2010 - The Marvel Comics Official Film Adaptation

"The Year We Make contact"

Comic Book: 2010 - The Official Comics Adaptation of the spectacular new film! A two issues limited series from May-June of 1985 written by J.M. DeMatteis and Layout/Breakdowns by Joe Barney & Larry Hama. The issues were 75 cents each.

Now, I must first admit I've never watched all of 2010. I recall bits and pieces that I watched with my dad on T.V., but never have I seen the film from beginning to end. What I remember most are visuals from the ending, a pet dolphin and the scene that was re-created and acted out during the Universal Studios tour where two astronauts are stuck in space moving between ships while freaking out. But now I can say I've read the comic book adaptation!

The artwork is solid, the characters look like the actors from the film. There's good detail and style, with lots of panels crammed in there.


For a 116 min movie condensed between a two issue arc it seems a bit rushed with just the main story highlights, not much of the drama. There's a single page recap of the events from 2001 about space, monoliths, HAL-900 and Commander Dave Boaman's last message "...the monolith...it's full of stars..."

Now it's 2009, Dr. Heywood Floyd is charged to find the answers though there's an impending war on earth between Russia and America; will they manage to make peace or end the world? What are those strange monoliths in space? What happened to HAL 9000? Can the Dr. help save the planet for the future of his son? So off into space they go and the year is finally 2010 when they get there!


The pet dolphin is in the book, the scene with freaked out astronauts is not. And I still don't understand how world peace was achieved with (SPOILER WARNING) (SPOILER WARNING) now having two suns in the universe. Did I miss something? I will say that I was glad Dave and Hal-9000 made up!

I'm pretty sure I got these two issues during my early comic buying days, I knew my movies even back then and just snagged 'em up because I love movies.

One of my favorite things about comic books are the ads found within. They are time capsules, showing off what was popular at the time, other comic books (Secret Wars II, Cloak & Dagger), T.V. shows, and Candies or Food (Fig Newtons, Bonkers! Fruit Candy).


Where else could you buy shark teeth, Learn to Breakdance or get Texas rattlesnake eggs?


Also there's important and serious Public Service Announcements. In issue #1 the POWER PACK and The Amazing Spider-Man shared "TIPS ON WAYS TO PREVENT SEXUAL ABUSE." Sincerely, big issues were addressed! Was that comment too much of a downer?

I'm still deciding if I give ratings to the comic books I read, I'm pretty generous with my opinions. Honestly, I just love giving myself the chance to read what I can (time just flies by on me) and then share the thoughts. I will say 2010 gets the *thumbs up*.

With that, the reading will continue, I will make a dent in my ever growing "to-read" pile, oh yes, I will! Though I was a bit delayed with this post, (disappointing myself) I'm already better organized and planning the next blog. Yup!

COMIC BOOKS KICK ASS!