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Battlestar Galactica has been adapted into comic book form since it's inception, by a series of publishers including Marvel Comics, Whitman Comics, Maximum Press, Realm Press, and Dynamite Comics.

Marvel Comics

Marvel began its adaptation of Galactica with Super Special 8, a magazine format comic book that was released in time for the beginning of the series in September 1978. This adaptation was on an early script of Saga of a Star World, and some of the differences in the story are evident. This adaptation was also released in a tabloid format by both Marvel Comics and Whitman Comics.

Spurred on by the success of this adaptation, Marvel began a monthly series that ran from 1978 through 1980, and lasted a total of 23 issues. The first three issues of the regular run consisted of a longer adaptation of Saga of a Star World, taking much of the art from the Super Special adaptation and expanded it by several pages.

Adaptation of the series continued in Marvel issues #4 through #5 which chronicled the adventures depicted in the two part television episode "Lost Planet of the Gods". Roger McKenzie continued as scripter, with Walter Simonson now providing the art.

Beginning with [[The Memory Machine}} story in issue 6, Marvel began publishing all new stories based on the characters in the series. From this point, the story began to depart from what was depicted in the series. According to letters pages within the publication, Marvel's contract with Universal Studios specifically did not allow them to use anything from the television series that followed "Lost Planet Of The Gods".

In the storyline that unfolded, a good deal of the comic took place in the magnetic void which the fleet first encountered in the TV episode "Lost Planet of the Gods". In the end of the TV episode, the fleet moves back into normal space, leaving the void behind, but in the comics the rag tag fleet remains in the void beginning in issue #4, with the fleet finally returning to regular space in issue #14. (This makes placing the episodes within the span of the TV series difficult, since much of the action could be surmised to have taken place between "Lost Planet of the Gods" and "Lost Warrior".)

In terms of tone, many of the Marvel comics had horror elements, a theme that was visited sparingly in the TV series. An incomplete list of monsters from the comic series would include a space vampire (issue #9), a carnivorous planet (issue #10), alien vermin (issue #15), a crewmember who transforms into a red ape (issues #17 and #18) and a monstrous shapeshifter (issue #21). Even the menacing and relentless Cylon Mark III in issue #16 owes as much of his origin to horror elements as he does to science fiction. Taken as a whole, Marvel’s Galactica is somewhat darker in tone than the series, but this not-so-subtle paranoia is arguable truer to the initial premise of the series than were some of the latter episodes of the television program.

Notably, the writers of the Galactica comic were quite willing to remove key characters from the dramatic mix for periods of time. From issues #6 to #12, Commander Adama is placed within a machine to help him remember the ancient writings he briefly saw on Kobol and, although we do spend some time in his dreams, he is effectively removed from commanding the Galactica for several issues, which of course sets up its own dramatic tension.

Another character who leaves the series for awhile is Starbuck, as part of perhaps the most effective story arc in the series. In this plotline the fleet stumbles upon Scavenger World, the dominion of the female space pirate Eurayle, who makes a deal to spare the Colonials if she can keep Starbuck at her side. The interactions between Starbuck and Eurayle are memorable, and the conclusion of the storyline, with a tremendous battle in issue #13, is a satisfying conclusion. At the end of the tale, Starbuck remains with Eurayle, and the fleet moves on without him, which of course sets us up for his triumphant return in issues #19 and #20.

Unlike both television series, the Galactica comic actually had a planned ending, with a series of plot devices being wound up in the final two part story of issues #22 and #23. In the course of solving a mystery, Lieutenant Jolly finds adventure and romance and helps in figuring out the long sought coordinates for Earth. A tongue in cheek adventure ably drawn and scripted by Walt Simonson this plotline provided a strong end for a memorable series.

Marvel Comic Issue Listing

Marvel Super Special 8: Battlestar Galactica

Marvel trade paperbacks

Saga of a Star World by Roger McKenzie, Ernie Colon and Walt Simonson
The Memory Machine by Roger McKenzie, Klaus Janson, Walt Simonson and Tom DeFalco

Maximum Press

Beginning in July 1995, Maximum Press (a Rob Liefeld imprint) issued several Battlestar Galactica miniseries. These were:

Dynamite Comics

In May 2006, Dynamite Comics began releasing a comic series based on the Re-Imagined Series. The comics are set within the framework of the show and, at at first were set between the episodes of Home, Part II and Pegasus.

Beginning in late September 2006 Dynamite began releasing an Original Series continuation series.

In October 2006, a miniseries focusing on the Re-imagined Series character Tom Zarek was released, focusing on Zarek's past. [1]

Re-imagined Series issues

Original series issues

Battlestar Galactica: Zarek series

Battlestar Galactica: Cylon Apocalypse

Battlestar Galactica: The Cylon Wars

Battlestar Galactica: Year One

1. Battlestar Galactica: Year One 0

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 Adaptation of the series continued in Marvel issues #4 through #5 which chronicled the adventures depicted in the two part television episode "Lost Planet of the Gods". Roger McKenzie continued as scripter, with Walter Simonson now providing the art.
-Beginning with issue #6, Marvel began publishing all new stories based on the characters in the series.  From this point, the story began to depart from what was depicted in the series. According to letters pages within the publication, Marvel's contract with Universal Studios specifically did not allow them to use anything from the television series that followed "Lost Planet Of The Gods".
+Beginning with [[The Memory Machine}} story in issue 6, Marvel began publishing all new stories based on the characters in the series.  From this point, the story began to depart from what was depicted in the series. According to letters pages within the publication, Marvel's contract with Universal Studios specifically did not allow them to use anything from the television series that followed "Lost Planet Of The Gods".
 In the storyline that unfolded, a good deal of the comic took place in the magnetic void which the fleet first encountered in the TV episode "Lost Planet of the Gods". In the end of the TV episode, the fleet moves back into normal space, leaving the void behind, but in the comics the rag tag fleet remains in the void beginning in issue #4, with the fleet finally returning to regular space in issue #14. (This makes placing the episodes within the span of the TV series difficult, since much of the action could be surmised to have taken place between "Lost Planet of the Gods" and "Lost Warrior".)