IDW Publishing
Written by Mike Johnson
Illustrated by Rachael Stott
Coloured by Davide Mastrolonardo
PREVIOUSLY IN STAR TREK… The U.S.S. Enterprise is on a Five Year Mission of discovery into uncharted space. Following their encounter with the alien pirate Eurydice, the ship's stores of rare dilithium crystals have been filled and its warp drive repaired. Currently en route from deep in the Delta Quadrant, the Enterprise seeks to resume its exploration at the far edges of the Alpha Quadrant…
This series has really reignited my love for the original series and the new movies in the best ways possible. That old saying everything old is new again truly does apply here. With Rachael and Davide’s work on the interiors bring the characters and the Enterprise to life they way they do, and the character likeness’ are amazing, keeping it so close to the animated series and yet so full of imagination sets it apart as much as Mike’s writing, story ideas and characterization.
Well with what happens to the Enterprise Kirk holds a meeting of his senior officers, except Chekov and Sulu are missing! Aww they never get any real love do they and my poor Chekov is a genius as he’s proven time and again. Still this meeting does what it’s supposed to and that’s keep the severity of their situation going from theory to reality. While it always seems that the crew of the Enterprise faces more than their fair share of crisis it wouldn’t be as interesting if they didn’t and let’s face it the action, quick thinking and behavior of the characters in these situations is why we keep coming back.
Coming back from a quadrant of space unfamiliar to the Federation means the crew of the Enterprise are bound to encounter new and exciting species and perils they’ve never encountered before. This time around it centers around something Spock speculates as Interphase. Scotty confirms that this phenomenon isn’t something that Spock just made up on the spot and with the technology they use, warp speed and transporters, the theory here is real though it’s never been seen before.
There is another danger that comes with Interphase and that is it affects humans in a way that induces a degenerative psychological state. As we see tempers flare and members of the crew feel the need to take control of the ship and run things their way presuming they are the only one who sees and understands the truth. Thankfully this state only seems to have an effect on humans and the Enterprise is full of beings who aren’t human so it’s going to be up to spock and spotlight on other species on board to find a way out of their current predicament.
As if that weren’t bad enough however Sulu and Scotty have succumbed to this state as well and while they have separated the saucer from the body of the ship unknown beings use this distraction to take advantage of the opportunity to come in and snare the Enterprise in a trap of their own.
This is exciting, fun and full awe and wonder that the original series inspired in generation and it continues to have that effect on new generations as well older ones.