Gatchaman: Galactor… trying really hard to be professional here. This spin-off of the main title spoils a bit of issue 2, yet I can’t deny that focusing on the best part of Gatchaman has its strengths. Berg Katse, has always been a fascinating character, both for their strategies, showmanship, and brutality. But this series goes into the emotional core of a mutant fighting for their place.
Gatchaman: Galactor – Uncertainty of Villainy
Steve Orlando writes Katse as a larger-than-life figure, equally cultured as they are fearsome. But they are also extremely tragic figures walking on a razor-thin wire. Between working for an abusive father figure and constantly needing to fight off competition to their command, Katse gets some sympathy. Especially since they’re afraid to come out of the closet about their unique anatomy.
It also gives layers to their methods. Their intelligence and tactics are a result of trying to live up to the high standards Galactor’s Leader X put on Katse. So when a foil comes up to reflect Katse’s situation, readers are left in a strong sense of anticipation. If Katse succeeds, they’ll continue living in denial while throwing their emotional damage on others. But if they fail, readers will feel the loss of someone who makes following this franchise worth it. In a way, Katse has readers under their thumb as much as everyone under them.
Superiority In Perspective
Kath Lobo presents Katse’s actions and reactions with their own gravity. In just the first panels readers see how much Leader X throws onto Katse’s shoulders. In a big room, Leader X looks like a sun with lights orbiting around him in reflection. Meanwhile Katse looks like a small planet eclipsed by his presence. Doubly so with Frank Cvetkovic’s lettering acting almost like a moon hanging over Katse. In juxtaposition, the next page the lights from X’s monitors look inviting to Katse kneeling without breaking posture. While their eyes are obscured by their mask and one panel shrouds them in darkness to X’s lights, when speaking to X, Katse looks like they’re bathed in warm light. These pages show that X both belittles and empowers Berg Katse.
Because unlike times with big dramatic shifts that throw the panels out of alignment with glitching visuals, this intro is perfectly stable.
Hail Gatchaman: Galactor
They say that villains are more interesting than heroes. Admittedly, the cheesy dialogue and spoiling another issue with heroes’ triumph takes points off this first impression. But Berg Katse more than makes up for it with every layer to their character. From sympathetic motivations, cathartic brutality, and subtle tragedies, this is something to remember. 8.5/10
Thanks for coming to the end and as always remember to look between the panels.