Recent from talks
Nothing was collected or created yet.
TekWar
View on Wikipedia
| TekWar | |
|---|---|
| Created by | William Shatner |
| Original work | TekWar |
| Print publications | |
| Comics | TekWorld |
| Films and television | |
| Television series | TekWar |
| Games | |
| Video game(s) | William Shatner's TekWar |
TekWar is a series of science fiction novels created by Canadian actor William Shatner, ghost-written by American writer Ron Goulart,[1] and published by Putnam beginning in October 1989. The novels gave rise to a comic book series, video game, and later TV movies and a series, both of the latter featuring Shatner.
Premise
[edit]The 22nd century universe is centered on "Tek"—an illegal, addictive, mind-altering digital drug in the form of a microchip.[2][3] The drug creates a simulated reality (and in the films and TV series taps into "the matrix" hyperspace). In the later novels, a new version called "SuperTek" has improved efficiency, is less likely to cause brain damage in users, and features a shared reality, similar to the TV version's "matrix". The protagonist, Jake Cardigan, is a former police officer framed for dealing the drug four years prior to the start of the first novel. Having been sentenced to 15 years' cryo-imprisonment, his release is brought forward by Walt Bascom, the head of private investigation agency Cosmos, who has uncovered the framed charges and exonerates him. In return Bascom wishes to employ him as an expert in a series of Tek-related crimes, mostly in Greater Los Angeles, referred to as "GLA". In the first few novels Cardigan is portrayed as a recovering Tek-user with several lapses, but this aspect diminishes as the novels progress - in the first book Gomez comments that 70% of users relapse, while it is implied in later novels that to break the addiction for even a light user is impossible.
Partnered with the good-natured and charismatic Mexican Sid Gomez, the two make up a good cop/bad cop partnership with Cardigan's past continually being brought up as a foil for his new career - most honest people he meets distrust him, and most dishonest people attempt to kill him for perceived slights in the drug trade. However, the two prove an effective team and stay a core duo throughout the series, with input from a comprehensive list of informants, employees of both Cosmos, other detective agencies and Cardigan's son Dan and his girlfriend Molly - both of whom are enrolled in the GLA police academy and as such have access through their own informant to police files.
The 22nd century is populated with artificial intelligence such as integrated computer systems and "andies" which range from obvious metal robots to highly sophisticated simulacra, some of which are accurate enough to deceive an observer into thinking they are human.
Each novel covers a specific case; all are Tek-related, but most include sub-plots which involve non-Tek issues and travel out of the GLA, occasionally to other countries or as far as orbiting satellites. A shadowy government agency known as OCO - the Office of Clandestine Operations - is a frequent antagonist in the novels, albeit usually keeping to the background and supporting the particular novel's villain.
Background
[edit]Shatner began to write notes that would become the novels on the set of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, with the original book an attempt to blend elements from Star Trek and T. J. Hooker.[4][5][6]
Novels
[edit]- TekWar (1989) ISBN 0-399-13495-6
- TekLords (1991) ISBN 0-399-13616-9
- TekLab (1991) ISBN 0-399-13736-X
- Tek Vengeance (1993) ISBN 0-399-13788-2
- Tek Secret (1993) ISBN 0-399-13892-7
- Tek Power (1994) ISBN 0-399-13997-4
- Tek Money (1995) ISBN 0-399-14109-X
- Tek Kill (1996) ISBN 0-399-14202-9
- Tek Net (1997) ISBN 0-399-14339-4
Comic book series
[edit]In 1992, Tekwar was adapted into a comic book series.
A new Tekwar comic book adaptation, entitled The Tek War Chronicles, by Shatner and comic book writer Scott Davis with art by Erich Owen and colors by Michelle Davies, was released by Bluewater Productions on June 24, 2009.[7] As of 2010, The Tek War Chronicles is available digitally exclusively through Devil's Due Digital.
Trading cards
[edit]Trading cards with comic book artwork were published by Cardz in 1993.[8][9]
Television films and series
[edit]The TekWar novels became a television franchise with TV films in 1994, then a series.
| TV movies | ||
|---|---|---|
| Title[10] | Original airdate | Runtime |
| TekWar | January 17, 1994 | 97 minutes |
| TekLords | February 20, 1994 | 96 minutes |
| TekWar: TekLab | February 27, 1994 | 105 minutes |
| TekWar: TekJustice | May 14, 1994 | 100 minutes |
The first three were adaptations of the books, while TekJustice was an original movie.[11]
| TekWar TV series | ||
|---|---|---|
| Episode no. | Episode title | Original airdate |
| 1 | "Sellout" | December 22, 1994 |
| 2 | "Unknown Soldier" | December 29, 1994 |
| 3 | "Tek Posse" | January 5, 1995 |
| 4 | "Promises to Keep" | January 12, 1995 |
| 5 | "Stay of Execution" | January 19, 1995 |
| 6 | "Alter Ego" | March 2, 1995 |
| 7 | "Killer Instinct" | March 9, 1995 |
| 8 | "Chill Factor" | March 30, 1995 |
| 9 | "Deadline" | April 6, 1995 |
| 10 | "Carlotta's Room" | April 13, 1995 |
| 11 | "Deep Cover" | June 10, 1995 |
| 12 | "Cyberhunt" | June 17, 1995 |
| 13 | "Zero Tolerance" | June 24, 1995 |
| 14 | "Forget Me Not" | July 1, 1995 |
| 15 | "The Gate" | January 20, 1996 |
| 16 | "Skin Deep" | January 27, 1996 |
| 17 | "Redemption" | February 2, 1996 |
| 18 | "Betrayal" | February 19, 1996 |
Adult animated adaptation
[edit]An adult animated adaptation/reboot of TekWar was announced in September 2021. The project will be developed and written by Matt Michnovetz and produced by Pure Imagination Studios with Shatner's Shatner Universe.[12]
Video game
[edit]Tekwar was also made into a 1995 computer game by Capstone Software using the Build engine.
References
[edit]- ^ Shatner, William; Fisher, David. (2008). Up Till Now: The Autobiography. Thomas Dunne. p. 246. ISBN 978-0-312-37265-1.
- ^ "Chemicals, Drugs & Potions > Tek (TekWar)". Tv Acres. Retrieved April 2, 2011.
- ^ "Tek Headz". Net.saipan.com. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved April 2, 2011.
- ^ [1] Archived June 24, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "www.retrovisionmag.com". www.retrovisionmag.com. Archived from the original on February 27, 2009. Retrieved April 2, 2011.
- ^ "Tekheadz". Net.saipan.com. Archived from the original on October 23, 2011. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
- ^ ""Tekwar Chronicles" Hits Stores This Week". Sliceofscifi.com. June 22, 2009. Retrieved April 2, 2011.
- ^ "LEE SULLIVAN ART comics". Leesullivanart.co.uk. Retrieved April 2, 2011.
- ^ "William Shatner's Tek World Trading Cards". Shatner-store.stores.yahoo.net. Archived from the original on July 24, 2011. Retrieved April 2, 2011.
- ^ Benson, Jim (January 20, 1994). "'Action' packs wallop, gives markets a boost". Variety. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
- ^ Garcia, Frank; Phillips, Mark (March 28, 2012). Science Fiction Television Series, 1990–2004: Histories, Casts and Credits for 58 Shows. McFarland. p. 326. ISBN 9780786491834. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
- ^ Petski, Denise (September 28, 2021). "William Shatner's 'TekWar' In Works As Adult Animated Series With Pure Imagination Studios". Deadline Hollywood.
TekWar
View on GrokipediaOverview
Premise
In the TekWar universe, set in a dystopian 22nd-century world dominated by advanced technology, society grapples with the proliferation of "Tek," an illegal and highly addictive digital drug delivered through implantable microchips. These chips induce immersive simulated reality experiences, allowing users to escape into virtual worlds, but prolonged use leads to severe brain damage, neurological degradation, and widespread social decay, exacerbating issues like crime and inequality in urban centers such as Los Angeles.[8][9] The central protagonist, Jake Cardigan, is a former police officer wrongfully framed for dealing Tek and sentenced to 15 years of cryogenic suspension, from which he is released early after four years. Upon his release, Cardigan joins the Cosmos detective agency, a private security firm that specializes in investigating high-tech crimes, where he leverages his past experience to track Tek distributors and unravel the conspiracies behind his imprisonment.[10][9] Key conflicts revolve around Cardigan's encounters with androids integrated into everyday life, ruthless corporate entities profiting from Tek's trade, and the broader societal addiction to virtual realities that blur the lines between human experience and artificial simulation. Throughout the franchise, Cardigan's narrative arc centers on his quest for personal redemption and the systematic exposure of a shadowy network orchestrating the Tek epidemic, highlighting themes of technological peril and moral resilience in a cyberpunk landscape.[1][5]Background and creation
The TekWar franchise originated from an idea conceived by actor William Shatner during the 1988 Writers Guild of America strike, which caused production delays while he directed Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.[11] Shatner, seeking to channel his creative energies amid the film's challenges, developed the core concept of a futuristic police procedural involving virtual reality addiction and cybernetic crime.[1] Shatner drew significant inspiration from his own acting career, particularly his iconic role as Captain James T. Kirk in Star Trek and his portrayal of the tough sergeant in the police drama T.J. Hooker, merging science fiction speculation with gritty law enforcement narratives to create a distinctive cyberpunk-infused detective story.[12] In an interview, Shatner described the novel as an intentional blend of these elements, aiming to produce a "science fiction police procedural" that reflected his experiences in both genres.[12] The first novel, TekWar, was published in hardcover by G. P. Putnam's Sons on October 9, 1989, under Shatner's name, though it was ghostwritten by science fiction author Ron Goulart based on Shatner's detailed outlines and plot ideas.[1][8] Shatner collaborated closely with Goulart, providing the foundational vision while the latter handled the prose, a partnership that extended to subsequent books in the series.[1] The book's commercial success prompted rapid expansion of the franchise, with Shatner and his collaborators deciding to develop additional novels, a comic series, and eventual television adaptations to capitalize on the growing interest in cyberpunk themes during the late 1980s and early 1990s.[1] This initial publication marked the launch of a multimedia property that Shatner envisioned as a vehicle for exploring emerging technologies like virtual reality.[11]Literary works
Novels
The TekWar novel series consists of nine science fiction thrillers credited to William Shatner and ghostwritten by Ron Goulart, published between 1989 and 1997 primarily by G.P. Putnam's Sons and Ace Books, imprints of Penguin Publishing Group.[5][8] The books follow ex-cop Jake Cardigan in a 22nd-century world dominated by Tek, an addictive virtual reality drug delivered via microchips, as he works as a private investigator after being framed for dealing the substance.[5] Across the series, recurring themes include escalating corporate and political conspiracies fueling the Tek trade, Cardigan's struggles with personal loss and ethical dilemmas in a high-tech society, and the broader impact of Tek on human behavior and inequality.[5] The narrative evolves from the inaugural book's self-contained framing and initial investigation into a serialized arc, with later installments interconnecting cases that expand the mythology of underground Tek networks, android rights, and global power struggles.[5] The novels, in order of publication, are:- TekWar (1989, G.P. Putnam's Sons): Cardigan emerges from cryogenic suspension to clear his name by locating a scientist whose anti-Tek invention threatens the cartels.[8][3]
- TekLords (1991, G.P. Putnam's Sons): Cardigan probes the assassination of a fellow detective, revealing ties to elite "Teklords" controlling the drug's distribution.[13]
- TekLab (1991, G.P. Putnam's Sons): Investigating a sabotaged research facility, Cardigan uncovers experiments blending Tek with biotechnology that endanger public safety.[14]
- Tek Vengeance (1993, G.P. Putnam's Sons): Cardigan pursues vengeance against a rogue AI linked to Tek-enhanced killings across Europe.[15]
- Tek Secret (1993, G.P. Putnam's Sons): A hidden Tek formula prompts Cardigan to infiltrate a secretive corporation hiding deadly side effects.[16]
- Tek Power (1994, G.P. Putnam's Sons): Cardigan confronts a political figure using Tek to manipulate elections and consolidate influence.[17]
- Tek Money (1995, G.P. Putnam's Sons): Tracking laundered Tek profits leads Cardigan to a financial syndicate exploiting virtual economies.[18]
- Tek Kill (1996, G.P. Putnam's Sons): Cardigan investigates serial murders tied to experimental Tek implants altering users' psyches.[19]
- Tek Net (1997, G.P. Putnam's Sons): In the series finale, Cardigan dismantles a vast online Tek network threatening worldwide stability.[5]
Comic book series
The TekWar franchise expanded into comics with the 1992 launch of William Shatner's TekWorld, a series published by Epic Comics, an imprint of Marvel Comics.[20] This ongoing title, which ran for 24 issues from September 1992 to August 1994, adapted elements from Shatner's TekWar novels, focusing on ex-cop Jake Cardigan's investigations into the illegal drug tek in a cyberpunk future.[21] Written primarily by Ron Goulart with art by Lee Sullivan and others, the series featured visual expansions on the source material, including dynamic action sequences that highlighted holographic interfaces and urban dystopias, while structuring narratives into shorter, self-contained arcs to suit the comic format.[20] Tied to promotions for the novels, TekWorld introduced original subplots, such as corporate conspiracies and AI threats, that built on the books' premise without direct page-for-page adaptation. In 2009, Bluewater Productions revived the universe with William Shatner Presents: The Tek War Chronicles, a limited series of eight issues that presented new stories set in the established TekWar world.[22] Co-written by Shatner with artist Scott Davis and inker Erich Owen, the series explored fresh threats like a tek virus infecting robots, delving into Cardigan's past while emphasizing high-stakes chases and technological horrors through vivid, gritty artwork.[23] Unlike the novel adaptations in TekWorld, Chronicles prioritized standalone episodic tales with intensified visual action, such as explosive cybernetic battles, to revive interest in the franchise amid a digital comics boom.[24] The print run began in June 2009 at a cover price of $3.99 per issue, followed by a digital release in 2010 exclusively through Devil's Due Digital, marking an early effort to distribute TekWar content in electronic formats.[25] This revival attempted to update the lore for modern audiences, incorporating themes of evolving AI dangers while maintaining the core cyberpunk intrigue.[22]Collectibles
Trading cards
In 1993, Cardz released the "William Shatner's TekWorld" trading card set as a collectible tie-in to the TekWar franchise, consisting of 100 base cards featuring artwork by Lee Sullivan originally created for the Epic Comics series.[26][27] The cards depicted key franchise elements, including character profiles for figures like Jake Cardigan, Sid Gomez, and Beth Kittridge; illustrations of Tek technology such as addictive virtual reality drugs and advanced weaponry; and teaser scenes involving androids, skycars, and virtual environments that expanded on concepts from the novels and comics.[28][27] Distributed primarily through comic book shops and hobby stores in wax packs (36 per box), the set served as promotional merchandising to build anticipation for the TekWar novels and the forthcoming television adaptations starring William Shatner.[27][26] Collectors prized unique variants, including holographic or foil "Tekchrome" chase cards (numbered T1-T4), autographed cards signed by Shatner or Sullivan, promo cards from events like San Diego Comic-Con, and checklist cards (e.g., #96 and #97) that outlined the set despite some discrepancies in titles compared to the artwork.[27] These features highlighted futuristic visuals, such as moonbase settings and slum districts, providing static glimpses into the cyberpunk world not always fully elaborated in print media.[27][28]Television adaptations
Live-action films
The live-action films of the TekWar franchise consist of four standalone television movies produced in 1994, which served as pilots introducing the central premise of a futuristic detective agency combating the illegal drug "Tek," a virtual reality narcotic, while establishing protagonist Jake Cardigan's wrongful conviction and quest for redemption. These films were developed as entry points to the broader series, adapting and expanding upon elements from William Shatner's novel series by incorporating additional screen-specific conflicts involving corporate intrigue and personal stakes.[6] The movies were co-produced by Atlantis Films and Lemli Productions in association with Universal Television, airing on the USA Network in the United States and CTV in Canada.[29] Directors varied across the installments, with William Shatner helming the first to blend cyberpunk action with character-driven drama. The production emphasized practical effects for holographic interfaces and urban dystopias, filmed primarily in Toronto to evoke a near-future North American metropolis.[30] Key cast members included Greg Evigan as the resilient ex-cop Jake Cardigan, William Shatner as the enigmatic agency head Walter Bascom, Eugene Clark as Cardigan's tech-savvy partner Sid Gomez, and Torri Higginson as Beth Kittridge. Supporting actors added depth to subplots involving family and alliances.[31][32]| Film Title | Air Date | Runtime | Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| TekWar | January 17, 1994 | 92 min | William Shatner |
| TekLords | February 14, 1994 | 96 min | George Bloomfield |
| TekWar: TekLab | February 21, 1994 | 89 min | Timothy Bond |
| TekWar: TekJustice | May 9, 1994 | 100 min | Jerry Ciccoritti |
