The USS Yorktown has been assigned a mission to do recon on the Romulans using the new cloaking device acquired by Kirk’s crew. They encounter a fleet… and Klingons? And wait… is that Number One? What role does she play in all of this? Find out in our early review of John Byrne’s second issue of "Star Trek: Romulans: Schism." We also have 5-page preview and a peek at the trade paperback.
ROMULANS: SCHISM #2 REVIEW
A mere three weeks after the first issue hit comic shops, the middle chapter of Byrne’s final Romulan trilogy arrives this week (Wednesday October 7th). Where the first issue concentrated on the machinations of the Klingons, this one concentrates on the third leg of the tripod, the Federation. For this issue, John Byrne plays around with timeframes a bit, showing the lead-up of the Federation to the upcoming climactic chapter of the entire saga.
Some things that were hinted at in the last issue are made clear, and sure enough, the Commodore in charge of the USS Yorktown (confirmed to be a Constitution class ship) is Number One, last seen in Byrne’s Crew miniseries (which hits stores in trade paperback form later this month). The story begins with Number One being given her orders from the Admiralty, and shows the inner workings of her ship, the Yorktown, as they work to fit the cloaking device into place discovering its flaws. The meat of the story begins when the Yorktown arrives at a based near the Neutral Zone, just in time to encounter a fleet of uncloaked Romulan vessels.
Number One’s aged a bit since Pike’s days, and is just as wise as ever…
Where the first story told of the Klingon involvement and dealt with a commander (Kor) dealing with his superior (the Emperor) before getting out to the field of battle, this issue mirrors it by having Number One dealing with a committee of Federation Admirals dictating their needs and desires. Like Kor, she tries to rebel, but unsuccessfully. Both issues in this series appear to be showing a similar timeline from both the Klingon and Federation points of view, while interspersing small snippets of Romulan events along the way. It remains to be seen whether the third issue will do the same for the Romulans, or whether it will pick up from the end of these two and carry events forward to their logical conclusion.
Byrne continues to show hs increasing comfort with his Star Trek work, and the backgrounds are getting more complex and detailed, and beginning to feel more and more like full episodes (or in this case, perhaps even the events of a movie). Lovern Kindzierski continues to work well with Byrne and keeps the color palette simple yet effective and unique.
A hundred years before the Defiant did it… no wonder the Romulans had so many stipulations in the contract! (click to enlarge)
Once again, Byrne does both covers, the retail incentive version showing the bare artwork. This issue keeps the same motif as the first, but with the Human Number One front and center, signifying their dominance in this issue, just as the Klingon, Kor, on the first suggested their dominance.
The action and backstory comes heavy and hard in this issue, just like the first. The fact that Byrne is managing to cover an entire war in three issues based on the backstory told in the prior three is quite impressive. Again, for a book titled “Romulans”, they have a fairly small role in things at the moment, but that should change with the third and final issue due in a month’s time. One minor complaint is that the final panel of the first issue does not seem to fit in too well with what is seen in this issue. Hopefully that will all be sorted out in the final issue.
Covers for "Schism" #2
(click to enlarge)
Star Trek Romulans: Schism #2 is available in comic stores Wednesday October 7th. You can order it and the previous issue from TFAW (and pre-order the third and final issue).
5 page preview
To get you started, here is a 5-page preview of Romulans: Schisms #2.
(click to enlarge)
Trade Paperback Sneak Peek
One final note to mention. On his forums, Byrne explained the upcoming trade paperback version of the Romulans saga stating:
Once SCHISM has been published, the whole Romulan Saga that began in ALIEN SPOTLIGHT will be collected into a trade paperback. There’s one chapter missing, of course, and that’s the original "Balance of Terror" episode. So, for the trade, I am doing a Romulan’s side adaptation of that episode.
He also shows off a page of what he notes is "not a surprise ending"
Click to enlarge
That book is due in March 2010 and can be pre-ordered now from Amazon.
Boy, is this a fleshed-out universe, or what?
daddy likes :)
Number One in command of the Yorktown… this rules! I was always convinced that such a fine officer would get a command of a starship after her mission on Pike’s ship.
I love Byrne’s obvious love, and attention to detail of the original show…including original Andorians, with their antenae in the back like they’re supposed to be. And the Federation HQ’s. And filling out Number One’s story and coming full swing with her being in charge of a ship herself. And the old ship design. Love it. This one looks great. Think he’s hitting his stride again. I’m looking forward to that Gary Seven follow up he’s hinted at.
I wonder if IDW will ever do a DVD-ROM thing where the collate all their comics on a disc like has been done from all the comics 1967-2002?
Be good if they did do in a few years…save having to get them all as they are doing so many I wouldn’t know where to start.
Wow, that discussion between the Romulan Commander and Kirk is really by the numbers. I guess math really is the universal language. :)
And she shall remain nameless!
Wow, very cool. I love the art of the interior of the Yorktown, and I like the female dress uniform. Also love the Yorktown’s logo.
I don’t normally do for comics, but I might end up wanting to pick this up.
This looks really good.
the trade paperback looks yummy!
Nice likeness of Majel in the cover artwork! Her face came immediately to mind; I hope Rod will enjoy reading this — as if it were another series his dad might have produced with his mom as the star, similar in overall theme to Janeway on the USS Voyager a century hence. So, USS Yorktown is NCC-1717. I read, on some pervious Paramount website report, that the Yorktown was the ship damaged by the Whale Probe in ST IV, and was the ship later re-christened USS Enterprise NCC-1701-A. I do not know if that is considered “canon” in ST lore, but it is certainly an interesting issue, as far as this new ST adventure with “Number One” goes.
Oh, and one more thing: didn’t I read a novel in the last several years in which Number One’s actual NAME was given? (Even if that is not canon, I’d sure like to know what her real name is, other than a title as second in command of Capt. Pike’s USS Enterprise………….
I like this; I’ll have to read a copy. Yes. This one’s a keeper.
Almost 50 and still loving comics!! Engineering looks terrific here and it is certainly great to see Number One as a Commodore. I am looking forward to this issue and many more to come from IDW. Keep the stories coming.
Now THIS is the sort of stuff that gives me that warm and fuzzy “I love Trek” feeling. I guess I’m just an old curmudgeon living in the past…
sigh.
# 11: She was given several different names in various novels and comics. None of them canonical. Only what’s been on screen is canon, according to Paramount canon policy.
I’m hooked…
#13 – I know what you mean.
#16 Imrahil – I guess some of us are just unrepentant recidivists… ;-)
# 6) frederick von fronkensteen math is a universal language at least in our universe which is based on a binary existence. Now in a quantum level universe things do not behave as a true/false binary existence, their is the Trinity state of true, false, and maybe.
How many times have you wished you did not have to answer yes or no but wanted the maybe answer. As quantum computers develop this is going to change things. Not only in math but society. Could it be possible that society is all ready experimenting in Quantum Logic. I will not answer as to what the tests are because that is to political and shall be done elsewhere.
The Commador does resemble Majel, but she seems to have been in-fused with the charisma of Charlie’s Angels. She seems to have that sexy power but knows what to do with out having to call Charlie (aka Starfleet).
The story line could make a good series, wonder if any of the FanFilm makers will jump on the idea. Their big problem is to find the right atress to play #1 for free. But if done so it could be preempting Janeway.
Why Ashley Judd of course someday can play Number One. ;)
All I can say is…
TOS Forever, baby!
The more I see stuff like this, the more I get agitated over the changes in the new movie… oh well…
Mmmmmm beautiful eyecandy of the Trekkiest kind … the attention to detail is giving me a nerdgasm.
I like this! Must have it!
# 18: Quantum mechanics isn’t about true, false and maybe. What some people interpret as ‘maybe’ is a so-called mixed-state, and when you have a closer look at it you’ll find it’s a vector-sum of (more or less) complicated vectors, from which you can calculate probabilities of physical events occurring. And quantum-logic is just one way of formulating the algebra underlying such computations. It is not concerned with truth and falsity in the same way as common logic is. And if you want a logic of ‘maybe’ you don’t have to look into quantum mechanics. Logic with a third value for maybe has been around since the 1920s, and maybe even since Aristotle, and it’s got nothing to do with quantum theory.
Sorry for lecturing here, but there’s really a lot of misinformation and phony post-modern interpretation going on about quantum mechanics these days. But quantum mechanics is actually a most complicated piece of physical theory which does NOT lend itself to simple interpretations.
who knows, maybe Number One will appear in later Abrams’ Trek with Admiral Pike or something…
#26. Her name was heard being CALLED by Dr. McCoy [Karl Urban] in the new ST movie, although she wasn’t actually seen. This was when Kirk was taken to the “Medical Bay” (their dialogue) with swollen hands, and just before he was knocked flat by that injection (whatever it was), after asking “How long does it take to………” and fell flat in mid-sentence.
I also hope Roberto and Alex include Christine Chapel in the storyline for ST-12……….. Maybe a little human competition for young Spock, considering Spock’s [seen-onscreen] relationship with Nyota Uhura…….
Thanks Rao for John Byrne! This is pure love, pure romance on the works.