THE TERMINATOR: SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN #1 (Dynamite entertainment)
It’s Christmas Eve in a post Judgment Day world and the resistance is just trying to stay alive. However, the machines have sent back their own Jolly Old Saint Nick in the form of a T-800. So let the Christmas joy commence!
The Terminator: Santa Claus is Coming to Town #1 - Written By Paulina Ganucheau – Art By Kendall Goode - Letters By Jeff Eckleberry – Edited By Nate Cosby - Published By Dynamite Entertainment
Credit: Dynamite Entertainment
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
STORY OVERVIEW:
The machines have sent a T-800 back in time to take out an elite group of resistance members, and since it’s Christmas Eve what better disguise than Santa. Lieutenant Ava Hamilton leads said group of resistance members, as they are trying to escape heavy fire from the Terminators. The youngest member Chris is a bit nervous under fire and finds comfort in Ava’s stories about what Christmas used to be like. But just as the holiday cheer starts to creep in, the Terminator Santa arrives on the scene to spread hurt and murder. Will the resistance survive to see Christmas or will Santa gift their dead bodies to Skynet?
WRITING:
This Christmas special is a terrific one-shot that encapsulates the holiday season perfectly in the world of Terminator. Paulina Ganucheau does a fantastic job of mixing the holiday season with the fight to save humanity. The choice of using the holiday season as a point of comfort to only have the T-800 dressed as Santa is a really good way to drive home the irony of the machines.
ARTWORK:
The artwork in this issue is fun and reminds the reader of a Saturday morning cartoon in a sense. Kendall Goode does a great job with the character designs and the world as a whole. The design of Santa T-800 alone is fantastic and as the T-800 takes damage the different layers of how it makes Santa look is awesome. Goode’s color choices match the art and the feel perfectly.
Final Thoughts:
The Terminator: Santa Claus is Coming to Town #1 is an excellent holiday tie in, that captures not just the holiday season, but also The Terminator franchise. Where a lot of holiday specials feel forced and sacrifice either the holiday part or the actual franchise part, this issue nails both. If you are looking for a great holiday book at the LCS this week, you should definitely grab a copy for yourself and the Christmas lovers in your circle.
FINAL GRADE: 9.4/10
Let me know your thoughts on The Terminator: Santa Claus is Coming to Town #1 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
