GREG PAK ON BATTLESTAR GALACTICA

[MattBrady]

Jockeying for room these days in writer Greg Pak’s brain, along with Marvel’s Hulk, and a dozen or so other projects, are a vast cast of characters with names like Apollo, Starbuck, Adama, and their home, the Battlestar Galactica.

Staring with a #0 in May, Pak will settle in as the series writer for Dynamite Entertainment’s new Battlestar Galactica series, based on the new series currently running on SciFi. We spoke with the writer for more on his plans for the series.

Newsarama Note: art from the series, along with the Steve McNiven cover, will be shown next week.

Newsarama: The new Battlestar Galactica is itself a re-imagining of the old television show. With the comic, you'll basically be doing a re-imagining of the re-imagining. What's that like?

Greg Pak: The great thing is that it’s actually not really a reimagining of the reimagining -- it’s a deeper exploration of the reimagining, if that’s not too confusing. The bottom line is that we’re working fully within the continuity of the new show.

NRAMA: Given your description, it’s a safe bet that you’re familiar with the show?

GP: Oh, I was very familiar with the show -- I’d been a fan of the original series as a kid and got totally hooked on the new show from the first episode of the first miniseries. I think it’s the best thing on television, so I was enormously excited to come on board with the comic book series.

NRAMA: Gene Roddenberry originally billed Star Trek as “Wagon Train in Space;” how would you describe Dynamite's Battlestar Galactic comic to someone who's never seen an episode of the series?

GP: It’s the story of a ragtag starfleet containing the last remnants of the human race who are fleeing their robot Cylon persecutors and seeking a legendary lost human colony known as Earth. Our stories follow Commander William Adama and his crew as their struggle to survive tests their physical, emotional, and moral limits -- and forces them to stare deep into the hearts of their robot enemies.

In our first issue -- an introductory “0” issue, priced at just a quarter -- the Galactica discovers a group of human survivors in a small Medivac ship under attack by Cylons. Adama suspects a Cylon plot. But Roslin points to the Sacred Scrolls, which contain an ancient prophecy: “The dead shall return in an ark of fire.” Who are the “Returners”? Will they unite or divide the fleet -- and heal or break the heart of Commander Adama?
During the course of the series, we’ll discover more about the origins of the Cylons, learn about an underground group of human saboteurs trying to prevent the Galactica from reaching Earth, and follow our flawed heroes as they struggle with their harrowing responsibility to make life-and-death decisions in times of terrible crisis.

NRAMA: Tell us a little bit about the format of the book. What time period will you be covering, that is, where will it fall in the Galactica continuity: first season, second season, in-between seasons?

GP: Our stories fall in the middle of the second season -- right after the return from Kobol and before the arrival of the Battlestar Pegasus.

NRAMA: Given that it's a licensed property, how much latitude do you have with the stories? What's the process of writing a licensed book like? Do you have to submit your stories to the TV producer for approval? Do you have a “Show Bible” from which you have to work? Can you pitch them on ideas? Like, say you wanted to do something on the Cylon annihilation that sent Galactica into space - can you just call them up and say, “Hey, I've got an idea...”

GP: I’ll tackle all these questions at once. I was already familiar with the show, but did my homework by studying the DVDs and the series bible. Then I wrote an outline for a thirteen issue storyline which would break new ground while fitting into the existing continuity. I had no idea if Universal considered certain stories or themes off-limits. So I ran wild, creating a story that I thought would get to the heart of the most emotionally compelling relationships, ideas, and conflicts set up in the first season. Dynamite sent the outline to Universal and then we waited. Nervously. Universal called back with a few questions, which we addressed, and I got the amazing opportunity to talk a bit with Ron Moore, the brilliant creator of the new series. And then, amazingly, everything got approved. I still cannot believe they’re letting us do some of the things we’re doing -- it’s going to be a heck of a ride, and the giant twist at the end of Issue #0 is just the beginning.



NRAMA: Speaking of Cylons, describe them for the readers. Where do they fall on the fandom scale of villains - are they The Empire (from Star Wars), the Borg (Star Trek), the flesh-eating, face-wearing lizards of V?

GP: They’re distinct from all of the above, largely because their true motives remain tantalizingly ambiguous. They’re machines, former slaves of humanity, who now seem implacably devoted to the destruction of the human race. Yet they’ve created human-like bodies and memories for themselves and have undertaken an interbreeding program with humans. Even more intriguingly, they have their own religion and sense of destiny. These aren’t mere human tyrants or alien monsters; these are the artificial children of humanity. Exactly what they want and need from the human race remains to be seen.

NRAMA: Early on, the show made mention of a conflict with the Cylons some decades before the series began. Will you be dealing with that?

GP: I can’t comment for fear of spoilers. I’ll just say that readers interested in learning more about the past will not be disappointed.

NRAMA: The TV Galactica is a very character-driven show; will you be delving further into the character's pasts? Which characters are you most looking forward to working on? Why?

GP: Adama, Starbuck, and Apollo are the emotional focus of the first arc, with Gaeta and Dualla grabbing some great panel time. Watch for Sharon to play a huge role as the series progresses.

NRAMA: Let's play a little game of word association with the characters: what comes to your mind when you hear:

Commander Adama?

GP: Heart and soul.

NRAMA: Apollo?

GP: Straight arrow.

NRAMA: Boomer?

GP: Believer.

NRAMA: Baltar?

GP: Judas with jokes.

NRAMA: Number Six?

GP: In your dreams.

NRAMA: Starbuck?

GP: She’s the best at what she does.

NRAMA: In the pages of Galactica, you get to play with spaceships and an evil alien race and cool mythology (the quest for Earth) and tense relationships and characters with names like Apollo and Starbuck-what about your work on the new book excites you most?

GP: Man, all of the above. But if I had to pick one thing, I’d have to say that nothing beats working on a science fiction property that takes the emotional lives of its characters so seriously. This is end of the world stuff, which always allows for great drama and plot twists. But the genius of Battlestar Galactica comes from putting the real emphasis on its characters. Our heroes are all grappling with the greatest crises of their lives, and because the show’s so committed to taking that experience seriously, we never know if any individual is going to succeed or fail on the most fundamental human level. That makes for real tension and drama -- and provides the chance to tell stories that are as emotionally thrilling as they are viscerally mind-blowing.

[TheWay]

I can't wait to pick this up!

[Egg]

This is high on my list to buy!

[skeletorjr]

Isn't a new comic based on the original series in the works as well from Dynamite?

[Bakema NL]

I'm all over this one and I'm not even familiar with the new series yet. The old series however.....that's the best thing ever on television, thought so as a kid and still think so as a 36 year old adult.

[sequart]

Originally posted by skeletorjr
Isn't a new comic based on the original series in the works as well from Dynamite?

Yes, I believe there will be a series for the old version of the show and one for the new version.

[NightRiver]

When this was announced, I wasnt too excited, even with me being a huge fan of the show. I thought the comics were just gonna be retelling of episodes.

But since these are all new stories, oh man!! This is so gonna kick ass!!

I wish they would do something like this for Lost.

[bob_at_york]

consider me interested.

[R.C. Collins]

Can't wait for this one! This new Battlestar Galactica is probably my second favorite Sci Fi show ever (following Farscape in 1st).

granted, I've yet to experience the joy of Deep Space 9 or Babylon 5 which I hear are great…

[fistofkhonshu]

Is McNiven doing the art or just the covers?

[fistofkhonshu]

Originally posted by Bakema NL
I'm all over this one and I'm not even familiar with the new series yet. The old series however.....that's the best thing ever on television, thought so as a kid and still think so as a 36 year old adult.

You might better get familiar with the new show first. Its a whole different ball of wax. I vaguely remember the old show but I know the Cylons weren't the horniest villains in the galaxy before.

[samnoir]

I wonder in which timeframe the 13 issue comic series occur?

The inexpensive zero issue is a good idea. I wonder how the 25 cent issue has impacted sales on the launch of other titles.

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[Prozac Man]

This interview just put the book on my pull list! And a thank you to Universal for not micro managing the project.

[amlah6]

Greg Pak: The bottom line is that we’re working fully within the continuity of the new show.

That was exactly what I wanted to hear. I can't wait for this series!

[Colossus2420]

Looking forward to seeing the artwork preview.

[TheFoo]

Originally posted by amlah6
That was exactly what I wanted to hear. I can't wait for this series!

Same here. I totally have faith in Pak, that he can make us drool over this just as much as the show can. I'm picking up a whole bunch of copies to give to people. Cant wait to see the art for this book.

[DrBat]

Originally posted by samnoir
I wonder in which timeframe the 13 issue comic series occur?

"Our stories fall in the middle of the second season -- right after the return from Kobol and before the arrival of the Battlestar Pegasus."

----

Sounds good so far, especially w/Moore's approval.

[Bakema NL]

Originally posted by fistofkhonshu
You might better get familiar with the new show first. Its a whole different ball of wax. I vaguely remember the old show but I know the Cylons weren't the horniest villains in the galaxy before.

Oh yes they were........if you were already into cybersex back then, without the term being into existence even........and not that I was into that...of course.

I'm waiting for the box to arrive here.....maybe it has now, I have to check.

[ALIEN_freak_jimbo]

Cool, I'll check it out.
I loved Pak's writing on Phoenix:Endsong and love the tv show. Hopefully, the comic will be good.

I really need to see the art, tho.

[fistofkhonshu]

Originally posted by Bakema NL
Oh yes they were........if you were already into cybersex back then, without the term being into existence even........and not that I was into that...of course.

Were they? Did they have some freaky robot reptilian sex jive going on and I missed it because I was three?

[Bakema NL]

Originally posted by fistofkhonshu
Were they? Did they have some freaky robot reptilian sex jive going on and I missed it because I was three?

No, not really, I meant they looked sexy....etc etc etc.....
You knew that even as a 3 year old I'm sure.

[fistofkhonshu]

Originally posted by Bakema NL
No, not really, I meant they looked sexy....etc etc etc.....
You knew that even as a 3 year old I'm sure.

OK DUHH!!! As you Command.

Anyone every see if Kitt hooked up with a female Cylon?

[Mike Hayden]

Battlestar: Galactica is so frakkin awesome
i wanna see more cylons

[Blackbeard]

FRACK YEAH!!!
Can't wait!

[OM]

Originally posted by fistofkhonshu
You might better get familiar with the new show first. Its a whole different ball of wax. I vaguely remember the old show but I know the Cylons weren't the horniest villains in the galaxy before.

...Are you forgetting the episode where Starbuck rebuilds the Cylon and then ends up getting pregnant from it? :-)