CYBER FORCE IS BACK BABY! TOP COW PRODUCTIONS TUESDAY

Cyber Force Is Back Baby! – Top Cow Productions Tuesday

In this energetic episode of Top Cow Tuesday, host Peter A. DeLuca — a passionate Top Cow expert — makes the case for reviving Cyberforce, one of the most iconic 1990s Image Comics teams.

From the streets of Philadelphia, Peter breaks down exactly what it would take to bring Cyberforce roaring back into comic shops and bookstores. He explores everything from the ideal “meaty” 80–120 page format and classic Top Cow 2000-era art style, to crafting a clean, uninterrupted linear storyline that focuses on the core Cyberverse lore — complete with Cyberdata’s dark origins, cosmic horror elements, and key characters like Ballistic, Heatwave, Killjoy, and more.

Peter also shares bold ideas for reimagining Witchblade and The Darkness within the Cyberforce universe, while highlighting the strong fan demand and market potential for a modern return of this fan-favorite property.

Whether you’re a longtime ’90s comic collector, a fan of Top Cow’s golden era, or just love deep dives into comic book revival concepts, this episode delivers bold vision, industry insight, and pure enthusiasm for bringing Cyberforce back where it belongs.

Tune in and read the full transcript as Peter makes his passionate pitch for the return of Cyberforce!

[00:00:12]
Introduction to Cyberforce Revival Concept

• Peter A DeLuca, a recognized Top Cow expert, introduces the idea of reviving Cyberforce.
• The discussion focuses on what it would take to bring Cyberforce back, possibly through crowdfunding or reintroducing it to comic shops and bookstores.
• The premise revolves around understanding barriers, potential story arcs, and product form.
• This introductory segment sets the framework for an in-depth exploration of the Cyberforce IP and its marketplace viability.

[00:00:46]
Product Requirements for Cyberforce Relaunch

• The ideal Cyberforce comic should have a length of approximately 80 to 120 pages.
• It must capture the essence of Top Cow’s high-energy, detailed artwork and the distinctive Top Cow 2000 era coloring style – specifically referencing Alex Sinclair’s coloring work.
• Each comic panel should have a posterized style, evoking the signature visual flair of that era.
• The host emphasizes that producing 120 pages with such quality is challenging but feasible thanks to modern digital comic production technologies.
• The standard of comic book production has shifted dramatically; where before artists might produce one page a day, now a single creator can handle penciling, inking, and coloring digitally at a much faster pace.
• Production quality can reach manga-level efficiency, ensuring both quality and volume are attainable in the current industry context.

[00:02:00]
Format and Pricing Strategy

• The relaunched Cyberforce edition would be a “meaty” presentation, intended as a strong reintroduction to what is termed here as the Cyberverse (a coined term by the channel, not official Top Cow lore).
• This edition may retail between $30 to $45 if sold traditionally rather than crowdfunded.
• It may or may not be hardcover; the emphasis is more on content density and quality than on format.
• The goal is to return to core Top Cow aesthetics and themes rather than trying to reinvent the product entirely.

[00:02:36]
Cyberforce Storyline and Continuity Issues

• The original Cyberforce runs (Volumes 1 and 2) face significant challenges due to interruptions by multiple crossovers.
• For example, the first mini-series was a four-issue run without interruption, but many subsequent series suffered from crossover events that diluted continuity and narrative immersion.
• The host identifies only 20 to 25 issues in the original runs that might be considered uninterrupted or core story arcs.
• Through these, a linear narrative retelling of the Cyberforce saga is suggested, sidestepping the distractions caused by external characters or crossover events.
• The commentary offers a critique that crossovers, though sometimes enjoyable (e.g., involving characters like Huntsman, Killer Instinct), fragmented the storytelling and impeded the series’ potential for a cohesive arc.

[00:04:06]
Core Focus for the Relaunch Narrative

• The central storyline proposed is a clean, linear mini-series from issue #1 to #25, focusing solely on core Top Cow characters excluding crossover characters.
• The narrative should emphasize Cyberdata’s history, which ties back centuries and forms the foundational mystery of the Cyberverse.
• Elements such as the Kraken and the Cyberdata corporation itself are identified as key components of the storyline’s DNA.
• Central characters in this narrative focus include Ballistic (connected to both Cyberforce and Cyberdata), as well as villains like Killjoy, Killowatt, and Buzzsaw.
• The origin tone involves cosmic horror, with themes and technology tied to deep space origins, making the Cyberverse a unique blend of sci-fi and horror.

[00:06:02]
Integration of Other Top Cow Elements

• To maintain continuity, two related pivotal characters from broader Top Cow lore—Witchblade and The Darkness—would need to be reimagined and integrated organically into the Cyberverse narrative.
• The host suggests a unique dynamic where Witchblade could be a villain and The Darkness could also shift roles, similar to the way iconic Mortal Kombat characters Scorpion and Sub-Zero interchange roles.
• Witchblade’s first appearance was within Cyberforce’s extended universe, which makes her inclusion both logical and integral for a rebooted arc.
• This repositioning could offer fresh storytelling opportunities while respecting established lore.

[00:07:09]
Thematic Arcs and Character Focus

• The main story arcs would revolve around the rise and fall of two central elements: Heatwave (not Ballistic or Stryker) and the Cyberdata corporation itself.
• There is a suggestion that the original ending issues (#26, #27, #28) could have benefitted from more dynamic storytelling and stronger ’90s-style flair to better close the ongoing saga.
• This reflects a broader issue familiar in long-running franchises, where initial epic storylines may be followed by weaker or less impactful conclusions, calling for a revisit or reinvention in future works.

[00:08:20]
Market Viability and Audience Reception

• Viewer and community feedback indicate a strong market desire for a Cyberforce return.
• Despite some uncertainties about the quality of the original material from the ’90s, there is optimism that newer audiences who did not grow up with the original material might embrace a revitalized Cyberforce.
• Observers see an opportunity to tap both nostalgic fans and new readers, potentially creating new growth for the Top Cow brand through Cyberforce.
• The host encourages fans to share ideas, submit Top Cow requests, and engage to build momentum for such a comeback.

[00:09:27]
Channel Focus and Dedicated Content Structure

• The channel dedicates itself to deep ’90s comic book culture exploration.
• Weekly content schedule: Day Focus Area Key Creators Notes Monday Rob Liefeld’s Extreme Studios Rob Liefeld “Extreme Mondays” Tuesday Marc Silvestri and Top Cow Marc Silvestri, Michael Turner “Top Cow Tuesday” Wednesday Jim Lee and WildStorm Jim Lee Details Lee’s rise to DC executive and WildStorm content
• The channel claims unmatched depth on 1990s comic book history and analysis on the internet, serving as a central hub for fans interested in the era’s creators and intellectual properties, especially Top Cow.

Summary of Key Insights

• Cyberforce revival is possible and desirable, with a focus on a clean, uninterrupted story arc spanning 80-120 pages at high artistic quality.
• The ideal product would leverage digital art production advances for efficient, high-quality output reminiscent of Top Cow’s 2000-era style.
• The story should focus on core Cyberforce characters and lore, particularly the history of Cyberdata, the Cyberforce escaped inmates, and cosmic horror themes originating from deep space.
• Crossovers and external characters would be minimized or reworked, with core Top Cow elements like Witchblade and The Darkness integrated innovatively to enhance the narrative.
• Thematically, the arcs revolve around the rise and fall of Heatwave and Cyberdata, comprising the heart of the Cyberverse saga.
• Market research and community engagement point to a strong fan interest and an existing hunger for Cyberforce content.
• The host’s channel offers a comprehensive resource for 1990s comics analysis, serving interested readers on a regular weekday release schedule.

Terminology and Concepts

Here is the transcript for this episode of Top Cow Tuesday.

00:00:12
Welcome back, A K buyers. It’s Top Cow Tuesday. I’m your host Peter A DeLuca, your resident Top Cow expert. And if this is a video that involves a Top Cow expert, this is the one because we’re talking about let’s bring back Cyberforce. Like, what if Cyberforce like came like became like maybe a crowdfunder or ended up back in comic shops but also bookstores because we also want that market. What would it take? What’s my Yeah, like what’s my position? What’s my view? What What do I

00:00:46
think Top Cow Like, what’s what’s What What are the barriers? Here’s the amazing thing. It’s all already there. The template is perfect. So, what’s the arc? Well, here’s the thing. Before we talk about the arc, let’s attack the product. We need this thing to be between 80 and 120 pages. We need this thing to look and feel everything that we love about Top Cow, which is high energy, amazing detail, that coloring, that the Top Cow 2000 era coloring like Alex Sinclair. We

00:01:23
want to We want every single panel posterized. And if that seems to be like a tall order to fill for 120 pages, keep in mind, we’re in the era of digital comic book production. Where a lot of times a single artist now is is penciler, inker, and colorist. Come on. I think a lot of the comic book production standards today, it’s such a weird low bar. You know, like the days of completing one page a day are absolutely over. I think if you’re working digitally, you can have a manga level production. So,

00:02:00
let’s get this book meaty because it may retail between 30 to 45 dollars if it’s not crowdfunded. It may not even be a hard cover, but think about a meaty presentation of reintroduction to the Top Cow Cyberforce universe. I call it the Cyberverse. That’s coined right here on this channel. Top Cow never even came up with that. I would know. I’m the expert. Let me get more of this iced coffee down. It’s not chocolate milk. AKA virus. This is iced coffee. I do a lot of cream sometimes. So,

00:02:36
with the edition set, it’s a tall order. What’s the story? Here’s the amazing thing. If we go into Top Cow volume Top Cow Cyberforce volumes one and two. Volume one four-issue mini-series and it goes monthly. We identified it pretty early on this channel. This is why this channel is the absolute core of Top Cow commentary. Cyberforce was constantly interrupted by crossovers. It’s a little bit scary when you add them all up. There’s only been we get into 20 to 25 and that original four-issue

00:03:21
mini-series. Those might be the only blocks uninterrupted in Cyberforce mini-series number one, volume volume two number one, right? Like two volumes all the way to the very end of Cyberforce itself. We can make arguments and then we have on this channel that the Cyberverse ends with the Marvel Comics crossover Devil’s Reign, which we saw the the fall of Heatwave. but that gets into the arc because we want a strong arc here. And I feel that there is enough between that main series and Cyberforce 25 to where if it

00:04:06
was retold without the crossover nonsense. And And I’m not saying the crossovers weren’t enjoyable, uh like the Huntsman, Killer Instinct. The The list goes on. Even when they reformat the series, reposition the series uh with a new editorial direction, they have a event comics crossover with Ash and um Gabriel. So, let’s retell the original Top Cow Cyberforce saga. No interruption, no other characters other than core Top Cow characters. Let’s focus on the history of Cyberdata where

00:04:46
like here here’s the cool thing. Cyberdata to me because it’s it’s a comic that kind of smashes down on Earth and and it goes back centuries. Uh and then you know, like we get those between uh like issue 20 and and issue 25 where the Kraken. See, the Kraken and Cyberdata. This is the the foundational like the the the DNA of everything that kicks off uh we’ll call it like within the modern age. So, when we’re first introduced to Cyberdata, there’s a century-old quest that’s already at play and the two

00:05:22
pieces of that is the Cyberdata corporation and we’ll call them Cyberforce, the escaped inmates. And the character right in the middle is Ballistic, right? She’s the one she tethered in both ways. But then we have character uh great villains like Killjoy and and Killowat and and Buzzsaw. Uh the Kraken can get teased in the beginning. The origin of Cyberdata and the technology and and everything that they experimented on, like guys like Ripclaw, like experimented on, it’s all rooted to cosmic horror because

00:06:02
again, the origin of the Cyberverse comes from space. It comes from deep space. Now, we can’t leave out two critical elements that also serve a part of the crossover. We would and we can’t have the continuity. We would need new versions of Witchblade and The Darkness mixed into all of this. Now, they can be uh Darkness can be part of the bad guys and and even Witchblade and it can go vice versa. I would I would switch them. I would do something very similar that we got with Mortal Kombat where uh

00:06:33
Sub-Zero becomes Scorpion and Scorpion becomes Sub-Zero. I would make uh the Witchblade uh one of the villains. I just think that would go over so well. But to also introduce some of these elements that came through Cyberforce cuz in my view, Witchblade is a Cyberforce character. Her first appearance is in Sideblade Shy, yet another crossover that they introduced uh Witchblade in. With all of this, but we get a clean linear mini-series to 25, which is the rise and fall of two major elements and

00:07:09
these are the arcs. It’s not Ballistic, it’s not Stryker, it’s Heatwave. The rise and fall of Heatwave and the rise and fall of Cyberdata with a repositioned post-fall, meaning uh you know, like do do I think what we got with Cyberforce 26, 27, 28 marching to the end of the series, do do I think that needed a like a little bit more punch, a little bit more ’90s goodness, a little bit more oomph? I 100% think so. I think that is the element to rethink uh the next step forward element. And

00:07:47
believe it or not, uh this is something also that that uh great franchises like the you know Uncanny X-Men time and time again ran into. Uh they would have these like really nice epic storylines, but then the next step and then you know, with the X-Men errors like it would just kind of move like that. But AKA Patters, if you want to see more videos like this, if you have ideas of your own or just some encouragement or or if you want to send us a Top Cow, please do. Cuz I think there is something there. I am seeing so many

00:08:20
comments even like for example, they’ll they’ll publish and and try and push and advertise the Cyberforce compendium and you will always see in the comments someone hoping that this means a return to Cyberforce. So we getting does this mean we’re getting a new Cyberforce? Uh I think the market is there and I think the new market is there which is a lot of the leaves that didn’t grow up in the ’90s. I don’t know how good some of this stuff really was. Uh you know, there there aren’t other things

00:08:53
but they can return to this and and the new hotness can change their lives. AKA Patters, rock and roll. I love you guys. >> We’re going to cut right in there AKA Patters for a quick reminder. If you love ’90s comics, you have found the channel for that. No other comic book channel in the history of YouTube and the history of all of the internet goes into ’90s comics as deep as this. And on Mondays, we focus on Rob Liefeld Extreme Studios, Extreme Mondays. Tuesday, Marc Silvestri and everything that comes with

00:09:27
him including Michael Turner, Top Cow Tuesday and Jim Lee and his Dominus and and his rise into the DC executive suite. Jim Lee and WildStorm Wednesday. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, nothing but that 90’s content drip for all of you. Now, back to the video.

PETER A DELUCA AKAPD

AKAPAD is a versatile thinker known across Philadelphia, Europe, and even in the vast Multiverse as The Electic One. By day, he excels as an IT Mastermind, assisting individuals, both big and small, with a wide range of simple and complex solutions. In contrast, he is also a talented illustrator, a passionate comic book enthusiast, a creative content creator, and an active live streamer. Additionally, his podcast, “AKAPAD The Film Buff Podcast,” boasts an impressive catalog of over 500 episodes available on nearly every major platform.