The Terminator #1

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Now (1988)
First Terminator Comic

The Terminator #1 (1988, NOW Comics) is a sleeper key that a lot of casual collectors overlook, but fans of the franchise and 80s nostalgia know exactly why it matters. It’s a foundational piece in the Terminator expanded universe.

 

1. First Ever Terminator Comic Book

This is the first time the Terminator franchise appears in comic-book form.

Before this issue, the only Terminator content was:

• The 1984 James Cameron film

• A handful of behind-the-scenes magazines

This comic marks the debut of the Terminator mythology in print storytelling, which is a major milestone for collectors.

 

2. First Comic-Book Appearance of Sarah Connor in Any Form

Sarah Connor becomes one of the great sci-fi heroines of all time, and this is the first time she appears in a comic.

Collectors love first comic appearances of major cinema characters—even if they originated in film rather than comics.

 

3. Beginning of the Terminator Expanded Universe

This issue is where comics begin adding deeper lore, including:

• future war battles

• resistance operations

• Terminator variants not seen in film

• more depth on Skynet

• expanded timelines

Before Dark Horse took over in 1990, NOW Comics laid the groundwork for Terminator lore in comics.

 

4. The First Long-Form Serialized Terminator Story

The 1988 NOW series (17 issues + a mini) was the earliest attempt to:

• continue the story

• explore new characters

• expand the universe beyond the 1984 movie

It’s the birthplace of ongoing Terminator storytelling.

 

5. Pre-T2 Release — A Highly Nostalgic Era

This series predates Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991).
That means the comics preserve a version of the world shaped only by the first movie.

It’s a “pre-T2 timeline” that feels darker and more underground — and fans of the franchise love this early era.

 

6. Low Print Run Compared to Marvel or DC

NOW Comics wasn’t a giant publisher.
Print runs were tiny compared to the 1980s Marvel Dark Horse “Aliens” or “Predator” books.

High-grade copies can be surprisingly rare because:

• they were newsstand-heavy

• NOW used cheaper paper stock

• many copies were mishandled by kids and sci-fi fans

• few were bagged/boarded at the time

 

7. It Helped Pave the Way for Dark Horse’s Terminator Line

The success of this 1988 series helped prove the franchise had strong comic potential, leading directly to:

• Terminator: Tempest

• The Terminator: The Enemy Within

• Robocop vs. Terminator (Frank Miller / Walt Simonson — a massive key)

• Aliens vs. Predator vs. Terminator

• And many others

This issue is the origin point for the Terminator comics boom.

9.4 NM
Pages: White
CGC 3695047013

Art: Fred Schiller story Tony Akins & Jim Brozman art Mitch O'Connell cover