Issue Four: Deadly Allies

Star Trek Issue 4

Last time in the pages of DC's STAR TREK...

Against direct orders from Starfleet, Admiral Kirk and company travel to the planet Organia to see why the Organians haven't interceded in an alarming declaration of war by the Klingons. Enterprise finds Organia shrouded in a mysterious black void-and the Klingons waiting for them. Enterprise and the Klingons exchange hostilities and then the Excalibans reveal themselves and warn human and Klingons alike to let the drama proceed...

Chapter four serves to bring Star Trek's first four part story arc to a resolution. This issue is heavy on the exposition (mainly for the benefit of new or more casual fans with hazy memories of the who, what and why of the original episodes of  "The Savage Curtain" and "Errand of Mercy"). There aren't many surprises here but this debut arc shows that it has respect for the Star Trek cannon, is going to give us plenty of action while not forgetting smaller character driven moments, and is willing to broaden the Star Trek canvas a bit with new and interesting characters who are integral to the overall story. Let's look a little closer..

So, those pesky Excalibans are at it again with their quest to find out once and for all which is the ultimate power in the universe: Good or Evil. This time, however, the rocky creatures with winky blinky eyes want the scale of their drama to be a little larger-like on a stage the size of the galaxy instead of just with a handful of individuals.  Only problem with that is those darn Organians stubbornly enforcing the peace.  Solution? The Excalibans pay the Organians a surprise visit and kazaam them into some sort of super stasis field before they can assume their true non-corporal shape and fight back.  Then, the Excalibans finished their attack by blanketing the Organians world in some sort of super power wet blanket.
Now free to conduct their experiments without interruption the Excalibans possess representatives from Starfleet and the Klingon Empire and stoke up their existing prejudices, misconceptions, hatreds and so on and then let individuals baser desires take its course. Well, Kirk has played this game before-literally, and this time he has a brand new plan!

Kirk convinces Kor and the other Klingons aboard his ship to join forces so that together they can stop the Excalibans destructive drama. Human and Klingon work together to outfit a shuttle to pierce the weird black field enveloping Organia and hopefully set the Organians free.

Of course, working together for sworn enemies isn't a piece of cake.  Poor Konom starts a riot when he tries to visit some of the Klingon "guests" aboard the Enterprise. Konom's actions aboard the Klingon station are now common knowledge among the Klingons and he's condemned as a traitor and outcast by Kor himself. The Klingons despise Konom as much as some of the Enterprise crew. So, Konom is firmly established as an individual without a country, so to speak. He's very isolated now and in my mind reflects how Mr. Spock must have felt in the early days of his Starfleet career.  Above we see one of the few character moments from this issue that shows Konoms plight and his budding relationship with Nancy Bryce.

Speaking of character moments-there's a very humorous one between Kirk and Kor and Dr. McCoy as seen below:

Ok, so finally Kirk frees the Organians and persuades the Excalibans that if they really want to know which is stronger good or evil that they need to get their own hands dirty and PARTICIPATE in the struggle instead of watching from the sidelines.  And who better to square off against than a race who could match their awesome powers.  Say, like...the Organians! The Excalibans mull this over for a bit and decide that Kirk has an intriguing idea. The Organians, strangely enough, seem to go with this idea as well. Perhaps its just a matter of self defense but they're quick to rise to the challenge...REALLY...rise to the challenge as both sides immediately grow to truly cosmic proportions while Organia comes apart under the forces of the two super races battling it out!  Kirk and crew get the hell outta Dodge as quick as they can.  In the Enterprise's wake the two opposing forces wink out of existence. Or, appear to do so.

Kirk is understandably glad to be rid (?) of both races, at least for the time being.  Kirk's not a man to rest in the arms of renegade super-beings and says so. The adventure is over and the Enterprise leaps into warp speed ....

End.

Issue Three: Errand of War

The Story So Far...
Admiral Kirk and company are assigned to figure out why and how the Klingons are making hit and run incursions along the Klingon Neutral Zone.  Kirk discovers a hidden wormhole that is harboring a Klingon battlestation. Kirk collapses the wormhole, exposing the Klingons. They self-destruct when its apparent that their mission has failed. Shortly afterwards, the Klingon Emporer Kahless IV declares war on the Federation for Kirk's actions...
And so now we're ready for issue 3!







As soon as Kahless IV ends his transmission we see that he's acting against his own will.  It appears that he's being possessed or controlled by....

Do you know who it is? Long time fans of the tv series, those of us who've watched the original 79 episodes over and over and over through the years will no doubt recognize the possessor as an Excaliban. Others may need a little filling in.  The Excalibans were featured in the episode "The Savage Curtain". Check that out, and then combined with the hints sprinkled throughout this issue it'll be readily apparent what's going on here.
Kirk is mighty puzzled by the Klingons pronouncement of war.  Specifically why in blazes the Organians have done NOTHING to curb the hostilities and re-impose the order they forced on both sides to begin with.  Kirk rings up Grand Admiral Stephen Turner to confirm what he's just seen and heard.

Turner not only confirms that war has been declared but then he gives Kirk a Holy WTF! moment by commanding him to go guard the Federation side of the ROMULAN Neutral Zone! Kirk protests, wanting instead to B-line it to Organia to see what's going on.  Turner pointedly shoots that idea out of the water and sends Kirk on his way. When the discussion between Turner and Kirk is over we see that the same alien forces that are pulling the Klingon's strings are also pulling the Federation's strings.
Meanwhile, aboard the Enterprise, we find that Konom the wounded Klingon deserter from the last issue and Ensign Bryce have developed an unlikely friendship during Konom's recovery.  Bryce gives Konom a tour of one of the Enterprises Botanical gardens.We discover that Ensign Bryce's first name is Nancy.  It becomes readily apparent that she is a romantic interest for Konom and someone with whom he can discover the nature of his true self. This is all fine and dandy for them but it causes quite a nasty stir with other members of the crew, particularly with Ensign Bearclaw who decides to do something about it.



Back in Kirk's quarters he and Bones are talking over a drink about the current Klingon/Federation war. Kirk feels that something is entirely out of place, that he should be going to Organia and sorting it all out with them.  Bones asks what's stopping Kirk from following his instincts....surely not "orders".  Besides, when has that ever stopped him before? Kirk hardily agrees.  Kirk tells Sulu to make for Organia with all possible haste.  Just then, Grand Admiral Turner sends a propaganda video to be shown ship-wide on the Enterprise of a Klingon incursion on a small Federation outpost.



Many of the crew wig out at this news and focus their anger on Konom and Nancy Bryce. It nearly starts a riot.  Konom and Nancy are running for their lives when security show up to save the day!

Meanwhile, the Enterprise shows up at Organia to find that the planet is either NOT there or else it's being blanketed by some as yet unknown technology or force. Shortly after the Enterprise's arrival 2 Klingon Battle Cruisers appear and a skirmish ensues.  Admiral Kirk gets the upper hand and beams the survivors from the one remaining Klingon Battle Cruiser aboard the Enterprise. He is confronted by his old foe Captain Kor (Who has undergone the whole "bumpy forehead" upgrade that Klingons have sported since Star Trek The Motion Picture). Kirk and Kor exchange a few barbs and accusations before both finally get down to business.  The Federation has been fed a line of propaganda about Klingons and the Klingons have been fed propaganda against the Federation. Kor has been sent to guard Organia from the Federation while Admiral Kirk has been given explicit orders to stay AWAY from Organia. The two old adversaries at last agree that something is waaaay out of kilter. It's at this moment that the Excaliban shows up and tells Kirk and Kor that the drama must continue or both will meet a swift demise!  Stay tuned next post for issue four as the story continues with UNLIKELY ALLIES.

Issue Two: ...The Only Good Klingon...

RECAP OF LAST ISSUE...

Ok, so picking up directly after Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan, Admiral Kirk is once again assigned asCaptain of the Enterprise. Starfleet dispatches Enterprise and company to the Klingon Neutral Zone where there have been several Klingon hit and run attacks.  The Enterprise itself is attacked and barely avoids being destroyed.  During the heat of battle an odd signal is sent from one of the Klingon Battle cruisers. The signal turns out to be a wormhole flux signature.  Kirk and company investigate further by modifying a shuttle and a few space suits to enter the wormhole and discover what the Klingons are up to.  Kirk and company are astonished to find within a huge Klingon battle station.

Chapter II: ...The Only Good Klingon...takes up the story with Lt. Saavik piloting a shuttlecraft through the wormhole to distract the Klingons while Admiral Kirk and Ensign Bryce give the battlestation a closer look.
Elsewhere, aboard the Enterprise Scotty is struggling to bring the damaged engines and weapons back online so that the Enterprise can defend itself against another attack.
Lt. Saavik leads a squad of Klingons on a merry chase through the wormhole.  Kirk and Bryce enter the station through an airlock as one of the enemy ships deploys to go after Saavik. Kirk wonders how the Klingons are getting away with their aggressions against Starfleet since the Organian Peace Treaty has been in effect for some sixteen years (Watch the original Star Trek tv series episode "Errand of Mercy" to learn how the Organian Peace Treaty came about!).
Once on the Klingon station Kirk and Bryce go about finding out how to collapse the wormhole or make it unstable so that the Klingons can't hide or attack from it anymore.
Meanwhile, Captain Koloth of the Klingons begins to suspect that there's something extremely odd about his crewman Konom.  Konom worries that his aversion to violence and war and that whole thing has been discovered. Koloth dispatches a few of his officers to follow Konom and monitor his activities.
It doesn't take long for Konom to stumble on to Kirk and Bryce.  A phaser fight breaks out during which Konom tries to explain to Kirk that "there is something wrong with me!", that he abhores the Klingon way of violence and barbarism and that in fact, he is the one who sent the signal out to alert Kirk and company of the hidden wormhole. Konom is eventually wounded by phaser fire.
Meanwhile, Lt. Saavik has ditched her shuttle and became a prisoner of the Klingons. She makes a bold escape and manages to hook back up with Kirk's party. They plant some explosives on the device making the wormhole stable and then use the Klingons transporter to get back to the Enterprise.
McCoy goes into surgery on Konom while Kirk prepares to face off with the Klingons-but, as they usually do-the Klingons have other plans-like blowing themselves and their exposed battle station to smithereens instead of facing defeat at Kirk's hands.
Meanwhile Konom pulls through surgery and Ensign Bryce is left to stand at his bedside and wonder what to do with her hatred of Klingons now that she's discovered one that goes against her stereotyping.
The issue ends with the Klingon Emperor Kahless IV declaring war on the federation for the "savage agressive acts" of James T. Kirk.

COMMENTARY

Issue two ratchets up the action/adventure nicely. The plot is solid but fairly Star Trek standard.  Evil Klingons doing evil, underhanded things while Admiral Kirk and crew works against time and the odds to foil their plans. However, DC Star Trek knew and understand their core fans-and what things to do to really please them.  I'm talking about the small (and sometimes not so small) character moments-where the penciled characters acted, reacted, and interacted with their environments and with each other like their television counterparts.
This issue, as I've said, had it's lion's share of action scenes but I would like to point out all of the little things-character moments and such that made this title such a favorite of mine.

Beginning with supporting players and working our way up we see...

that Ensign Bearclaw is holding a hard grudge against the Klingons and ensign Bryce for what happened to his father on the Gallant.  It's easy to make 2nd string Star Trek characters into nothing more than redshirts who fail to die quickly, but writer Mike W. Barr has avoided that trap. With every panel he starts adding dimensions to his 2nd line characters.

Bryce ends up with a lot of page time in the first two issues. Most of that is her actions as an inexperienced officer. To the left here is a panel from a discussion between her and Kirk after she's frozen at a critical junction.  Its standard fare but it gives an opportunity to see how Kirk relates impersonally to his crew and it also shows that not everyone aboard the Enterprise is a super experienced, nearly indestructible and virtually unfallable.(Incidentally, the time Kirk mentions in the above panel was shown in the Original Series episode "Obsession").

...Konom is a very strange Klingon, indeed! He hates needless violence, the "glories" of war, and barbarism for barbarisms sake.  Back when this series started I remember being dubious about Konom but I was willing to give him a chance.

Then, there were the main cast's character moments sprinkled through issue 2...  The Panel below hearkens back to the climax of Star Trek II when Mr. Spock mind melds with an unconscious Dr. McCoy and simply says, "Remember!"  Remember what, McCoy muses. Will we ever find out? How tantalizing! :)

 

 This next panel also features Dr. McCoy having an exchange with Mr. Sulu about Mr. Spock. When this issue was released Star Trek III was still months away and McCoys comment was very poignant. 

Finally, we have a moment where Sulu voices the thoughts of many fans (me being one of them) at the time: GIVE SULU A FREAKIN' STARSHIP TO COMMAND! That would have been so cool on screen as a television series.

Well, that wraps up issue 2 of  DC's Star Trek! Come back next post for Chapter III: Errand of War!

Issue One: The Wormhole Connection

DC Comics Star Trek Issue 1 (Feb. 84)  takes up immediately after the events portrayed in Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan. The crew, and particularly Admiral Kirk are still grieving the loss of Captain Spock. Spock of course, died saving the ship from the Genesis Torpedo launched by Khan. Spock's body is presumed to be resting on the newly formed Genesis Planet. Dr. Carol Marcus, a former flame of Admiral Kirk and their son David have returned to their research on space station Regula One and the crew of the Reliant have been dispatched for duty rotation and sick leave. Checkov is once again assigned to the Enterprise as weapons officer and Lt. Saavik steps into the position of Science Officer.  

The issue opens on Stardate 8141.5 with the USS Gallant under the command of Captain Bearclaw patrolling the Neutral Zone between Federation and Klingon space where there have been major violations of the Organian Peace Treaty by the Klingons .
Without warning, and seemingly from nowhere four Klingon Battle Cruisers appear and viciously attack the Gallant.  The Gallant is no match for the onslaught.  The ship is destroyed rather easily and then as quickly as they appeared the warships disappear again.

The attack on the Gallant gives us our first look at Konom-a peace loving Klingon who doesn't share his comrades love of violence and blood and guts glory for glory's sake. More on him later.
 After the Gallant's destruction the story moves on to a meeting between Admiral Kirk and Grand Admiral Turner.  Kirk wants to become permanent Captain of the Enterprise.  Kirk's realized that being Captain of the Enterprise is his "first, best destiny" and he doesn't want to let go of the Enterprise again.  Admiral Turner agrees. Kirk beams aboard as Captain of the ship. All of the "old hands" are back in their familiar places minus Mr. Spock and it's time for the Enterprise to swing back into action. Starfleet dispatches the Enterprise to the Neutral Zone in an effort to quail the Klingon insurgency.
On the way to the Neutral Zone we are introduced to Ensign Bryce who is the daughter of one of the bridge crew from the doomed USS Gallant.  Bryce has a chance encounter with another Ensign-Ensign Bearclaw who's father was also stationed aboard the Gallant as its Captain. Bearclaw blames Bryce for the destruction of the Gallant.  The two break out into a fist fight that Admiral Kirk happens into. He breaks the pair up and lays the law down about how he expects crew to behave on the Enterprise.  It's clear that we'll be seeing some interesting interaction between Bryce and Bearclaw in the future.
Once at the Neutral Zone, Admiral Kirk does a little "fishing" for the Klingons.  He is not disappointed. Out of nowhere four Klingon battle cruisers show up and start dishing out the punishment to the Enterprise.  Kirk is ready for them and manages to fend off their attack.  The Klingons retreat but not before Konom, the strange Klingon with a conscious sends out a strange signal...
Meanwhile, Kirk has some issues with Lt. Saavik.  He doesn't think she's doing her job very well. 

Saavik doesn't know how to handle Kirk's criticisms, which she believes are mostly unfair.  She seeks out Dr. McCoy and asks him for advice. McCoy sympathizes with the Lt. but tells her to basically "buck up".  He asks if confiding in him has helped her any and she tells him "no". It's a humorous moment.  McCoy then goes to Kirk and gently reminds him that Spock is gone and no one will be able to fill his shoes. Kirk promises to give Saavik a fair shake.
Later in a staff briefing Saavik brings up the strange signal she intercepted during the Klingon attack.  Scotty identifies the signal as a wormhole signiture. Kirk and Scotty deduce that the Klingons are traveling through a wormhole of their own making, making it appear as if the Klingons are materializing out of nothingness. Scotty rigs the transporter and a shuttlecraft for a look-see into the Klingon wormhole.  Kirk and ensign Bryce materialize inside the wormhole to see...

 

A Klingon space station with a whole hell of a lot of fire power!!!

COMMENTARY:
 Writer Mike W. Barr's handle on Star Trek was pitch perfect. Not only did he provide believable interpretations of our beloved Enterprise crew but he also introduced several new characters into the mix that felt like genuine characters and not throwaway cardboard cutouts. Bryce and Bearclaw and Konom and the rest gave our aging crew a graceful blood transfusion.
This new iteration of Star Trek would mix believable character moments with the mandatory action/adventure aspect of the show.  Issue one made it clear that DC Trek was going to make efforts to be as thought provoking and humanistic as the television show.  And, that my friends is a good thing.
I enjoyed the whole subplot this issue with Saavik trying to take over for Mr. Spock and yet make the position uniquely her own.
Konom, a good Klingon?? The thought was pretty radical. Remember, this was a few years before the introduction of Worf in the Next Generation.
Bryce and Bearclaw were interesting new characters. I was excited to see their stories develop.

Star Trek The Original Series As Presented in DC Comics: Issue by Issue

I am a 41 year old Star Trek fanatic who particularly enjoys collecting Star Trek comics.  My favorite Star Trek comics were the two runs DC Comics did from February 1984 to November of 1988 and then from October of 1989 to February of 1996. I actually prefer the first series DC did to the second series for no particular reason other than nostalgia, I suppose.
I remember waiting for each new issue with a lot of anticipation. After I read the comic I'd bag it and put it in a box that I stored in my closet. Over the years I've read those comics countless times. They've brought me a lot of geeky happiness.  Unfortunately, outside of my personal enjoyment the comics have done nothing over the years but sit there on a shelf in a box getting a little older a year at a time. That is, until now.
Some time back I accidentally stumbled across the Marvel Star Wars blog that looked back at the original Marvel Comics Star Wars series issue by issue from 1977 to 1986. I thought that was a damn cool idea. It made me think: I could do something like that with my Star Trek collection.  It would be fun to relive those memories and share my comic books with old fans and new fans alike.  It would breathe new life into my comic book collection which is just otherwise sitting there in the dark waiting for me to visit it again. 
So, that's what this blog is about: Sharing my Star Trek comics and memories with you. Hopefully we'll all have a good time.  Let's get started, shall we?