Editing Classic Battlestar Galactica Vol. 2 2

{{expansion}}

{{separate continuity|universe=TOS|cont=Dynamite Comics}}

{{Comic Data
| image=BSG02CovRoss.jpg
| title={{comics|vol2|2|nolink=y}}
| series=Dynamite
| issueno=2
| episode=
| writer= [[Dan Abnett]]<br/>[[Andy Lanning]]
| illustrator=[[Cezar Razek]]
| penciller=
| colorist= [[Vinicius Townsend]]
| letterer= [[Simon Bowland]]
| editor=
| cover= [[Alex Ross]] (Main Cover and Variants)<br/>[[Chris Eliopoulos]] (Subscription Cover)
| collects=
| collected={{comics|memorial}}
| reprints=
| reprinted=
| pages=32
| isbn= 725130204622
| prev={{comics|vol2|1}}
| next={{comics|vol2|3}}
}}

:''Celebrating the 35th anniversary of the [[TOS|original ''Battlestar Galactica'' TV series]], by the industry's premiere cosmic writers, [[Dan Abnett]] and [[Andy Lanning]] (''Legion, Nova, Guardians of the Galaxy'')! After a brutal {{alt|Cylons|TOS|Cylon attack}}, {{alt|Apollo|TOS}} and {{alt|Starbuck|TOS}} are lost in time and space, and the {{alt|Galactica|TOS|''Battlestar Galactica''}} has been erased from existence! In a reality without ''Galactica''... the Cylon's [sic] rule supreme! How will the legendary {{alt|Viper|TOS}} pilots get back?''<ref>{{cite_web|url=https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/viewProduct.html?PRO=C72513020462200211|title=Classic Battlestar Galactica Vol. 2 #2|date=|accessdate=07 April 2020|last=|first=|format=|language=}}</ref>

==Plot==

* {{alt|Apollo|TOS}} and {{alt|Starbuck|TOS}}'s [[Temporal Viper]]s are swept up in a [[temporal storm]]. 
* They nearly ram into ''{{alt|Galactica|TOS}}'' as it quickly appears from nowhere, but do not die from impact as the battlestar disappears from view again.
* As the storm dissipates, Apollo tells Starbuck his belief that they likely were to blame for the full on [[time-warp]], and proceed on the assumption that ''Galactica'' and {{alt|the Fleet|TOS}} were merely shifted. 
* They search the area grid-by-grid, finding nothing but misspent hours of fuel. 
* After the negative search, Apollo believes that they may have seen a [[time mirage]] of ''Galactica'' at the moment of its destruction, frozen in space-time.
* Starbuck focuses on more immediate concerns, finding a [[Q-Cache]] in their charts, [[Q-Cache 2702|#2702]]. The duo makes their way there to resupply and refuel.
* Unbeknownst to them, they are detected by [[Baltifer]], who orders {{alt-r|Raider}}s to pursue and retrieve the two unique Vipers. 
* The hypergiant of the system where #2702 is located throws off sensor distortions, allowing the Raiders to overtake the Vipers without early warning. 
* After an initial battle, Apollo finds himself out of power for weapons and minimal fuel; Starbuck uses his remaining power to distract the Cylons from pursuing Apollo. 
* Starbuck is hit, and a Raider locks Starbuck's Viper in a [[tractor field]], while Cylons pursue Apollo around the hypergiant. Apollo uses said hypergiant to slingshot, so he has the chance of reaching #2702; his pursuers are dispatched by the hypergiant's plasma flares.
* Apollo crash-lands on the planetoid in a shallow sea of methane soup, and makes his way to the cache. He discovers that the identification mark reads #7202, but before he can enter he finds himself surrounded by laser fire.
* Starbuck awakens just as the Viper is dragged into the [[Baltifer's basestar|basestar]]'s hangar bay, and Starbuck surrenders with some jocular remarks as [[tech spider]]s crawl over the craft.
* Starbuck is taken to a large chamber of holding cells, in which other humans are kept. He is shoved into another cell with a {{alt-r|Starbuck|rotund, heavily bearded man}} smoking a [[fumarello]] who refuses to give his name.
* Outside of the Q-Cache, Apollo finds a [[laser pistol]] pointed at his head by {{alt-r|Boomer|a bald-shaven, muscular male with Cylon Centurion vambraces and gauntlets}}, surrounded by other humans wearing a melange of Cylon armor components and Warrior clothing. 
* Apollo is bound and brought into the facility to be seated in the command chair repurposed from the top command deck of a {{alt-r|battlestar}}'s [[core command]], presented to no one other than a {{alt-r|Adama|scarred version of his own father}}.

==Notes==

=== Publication Releases ===

* A version of this issue, the ''Battlestar Galactica #2 Exclusive Subscription Variant'', released in June 2013. Per the publisher:
*: ''For comic fans that reserve a copy ahead of time with their comic shop, you can receive an exclusive [[Chris Eliopoulos]] Cute Exclusive cover! Only available for comic shop subscribers, this super-special variant is limited to initial orders!''<ref>{{cite_web|url=https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/viewProduct.html?PRO=C72513020462200231|title=Battlestar Galactica #2 Exclusive Subscription Variant|date=|accessdate=7 April 2020|last=|first=|format=|language=}}</ref>
** Note: Dynamite Entertainment's website features the wrong cover image, repeating {{comics|vol2|1|Issue #1}}'s "cute cover" instead of Issue #2's ([[#Covers|see below]]).

* Only 25 copies of a "High-End 'Photo' Ultra-Limited" variant of this issue were released in June 2013. Per the publisher:
*: ''ONLY 25 COPIES IN EXISTENCE! Alex Ross loves the [[TOS|classic BATTLESTAR GALACTICA]], as we clearly tell from his depiction of Lt. {{TOS|Athena}} on this rare variant cover featuring virgin art! Ships bagged and boarded with a Dynamite Certificate of Authenticity.''<ref>{{cite_web|url=https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/viewProduct.html?PRO=C72513020462200241|title=Battlestar Galactica #2 High-End Alex Ross "Virgin Art" Ultra-Limited Cover|date=|accessdate=7 April 2020|last=|first=|format=|language=}}</ref>

=== Timeline ===

* The comic deliberately uses Adama's facial hair as a  "hallway between full beard of ''[[Galactica 1980|1980]]'' and clean shaven BSG,"<ref name="memorial-168">{{cite_book|last=|first=|authorlink=|authorlinkurl=|year=2013|title=Classic Battlestar Galactica Vol. 1 - Memorial|publisher=Dynamite Entertainment|pages=168|location=|id=}}</ref> further noting that they've been "musing the years they've been forced to roam the galaxy, forever hunted by the relentless, merciless {{alt|Cylons|TOS}}."<ref name="memorial-168"/> 
* The presence of {{alt-r|Adama|an alternate Adama}}'s facial hair also indicates that the same amount of time has passed in the [[alternate reality]] that {{alt|Apollo|TOS}} and {{alt|Starbuck|TOS}} find themselves in.

=== Nods ===

* Children resistance fighters are also seen in "[[The Young Lords]]," who also utilize guerrilla warfare against the {{TOS|Cylons}}.

=== Errata ===

* Apollo and Starbuck's helmets only have one light bar at the top of the face opening; the typical Warrior helmet has two, one at the top of the opening, and one on the bottom.

==Analysis==

* [[Alternate reality|Alternate realities]] are a [[tropes:AlternateUniverse|common trope]] in science fiction, and one used to illustrate a "what if?" scenario. In this particular case, it appears that the use of {{alt|Zee}}'s [[temporal weapon]]s created a divergent reality where the {{alt-r|Cylons}} reign supreme, and various known characters are changed by different events given that {{alt|Galactica|TOS|the last battlestar}} never existed. 
* It is in this issue that the story arc is that of an [[tropes:AlternateRealityEpisode|"alternate reality episode"]], where the only two people to know of a time change would be the ones who helped caused it as their crafts were properly shielded. 
* The extent of the changes are not shown, however the key components are laid out beginning in this issue, and explored in the three subsequent issues to follow. As such, much of this issue is set up where Apollo assumes the role of "[[tropes:MrExposition|Mr. Exposition]]," explaining their situation to Starbuck&mdash;assuming the temporary role of the [[tropes:AudienceSurrogate|reader's surrogate]]&mdash;for the first half of the issue. In the last half of the issue, following Starbuck and Apollo's separation over [[Cache]], both "[[tropes:FishOutOfTemporalWater|fish out of (temporal) water]]" characters become the reader's surrogate.  
* The presence of {{alt-r|Adama}} with scars on the left side of his scalp is a [[tropes:RuggedScar|visual trope]] used to differentiate this Adama from {{alt|Adama|TOS|the one Apollo knew}}.
* The presence of Boomer, who is not formally introduced until {{comics|vol2|3}}, is a nod to the [[tropes:BaldBlackLeaderGuy|"Bald, Black Leader Guy" trope]] prevalent in science fiction, showing a thematically rougher and darker side of a science fiction story. (See: [[MemoryAlpha:Benjamin Sisko|Benjamin Sisko]] of ''[[MemoryAlpha:Star Trek: Deep Space Nine|Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]''.) Perhaps not so ironically, Boomer is the only dark-skinned male depicted, perhaps an unintentional, subconscious nod to [[tropes:TokenMinority|token minority]] of the colorist.

==Questions==

* What happened to ''{{alt|Galactica|TOS}}''? ({{alt-r|Galactica|Answer}})
* Who or what is [[Baltifer]]? ({{comics|vol2|3|Answer}})
* Who is the bald man who escorts Apollo to see "the boss"? ({{alt-r|Boomer|Answer}})
* Is "the boss" Apollo's father? ({{alt-r|Adama|Answer}})

==Noteworthy Dialogue==

* ''{{alt|Apollo|TOS}} and {{alt|Starbuck|TOS}} discuss the missing ''{{alt|Galactica|TOS}}'':''
*: '''Apollo:''' From the sensor picture we're gathering, I think that ''Galactica'' we saw was a ''mirage''. A ''[[time mirage]]''. You understand? An image of ''Galactica'' at the moment of its destruction ''frozen'' in distorted space-time.
*: '''Starbuck:''' So is ''Galactica'' ''destroyed''? Or did we manage to ''wipe'' it from the time-stream? Or is that the ''same [[frack]]ing thing''?

* ''Starbuck and his [[Temporal Viper]] are captured by {{alt-r|Cylons}}:''
*: '''Centurion:''' Step out of the craft or be expunged.
*: '''Starbuck:''' Okay, I'm steppin', I'm steppin'... See? How cooperative is ''this'', huh?
*: '''Starbuck:''' (as he's lead away) So, where are we going? To see something ''nice''? To meet someone ''important''? By the way, I wouldn't let your [[tech spider|tech drones]] play with the hardware on my ship. ''Very'' dangerous, [[temporal weapon|''very'' unreliable ''blowing-a-hole-through-time'']] stuff there...

* ''Apollo is captured by [[Colonial Resistance]] fighters on the surface of [[Cache|the planetoid]]:''
*: '''{{alt-r|Boomer}}:''' Sit down. The boss wants a chat.
*: '''Apollo:''' The boss? 
*: '''{{alt-r|Adama}}:''' That would be me.
*: '''Boomer:''' This guy came here in a Viper. He knew where the cache was. ''Got'' to be a Cylon trick. Look, they couldn't even get his ''uniform'' right. 
*: '''Apollo:''' No... that's not possible... ''father!?!''

<!--== Official Statements ==-->

==Related Imagery==

===Covers===

<gallery>
BSG02CovRoss.jpg|'''Main Cover'''<br/>''Art:'' [[Alex Ross]]
BSG02CovIncenBW.jpg|'''Incentive Cover.''' Alternate main pencil sketch cover.<br/>''Art:'' [[Alex Ross]]
BSG02CovSubscription.jpg|'''Subscription Cover''' "Cute Exclusive"<br/>''Art:'' [[Chris Eliopoulos]]
BSG02CovIncenCute.jpg|'''Incentive Cover''' "Cute Exclusive" with Re-imagined Series "Battlestar Galactica" title logo<br/>''Art:'' [[Chris Eliopoulos]]
BSG02Cov25Only.jpg|'''Virgin art cover.'''<br/>Used in the 25 "ultra rare" versions that were printed. 
</gallery>

===Preview Pages===

: ''Please Note: These are used for promotional purposes by the publisher, and are provided here in the same vein.''

<gallery>
File:BSGv2021.jpg|Page 1
File:BSGv2022.jpg|Page 2
File:BSGv2023.jpg|Page 3
File:BSGv2024.jpg|Page 4
File:BSGv2025.jpg|Page 5
</gallery>

==External links==

* {{archivelink|url=https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/viewProduct.html?PRO=C72513020462200211|title=Dynamite.com: BATTLESTAR GALACTICA #2}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{comic list|series=TOS}}

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