When I was young, V was the sci-fi series hit for the entire family. I hadn't seen anything as good as this since Battlestar Galactica and I was extremely happy when the two mini-series gave way to an equally exciting television series that was unfortunately put up against the CBS juggernaut Dallas.
You all remember what V was about? A bunch of lizards impersonating humans arrived in fifty motherships offering their advanced technology to Earth. Later, Mike Donovan and Juliet Parrish infiltrated their ranks and found some startling secrets. It turns out, these aliens known as Visitors were taking our water supply and shipping humans to their planet as food. The only thing that stood between us and the Visitors was the Resistance. Each episode focused on the war between the humans and the aliens and contained some excellent dogfights between shuttle ships, laser gun battles, a great cast and wonderful writing. Sadly, the show wasn't really given much of a chance and was cancelled before even finishing a single season.
Still, the show achieved a cult following. I for one saw every single episode, collected every single novel and of course bought all 18 comic books put out by DC Comics. Just recently, I bought the entire series off of some guy on E-bay.
This series captured the feel of the television show like no other comic book could. I was totally into it and I read it over and over again as if it was my first time. Right from the first issue, I knew this was going to be a classic and it is hard to get your hands on the entire series when you go to comic book shows.
V: The Comic Book included all my favorite characters. Mike Donovan, Juliet Parish, Elias Taylor, Ham Tyler, Chris Faber, Elizabeth and Robin Maxwell, Kyle Bates and Willie were all there and kicking Diana, Lydia and Charles' butt as they did in the series. However, due to the fact that this comic book didn't have to worry about special effects and such, it was able to go into areas that the series couldn't explore and introduce characters that weren't introduced on the series. The interactions were realistic and you could almost see the characters from the show play out the stories in front of you. Also, the writing was not childish and therefore able to keep the feel of the show intact. Most importantly, the artwork was top notch and the characters looked as close to the real thing as they could. All this makes for a very special read.
In the first issue, Hart and Boyce are introduced and team up with Donovan, Julie and Willie as the Resistance battle the Visitors in a small town inhabited by people who love the Visitors. The town boasts these springs that the aliens want to use to replenish their water supply back on their home planet. The Visitors help cure all the townsfolk's woes and they feel indebted to them. The springs are about to erupt and the Resistance members are captured, with some even killed and it looks like the aliens will finally get a big victory. Of course, the Resistance convinces the townspeople to band together and battle the evil menace that is using them for their water.
It's this three part series that gets the ball rolling, and while this beginning is action packed and full of everything a V fan wants in a comic book, it is only a piece of the pie. The rest of the series offers even more than any V series could, TV or otherwise. While elements of the TV series make their way into the books, the comic offers so much more and takes a better look into the characters that help to make the show so good. One issue focused entirely on Juliet Parrish and her trip back home. It isn't a happy homecoming when Visitors spoil the fun. The final two issues have nothing to do with continuity and focus on an older tale when Elias was still alive and had to fight for his life and love. Elias was a favorite character and I was shocked to see him die on the television series. Apparently, so were many fans, and this was DC's opportunity to allow the fans a last glimpse at the street thug turned hero. It was a perfect send off to the series, even though it should have never ended.
I don't want to end on a sad point, so I will discuss a few other aspects of the comic that made it so damn good. First, to illustrate my point about the tie-ins to the series, in one episode, Ham, Chris and Robin leave and are never heard from again. In the comic, we see their further adventures as they travel to Chicago and crack a Visitor takeover at a newspaper company. Poor Robin falls for another guy who turns out to be a lizard. If you saw the series, you would see what it is I am talking about. Other locations played a part in this series as the Resistance battle Diana in New York.
Finally, one thing that I loved the most was the fact that the series focused on more than just the Visitors vs. the Resistance. One issue dealt with the fact that a well-known scientist had a plot that would destroy the mothership. While it would have ended Diana's life, the Resistance knew too well that this would bring more motherships that could fire on the planet and destroy it faster than a nuclear attack. So the Resistance actually have to save the mothership and save the Visitors as well. That is just cool and something we probably wouldn't have seen on the television show.
Unfortunately, there was a lot more we didn't get a chance to see in the comic book that would have been great. Due to the series cancellation, the books were eventually halted. But imagine what they could have done with this series if given a chance? It could have continued with a look at the lizard's home planet or a continuation from where the television show concluded just ended and V fell off the planet with no sign of return.
For all the shows I have taped and for all the books and comic books I have watched, I must admit that nothing will take the place of actually having the show back amongst us again. One day, I swear that will happen, but until that day, I will satisfy my thirst by turning back the pages once again.
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