Broken Frontier

For decades now, Starship Troopers has been the benchmark for military Sci Fi, with Heinlein's award winning book birthing movies, television shows, toys, computer games, boardgames and miniature wargaming scenarios – and of course comic mini series, with stories by Dark Horse (including one by Warren Ellis) and the Japanese Anime Uchu no Senshi.

In recent years however, the comic torch has been passed to Mongoose and Markosia Publishing for the critically acclaimed trilogy 'Blaze Of Glory' – three, four-issue stories, 'Alamo Bay', 'Dead Man's Hand' and 'Damaged Justice' that chronicle the war through the eyes of  Tamari's Tigers, a platoon in the Mobile Infantry, fighting the Bugs wherever needed. 

"It's become a cult hit." Richard Emms, EIC of Markosia explains. "And as we were starting the third book, we were already having fans ask us what was next. We decided to give them what they wanted."

With more Starship Troopers required, Tony Lee (Doctor Who, X-Men), the award-nominated writer of the original trilogy was called back into service. 

"When they told me they wanted to return to the Tigers, I wasn't sure if I could." Tony Lee admitted. "The original trilogy was totally self-contained. But they showed me the sales figures and the letters, proved to me that the fans wanted more – so we did a brand new comic, an episode #0, with a fresh, eight page story drawn by Andie Tong (Spectacular Spider Man) inside." 

That eight page story led to Markosia and Mongoose agreeing on a new, ongoing Starship Troopers series, starting in April 2007 that continues the story of the Tigers and explores the world of the Mobile Infantry in more detail. And this time, Tony was immediately on board, with Chris Dibari (The Hunger, Robin) taking over the monthly art duties. 

"This is the first time ever that Heinlein's book has been created for an ongoing, monthly comic audience." Lee stated. "The problem with the trilogy was it was written two years ago. We weren't allowed to use things that hadn't been agreed at that point with SONY, or used by Mongoose, and so we couldn't use exosuits, Skinnies, a whole load of things from the novel. But now, two years later – the game has progressed and so have the characters. We're now able to look past the Tigers, expand the universe, show the M.I Grizzly and Cougar Exosuits in design, follow the Pathfinder squads, the Canine NeoDog brigades, delve more into the minds of the Sensers – the stage is far greater than before. And when they explained that to me, I had to return." 

But with fears of an expanded universe taking the story away from the Tigers, Richard Emms quickly answered concerns.

"People bought the trilogy for Will Tanner and the Tigers." He said. "And as such, the Tigers will always be an integral part of the story. But we also used characters like Zim, Rico, Carmen and Zander, we showed the flight decks of the battle cruisers and we involved family back on Terra. So it will never be solely a 'Tigers' comic. That said, Tony has been reading a lot of War comics and watching Platoon, Full Metal Jacket and Band Of Brothers – so who knows what'll happen next!"

Starship Troopers #1 is released in April 2007 with the four part story 'Marooned'. The third book in the original trilogy, 'Damaged Justice' is on sale in December from all good comic shops.