines.

So I was happy to hear that BOOM! Studios was creating a new comic book based on the original, and it would be done with input from the creator of the series, Rockne O'Bannon, who wrote the story for this issue, with script by Keith R.A. Decadido.

The art is by Tommy Patterson, who does a respectable job capturing the appearance of the actors - not an easy thing to manage - and he does solid work on the alien settings.

The story picks up immediately after the end of the series, with astronaut John Crichton and his wife Aeryn celebrating the birth of their child, Deke.

If you've never seen the series, here are the basics: John was pulled through a wormhole in his ship, the FarScape, and ended up aboard a living starship, Moya, where he became friends (or at least allies) with several alien creatures, including the beautiful and deadly Aeryn, the warrior D'Argo (whose son Jothee takes center stage in this story), the exiled king (and major pain in the neck) Rygel, the cat-like (and often naughty) Chiana, and Pilot, whose name reveals his (its?) relation with the living ship.

The group (which often included other characters) had numerous fantastic adventures, but this series picks up after the ongoing storylines have been resolved, so you don't need much backstory to pick up on the events in this comic.

Like past adventures, this one combines lots of alien settings, action and humor to carry the story along. It's a strong beginning, and if you're a fan of the series, this won't disappoint you. If you're new to the world of FarScape, this would be a good jumping-on spot.

Grade: B+