Terminator: 2029%E2%80%931984

Kyle Reese, Sarah Connor, and John Connor return for new adventures seamlessly integrated by Whedon (Dr. Horrible's Sing Along) and artist MacDonald (NYC Mech) into James Cameron's Terminator universe. Set both before and after Cameron's first film, Whedon focuses on Kyle, the resistance leader sent back from the future to protect Sarah and her as-yet-unborn son, John, as well as introducing two new characters, resistance fighters%E2%80%94and eventual couple%E2%80%94Ben and Paige. As the Skynet machines run rampant in 2029, Kyle and his followers encounter a renegade band of survivors who take them to a safe house where they meet an elderly Kyle Reese, imprisoned by the machines who convinces Ben to follow Kyle back to 1984 to help his friend protect Sarah and thus save the world from destruction. Even within the constraints of Cameron's existing story, Whedon is able to create ample drama, adding layers of depth to the characters and the direness of the situation. MacDonald's penchant for vivid facial expressions amid the nonstop action is the perfect complement for this continuation of a much-loved series that's as much about gun-toting cyborgs as it is about the depths of loyalty. (June)