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Is it Good? Terminator Salvation: The Final Battle #3 Review

Comic Books

Is it Good? Terminator Salvation: The Final Battle #3 Review

Terminator Salvation: The Final Battle continues with what promises to be a crazy issue. But is the action all that it has been built up to be? Is it good?

terminator-salvation-the-final-battle-3-cover

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It’s getting increasingly harder to follow this story. The switches between three eras is jarring, there is no clear definition between times and it seems like characters don’t age at all throughout the course of their lives. In this sense, the book is really failing; the narrative as a whole is bordering on being unpleasant to read, and because of that the book takes a big dip in quality.

With John Connor giving his inspirational speech and leading his troops into battle last issue, it wasn’t unreasonable to expect a good bout of machine vs. humans badassery this time around. It seems very strange, but writer J. Michael Straczynski has chosen to prolong the battle even longer so that it encourages readers to stay on the book. Definitely not an approach I would have taken had I been the one writing this series, but it might help him maintain an audience. I kind of detest, however, the lengthiness of talk about the battle and think that a writer has to stop being proud of how much he can write and start actually delivering some action. John Connor is seen for most of the issue in a tent giving orders and directions. This is something that I would rather have read as narration on top of the action sequences. Again, Terminator Salvation: The Final Battle is not written in a way that I find appealing, but some people might argue that a delayed battle will create added suspense.

terminator-salvation-the-final-battle-3-tanline
That is an awful tan line. Does he wear rectangular sunglasses or something?

The story set years ago starring the three Terminator squad has yet to prove its significance but moves along in this issue. The action is tight and suspenseful, but with a lack of clarity of characters and their respective motives, its hard to really be sucked into the action. I continue to think that this thread is the most interesting of the stories, if not the easiest to keep track of.

My main issue with Terminator Salvation: The Final Battle #3 is that it is starting to feel decompressed and as a result is dragging. I feel like JMS has a story to tell here but is dancing around the main event with side content that he thinks is neat. Three issues in and the “final battle” still has yet to start, instead we know a good deal about the past Terminators. You end up wanting more at the end of the issue, but not in a good way. It’s like you didn’t get all the content you deserved from that issue and have to wait an entire month to see any further progression.

terminator-salvation-the-final-battle-3-car-scene

Is It Good?

It will be better in trade format. If someone can sit down and read this whole tale from start to finish I think they will appreciate what JMS is trying to do a lot more. For now I’m sticking with my opinion that this series is lacking in places but still could do good.

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