CLASSIC ART: WHEN CENTURIONS ATTACK!

Locking on to their human prey, the Cylon Centurions will not stop in their mission in this evocative fan art showing the series' classic enemies at their best.

If anyone knows the artist of this great piece, please get in touch.

CLASSIC ART: STRANGE NEW WORLDS!

Another of the iconic Ralph McQuarrie's gorgeous and evocative production painting for Galactica's pilot episode, featuring a lone patrol Viper landed on Carillon. I love the purple sky and the use of the alien moon.

CLASSIC ART: FRIENDS AND WARRIORS!

There have been many great pairings in film and TV science fiction over the years, but the relationship between the serious Apollo and the fun loving but daring pilot Starbuck was easily one of the best, despite the series all too brief existence, and captured well in this fine art by genre great Matt Busch.

CLASSIC ART: THE UNIVERSE OF 'GALACTICA'!

A rare and intriguing piece of official Galactica series/cast art that I've never seen before, credited for use by ABC TV for publicity. If anyone knows anymore about it, or who the artist was, please get in touch...

CELEBRATING FORTY-FIVE YEARS OF 'MISSION: GALACTICA - THE CYLON ATTACK'!

Back in 1979, I was aware that the Battlestar Galactica saga was already a successful series in the US, but so far the British Thames/ITV channel that had purchased the one season run had had, at that time, some kind of delay in airing it, presumably because Universal/CIC were about to launch a second adventure on big screens - soon great news to this eager near ten-year old and I'm sure many many other fans like myself around the country. Mission: Galactica - The Cylon Attack was blasting its way to us, bringing us all-new action and all-new additional characters that would make an impact on the saga!

Though I'm sure I recall seeing poster promotions on selected red London buses about town, as well as the obvious Tube station publicity, plus promos in teen related magazine titles like Look-In and 2000AD on the actual release, as far as I was aware there was very little early publicity for the theatrical run - my mum and I literally found out about the movie whilst shopping in the West End and talking to someone at the Empire Leicester Square when we saw the coming soon poster outside of it. Once again, we would soon experience Galactica's second 'movie' in the seat-rumbling Sensurround experience they had there by release time, literally opening mere weeks before the return of the Star Wars saga with The Empire Strikes Back, which we'd also go on to see in the West End at the opposite Odeon Leicester Square. It was clear that Universal were trying to cash-in quick with their own sci-fi hit before Lucas's release, of which they still needed to make money back on the series enormous production costs of the time, but I didn't care, it was just great to have the mighty Battlestar and its heroes and villains back on the big screen, and would prove such a nostalgic experience! 

And my thoughts on the film at the time? Well it was very enjoyable - I always liked Lloyd Bridges as the unflappable and bold Cain, was surprised by the return of John Colicos as Count Baltar, and the spectacular Cylon kamikaze attack was impressive, a sequence which I later discovered was culled from another series episode and not specifically shot for the film. The reuse of footage from the original theatrical adventure of 1978 was noticeable and irked a bit, exemplified by the Cylon Tanker sequence (albeit with new space battle action woven around it) and the Ovion minefield of Carillon, but, to compensate, there were thankfully some noticeable new effects shots added to the film from Universal Heartland that were much appreciated - I remember loving the Viper strafing run on the shocked Cylon civilians in their city (part of some great action on Gamoray, of which I also certainly liked Sheba and Cassie in their black outfits!) plus certain exciting shots in the space battles against the Cylon Raiders. I wore my Galactica poster art jacket with pride at the cinema that afternoon on school holiday!

From the debut of the legendary Commander Cain and Sheba, to the bold attack on Gamoray, enjoy our Forty-Fifth Anniversary celebrations for Mission: Galactica - The Cylon Attack!

International poster for the film.

UK poster.

American poster release.

Argentinian poster.

Early 80's VHS release sleeve - UK.

STARLOGGED - GEEK MEDIA AGAIN: 1988: MISSION GALACTICA: THE CYLON ATTACK UK VHS SLEEVE (CIC VIDEO)

'MERRY CHRISTMAS!' (2024)

Another year quickly closes, but the enduring heroes of the original Battlestar Galactica, and their epic adventures, live on for the future, the saga's main characters, for good and for evil, captured in all their poster art glory by Neil Davies.

Saga of a Star World wishes all its readers a very MERRY CHRISTMAS! And have a prosperous 2025!

CLASSIC ART: BATTLING VIPERS!

The greatest defense for humanity against the ongoing Cylon armada onslaught, the brave Colonial Warrior pilots go once more into battle from within their Vipers, in another great piece of fan art. 

If anyone knows the artists's name, please get in touch. 

HAPPY 46TH BIRTHDAY, 'BATTLESTAR GALACTICA'!

Adama, Apollo, Starbuck. The three classic heroes forming what viewers will discover, and thrill to, as part of the unique Battlestar Galactica, assemble in this great cover art by David Edward Byrd that was specially commissioned for the US TV Guide magazine back in September 1978. I'm sure it garnered a lot of American viewer attention heralding the series then eagerly-awaited debut.

The quest for Earth continues to delight fans old and new, of which our classic characters, heroes and villains, endure brightly for another special celebration day! 

CLASSIC MERCHANDISE: WALL-TO-WALL 'GALACTICA'!

As we've said in the past, for a series that was all too brief in its duration, the original Battlestar Galactica nonetheless spawned some great items of merchandise, like this image-packed art (illustrator unknown) used for the American home wallpaper market. I never saw this rarity released beyond the US, but if it was please get in touch.

CLASSIC ART: CAPRICA ATTACK!

The destructive Cylon bombardment of the Colonial home worlds begins, as seen in this superb production painting artwork by Ralph McQuarrie for Saga of a Star World in 1978.

CLASSIC ART: COLLISION COURSE!

No longer captured by the weird environs of the Memory Machine, Commander Adama has new problems on his hands, with what looks like a kamikaze Cylon Basestar on the attack, in this great opening artwork to the classic series Marvel Comic issue 12, with stellar work once more from regular talents Walt Simonson and Klaus Janson, featuring colouring by George Roussos

Original B/W version.

CLASSIC ART: THE CYLON MASTER PLAN!

The Cylon's Imperious Leader has hatched his most diabolical plan yet to destroy the Galactica and her human fugitive fleet from the inside out, with the help of a conditioned human traitor, in another fine entry from the classic Look-In magazine in the UK. I sure wish someone could do a special compilation of all the strips one day. The series deserves it.

Superb art, as always, from British comics great Martin Asbury, during November 1979.

MERRY CHRISTMAS! (2023)

The 45th Anniversary of the original Galactica - its great characters, format and adventures- may be coming to an end, but it's nonetheless been an exciting and memorable 2023 in celebrating the Glen A. Larson created legend which deservedly continues to endure in popularity. We hope you continue to enjoy this ongoing tribute site.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, AND HAVE A TERRIFIC NEW YEAR!

HAPPY 45TH BIRTHDAY, 'BATTLESTAR GALACTICA'!

Classic art by John Solie.

It started off as an idea for a smaller scale space hippy-ish science fiction series called Adam's Ark in the late sixties, then thankfully went on to become something bigger, greater, more spectacular and more resonating with audiences by the time it metamorphosed into Battlestar Galactica by 1978, following in the post cinematic arrival of Star Wars. Creator Glen A. Larson's finest series continues on in its titular spaceship's journey for sanctuary and strength looking for that shiny, long lost planet called Earth. And its beloved fans worldwide continue to enjoy every aspect of that very special singular season journey and the characters within it...

And even now, the show is still attracting new UK TV audiences and appreciation, what with another classic run airing on digital TV during these past few months of 2023...

HAPPY 45TH ANNIVERSARY, 'BATTLESTAR GALACTICA'!

CLASSIC ART: SPACE WARS!

The epic struggle for survival by our Colonial Warrior heroes against the merciless Cylon hordes endlessly chasing them across the galaxy is well showcased in this gorgeous art. If anyone knows the artist behind it and what this great piece was originally used for (we assume it's merchandise related), please get in touch.

CELEBRATING 'THE THIRTEENTH TRIBE' FAN CLUB...

Cover art by Chris Scalf.

Following on from its illustrious predecessors in the original Star Trek and the then recently released Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica would swiftly and deservedly earn a worldwide fan phenomenon status, and over the years there have been many aficionados, conventions and websites that have keenly celebrated it. But I think many of you out there will agree that the saga's finest gathering of appreciation will have been via the UK's long-running and much-missed The Thirteenth Tribe Fan Club, which debuted around 1980 (originally from a location in Dulwich, South London) and which was taken over in the 90's by the extremely dedicated, kind and hard working new club runner Victoria Haslam and her partner, Robin. The Thirteenth Tribe had an excellent regular fan magazine full of fan correspondence, art, news, conventions/ events coverage, merchandise for sale and original fiction/observations, and I remember regularly enjoying its diversity of talented contributors for five years or so. It was a pleasure to a part of its community and to read its regular magazine, of which the whole club in itself was imbued with a lot of attention to detail and clear love for its subject matter and its characters/stars.

Art by Andy Walker.

Art by Anthony Dry.

Art by Andrew Dimeloe.

Art by David Gray.

Art by Anthony Dry.

The Thirteenth Tribe seemed to have disappeared around the early to mid-noughties and I'm not sure what exactly happened with it in the end, though obviously the big time requirements needed in producing the quality magazine regularly was likely the primary suspect for its sad passing. The Thirteenth Tribe was importantly able to go past its Twentieth Anniversary, though, and that was a major achievement that should continue to be applauded. In many ways, it's because of The Thirteenth Tribe that this blog site exists, in tribute to the people that made it happen and kept me enthused about the series. I still have all my back issues and club items from back in the day, and look upon it all then and now as a terrific achievement for the Haslams'. I hope that they are going great guns out there, wherever they may be and whatever they are up to...  

STARLOGGED - GEEK MEDIA AGAIN: THE THIRTEENTH TRIBE: BRITAIN'S BATTLESTAR GALACTICA FAN CLUB

CLASSIC ART: ALIEN DANGERS, COSMIC DRAMA!

The return of that legendary master of war Commander Cain and the discovery of a new alien threat as well as the Cylons put the evolving remnants of the Colonial Fleet, led by Apollo, in greater danger than ever, in this great art by Luis Royo for the pleasing second adventure by Richard Hatch and Christopher Golden in their Galactica series resurrection book series: Warhawk. 

CLASSIC ART: THE COLONIAL WARRIOR LIFESTYLE!

Serving the fleet and making the most of any opportunities that may come his way, the ever-exciting, ever-dangerous life of the Colonial Warriors' most audacious pilot and fumarella aficionado Lt. Starbuck is well captured by comic art talent Chris Ring.

CLASSIC ART: EXPLORING CALIFORNIA!

Finally, the Colonial fleet has located that mythical planet of Earth, but they'll get a shock when they discover just what its populace and technology are like, as Galactican scouts Troy and Dillon soon discover in this great cover art by David Schleinkofer for the 1980 Berkley Books' Battlestar Galactica novel 5: Galactica Discovers Earth, adapted and expanded by Glen A. Larson and Michael Resnick. Whether one likes Galactica 1980 or not, the cover art is better than most of the actual onscreen adventures of that short-lived season.

CLASSIC ART: GALACTIC-A WARES!

Not only were the artists of ILM/Apogee great at concocting storyboards, concept art and matte paintings, they were also a dab hand at designing T-shirts for internal use by company members. Joe Johnston, in particular, was a talent for it. These intriguing and exciting image ideas, artist unknown and found online, bearing one of the original unused series logos, were surely concocted for the original Apogee filming of Galactica, but whether they made it to final in-house usage is unknown.