Star Trek Ongoing #2 (IDW, Oct 2011)

 

Cover Date:      October 2011

 

“Where No Man Has Gone Before, Part 2”

 

Writer:              Mike Johnson

 

Art:                   Stephen Molnar

 

Colors:              John Rauch

 

Letters:              Neil Uyetake

 

Cover(s):             A – Tim Bradstreet/Grant Goleash

                           B – Joe Corroney

 

Reviewer:           Ken

 

This is the second issue of the two-part retelling of the classic TOS episode “Where No Man Has Gone Before” but with the new 2009 movie cast/reality.  The issue opens as the Enterprise arrives at the Delta-Vega where Kirk intends to get the ship’s warp drive capabilities back and maroon his best friend Gary Mitchell.  Mr. Mitchell’s encounter with the energy barrier at the edge of the galaxy has turned him into a glowing-eyed superman.  While his new capabilities grow his humanity seems to be shrinking.  The danger posed to the ship and crew forces Kirk into the most difficult decision of his career.  On the planet, Scotty and Kelso get the ship up and running again while Kirk and Spock deal with Gary.  Mitchell breaks out of his prison and knocks Kirk and Spock out.  He kills Kelso and leaves the automated mining facility.  When Kirk comes to he orders Spock and the rest up to the ship while he goes to deal with what Mitchell has become.  When Kirk catches up he attempts to kill Mitchell with his trusty phaser riffle that proves useless against the superman.  As Gary is readying to kill his old friend Kirk, Spock comes up from behind and knocks Mitchell out with his Vulcan neck pinch.  Mitchell starts to come to weakly calling to Jim.  One of his eyes is back to normal.  Kirk sees he is vulnerable and takes the opportunity to kill Gary with the phaser riffle.  The threat is over but at a very high cost.         

 

Quick Review:        

• I have mixed feeling about re-treading TV series stories.  If you do it right by bringing something truly new to the retelling, then great but if you don’t it’s just a retread of stuff we have all seen before.  Marvel did an excellent job with its retelling of the “Cage” episode from a new prospective (Colt’s).  This comic (Ongoing #2) changes some things up but it’s mostly the original story with few surprises.  A very high quality book mind you, just not much new was brought to the story. ·        

 

• I hate the design of the phaser rifle.  Though the original Phaser rifle used by the Shat was not perfect, it was an object of childhood gadget desire for as long as I can remember.  It is the quintessential phaser rifle. The new design breaks new ground, which I applaud but it looks bland and unimaginative.  If they have a phaser riffle in the next JJ Abrams movie, I hope it does not look like this comic’s.       

 

• The art is first class as is the case with most of IDW’s publications.·        

 

• I like the many covers this issues comes in.  I am not much for buying a comic multiple times jus for the different covers but these are pretty good.  The Spock photograph cover might be the exception since I never thought much of covers that just use publicity photos top make a cover.  Seems like a cheap way to go, but fans of Zachary Quinto will probably dig it.       

 

• I just read that issues 3 & 4 will re-tell the “Galileo 7” TOS episode.  I hope this one brings more new ideas to the table.  It will be a great opportunity to learn about the new Spock.

    

Overall Rating:

Story:                 4 out of 5

Art:                     5 out of 5

Cover(s):             Too Numerous

 

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Recent Mini Reviews by Cover Date:

 

November 2011:

 

     Star Trek Ongoing #3 (coming soon)

 

     Star Trek / Legion of Super-Heroes #2 (coming soon)

 

October 2011:

 

     Star Trek Ongoing #2

 

     Star Trek / Legion of Super-Heroes #1

 

September 2011:

 

     Star Trek Ongoing #1