Customer Reviews

Star Trek: Other Realities (Graphic Novel)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Three fun Star Trek stories in one meaty trade paperback!

"N-Vector" is by KW Jeter, not my favourite Trek novelist, but this comic story is most enjoyable. It was our first hint at a "Deep Space Nine" without Captain Sisko - and the new character of Commander Jast, a female Bolian introduced here, is carried over into the DS9 Relaunch novel, "Avatar". The artwork of this comic story is quite bizarre, but it does grow on you.

Peter David's crew of the USS Excalibur, commanded by the alien Captain Mackenzie Calhoun, has been extremely popular in the original Pocket Books saga, "New Frontier". So "Double Time", now out of print in its orginal, slim graphic novel form, is an often hilarious, often tragic, romp through time for NF fans. It dovetails neatly into the ongoing soap opera style of the NF novels and gives most of Calhoun's eccentric Starfleet crew a chance to shine. Peter David collaborated with the illustrators on the "look" of his characters in this comic, and for the most part, the art is exceptional. Watch out for the cameo of Ensign Janos, the resident Mugato security officer. And the non cameo by Majel Barrett!

"All of Me" is a story set in the original series (TOS). I particular enjoyed the freshness of the artwork. The colours and style capture the look of the best of Kirk and Spock's adventures. Why wasn't Gold Key doing stuff like this in the early 70s?

I already had the original comics in this collection, but this TPB gave me an opportunity to have "N-Vector" in more permanent form, but it's also an economical way for fans of the DS9 Relaunch novels and "New Frontier" to catch up on some 'episodes' they've missed.

I give high recommendations to any Star Trek Graphic Novel fan out there, these stories are some of the best drawn and best written stories I've encountered. That's not to say they are now without flaw, but I will say that I enjoyed them on a level higher than I enjoyed others.

Story 1 based on TOS: Orions, Klingons, Romulans, Mad Scientists, this story has it all and an ending that left me longing for more. After a brief run in with the Orion Syndicate, Kirk recieves new orders taking him to an encounter with one of Spocks old...acquaintances, but of course this mission of good will soon turns sour as the Enterprise crew battle all manner of Trek life.

Story 2 based on DS9: Odd drawings you'll fall in love with and a story that is DS9 worthy. Could it be that DS9 itself is acting strange? Not long after the conclusion of the series, the old DS9 gang find themselves together facing an enemy with the potential to destroy whole empires.

Story 3 based on a new crew: This is where I thought to knock down the rating a Star, the story and the characters are good, but it's the specific 'timely' manuver the captain uses that frustrated me. Captain Calhoun figures out a way to fix a grevious mistake that lead to the destruction of a peoples, but his solution ends up back firing greater than one can comprehend.

It's nice to have Star Trek comics in book form.

From the back of the book: Star Trek is known across the world for the wide variety of stories it emcompasses. The extent of that variety is found here in a single collection comprising characters from two different television series and one novel series, by an assortment of writers and artists working at the top to their game. Star Trek: Other Realities contains Star Trek: All of Me, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - N-Vector, and Star Trek: New Frontier - Double Time. Whether into deepest space or through the very fabric of time itself, these tales take the reader on a journey through realities where nothing is as it seems, and danger lurks around every corner.

Sadly, this first collection of Wildstorm's Star Trek comics represent some of the publisher's worst work with the property. N-Vector is written by K. W. Jeter, the man who wrote two of the worst DS9 novels ever (Warped and Bloodletter), and has hideously ugly artwork. The only good thing is that it's consistent with the new DS9 novels Pocket Books are doing.

Double Time starts out promising, and it's fun to SEE Peter David's New Frontier character. Mike Collins' art is excellent. But the story is a major letdown at the end, as Calhoun has to be saved by a deus ex machina that totally ruins the entire story.

All of Me has similar problems. It works fine until the plot is actually explained, at which point it falls to pieces. Aaron Lopresti's art isn't bad - he draws a great Orion babe - but the story's just dumb.

I recommend picking up Enemy Unseen (Wildstorm's TNG comics) or even Encounters with the Unknown (their Voyager comics, which amazingly are pretty good), but leave this alone unless you're a DS9 or NF completist.