Space: 1999- Aftershock and Awe [Hardcover] [2012] (Author) Andrew E. C. Gaska, Gray Morrow, David Hueso, Miki, John Kenneth Muir, Erik Matthews

by Andrew E.C. Gaska

In an alternate universe where JFK was never assassinated, mankind has already suffered through World War III, unified into a single world government, and built a base on the moon by the year 1999!September 13 1999 - An atomic accident causes the moon to be blown out of orbit and hurled into the unknown, the survivors of the lunar base stationed there launched towards their destiny across the stars. But what of the cataclysm and wanton destruction caused to the Earth in its wake?This groundbreaking retro-reintroduction to the sci-fi hit series begins with AFTERSHOCK, which follows nine lives who are forever changed by the carnage left in the moon’s wake. Told from the point of view of those left behind on a ravaged Earth, AFTERSHOCK explores the scientific, environmental, and social political repercussions of a world left with no moon.The story continues in AWE, which adapts the pilot episode of 1999 "Breakaway", as seen through the personal logs of Commander John Koenig and Professor Victor Bergman on Moonbase Alpha — expanded to include both new and unfilmed material, and utilizing the remastered art of comics legend Gray Morrow as a basis for this revolutionary retelling.

Genres: Science Fiction, Graphic Novels, Comics, Comic Book

Unknown Binding

First published November 13, 2012

About the author

With two decades of experience in the comics and video game industries, author Andrew E.C. Gaska is the Senior Development Editor at Lion Forge LLC. Having previously freelanced for Lion Forge’s Labs division as a script, pitch, and proposal writer, he now generates original IP for the brand, developing both comics and animation projects while working closely with creative teams to guide their vision to fruition.

He is founder/creative director of the guerrilla integrated-media studio BLAM! Ventures, and for the past three years has worked as a freelance franchise consultant to 20TH CENTURY FOX, writing series reference bibles, maintaining continuity, streamlining in-universe canon, and creating detailed timelines for the legacy franchises of ALIEN®, Predator®, and Planet of the Apes®. He was also a sequential storytelling instructor at the School of Visual Arts in New York and for seventeen years served as a visual consultant to Rockstar Games on the Grand Theft Auto series, Red Dead Revolver, and all other releases.

Known as ‘Drew’ to his friends, his online sci-fi and sociopolitical essays on social media and at rogue-reviewer.com draw controversial debate and discussion from all sides. His graphic novels and prose works include Critical Millennium™, Space:1999™, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century®: The Draconian Fire Saga, Conspiracy of the Planet of the Apes®, Tales from the Forbidden Zone: The Unknown Ape™, and the upcoming novel, Death of the Planet of the Apes®.

Drew resides in Gulf Breeze, Florida with his affectionately glutinous feline, Adrien. Find out more about his upcoming projects at www.blamventures.com

Reviews

[Andrew Gaska · Rating 5 out of 5]

I... I think I wrote it!

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

This graphic novel is split into roughly two parts. The first part closely follows the pilot of the classic science fiction television show (with a few dubious additions). The second part claims to examine what life is like in the wake of the disappearance of the moon from Earth's Orbit.

Part one worked for me, for the most part. I wasn't excited about the additions made (I'm not one to require a story to stick precisely to the original, but I do tend to want changes / additions to have imparted some value to the work, and I'm not sure that these do.), but overall I enjoyed reading it. The art style matches the visual style of the show quite well as well, for the most part. If I have one major complaint, it's that the text is absolutely rife with spelling errors. I'm not sure why they didn't have an editor on board for this project, but it really could have used one. I know that seems like a minor nitpick, but it continually drew me out of my immersion in the story.

The groundwork laid for the second part in the earlier chunk (mostly through the aforementioned additions) didn't leave me hoping for much out of the latter section, and even so, I was disappointed. It hits the ground stumbling and proceeds to fall flat on its face. The spelling errors do decrease (although they don't disappear), but otherwise, all semblance of intelligent science fiction, effective plotting, and well-written dialogue disappears. The story is fragmented at best and told in tiny vignettes centering around the few newly-introduced characters, many of whom are related to the members of Moon Base Alpha (in that way that strains your belief in the story at times). The dialogue becomes increasingly strained, and includes such completely natural lines as somebody being shown a fleet of space vessels and exclaiming, "Specifications!", which gives their companions an excuse to infodump statistics about the space ships at some length. And then, ultimately, most of these revelations, vignettes, and sub-plots come to no particular significance at all. Perhaps this series is playing a long game, but I wound up the story feeling like I'd utterly wasted my time, slogging through a bunch of painful reading that amounted to nothing.

Add to that an art style that, while it occasionally produces a "neat" scene, sacrifices all practicality and engagement (the use of shadow, posing, and clothing often makes it actively hard to tell who is whom, and some of the characters are unrecognizable frame to frame as being the same person save for bits of their clothing or accessories such as pets). The only emotions the characters seem capable of in this art style is also a sort of lurid grotesqueness which made me at times feel quite put off.

Ultimately, I'm saddened by how it turned out, since I did enjoy the "remake" portion, with only a few misgivings. But I wouldn't, having now read it in its entirety, recommend this to any particular audience, even fans.

[Michael Rudzki · Rating 5 out of 5]

There needs to be more stars than just five for this. What a surprise to find this on the new comics shelf this week! And what a joy to read something which was created with such respect for the original series, coupled with such creativity! Drew Gaska has taken a groundbreaking series and answered questions I've had since I saw my first Eagle: what happened on earth when our moon was torn from its orbit? He fleshes out the backstories of the characters, adding emotional layers to a disaster unparalleled in history. The art is fantastic as well. It couldn't have been easy to follow Gray Morrow, but Miki and David Hueso succeed admirably. I would love to see more on the production of this novel; perhaps there's something out amongst the interwebs to enlighten me. I hope there will be more coming from this team. My only question for Mr. Gaska would be, is this taking place within the greater Gerry Anderson universe? I'm not sure if Anderson intended for all of his shows to be part of one continuity since there's not much (if any) crossover, but I always liked the idea of Straker taking some earthside position after SHADO and moonbase either being expanded into Alpha or perhaps lying undetected somewhere under the moon's surface. Maybe WASP or the Thunderbirds will turn up at some point, but even if they don't this stands on its own as one if the best series refreshers ever. A big thank you to all involved!

[Ricardo Nuno Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you enjoyed "Space: 1999" in your youth, or if you happen to get hold of this volume, you are in for a treat.
Besides including a "remake" of the first episode of the TV series, this volume includes several additional (very consistent) episodes with backstories and, above all, depicting the unbelievable chaos that fell upon Earth after the Moon's breakaway.

This is a awesome "truth to style" remake, and a very well woven matrix of supporting stories full of interesting characters, including some surprising villains and a few plot twists thrown in for good measure.

All in all, this one is a great sci-fi volume. You won't regret picking it up.

[Slindvall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Remember the classic British sci-fi series that lasted just two years back in the mid 1970s? Space: 1999 came out post-original Star Trek and pre-Star Wars, but was its own special brand of adventure... scary, weird, thoughtful, and with the best special effects to ever hit television. Well, Andrew Gaska remembers, and he has come out with this graphic novel to reintroduce the series to a brand new audience as well as longtime cult fans.

This is the first of a planned series from Gaska and a group of very talented artists. It retells the story of how the inhabitants of Moonbase Alpha (in the far-flung future of 1999) begin their cosmic journey into the unknown reaches of the universe. The premise is that a cataclysmic explosion on the dark side of Earth's moon pushes it out of Earth orbit. More than 300 men and women stationed on Moonbase Alpha are trapped on an uncontrollable odyssey through the cosmos, trying desperately to survive and hoping to find a new home. Gaska uses art from classic Space: 1999 comics of the 1970s, along with new art, to expand on the series pilot episode, "Breakaway." He adds scenes that were cut from or never filmed for the original episode, and introduces new material that helps link it to the larger story and smooth out inconsistencies that cropped up during the series two-year run.

Following his new version of the origin story, Gaska goes on to tell a new story about how the moon's departure effects Earth and its inhabitants. Needless to say, it's not a good day for the planet. Many of the characters in this story have ties to people on Moonbase Alpha, and plot threads from this story will likely be incorporated into future volumes of the graphic novel series. Gaska promises a "third season" to the original series that never had a satisfactory conclusion. This first volume of that series, "Aftershock and Awe," is a fantastic beginning. Andrew Gaska is a very talented writer and storyteller. His love of the original series is apparent, and his characterizations are spot-on to what the original actors portrayed. The classic art by Gray Morrow, which has been "remastered" for this book, and new art by David Hueso and Miki is gorgeous. The hard cover book is a beautiful piece of work and an obvious labor of love by everyone involved.

I highly recommend this graphic novel. Whether you fondly remember the original series or are a fan of good science fiction, or even if you just like a good story with fantastic art, you owe it to yourself to give this book a try. It would be a great addition to anyone's library.

[Paul Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Drew Gaska and BLAM! Ventures have come up with a winner. For fans of the television series (of which I am, admittedly, one), they’ve taken a story I’ve loved for decades and breathed new life into it through their attention to detail. This isn’t a quick drive-by recreation, not some slapping on of a franchise name to all new material. It’s an A-class reinvention and it is Gaska’s respect for the details in the source material that helps him bring new cannon into old and make it work exceptionally well. It’s believable because the BLAM! team understands and appreciates the original and pays homage to it rather than simply exploits it.

You can read my full review at Namel3ss Magazine

[Tom Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

While also a nostalgic visit to a Tv show of my youth, this graphic novel also attempts to mold a universe around a concept which, at its core, seems very unrealistic to modern-day eyes. And, for the most part, it succeeds by addressing the sullied aspects of the series head-on. It also uses the author's clearly comprehensive knowledge of the show to not only tie together the very different two seasons of the show, but to enhance the human element of the original story through the use of characters that were not originally a part of it. I'm not sure how this plays to someone who wasn't already a fan of the show, but it has shown that there are still new ways to play with the toys in this sandbox.

[Thom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some great artwork and characters lead this retelling of the Breakaway story and new events before and after. Some of the plot was a little convoluted - a full world military coup? - but the rest works really well. Gives a good explanation for the cache of Hawks found on the moon later in the series. Recommended!

[Robert Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Homage to original series. One can tell there is great passion for getting a look and feel of the original series here with good attention to detail. The alternate universe concept also works well here. Check out this out. For old and new fans alike.

[Trekscribbler · Rating 5 out of 5]

In A Word: EPIC

Maybe eighteen months or so ago, I saw a copy of SPACE: 1999 – AFTERSHOCK AND AWE on the shelves at my local Barnes & Noble. It was sealed up in plastic so I couldn’t exactly flip through it to see if the story caught my interest – I was part of that generation that missed SPACE: 1999 in televised syndication in the mid-1970’s, but – as an ardent fan of practically all things Sci-Fi – I’d caught a couple of episodes in passing when it aired about the TV dial since those days. I’d followed many of the Sci-Fi trades of that era (i.e. that pre-internet civilization, kids), so I was marginally up-to-speed on the “controversy” surrounding the Gerry Anderson program; still – as I hadn’t seen enough of it – I honestly had no opinion of it myself. At that time, I chose to pass on the graphic novel.

A few weeks ago while I was exploring Amazon Fire TV, I stumbled across SPACE: 1999 as a suggestion following another program I’d just concluded. I took the leap, ordering up the pilot … and the rest, as they say, is history.

(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to my last paragraph for my final, unadulterated opinion. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)

For the uninitiated, SPACE: 1999 was a Science Fiction program produced in the mid-70’s exploring the crew of Moonbase Alpha. The premise in a nutshell is that man’s stockpiling of nuclear waste on our only satellite serves as a catalyst for an eventual explosion that propels the moon out of orbit and moving into deep, deep space. Instead of a starship, the program had a ‘moonship,’ and the stories of the crew ranged from tales of survival, invasion, and terror.

Naturally – as the late 60’s era classic STAR TREK ruled the roost in TV syndication in those days �� Sci-Fi fans were kinda/sorta split on what to make of SPACE: 1999. So much of their collective effort had gone into demanding a new Trek series (one was on-the-boards but through circumstances it morphed into what inevitably became STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE), and I think maybe the feeling at the time was that they couldn’t openly embrace another TV show for fear of losing sight on achieving their first dream, that being a return to prominence for Capt. Kirk and crew. Also as 1999 had been sold into syndication right out of the gate – whereas Trek had its infancy and initial reputation from being on network TV – I tend to suspect that it wasn’t as easily found on the dial. Due to this and other reasons, 1999 rode down the middle of critical opinion, some liking it, some hating, but many others just not knowing what to make of it.

Now that I’d found it and explored a handful of what are largely revered to be several of its first season classics (I won’t even touch the debate regarding the show’s second season), I picked up that copy of AFTERSHOCK AND AWE (yes, it was still there). Having just finished it, let me assure you that I am in AWE of it.

Essentially, it’s two graphic novels culled together around the series’ pilot, though there are indications that scribe Andrew E. C. Gaska consulted earlier drafts of the script in order to produce this version. Where the recounting of the televised events end, the creators pick right up with an all-new tale, one exploring the events taking place on Earth after our moon was sent hurtling away and out of our solar system. While heavy on biblical prophecy, AFTERSHOCK is a brilliant apocalypse tale, a vision that borrows elements from the show’s canon and spins them in some wildly effective new directions, though I was a bit distraught with how much of a downright skank Commander John Koenig’s near-miss of a wife turned out to be.

These two scripts work brilliantly together, helping first to re-establish the program’s central characters from a more cerebral perspective in the minds of the reader and then to shake up the status quo by exploring the greater universe of possibilities that helped shape who they were before they found themselves on this great journey into the unknown. Separately, they’re quite good, but together they’re practically ‘required reading’ for anyone with even a modest interest in what was and what could still be in a Sci-Fi property that deserves another look.

Building on Gaska’s script, the visuals by Gray Morrow and Miki are at times derivative but never disrespectful to the unique 70’s appeal of the program. Once the story turns to Earth, the art duties are taken up by David Hueso and Miki; they continue to build on that original artistic scheme, but they deliver a jaw-dropping look at the unfolding Apocalypse with more pomp and circumstance than one expects from a big-budget cinematic blockbuster. Trust me when I warn you: the End of Times never looked so good!

HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION POSSIBLE. If you were even a casual fan of SPACE: 1999 throughout its two televised seasons, then you owe it to yourself as well as all of fandom to run out and pick up a copy today (or, better yet, save a tree and get it digitally) of SPACE: 1999 – AFTERSHOCK AND AWE. What Gaska/Morrow/Hueso/Miki and Archaia Black Label have achieved here is nothing short on epic: sure, there may be a few narrative blemishes that don’t go down as well as they should, but otherwise what you get is a pitch perfect re-examination of the fictional events that set this greatly underappreciated series in motion from two completely exciting perspectives.

Now, Hollywood … where’s THIS reboot?!?!

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this. The first part of the book tells the story of Breakaway, when the moon is torn out of Earth's orbit by an explosion in a nuclear waste dump site on the far side of the moon, sending the moon with the inhabitants of Moonbase Alpha into deep space. A retelling of the first episode of Space 1999.
What follows in the second part of the book, "Aftershock" tells the story of what happened on Earth in the aftermath of the moon leaving earth's orbit, a story not told up until now.
The artwork in both stories is stunning.

[Larry Sampson · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter bought this for me as a Christmas gift. It’s an autographed copy which makes it special. The artwork is beautiful and authentic to the original series. I can almost hear the theme music as I read the book. Great recreation of the pilot episode of get series and then an excellent creation as to what happens next in the second part. Very well done and great fun to read

[Frieda Verbaenen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Comics are not really my thing, but I loved this. This was actually a re-read. It not only tells the story of Breakaway, but also goes into detail on what happened to earth after the moon left orbit. And manages to tie season 1 and 2 together seamlessy. Such a pity ITV never allowed them to release their version of “season 3”

[Daniel G Keohane · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting view of the world on earth as the moon blasted away. a lot of setup and not enough dedicated to the major events! ..why has my keyboard replaced the comma with an exclamation point?... ugh.. anyway, major events post blast, but they likely had a limited number of issues to tell the whole story.

[Pete Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

read the 2023 Gerry Anderson Entertainment version

[John Peel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Author Gaska has his own ideas about how and where "Space 1999" should have gone, and shares them in this compilation. Dull writing and childish artwork make this very difficult to read.

[Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recent Reads: Aftershock And Awe. Andrew Gaska's collected Space 1999 comics, a retelling of "Breakaway" reflected with a look at the effects of the Moon's departure on Earth. A welcome return to the world of Gerry Anderson's 2001-influenced TV show. Eagles galore, of course!

[Jason Bennion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last year, I spent some time revisiting a TV series I dimly remembered watching as a young boy, Space: 1999. If you've not familiar with it, the premise is this: by the year 1999 (as imagined in the early 1970s), humankind is busily exploring the solar system and has established a permanent lunar outpost, Moonbase Alpha. It's also started dumping its dangerous nuclear waste on the far side of the moon, which is a swell idea until a freak mishap detonates all that waste material, blowing the moon out of orbit and sending it hurtling out into the universe, along with Moonbase Alpha and everyone living there. Far-fetched, yes, even ridiculous, but also weirdly compelling... compelling enough that the show still enjoys a healthy cult following some 40 years after it originally aired. For proof of that, you need look no further than the 2012 publication date of the (mostly) original graphic novel Aftershock and Awe.

Aftershock and Awe comprises two parts. The first retells the events seen in the TV show's pilot episode, climaxing in the nuclear detonation and the so-called "breakaway." I understand this segment was adapted from a vintage comic book as well as one of those children's storybook records that were common at the time; accordingly, the artwork has a pleasing (to me at least) retro appearance. Having just seen the television series before reading this, I also appreciated certain story tweaks to reconcile discrepancies that were created when the show was retooled in its second season, such as giving us a glimpse of characters that didn't appear in season one.

However, the real meat of the book is the second part, which tells the story of what happened back on Earth after the moon's departure, something the series only hinted at. The action follows several different characters scattered around (and above) the world: two men in an orbital station; the father of a young girl who is touring Moonbase Alpha with her mother at the time of breakaway; the brother, daughter, and ex-fiance, respectively, of three of the series' most loved regular characters; and a number of powerful politicians and military men. The narrative builds a convincing alternate history in which President Kennedy was not assassinated and the past several decades proceeded very differently than we remember them -- thus explaining the discrepancy between the imagined 1999 of the TV series and the real one we experienced -- then interweaves all the individual characters' storylines against the backdrop of an almost unimaginable global disaster. The plot includes dramatic rescues, failed conspiracies, and the question of how best to rebuild on an Earth radically changed, finally ending on a surprisingly optimistic note ten years after "the last moonrise." My only complaint with this half of the book, honestly, is with the artwork. While it's fine on its own terms, I found the modern painted realism rather jarring after the old-fashioned look of the first part. I would've liked to see a bit more uniformity between the two segments. But that's my own preference; as I noted, there's nothing really wrong with it.

As presented, the story is perfectly accessible to people who aren't familiar with Space: 1999, but I suspect it will be of more interest to established fans, for whom Aftershock and Awe will make a nice companion to the beloved old series.

[Max · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first part of this was a slightly expanded adaptation of Breakaway, the first episode of the TV series. That was pretty good, especially because of the inclusion of both Commander Koenig and Professor Bergman's thoughts about the events. The fact that the moon is thrown out of orbit still makes no sense, but at least this version points that out. The new subplot about a young girl who won a contest is somewhat pointless, although the ending where Bergman adopts her suggest it might be more interesting in a follow-up story. The second half shows what happened on Earth, but doesn't really do much for me. The focus is largely on new characters who have tenuous connections to the people on Moonbase Alpha, including Koenig's fiancee and the daughter of one of the main Eagle pilots. However, most of the new characters are killed or injured before they get to do much. There's a lot of spectacle as the moon's disappearance causes earthquakes and tsunamis, but I found myself not caring that much. I did like the use of text from the Book of Revelation, and I did like the acknowledgement of some of the effects that the Breakaway would cause. I didn't much care for the subplot about the man plotting to take over the world, especially because it felt like it existed largely to justify the way that Moonbase Alpha never runs out of Eagles in the show. The art was okay but not always great, especially in the latter part. The destruction was well drawn, but the characters were hit or miss. Overall, it's a nice idea to revive Space 1999 in the visual medium of comics, but I don't know that this is the best start to it, and I'm certainly glad I got this from the library rather than purchasing it.

[Rich Meyer · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book/limited series is far superior to the intellectual and artistic raping that Gaska gave the Charlton Comics' Space 1999 series in the deplorable "To Everything That Was."

While it has it's faults, such as the needless retcon of John Kennedy never being assassinated, the "Aftershock" part of the series is actually quite good. This shows the beginning of Moonbase Alpha's adventures from the Earth's point of view, with the many natural disasters and socio-political changes that would occur if our moon suddenly disappeared from the sky. I thought it was handled quite well, since few of the subplots and the characters were mentioned in the backstories of the Moonbase Alpha crew.

The "Awe" part is not nearly so good, as Gaska revisits the pilot episode "Breakaway" (making for the third comic book adaptation of that one) and rapes a few more pages of Gray Morrow's wonderful artwork so he can get the late comic legend's name on the book. This would've easily been a 4-star book had the creative team not descended to that level again.

Once again, let me reiterate to the "author": We don't need your pointless retcons on stories we've already read! Give us the original Charlton Comics tales in a high-quality format and we'll buy them. We don't want to hear what you have to say unless you write something new that adds to the Space 1999 mythos. "Aftershock" did that. "Awe" didn't. It's as simple as that.

Oh, and get a real letterer. Somehow, a human being wouldn't keep inking in "STRENGHT" four times in a row.

[Artur Coelho · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ler este Space: 1999: Aftershock and Awe é como ver um episódio inédito da série televisiva que marcou a minha infância e que Andrew Gaska homenageia profundamente. É intrigante por mal aflorar o tema central, as desventuras da base lunar Alfa e sua malfadada tripulação. Gaska circunda com histórias paralelas de perda pessoal de familiares foram arrastados pela lua, conspirações militaristas que poderão ter provocado a explosão lunar que literalmente coloca tudo em movimento, e as consequências cataclísmicas à escala planetária do desaparecimento do satélite terrestre. Destaca-se pela elevada qualidade da ilustração a cargo de Greg Morrow e David Hueso, que consegue misturar uma forte expressividade plástica com a estética de futurismo retro da série e ainda marcar-se com traço individual. Achei particularmente intrigantes as páginas iniciais das três partes, a imitar em banda desenhada as introduções clássicas do genérico dos episódios de Espaço: 1999.

Quando era pequenino obrigava a minha mãe a correr para casa para ver as aventuras do Comandante Koenig e da lua à deriva pelo espaço. Agora, mais crescidinho, junto a nostalgia saudosista a um forte respeito pelo design retro-futurista da série, pelos argumentos extravagantes e pelas belíssimas naves Eagle. Foi bom ler esta homenagem bem conseguida, e ainda saber que a Archaia planeia dar continuidade a esta revisitação da série.

[Kerry Nietz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say I was really impressed with “Aftershock and Awe.” The quality is topnotch—hard cover, thick pages, full color art throughout—and at a really reasonable price.

The storylines are fun too. Not only do readers get a glossy version of the original Breakaway story, nearly two thirds of the book is filled with a parallel and expanded story of what happened on Earth (and elsewhere) before the Moon broke away and then for many years beyond. There’s also bonus artwork, and a nice introduction by Space 1999 aficionado and author John Kenneth Muir.

The only thing I could question here is the author’s choice to create an alternative timeline where, as the first line of the back cover copy states, “JFK was never assassinated.” To my recollection that premise was never a part of the original series.

One could argue, I guess, that if JFK hadn’t been assassinated, man might have made further progress toward establishing a base on the Moon…but coupled with a later event in the narrative where Reagan is painted as being morally equivalent to Kim Jong-il, I have to wonder if this alternative reality wasn’t the interjection of politics into a story that had no history of it, and had no need.

Otherwise, though, “Aftershock and Awe” is an impressive work. I look forward to more from this crew.

[Patrick Moody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommended reading for Space: 1999 fans who crave more than the meager 48 episodes produced. This graphic novel pairs two related stories: an expanded version of the pilot episode “Breakaway” (Awe) with another story that tells what happened to Earth and relatives and others connected with the Moonbase Alpha crew (Aftershock) afterwards. Along the way, new characters are introduced, and existing Space: 1999 characters from both seasons – some who only appeared in a single episode – are weaved in to provide a fuller, more satisfying picture of the “Last Moonrise” catastrophe, previously unknown things that were behind it, and where mankind went as a result.

Nicely illustrated cover to cover, the book uses several magazine-like one-page “sidebar” stories to introduce characters and provide backstory or other exposition without interrupting the narrative flow. I didn’t always agree with some of the plot twists or character choices, but I stayed interested and generally enjoyed it.

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable read, and being a big fan of the series Space: 1999 I am very happy to see stuff like this getting published. My only complaint is that some of the liberties taken with the supporting characers to create some backstory seemed unnecessary and not very well developed. Some layers seemed to be added solely because they could be added and not because there was an organic need for them. Story elements are thrown in without having them developed or explained so the casual reader might end up more confused than before reading it. But overall, I did enjoy the book and would certainly Rickommend it to anyone who was/is a fan of the television series. As for non-fans? Maybe not.

[Ira Livingston · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great read, for fans of the 1970's television series. This takes you right back to the initial Pilot episode, adding some new material to enhance the reason the moon and thus Moon Alpha Base was able to break away from the Earth's orbit.

The second part of the graphic novel deals with the destruction on Earth after the moon is pulled away. I only wish that this team would give us more of the Space 1999 world. One of those series that would be justified for a good reboot.

[Art Lyon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bet I'd give it 4 or 5 if I was a big Space: 1999 fan. There's some very nice art and neat ideas. The writing gets a little wordy here and there, and the second story has big events in it but lacks the emotional resonance it should have.

[Jerry · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting take on the events leading up to the start of the series, plus their effect on the Earth afterwards, but the art was too inconsistent. A character would look almost photo-realistic in one panel, and almost unrecognizable in the next.

[Jeffrey]

MITNG reviews Space:1999 Aftershock and Awe
http://mediocrityisthenewgenius.com/2...

[Antonio Brito · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bom argumento mas o grafismo desiludiu.

[Darcy Barroby · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant and respectful extension of the ground breaking 70s science fiction series.